Cutting Christmas Tree Trip 2006

We bought a $10 permit to go cut a tree up to 12' in one of the national forests. We initially drove up Hwy 55 a little past Banks, ID but it started to get too dark on us and we didn't find a tree that we liked. The following day we drove past Idaho City on Hwy 21, getting into a pretty good amount of snow as we went up in elevation. The permit required to be at least 300 feet off the road so we found a trail where a group of cars were apparently doing the same thing we were. We searched down the trail a little but didn't find anything we liked and it really started to steep incline higher up. Wesley decided to cross a stream on our right to a batch of trees that seemed good and closer. After finally finding a place to cross he soon found out that the snow was really soft and nearly waist deep, he kept falling and sinking. Due to that, the high elevation (close to 8000ft), and the steep climb he had to take several rest breaks to catch his breath.

He found a tree, cut it down, then the fun part of dragging the tree back down through the deep snow, over logs, etc. Back at the stream it was a steep grade down and back up the otherside. Wesley had to roll the tree so that it fell on it's own down to the stream. Wading knee-deep through the stream (he didn't cross at the same point) and getting to the otherside with the tree he could go no more. A family happened to show up at that time to where Debi and the kids were standing waiting (who by the way were catching snowflakes while waiting; really worried about Dad!). The dad with the family offered to help Wesley pull the tree up the steep grade to the trail. For doing so Wesley gave him, who only had an hatchet, our saw. This was definitely an unique adventure for us!

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