Weather
Great Falls, MT (GTF)
47o 28.92'N
111o 22.24'W
Runway 03/21
Length 10,502' x 150'
Elevation 3677'
1834 Z Time/ 12:34 Local Time
Winds variable/ 03
Visability = 10
Scattered 2000'
Overcast 2700'
Density altitude 4200'
Temp 17/ Dew point 8
(Icing over the mountains - unable to fly on 06-10-04)
Expedition Leader's Notes
Day 9
Wonderful morning flying above the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Over the
dam at Fort Peck, we stay high enough to avoid causing any disturbance in this pristine area
of blue water and dramatic geology. With the reservoir level low, it's fairly easy to trace
the "submerged" river channel of the Missouri.
We hug the left bank of Fort Peck Lake in the Caravan in case we need to make an emergency
landing… lots of space for that. Weather is perfect as we make the great northern bend at
the Musselshell River… its bed nearly dry but with the river running underground as
evidenced by the green sward meandering through the bottom of a steeply etched valley.
River valleys on the north and south sides of the Missouri appear perched and dry… evidence
of geologic uplift and prolonged drought. Passing the Sand Creek Wildlife Station, we
descend closer to the river, but again, cruise at a safe height, as turbulence swirls over
and around the craggy cliffs.
The White Cliffs of the Missouri River… and for the first time we come across kayaks and
canoes and the paddlers wave as we pass above. We must appear relatively strange… this line
of aircraft out of the present roaring into an area largely unchanged in the past 200 years…
but we throttle back and pass as quickly and quietly as we can.
Old, fairly small log cabins and corrals occasionally emerge from the brush in the bottom
of the canyon… the only evidence of civilization. Lewis and Clark thought initially that
the White Cliffs were battlements of cities; that's easy to understand as we cruise by,
looking for the Welsh Indians.
We leave the river's deep fissure and get in line for a 45 degree entry and a series of
perfect landings at Fort Benton. We're the only aircraft on the field as we lunch in the
very small but accommodating FBO. This is the first airfield that Julie has found native
plants… including Lewis' Flax. We meet members of the airport commission and give out
medallions in appreciation of them coming out to pump fuel for us. Next time we're here,
I promise to stay longer and investigate historical opportunities in town.
A short flight later up the dams stair-stepping down the River and we're into Great Falls,
MT where the weather becomes extremely threatening along our route of flight for tomorrow.
We put the WACOs in hangers and batten down the other aircraft. FBOs don't get much better
than Holman Aviation… where they stepped up and arranged transportation and suggested hotels
and points of interest, as it became more obvious that we would be staying until the weather
cleared.
While half the crew stayed in town to do laundry and just generally relax for the evening,
a bunch of us took a van provided by Dave Pierce, of Pierce's Superstores in Great Falls, south to Craig, MT and a pre-arranged wild
game feast on Dave Shield's ranch… located off to the side of a side of a side road and
across two creeks. Like everyone else, I practically foundered on smoked pheasant, grouse,
trout, elk ribs and venison. Realizing someone would have to drive us out of this bear
habitat, I foreswore the alcoholic stimulants that appeared to make the fire glow much
brighter and the songs in the van on the way back to Great Falls much louder for the rest
of the group.
Day 10
"Slept in" for the first time since May 26th… almost until 6:30am. It's remarkable that
here where Lewis and Clark's Corps struggled mightily around the Great Falls of the
Missouri, we also meet our first impediment weather. But such is the fabric of this
expedition that we all see this as an opportunity for a much-needed break and the chance
to actually spend some time at the local museums.
We are awed by the National Park Service Interpretive Center and spend most of the morning
there. Lunch was recommended (by NPS employees) to be a local soda fountain where I had a
killer chocolate malt.
I regret being so tired as to not make it to the Charlie Russell Museum… but that's s
omething to look forward to next year. Instead, I worked on my journals, did laundry and
watched Reagan's funeral in Washington, DC.
Nice article in the morning paper on the FOD and the people at the hotel could not have been
more accommodating. Julie, Jill and Jeanette whip up the best carnitas I've had in my life
and the crew chows down on the rainy patio before turning in early.
Co-Expedition Leader Daily Log Notes: Wednesday, June 09, 2004
The expedition departs Wolf Point on schedule to undertake the longest leg of the expedition yet. We take off from Wolf Point and turn up river towards Great Falls.
As accurately documented by the original 1804 expedition, the white cliffs along the banks of this section of the Missouri are truly majestic and do look to be a hand crafted work of art. This could only be the artistic work of God himself. The big blue skies back grounding the white cliffs that tower over the green grassy valleys boarding the now clearing waters of the Missouri make this the most beautiful part to the voyage yet.
The white canyon wall cliffs empty into the Great Falls plains. The Great Falls so elegantly described by Captain Lewis are now rock shelved gorges with very little water flow. The water falls flow is now dammed and diverted through hydroelectric power stations.
We arrive in Great Falls under cloud layers with lowering ceilings which pose to cause a delay in our departure
Co-Expedition Leader Daily Log Notes: Thursday, June 10, 2004
The expedition is delayed one nights stay in Great Falls, Montana due to troublesome weather conditions not safe to navigate by aircraft. The decision to overnight was agreeably unanimous among the corps members. The original expedition experienced many of the same delays. The Great Falls themselves, set the original expedition back many weeks as recorded by Captain Lewis.
Sciences
Flight Operations