Distinctly Montana Magazine

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 • S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 70 I N RECENT YEARS, MARQUEE DESTINATIONS IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES have experienced an unprecedent- ed surge in visitation, particularly during peak operation- al season. Glacier National Park, for example, tallied almost 3.1 million visitors in 2021, the second-most in park history, which included a record-shattering total of 710,661 for Sep- tember. Similar patterns were observed in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, which established all-time, sin- gle-month records in July 2021, with approximately 1.08 mil- lion and 829,000 visitors, respectively. Consequently, information on off-the-beaten-path des- tinations has never been more valuable, especially to soli- tude-seeking travelers. Fortunately, the Crazy Mountains of south-central Montana offer an excellent alternative, one that rivals the extraordinary vertical relief and symmetrical profile of the iconic Tetons. In both areas, surrounding to- pography produces lines of sight that span virtually the en- tire length of their ranges. Indeed, motorists who regularly traverse the I-90 corridor from Billings to Bozeman are privy to perhaps the most breathtaking view visible from an inter- state anywhere in the country. On the westbound approach to Big Timber, the broad-shouldered Crazies rise, without foothills, almost 7,000 feet above the valley floor and, for a short distance, loom directly in front of oncoming traffic. Encompassing an area roughly 30 by 15 miles in size, the Crazies are Montana's most impressive island range. With 23 summits that exceed 10,000 feet in elevation, the highest of which is Crazy Peak (11,214 feet), the Crazies also are Montana's third-highest mountain range. Unfortunately, they comprise the state's most spectacular assemblage of peaks that is not federally protected by wilderness designa- tion, due to the region's patchwork quilt of private/public land ownership. For visitors who prefer to limit their excursions to paved roads, a loop route that follows portions of U.S. Highways 191, 12, 89, and Interstate 90 provides the perfect itinerary for a leisurely day tour and superb views of the Crazies from all directions. Beginning at Big Timber, take US-191 north for 44 miles to Harlowton and, from there, US-12 west for 59 miles to White Sulphur Springs. Then follow US-89 south for 67 miles to its junction with I-90, and the freeway for 27 miles back to Big Timber. The The Mountains Mountains Crazy Crazy article by DOUGLAS A. SCHMITTOU • photos by ROBERT SCHMITTOU MONTANA'S LESS-HERALDED ALTERNATIVE TO THE TETONS

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