 |
 |
Many suggestions for improving our canoe trips come from our guests. Each guest is asked to complete an evaluation form and to add any other comments or ideas.
Here is a sample of what our guests have to say!!
| If my river experience with you would be summed up in |
two words, they would be freedom and nature. I still remember tracking a flight of a bold young eagle. I will always hold as precious the peace and calm, the silence of the river under a magnificent full moon. |
- Gloria Galecki, Roma, Italy |
| The Missouri was wide and already dark. As the light |
faded from the cliffs, we tended the fire and waited for moonrise. For days we had paddled in the sunshine through a world so strangely beautiful and quiet, it seemed a place out of time. When the moon was high, we resumed our journey. |
- Jay Booth, Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| The river was absolutely beautiful, and the hiking was |
spectacular, what views. The food was much better than I expected, very healthy and delicious. We had every thing we could have thought of and more. Everything was perfect. It is too much for mere words to describe. The guide treated us like royalty. I can't say enough about him and his leadership on the trip. |
- Ellen Marangiello, Yorktown, NY |
| The thrill of being in such a remote area was wonderful. |
The freedom of the river was an experience to treasure. The white cliffs were the most fascinating formations carved by wind and rain. I remember the tall, pale limestone columns against the blue Montana sky and sunsets alive with dramatic colors. |
- Dave Burrows, Colchester, England |
| The light on the river was magical under a sliver of a |
moon. The magic continued as we floated, cradled by the Missouri. The food was great, just great. We were treated like patrons of the Ritz in the wilderness. |
- Andrea Deane, Haddam, CT |
| The experience on the river; it's in all of us still, and |
well with our group. It was great your guides took the time to explain 'water facts' to us. The equipment was excellent and handled very well on the water. You always had everything readily available. |
- Stephanie Guilbert, Trip Leader, MSU Expeditions Prog. |
| Being on the Missouri was like stepping back in time, |
to a land uninhabited save by wildlife. The scenery was at once majestic and serene, inspiring awe and a sense of connection to the Earth. The pace of each day was perfection, varying from strenuous hikes among spiritually charged and rarely discovered sandstone formations to lazy floating down the grand river with no exertion required at all. All punctuated by the most delicious meals and ending in blissful sleep under the vast canopy of stars. The place is magical in its essence, and yet I am sure that I never would have been privy to a fraction of the wonder I enjoyed without Russell's intimate knowledge of the area. Equally important, his caring and capable demeanor set a mood in this awesome environment of complete and sublime satisfaction. These are four days in my life that I will always treasure. |
- Merrily Zeeman, New York City, NY |
| Either I'm lucky or the gods are watching over me. Out |
of all my choices I connect with Montana River Expeditions sharing their love and respect for the rivers and nature. This was a side trip but turned out to be the highlight of my time in Montana. The outstanding scenery was complimented by your staff's willingness to adapt the trip to the desires of the clients. I did not expect to eat so well and I was surprised your advertising 'gourmet cooking' was, in fact, true. I actually gained weight on this trip. This semi-wilderness experience has ruined me for the typical campground/rv national park crowds experience. |
- Greg Williams, Coral Springs, FL |
| Eccentric, sophisticated, absolutely delicious endless |
food. It exceeded my expectations. It was so far from the simple camp fare that I still shake my head in amazement. You listened to what we wanted and made it our trip, not yours. This trip with you and my family has been a true highlight of my life. It wasn't just the beauty of the river, the wild life, the coyotes, the pelicans, the dramatic lava and sculptured limestone formations. Thank you for the unfaltering enthusiasm and demonstrating your love for the river. You led us with great finesse. The equipment was top-notch. I especially appreciated the spacious tents. |
- Jana Goodman, Kalispell, MT |
| It was absolutely beautiful. I have not experienced |
such peace and tranquility in years. I had never kayaked before, but with the guide's instructions I was capable of paddling safely by myself. It was beautiful, just the river, the birds, and me. The food was excellent. I was surprised how easy your equipment was to use. Obviously that is due to the quality of the equipment we had. For an uncoordinated woman and her daughters to be successful at kayaking and canoeing I was impressed. The guides were great. They were friendly, informed, patient, organized and tireless. |
- Karen Asham, Thousand Oaks, CA |
| My awe at entering the White Cliffs caught me |
speechless. The sheer magnitude and brilliance of the rock formations was inspiring. I could not help but gaze upon them, imagining ruins of ancient cities. They often appeared like abstract versions of grand European structures and cathedrals. I believe everything was just about perfect as possible. My best moment happened alone with my paddle out of the water, floating silently when behind me I was able to hear every movement of air on the wings of a flock of geese. The peace and serenity of that brief encounter made the entire trip worthwhile. |
- Arthur Orteneau, Greensboro, NC |
| Delicious food, an excellent variety, I really liked the |
grilled Thai Chicken. The guide was simply superb. I would highly recommend him for any of your trips. The outstanding aspects were the hiking, a great variety of wild life, especially the bird watching. I'll never forget witnessing a golden eagle snatch a gosling. The White Cliffs are simply phenomenal!! Keep doing exactly what you are doing, you are a very professional operation. |
- Dan Marangiello, Yorktown, NY |
| There is only one way to describe the trip I took |
awesome!! It refocused my view of the world and let me relax and meet new people. I was never afraid and had total confidence in the guides. I'm hooked. I would recommend you guys to anyone wanting to have tons of fun. |
- Abby Barker, Anchorage, AK |
| I really enjoyed my trip with you. It was my first effort |
in a canoe, and it was fun!! When you reach my age you wonder if you should try something like this, but you made me feel like I could do it and I felt completely at ease. I also wanted to thank you for the great hikes we did. The trip was a wonderful experience. |
- Ruth Anderson, Kalispell, MT |
| I frequently find myself revisiting the river. It visits |
often I find myself drifting reliving the experience again and again. |
- Rob McAlister, Shell Harbor, Australia |
| I had a terrific time both days, even though we had |
some rain. I loved the little rapids. |
- Wendy Herlosky, San Francisco, CA |
| You gave us the guidance to feel confident and also |
the privacy we desired. Being a first time kayaker you put me at ease with your knowledge of the river and the sport. I was able to have confidence in myself and my ability so I could really enjoy being on the river. Touring the Jefferson was a great escape from the stress and hectic work schedule my husband and I share. We enjoyed being one with the river, the waterfowl and the great Montana skies. |
- Kathy & Doug Logue, Colorado Springs, CO |
| The food was unexpectedly great. Your knowledge of |
river folklore was extremely interesting. I really enjoyed the small group we had and the ability to change our itinerary according to the weather and our particular wants. It was really a free floating experience. I would and have been recommending the trip to everyone I have spoke to. |
- Salvatore Vasapolli, Photographer, Bozeman, MT |
| You were great at leading on the water and helping |
the students learn how to read the water. Providing both canoes and Kayaks was a great opportunity for the students to have different experiences. The quality of the gear could not have been better. I loved the Mad River Canoes and the Kayaks were perfect for beginners. |
- Polly Kelly, Trip leader, MSU Expedition Program |
| Everything was excellent, the food, the equipment, |
the guides and the Missouri River. |
- Silvia and Ugli Meyer, Burgdorf Switzerland |
| The great variety of fresh food was a real treat, all the |
guides showed great leadership and patience. |
- John Ringenbach, Lakewood, OH |
| The trip was excellent, not what I expected. The food |
delicious, the guides took care of everything so well I felt guilty. I was very impressed by the countryside along the river. I thought the White Cliffs were just a section near the river but what we could see on our hikes amazed me. The river guides really took care of us and were very knowledgeable of the
area. |
- Judy Cornbower, Thomasville PA |
