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A
Highly Recommended Vacation
We had a
wonderful time in Montana, but the highlight was a 4 day
canoeing/hiking/camping trip down the "upper" Missouri river. It was
incredible. We left from Coal Banks and paddled to Judith's Landing, through
the white cliffs of the Missouri and through the "breaks". Our only previous
experience with a canoe was around Tom Sawyer's Island at
Disneyland.
Before I
describe the trip, a few facts. The river flows at approximately 3.5 miles an
hour. You could get a full bathtub swirling at a faster rate with little
effort. However, if you want to float a bit, it will keep you going. It is not
deep. A local saying is that if you feel like you are drowning in the Missouri,
stand up. When I stood up in the water, it came just less than
mid-thigh.
If you go
out with outfitters, they do everything. Load and unload the canoe, set up and
break down all of the tents and cots, all cooking and dishes. Our guides took
our kids in their canoes and the kids paddled when they wanted, or not. When
the kids didn't want to hike, they could stay at camp with one of the guides.
You were welcome to help and a couple of the people on our trip did. I wasn't
one of them. My contribution was to convince everyone to double the tip they
were thinking of giving the guides. My verbal skills always were better than my
physical skills.
So, we
headed out the first day, a bit anxious. There were two other families and
three guides. As the sissies from LA (we told them we had no experience rather
than admit our Tom Sawyer experience), I was with a guide, Keith and Kelsey
were with a guide and Kyle was with the last guide. The paddling was fine.
After the first day, the kids stayed with guides (rather than ride with Keith
and I) and Keith and I had our own boat. That had it's interesting moments, but
we made it the entire 48 miles and loved it. If I can paddle 48 miles (I am
consistent and steady, Keith's style is stronger but with many breaks, imagine
the discussion that generated between us), anyone can paddle this
trip.
The first
day we stopped at lunch and walked up to tipi rings. At our overnight spot we
hiked and scrambled over boulders to climb up a slot canyon. The second day we
paddled to our next campsite and then hiked to "hole in the wall" and then
walked up the river with life vests, jumped in the river and floated down to
our campsite on our backs. The third day was a longer paddling day. We stopped
for lunch and relaxed, then headed to a beautiful campsite and floated and
splashed in the river. We visited a "prairie dog town", the guides couldn't
believe that we have a prairie dog exhibit at the LA Zoo, they shoot them in MT
as vermin. The fourth day we paddled to our pull out and had a wonderful
lunch.
We saw a
lot of wildlife: fox and prong horn on the way to the put in, on the river
pelicans, blue herons, eagles, hawks, deer, owl, prairie dogs, beautiful birds,
snakes (no rattlers though). The scenery is stunning. Cliffs of limestone, hoo
doos, huge rock formations. It is one of two largely untouched portions of the
Lewis and Clark Trail. There is a lot of history that your guides will tell you
(although many of us had already studied the area and the Lewis and Clark
expedition so we were able to have several interesting
conversations).
The food
is incredible. I mean it. We had steaks, pork chops, scallop potatoes, chicken
salad (that I am going to beg them for a recipe for), brownies, carrot cake,
pancakes, tacos, french toast, shrimp cocktail, brie and crackers, guacamole.
We all loved the food.
The tents
were terrific and the cots were so good that I'm going to go buy some for our
own camping. Bathroom facilities were basic. No running water. Three campsites
had vault toilets and one was primitive camping. Will give further details on
request, but if I can do it, anyone can.
The
guides were wonderful. Two were in college in Missoula and one was just
entering his senior year of high school. That may sound young to you, but these
people were so capable and knowledgeable. I wouldn't turn to them for life
decisions, but I would go down any river with any of them and know that I would
be safe. I'd go on the trip again just for my kids to see the example of the
guides. We talked to Kyle about being like Eric when he was 17, he said no way,
another guide heard him and told him that the only obstacles he had in life
were the ones he set for himself.
We made
the reservations last March. It was early enough that the outfitters planned
the trip we wanted around our schedule. They then went through their list of
past clients, found a family that had canceled the previous year, called them,
said they were planning a family trip for August and asked if they wanted to
come, and they did. They then advertised the trip as a family trip with young
kids and another family joined in. It was wonderful. The kids ran as a group
and had a blast.
Within
half of a day on the river we felt like we had been away for a week. The
serenity is wonderful. The outfitters we went with are Missouri River
Outfitters at mroutfitters.com. It is run by the same people who run Adventure
Bound and that web site is adventureboundcanoe.com. Both web sites are good and
give a little bit different information. I would be happy to talk you about the
trip or about the other places we went (hiking the Lolo Trail in Idaho with
outfitters and then into Glacier National Park for a week). Hope you are
enjoying the end of your summer.
Kim
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