Montana: A Good Bet

"I am totally enjoying all these free things," said Andy on Monday morning, Columbus Day. We walked around the outside of Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center; it was closed for renovation and expansion. Here in Great Falls, Montana, on the banks of the South Fork of the Missouri River, Lewis and Clark portaged 18 miles around five waterfalls. But the area provided a plentiful food supply for them, as buffalo fell to their death over the cliffs near the river. The expedition replenished the store of dried meat for the long trip back East. Lewis even wrote in his journal that they couldn't send one man out alone on an errand because of the presence of wolves and grizzly bears feasting on rotting buffalo.

Lewis and Clark's Expedition of Discovery named Tower Rock. We took the trail along the base of what is now Tower Rock State Park for a quarter of a mile, watching all the while for rattlesnakes in the tall grass. The explorers regretted going beyond this point on the way home, because it meant no more buffalo. Instead, they learned from the Indians to utilize sunflower seeds.
"We're in the Rocky Mountains now. This is the first day it really feels like fall," said Andy. In spite of the clear skies and bright sun, the temperatures never climbed above 51 degrees. With the wind chill, it felt like 30. We cruised along Interstate 15 toward Helena, mountains on both sides. "I can't believe they don't have scenic pullouts," said Andy. Peaks rose above us at Gates of the Mountains, a valley preserved by two ranchers. Andy turned off I-15 and took Frontage Road the next 12 miles. Then we ran out of frontage, as I-15 turned away from the Missouri River.

Small one-room casinos dotted the roadside in Helena, just as they had in Billings and Great Falls: Lucky Lil's, Best Bet, Magic Diamond, Sunset, Copper Club, Montana Nugget, Loose Caboose. "How can people afford to lose so much money," I asked Andy.
"They don't. It's saturated," he answered. "I doubt all the casinos can possibly stay in business."
At Vista Point of MacDonald Pass, 6470 feet, the wind blasted at 40 m.p.h. Trees dead from the pine bark beetle outnumbered the live ones in some spots. "This reminds me a little of Jackson Hole, Wyoming," said Andy. "And all these trees will die if they don't find a way to stop the beetle."
"I remember Jackson Hole as being warmer," I told him. We had been there in August a couple years ago.
The valley spread before us... breath-taking, panoramic, awe-inspiring, but destined for destruction unless something is done environmentally to save the trees and preserve the natural beauty.