Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-12-14

The Crazy mountains forest reserv;
takes its name from the mountain
range in the south central part of the
state which it covers. The mountains
are named from their rugged contours
and peculiar profiles. They rise to q
height of 11,17S feet above sea level
and to 5000 feet above the surround
ing foothills. Their heavy snowfall /.
of the utmost Importance to three
river systems-the Yellowstone. the
MusSelshell and the Missouri, through
SlXteen-Mile creek. The reserve lies
about midway between the Little Belt
forst rserve to the north and the Alb
saroka division Of the Yellowstone for.
est reserve to the SOUTH The Mon.
tana railroad is about 10 miles north
and the Northern Pacific is about Is
miles south of the new reserve
geographically, the Crazy noun.
talns may be divided into two Sec
tons, OF which the southern is, with
out doubt, the toughest in the state.
Here the streams, inclosed in deep
canyons, take their rise in the melt.
ing snow of high peaks of slide rock.
The northern part is less forbiddins,
the ridges quite generally being COW
cred with grass. The mountains have
quite different climatic record from
the surrounding lowlands. Fresh snow
has been seen on the Crests of the
Crazy mountains in August. From DC.
tober to June there may be snow at
any time. Snow drifts at the heads
of some of the larger creeks. when
seen in mr1-July, show no signs OF
ever being completely melted. Rock
creek has even small glacier at it's
mead. Snow lies at depth of from
) to feet in winter, and travel is
then possible only on skees. In July
and August there are frequent thun
der showers among the peaks.
The forest is typical of the lodge
pole pine forest of the Rockies, and
that species grows in pure stand ov
er three-tenths of the timbered area
Red fir covers two-tenths in pure
stand, and the remaining five-tenths
is mixture of the two species, with
the lOigepole pine predominating. In
scattered growth there is some lum
Der pine. balsam fir, juniper, Engel
mann spruce and the usual cotton,
wood and willow in the creek bot
toms. OF the two main types, the
lodgepole pine will average about 4,
''V ASrt, Dooiu luCdSuic, " Tie dCIt
the red fir 5000 feet. numbering op
erations are carried on on the reserve
by six mills. Since only the larger
trees are taken. numbering would be
beneficial if fires did not almost in.
variably follow. Timber is used for
ties. fuel and ranch buildings. The
greatest importance of the forest, con.
sequently. is as protective cover to
conserve the heavy snowfall and rain
fall, since the Crazy mountains form
a natural water supply area for a
growing and prosperous farming in the
foothill region around them.
Within the limits of the reserve
sheep grazing is the most important
industry. About 100000 sheep are
ranged there, and some 1900 goats
There are possibly 5000 cattle and
horses on the reserve. AS a whole,
the Crazy mountains forest reserve is
intended to serve five principal uses
1t Will maintain a natural reservoir
for the surrounding country, which
belongs to the important type of sub
irrigated land; will preserve several
excellent water power sites: will pre-.
vent numbering waste and insure a
permanency TO the lumber supply;
will eQuitably settle the grazing prob
lem, and will prevent fires. The to-
tai area is 234.76O acres.
The kootenai Reserve.
The KOotenai forest reserve, in the