In the later part of February, three friends embarked on a journey to the western state of Montana. The spark for this trip began with a silent auction bid during a very noble charity event for the March of Dimes, called the Signature Chef's Auction. A three night stay in a log cabin in the middle of Nowhere, Montana was the perfect ticket. Fueling the spark was a long overdue adventure with my father and the motivation to get one of our closest friends, Tom (who we consider family) out west and into the mountains.
Darby, Montana was our final destination, deep in the heart of the Bitteroot Mountains. To get there, a flight into Spokane, WA, followed by a scenic 190 mile drive from through Idaho and ending up in the very western part of Montana. Darby is a spit of a town with a population barely pushing 700. Just what the doctor ordered!
Rye Creek Lodge is where we would call home for three days. During this time the agenda called mostly for R & R. The only exception to this was a highly anticipated day of snowmobiling in the back country of the Bitteroots!
With a continuous snowfall all day, we rode unguided over epic proportions of snow while traversing miles of groomed trails that lead into the heart of these mountains. We encountered majestic landscapes and a full proof day of adventure. Indeed the day did not end without it's challenges. To sum it up, search and rescue were called because we were more than 2 hrs. late to our rendezvous. The ability for my companions and I to stay calm, communicate and make educated decisions made us a great team that got us out of the mountains safe and sound. All said and done, we made it back in time to cancel SAR before they fully mobilized. "We never take anybody out that far!" stated one of the owners after we showed them on the map where we were that day.
Following a wonderful three days at Rye Creek, we decided to take the long route back to Spokane, via the 202 mile Route 12 Northwest Passage. Absolutely stunning and almost untouched with very sparse civilization, it proved to be a great decision.
To be able to spend a full 6 days with my ever loving father and one of our best friends was priceless. The laughs, camaraderie and ability to pull through tough times is invaluable. Perhaps the best part of the whole trip for my father and I was being able to see this experience through the energetic and surprising eyes of Tom.
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HERE to experience the ride!
