Kerrie and I have gotten into a nice routine on this trip, hitting the road each morning at sunrise. We’ll get a little coffee and a bite to take on the road, and we’re off to see what the day has in store. Our final destination for today would be Helena, the State Capitol, but we had a few stops to make on the way.
One of those stops was Big Sky, a mountain community surrounded by the spectacular Madison Range. Originally developed as a ski and summer recreation destination, it has grown into a year-round outdoor playground known for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, skiing, and wildlife. We landed in the Big Sky city center so I could look into the sun and thank Geoff & Hope Wood. Geoff has been a great resource to the Iowa State Phi Delts, and I’m appreciative of the work he is doing with them. I caught a photo on social media of Geoff and Hope looking into the sun at Jack Trice Stadium just before typing this post, so I got a chuckle about my photo for them.
Big Sky Resort is one of the largest ski resorts in North America and is famous for its enormous terrain and spectacular mountain views. Its signature attraction is the Lone Peak Tram, which climbs to nearly 11,000 feet and provides access to some of the highest terrain in the region. We stopped at the welcome sign to thank Mike Hyatt again and then explored the village.
Driving north from Big Sky on HWY 19, you drive through the Gallatin Canyon which follows the Gallatin River through a dramatic corridor of steep cliffs and mountains. The river, renowned for fly-fishing, provides for quite the scenic drive. We pulled over for a scenic view and an opportunity to thank Ryan and Nicole Galles. Tillie and I had the pleasure of joining them for last year’s running trip in Ireland and had such a memorable experience venturing abroad to support our Iowa State Cyclones.
Did you know that the Missouri River officially begins at Three Forks, Montana where the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers come together? The Lewis and Clark Expedition reached this area in 1805 and spent considerable time exploring and documenting the region. The surrounding area is now preserved as Missouri Headwaters State Park and offers the chance to stand at the beginning of one of America’s great rivers. I loved that my colleague Dylan Berg grabbed this landmark with his donation, as I know he appreciates the Missouri River’s decision to flow through his beloved home state of North Dakota.
Three Forks is a small Montana community named for the meeting of three rivers that form the Missouri River. The town sits in an area rich in Native American, Lewis and Clark, and early Montana history. We stopped at the historic Sacajawea Hotel to thank Stephen Bloomer again.
Speaking of Sacajawea, she played a significant role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, helping the expedition navigate and communicate with Native American tribes as it traveled through the West. In 1805, she helped Lewis and Clark identify the Three Forks of the Missouri. The area around Three Forks was particularly meaningful because Sacajawea recognized the landscape as the region where she had been born and where she had lived before being taken from her people as a child. Her knowledge of the land and connections to Native peoples proved invaluable as the expedition continued west toward the Pacific.
Venturing north from Three Forks towards Helena, Kerrie and I stumbled on what would become a really neat experience. From the highway, we spotted the Bleu Iron Horses art installation and pulled over. It became quite obvious that we would need to hike to the top to check in on the horses.
The Iron Horses painted in blue were a perfect place to recognize Bob Sherwin, Iron Phi’s top fundraiser and avid Los Angeles Dodgers fan. Bob has raised more than $75,000 through his Iron Phi efforts to honor his mother who passed from ALS, and he has become a great inspiration to the younger generations for how to stay active and use athletic pursuits for a good cause. A few years ago, I got to stand behind home plate at Dodger Stadium and watch Bob fire a first pitch strike before the team’s Lou Gehrig Day game. I appreciate you greatly Bob!
We arrived in Helena, and it was time for a long hike up a mountain and a trail run back down. Mount Helena rises directly above the city and is one of Helena’s most popular outdoor destinations. As you can tell in the photos below, the views of Helena are majestic, and it was fun to try to spot the other landmarks we would need to find following the hike. About halfway up, I stopped to thank Taylor and Haley Abel who know how to traverse a good hill in Pittsburgh.
Along the hike, we discovered a cave, and I thanked Haley’s parents, Roger and Paula Griffith for their donation before continuing the climb.
Following the hike, it was time to explore Helena, pronounced HELEN-AH by the way. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I quickly fell in love with its uniqueness, interesting terrain, and rich history. Helena became the state capital in 1875, when Montana was still a territory. After Montana became a state in 1889, Helena won the permanent capital designation in a closely contested 1894 election against Anaconda. The Montana State Capitol has served as the seat of Montana’s government since 1902. Despite renovations occurring, I was happy with this opportunity to thank Linda Carlson for her donation. A former school teacher, I know she would agree with me that Helena was a much better decision than Anaconda for the state’s capitol.
The Cathedral of Saint Helena is one of Montana’s most striking architectural landmarks. Completed in 1914, the Gothic Revival cathedral features soaring spires that rise 230 feet, intricate stained glass windows, and elaborate interior details inspired by European cathedrals. Before stepping inside, I thanked the Winters family in Ames who attend our church and can be found on the same sidelines, fields, gyms, auditoriums, and roads as us, trying to get these kids to where they need to be.
The Old Fire Tower, called Guardian of the Gulch, is a twenty-five foot fire tower that was built in 1876 after a huge fire destroyed the downtown area. The tower was manned around the clock to keep watch over the city. If a fire was spotted, the alarm was sounded to alert the town. The Guardian is the last remaining tower of the many that once existed in Helena, and it is one of only five of its kind left standing in the United States. I thanked my cousin Adam and his wife Lindsey who serve as guardians of their own gulch of three active Good boys.
Reeder’s Alley is one of Helena’s oldest surviving historic districts and dates to the city’s early gold-mining era. Built in the 1870s, its small brick and stone buildings once housed miners, laborers, and businesses. Walking through the narrow alley provides a glimpse of what Helena looked like when it was still a rough-and-tumble mining town. It kind of reminded of the historic pioneer village that can be found in my hometown (Fort Dodge, IA), so it was fitting to thank my parents here.
Helena was once one of the wealthiest cities in America, as the gold mines around Helena produced enormous fortunes. By the late 19th century, the city had one of the highest concentrations of millionaires per capita in the United States. Last Chance Gulch is the historic heart of downtown Helena and the site where four prospectors discovered gold in 1864. Their discovery transformed what was initially a mining camp into one of Montana’s most important cities. Today, the former gulch is a pedestrian-friendly downtown district filled with historic buildings, shops, restaurants, and public art. We found a great mural where I thanked Bill Morrison, the great-great-grandson of one of Phi Delta Theta’s Founding Fathers, Robert Morrison, who struck gold of his own sorts in developing a brotherhood that is now 300,000 men strong.
It was only fitting to celebrated the day’s exploration with a beer at the Lewis & Clark Tap Room, and I toasted to my cousin Matt and his wife Jessi for their donation. Tillie and I had a good smile a few weeks back when Jessi sent us a photo of Matt with our son Cal at the Clear Lake cross country meet.
We finished the night with dinner and view of this unexpected gem of a city.
I have to give a special shout out to our Helena Airbnb hosts Mason and Corie. We stayed in their wonderful basement apartment and had the opportunity to chat with them for a few minutes before they headed to Missoula for the weekend. The next morning I opened my inbox to a generous donation from them and some travel suggestions for our next day in Missoula. It was another reminder of how much I love the Airbnb community. Great people everwhere.
