I have been back since the 8th.
I was in the Bob Marshall wilderness west of Augusta Montana. We were in "Beyond all Roads" We rode in for about 8 miles beyond the nearest road. There are no motors of any kind allowed. It was a bit crazy riding on the edges of cliffs along the lake.
We stayed a the K bar L Ranch. They have a 40 acre spread deeded to the family after the war.
Among those Civil War veterans who were owed back pay by the US government at the end of the war was Thomas Valentine. Financially drained by the immense cost of the war, the government offered soldiers an opportunity to take a piece of land instead of their back pay. Valentine came west after the war and in the course of his wandering he found himself well upstream on the Sun River, at the confluence of the river’s North and South Forks. There he found hot springs, long used by Indians for their healing properties. Wild game was abundant, the land and surroundings beautiful.
Thomas Valentine had found a piece of paradise and soon thereafter was granted, by an Act of Congress in 1872, a forty acre tract of land as compensation for his unpaid service in the Union Army.
Long used by Indians, pioneers, trappers, and loggers, Medicine Springs (as the hot springs were known) became the province of the Klick family in 1927. Three generations of Klicks have developed the property as a guest ranch, hauling in the building materials by boat and mule train to establish guest quarters, lodge, corrals, outbuildings and hot springs swimming pool.
This extraordinary place at the forks of the Sun River has provided extraordinarily great lodging, riding, fishing, hunting, and other backcountry recreational pleasure for many guests over the years.
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There are very primitive cabins and a lodge. They generate just enough electric to run a few lights off a generator run by the current of the river. The meals were cooked off a old wood cookstove, and were to die for.
The hunting was very slow. It was extremely warm for November. It got up to 75 degrees a couple days. Our group of 12 managed to bag two Elk. I was not one of the lucky ones. Still I had abouslutly one of the highlights of my life. Beautiful scenery, amazing night skys, and a quiet like I have never experienced.I wish I could afford to do this every year. This can only be described as Gods Country
Here is the link for the ranch, and my photoalbum
http://www.kbarlranch.com/http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v134/Sharkey71/Montana%20%202010/?albumview=slideshow
