Carbon County, Montana. The words evoke thoughts of rugged beauty, harsh landscapes, and a natural history unparalleled by anywhere else in the state. I love Carbon County. I also hate it. Nowhere else have I been so often frustrated and demoralized, nearly killed by sliding or tumbling rocks, or hunted by Mountain Lions (Felis concolor) during a search for the gem that might be hiding under the next rock – Lampropeltis triangulum!
Situated at the northern reaches of the Bighorn Basin semi-desert, adorned with raw, rugged mountains and carved by cold, clear rivers (yes, there are trout!), Carbon County is truly a place of extremes. The Beartooth Mountains jut sharply out of the arid Bighorn Basin valley floor, framing its western flanks. The Bighorn and Pryor Mountains form a similar crest to the east. Well known for its paleontological and fossil fuel riches, the current biodiversity of the region is truly spectacular. The high mountains are home to such icons as Mountain Goats 9Oreamnos americanus), Moose (Alces alces), Grizzly Bears (Ursus acrtos), and Wolverine (Gulo gulo). A heard of feral horses (Equus caballus), descended from escaped Spanish horses hundreds of years ago, lives free and wild in the Pryor Mountains. Black Bears (Ursus americanus) are frequently seen, and the occasional Wolf (Canus lupus) is spotted, having left Yellowstone National Park, which borders (and occupies) Carbon County’s southern edge.
Beartooth Mountains
View across the Bighorn Basin from the foothills of the Pryor Mountains toward the Beartooth Mountains
Bear Creek Mining Camp (Ghost Town)
Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) dominates the mid and upper slopes of the mountains, though below the tree line, where temperature and oxygen levels allow their growth and the precipitous heights cause clouds to condense and allow for more rain and snow fall than the semi-desert scrub below. Spruce and Fir (Picea and Abies) are found in the moistest, high-elevation drainages, along with dense stands of Quaking Aspen (Populus trembloides). Platinum and Palladium are mined from ancient granite that composes the Beartooth Mountains, which is also home to Montana’s hightest peak – Granite Peak, which is just shy of 13,000 feet in elevation. Remnant glacial lakes dot the mountains like jewels. Deep or shallow, their crystal-clear water makes them a sight to behold… especially for the fisherman…
Rock Creek Drainage – Beartooth Mountains
The lower slopes and valley, however, are characterized by short grasses (Poaceae), Prickly Pear (Opuntia polyacanta) and Globe (Escobaria vivipara) Cactus, Spanish Bayonet (Yucca glauca), various species of Sage Brush (Artemesia sp.). The occasional Juniper (Juniperus scropulorum and osteosperma) punctuates the hillsides and stands of Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa often line cliff tops. Verdant river valleys cut through the lower elevations like ribbons of green. They add Cottonwood Trees (Populus angustifolia) and Willows (Salix sp.). These streams, at both high and low elevations, are inhabited by native strains of Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkia) as well as several introduced species of Salmonid. These lower areas are home to something even more special, too. It’s here, in these dry, lower hills and drainages, that the Pale Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum multistrata) makes its home.
Lampropeltis triangulum multistrata – Carbon County, Montana
The most arid region of the two states it crosses, Montana and Wyoming, the Bighorn Basin receives less than 10 inches of precipitation per year. Temperatures in the Basin often rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and regularly fall below 0 in the winter. Steep cliffs rim the drainages and rugged terrain is the norm. It’s harsh in Carbon County. Though Pale Milksnakes are present, they’re not easy to find. The habitat is so vast and unforgiving that the infamous field herper Brian Hubbs swore he’d never return to Montana after trying (unsuccessfully) to find Pale Milksnakes in Carbon County. Cuts, bruises, dehydration, and sunburns are all something to be expected.
For a few of us, though, there’s something about the place that keeps drawing us back. That rugged beauty, remoteness, and the general natural history have an allure. Then, of course, there’s the Pale Milksnakes. After a long day in the field, Dell Despain and I have found ourselves, along with a few fellow milkheads, sitting around a campfire in a remote portion of the Basin, enjoying good beer and company and listening to the Coyotes (Canis latrans) sing to one another other.
The Lampropeltis triangulum found in the area tend to be small, averaging some 22-24 inches in adulthood. The hatchlings are correspondingly small and captives show a definite penchant for holding out on all food items offered except Sceloporus. They’re beautiful, regardless, and hard to come by – a characteristic that makes them even more of a treat to see.
Lampropeltis triangulum multistrata – Carbon County, Montana (photos by myself, Dell, and by buddy “Jose Ole”)
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-Cole
I go herping and come back with a stinking cell phone pic. Man, I need to up my game. Those pales are some of my fav's and having the information on the habitat makes them even more appealing.
