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The biggest cheerlead-
ers of the area are Charley
Willett and his wife Ally,
who co-authored the
beautiful photo book, Into
the Little Belts and Beyond.
The team also created
the intothelittlebelts.com
website, where they answer
questions and provide live
webcams of the area.
"I grew up here," says
Willett. "After I left and
went to college, I came to
realize the Little Belts were very important. Not a lot of places in the
world are so free."
The beauty of the area is that it hasn't changed much. "I feel one
of the biggest differences is you can get cell phone coverage in Mon-
arch," he says. "That's what I love about it."
MINING ORIGINS
During the early days
of mining, ore was often
shipped to smelter oper-
ations in Nebraska, and
sometimes as far as Swan-
sea, Wales. Great Falls took
over the process when the
Montana Central Railroad
was constructed in 1889-
1891 to bring the materials
from Neihart to Armington.
The 56-mile-long project
proved challenging, requir-
ing carefully constructed stone walls and 40 trestles spanning Belt
Creek and along canyon areas in what is now the Sluice Boxes State
Park. With the necessary blasting and overall dangerous conditions,
several workers perished to bring these precious metals to the world.
WE'RE KEEPING A SECRET IN CENTRAL MONTANA. While Glacier and Yellowstone receive the accolades, the Little Belt Mountains are the
diverse and wild playground less than an hour from Great Falls.
S
TRETCHING FROM ARMINGTON JUNCTION ALONG U.S. 89, THE KINGS HILL NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY, 74 miles to White Sulphur
Springs, the Little Belts are one of Montana's often overlooked mountain ranges. The renowned Smith River runs along the western edge of
the Little Belts, and the phenomenal Belt Creek fishery is to the north. 9,000+ foot peaks surrounded this untamed area that's home to count-
less elk, moose, a smattering of wolverines, black bears, mountain lions, and the rumored grizzly. For those seeking adventure or solitude, the Little
Belts are the place to be.
by AMY GRISAK
D
VE
N
T
URE
A
LITTLE BELTS
IN
THE
CHARLEY AND ALLY WILLETT
CHARLEY AND ALLY WILLETT
Big Baldy from a distance
Seven mile flight through
the Little Belts
www.distinctlymontana.com/littlebelts203
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