Places Visited:

Montana: Boat Ride on the Missouri River through Gates of the Mountains Wilderness Area located 19-miles north of Helena

July 26, 2007.

We are staying in Lincoln Road RV-Park Helena, MT less than a mile west of I-15 at exit 200. Lincoln Road RV-Park is about 10-miles north of downtown Helena but in a very good position access everything in the area. $25.04 with Good Sam discount plus-taxes for FHU in nice gravel pull thru sites with some shade. Free wifi was available but no cable TV.

Today we are taking a scenic and historic boat ride on the Missouri River through what is know as Gates of the Mountains. This is the name given the area by Lewis and Clark when they traversed this area in 1865. Gates of the Mountains is located 19-miles north of Helena and is accessed from exit 209 on I-15.

After taking the exit at MM 209 we stopped at a pullout to read the historical information provided. We were at the border of two historic ranches that count themselves among Montana's oldest. Most of these ranch lands still look largely as they did even before Lewis and Clark came through in 1805. The Hilger and Sieben Ranches have their genesis in the late 1800s. The Sieben Ranch and the Hilger Hereford Ranch played central roles in the origin and development of agriculture in Montana. Together, they encompass most of the lands stretching from here to Wolf Creek Canyon about 8-miles north.

The Sieben Ranch and Hilger Hereford Ranch typify the history and challenges of ranching in Montana. Today, on their own and with the added help of a program called Undaunted Stewardship, both ranches preserve their historic sites ad take actions designed to maintain the landscape's body and soul.

Undaunted Stewardship is a statewide partnership involving 19 agricultural and conservation groups in Montana managed and directed by Montana State University, the Montana Stockgrowers Association and the federal Bureau of Land Management. The program helps preserve historic sites and encourages sustainable stewardship on private rangelands.

Undaunted Stewardship certifies farms and ranches that use state-of-the-science land management practices. These Undaunted Land Stewards protect the long-term health and productivity of Montana's natural resources. Undaunted Stewardship partners with farms and ranches to preserve historic sites and find ways to share them with the public. In some cases, the program also helps with the development of new tourist-service businesses like campgrounds, trail rides and guest ranches. By generating new revenue, these businesses improve the odds that farmers and ranchers will be able to continue preserving the scenic beauty and natural environment of their private agricultural lands.

The stories that go with the owners of these ranches is worth telling.

Henry Sieben never owned a pair of cowboy boots. He was known for wearing suits and low-cut shoes, even when working at the ranch. In his later years, he led a life unlike that of most ranchers, headquartering in Helena and wintering in California. Sieven started with nothing and built one of Montana's largest livestock companies. He was widely respected for his business savvy and philantrophic good works.

Five years old when he came to America from Germany --- and orphaned by the age of 12, Sieben was drawn here by news of gold strikes. He arrived with his brothers in 1864 when he was 17, on a wagon train led by legendary explorer John Bozeman. At first, Sieven and his brothers freighted supplies from Fort Benton to mining camps around Virginia City. By the time he acquired his first land holdings in this area, in 1897, he had been in the sheep business for more than 20 years and his reputation as one of the state's most successful ranchers was well established. Steadily, he bought smaller ranches in the area, often hiring their previous owners.

Henry Sieben co-founded the Montana Woolgrowers Association, and his wife, Alberta, started Montana's first orphanage, in Helena. They funded the orphanage for 25 years. When Sieben died, half of his ranch went to his daughter Margaret Sieben Hibbard, whose descendants operate it still (Sieben Livestock, near Cascade). The other half of the ranch-- nearly 100 square miles--went to his other daughter, Bernice Sieven Sheriff, whose grandson and great-grandson manage the Sieven Ranch today.

This picture looks across the the valley occupied by these two ranches.

Carefully timed grazing by sheep and goats helps reduce the spread of weeds that other animals don't eat. Both the Sieben Ranch and Hilger Hereford Ranch use natural methods as well as chemicals to control weeds and sustain rangeland productivity. It's an endless task, as weeds continually invade--their seeds brought in by vehicle tires, people's shoes, wind and wildlife. But minimizing weeds is essential to maintaining habitat for wildlife as well as food for livestock.

Ranching, anchored in the land's own natural productivity, is one of the main reasons so many of the Lands around us still look as they did centuries ago. Rangeland vegetation developed and thrived for thousands of years with seasonal yet heavy grazing by wild animals being central to the process. Today, wildlife remain in abundant numbers, and livestock grazing helps the rangeland sustain itself. With careful management, the Sieben Ranch and Hilger Hereford Ranch deliberately create environmental benefits to fish and wildlife, while also producing superior beef, lamb, wool and other commodities.

The ranches control where, when, and for how long grazing takes place, and give each pasture periods of rest. Just as trimming houseplants stimulates their growth, when sheep and cattle eat vegetation at the right time and to the right extent, the grazing creates hardier plants and increases plant growth. When livestock graze late in the year, after plants have formed seeds, their hooves help drive seeds into the soil. This increases the successful planting of new vegetation that sustains the environment.

When we arrived at the dock for our boat trip the Meriwether Fire was causing concern. This is the boat we will be riding on.

Operators of the boat tour filled the boat with 35 to 40 eager individuals and cast off like there was no fire.

We are on the Missouri River and will be heading into that canyon in front of us. The Missouri River flows south to north in this area and we will be heading north.

This picture was taken from the same location but facing southeast looking across the valley that houses those two ranches I just told you about.

Gates of the Mountains wilderness area is located on the east side of the Missouri River.

At this point we begin entering "The Gates".

Limestone cliffs tower above both sides of the river. These cliffs are what prompted Meriwether Lewis to call this area Gates to the Mountains since he knew they were near the Rocky Mountains and the source of the Missouri River.

The limestone cliffs take on so many different shapes and so many different appearances.

The side of this cliff is peppered with caves and holes all created by water. Limestone is porous and as such allows rain water to percolate through. However, water can and will dissolve limestone especially acid water. In any event water dissolves cavities. When these cavities are exposed in cliffs they become caves.

Here is two different strata of limestone.

This limestone has been contorted and bent until it is now in an almost vertical position. Keep in mind that this limestone was born on the bottom of an ancient sea some 350-million years ago. These limestone deposits are hundreds of feet deep and were in the making over possibly a 100-million years. Then this area was uplifted when molten lava deep in the earth exerted pressure. The sea floor became dry land then the seafloor continued to uplift. The limestone crust cracked and distorted as the pressure kept pushing it up. In the case of this rock it has been thrust up to an almost vertical position. At one time this mass of limestone was below sea level and now finds itself at over 4,000 feet above sea level.

The Missouri River has cut a path through this limestone creating these sharp banks.

The Missouri River has exposed this wonderful expanse of limestone. The wedge of rock has been engulfed by the surrounding rock.

This is another look at how geologic forces wrapped one layer of limestone completely around another layer. The part that looks like the nose of a bullet is the harder rock that has been wrapped up by the softer rock.

Smoke from the Meriweather Fire is making it difficult to see the geology but here the layers of limestone are nearly vertical instead of laying flat.

On the opposite side of the river limestone is laying horizontal just as it was formed over 300 million years ago.

Yes, that is the Meriweather fire burning in the understory. I cover the fire in travelogue #129-Fire in case you are interested.

This picture highlights not only the Meriwether fire but the honeycone nature of these limestone cliffs.

This limestone formation looks to be in about the 45-degree position.

I wonder if those two bands of softer material might have been ash falling from a volcano. Or possibly this area was in a shallow bay with a river emptying into it. A flood or some other event may have carried a foot of silt into the bay causing these two bands.

Look at the bottom of this formation where you can see where limestone has formed around another rock. I have no clue how this developed.

We are trying to pay attention to our captain and docent as he provides us with historical and geological information. It is hard to do when fire fighting helicopters are flying overhead.

This is the helicopter above as it descended to the Missouri River and made a "replenishment" run. During a replenishment run the helicopter will get about 5-feet off the water and make a run at about 35-mph while a long stinger (straw) picks up water from the river.

This osprey nest high on that pinnacle caught our eye. It appears to be safe from predators on that perch.

Note how erosion has carved these cliffs in the limestone.

Trees and grasses grow anywhere they can get a start.

This is more of the property that makes up those ranches I described earlier.

This is limestone in a roadcut on I-15 between exit 209 and Wolf Creek.

This is the Missouri River about 8-miles north of Gates of the Mountains and where we were on that boat ride.

Fishing boats and pelicans occupy this portion of the river.

Fly fishing is one of the big time sports out here.

Canada geese on a small island in the Missouri.

I think this is Holter Lake Lodge, on Holter Lake a reservoir created by nearby Holter Dam. It is located a few miles east of the community of Wolf Creek and can be accessed from exit 226 on I-15 about 30-miles north of Helena.

Joyce spotted this RR tunnel somewhere in that vicinity.

Until next time remember how good life is.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix