Action time in Glacier National Park.

We didn't just site see in Montana, we got involved in some fun stuff!!

Beautiful view from the open ski chair lift.

Birtie, Tom and Patty, I'm photoing her and she me.

White water with Joanne,Bob, Patty, Bill, Dan and me.

Bob's head is the only one showing besides the guides.

Kayaking the Flathead River

4x4 ride through LoLo Pass

Just me

Forest fire damage remains after many years.

Still many beautiful trees to drive through.

Is this the "Rat Pack"?  Bob (?), Phil, John, Dan and Max.

Glacier Nation Park, Montana

This park is soooo beautiful, I must let what few of the many pictures I took speak for themselves.

                What can I say, isn't it beautiful, just like I said?

"First Peoples Buffalo Jump" State Park, Montana

When the Indians hunted the Bison before they had guns or domestic horses they used bows and arrows or used the terrain to help them.  Using rock cairns as guides toward the drop off and being dressed in a Bison skin they would herd the animals carefully toward the cliffs.  Once they were close enough the Indians who were guiding them in would cause a stampede and the animals had no choice but to go over the cliff because it looked like a hill going down from their angle.  Below, the men, women and children would be waiting to finish the kill if needed and would skin the animal for the hide for shelter and clothing and the meat for food and the bones for tools and other implements.  They used what they killed.

We are getting a history lesson from an Indian forest ranger.

Notice the "drive lane" heading toward the cliff.

The edge of the drop off cliff is behind me on my right and is 50-60 feet down.

Give this a read.  Just double click and it will enlarge, click and it will return.

Mom and baby.

These are hard to look at.  It was said that if "we get rid of the buffalo, we get rid of the Indian".  In the mid 1800s the slaughter of the animal took less than 3 years and brought the numbers down to less than 3000 in the nation. Hard to believe this is how the first people were treated.

Lewis & Clark, National Historic Trail Interp. Center, Montana

As I mentioned the WIN group is making their way to Oregon following the Lewis & Clark trek.  This major center was chock full of items depicting the trails, trials and triumphs of the Corp of Discovery as the group was called.

This shows how they had to forge over land when the river was not navigable such as when they discovered the 5 falls.  You will see two more below.

History states that at all times the men were in uniform, even after their original ones wore out.  They used them for patterns and cut leather to sew to make uniforms.

These next 4 photos are of models depicting what the boats looked like from written descriptions.  This is the likeness of the one Lewis and Clark rode in.  While Lewis was recruiting men Clark had the protective cabin made.

Each of these boats carried several "tons" of baggage and cargo and the men.

Can you imagine having to haul boats, tons of cargo and supplies overland like this.  The description of the adventures they had and what the men had to do indicates these men nothing but solid muscle.  The Journals also indicate the men ate upward of 9 to 10 pounds of food a day.

A sample of the cargo they carried.

Not everything ended well for everyone.

Charles M. Russell, Great Falls Montana

CM Russell, in my opinion, was one of the best artists for showing the old west and the Indians.  The tour of his home and studio was very interesting and I was lucky enough to be there during the heritage celebration.  We even had live country music entertainment on the grounds. 

Of course a photo of his art work does not do it justice, sorry, but enjoy anyway.

These are Russell's boots and hat and scarf.

Deep in thought over his painting.

His favorites subjects to paint were the Indians.

This is his studio.

His supplies and the area he painted in.

This is his some of his paint and brushes.

Nancy, his beautiful wife whom he had a son with.

CM Russell, the man himself in his younger years.

Nancy got tired of friends and the curious invading their privacy, so this home was built next to the studio.

CM Russell's desire to be taken to his grave with this horse drawn carriage was arranged by his wife Nancy.  He was dying from heart complications but was able to plan his burial.  He died in 1926 and his burial site is in a small cemetery south of town.

This is the actual wagon.