Back in the mid 1980's, me and a girlfriend at the time were working at Big Sky Ski resort. We were heading to Bozeman through the Canyon for a few days off.
Well it's a winding road and in the Winter time in the early and late hours when the temps drop, there are patches of black ice at every shady spot of the road.
We missed going into the Gallatin river as we went around a shady bend with black ice on the road. As I came around the bend the river was directly in front of us. I thank God to this day that the sun was shinning on the road at the very place I needed it or we would be dead.
I was able to get control of the vehicle just in the nick of time. You go off into the river at this time of the year and your chances of survival are pretty much 0% when it's raging at times in the Winter and Spring winter runoff. Especially along the part that nears the beginning of the Canyon near Gallatin Gateway where my ancestors settled.
While living in Bozeman, I lost count of the number of fatalities in the canton during the Winter Months.
The Gallatin river offers some of the best fly fishing in the country. My Grandparents and Great Grandparents both owned property on the banks of the Gallatin. Imagine waking up and fly fishing for lunch and dinner in your own back yard.
This is the back area of his property where the path leads to the Gallatin river.
This is the Gallatin river as you get past the growth near the banks behind granpa's old home. It's about 150 feet from his back door.
