D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 1
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FALL IS USUALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE SEASONS IN MONTANA, and in my opinion,
is the best time to visit our incredible national parks. The massive crowds have thinned
out, with kids around the country getting pulled from their summer vacation trips-of-
a-lifetime, back to the call of the school bell. Or perhaps for many… To Zoom?
Last year, we visited Glacier National Park at the end of September, and it was glo-
riously deserted: empty resorts, golden foliage reflected on the glass-smooth surfaces
of the lakes, roads crackling with the confetti of autumn, and none of the usual hustle
and bustle that the crowds of peak season produce. There were still some ominous
2020 posters at the more remote entrances, admonishing in giant, bold red letters:
"YOU ARE VISITING A NATIONAL PARK DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC."
You know... Just in case you somehow missed that particular memo in 2020.
Usually, when I sit down to write, it always turns into post-apocalyptic transhu-
manist science fiction, and I find myself wanting to drift into those shadows here in
my little publisher's note. Obviously, this isn't the correct venue for that! When I
wrote my last novel, the sci-fi plot seemed moderately farfetched. Looking back just
a few years from 2021, it's incredible how much less farfetched it now seems!
No matter what happens this fall and winter, we've got a beautiful lineup of true
Montana stories for you in this issue. If the world falls apart, at least you've got some
good reading material! Mining and minerals are woven inexorably through the col-
orful tapestry of Montana's rich history. We've zoomed in on this particular Montana
topic for this issue, and we're sure that you're going to be pleased with the result!
A N O T E F R O M T H E
P U B L I S H E R P U B L I S H E R
CHRIS MUHLENFELD, PUBLISHER
chris@distinctlymontana.com
©2002-2021. Distinctly Montana is owned and published by Thunderstruck Media LLC,
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without our written permission is prohibited. Distinctly Montana welcomes freelance
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