Pompey's Pillar, MT

[honda03842]

One of the great American stories is the Lousiana Purchase, definitely important, if not critical, for the USA and possibly the world, a courageous and brilliant purchase on the part of President Jefferson (15 cents an acre) and a marvelous trip of exploration by Lewis and Clark plus their associates. Any of a number of Lewis and Clark books are a great read.

For all their travels they only left one known permanent mark on the trail. That mark is at Pompey's Pillar in a town of the same name, well worth a stop, particularly if it encourages you to read about the history.

Clark climbed the Pillar and wrote his name and the date in script on the Pillar.

Safe Travels

[Mike Magee]

That's interesting. I'd never heard of that place before, thanks.

Lewis and Clark searched for a water route that would cross the entire west, all the way to the Pacific. They looked for and traveled what seemed to be the largest rivers on their way to the Rockies, in hope that by so choosing they might chance upon the best route. But they did not find such a route, and they had a difficult climb over the Rocky Mountains. As I understand it, though, if they had chosen a different river (the Madison, was it?) at one juncture they would have had a rather short and easy portage across the mountain range to the westward-flowing rivers. Such a find could have changed history, for the journey by boat would have been tremendously quicker and less hazardous than that by conestoga wagon across the plains. The west coast might have been populated much more rapidly.

[honda03842]

Mike,

If only Google earth......

Just imagine starting west into the relatively unknown populated by all kinds of potential problems and accomplishing the trip without losing anyone. Just an amazing trip.

Here we are hustling about in our weather tight RV with all the conveniences... wow time changes all...

Thankfully there are/were brave people who worked to make today possible.

[baron100]

I have enjoyed following in some of the footsteps of Lewis in Clark in Montana. I recently stopped by Pompey's Pillar which I consider hallowed ground.

"Pompeys Pillar is one of the most famous sandstone buttes in America. It bears the only remaining physical evidence of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which appears on the trail today as it did 200 years ago. On the face of the 150-foot butte, Captain William Clark carved his name on July 25, 1806, during his return to the United States through the beautiful Yellowstone Valley."

[Joe A.]

If this is interesting to you, you might want to stop at the Lewis and Clark Museum at Washburn,N.D. Washburn is about forty miles north of Bismarck which is the state capital.

[Gene Masse]

Also Medora in Western ND and Ft. Lincoln state park, South of Mandan where Gen. Custer was stationed when he went on his infamous excursion to the Little Big Horn. In New Rockford on the weekend we have our annual Steam Thresher's Reunion. Lots of history and camping is only $10.
http://www.cityofnewrockford.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={5AF9FD69-1983-4678-8791-D5A52C20BE07}
Ft. Lincoln has a nice campground right next the the Missouri River. It should be open for the choice campsites this time of year.

[Mike Price]

If you are in the vicinity of Pompey's Pillar, you might want to drive a little further and take the boat ride to The Gates Of The Mountains.

The L&C group came upstream to a point of the river where it appeared to end in a big lake. The way ahead was (apparently) blocked by a wide mountain wall.

However, as they began to cross the "lake", their path went to the northeast, and as they got closer and closer and more and more easterly, they saw there were two separate mountains, the closer one was the west one, and the further one was easterly one.

As they moved closer and more easterly, they saw that the two mountians are on opposite sides of the River! They called it the Gates of the Mountains because as they moved closer and easterly, the two mountains appeared to "open", and if they turned westerly while still in the "lake", the mountains appeared to close!

The Gates of the Mountains boat ride starts somewhere not too far from Helena, and takes the passengers downstream and thru the "gates" and out into the "lake". They then go back and forth a few times in the lake, to "open" and "close" the Gates of the Mountains.

Somewhere, I think I have a video of the process, but I have no idea where it might be, and it was also on 8mm film ;-(

Along the way, you pass the site of a forest fire which took the lives of several firefighters, and resulted in a movie about the fire, called Red Skies of Montana, and starring Richard Widmark.

Thought you might like to know,

Mike

[Mike Price]

Google "gates of the mountians videos", and you will get a raft of videos of the process.

[Lfoxmont]

Have you been rv.ing a long time?

[Lfoxmont]

Hi Honda03842.......part of my message got cut off. I'm in Billings......recently got a 1982 Burro and joined this website to get educated!

[honda03842]

Linda,

We've been at it for 11 years, just completing our 5th loop of the USA. Actually we passed thru Billings on our way home from NV. Our niece goes to the University in Billings and my brother lives in Columbia Falls.

Glad to help you with any questions; the site is a wonderful resource.