Spokane to Butte, MT

©2013 text and photos by LeeZard

Monday July 15

It’s time to leave Spokane. I really enjoyed visiting The Lilac City. I’ve been here before, usually on business, and never really had time to drive around. It is mostly a pretty place; the neighborhoods and homes are well kept but frankly, downtown is butt ugly except for its magnificent Riverfront Park along the Spokane River.

My next destination is Yellowstone National Park and a few days off to enjoy one of our nation’s great treasures. I do hope, with an improving economy, we can stem the deterioration of all our national parks. It is tragic the way they have fallen into disrepair.

Rather than a straight shot to Yellowstone, an eight-hour drive without stops, I will stop tonight in Butte, MT and conduct some interviews there.

I quickly cross the state line into Idaho’s beautiful panhandle. I am driving on I-90 because there aren’t very many other highways heading east in this rugged mountainous part of America. I simply love the view crossing Lake Couer d'Alene , a 25-mile long jewel that is a vast recreational playground.

The panhandle is separated from the rest of Idaho by a string of east-west mountains and, because of the mountains the small towns and cities along my route hug the freeway without spreading too far in either direction.

After entering Montana, about 70 miles east of Spokane I see a thick white column of smoke rising from a hillside ahead. At first it looks like a big puffy white cloud but everywhere else there is clear blue sky. I know it is a wildfire. Sure enough, as I pull of I-90 at Mullan, MT the hillside across the freeway is peppered with rising smoke columns and haze. Fire units are gassing up at the truck stop. A water tank whirlybird flies overhead. Suddenly, the white smoke turns a murky brown, sign of a flare up and/or a new extension of the blaze.

“Some yayhoo decided to burn a pile of plywood in his backyard,” says the woman standing next to me. “It started last night and quickly spread out of control. He ought to know better; this is the no burn season.” I watched the action for a while longer before continuing on to Butte.

It’s pronounced “Beaut,” not Butt. It’s not boo TAY, nor is it butt TEE. This is apparently a problem. The barista at Butte’s only Starbucks explained with resignation, “Most out of towners who stop here call it Butt. When I call the company help line the IT people always pause before pronouncing it, like they’re not sure.” 

I’m just grateful there’s a Starbucks here no matter how you pronounce it. Yes, I’m spending a lot of time at Starbucks along the way. Yes, I’m addicted but Howard Schultz’s free WiFi is also a major attraction.

One of the smartest things I did before leaving Seattle was purchasing a $10 U.S. National Parks LIFETIME senior pass. For those ten bucks I have admittance to ANY federal property charging admission. I’m using Howard’s network now to find a national forest campsite near Butte.

Sunset at Lowlands Campground

An hour later I am setting up at the Lowlands Campground in Deerlodge National Forest ten miles north of Butte. It is a misnomer; this is anything but the lowlands. Butte’s elevation is about 5,500 feet. Driving here I crossed the continental divide at about 6,200 feet and continued uphill all the way to the campground. I am certainly above 7,000 feet – down sleeping bag tonight for sure.

Pre-dawn view from my "front door"