Trout Finding & Quality Time

What a great way to spend post-thanksgiving! My son, Lewis and I took off to the mountains of North Carolina for a couple of days. We both had a small backpack, a flyrod and waders. Our goal was to find trout. We headed to the NC Trout capital, Bryson City, NC. Chasing the NC Wildlife map, we happened on Alarka Creek. Alarka is a hatchery-supported creek that begins in the Big Laurel area of the US Forest Service land and meanders it’s way thru rocky knolls, farms and woods finally ending at Fontana Lake. This classic NC mountain community is beautiful. We found a pull-off, wader-ed up and got right to

“work” in the stream. Lewis quickly connected with a brown trout using an Elk haired caddis. The Elk Hair Caddis imitates an adult caddis fly or a small stonefly which is right down a trout’s alley! We fished a couple spots along the Alarka and then decided to go to the Deep Creek which flows through Bryson City. 

Celebrated not only for its fishing, Deep Creek has several hiking loops for hikers and bikers alike. It was obvious we were in a pandemic as the parking lot was stacked. Everyone was socially distancing and wearing masks, especially us guys waist deep in the water….sans masks. Once again, it didn’t take Lewis long. Using what anglers call a Dry Dropper, he pulled out yet another brown trout. A

Dry Dropper rig consists of a dry fly, in this case, the Elk Hair Caddis, with a nymph or wet fly attached to it via a piece of tippet. The dry fly acts not only as an attractant with a hook, but also as an indicator for the nymph. As the fly floats, if it quickly goes underwater, you just might have a fish on the line. In this case, ole brownie chose the fly, not the underwater nymph. Having lost his fishing net, I watched him use is hat as a net. It was funny yet also a classically industrious use of his lid. 

 After we hiked about three miles and fished Deep Creek, we headed into Bryson City for supper. The Smokey Mountain Train was in town and the Christmas lights lit up making downtown look like a Hallmark movie. We ate at The Everett Hotel & Bistro, which I will say was an excellent choice. We topped off the meal with a fudge brownie in celebration of the brown landings Lewis had that day. I enjoyed what is probably the best double shot expresso I’ve ever had. Getting dark, we headed to the Super 8 in Cherokee, NC. It had been years since I had visited the Cherokee Reservation. 

 The next morning, we headed to what is called the “Trophy Waters” of Raven Fork Creek. We Fished about four hours. I finally got on the board with a beautiful Rainbow Trout; nothing huge, but as always, some of the best fighting pound for pound. I told Lewis I wanted to take him on a quick trip down memory lane, so we exited the water. As a child, I remember my parents taking my brother and I to Cherokee, staying at one of those side of the river hotels. I remember seeing the outdoor drama “Unto these hills”. A road that was always etched in my memory was the Tsali Blvd. which turned into 441 North. This is probably the most incredible representation of the Smokey Mountains you can drive on. We peaked the mountains at Newfoundland Gap, near Clingman’s Dome. Lewis, like me as a child saw the wonder of God’s handy work. Pretty amazing views. We drove on toward Sugarland Visitors Center and turned left to another amazing memory of my childhood… Cades Cove. 

 My memory as a child was the family camping and riding bicycles around the 11 mile loop road looking at the hundreds of deer, occasional bear and wild turkey. Cades Cove, Tennessee is an isolated valley in the heart of the Great Smokey Mountains. The valley was home to numerous settlers before the formation of the national park. Some of their homes are still there today. Today Cades Cove, the single most popular destination for visitors to the park, attracts more than two million visitors. It felt like 500,000 were there on this day! It was much more crowded than I remembered. I’m sure COVID had something to do with that. As I expected, we saw bear and deer. We also saw people violating the signs that said do not approach the bear. I had my iPhone ready to capture the stupidity on video if necessary. 

 Thru traffic, we made our way out of the park to Gatlinburg. Evidence of the forest fires were still on the sloped hill sides. We ate at Big Daddy's Pizzeria, which I would recommend (great crust & perfect marinara sauce). As mentioned, our goal was trout finding, but what I found was a 26 year old who not only has perfected the art of fishing, but who has become a man I am very proud to call my son. 

Quality time is special and this two day trip is one I’ll deposit in my memory bank for a long time.

"Come on, we're burning daylight!" -John Wayne

John Wayne's classic, “The Cowboys” is probably my favorite western movie. It’s a story of boys becoming men. I know I've watched it 40 times or more. 

 

When his ranch workers desert Wil Anderson, a Belgrade, Montana rancher, to join the gold rush and the

dreams of getting rich, he is forced to find recruits for his upcoming 400-mile long cattle drive to Belle Fourche, South Dakota. One of the coolest western actors that ever gleamed a Hollywood screen, Slim Pickens, who in the movie was Anse Peterson, suggested to Anderson at the saloon that he should consider the young kids that were at the local schoolhouse. He interviewed them, and with hesitation, hired them on to work his cattle-drive.

 

To keep from making the movie a spoiler, I'll stop there and only encourage you to watch this excellent movie. It is about growing up, fathering, and even when the going gets tough...completing the job!

 

So, when I first landed at the Bozeman Yellowstone airport a number of years ago, I noticed that it is

located in the heart of Belgrade. Today, being a little early for our flight, Liz and I decided to tour the small town and drive out into the ranchland. The town is classic Montana; a bar/saloon near the square. 

The ranch land was beautiful. Along the way, in a one-mile stretch, we spotted three bird species. One was the American bald eagle, a majestic bird perched on a power pole. The other was an Osprey with a recent catch in his talons. The other was a falcon, sitting high on a tree. And if that wasn't enough, we spotted a large golden eagle take off with a fine sized snake in his grip! All beautiful flying birds of prey. Not too shabby for a side trip to the airport!

 

Well, Montana was fun this week, but tomorrow morning I’ll say, “We’re burning daylight.” If you don’t get this sentence, you haven’t seen the movie!

A land filled with wonder.

 The amazing thing about Montana is the untouched, vast wilderness. Whether its the Bob Marshall Forest, Elkhorn Mountain Range, The Mission Mountains, or Glacier National Forest, the eye can see

the big picture, but honestly there are square miles of property that few men if any have ever stepped. And the water melting from the Glacier topped mountain create streams and rivers so clear you can see the

bottom of the entire river bed. And water that is so cold you will freeze to death if not careful. This country is wild and untamed. You can see it in the mountains as well as the people who live here. They understand dirt roads and snowdrifts. Its nothing for them to see elk, deer, bear, and even the occasional moose. 

We ended our tour across Montana at Glacier today. It was somewhat crowded, but who wouldn't want to feel the magnificence and splendor of the Rocky Mountains? We drove back south thru Missoula County and cross the legendary Blackfoot. After driving the state, I decided my dream ranch would be in Helmville. Look it up on the map! Ranchers paradise!

We ended the day back in Helena where we ate at the Wassweiler Restaurant. We celebrated

friendship, talked about the trip, and planned our day's next adventure which is floating the Missouri River and flyfishing. Tired? Yes. Filled to bream, absolutely. 

Go North They Said

Today we traveled north toward Kalispell and Whitefish. Driving thru the Flathead Indian reservation we witnessed the incredible Mission Mountains with their high, jagged tops. Then looking up at McDonald Peak which touches the bonds of the atmosphere at 9,820 feet; all I could say was, “truly amazing!"

I’ve spent a lot of time from Bozeman to Helena. I’d call it my "Montana base." It's where my friend and fellow auctioneer Dan Pat lives.

We stayed the night in Missoula as a stopover. I was originally intrigued by Missoula years ago after reading the book and watching the movie, "A River Runs Through It." It's the story of author and fly fisherman, Norman  Maclean. Maclean’s family move to this city in 1909. In 1931 Maclean married his sweetheart Jessie Burns who was from Wolf Creek Montana, a town I’ve driven thru many times on the way to Craig Montana. In the book and movie, Maclean’s character said, “I am haunted by water”. I once read a commentary about his writings that made so much sense to me. It answered the question, what was he haunted by?  He was haunted by the memories of his time on the Blackfoot River and his memories, like the waters, run deep. His life was linked to water.

 

After passing over the Mission Mountains we entered Polson, Montana, and witnessed the pure, clear waters of Flathead Lake. This lake is the evidence of the final lifespan of a great glacier centuries ago.

It is considered one of the cleanest lakes in the world for its size. Its water level is 2,892 feet above sea level. The lake covers 197 square miles. We drove along the west side of the lake continuing north.

We ended the day eating a fine meal at the Whitefish Lake Restaurant.  Afterward, we visited the south side of Whitefish Lake; a smaller but still large lake that backs up to these beautiful mountains. 

Elizabeth and I shot some pictures together near the Lake. The sun was beginning to set over the mountains and the colors on the water and horizon were amazing. Memories of not just our

time together in Montana, but 36 years of living our lives together is what "haunts" my mind (in a good way!) I realized that our "water" has run so deep. I love Montana, but I love Elizabeth more.

Water from the top of the mountain

Leaving Helena, we took a trip up towards Avon, Montana. We ate at the Avon Family Café where we sat beside a well-known Hollywood actor (yet native Montanan). He asked that we keep quiet about him because of Covid-19. He didn’t have it, but the producer wanted him to stay quarantined until production was over. He trusted us with a picture, but I am honoring his request to not post it.

 

We left Avon and decided to take a “short cut” thru the Skalakaho Pass.  Also known as Skalkaho Highway, it is a forty-five-mile drive that runs between the Bitterroot Valley and the Philipsburg Valley. This paved and gravel route climbs through the Sapphire Mountains, a remote and seldom visited part of Montana. The drive follows Montana Highway 38 for its entire length. You would have to slow down to let other cars (trucks) pass by.  Imagine driving on the side of cliffs that have 2500

vertical drops. The altitude is 7,258 ft. The views are amazing. However, the forestation is just beginning to return due to a forest fire I am estimating took place five years ago or so. By the way, there were no guard rails.

 

The highlight of the 45-mile ride is Shalkaho Falls. It’s an

amazing waterfall that appears to come from the top of the mountain and flows underneath the road.  

One of the neat pictures I took was a photo of a tree rooted on top of a rock. There was very little dirt for it and it was exposed to the elements. I considered it my photographic

metaphor of the day. What does the picture tell you? I know what I thought. 

 

We ended the day in Missoula after riding by Chief Joseph Ranch (Yellowstone Ranch) in Darby Montana. The Bitterroot Valley is another amazing piece of Big Sky. Thanks to Leah Welsh and Dan Pate for making this day one that will be remembered.

My heroes have always been cowboys.

 It’s 6 AM and I made it back to the front porch of the Sacajawea. It’s a comfortable 45 degrees. 

What a day we had yesterday. We started the day watching notable Montanan Curt Pate break colts. He put them in the corral and with tremendous patience haltered them and

slowly convinced them to accept a saddle and finally mounted them. In a world of instant gratification, it was a beautiful sight to watch how this process went.

 

Later, we rode a side by side over the 63 Ranch (named for its establishment in 1863). Beautiful and rocky! Mission creek cuts the ranch down the middle.

After lunch, we saddled up. I rode Hannah and Elizabeth was on Happy. Curt took us by a beautiful trout stream where you could see nice rainbows taking bugs off the topwater. We rode high on a ridge where earlier that day we saw a black bear and her cubs. On the trail, we walked over a large deposit of bear scat. Fresh with flies swarming around it. I was hoping we might see the bear up close but only saw their leftovers.

 

Married to a Texas girl, there was nothing better than to see Elizabeth back on horseback. And the background was simply magnificent. We crossed Mission Creek to make our way to the section (640 Acres) where the cattle were. Following

us were Curt’s dogs. We had the opportunity to watch the cattle dogs do their thing. Wow!

 

We hung around for supper and sat on the porch to watch it rain until we went in and shared stories. The ranch owner and his wife

treated us to two meals cooked by their chef. It was a perfect day. As the song says, "my heroes have always been cowboys." Being around Curt for 12 hours, I'll finish the song; "they still are today."

Porch time in Montana

Anyone who knows me very well knows my favorite state. Montana. Big Sky Country. The axiom is very apropos. If you drive on Montana Hwy 12 along the Elk Horn mountains you will understand very quickly how it got its name.This time, we are staying a few days at the Sacajawea Hotel & Inn. 

The inn has been in existence for over 110 years. We enjoy our breakfast and early morning coffee on their front porch. In the summer, Montana has its warm days but cooler nights and mornings. Named for the famous Indian Lewis & Clarke used to translate with the Shoshone Indians, the history is rich at the hotel.

Located in Three Forks, Montana,  the hotel is situated near the confluence of three rivers that make up the Missouri River; Gallatin, Madison & Jefferson.

The American west is rich in Sacajawean history. In the winter of 1804-1805, famed explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark interviewed several trappers seeking interpreters for their western journey up the Missouri River planned for the spring. Knowing they would encounter the Shoshone Indians at the headwaters, they agreed to hire Toussaint Charbonneau after learning of his wife, Sacagawea, who knew the language. After the couple moved into the expedition’s fort, Sacajawea was nick-named “Janey”.  She was pregnant and gave birth to Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. The baby was given a nickname by the explorers as well “Little Pompy”

Poling and pulling against the current heading westward, history records Sacajawea rescued journal entries and records of Lewis and Clark and was honored with a river in her name on May 20, 1805. 

The hotel? It’s amazing! Located in Three Forks areas, fingerprints of the Lewis and Clark Trail are scattered all around. It is at the headwaters of the Missouri River, where Sacajawea was reunited with her brother and brokered safe passage for the explorers. Only years following American western tale, the Sacajawea Hotel was constructed in 1910.

Built by John Q. Adams, who was a purchasing agent for the Milwaukee Railroad, the hotel was built as a rest stop for passengers and train crews. The main building at the hotel is the Madison House. It has a Victorian flair with all the western feel you can imagine. 

The owners of the hotel have seen many challenging economic seasons, in fact, in 2001, the Sacajawea was boarded up. However, in 2009, the Folkvords, a third-generation Montana farming family, purchased the Hotel.

The hotel has 29 luxury guest rooms, a couple bars (yes western feeling type), a wedding venue, and the Pompey Grill.

Liz and I have stayed here many times. We enjoy the quiet 2053 populated town. We always visit the confluence of the three rivers. But probably my favorite thing is waking up at daylight and drinking my first cup of coffee on the huge porch.

I'll have to thank my Montana family Dan Pate and Leah Welsh for bringing us here on our first visit to Big Sky country.