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60 | MARCH 12, 2014
OUTDOORS FLATHEADBEACON.COM

OUT OF BOUNDS Rob Breeding
Travel

Retirement Protecting the North Fork

First Business
I
Growing Family dition made it as far as Fool Hen Rapids READ ABOUT THE NORTH FORK
before the Oakes, as the steamer had long before I visited. This was back
College
been christened, began taking on water in the early 1990s, soon after I’d
moved to Montana. Newspaper accounts and sank. Fortunately, everyone got of
Growing financially requires painted a picture of a wild place illed the water alive, though the crew spent a
direction, patience and a with interloping Canadian wolves, griz- couple of long, cold nights making their
plan — a plan based on zly bears and unwashed hippies occupy- way out of the woods.
wisdom and experience. ing Polebridge.
It pains me to say this, but since the
It sounded amazing.
last remaining hurdle for the North Fork
D.A. Davidson & Co. has
been helping investors Still, it was more than a decade before Watershed Protection Act is in the U.S.
chart their financial goals I made it to the North Fork, visiting for Senate, I’m lamenting the early depar-
for over 75 years. When the irst time shortly after I returned to ture of Sen. Max Baucus from that august
you’re ready to chart your Montana following a two-state sojourn body. Max was never my favorite Mon-
FUNGAL TOENAILS?
living away. It was just a drive-by, a Sun- tana pol, and those who know me well
course, call us.
day afternoon loop with the family up to have been forced to endure as I went on
West Glacier, then back to the valley via ad nauseam about the horrors that trans-
Camas Bridge and the North Fork Road. pired on a plane with Max on an ill-fated
New Easy Treatment
with Proven Technology I remember looking down at the water light out of Missoula decades ago. That
on that drive and thinking I needed to be experience forever soured me on Mon-
PinPointe Footlaser
there. I needed to be on that river.
tana’s longest-serving U.S. senator. But
406-752-6212 or I now know well the spot that in- bad travel experiences aside, Max could
1-800-955-2208 spired my reverie. It’s that long sweeping get things done in the Senate when he
200 First Ave. E., K-M bend a quarter mile or so downstream was motivated, and he was a big fan of the
Bldg., Kalispell, MT from the Big Creek put in. When the ish- North Fork. The bill’s success would now
59901
406-862-2101 or ing is on, we’ll pull minuscule cutthroat be assured if he hadn’t quit his day job.
1-888-564-3008 of the bank on river right like nobody’s Hopefully, Sens. Jon Tester and John
14 West Second Street, business. We’ll get the occasional nice ERIK PLOOT, D.P.M.
Certiied by the Walsh can still get this thing over the in-
Whiteish, MT 59937
ish, too.
Podiatric Physician American Board of ish line. Once accomplished, I think our
In the intervening years the stretch and Surgeon
Podiatric Surgery
next move should be the North Fork Air
from Big Creek to Glacier Rim has be- Quality Protection Act, which would in-
come my go-to loat. If friends are in the 95 INDIAN TRAIL RD. KALISPELL
volve paving North Fork Road, but only
Flathead for a visit, or if we’ve got an af- 755-1300 • www.glacierfootandankle.com
as far as Camas Bridge. If there’s one

25,000
ternoon free, we load up and go. The ish- downside to the Big Creek-Glacier Rim
ing is almost always good (as long as size loat it’s how clouds of dust hang over
New & Used
doesn’t matter), the scenery qualiies as the river wherever it meanders near the
RVS & BOATS
Earth Porn without the need for Photo- road. That stretch of unpaved motorway
shop, and the reach is illed with enough is a nasty, wash-boarded, traic-infested
whitewater to keep things interesting, IMPRESSIONS mess on summer weekends.
minus the panic-inducing big water of As far as the road from Camas north
the Middle Fork.
EVERY WEEK
TRAVEL TRAILERS
to Canada, it’s also nasty, washboarded
It’s nice to hear that things are inal- and traic infested, just less so as the cellent!
ly coming together to protect the North vehicles peter out the farther north you Ex
FINANCE REBATE
available through Fork once and for all. It seems about a go. I tend to think upriver from Camas
$13,995 Bretz preferred
- $1,000
decade ago when the latest proposal to it should remain a diicult drive. I’m
lenders* 2014 Springdale 189FL Sale: $12,995 muck up the watershed in pursuit of fos- convinced the culinary attributes of the
Northwest Built, #1 Floorplan, Power Awning
Advertise in sil fuels was announced, inducing panic huckleberry Danish at the Polebridge
$3,600 Dn, 35mo, 7.99% APR, OAC, $13,995 + Doc Fee, Final Payment $9416.15
among those who love this place.
Mercantile are heightened in equal pro-
2014 Springdale 26SRTWE ............. Reg. $25,713 Marketplace
Queen Bed, Bunks, Power Awning Sale: $14,995
The quest for energy up the North portion to the challenges faced in reach-
2014 Cougar 19RBEWE...................Reg. $30,448 Call 257-9220
Fork has a long, inauspicious history. In ing the bakery.
Sale: $22,907
1892, coal fever spread through Colum- Pave the road all the way to Po-
AC, Cherry Cabinets, Luxury! Camp in Style Package! 4 bia Falls, inspiring a near suicidal run lebridge and I fear many pastry-ob-
Season, 0 Degree Rated!
up the river in a steamboat. That expe-
sessed foodies will be disappointed.
5TH WHEELS
2014 Cougar 277RLS ...................... Reg. $41,322
1 Slide, 4 Season, 0 Degree Rated Sale: $34,995
PREMIUM CIGARS
14’ Vengeance 316A Toy Hauler.....Reg. $57,405 Sale: $39,995
Toy Hauler, 2 Slides, 10’Garage
MOTORHOMES
& BULK PIPE TOBACCO
Coachmen Freelander ................On Sale $43,995
1 Slide, 23’, AC, Awning, -or- $369 Dn/$369/Mo*
Ford V10
*180mo, 6.45% APR, OAC +Doc Fee
LOWEST PRICES
2014 Thor ACE Evo 29.2.................. Reg. $79,995
Class A Amenities w/ Class C Size, Front Bunk Sale: $69,995
ALLOWED BY STATE!
You Deserve to Save!
BOATS
Smoker Craft Pro Angler 162XL ......Sale: $19,995
Honda Engine, 3/6yr Wrty
CIGARETTE
2014 21 MB Sports .............................
LOCALLY Starting At
Tower, Trailer, Premium Stereo!
$59,995
OWNED DEPOT
AND HERE Tobacco Supply Store
TO SERVE
4 RIVER ROAD, KALISPELL
257-6653 (25-SMOKE)
We Stack em’ Deep & Sell em’ Cheap!
www.BretzRV.com
I-90 & Reserve Exit 101 Missoula
www.latheadbeacon.com
175 HUTTON RANCH RD, STE. 110, KALISPELL. 406-257-7518
1-406-541-4800