Today was a travel day, we are going from North Fork
Idaho to Missoula Montana. We departed Wagonhammer Campground at 9am and continued
on 93, also known as the Salmon River Scenic Highway. The route follows the
Salmon River through the Salmon-Challis National Forest into Montana. The river
and its forks serve as important natural pathways into Idaho’s rugged back
country. The deer, elk, and moose that often graze along the hills and meadows
that line this road provide a glimpse of the wild country beyond.
Nestled in the Bitterroot Mountains, just about 11
miles north of North Fork, is the small community of Gibbonsville, Idaho. The
first settlers made their homes here about 1872, at which time the tiny spot was
referred to as Dahlongi. In 1877, after gold was discovered nearby, the small
settlement officially became a town and was named Gibbonsville in honor of
Colonel John Gibbon, who pursued the Nez Perce Indians and fought in the Battle
of the Big Hole. Familiarly called Gibtown, the miners quickly set about
building several mines, the largest of which was the AD&M Mine. Soon cabins
dotted the hillsides and businesses were servicing the some 600 men
employed in the mines. At the same time, the town served as a supply route between Utah and the Northern Railway terminal in Montana.
At its peak, Gibbonsville boasted more than 100 buildings, including two saw
mills, a roller mill, five stamp mills, a newspaper and eight saloons. The gold
mines in Gibbonsville continued to be worked extensively, recovering some about
$2 million in gold, about half of which came from the AD&M Mine. However,
by the turn of the century, the ore was beginning to play out, and when a
disastrous fire blazed in 1907, production ceased altogether.
To get out of Idaho on US 93, you must go up! We started
the climb up at an elevation of 5,440. Elevations readings are thanks to our
friend, Lyle, the pilot! He always wants to know how high he is!
We are still climbing, at an elevation of 6,500.
Awesome views as we take the switchbacks!
We reached the top of the mountain, which is northern
end of the Salmon River Scenic Byway. It also is the Idaho and Montana border in
the Bitterroot Mountains at the Lost Trail Pass, elevation 7,021 feet. Lewis
and Clark came this way in 1805 and the spectacular view from this vantage
point has changed little since then.
We are in Montana and on the other side of the mountain
and at 6,000 feet, we are still descending.
In 1877 the Nez Perce people were forced from their
homelands while pursued by U.S. Army Generals Howard, Sturgis, and Miles, is
one of the most fascinating and sorrowful events in Western US history. Chief
Joseph, Chief Looking Glass, Chief White Bird, Chief Ollokot, Chief Lean Elk,
and others led nearly 750 Nez Perce men, women, and children and twice that
many horses over 1,170 miles through the mountains, on a trip that lasted from
June to October of 1877. Forced to abandon hopes for a peaceful move to the
Lapwai reservation, the Nez Perce chiefs saw flight to Canada as their last
promise for peace. The flight of the Nez Perce began on June 15, 1877. Pursued
by the Army, they intended initially to seek safety with their Crow allies on
the plains to the east. Their desperate and circuitous route as they tried to
escape the pursuing white forces is what we now call the Nez Perce National
Historic Trail. This route was used in its entirety only once; however,
component trails and roads that made up the route bore generations of use prior
to and after the 1877 flight of the nontreaty Nez Perce.
We followed the Bitterroot River for a portion of our drive today.
Darby is a small town in Florida, north of Dade City …
but it is also a small town at the southern end of the Bitterroot Valley in
southwestern Montana, about thirty miles to the Idaho border. The Sapphire Mountains
are to the East and the gorgeous Bitterroot Mountains are to the West. The Bitterroot
Valley is known as Montana’s ‘Banana Belt’ for its slightly warmer temperatures
than the surrounding mountains.
Darby’s overall architecture has a distinct western
flair. Darby is also home to the Annual Darby Logger Days. It has been held
here annually since 2001. The Bitterroot Valley of Western Montana comes alive the
third weekend in July with serious timber sports events! There are seventeen
traditional logging competitions including axe throwing, pole climbing, log
roll and cross-cut sawing.
I have been capturing pictures of chickens, in every
state we have been in. In an earlier blog, I reported that when we went into
Montana to visit the Little Big Horn Battlefield, I never saw a chicken. Well,
we are in Montana again, and my streak is back on track! This chicken statue
has some strange friends, but it still counts!
We saw this sign heading out of Darby, I am not sure
I understand the biggest little bull riding in the northwest. But Darby sure is
proud of what they have!
In Hamilton Montana, I saw my first grizzly bear!
Does it count, if it is a painted grizzly statue? Even if we have not seen a
bear yet, we have learned a great deal about them. I know this is a grizzly, because
he has the hump of muscle on his shoulders. They use that muscle to help them
dig, with their long claws!
Lolo is home to Travelers' Rest State Park. The area
was once used as a trading ground for Montana's First Nations and a campsite
for Lewis and Clark, in 1805 and 1806. Travelers' Rest has an impressive
history. It is the only archaeologically verified campsite of the Lewis and
Clark Expedition in the nation.
We arrived in Missoula Montana. Missoula is
located along the Clark Fork River near its meeting with the Bitterroot and
Blackfoot Rivers and at the convergence of five mountain ranges, thus is often
described as the "hub of five valleys". We will be in Missoula for a
few days, so will share more about Missoula later.
Today, I wanted to share the
painted electric boxes. They are everywhere and beautiful!
We all arrived at Jellystone Campground, our home for
the next two nights.
After we were settled, we car caravanned to the
Missoula Smoke Jumpers School. We gathered at the Smokejumper Visitor Center for
our tours. Missoula is home to the largest smokejumper base in the country. The
Smokejumper Visitor Center provides static and interactive displays and opportunities
to learn about this demanding and important occupation. There is also a gift
shop to purchase any smoke jumper memorabilia.
Smokejumpers are a highly skilled, rapid response and operationally focused fire resource that provide initial attack suppression on emerging fires and fill a variety of roles on longer duration project fires and wildland-urban interface fires. Their training, versatility and agility enable them to provide leadership capable of establishing command structure, situational assessment and tactical and logistical support for extended fire and all-risk operations. Currently, 75 smokejumpers, including men and women from diverse backgrounds, work at the base. Ranging in age from early 20’s to 50’s, these are all dedicated and professional individuals who are highly trained and experienced firefighters.
Our tour of the facility was conducted by a smoke
jumper, Dillon. He took us to see the sewing shop. Yes, they do repairs on their
equipment and create specialty clothing they need. They even create specialty
items for the Armed Forces. Our guide, never knew how to sew, until he came
here … now he is a regular Betsy Ross!
Before we got to the Smokejumper loft, we passed
through the room where they hang parachutes to dry. Every wall in the room was
full of numbered lines. Each line had a corresponding pulley and they are used
the hang parachutes to dry.
The Smokejumpers loft, is the room where they pack
their parachutes. Each smoke jumper must pack chutes. There is a great deal of
trust among this troop of smokejumpers.
When they jump, they have a ton of gear with them, but water and rations are usually dropped in later. Here is what they get. The SPAM is a smokejumper "thing." While at the base, they even have contests for new and original ideas for SPAM. Our guide, Dillon, loves to cook and once made SPAM with a fresh huckleberry reduction. Yuck ......
The ready room is like a big locker room. It is where
all of their gear is ready to go. When they are called to a fire. They come
here and gear up. From here, they can go right out to the tarmac and get on their
plane. Like any other organization, they have a hierarchy and the “older guys”
have more locker space and better positioning in the room.
During the summer, Smokejumper aircraft are also
present. We got to tour one of them. There were several teams of smokejumpers
out, but we did not get to see any Smokejumpers dispatched to a fire. The
Missoula Smokejumper Base is located at the Aerial Fire Depot adjacent to the
Missoula International Airport. They are collocated with the US Forest Service
Northern Region Fire Cache, the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, the Northern
Region Training Center, and the Missoula Technology and Development Center.
It was another excellent adventure day with Yankee RV Tours!
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