Early event at Hyalite Lake - Chisholm campground

Join us for overnight camping or just come up for the day for kayaking/picnic for this early season Hyalite visit. I have spent about 30 hours planning this event and reserving lots of campsites.

Now Kerie is taking over with the challenging job of who determines who gets to be where and how and why. She's the boss - for very good reasons.
(I'm moving on to the next event)

WHERE: Chisholm Campground (south of the larger campground Hood Creek).

Organizers and other members have reserved campsites for various nights, and the entire campground for June 2nd.

PLEASE RSVP to Kerie by May 15th IF CAMPING AND NOTE IN COMMENTS WHICH DATES YOU WOULD LIKE TO CAMP (if available)

Kerie is putting a chart to make it easy to see what sites we have for what nights and coordinate who camps where and reimbursing organizers.

Each site allows 2 vehicles and at least one tent so potential to double up and save costs.

We will probably keep one car site open in Site 5 to facilitate launching kayaks - see above photo at low water. Update you on that as we get closer. There is a daytime parking lot across the road and a bit higher. Carpooling encouraged for day visits!

COST: Direct cost for campsite if reimbursing (or half of campsite if split), plus we will determine a small fee for campsite and supplies such as propane, firewood, coffee, etc. (based on number of participants) and to cover estimated cancellation fees for not using sites.

Here is who has reserved a site months ago; the amount shown is what they paid via their credit card. As noted above, there are extra costs

Site 1 - Cynthia + Guest - June 1 & 2
Site 2 - Kerie - Arr PM June 1 Dep AM June 3
Site 3 - AVAILABLE - Arr PM of June 3 Dep AM of June 4 (Steve $36)
Site 4 - AVAILABLE - Arr PM June 2 Dep AM of June 4 (Steve $64)
Site 5* - Best launch area? Arr PM June 2 Dep AM of June 4 (Steve $64)
Best boat launch -might keep one vehicle slot open for unloading / loading kayaks and socializing.
Site 6 - Darla - Arr PM June 2 Dep AM June 5 Cooking area
Site 7 - AVAILABLE - Arr PM June 2 Dep AM June 4 (Steve $64)
Site 8 - Available - a conflict arose for Russ - Arr pm June 1 - Dep am June 4 (verify) Contact Kerie. Perhaps best to have the two parties work together.
Site 9* - Kerie - Arr PM June 1 Dep AM June 2 verify w Kerie
Site 10* - AVAILABLE - Arr PM June 1 Dep AM June 3 (Steve $64)

Most sites have a cancellation fee of only $18 fee per site if sufficiently made before the date of reservation.

KAYAK TRANSPORT OPTIONS:
Steve lives near the entrance to Hyalite canyon so will not stay overnight. However he has a 17' trailer for hauling kayaks and could leave it in one of the sites for hauling kayaks up at the beginning and down at the end of the event. Steve's house is 49 E. Hodgeman Road - close to the curve on South 19th.

BACK STORY:
Why this particular campground? There's fierce competition for the group site at Hood Creek (must book 1 year in advance). Kerie mentioned to Steve this smaller campground rather than the larger one as an alternative. Steve had not been to it in years, so he drove up and brought a camera. The above photo was taken by Steve on September 11, 2024 about 25 feet from a middle campsite when the water level was low. In late June / early July it will likely be a few feet higher which might be good for launching at this spot.

Probably 15 years earlier Steve had paddled in this upper part of the reservoir, particularly where the water from the Hyalite waterfalls flows into the lake / reservoir. As he got close to the inflow, he noticed fish swimming below his boat. He was probably in about 2.5 feet of water.

"Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YCT) spawn in Hyalite Reservoir in Montana when water temperatures reach 3°C. Spawning can occur as early as May 11 and as late as June 10, with a median date of May 28. Spawning peaks can occur as early as June 2 and as late as June 26, with a median peak date of June 12.
The inlet stream to Hyalite Reservoir is closed from the 3rd Saturday in May until November 30 to protect spawning cutthroat and grayling. Cutthroat trout are catch-and-release in all streams."

Why did we not schedule this for a likely peak season of about June 12?
- because we had already scheduled the Big Spring event near that time and that had to be done (and paid for) a year in advance. We can't be in both places at the nearly same time.

-Steve