The Missouri Breaks

It rained off and on all night, though, when I got up to pee, that wide Montana night sky was filled with an ocean of bright stars, satellites, mythical constellations, and even a shooting star!

The morning was slow as we only needed an 18km paddle to get us to Judith Landing. There, we’d meet up with Val and his big van of stores to replenish our water supplies and food . Still, we were on the water before 9am – it was a bit breezy and cloudy but not unpleasant in any way.

This reach of the Missouri River already begins to show a landscape that is less dramatic and picturesque than the last couple of days. The hills are a little more rolling, fewer steep cliff faces rising from the water’s edge, and the valley seems to be widening out a little too. What remains a dominant image is the greenness of the territory with all the rain through the Spring!

Our short paddle got us into Judith Landing by noon. Although there was a descent current, the water seemed ‘slow’…those of you who paddle will know what I mean. You can be paddling in a good current and then suddenly (with no notice or apparent change in the water conditions) the boat slows down and it feels a little like you’re paddling through marshmallow. Our GPS confirms that we’d slowed a bit, but the slow-down seemed more profound. Odd bit of paddle experience!

The Judith River empties into the Missouri River just upstream and opposite from the BLM campsite and upstream from the bridge. The valley is clearly wider here, and the Lewis and Clark journals record the setting too:

’This morning we set out at an early hour and proceeded as usual by the Chord. At a distance of 2 1/2 miles passed a handsome river which discharged itself on the Lard. (South) side. I walked on shore and ascended this river about a mile and a half in order to examine it, the water in the river is clearer much than any we have met with great abundance of the Argalia or Bighorned animals in the high country through which this river passes. Cap. C. who ascended this R. much higher than I did has thought proper to call it Judith River. ‘

Meriwether Lewis, May 29, 1805

When we landed, we saw that a fellow was fishing from the shore. He was perched right at a good spot for us to pull ashore, and he was good enough to catch our bow-line and hold us steady until one or two of us could step out to secure our landing. Soon, both canoes were tucked ashore and we began the off-loading.

Surprisingly, the River Nomad (John) was there. He is one strong fellow, and with one powerful arm hoisted the heaviest packs up the steep bank and walked them over to our campsite. He visited briefly and then was on his way…as it turns out, that was the last time we saw him on the river – though Val did see him a few days later at our take-out point but he’d left before we arrived.

Val was there to meet us too at Judith Landing, and he’d scouted out a great campsite just a few meters off the water’s edge…parking pad for his big van, fire pit, picnic table, lots of camping space for 7 tents, and not too far from the pit toilet. This felt a little like luxury.

Next to our campsite, we saw a few folks arrive in pickup trucks. Slowly, more vehicles arrived and soon there had to be 5-6 vehicles and more than 20 people gathered for a bbq, drinks, and visiting. One of our crew spoke with them and it seems their family has been in this part of Montana since the 1800s! As it turns out, every year they gather at Judith Landing to set off fireworks for the 4th of July.

Now, the regulations are that you can’t set off fireworks on BLM land. Not a problem. Shortly after 10pm (when we were all nicely tucked into our sleeping bags ) the fireworks started – from the bridge deck over the Missouri River. And this wasn’t some dinky little set of firecrackers either! This was a full blown celebration style fireworks, and it carried on in one form or another until almost 11pm. It was a great show and it seemed to me an appropriate way to celebrate this important USA holiday.

Then I went back to sleep. 🙂