The Greatest Divide

“Shortly after the turn of the century, a small knot of people stood gathered in a mountain meadow about 12 miles west of Helena. Despite it being a warm fall afternoon they had a large bonfire going and instead of fleece jackets they wore their Sunday best. A light airplane approached from the east as it crossed the Continental Divide and craning their necks they could clearly make out its pilot. The crowd was visibly impressed. One of them, a young woman clothed in her finest Victorian dress and hat, would later remark,“It was the most wonderful sight I’d ever seen.” Her name was Margaret McDonald, and she was my great-grandmother.”

My piece about how the Continental Divide separates—and unites—Montana as it appears in the November/December 2019 issue of Montana Outdoors.
Read the full story here.