July On the Wild and Scenic Missouri. This 150 mile stretch of the
18-25: Missouri is divided into two sections: the lower half flows
through badlands, has richer wildlife encounters, and fewer
floaters, while the upper half flows through the dramatic white
cliffs area (actually they’re gray), has less varied wildlife (no
mountain sheep or antelope), and swarms of floaters (some
with no appreciation for the country they’re passing through).
I much preferred the lower section. I took a brief rest at the
James Kipp recreation area - the end of the Wild and Scenic
section, but the beginning for me - where I met several
groups of wonderfully supportive and generous people.
Everyone was unloading whatever treats they had. I had
birthday cake, homemade turkey jerky, fresh fruit, and fresh
cold cuts provided by Russell Young, one of the river
outfitters. I think I could have lived all summer at that
campsite, just off people’s good will and leftovers. James
Kipp is where the serious canoeists and kayakers go, and the
encouragement I got from all those I met meant a great deal
to me. I set out from James Kipp thinking I could get to Ft.
Benton in 6 or 7 days. Big mistake. The current on the lower
part is strong, and there are numerous rapids, which meant
that I was frequently wading upstream, pulling my boat
behind me, a la Lewis and Clark. I managed to log more than
45 miles my first two days, but that was only after putting in
10 hours per day of paddling. On my second day I pulled into
a campsite completely exhausted, and who should be there
but Russell Young with another group he was taking
downstream. His group had just finished dinner, and he
offered me leftovers: grilled salmon, fettuccini with pesto,
fresh bread, ice cold juice, and cookies. It was manna from
heaven. Lewis and Clark sure never had it this good! That
night I decided to forget about pushing so hard to get to Ft.
Benton. There’s lots to see on this part of the river, so why
not enjoy it a little? For the next 4 days I cut back on my
paddling, averaging only 6 ½ hours a day, and found the
going much more relaxing. Along the way I saw numerous
deer, antelopes, and mountain sheep, and an occasional
eagle, as well as some spectacular scenery. And for the first
time in a month I saw people on the river. Stephen
Ambrose’s and Ken Burns’ works have done a lot to increase
public interest in this part of the river, and I was constantly
meeting groups coming downstream. It made me aware of
how isolated I had become on the lakes section. I expect to
see more folks on my route from here until at least the Snake
River. Traffic on the Wild and Scenic River is a mixed
blessing, however. Most people have some feel for the river
experience, but there are some who clearly don’t. Once in a
while I saw groups who were only interested in having a
floating keg party, and at one of my campsites some people
had the gall to set off fireworks - this in a region that is being
consumed by forest fires. I reported them to the authorities,
and realized at that moment that despite all my cursing I
have come to love this river. I care about its well-being, and
I want to protect it from those who don’t care about it. Traffic
is only going to increase as we get nearer the bicentennial,
and the river and its campsites will surely become degraded
unless the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) decides to
restrict access by requiring permits for floaters.
Click here for days 110 - 116 of Richard's journal
