Yes, old growth forests and dead standing groups of trees as far as the eyes can see.
They have been logging alot along the South side of the South Saskatchewan River from Forestry Trunk road to the East side of Trout Creek.
These are small cut blocks compared to the the massive cut at Nordegg River road North West to the FTR.
We noticed the dead standing trees about 8 years ago when glasses from the mountains out there, these brown patches were deffinatly noticeable 5 years ago.
They are doing some oil and gas exploration up the Sun Pine and Ram Cut-across, lots of new well site pads on the Nordegg River Rd, the Wawa, Cordell, Swale,,, lots of trails and roads every where up there.
There are millions trout fray-lings in the Ram ponds along the river this year, pretty good to see that many of them.
Lots of Bear's, Wolves, and the odd Cougars.
Year 47 in that pocket, the fellows from Sherbrook are up there this year tagging and recording the Mountain sheep this year. 1 large 1 small Ram, about 44 Euws. The old catch pen is back in use.
We've been in and out of there since last year, forestry is building a new camp sites, there fixing up the Meadows Road / Back side Rocky to Nordegg cut-across road.
They might complete most of it by next year, it's tuff going back there.
There some Narrly bush on the West side of the FTR that might need some clipping.
Forestry did the Waby-abby and Hummingbird Bird burns a few weeks ago. Lots of dead standing trees in those pockets to.
Those beetles sure hung a lick'en on the trees in that area, much like the Chungo, Grade Cash, Kakwa, Ruby Falls Valley looks ok, the odd spots in there that might need some attention.
Hope they can get ahead of the die off, but I think the beetle got ahead of them this time.
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