Page 7 - Beartooth Mountains News Today

Avalanche safety specialists say their job has become more difficult in recent years as climate change brings extreme weather and surging numbers of skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers visit backcountry areas since the pandemic.

As Wesley Mlaskoch motored his snowmobile across a mountain in the Montana backcountry, the slope above him collapsed into a thick slab and began rushing down the hillside.

“Weve seen it happen over and over again,” Stewart said. “These elk have been figuring this stuff out for several thousand years. I guess practice makes perfect.”

Elk populations have blossomed south of Red Lodge in the wake of a devastating 2021 wildfire that swept across 30,000 acres between the community and the Wyoming state line.

“Weve seen it happen over and over again,” Stewart said. “These elk have been figuring this stuff out for several thousand years. I guess practice makes perfect.”

The Forum's newest editor Anna Paige reflects on the impacts of housing prices, population surges, and the ways land (and how we talk about land) shapes our lives and our choices.

Unfortunately for the four horsepackers, their 260-mile trip into Yellowstone National Park started with a setback.

A group of backcountry horsemen and women took a 26-day, 240-mile trip through Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 2023.

A group of backcountry horsemen and women took a 26-day, 240-mile trip through Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 2023.

A group of backcountry horsemen and women took a 26-day, 240-mile trip through Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 2023.