Montana Faces New Threat to Its Wildest Lands

Montana Faces New Threat to Its Wildest Lands

It was early summer in 1992, in the northern Whitefish Range. Four riders were moving slowly along the narrow rocky ridge on Trail #114 to where it joined Trail #19, and eventually up to the top of Tuchuck Mountain. I was told that the name “Tuchuck” in the Kootenai language means “the thumb.” It was a beautiful sunny day with a light westerly breeze. Wildflowers were in full view everywhere. Some of the open subalpine slopes looked as if they w…