Bog, Tornado and River Flooding Test Mountain Men Retracing Ashley's 1825 Fur Route

NEBRASKA CITY – The journey for the men of  the keelboat Muskrat includes hundreds of miles on horseback and a daring waft down the flood surge of the Missouri River.

Capt. William Bailey and his crew of mountain men arrived in Nebraska City Thursday as they retrace the return route of William Ashley from the 1825 fur trappers rendezvous near Green River, Wyo., to St. Louis, Mo.

Cpt. Bailey: “Its got its challenges. A lot of floating debris. We can’t get the … the biggest problem is getting the boat off the bank or getting to a bank, once we’re on the water we are fine.”

Six men began the journey mounted on horses and mules  for the 500-mile path to the Bighorn River. Other men joined with canoes and bullboats  for 525 miles to the confluence of the Yellowstone River. Eight men boarded the keelboat  for the 860 mile journey down the Missouri River.

The keelboat replica was built by Capt. Bailey, a 62-year-old businessman.

Cpt. Bailey: “The boat we’re riding is a half-scale replica of a period keelboat. It is called the Muskrat. The Muskrat is the name of one of the boats that was in the flotilla.”

Ashley’s crew met up with a military contingent that had gone upstream to make treaties with the Indians.  Ashley put his furs on the military boats.

The idea for the journey came to Jack Mitch, called Poncho,  while attending national camps put on by the American Mountain Men.

Poncho: “I’m just really proud to be with this group of men because not many would do this trip and especially this man, the future of AMM, the hopeful for Capitaine this year … this mountain man is the man for the position.”

Poncho’s campaigning is for Gerry Messmer of New York, who goes by the name Lucky. Poncho said the journey has tested the mountain men.

Poncho: “Yeah, there was. We almost lost a horse in a bog, which a man got hurt trying to pull him out with his horse ... on the ground with no tents or blankets and a tornado.

 

 

 

 

Lucky: “80 mile an hour winds.”

Poncho: “80 mile an hour winds. Going through the shallowest part of the river in a snag field, in a fog that was so dense you could only see 30 yards. A lot of excitement.  We didn’t have to create anything. It was all there for us.”

Scott Staggs, known as Amish, described how the crew made it thus far.

 Amish: “Each other.”

 Lucky : “Sheer willpower and determination to stay the course.”

  Poncho said their captain, the military representative on the trip, has led with honor.

  Poncho: “Absolutely. He’s an inspiration. Who would take on to build a boat like this, after the trip is planned, that has never built a boat? She handles like a dream.”

Bailey said the mountain men’s role is historic.

Bailey: “Part of the mountaineers that were in the Rocky Mountains did return with the furs with William Ashley, so this is accurate that these men are doing this.”

The men expected to reach St. Charles, Mo., by mid-October, but say they may arrive early because of the swift current on the Missouri River. Poncho described what the men will do at journey’s end.

Mountain Men: “Celebrate. We’ll shed a tear. It’s been a long journey for us three right here. It will be over. Once in a lifetime opportunity, especially for this old guy .”

For now, Cpt. Bailey and his crew are preparing for some relaxation at the AppleJack Festival.

Lucky: “That’s how you light a pipe in 1825. Flint steel and an old piece of char.”

Follow Cpt. Bailey and the mountain men on Journey of the Keelboat Muskrat on Facebook.