Wednesday July 9, 2008 Helena, Montana
Today is Maizy’s 9th birthday! As a special treat, we found a nice doggie daycare where she could spend the day playing with other canines!?? OK, busted! Yep, Bruce and I needed a day free!
The Whitney’s were taking their boat out onto the upper Missouri River to an area called the “Gates to the Mountains.” It is an area where Lewis and Clark explored trying to find and document navigable waterways to the Pacific coast.
After leaving off Maizy, we met at the boat launch at 9:30 am and returned at 4pm. Theresa’s sister, Jenine and brother in-law, Duke (a retired United pilot) joined the group with their boat to help transport and share in the outing as well. Gary’s mother, Donna came as well adding stories and information from the numerous times that she had visited the area.
The day was absolutely spectacular!!! The water was cold and clear with jagged limestone rocks and pinnacles rising from green pastures. We were lucky enough to see eagles, osprey, white pelicans with black tipped wings, prong horned antelope, mountain sheep, and deer.
Most moving was a memorial tribute to the 13 firefighters who had died in a forest fire at Mann Gulch, Montana in 1949. It is a story of terror and trust and an outcome that no one would have wished.
Being overcome by a quick shift of wind, the groups lives were being threatened as the fire ignited, racing up the canyon towards them. The leader of the group had learned from local Indians to light a ring of fire, jump through it and huddle in the center where the fire would pass over them, thus sparing their lives. Thirteen of the fighters thought the idea was crazy and tried to out run the fire to the top of the ridge. They perished and the leader and one fighter survived in the ring of fire. Bruce has used the story as a tool for leadership training, so it was very chilling to actually see the sight of the fire and tragedy.
The area remains much like it did when Lewis and Clark first explored it. There are no access roads to the shores along the river. There are a few day use and camping areas, but everything is accessible by boat only.
At one point we stopped for lunch at Indian Creek Village. All of the cabins/homes in the primitive and isolated area were built by hand, having each material and tool brought in by boat. Supplies for the restaurant are delivered by boat as well. The menu was very limited: cheeseburger or cheeseburger! The female owner is the only worker, so service is slow, but the cheeseburger is worth the wait.
Following lunch we headed up to Hauser Dam where we would stop to swim….or in my case, watch others swim! I am spoiled having had 80 degree water in Florida to swim in. It would take me a long time to get the courage to jump into the 60 degree water!
On the way back to the boat launch we were able to get a good look at some Native American Indian hieroglyphics painted on some of the rocks on a canyon wall. I had never seen anything like that before and found it fascinating! (Picture shown)
Pizza dinner followed at Gary’s mother’s place. Bruce and I stopped to pick up a chocolate cake for Maizy’s birthday celebration at Costco…but remembered that dogs can’t eat chocolate…so we human’s were forced to help out and succeeded in making a big dent in it!!??
The Whitney’s were taking their boat out onto the upper Missouri River to an area called the “Gates to the Mountains.” It is an area where Lewis and Clark explored trying to find and document navigable waterways to the Pacific coast.
After leaving off Maizy, we met at the boat launch at 9:30 am and returned at 4pm. Theresa’s sister, Jenine and brother in-law, Duke (a retired United pilot) joined the group with their boat to help transport and share in the outing as well. Gary’s mother, Donna came as well adding stories and information from the numerous times that she had visited the area.
The day was absolutely spectacular!!! The water was cold and clear with jagged limestone rocks and pinnacles rising from green pastures. We were lucky enough to see eagles, osprey, white pelicans with black tipped wings, prong horned antelope, mountain sheep, and deer.
Most moving was a memorial tribute to the 13 firefighters who had died in a forest fire at Mann Gulch, Montana in 1949. It is a story of terror and trust and an outcome that no one would have wished.
Being overcome by a quick shift of wind, the groups lives were being threatened as the fire ignited, racing up the canyon towards them. The leader of the group had learned from local Indians to light a ring of fire, jump through it and huddle in the center where the fire would pass over them, thus sparing their lives. Thirteen of the fighters thought the idea was crazy and tried to out run the fire to the top of the ridge. They perished and the leader and one fighter survived in the ring of fire. Bruce has used the story as a tool for leadership training, so it was very chilling to actually see the sight of the fire and tragedy.
The area remains much like it did when Lewis and Clark first explored it. There are no access roads to the shores along the river. There are a few day use and camping areas, but everything is accessible by boat only.
At one point we stopped for lunch at Indian Creek Village. All of the cabins/homes in the primitive and isolated area were built by hand, having each material and tool brought in by boat. Supplies for the restaurant are delivered by boat as well. The menu was very limited: cheeseburger or cheeseburger! The female owner is the only worker, so service is slow, but the cheeseburger is worth the wait.
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Following lunch we headed up to Hauser Dam where we would stop to swim….or in my case, watch others swim! I am spoiled having had 80 degree water in Florida to swim in. It would take me a long time to get the courage to jump into the 60 degree water!
On the way back to the boat launch we were able to get a good look at some Native American Indian hieroglyphics painted on some of the rocks on a canyon wall. I had never seen anything like that before and found it fascinating! (Picture shown)
Pizza dinner followed at Gary’s mother’s place. Bruce and I stopped to pick up a chocolate cake for Maizy’s birthday celebration at Costco…but remembered that dogs can’t eat chocolate…so we human’s were forced to help out and succeeded in making a big dent in it!!??
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