Month: July 2010

Canoe Trip on the Wild & Scenic Missouri River

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It was clear and sunny Saturday morning and twelve of us launched a canoe and a catamaran on the Missouri River at Judith Landing. The landing area is also referred to as the PN Bridge for the PN ranch nearby. The catamaran-type craft was made of two canoes lashed together with comfortable seating. We were floating with river guide Terry Selph who owns Hole In The Wall Adventures based in Lewistown. I’ve floated the upper stretch … Read more

Montana’s Missouri River Breaks

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After leaving Winifred, MT this morning our group drove about 15 miles north into the Missouri River Breaks. Locally, you’ll hear this area referred to as “The Breaks”. From Fort Benton to 149 miles downstream, the Mighty Mo has a Wild & Scenic designation. This river area and part of the land surrounding the Wild & Scenic Missouri are also in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, a designation made by former US President Bill Clinton before he left office. That’s a lot … Read more

Tonka Trucks Galore

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I spent a day in Winifred, Montana and my first memory is that of Tonka trucks! When I drove in to Winifred it was early on a Saturday. The busiest place in town was the Winifred Cafe. There were so many cars in front and surrounding the cafe, I wondered if a large meeting was going on. I realized that it was just a good sign that this is a great breakfast spot. This small community … Read more

Walleye Fishing At Valier’s Lake Frances

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Lake Frances in Valier is known for great walleye fishing. The lake is close and convenient to town. Basically, the city’s streets take you right to the water’s edge. A campground with electrical hookups, bathroom facilities and a playground is right on the shoreline and there is also a motel and bed and breakfast in Valier. The lake was built for irrigation purposes and it has evolved into also being used as a recreation area. We’ve had plenty of … Read more

Glamping North of Havre

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Glamping – glamorous camping – is a great way to sample outdoor life with just a few more amenities.   Jacob and Sarah Dusek operate Sage Safaris about 25 miles north of Havre, MT. They have two wall tents that include real beds with complete linens, a sitting area with chairs and a coffee table, dresser and a wood burning stove. This is not your standard camp tent!   There is also a nearby building … Read more

Back At The Corrals

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As we rode down our last mountainside for today’s trail ride at 7 Lazy P ranch we came through a gate with a little Montana humor posted nearby. In case you can’t read the writing on this pretend tombstone it says “Here Lies the Last Hombre Who Didn’t Close The Gate”. Enough said – we closed the gate! We had a great ride today and we were all thankful for a rain-free day. Even though we rode … Read more

All Day Trail Ride at 7 Lazy P

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Throughout our all-day ride we took breaks to stretch our legs and also to get some stunning photos. It was fun to scan the horizon, pick out area landmarks and see where we had been riding. The views were so amazing – you’d need several panoramic shots to capture it all. For those who know the geography of the area, you can see Eureka Reservoir in the distance in this photo. Because of all the rain … Read more

More About Our All Day Ride

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This is a great photo of part of our group when we took a break during our ride at 7 Lazy P guest ranch. The rugged mountains in the background had a little bit of snow for contrast, the trees were beautiful and what about those smiles! That says more than anything. We ate lunch in a meadow with our horses tied nearby. As we ate and visited we found out our wrangler not only knows how … Read more

My Horse is Named Black Hawk

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Our group wandered over to the corral and our horses were saddled and ready to ride. Laura, our wrangler, and owner Chuck Blixrud, have chosen our horses and mine is named Black Hawk. I look him over and instantly like him although he is tall, very tall. We are dressed warm today but there is no rain and when the sun comes out we feel nice and warm. Just in case, we pack rain gear. Today we … Read more

A Tour of 7 Lazy P’s Upper Ranch

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Our group is staying at 7 Lazy P’s guest ranch, or the lower ranch. Just a few miles up the road is another ranch where their pack trips into the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex begin. We are very near the Bob Marshall (locals refer to it as The Bob) and adjoining it on the north is the Great Bear Wilderness and to the south is the Scapegoat Wilderness. All told, this combined wilderness area is … Read more