#3: [12-Aug-09]

#1: [16-Sep-01]

24-Aug-2005 -- It was time for another confluence adventure, this time successfully visiting confluences in Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, and Montana. This would be the final of thirteen visits on this trip.

I had just left 45N-110W and had hoped to visit one of my favorite places at Beartooth Pass. I had wanted to drive over the pass but because of extensive road work, it was closed. Rats! Although WY-296 was not nearly as scenic, the detour did take me along roads I had not traveled before and ended up positioning me very close to this confluence. Since I had not anticipated taking this route, this would be a real confluence of opportunity for me. With no preparation other than simply following my StreetPilot and using NG TOPO on my computer as a real-time moving map, I would find 45N-109W.

Just after crossing the Montana border (although I must have missed the sign) on WY-120/MT-72 I turned east onto the unmarked Hollenbeck Draw Road. I continued east along this road and stopped at 109W, only 80 feet away from the confluence. It was a fairly good dirt road although in a couple of spots, a high clearance vehicle would be nice since there were ruts from recent rains and driving when the road was wet.

I walked south and found the confluence just north of the fence line (that wasn’t very straight), on top of a plateau. The first visitor had found the confluence south of the fence line. The general area was mostly low sagebrush and grasslands.

Picture #1 looks west towards the Beartooth Mountain range. Picture #2 looks north towards the road and shows the confluence vehicle. Picture #3 looks east. Picture #4 looks south. Picture #5 shows my GPS location. Picture #6 shows a faded sign at the start of the dirt road that says "Entering Wheeled Motorized Restricted Area on Federal Lands. Stay on Roads & Trails". The ground was so flat and hard that had the sign not been there, it would have been possible to drive right to the spot.

Total time off MT-72 was 0:45 with a distance of 6.9 miles. What a finish to another outstanding confluence adventure!!