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Bitterroot Art Beat: Lee Kierig
| The Merry Man and His Mighty Machines |
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| By Brian D'Ambrosio |
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Lee Kierig’s creations generate a ripple of visions. By eliciting deeply mysterious emotions totally free of traditional labels and rejecting simple notions of artistic gentility and tolerance, his conjoined and reattached images of alloy parts scuff the nerve of many ancient constructs: spirituality, duality, numerology, feudalism, and the balancing of opposites.
Integral pieces aren’t set bound or set together with glue or by welding, but are mechanically attached, forming large chess compositions, such as the knight-riding horse. Figures are functionally interdependent and mechanically connected in ways in which the viewer is left to surmise the selection of the parts, but can never truly be certain as to the success of their conclusion. Stereo fragments, doohickeys, found jewelry, slits of wires, transmission gears, mechanical arms and metal tags are some of the participatory ingredients necessary to complete the process of bringing unworthy individual components into the repurposed realm of disguised expression.
“I try to get the pieces to remain and to recreate the traditional spirit of the place to which they were drawn – piece by integral piece,” says Kierig. “It’s all there: friction, tension, compression, squeezing things with bolts, the disguising of materials.”
The purpose of each piece shifts in the process; time means nothing when it comes to repurposing objects. Comprised of diagonal and vertical metal slabs, connected by tight clamps, the queen spins around brilliantly. Indeed, Kierig has imparted more than 180 hours into a select pawn relying on timing gears to insure its wholeness; around 150 hours for the knight and queen; approximately 100 on the bishop.
Often this type of artwork is characterized, or even mischaracterized, as found object art. To Kierig, the search for artistic materials is never random, never arbitrary. His hunts are purposeful, visionary, determined.
“I’m looking for something specific, and I’m looking to do what I want the piece to do. With the nature of found objects, the hunt is less about intent than it is about the experience. It’s about making art out of a pile of junk. I go out into the world looking for specific things.”
Less than one year ago, he began raiding junk piles as part and parcel of a new searching practice. Often he would come home with buckets full of goodies; automatic transmission clutch plates, rocker arms in the shape of a vertebrae, dungy clothes, you name it. In the process of reapplying and redefining these objects, he came to appreciate their inherent aesthetic and physical beauty, which is akin to one of the most rudimentary illuminations surrounding the scrounging of found object art. He then made them sculptural, reinventing the value of their details.
“They have to hold up when you come up close to them, unlike the old dodge out there, from far away she looks nice, but up close she’s all dented and scratched. I wanted the details to hold up.”
When partaking in and witnessing the vitalizing transformation of reshaped, reinvented art, Kierig discovers a deep, consuming passion for self-exploration and uniquely intimate understanding long since dormant.
“When I’m away from them I want to go back to them. Experience is the essential element of life; people seem to regard benefit more than they revere experience. Dynamic nature of love in the universe is the creative experience. Society doesn’t inculcate a creative experience as part of the value system. I get into it. I build it and I tear it down –starting with basic form.”
Can projects of this magnitude really ever be finished? Can’t they always be taken to another stage, reworked, rebuilt without limit or end?
“I’ve gotten better at determining how much is too much and how little is too little. My art communicates that. It speaks in its own language. They are subject to the perception and beholden to the perceiver. Art isn’t the same for all. I try to shy away from heavy philosophies.”
Shying away from heavy philosophies isn’t easy for Kierig. In fact, he relishes in the opportunity to feverishly discuss and debate. This a man who worries about humanity during bouts of nagging sleeplessness at four in the morning. In a nonlinear conversation that ranges from the underappreciated virtues of female intellect, to Thomas Jefferson, to the detriments of President George W. Bush’s messianic militarism, he is philosophical, courtly, and wily. Over the last 30 years he has continued to develop a robust philosophy rooted in the Native American concept of a loving creator.
“These influences are evident in many of my paintings, where the theme is expression of ethos-derived experiments in concepts such as duality, balance, unification of opposites and spiritual efflorescence.”
Some of the paintings in the gallery of his architectural studio date back to 1981. But the abstract hunks of assembled hardware – the bead, wire, galvanized screen, clay, glass marble and automobile part confederations – have all been melded together, by hand, within the last year.
“My upbringing in the southwest influences my paintings and sculptures. Being mechanically inclined as well, I have always been intrigued by a machine aesthetic that is being integrated into my artistic expressions. These sculptures mark my desire for free expression unencumbered by practical utility that drives architecture more than its balancing component. These pieces are manifestations of explorations into organic expression and organism, derived from machine components.”
During the embarkation of the journey to make full-figured chess pieces, Kierig pondered the notion of the game itself, how it derived and where, and why is it that this ancient game is still played.
“The four chess pieces are expressing the virtual organism, in the overt sense, through the manipulation and redefinition through application of familiar machine components in a new or unfamiliar context. Additionally, chess being an ancient game, these pieces aim to convey an idea of feeling about the culture from which they are derived. They are old school feudalism power commenting on underlying themes motivating in contemporary societal construct through the collective subconscious, as Carl Jung said, of archetypal influences.”
“Furthermore, primitive archetypal influences, far older than the expressions of the Dark Ages, are clearly motivating within the ethos of humanity providing untapped as-of-yet sources of expression to be explored.”
In the fall of 2006 a momentary connection to clay evolved into mechanized machinery work. He began to clean and burnish buckets full of screens, brackets, widgets and arms, transmission shifters and gears, pieces of pipe fitting, heavy gauge wire tubing, automatic transmission pumps, bushings, and shims. As an artist he saw something in these objects not readily viewable in the normal context, and the search to redefine commenced. Retaining a jointed, organic, animalized expression was a true aim. The pieces were purposefully composed and balanced, according to the laws of strict proportion and scale, and all the basic rules of composition came into play.
“I wanted to make people drawn in to see more and to elicit an experience with passion. Machine pieces can be related to. If you get on your hands and knees underneath, the details are still holding. The success is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”
Passion is the sustainable concept binding and lacing Kierig’s artwork, and perhaps even his entire life, together. Looking for clues as to the very fabric of his art, his distinctly nuanced style, as well as his own artistic sensibilities in a broodingly fluxing world, keeps him dutifully occupied.
“The pieces contribute their small share to the whole – just like the human community. They explore unification of opposites and emerging organic expressions from otherwise inorganic pieces or parts. Other than that, I just don’t know.”
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Merlot and Melody
| In addition to selling sauvignon, newly opened Lake Missoula Cellars adds vibrancy to local music scene |
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| By Brian D’Ambrosio |
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Oenophiles in western Montana have ample reason to smile. So, too, do followers of live music hoping to hear hunky dory harmonies far removed from the stifling smoke and unpleasant confinement long associated with Missoula’s stagnant bar and music scene. Wine drinkers and barroom-evading concertgoers now have a well-mannered establishment to cherish as their own: Lake Missoula Cellars.
Doug Wagner is the vintner, designer, engineer, and general contractor responsible for the opening of this much welcome musical and social medium. Offering a 300-foot tasting room, an upscale, yet laid back aura, a humble, inelaborate feel, high walls graced with the artistic exertions of local artists, bouncy color schemes, as well as the perfect stage and setting for the easy listening of an acoustic concert series, the venue’s originality is clever, natural, and direct.
“This has been developed to be a more flexible, versatile facility,” says Doug Wagner. “We’ve got something here that’s both for locals and tourists, and a different type of music venue. Our location (5646 West Harrier, west of Big Sky Brewery) offers easy access for tourists and for most of Missoula.
“The phrase we’ve coined to describe this place is ‘sophisticated, but not pretentious.’”
Indeed, Wagner has succeeded in bringing something special to Missoula’s cultural nightlife and crammed calendar of conviviality. Where else can you find more than 100 people, relaxed, unburdened by time, sitting at well-appointed tables, with glasses of spicy red wine and delicious assortments of cheese and crackers nearby, listening – and actually paying attention to – the music performed before them?
“This is going to be a different type of deal. We are going to start early and end early, and probably be done by ten o’clock. The concerts here are going to be about the music – not just the music being the backdrop. The backbone of what we are trying to create is centered on strong events.”
Local musician David Boone played to a full crowd of more than 100 people at the grand opening of Lake Missoula Cellars February 9, and the Missoula folksinger had the audience’s rapt attention throughout the entire gig. Priority was given to the music; the distracting sound of rumbling discussions quickly faded into oblivion.
Choice melodies from talented musicians is what is going to put people in the seats, but palette pleasing wine is what’ll help loosen up the pleasurable sides of their personalities, and should keep showgoers’ spirits most agreeable. While most folks are open to the idea of giving community-based performers and eclectic acts a courteous listen, it seems that local wine doesn’t often get the similar or equal benefit of the doubt. Indeed, Wagner is wholly familiar with all the mistaken notions, ideas and thoughts about Montana wine. He’s listened to the prattle, been riled by it, and is attempting to make such gibberish a conversational relic of the past. He goes about pulverizing misconceptions by swaying consumers’ palettes one hardy swish at a time. Spurring greater acceptance happens slowly.
“There are lots of people here that haven’t developed a real wine taste yet,” says Wagner, pointing to the stout oak barrels holding a diverse selection of smooth ports, suave whites and aging reds. “Many people think that wine drinking is something that’s too sophisticated for Montana.”
Since Montana traditionally has been shunned or disregarded in the wine producing category, it’s still difficult for some to fathom that commercial wine enterprises here are progressing, three of which are located in Missoula: Lake Missoula Wineries, Ten Spoon and Lolo Peak.
Lake Missoula Wineries started out a few years ago as ClearWeather winery. In 2005, ClearWeather “came to a turning point and brought in new investors and created a new corporation,” says Wagner. “We changed the name of the company to better reflect who we wanted to be, and better reflect our philosophy as a community winery.”
ClearWeather wines are still being manufactured under the Lake Missoula Cellars label, as are Rock Creek brands of pinot noir and syrah and a few other locally inspired, indulgently sweet bounties.
Montana is a little behind the curve as far as wine production and general consumer interest goes, says Wagner. After all, this has always been a major beer drinking state. But that doesn’t mean that the cork can’t compete with the keg in Big Sky Country.
“Natural trends and Montana trends aren’t correlated, if that were the case then there would be ten new wineries here,” says Wagner. “Many people still think that wine drinking is something that’s too sophisticated for Montana.”
“In reality, a satisfactory wine can be created here,” proudly states Wagner, before explaining that his winery doesn’t put out “cookie cutter” or generic wines. Generic wines blend several grape varieties and don’t carry the name of any specific grape. Additionally, Wagner’s wines certainly reflect his technique, with a nearly impeccable balance of components – alcohol, acid, tannins – that are fleshed out with vivid, dry flavors of red and black fruit, notably, cabernet sauvignon and merlot.
“Wine is defined by the quality of the fruit. For me, it’s really all about the fruit and what you can do with it. Because Missoula is so close to the grapes, the area has the potential to make as good a wine as anywhere else,” says Wagner.
Wines by Lake Missoula Cellars are produced predominately from the finest vineyards of Washington and Oregon states (and, in the future, Montana, if plans follow suite), and handcrafted in small batches (the operation expects to approach the 2,500 case mark by the end of this year), emphasizing quality over quantity. The aging formation takes place in both French and Oregon Oak barrels. Wagner believes that wines shouldn’t be over-oaked, and should maintain a splendid evenness.
For a certain wine to draw attention, evoke the right taste, and strike the right balance, various components, like the acids and the fruitiness, need to achieve absolute agreement. Comparatively, one nice thing about Montana wines, he says, is that no preconceived or defining style exists here to live up to, revamp, or splinterize.
Wagner’s unplanned and casual foray into the spiffy world of wine happened only within the last decade. A former plumber, Wagner spent many years employed in mechanical and sheet metaling trades, before job dissatisfaction nudged him into wine-making, originally only as a leisure pursuit. Afterwards, he studied under Judy Chapman at Lolo Peak Winery.
“I hope to see another couple of wineries come to Missoula soon, because I want to promote the wine industry here,” says Wagner, who frequently muses over the possibility of wine tasting circuits in the Missoula-area, similar to tours given by California counterparts.
Aside from bringing in folks to visit the enlarged tasting room and getting them to come listen to live music, he has already booked quite a few wedding and business receptions at the new facility; a 5,000 square-foot al fresco amphitheater, replete with a 20-foot wide stage to be used for summer events, is slated for completion by the beginning of July.
But, whether or not people will come in flocks or stay away in droves is the big question in strong need of answering. If the David Boone concert a few weeks ago was any indication of the venue’s ability to get greatly enthused patrons to come revel in the pizzazz of live performance, then the future for Wagner and Lake Missoula Cellars seems goldenly upbeat.
“This place is in the process of developing an identity,” says Wagner. “This is the right place to come for a glass of wine, appetizers, and for the love of music.”
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Jack the Bitterroot Beagle
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| Handsome, full of pep, and a bit of a wanderer, Jack, the Bitterroot Beagle, once again prepares for Hollywood. |
By Brian D’Ambrosio, Editor
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Jack has all the ingredients necessary to propel an actor to the upper-tier of Hollywood merit: dapper looks, convincing acting abilities, individualized facial expressions, and a propensity for living a life of bold adventure. In these crazy times of multimillion dollar movie contracts and big-time film budgets, it’s hard to believe he can be induced to work so cheaply. Just a few little treats is all the reward this beagle beckons.
“He’s treat incentive,” says John Williams, owner of Jack the Beagle, who is the star of Williams’s second film, In Search of the Golden Bone, slated to be released in March. “One little nibble goes a very long way.”
Low-fat food, affectionate rubs on the noggin and belly, and tasty treats certainly do make Jack, who will be four years old in April, a content dog. But, natural ability and a tender, intuitive disposition have made him an effortless fit for the movies. Sage, attentive, easy-going, friendly to humans and canines alike, with a furrowed face that sums up his expressions in uncanny and perfectly inquisitive ways, Jack seems to have a few good humanistic characteristics. He can imitate having a bad leg injury pretty well, too.
“You can tell what he’s thinking by the way his forehead crinkles up,” says Williams. “He’s got so many unique faces. They made me want to capture them in a movie. His abilities are evident.”
Indeed, this pooch is a perpetual professional. In Search of the Golden Bone has given him the flexible freedom to roam and great latitude to explore rugged ranges, as both actor and playful companion. For more than one year, from early spring to winter 2007, Williams and Jack took to the hiking trails of the Bitterroots to capture footage and to have fun. The result of this light-hearted and eager meandering was more than 40 hours of material, which Williams has since whittled down to about 60 minutes. Some days the pair would hike as far as 16 miles in one day.
“Jack still goes berserk when he sees the camera and tripod,” laughs Williams.
What Williams and Jack have created is something that’s family-friendly and breezy, comically engaging for all ages, naturally entertaining, most abundant with unparalleled scenery, charmingly simple themes, as well as cheerful personality.
“I wanted to explore the Bitterroots and this gave me the chance. I wanted Jack to be searching for something big, and I was trying to incorporate local history with Marcus Daly and copper, but in search of the copper bone didn’t sound as prestigious as a golden bone.”
Day and night, Williams and Jack hiked and filmed, with no script to follow. Williams had a few basic ideas in his head as to what it was he wanted to convey, but found it difficult to script a canine cast. Dynamic, unrehearsed encounters happened often and the story just kept changing. Williams did his best to film these spur-of-the-moment encounters from a dog’s perspective, at their level. His other dogs soon found supporting roles as Jack’s closest friends or as superimposed visions.
Not all cast members handled their film sequences or stardom as well as Jack did; one day, Athena, a chocolate Labrador, impulsively elected to swim the river instead of sauntering the bridge, and nearly drowned after being whisked away in the high-water springtime runoff.
“I was holding the camera in amazement, and I quickly stopped and ran over to her. If she had been six inches further down river, she wouldn’t have been able to grab a rock for safety.”
As full of imaginative intent and creative energy as Jack is, even he gave Williams a bit of a scare once.
“We were heading up Mill Creek, I was carrying my heavy tripod and lugging a ten-gallon aquarium, and I noticed that Jack was gone. Looking at the rock outcroppings, I could hear him but I couldn’t see him. He was gone for an hour and a half. The last half-hour was silent. Fortunately, he soon came running down the trail, tongue hanging out, and all was good again.”
Film watchers of In Search of the Golden Bone, will undoubtedly be smitten with its sites and fond of its beautiful whereabouts, recognizing such local recreational trail, drainage, and swimming favorites as Little Rock Creek Lake, Blodgett Canyon, and Bailey Lake.
Most days it was just Williams and Jack, man and canine, playmate and business associate, traversing canyons, hopping boulders, and frolicking throughout the vast vistas, valleys, and ridgelines, ubiquitously offered as part of the Bitterroot Mountain Range’s natural character. Many of these beautiful junkets have been preserved on film: dramatic, deeply glaciated landscape zigzagging below the towering views of the canyon headwaters of the Bitterroot Divide; excellent perspectives of pocket bottomland meadows, bear grass spreads; deeply glaciated canyons and bluish-greenish tarns; Pleistocene-epoch glaciers and stark burned forest; and perpetual snowfields slowly melting into cascading streams of liquid ice feeding through dozens of gem-like alpine lakes and ponds.
“Jack is pretty amazing and athletic,” says Williams, “He can go out and play and run all day long, and return with just a few scraps on his red belly.”
Williams has wrapped, tied up, and presented the film with a clear, easily digestible narrative, marinated with meaningful messages and elementary anecdotes. The movie’s overriding objective is to encourage folks to comprehend the inherent natural beauty surrounding and absorbing us, and to follow their spiritual aspirations, no matter where they may or may not head. He wants us to appreciate the enormity of the mountains, breathe it in, reflect upon it, and honor it in a constantly attentive, regardful way. Other moral intendments caution against littering or teasing people that act or appear to be different.
Presently, Williams is having the film reviewed by some uniquely experienced friends, who in the past have been, or still are, connected to Hollywood. Once he takes their comments into consideration and makes whatever suggested adjustments they might advise, In Search of the Golden Bone, will be available for public consumption.
Williams is hoping that children who relate poorly to their parents are going to better identify with his cuddly and perceptive canine. Perhaps some kids may even absorb one of the moral aspects Jack is trying to communicate.
“Children that don’t listen to their parents will sometimes listen to cartoons with dogs or other animal characters or cartoons.”
As for Jack, it seems as if he’s still, er, recovering from the heavy grind of filmmaking and the burdensome toll it has exacted. Indeed, these days, this restful pooch is a bit of a procrastinator, albeit a purposeful, thoughtful one.
“Jack wakes up early to eat at 5:30 a.m.,” says Williams. “Then it’s back to bed until around 10:30 a.m. But, even when he’s tired, like right now, it seems as if he’s still listening to discussions, learning, or watching the demeanors of adults.”
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| Historic “Famous 9 Mile House” |
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| More than 100 years of serving up tasty meals |
| By Shannon Selway |
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A 115 year-old, continuously running steakhouse can be found tucked away about four miles north of Interstate 90’s Exit 82 – the Nine Mile exit. It’s Huson’s historic Nine Mile House that has been sizzling steaks and trimmings for such a long, long time.
The Nine Mile House came into being in 1893 via the entrepreneurship of George H. Brown, who catered to the sawyers and area travelers of the day. At that time there was a large sawmill located about a half a mile up the Nine Mile Creek, close to where the old Nine Mile School is located. Its location was also a roadside inn for horse and buggy travelers. Brown’s Nine Mile House was more than a restaurant and saloon; it also boasted a dancehall and hotel.
George H. Brown died in 1912 and his son, George A. Brown (known to many as “Nine Mile Brown”), took over the business.
In the 30’s the current Nine Mile House was built – just a stone’s throw away from the old site. The original building’s fate is a little sketchy, but old timers report that it was consumed by fire. Other reports suggest that it simply was torn down, and yet another report indicates that it was raised and rebuilt at its present location.
As Nine Mile Brown was a confirmed bachelor when he died, the family ownership chain was severed. Nine Mile Brown willed the business to his close friend, Pat W. McElligott, a native of Martina, Montana (Huson’s former name). Pat and his wife, Gladys, ran the place more or less for the rest of their days, and then another round of new owners came to be, Mac and Sue Hough. All and all, the Nine Mile House has seen about eight different owners/co-owners – with most holding on to the place for a decade or more.
A change of ownership recently occurred back on April 1, 2007. After running the business for 32 years, Doug and Barbara Gaut handed over their keys to the place to a longtime customer, Randie Pringle.
The Nine Mile House had been for sale for a few years, but for whatever reason, it didn’t sell. During that time, Randie Pringle and her husband, Jimmie, entertained purchasing the business, but decided they couldn’t afford it. Then in April of 2006, Jimmie was killed in an automobile accident.
Randie Pringle went to the Nine Mile house for yet another great meal. Doug Gaut approached her once again to see if she was still interested in purchasing the business. After some wheeling and dealing, the deal became a reality.
Upon the purchase, Pringle made a few changes. She set up a Wi-Fi hot spot and installed four large plasma TVs. She rearranged a few things, like assigning gaming machines to a specific section and remodeling a room to make way for her office. She installed new flooring that replaced ancient, gaudy floor tiles. The name’s structure changed too. It went from the “Nine Mile House” to “Famous 9 Mile House.”
Much has changed, but then again, much has remained the same since the Famous 9 Mile House’s inception. The dancehall and hotel are long gone, but there’s a great cabin rental next to the property. The restaurant remains as interesting as ever, though. Antiques and historic decorations are dotted throughout the building. There is an interesting curio cabinet that’s loaded with photographs and memorabilia of the establishment’s past. Warm wood beams and walls complete the rustic décor and stuffed animals are strategically displayed throughout.
Pringle altered the menu just a little bit. She kept existing items customers expect, such as prime rib served daily, but added specials. She also boasts an extensive wine selection – wines for virtually any connoisseur. However, the place does what it has always done the best: serve wonderful meals – especially steaks – at a great price.
Pringle also bumped the then assistant manager, Brian Harris, to manager.
Harris suggests during special days, such as Valentines Day or Mother’s Day, for patrons to make reservations.
“It can get pretty crazy during those times, and we hate to inconvenience anyone by having to turn them away.”
You can call 626-5668 for reservations. To find the Famous 9 Mile House, take Interstate 90 past Huson a few miles and watch for Exit 82, the Nine Mile Road exit.
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Snowbound in the Valley of Troubles
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| By Wm. W. Whitfield |
The East Fork of the Bitter Root River passes through an open area that has been known for many years as Ross Hole. In later years it has been called the Sula Basin, but since time immemorial the indigenous people knew it as the Great Clearing. It was here that Lewis and Clark first made contact with the Salish Indians early in September of 1805, and it was here nearly two decades later that a fur trapping expedition led by Alexander Ross came to a snowbound halt.
Ross had spent the bulk of his career as a clerk for the NorthWest Company, and when they were purchased by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1821, he signed on with the new owners for two more years of service.
He had already decided to call it quits at the end of his term when the company offered him a lucrative position heading up a trapping expedition to the Snake River country of Idaho. After weighing his options, Ross eventually agreed to stay on for one more year.
Like most of the NorthWesters and Hudson’s Bay men, Ross kept an active journal throughout his career and his insightful view of life and trade in the Pacific Northwest is forever preserved in his book “The Fur Hunters of the Far West.” We sometimes tend to think of these early explorers as rugged mountain men with little or no formal education, but in reality many of the chief factors and clerks for the large English and Canadian companies were actually quite well educated and informed for the period. Men such as John Work, Ross Cox and David Thompson all spent time in western Montana, and each provides a wealth of information for anyone who may wish to follow their historic adventures through an era long since passed.
Bound and determined to make a success of his last year in the business, Alexander Ross gathered a large international brigade of fur trappers and left the trading center at Spokane House on the 12th of November 1823. His somewhat bemused impression of the various members of the expedition is best described in his own words.
“On assembling my people I smiled at the medley, the variety of accents, of dresses, habits, and ideas; but above all, at the confusion of languages.” The group consisted of seventeen Canadians, two Americans and representatives from twelve different Indian nations.
Many, including Ross, brought along their families. In an attempt to avoid a hostile encounter with Blackfeet Indians, the troop had abandoned their usual route through Hell Gate Canyon and turned south, trapping their way up the Bitter Root Valley.
It was March 12th 1824 when Ross and his company finally came into the Sula Basin, and his hunting scouts soon informed him that the valley was snowed in and the mountain passes impossible to cross on horseback.
Ross found himself “in the middle of a deep valley, hemmed in by lofty mountains, the appearance of which seemed strongly to confirm the opinion of the hunters, that we could proceed no further in the present course! Here we made a pause and all gazed in wonder at the bold and stupendous front before us, which in every direction seemed to bid defiance to our approach!”
They made camp near the confluence of three forks of the river, and Ross gloomily named the place The Valley of Troubles.
Following a sleepless night spent worrying over his predicament, Ross gathered six men and set out to discover a means of escaping the confines of the Great Clearing. After abandoning their horses near the head of Trail Creek, the road led them up a steep slope where the path was buried in seven feet of snow. The timber at the top was so thick that it was impossible to see their way across the mountain. It was late in the day when the men arrived back at camp and Ross spent another restless night going over his options.
Many of the members of the expedition were of the opinion that the company should return to Hell Gate and follow that course, or even abandon the effort entirely. Ross was determined to continue on and the next morning he sent out his six best men with four days of supplies to follow the trail over the pass to its conclusion.
At the same time Ross sent four others off in another direction to search for a pass, while he formed a third party to look elsewhere. Both parties returned at the end of the day, tired, hungry and no closer to finding a way over the mountains.
Early the next day the camp was alerted to the arrival of “five solitary wretches on snowshoes coming towards our camp. These strangers were the very picture of wretchedness, and had a singularly odd appearance. They were wrapped up in buffalo hides with the hair next to their skin and caps of wolfskin, with the ears of that animal as erect as if alive. They resembled rather walking ghosts than living men!” It was assumed that the men were Mountain Snakes, or Lemhi Shoshonis, but because of the language barrier neither party could fully understand the other.
Once again Ross was unable to learn anything about the trail ahead, however the entire camp was filled with compassion for the pitiful condition of these five wandering souls.
The following day the camp was once again alarmed by the news of another advancing war party and Ross told the five Shoshonis to hide in the woods until he could identify the intruders. This next group of visitors turned out to be a friendly band of Nez Perce Indians who bore the unwelcome news that the mountain pass could not possibly be crossed until May.
Meanwhile, amid all the commotion, the ghostly specters dressed in buffalo robes and wolfskin hats disappeared into the woods, never to be seen again, though Ross had already decided to bring them along with the expedition to the Snake River country.
On March 17th Ross anxiously went out in search of his reconnaissance party, hoping to receive a positive report of their endeavor. He was relieved to find them on their return loaded down with buffalo meat, but they reported that the trail ahead was twelve miles long through impossibly deep snow that would not support the weight of horses.
Still, the men found that the Big Hole Valley was fairly clear of snow and teeming with buffalo. They had managed to kill sixteen, but were unable to make a cache or take all the meat with them, and had to leave most of it to the wolves.
Ross believed that their report would merely convince all those back at camp that the effort was useless, so he cleverly devised a plan in which the scouts would intentionally deceive the others by underestimating the actual distance across the mountain and the true depth of the snow. The fraudulent calculations and the lure of fresh buffalo meat would serve as an incentive for the expedition to continue on.
Soon a plan was formulated for clearing a road over the mountain. The company had in their possession nearly 400 horses and it was suggested that they might be forced repeatedly into the snow bank, eventually trampling down a passable path through the snow.
Meanwhile, the hunting in the Great Clearing was becoming less and less fruitful and the hunters had to travel further and further to find game.
Hunger and discontent were rampant. The work was exhausting and as soon as any progress was made on the trail a wind-driven snow would refill the area that had been opened the day before. Each day found fewer men showing up to work on the road until only Ross and a handful of loyal supporters bothered to put any effort into the project at all.
As the horses gradually wore down, the men built wooden shovels and mallets and continued their feverish work from dawn to dusk, sometimes continuing their efforts through the night.
Finally, at five in the afternoon on the 12th of April, a full month after entering the Great Clearing, Ross and four others managed to force their horses over the mountain pass and into the Big Hole Valley.
The men and their mounts were too worn out to return that evening and spent a lonely night on the east side of the Continental Divide. Three days later the entire cavalcade made the crossing and Ross leaves us with a haunting vision of their departure through the persistent snow. “It was a new scene in the wilderness.
Nothing appearing above the surface of the snow, of all that was moving, but the heads and shoulders of the riders! Children calling out with hunger, men with thirst, women affrighted, dogs howling, a scream here and a scream there.
Yet amidst all this bustle, anxiety, and confusion we pressed forward and got safely across after fifteen hours exertion just as the sun was setting, and without loss or accident to either man or beast.”
Many years after the Great Clearing finally released those desperate prisoners, the Valley of Troubles evolved into what is commonly known as Ross Hole, and in the springtime the snow still lays deep and heavy on the passes guarding it.
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| Declaw or Not? The Pros and Cons |
By Joseph Melnarik, DVM
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You bring a new kitten or cat in to your home, excited about having a new fluffy ball of energy in your life. You purchased all the typical cat supplies at the store so your new arrival will be entertained and well cared for. These include cat food, feeding dishes, toys, litter box and litter, carrier for the occasional trip to the vet, and last but not least, the scratching post.
You release the new cat in the house and the first thing it does is run right past the scratching post to your nice new recliner and digs its front claws in and begins to rake the fabric.
From there it saunters over to the oak trim around the doorway, sinks its claws into it and proceeds to make a pattern in the wood that rivals any laser etching you have ever seen. It then lays on its side, digs its claws into the baseboard trim and at the speed of sound propels itself down the length of the hall, leaving its signature stippling in the finish.
To top it off, it sees you moving across the room, sprints to your side, launches itself in the air and attaches itself to your thigh with all its nails, giving you insight to acupuncture treatments.
Sound familiar? Property destruction and bodily injury are two of the most common reasons for owners to contemplate declawing their feline friends. When this decision is up for discussion, going over the pros and cons of this surgical procedure is a good idea.
First, the pros. Declawing cats is a relatively routine procedure and is very commonly done in the bigger cities where the cats never set foot outside. It generally is a safe procedure, where the most distal part of the toes are amputated through the joint, removing the portion of the digit that includes the nail.
The opening is closed in a variety of ways leaving the pad and nearly normal looking toes. The toes typically heal well by two weeks and the sensitivity is usually gone by four weeks.
Cats walk well by two weeks after surgery. Most of the time only the front feet are declawed as they cause the most damage, but rare circumstances may make it appropriate to declaw the rear feet as well. Once healed, the vast majority of cats will walk, run, jump and play normally, however without tearing the stuffing out of the couch!
The cons. Probably the biggest drawback to declawing cats in a rural environment is that once declawed, the cat should never set foot outside unless on a leash with the owner or if placed in an enclosure.
This is because after being declawed, a large part of the cat’s defenses are removed. It is difficult if not impossible for some cats to climb a tree or tall fence post to avoid being eaten by a pursuing dog or wild animal. Also, if caught by an enemy, the cat has a reduced likelihood of survival as it has no front claws to defend itself.
Cats sometimes have post-operative complications. Older cats and overweight cats can have more trouble adapting after the procedure. They will sometimes have chronic sensitivity, such that when they sit they will hold up a paw.
They may also limp for a short time after jumping down from an elevated structure. Therefore it is not wise to declaw heavy or older cats. Some cats can experience post-operative infections from digging in the litter box, contaminating the surgical site(s). Rarely tendonous contractions and abnormal scarring can occur leading to chronic lameness resulting in a dissatisfied owner and potentially uncomfortable cat.
Mostly, cats do well with the declaw procedure. It is also evident that the younger, lighter cats tend to recover faster and adapt the best after the procedure is done.
If declawing is being considered, one should however consider the ups and downs and consult your veterinarian if you have any questions that may help you make an educated decision about this procedure.
Joseph Melnarik, DVM, is a 1994 graduate of Colorado State University. He has practiced veterinary medicine at Valley Pet Clinic, P.C., Hamilton, MT, since 1996 and has owned and operated the clinic since 1998. He currently resides in Hamilton with his wife and three children.
For pet-related questions and services, contact Dr. Melnarik at Valley Pet Clinic. Phone: 363-5390.
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Cooking With Wildlife Chef Vince
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| By Wildlife Chef Vince |
This is the time of the New Year that I can really get excited. March means that the long winter is about to end. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy winter outings and particularly ice fishing. Yet buried in the recesses of my garage is a great fishing boat that really needs to get out on open water. I realize that some folks are still getting their last licks of ice fishing done. But you had really better be careful at this ice break up time.
I am beginning to take out all my fishing tackle and check out rods, reels and terminal tackle. It is time to replace the line on reels, clean the guides of rods, remove any water marks or other debris from lures and take an inventory to see what you need.
Speaking of inventory, now is the time to check out all your camping equipment. Most important of which are ( I being a wildlife chef ) your cooking supplies. Remember a family that enjoys the outdoor sports, likely will remember great outdoor meals on the beach or other camping venues.
I still remember my first ocean beach experience, my first fishing experience and hunting outings. The food at these times had to be the best I have ever tasted. You can’t beat a hot dog cooked over an open fire that has been dropped on the ground, wiped off with just a bit of grit still on it, with that first bite. As a kid, it just added to the ambiance. Who could resist a marshmallow crisped over a bed of hot coals?
Let’s not forget the most revered of all: the smores. This has got to be the most decadent of all sweet treats. It was such a great blend of graham crackers, toasted marshmallows and chocolate candy bar.
As a young man, I spent a lot of time on sport fishing boats and I can still remember the great taste of a burger piled high with ham and a fried egg topped with cheese. A real arterial clog, but a flavor that just can’t be matched by a vegetable burger. I am not out to offend vegetarians because celery sticks do have a place on the dinner table. Food is definitely a part of the out of doors experience.
Do you remember the first fish you caught as a child?
I do and I wanted it cooked right now. I grew up in a family that loved to cook and enjoy all kinds of food. The bluegill I caught on that first outing I will always remember because of how tasty it was on the plate. Obviously this added to the fun of catching fish.
I digress from what I started to say about cooking supplies. Make a list of what you have in your camp cook box.
Next, add what you need to replace or add new items to the box. Dry goods are very important. Be sure you have paper plates, plastic wrap, foil, trash bags and zip lock bags. Don’t forget spatulas, cooking pans and silverware.
Any food that you need to chop or dice should be done at home, stored in locking bags and put into your ice chest. This saves a lot of prep time in the field.
Be sure you have trail mixes and plenty of fresh fruit and sliced vegetables for you and your family. The list can go on and on. These are just a few suggestions and examples of what you need when out camping or just on a day trip.
I, all year, have supplies in my truck not only for emergencies but to enjoy a meal in the woods at any time.
In keeping with the outdoor theme, this month’s recipe is one that you can use with most any fish you might have caught on a particular day.
It was written for a walleye fry but can be adjusted to any fish you might catch. The recipe is for Walleye Shore Lunch.
What you need.
• Two pounds fresh walleye fillets
• One can of new potatoes ( for speed of cooking )
• One small onion - diced
• One half red bell pepper - diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
•Two green onions thinly sliced
•Four ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
•Flour - half to one cup
•Cooking oil to fry fish and veggies
What you do.
•Prepare all your vegetables ahead of time and put in zip lock bags. Saves time in the field.
• Set aside your cleaned and filleted fish.
• In a large fry pan heat some oil and fry the potatoes and lightly brown them.
• Next add the vegetables ( except for the green onions ) and cook for five to ten minutes and remove from pan.
• Flour the fillets and cook for about three minutes on each side and while cooking salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove from pan and serve with the cooked vegetables and sprinkle the fish with the sliced green onions.
Wildlife Chef Vince,
Any questions? Contact Chef Vince at: padlfsh@aol.com.
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