#4: [15-Aug-17]

#3: [07-Apr-16]

#1: [09-Aug-01]

27-Jun-2009 --

This was another spur of the moment confluence after we found ourselves ahead of schedule coming from 47-112.

How technology has advanced since my early days of confluencing! Although I had done very little preparation for this point, I did think to electronically “print” a Google Earth image to Microsoft OneNote along with the previous visitors report. They proved to be partially helpful knowing that the confluence had been visited before. Usually, I would have produced a variety of maps and other sources of information before attempting a visit. Couple those electronic files with automatic route guidance from a Garmin Nuvi and this one was fairly straight forward.

The difficulty became which roads to take close to the confluence. We continued north from 47-112 along US-287 and passed through the town of Augusta during a rodeo with main street full of people in lawn chairs and lemonade stands. Shortly after passing through Choteau we began our excursion off pavement and on a variety of roads arcing around the confluence. 27th Road NW as depicted on Google Earth and Garmin City Navigator (and I suspect other map sources) does not exist which added to our adventure. We were able to find a road north of the confluence that took us to within 360 meters due west of the confluence. I hiked across a fallow wheat field until I came upon a swift flowing stream and I noticed a dry crossing to the north and then proceeded into a currently dry depression unsuitable for farming. A thoughtful cow took the time to precisely mark the confluence.

Picture 1 looks north. Picture 2 looks east. Picture 3 looks south. Picture 4 looks west. Picture 5 shows my GPS position. Picture 6 shows the marking provided by a cow. Picture 7 shows the access to the depression. Picture 8 looks west to where we had parked along the farm road.

As with most adventures, the way out is usually shorter and faster than the way in. For future visitors you can retrace my exit out to I-15. This one way path was 13.4 miles and took about 23 minutes. From Brady, track west on Valley Road or 30th Road NW, turn south on 2nd Lane NW here , turn east at Arod Lakes Road or 28th Road NW here , turn south at the farm road here until crossing the non-existent 27th Road NW or at 48N here, then hike east, and cross the drainage here to the confluence.

Another great confluence adventure!