Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • FA L L 2 0 2 5 10 COVER PHOTO BOWMAN LAKE GLACIER NATIONAL PARK CHANCE JACKSON is a lifestyle photographer raised in Columbia Falls, Montana. Growing up with Glacier National Park as his backyard inspired him to pick up a camera and capture what it feels like to be out there. He create for the escape, to inspire others to slow down, explore, and feel. THE OLD BROKE RANCHER PAGE 18 GARY SHELTON was born in Lewistown in 1951 and has been a rancher, a railroader, a biker, a teacher, a hippie, and a cow- boy. Now he's trying his hand at writing in the earnest hope that he'll make enough at it to make a down payment on an RV. Hell, scratch that. Enough to buy the whole RV. FULL STEAM AHEAD PAGE 46 JUSTIN FRANZ is a writer, photographer, and magazine editor. He is originally from Maine, graduated from the University of Mon- tana's School of Journalism in 2011, and spent nine years as a newspaper reporter. Today, he is the associate editor of Railfan & Railroad and Railroad Model Craftsman magazines. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Washington Post, New York Times, Seattle Times, Atlas Obscura, Trains, Railroad Heritage, and the Montana Free Press. He is also the co-host and co-producer of Project 7, a true-crime podcast about the life and disappear- ance of Montana militia leader David Burgert. He lives in the Flathead Valley with his wife, Ashley, and their son, Franklin. SANANANDA: MONTANA'S 163RD INFANTRY IN THE JUNGLE HELL OF NEW GUINEA PAGE 52 JOHN DRISCOLL has a podcast, Electric Bison, along with Randy LeCocq co-writer of The Battle of the Bulge, A Montana Perspec- tive. He's devoted most of his 79 years, except for time spent in the army and graduate school, exploring Montana and Montana's history. A former U.S. Forest Service Smokejumper and Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives, he holds advanced de- grees from Columbia University's School of International Affairs, Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, University of Montana's Graduate School of Business and the U.S. Army War College. He's a former Montana Public Service Commissioner, advisor to the Elec- tric Power Research Institute and now a retired Colonel of the Montana Army National Guard. His last military assignment was working several years on the Joint Staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He currently resides in Helena, Montana, and has also written The Storm of a Lifetime, A Report to U.S. Catholic Bishops, The Guns They Hear Me, and Gonzo Road Show Diary. THE DEER HUNTER'S LAST STAND PAGE 61 Fourth-generation Montanan RUSSELL ROWLAND is a critical- ly-acclaimed author of six books, a teacher, and a radio and pod- cast host. From the written to the spoken word, he is a true voice of the Big Sky Country. CONTRIBUTORS CONTRIBUTORS CONTRIBUTORS OUR 2025 o f BEST M O N TA N A A S V O T E D B Y R E A D E R S O F BE S T BILLI A RD & G A ME SUPPLY IN MON TA N A OPEN TUESDAY - SUNDAY 7 am - 3 pm 406.579.3454 600 North Wallace Avenue Bozeman, Montana www.wildcrumb.com BEST BAKERY IN MONTANA 2025 o f BEST M O N TA N A A S V O T E D B Y R E A D E R S O F

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