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MONDAY, July 3, 2006
Joseph Fields (Mike Dotson)
“All arrangements being now completed for carrying into effect the several schemes we had planned for execution on our return, we saddled our horses and set out I took leave of my worthy friend and companion Capt Clark and the party that accompanied him…(Meriwether Lewis)”
After twelve days of programs, and some touristy stuff, we prepare to separate from Capt Clark and party. In our final party to accompany Capt Lewis (Bryant Boswell) will be Rob Fix (Drouilliard) Rob Durrett (Reuben Fields), Frankie Bechtol (Sgt Gass) Joe Fraser (Robert Fraser) Dick Brumley (Colter) Mike Bowman (Thompson) – Dick and Mike will stay with us through the 4th and return to Clark & Co. – John Hess (Goodrich) Sid Stoffels (McNeal) myself (Joseph Fields) and Seaman. We all shook hands after the speeches and the light hearted banter of Lewis and Clark. Shouldering our packs and weapons we marched down the dusty road to our waiting “horses” and drove through Missoula heading north to Seely Lake. Though in 1806 Lewis did not visit Seely Lake
We’d been invited for the 4th of July Parade.
Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Joseph Fields (Mike Dotson)
“It is but justice to say, that the whole nation (Nez Perce) to which they belong, are the most friendly, honest and ingenuous people that we have seen in the course of our voyage and travels. After taking our farewell of these good hearted, hospitable and obliging sons of the west, we proceeded on…(Sgt Patrick Gass)”
We are camped behind the Seeley Lake Ranger Station, the lake a few yards away. Breakfast was pancakes and sausage at the Seeley Lake Fire Station. The early morning temperature was 46: that did not stop our dog from jumping in the lake. I was not happy with his early morning “track” along a game trail along the lake. It is frequented by black bears and an occasional grizzly. The Bob Marshall Wilderness borders this area and is estimated home to 1,000 grizzly bears. On the evening of the 3rd Traveler’s Rest brigade member Tom Lumkowski took us up Rice Canyon Road to view the sunset. The valley stretched for miles surrounded by rugged mountains, some topped by snow, but all bathed in a sunset you only find in Montana.
The Seeley Lake Fourth of July Parade was a pure slice of small town Americana.
“Its Woot” and the two Idaho canoes were flanked by our crew as we fired muskets and greeted the crowds lining the streets. SEAMAN was of course instantly recognized and was a handful as he was moving at a trot to stay ahead of the boats and seek shade. It was a hot day for a big black dog and Discovery members in buckskins. Bryant, both Robs, Frankie, Joe and Sid went with ITS WOOT back to town and canoed along the lakefront, much to the delight of boaters and residents.
Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Joseph Fields (Mike Dotson)
Moved camp from Seely Lake to Carrick’s Bend on the Blackfoot River. We paralleled Lewis’s trail along Nine Mile Prairie Road. The Blackfoot River valley is a
beautiful, diverse area with high mountains, rolling prairie, tree-lined creeks teeming with fish and an abundance of whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, moose, and bear, both variety.
Our intrepid band rendezvoused with local Lewis and Clark historian Ron Cox at Gold Creek road (near twin Bridges). Ron has studied the Journals and maps and has a good working knowledge of the trails used through the valley. Our first hike took us up on a ridge where we could see the Potomac Creek valley. To the southwest over the mountains could be seen billowing plumes of smoke from fires near Missoula caused by fireworks.
We proceeded on along a very obvious ancient trail lined by 2’-3’ diameter pines and deeply rutted by years of use. We finally ascended into the Gold Creek valley grateful for the cloud cover as the temps were in the low 90’s. Ron was leading us “over the hump,” along logging roads and mostly bushwhacking. I think our seven mile walk was twice as long as predicted. Mule deer browsed on the hillside and a moose crossed our path as he trotted to the river. Rob Fix and Joe Fraser hiked in mocs while the rest of us wore hiking shoes.
We arrived at an old railroad right-of-way which paralleled the Blackfoot River. We were two miles from our rendezvous with Rob and Frankie, and 7-8 miles from camp. We all opted to ride back to camp as we’re tired, it was getting late and we’d depleted our water supply. A dinner of sloppy Joe’s, chips and salad, with an evening bagpipe tune provided by Rob Fix ended a long day on the trail.
Thursday, July 6, 2006
Joseph Fields (Mike Dotson)
We moved to OVANDO, MT. Bryant, Rob D., Rob F., Joe and John went with Ron Cox to the “Prairie of the Knobs” and hike 6 miles. Frankie and Darlene went to Garnett, an old ghost town. SEAMAN and I stayed back as camp guard. The heat and nursing a nasty blister convinced me to stay put. Late afternoon thunderstorms blew in and rain most of the evening.
Friday, July 7, 2006
Joseph Fields (Mike Dotson)
“passing the dividing ridge between the waters of the Columbia and Missouri rivers at ¼ of a mile from this gap which is low and an easy ascent on the w. side the fort mountain bears North East, and appears to be distant about 20 miles…(Meriwether Lewis).”
Up and 5:30 am, struck camp and on the road Lincoln, Montana by 7am.
We dropped the vehicles off at Aspen Grove Campground a few miles east of Lincoln. Fully equipped with knapsacks, rifles, and accoutrements we loaded into Sid’s van and proceeded up Alice Creek to the trailhead at Lewis and Clark Pass. At 9am our party started the upward climb to the pass of 6000 feet. The sign said 1 ½ mile but it felt more like 3! Reaching the top of the pass we crossed the North-South Continental Divide trail. From a rock cairn looking east we could see Lewis’s fort mountain to our right. Today the mountain is Square Butte, a prominent landmark in many of Charlie Russell’s paintings from the last century. At 11am we joined about 75 people who had hiked to the pass to commemorate the day.
Bryant read Lewis’s entry for the day and discussed our role with DESC. We each introduced ourselves.
We were invited to a supper and program sponsored by the National Forest Service for the volunteers at the Helena National Forest. Bryant said a few words about the DESC mission and the Legacy that will come from the Bicentennial. (What many people don’t realize is that 30 years ago, even ten years ago, many of the sites related to Lewis and Clark were only accessible by horse or foot. With the Bicentennial and the hard work of many dedicated volunteers, a family can drive up to a visitor center or Kiosk and experience a small part of this American Odyssey.
An amusing anecdote about our dog Seaman: whilst descending the trail from the Pass, Himself was on point about 25 yds, a position he assumes when we are on the trail.
He suddenly stopped with his nose sniffing the air, took off downhill toward the creek.
Yikes! I thought. A bear or moose! A glint of sunlight on the point of an espontoon assured me it was Capt. Lewis and a few men checking out another trail. The cook took pity on our dog and rewarded him with three juicy buffalo burgers. A fine reward for a long day on the trail.
Saturday, July 8, 2006
Joseph Fields (Mike Dotson)
Another long day, but instead of moving east, we doubled back on our trail to fulfill an obligation to Ron Cox and the local chapter of the LCTHF. “Lunch with Lewis” was held on Seaman‘s Creek(today’s Monture Creek). Buffalo Burgers, salads and cold drinks the fare and Bryant was featured speaker. Seaman visited the creek often and showered everyone as he came out. He earned another buffalo burger.
Later that evening, back at Aspen Cove Campground, Seaman and Rob Fix, while playing, butted heads. Seaman’s canine tooth sunk into Rob’s upper lip, causing a deep laceration. Rob wanted someone to stitch it closed but Rob Durrett had liquid bandage and they glued it shut. Seaman must have been rattled ‘cause he jumped in the back of the truck and hid.
Sunday, July 9, 2006
Joseph Fields (Mike Dotson)
42 degrees at 5am. Left Aspen Grove by 7:30 am crossing Rogers Pass and arrived at Augusta by 9am. We parked the vehicles at the city park, loaded up in Sid’s van and retraced our route to Montana Highway 434 and the Dearborn River. The Dearborn River runs through a deep canyon with spectacular rock formations, aspen and cottonwood groves, and great fishing spots attested to by a Missoula native preparing his gear. As Lewis’s route crosses private land we paralleled it along the gravel road. The day was very hot so Seaman and I switched places with Sid and took the “sag wagon” ahead to the next crossroads. The change from mountains to foothills to rolling prairie is quite dramatic. That evening at the Augusta Community Center Bryant gave a Powerpoint presentation on DESC. The 50+ citizens asked some good questions and were quite interested in our story.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Joseph Fields (Mike Dotson)
Spent the morning playing tourist. Augusta is two blocks long but hosts some pretty cool shops. A combo hardware/grocery/sporting goods store harkens back to the ol’ timey general store. Another shop catered to the tourist with Montana-made gifts, books, and a collection of used hats. The local Ranger Station provided us with maps of the Helena National Forest and local anecdotes. After lunch we moved 15 miles east to the Broken O Ranch.
The Broken O Ranch is owned by the Moore family of Kelly-Moore Paints, Inc.
This large scale agricultural/cattle operation is managed by Dan Freeman. Dan does business by a firm handshake and his word of honor. Dan’s father – we only knew him as Mr. Freeman – took us across the Sun River (Lewis’s Medicine River) to a Blackfeet medicine wheel and three tipi rings. Then we went to one of twenty-eight Buffalo jumps on the ranch. During WW II the bones were hauled out by the trainload to provide makings for bombs. We picked up fragments and pieces of tooth, vertebrae, and leg bones. The Sun River valley is one of the prettiest places I’ve seen in Montana.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Joseph Fields (Mike Dotson)
Up early and to Sun River, Montana, the Brad Hamlett Ranch. Cowboy and art collector, Brad Hamlett, owns Square Butte, Lewis’s “fort mountain.” This prominent landmark was seen from Lewis and Clark Pass, it is quite visible from Great Falls and I-15 for many miles. We hiked to the top of the booger. Lewis did not and it is readily visible why. A steep grade, prickly pear, and rattlesnakes add to the excitement. From
the top of the Butte we could see the Front Range, the Bear Paw, the Highlands and the
Little Belt Ranges. The tree-lined Missouri River could be seen in the SE as was the town of Cascade. Brad’s Border Collie, Coyote, made friends with Seaman and the two buddy ‘s romped through the lush prairie grasses, dodging prickly pear and doing what dogs do. Brad invited us to see his western art collection which included two pen and ink drawings by Will Jones and a rare first edition book, O-KEE-PA, by George Catlin. Brad Hamlett, Dan and Tina Freeman, and the Augusta community perpetuate the hospitality and kindness of the Native People to the Corps of Discovery. Bryant, Joe, and John Hess for Great Falls and home. The remaining Corps members stayed in Great Falls two days and some headed for Three Forks to join the Clark contingent while others played tourist.
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