Dillon, Montana

Dillon, Montana

Day 30, Picking up our guide at the visitor’s center, we saw a Lewis and Clark Diorama there. I give that project an “A.”

As we came out of the visitor’s center, Bill noticed the “Hamilton Free Public Drinking Fountain” so of course we had to take his picture.

We made quite a few Lewis and Clark stops throughout the day. Beaverhead Rock was the first site that Sacajawea recognized, confirming that Lewis and Clark were following the correct trail (or river).

You have to imagine a beaver swimming and all you can see is the top portion of his face and head. Once you can visualize that, you can see that this rock looks like a beaver head. Our guide had to show us an actual picture of a beaver before any of us could visualize it. So look for a picture of a beaver swimming and compare this rock. I wonder how long the Indians sat and starred at this rock to visualize a beaver head…..

Clark’s lookout was located just outside of the town up on some rocks. Our guide show us the exact rock that Clark stood on, so Marcia, one of our guests, Dot, and I just had to stand in the same place.

Rattlesnake Rock had a pictograph from the Indians indicating a rattlesnake. You can see the squiggly line in red. The area is also noted for a LOT of rattlesnakes, so I did not get out of the bus.

Camp Fortunate was a picturesque lake area where the expedition set up camp at the site in the picture below.

We had a prime rib lunch (really it was a dinner) at the Cross Ranch Cookhouse. It is one of the few family owned cattle ranches left. Big businesses have been buying up and running cattle ranches. This ranch has 3,000 heads of cattle (200 bulls) and gets about 500 calves every year! He sells the calves for $800 a piece. That’s a pretty good business! A storm was brewing off in a distance, so of course I had to take a picture of the sky.

After lunch we all wanted to nap on the bus, but off to Lemhi Pass, where the Continental Divide runs between Montana and Idaho.

We didn’t stay long because of the rain, but while we were there, an Indian tribe was running a 12 mile marathon up the mountain. Not only was it a steep grade, but it was rainy and chilly. They were in short sleeves! Talking to the Indians, we found that they are ancestors of Sacajawea! They held a (Shoshoni) reunion during the 100th year anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition and ever since have made it an annual reunion. They have chosen this area because it is where Sacajawea was born. Pictured in the middle is a direct decendent of Sacajawea.
On our way down the mountain, the road was so narrow that we had to have a lead car for the bus. Luckily, we only ran into one area where a car had to back up for us. We stopped to take pictures at the mouth of the Missouri River, where Bill took a drink. I think he thought it was the fountain of youth.

Bannack is where we ended our day, the local ghost town. We watched a 15 min. film about how the town and had a wonderful tour guide. This was a booming town during the gold rush.

We learned that it was not the people who mined for gold that got rich, but the merchants selling to the miners, or the “herdy gertie” girls would charge a nickel per dance. They called them “herdy gerdy” girls because they would dance to the musical instrument called a herdy gerdy.


Lolo Hot Springs, Montana

Day 31, we headed for one of our most challenging driving days. Over 2 steep passes. The first was not bad, Big Hole Pass (7,428 Altitude).

We stopped at Big Hole National Battlefield, where we viewed a good film (20 min) of the Nez Perce war. What a sad event. In May, 1877, the U.S. Government told the nontreaty Nez Perce that they would forcibly move them onto a new, smaller reservation if they did not do so willingly by June 14th. After a few small battles at various locations, at Big Hole on Aug. 9-10, the Nez Perce lost between 60-90 people (mostly women and children) in a surprise attack under Col. John Gibbon. After a 1,100 mile chase, the U.S. Army besieged the Nez Perce and their allies at Bear Paw in Northern, Montana. Some fled to Canada, others, exhausted from the ordeal, were forced to surrender. Below is a picture of the area where the Big Hole battle was held. You can see the tipis they have put up to honor the Indians who lost their lives.

BUT Chief Joseph Pass was quite steep. We held back at 25 miles per hour, as the suggested by the highway signs, with the exception of one switchback, which was 20 miles per hour.

Our brakes on the truck and trailer did fine, although it would have been nice to have that D brake. Before getting to the bottom, we had to make a right hand turn at a T intersection. To the left was Idaho and to the right was Montana.

After coming down Chief Joseph Pass, the rain helped to cool off our tires. We were told that Montana only gets about an inch and a half in the Dillon area, and I think they got their year’s supply while we were there.

At the bottom of the grade, the road straightened out and was a beautiful scenic drive along Bitterroot Creek,
with the exception of one thing. The remnants of a forest fire which spanned 15 miles (360,000 acres). How devastating.

We arrived at our campground just in time for a trip meeting for our next day of travel and time to jump in the hot springs. We did find out that this side of Montana gets a lot of rain, and it is proving true tonight. We hope the weather clears for our drive tomorrow and more importantly for our boat rise on Tuesday.

Day 32, it rained all night and the creek alongside the campground raised up a bit. Bill kept checking throughout the night prepared to wake everyone and evacuate.

I took a few pictures of the canyon where Lewis and Clark began their climb from the river canyon to the ridge (Lolo Trail) on their journey west in 1805.

Once over the LoLo Pass, we saw the Warm Springs suspension bridge which Bill decided to shake while I was walking across it…..

Most of the day was spent driving through Idaho along the Clearwater River. What a beautiful river and it looks like it would be fun to raft down.

Once we got close to Clarkston, Washington, the mountains (or hills) looked totally different.

Helena, Montana

Day 28, We boarded our luxury motor coach and headed to the city of Helena, which used to be called Last Chance Gulch. Since it is now the state capital, thank goodness they changed the name. Starting at the Historical Society Museum for a self-guided tour. The museum was set up in themes for each section. One section was devoted to CM Russell, the artist, so you know where a lot of our guests started. This was one of his most famous works. “Waiting for a Chinook.” This was his response to his friend who asked how the cattle were faring during the harsh winter of 1886-1887. This picture made national headlines when it appeared in newspapers across the country.

I found “the white bull” most interesting. Native Americans felt the white bison calf carried sacred significance. The man who killed a white bison received his power from the sun and the “good medicine” held by the white hide extended to the hunter’s family and his entire band. In 1933, on the Flathead Indian Reservation, a white calf was born to a naturally brown mother. His fame spread thru Nat’l media and he became known as “Big Medicine.” He was not a true albino, he had blue eyes, tan hoofs, and had a topknot of dark brown hair. Normaly bisons live about 20 years, but special care was given to Big Medicine to prolong his life. He died in 1959 at the age of 26., weighing 1,193 pounds (dropping considerable weight). His hide is on display.
Here are some other favorites. I thought my son, Billy who plays hockey, would appreciate the ice skates. The beaded tennis shoes are used by the modern day Indians when performing in gymnasiums. The tennis shoes are more comfortable and they bead them to keep with tradition.

Outside the museum, we boarded the Helena Tour Train for a narrated tour of the city.

Our tour of the Capitol Building proved to be correct when North Dakota told us they used the plans from Montana to build their capitol building because they are VERY MUCH alike. Montana’s State Capitol Building was the first to have electricity.

CM Russell was commissioned to create a painting in 1911. The huge canvas, 25 ft. by 12 ft. was painted in his log cabin studio in Great Falls. Notice the wolf at the bottom in the middle of the painting. The painting is not insured as it is so expensive that the cost of the insurance would be astronomical.
After lunch, we walked over to the Great Northern Carousel where everyone got to ride it. If you ever go there, hop onto one of the “outside” animals because as you go around, you have a change to grab a ring & throw it into the basket. If you grab a “gold” ring, you get a free ride. You should have seen all the seniors riding the carousel! I think the kiddies thought we were nuts.

The cornerstone of the Cathedral of St. Helena was laid in 1908 and completed in 1913.
Col. Thomas Cruse, a well-known local miner and businessman pledged $100,000 toward the interior work of the Cathedral in memory of his recently deceased daughter. The total cost to build the Cathedral was $645,590.44. If the same structure were built today, it would cost tens of millions of dollars.

Our last tour of the day was the original Governor’s Mansion, built in 1888.

The Queen Anne style house was built by the Chessman family to reflect their wealth and influence.

It has 3 indoor bathrooms!

The Chessman family were forced to give up this lifestyle due to financial difficulties, and ended up moving across the street to the apartments that he built and once owned. His banker who foreclosed on him bought the Chessman house. I can only imagine how they must have felt watching someone else live in their home. Eventually, it became the official residence for the Governor in 1913. The daughters of the first governor to live in the house helped the historical society restore the house to resemble as it was when they lived there as children.

Day 29, headed out for Dillon, Montana. The scenic route we took was a little scary around the bend of overhanging rocks and narrow road, but it sure was beautiful.