40
D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E
•
S U M M E R 2 0 2 5
TESTING HIS LEGS IN EASTERN MONTANA
Costanza says while he saw a black bear and marmots in Gla-
cier, along with elk, mountain goats, and moose farther south on
the CDT, he was equally impressed with the birds,
including the numerous eagles and osprey near Fort Benton.
And by the time he walked past Slippery Ann Wildlife Viewing
Area during the height of the elk rut, the bulls were bugling their
warning to challengers as they kept their harem within sight.
Eastern Montana is notorious for its lack of water, especially
during the latter part of the summer into the fall, and when you
do find it, it's very alkaline. It's not out of the question to be hap-
py to see a cow trough as a water source.
"Due to the time of year, I was pretty lucky to meet many hunt-
ers on this walk for at least the first half. I just kept asking anyone
I came across for fresh water," he says, and nearly everyone was
happy to oblige.