Recently the family and I had the opportunity to attend one of a series of astronomy lectures at the Montana Learning Center.

In 3 hours we learned some stuff we might have already known, and even more stuff we didn’t know.

Our speaker for the evening event was Derek Demeter, Director of the Emil Buehler Planetarium at Seminole State College of Florida. He writes and produces live interactive shows for the Planetarium and oversees its operation. He is also an astrophotographer, and much of his work has been featured by NASA, Astronomy Magazine, and other publications.

When we first arrived at the center it was cloudy. I began to wonder if we were going to be able to use the telescopes that night because of the clouds.
Our Son was somewhat disappointed to see the clouds too when we first arrived, because he had brought his own telescope to use during the evening while we were there.

During the lecture, which was held outdoors under the Big Sky, the clouds began to disperse revealing a sky full of billions of stars.

By the time the lecture was over we had our pick of which part of the sky we wanted to look at. The Montana Learning Center has a grand total of 7 telescopes, each specialized and/or tooled for different sky gazing tasks.

Ryan Hannahoe, Montana Learning Center’s executive director, was extremely pleasant and informative. He takes great pride in the newest telescope at the center — It’s Montana’s largest public-use telescope. With the new 25 inch telescope, you’ll see nebulae and galaxies like you have never seen them before. It’s great for cruising the Milky Way and large deep sky objects.

Programs of interest at The Montana Learning Center include but may not be entirely limited to:

Camp Discovery is a four-day, day-only, science camp for students entering grades 1-3.
Camp Young Naturalist Adventures is a five-day, overnight camp for students entering grades 4-6.
Camp Innovations is a five-day, overnight camp for students entering grades 7-9.
Extreme Yellowstone Expedition is a six-day, overnight adventure for students entering grades 9-12.
Camp Dinosaur – Space is limited to 12 students who are entering 9th – 12th grade.

Visit the Student Programs to learn more about these camps and to discover even more camps.

Camp Tuition Financial Aid is also available.

The Montana Learning Center at Canyon Ferry Lake provides and promotes quality immersion experiences for all in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in a unique lakeside environment.

Ryan Hannahoe mentioned to me that some of the programs (not all) were going to re-worked for the 2024 season in order to possibly include more attention being directed to those attending high school.

If you want to learn more about the Montana Learning Center, or if you have any other questions, simply visit https://montanalearning.org/

You can call: (406) 475-3638 or write: MontanaLearningCenter@gmail.com

The Montana Learning Center is located at:

7653 Canyon Ferry Road
Helena, MT 59602

Captain Lewis wrote on July 19, 1805, about The Gates of the Mountains ” … this evening we entered much the most remarkable clifts that we have yet seen. these clifts rise from the waters edge on either side perpendicularly to the height of 1200 feet. … the river appears to have forced its way through this immense body of solid rock for the distance of 5-3/4 Miles … I called it the gates of the rocky mountains.”

Of all of the natural spectacles that Montana might have to offer, I think that the Gates of the Mountains on the Missouri River is probably one of the best. Captain Lewis wasn’t kidding when he described the canyon in his journal — It looks as if the river just “forced” it’s way through the rock.

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The boat tours through the gates have been going on for years. There have been millions of people since the times of Captain Lewis that have gazed up at the “most remarkable clifts“, and I’m pretty sure that over the future course of time there will be even millions more that will experience the Gates of the Rocky Mountains.

The day we experienced the gates was not too hot and not too cold. There was a slight breeze over the calm water and the clouds above just came and went at their leisure. There were plenty of boaters and folks fishing and camping along the way.

One of the things I was most interested in was the rock formations. I’ve always been interested in how Montana was made geologically, so I paid extra attention to how the river might have been able to make it’s way through the mountains. When I looked at the sharp rock cliffs, and of how the rock appeared to be folded in various places, I came away with the notion that the mountains might have given way to the river. I didn’t see the tell-tale cutting pattern of direct erosion like I saw on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. It appeared to me that some certain geological forces might have opened up a way for the river to pass through without the river having to put up much of an effort.

Captain Lewis had mentioned the “many springs” that were present coming out of the rock (I’m guessing at the water level he was at before the Holter dam was built) as he passed through and to me that might suggest that as the continent was moving westward, water was trapped in the area that might have undermined the base of the mountains in this particular area and caused a weak spot that opened up a way for the river to pass through without having to start the erosion at the surface like the Colorado River had done.

When I hear of the underground Madison River in the area of Great Falls, it’s not that much more of a leap to consider just how much water might be trapped all along the eastern side of the Continental Divide as a result of the North American tectonic plate movement ever grinding toward the west.

The boat tour through the gates was two hours well spent as far as I’m concerned. I didn’t get to see any Bears or Big Horn Sheep, but I did happen to see the Eagles and the Peregrine Falcons aloft. The canyon cliffs were the headliner however, with the wildlife being the added bonus … at least for me.

The only thing I might regret about our most recent tour of the gates, was the the fact that I didn’t bring the right camera. I’m thinking that next time I’ll bring the same camera that I used at the Petrified Forest National Park and at the Grand Canyon. The Gates of the Rocky Mountains deserve to have great photos taken of it because it’s imposing beauty is very difficult to put into words.

Schedule your own tour

For over 125 years guests have been following in the path of Lewis and Clark exploring the “Gates of the Mountains”. Today the marina and boat tour is operated by the Gates of the Mountains Inc, whose goal is to protect, educate, and allow visitors to explore one of the last best places.

Contacting the Gates

Phone: (406) 458-5241
Email: info@gatesofthemountains.com
Office: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM