The majestic Scapegoat Mountain Range in the Rocky Mountains of Montana looms over the Lewis and Clark National Forest in the Scapegoat Wilderness within the Sun River Game Preserve.
This area is full of wildlife including wolverine, deer, elk, moose, grizzly bear, black bear, mountain goat, mountain sheep and mountain lion.
This was shot in early November when the air is cool with the storm rolling in but the groundwater is still warm creating morning mist rising from the small mountainside creeks that feed into Hoadley Creek.
I was skedaddling out as fast as I could eastbound to beat a rapidly moving storm from closing in and trapping me in the area. Flying through this rugged wilderness requires great attention to weather conditions.
I am flying directly over Grizzly Basin and in the middle of the image is Deadman Hill. The ridgeline along the right side of the photo is Hoadley Reef and Scarlet Mountain, part of the Lewis and Clark Range.
This ridge also runs along the Continental Divide and marks the boundary between the Lewis and Clark National Forest and the Flathead National Forest. These Massive limestone cliffs that dominate the Scapegoat Wilderness are an extension of the Bob Marshall's Chinese Wall.
The Bob Marshall / Scapegoat wilderness complex is the only place outside national parks in the lower 48 states that supports a population of grizzly bears. This region was inhabited by various cultures of First Nations Peoples for a period of at least 8,000-10,000 years.
The First Nations Blackfeet Nation used this area for hunting and gathering and traveled extensively along the creeks of the Continental Divide.
From "Where Eagles Fly - The American Wilderness Expedition" my personal project of exploration in the North American Wilderness.
I am on a mission to raise awareness of our Iconic Natural Heritage Treasures of North America.
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Yehaw!