Montana
Alberton's Montana River Guides a leader in river safety
The Covid-induced tourism boom to Montana introduced a new audience to the Clark Fork River. For two summers, boats, tubers, kayakers, paddleboarders and river boarders had campgrounds and fishing access sites clogged.
That visitation surge has settled, but once tasted, more people are using the incredible water resources today, and who can blame them?
Most water recreation can be done with common sense safety but whitewater rafting is best done with an experienced company unless the person behind the oars has been safety certified. That’s because it’s a far cry from rowing with your buddies from Forest Grove to the Big Eddy Fishing Access sites casting flies all afternoon.
There are several rafting companies that specialize in whitewater rafting with experienced guides that will make an incredible memory for families with lots of fun, laughter and the stories they share. The shuttle back to your vehicle is happy rafters telling their favorite parts of the day.
“The Alberton Gorge is one of the most beautiful sections of river in Montana and during the summer it has incredible scenery and whitewater opportunities. It’s our specialty! But our scenic wildlife viewing floats on gentle water are becoming more popular. And these are the heart and soul of Montana River Guides,” said Mike Johnston who started the company in 1994.
Montana River Guides has certified whitewater rescue instructors and they have been training search and rescue, fire departments, and rafting companies for many years from as far away as Costa Rica and India. They are affiliated with the Whitewater Rescue Institute and every guide is trained in swiftwater rescue. They are so secure that they are the Discovery Channel’s only choice for whitewater safety.
The foundation of the rafting company is family-oriented whitewater rafting and picturesque river floating.
“We’ve always been off the beaten path, a little bit, being in Alberton,” Johnston explained. “And the longer we’ve had our company, the more we appreciate that we are not near a national park as it’s not near as crowded. That we’re not in a part of Montana that gets overwhelmed with tourism.”
However, the business has been growing steadily as more people move into Missoula and the Spokane and Coeur ‘d Alene areas as those are the repeat customers which are a huge chunk of revenue.
“A lot of our customers are local people and families,” Johnston said. “And then their visiting friends and families come and try it out. They come back year after year. But we also have a lot of tourists who used to drive through the area but have realized there’s a lot of stuff to do here for all ages so it’s almost a destination.”
Something Johnston shares that he’s noticed in his 30 years of taking people rafting is heartening.
“Families today not only include kids and maybe grandparents, but more and more people ask about floating with their dogs. We accommodate it whenever we can. Of course, we can’t do it in big whitewater but on the scenic floats on the Blackfoot or other rivers we float, we have different sized life jackets designed especially for dogs and we’ve never had a bad experience.”
Just to ensure that other rafters might not be dog-people, the requesting party must rent the entire boat, which happens anyway with so many friends and family members.
Johnston is a director of the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce as a personal supporter of local businesses but also to refer his visitors to other local establishments. Where to eat, spend the night, play pool, fill propane tanks, campgrounds that are nearby, etc. Float information and scheduling is done online at montanariverguides.com.
Where Khloe Kardashian Stands With Ex French Montana More Than 10 Years After Breakup
French Montana is done keeping up with reality TV.
In fact, he only agreed to appear on Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Kourtney & Khloé Take the Hamptons over a decade ago as a favor to then-girlfriend Khloe Kardashian.
“She said to get on the show,” he exclusively told E! News at the BET Awards on June 28. “And I got on the show. Shout out to Khloe.”
The “Ever Since U Left Me” rapper, who split with Kardashian in December 2014 after eight months of dating, said the experience was “fun” because her family kept it real.
“They filmed their real life,” he continued. “And we were part of something together that one time. So it felt great. It didn’t feel like work because they film what they do everyday.”
As for his future in reality TV, the 41-year-old said those days are over, shutting down any prospective offers with a simple, “Negative.”
Although the “Unforgettable” artist—whose real name is Karim Kharbouch—may not be returning to television anytime soon, he has no problem hanging out with his ex-girlfriend these days.
French Montana, Rick Ross & Max B Turn the BET Awards Into “
06/28/2026
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GREAT FALLS — For Staff Sgt. Brianna St. Lawrence-Brody, service does not only happen in uniform.
Outside the gates of the base, she works at Benefis as a nurse, Great Falls Public Schools as a school nurse, and comes home as a wife and mom of four. For the Montana Air National Guard, she serves as a command post controller with the 120th Airlift Wing in Great Falls.
(WATCH: Montana nurse and Guard member earns national Air Force recognition)
Montana nurse and Guard member earns national Air Force recognition
This year, St. Lawrence-Brody was named the U.S. Air National Guard’s Outstanding Airman of the Year in the Non-Commissioned Officer category.
She said the recognition came as a surprise, especially because her path into the Guard started later than others.
“I joined very late in life,” St. Lawrence-Brody said. “I joined the Guard right before I turned 40. So for me, every opportunity that’s presented, I want to take the bull by the horns and just run with it and do the best of my ability.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined the Guard after finishing nursing school. She said she went straight from nursing school into helping open a COVID unit, while also working at Benefis.
She said that experience was the start of one journey, but not the whole of what she wanted to accomplish.
St. Lawrence-Brody joined the Guard for the opportunities, the challenge and to help build a future for her four children.
“It’s a little bit of a competition for myself,” she said. “Like, if I can do it, why not try my best to achieve it?”
120th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
As a command post controller, she assists in helping move information during emergencies and major events.
“Outside, obviously, I’m a nurse. Inside the Guard, I have nothing to do with the medical field, which is kind of amazing,” St. Lawrence-Brody said. “It keeps me on my toes.”
She explained balancing the Guard, two civilian jobs and four children takes support from her family, her employers and her unit. She said Benefis and GFPS have been supportive of her military service.
Her nomination included her deployment experience, training work overseas and involvement across the wing. St. Lawrence-Brody said she deployed to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where she worked with an operations center supporting entities connected to Africa.
But, she says this recognition is not the finish line.
“This award, it’s not necessarily a landing pad for me,” St. Lawrence-Brody said. “I want to use it as a springboard.”
120th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
St. Lawrence-Brody hopes her story encourages others to keep taking on new opportunities, even when they feel uncertain.
“Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and be okay with doing things afraid,” she said. “I think when you get to be okay with doing things afraid, that’s where you’re going to find the growth.”
She has already won at the Air National Guard level, but she recently traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of the broader Air Force Outstanding Airman of the Year process, which includes nominees from the Guard, Reserve and major commands across the Air Force.
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