Morning’s dawn brought the sound of chopper blades as we spent our very last night ever sleeping on the old Plummer Canyon deck. With the help of our friends, Frank Sweeney and Chris Davis, we stationed ourselves on the slopes the night before and awaited the arrival of new decking materials and bunk beds to be flown up from Moose Creek the following morning.
What’s it take to move a yurt, you ask, and why? Several years ago, the Forest Service re-surveyed the Wilderness boundary near the yurt and realized that we needed to relocate the yurt to have it distanced away from the Federally-designated Jedediah Smith Wilderness Area. After time spent stomping around the hills to find a new location, we gained the approval from the Forest Service October 2012. We saved the money to purchase the helicopter time so that we could operate in the new location this winter. Several days before the flight, Jeff drove to West Yellowstone to pick up nets for the long lining. We then hauled the nets up to the yurt on our backs, weighed everything, and bundled the yurt, furniture’ and all supplies into 350 lb. loads. The netted loads were then ready for the heli pickup at dawn. Chris and Jeff were at the new site, unclipping the new loads. Diane and Frank were at the old site with Frank clipping the loads to be hauled while Diane communicated with the pilot.
In addition to chopper blades at dawn, the sound of thunder rolled through the sky at 7:30 am, which sent the bird back to Driggs while we waited out the storm sitting under the deck or tarps for several hours, downing chocolate covered coffee beans to stay alert. After a few calls from the pilot, the sound of the chopper filled the sky again and eventually the last load was hauled away from the old deck site by 13:30.
The new location is AWESOME! There is a lot more sun and better views of the Snake River Range, Stouts Mountain and the Big Holes. The hut sits higher upslope, closer to 9,000 feet, and has adventurous tree runs straight below the yurt down into Plummer Canyon. If your booked into Plummer this winter, be PSYCHED!
We’ll be updating progess on the deck building later this month (have battery powered screwguns will travel!) And look for details about the biggest deck burning party you will EVER attend!
