What she cannot possibly know, or understand, is that there are large metal-and-plastic things that travel this road, and that these inconceivable conveyances move at speeds that move well more than a hundred times faster than her. She has no idea at all what these large and quick objects are.
Across the bridge on the south bank is the site of the new state park, comprising a 109-acre parcel acquired by the state in 2025. It includes the Judith Landing Historic District, which contains the remnants of several structures from various periods in the confluence’s history, and encompasses notable historic events that date back, oh, 150 million years or so.
The vegetation was thick and the trail became lost—a recurring theme in the Taylor-Hilgard. I made my way up a steep switchback and started to see trees with their bark shredded like newspaper. A bear had marked over 13 trees in the area in the last week; the sap still held its fur and undercoat.
The Corps of Discovery did not enter present-day Montana until April 28, 1805, but journal entries made during the winter of 1804-1805 at Fort Mandan (North Dakota) chronicle the severity of conditions that existed then on the northern plains. They experienced a 13-inch snowfall on November 29, the coldest weather of their trip on December 17 (-45°F), and a ten-day period (January 5-14, 1805) during which overnight lows averaged -24°F.
Using a pulk or sled to get around in winter and spring isn't a new concept. They were originally made of wood but are generally made using plastic now that can take a certain amount of weight. The shape of the pulk determines what it's best used for and needs to be able to run across the snow smoothly.
Awestruck, Waldt listened intently to the “phenomenal symphony” of sounds produced as ice formed rapidly over the lake’s surface. “The ice groaned, squealed, popped [and moaned. It literally] sang its way across that wild, pure-watered lake.”
But “best” is a subjective quality, and the attractive bits of a waterfall are not always enough to mitigate the unattractive bits—namely, people. Yes, people. Hordes of them. They make waterfalls deeply unappealing to people like me—namely, misanthropes.
The geyser basins had already been visited by the Washburn Expedition, but it was the Hayden group who got to see the eruptions of some of the park’s largest geysers. They gave them names such as Giant, Giantess, Grand and Castle.
Cooke’s graphic description indicates that the bear’s claws literally scraped flesh from the bones of the shoulder and thigh. George C. Yount’s narrative strongly suggests that another wound perforated the windpipe, which spurted a “red bubble every time Hugh breathed.”
Like Colter before him, the more seasoned trappers did not believe him. For the “greenhorns,” new to the wonders of the American West, he laid it on thick. Believed or not, he surely would have had a captive audience around the fire.
In September 1892, however, Stimson was a member of the first non-Indian party to climb Ninaistákis. At its summit, they discovered evidence of the mountain's long history of ceremonial use. On terrain far too rugged for bison to traverse, three bison skulls were found, two of which were so old "that the black sheaths of their horns had been worn away by winds and storms, and the sheaths of the other horns had turned from black to yellowish white."
Toston, like Radersburg, owes its existence to the gold mines in the nearby hills. The Toston Smeltering Company processed ore for a short period in the late 1800s, but that was long enough to bring in a population that stayed on and farmed the area.
The wilderness supports riparian forests that hold spruce, alpine larch, white bark pine and fir in the sub-alpine areas to vegetation up on the high mountain slopes. Wildlife include elk, bear, bighorn sheep, mountain goats along with one of my favorites, the Pika. It protects the watershed and boosts nearby economies with tourism.
These were some challenging times for travel in Montana, but in the 1930s, when Lolo National Forest West was established, a dirt track was constructed to the resort from Highway 200. Better days were ahead for Martin Quinn's favorite destination, and —through it all—the location stayed in the family name.
The beautiful landscapes found along the Shonkin Sag have had a significant impact on art, too. Its rugged terrain, as well as the buttes and mountains that flank it, influenced the work of Charles Russell, one of the most famous Western artists of the 20th century.
During my years among mountain goats, studying their lives and capturing their images on film beginning in the 1970s in Montana, lightning seemed to follow me like a faithful companion. Several times I shed my camera and lenses, spotting scope and tripod, and sprinted for cover.
Abandoned lines have been having a bit of a renaissance—not as thoroughfares for trains, but as multi-use trails for pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians, and cross-country skiers.
These are some of my most favorite drives in Montana, regardless of the season. But I think they can be appreciated even more so in the colder months of the year. So, grab your Thermos of hot cocoa, an extra warm blanket or two, and your best winter tires. Let’s go for a drive.
