Mrs. Shryock’s 250 Mile Camping Trip – 16 days – Missoula to Big Prairie and Back – 1911
Mrs. Shryock’s Camping Trip
Mrs. John Shryock Leads Campers Into Clearwater
The elements requisite for a successful camping trip with a pack outfit were demonstrated last month by Mr. and Mrs. John Shryock, Stanley Yergey and Edmund Lewellin. With four saddle horses and two pack horses the party traveled 250 miles through some of the finest scenery in Montana without a mishap and without a break in harmony to mar the pleasure of the outing.
With their baggage selected and packed by experienced mountaineers, just enough for reasonable comfort and not too much for the two horses to carry over the roughest trails, and all hands, including Mrs. Shryock, ready to make light of hardships and to enjoy the beneficent influence of forest and stream, lakes and mountains, the party set forth from Missoula at 8:30 the morning of August 8.
Just below Belmont creek on the Blackfoot river was the first night’s camp, and the second night they found comfortable lodging at the mouth of Blanchard creek on the Clearwater. On the third day the trail began to hint of the wilderness and civilization was fast growing to be a faint memory of other days. There were, however, some excellent farms along Cottonwood creek, notably, the Jakway ranch, where a last opportunity was found to telephone into Missoula. The third night was spent at Dunham’s cabin, pretty well up the west fork of Monture creek.
On the fourth day nature opened her book of wonders to the eager eyes of the venturesome wanderers. The waterfalls along the canyon of Monture creek made a beautiful picture for every turn, and the trail over the continental divide, which was crossed about noon, gave visions of far-away mountain peaks leaping up in foamy crests into the blue of the sky or dropping down into purple depths of shadow. Camp was made about 4 o’clock in the afternoon of this fourth day at a cabin on Young’s creek. The best fishing of the whole trip as well as the grandest scenery marked the day.
On the fifth day the trail led down Young’s creek to Big Prairie on the south fork of the Flathead river. On the way several good-sized brown bears were sighted and put to flight, but they were not shot. Big Prairie was made camp headquarters for the next three days, with excursions to the White river, seven miles below, and to various points on Young’s creek for fish. Phenomenal catches were made during those three days of fishing. All fish under 15 inches were thrown back alive into the stream and finally even the big ones were thrown back.
Regretful at leaving so beautiful an abiding place, the party broke camp on the ninth day and started on the return trail. This led them down Basin creek and past the lofty Goat peaks to the falls on the north fork of the Blackfoot river. Following leisurely down the stream, photographing many of the most glorious views for future enjoyment, the party came upon Cooper lake and found it absolutely perfect in its clear, cold beauty, reflecting the mountain walls that stood high around it. Approaching the home stretch all too soon, the travelers reached Ovando about noon of the fourteenth day.
Two more days brought them into Missoula, tired for the time being, but on the whole and in the long run, rested and refreshed beyond description. The comparatively slight expense of such an outing and its possibilities for healthgiving exercise added to the joy of exploring far reaches of scenery that are not accessible to camp wagons or automobiles, make it one to be repeated. Mrs. Shryock says she is going again next year, and her friends, who have looked over the photographs taken along the way say that they, too, are going “next time.”
The above article appeared in The Sunday Missoulian on September 3, 1911.