2007 AMM National Rendezvous

Dates: June 24-30

Location:PioneerMountains in Montana

Rendezvous Hosts: Manual Lisa Party

CampBooshway: Gene Hickman, 406-458-3884 or 406-439-6259,

The 2007 AMM Nationals will be from 24-30 June. The Manuel Lisa Party will be on-site starting June 22, so if you want to come early and help, or need the days to get your 7 day camp, you're more than welcome to come as early as June 22 and stay as late as July. The Forest Service application for the permit is pending with the Beaverhead-DeerlodgeNational Forest.

Directions: The proposed site is on Odell Creek in the PioneerMountains south of Wise River, MT which is SW of Butte and NW of Dillon, MT. The area is easily accessible from the north and south via the 44 mile Pioneer Mtns. Scenic Byway #73. The north 28 miles of the Byway are paved and the southern 16 miles is gravel:

  • If you are traveling from the east or west on I-90 take it to Butte, MT.WiseRiver is 22 miles West and South on Interstate 15 from Butte. From I-15 take the Dewey Divide exit onto Hwy 43 west and it is 11.5 miles to WiseRiver. When you get to WiseRiver go south on the paved Pioneer Mtns. Scenic Byway #73 approximately 15.5 miles to the Wyman Creek turnoff. Then take Wyman Creek Road#2417 going west and then on to the Odell Creek Road #2414.It is approximately 5 miles to the Odell Creek Trailhead from the Wyman Creek turnoff on the Byway. The Odell Creek Trailhead is also the end of the road.
  • If you are coming from the south on I-15, you can take Hwy. 278 west just south of Dillon, MT.You’ll go west on Hwy 278 about 42 miles to the Pioneer Mtns. Scenic Byway #73, which is also the turn-off for Polaris and Elkhorn Hot Springs. Go north on the Scenic Byway (it’ll be gravel for about 16 miles then paved) to the Wyman Creek turnoff, which goes west. It is approximately 35 miles to the Wyman Creek turnoff along the Byway from Hwy 278. (These distances here are all approximate as they were measured off the map). Take the Wyman Creek Road#2417 going west and then on to the Odell Creek Road #2414. It is approximately 5 miles to the Odell Creek Trailhead from the Wyman Creek turnoff on the Byway. The Odell Creek Trailhead is also the end of the road.

Campsite:The campsite will be approximately 1/3 mile up the Odell Creek from the trailhead & parking area. There is ample parking in the new graveled parking lot and under the trees. There is a very easy trail into the camping areas. The camp is at just over 8000 feet and is located in low meadow lands along Odell Creek.Odell Creek flows from west to east through the south end of the meadow where the camp will be. In addition there are 2-3 springs running south from the hills through the campsites to Odell Creek. So there is plenty of fresh potable water, plenty of shade, plenty of firewood, grass for horses, and some great camp spots. Odell creek has both beaver and trout. OdellLakeis about 6 miles above the campsite with good grayling fishing, and the smaller Lake of the Woods is ¼ mile uphill to the north from OdellLake. Within four miles of Odell lake are Schwinegar, Baldy and SandLakes; all with trout. You will go from 7280 feet at the trailhead to 8450 feet at OdellLake. There are four species of trout, three kinds of char, mountain whitefish and arctic grayling in the PioneerMountains, WiseRiver, BigHoleRiver and BeaverheadRiver. The Beaverhead and BigHoleRivers are “blue ribbon” trout streams.

Trails: The Pioneer Loop National Recreation Trail #750 runs thru OdellLake a little over 6 miles west of the campsite. This is a ridgetop trail that extends along the length of the backbone of the WestPioneerMountains and joins with the Odell Creek Trail. The Odell Creek Trailhead is an excellent horse trail which accesses a whole trail system throughout the PioneerMountains. You could easily do a 5 day horse trip from Odell Creek or anywhere in the area. Elevation is just under

Maps: For theOdell Lake Trail (#758), Beaverhead-DeerlodgeNational Forestand other maps, and for the Wise River Ranger District Trails Guide, contact the Wise River Ranger District, P.O. Box 100, Wise River, MT59762, and (406) 832-3178. The USGS Map for the area is the OdellLake map.

Rocky Mountain Colleges:The Manuel Lisa Party’s goal for the 2007 National Rendezvous is to have colleges for as many of the 20 Hivaranno requirements as possible, or at least portions of those requirements. There has been more interest among the men in the colleges and activities conducted by the Women of the Fur Trade. So we are also going to work with the Women in combining colleges where we can and with working on their requirements too. Colleges will be repeated as often as necessary to accommodate those who are in camp at various times. This will require that some colleges will be running simultaneously, but they should be repeated so that everyone can take every college they desire. However, due to instructor availability some colleges may only be offered once. Most colleges will be scheduled while others will be on-going as folks want to participate. We are asking for as many of you who would like to teach a college or skill to contact the CampBooshway with what you’d like to do.

Other Activities:We are planning both muzzleloader shoots/trail-walks and primitive archery. We would also like to encourage as many traders or blanket trades as possible this year, so start gathering up your plunder and saving your plews for trade. There will also be the traditional auction and a pot luck camp feast too.

Other Trips & Treks:If you would like to take a horse, canoe or historic keelboat trip before, during or after the National Rendezvous, the Manuel Lisa Party will try to provide you with contacts for outfitters, rentals or guides for those trips.