August My stint on the Jefferson River was annoying, aggravating, 9-13: and thankfully brief. The water level was so low that I could barely paddle most of it, the rocks so slippery that pulling my kayak was difficult, and on top of that the river reeks of manure. I came around one bend and was almost overpowered by the stench of several rotting pelican carcasses on one bank, and a steer carcass on the other. Could these be the remains of some epic avian-bovine conflict over water rights? Richard's new friends... I comfortably weathered a hail storm on the 10th - the first rain I've had since my first four days in Montana, more than a month ago. No wonder the forest fires are proliferating. The air quality ever since Helena has been poor. The sky is always hazy with smoke, and at times the visibility is less than 5 miles, making photography (at least scenic vistas) impossible. Despite the increasing presence of livestock feeding and watering along the banks, I continue to see countless deer, often in groups as large as six. Beaver are prevalent, and on the 11th a group of four otters playfully poked their heads up near my kayak. Pelicans abound, and I see at least one bald eagle each day. On the 12th I saw a snake swimming across the river just ahead of me. It was either a bull snake or a rattler, and I was disinclined to make a closer inspection. I have yet to see a rattlesnake, and I'm happy to keep it that way. A word of caution to anyone floating the Jefferson River: beware of the guidebook Paddling Montana. It is filled with inaccurate maps, grossly miscalculated distances, unreported diversion dams and fences - in short, it is a font of misinformation, not worth the paper it's printed on. August On the Beaverhead River. 14 - 16: I had a wonderful stay at the Old Hotel in Twin Bridges, and a thoroughly enjoyable dinner with Dolly and Allen Carroll, who are helping me arrange a portage for my kayak across Lemhi Pass while I hike that section of the route. After a restful night I set out on the Beaverhead, the last part of my upstream journey. The distance from Twin Bridges to Clark Canyon Dam, the Beaverhead's headwater, is about 40 miles, but the river is so serpentine that for me the distance is closer to 90 miles. Unlike the Jefferson, the The Beaverhead has a steady flow of water (thanks to the dam and fewer people using the river for irrigation), and the river bottom is gravel and small stones, offering much better footing than the Jefferson. There are a few deep pools, but generally the river is no more than knee deep. I spent the first half of the 14th paddling, but most of the time after that I was pulling my kayak behind me, Lewis and Clark style. On a hot summer day, wading in the cool water is refreshing, but I wouldn't want to do it in the spring or fall. If I had to start my journey trudging up the Beaverhead, I probably would have quit after 2 days, but because this is my last stretch until the divide, my spirits are up. The forest fires continue to blaze, filling the sky with smoke and haze. At times the smoke makes my eyes burn, and one morning I awoke to find my tent covered with bits of ash. I've seen several new species of wildlife: a couple of coyotes stared at me from the banks (I've heard them before, but never seen them), I see mink scurrying about, and the river seems to be a favorite for sandhill cranes. I've also encountered swarms of mosquitoes for the first time, but 100% DEET seems to hold them at bay. On the 15th I camped on rangeland with a herd of cattle - noisy, smelly, stupid beasts who annoyed me so much I had to throw things at them to drive them away. I now have a new slogan: "Eat beef. Deplete the world's supply of cattle." Another word of caution to Beaverhead River travelers: there are a dozen diversion dams and as many fences across the river (one of them barbed wire, another electric). Use Paddling Montana for kindling. Click here for days 132 - 135 of Richard's journal