Tru Directional Drilling Tracks HDD Bore Above the Yellowstone River

Tracking a horizontal directional drill (HDD) head is typically straightforward work. Locating technicians walk above the bore path and follow the beacon signal as it advances under their feet. But when contractor Tru Directional Drilling needed to track a fiber installation job in southern Montana, it faced a significant obstacle – a fast-moving Yellowstone River.

Walkover locating wasn’t an option. So, the contractor’s crew devised a plan that resembled something out of a Hollywood production to track the drill head. They would suspend their HDD locator nearly six stories in the air and guide it across a 500-ft bore path that ran under the river’s powerful rapids.

To pull off this high-wire act, Tru Directional used Ditch Witch drilling equipment, dealer support and Subsite’s HDD locating technology.

No Ordinary Bore

Tru Directional is a small contractor crew of five that has built a reputation for tackling demanding HDD work throughout the Rocky Mountain region and never shying away from the challenge. It took on this fiber-installation project for Triangle Communications, a leading broadband provider serving central and eastern Montana, to deliver broadband internet to a part of Montana where reliable connectivity had long been limited.

The job was during peak spring runoff for the Yellowstone River. Turbulent rapids surged through the channel and limited access along the riverbank.

Completing the crossing demanded more than just skill – it required careful planning, reliable drilling power and a creative locating strategy. With more than 500 ft of water separating the entry and exit points, traditional walkover locating was impossible.

“Spring runoff was the biggest challenge,” said Tru Directional Drilling president Trevor Herman. “The river was roaring and locating across it was tough.”

The crossing required the crew to drill hundreds of feet beneath the river while working from a steep embankment above the water, carefully navigating the slope before setting up equipment along the riverbank.

Using a pulley system anchored to a bridge structure, the crew suspended Subsite’s Marksman+ HDD locator roughly 60 ft above the rushing rapids below, allowing the locator to maintain line of sight to the drill head moving beneath the riverbed.

From the riverbanks, operators moved the locator back and forth across the span, tracking the drill head as it advanced underground.

However, setting the cable across the river proved challenging in the wind and spray of spring runoff, and it took several attempts before the crew was able to pull the cable tight.

Right Crew, Right Capabilities

The Tru Directional crew regularly travels across multiple states to complete installations in the backcountry where surface access can be limited and traditional methods impractical.

This project marked their first use of Tru Directional’s newest drill – Ditch Witch’s all-terrain directional drill, a AT120.

Herman had purchased the drill specifically with challenging crossings like this in mind. The machine’s All Terrain drilling capability allows operators to maintain torque and steering control in hard rock formations, while maintaining a consistent bore path even in difficult ground conditions.

The first bore extended roughly 900 ft across the riverbed and served as an important first test for the new drill. The Ditch Witch West dealership was onsite during the early stages of the project to assist with setup and help the crew become familiar with the machine.

The first crossing took about a week as the team worked through the process and refined their approach.

Once everything was finalized, the second crossing progressed much faster. The crew completed the second bore in roughly three and a half days.

Altogether, both crossings were finished in less than two weeks.

“When you’re drilling hundreds of feet under a river, you have to trust your equipment,” Herman said. “You’re not seeing what’s happening underground, so everything comes down to the machine and the data you’re getting back.”

Rip-roaring Success

Completing two long crossings beneath the Yellowstone River marked a major accomplishment for Herman and his crew.

The project tested every part of the operation. High water, intense terrain and limited locating options required careful planning, reliable equipment and a willingness to adapt when conditions changed.

For Tru Directional Drilling, it was exactly the kind of challenge the crew has built its reputation on tackling.

“When you’re standing on the bank looking at a river like that, you know it’s going to be a challenge,” Herman said. “There are a lot of things that have to go right to make a crossing like that work. But when the bore comes together and everything aligns, that’s one of the best feelings you can have on a job.”

A Milestone Job

The Yellowstone River is notable in that it’s the longest undammed river in the United States and runs through America’s first national park. But for the Tru Directional crew that shot a bore underneath it, the river represents even more.

It reflects the challenges that today’s contractors must overcome, particularly today as fiber networks expand into remote and hard-to-reach areas. For projects where contractors face limited access and unpredictable environments, success requires people willing to rethink their traditional locating strategy and equipment that can perform under pressure.

Braxton Smith is product manager with Subsite.

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