Rockin' Donahue

Mountain Sky sits as nothing more than an opening in an over forested gully cutting its way through the Gallatin Mountains. At least this is the image it portrays at first glance. Especially when perched high above on a rock outcropping peering a thousand feet down. This is the image that emblazons me as I look out from Donahue Rock. The ranch sits in a small opening off to my right far below. While straight down below me the sound of Big Creek rushing by still manages to make itself heard even on the mountain top. The bridge that spans Cliff Creek seems like little more than a high school physics project constructed of toothpicks.

The hike to get here has been well worth the burning sensation that now encompasses my entire body. My legs ache and flame up through my thighs and quads. My chest heaves as I struggle for air in the thin altitude. My breath comes in gasps as I struggle to take in a full breath. Which continually is harder to accomplish as every turn of my head I can do nothing but utter "my god" at the beautiful spectacle that lies before me. I attempt to take it all in but my line of sight is just to narrow to fully appreciate such an awestriking expanse as the one that lies before me. I stand high above the Big Creek Drainage system as it meanders its way to the Yellowstone River off in the distance. The hike itself was borderline crazy, just as the name of the trail would suggest. Crazy Horse as it has been dubbed, not my the likes of the National Forest Service but rather through the numerous hikers that have wandered through the doors of Mountain Sky.




The trail ascends up a drainage gully that shows its true use as a horse trail than as a path for hikers, partly because no person in their right mind would hike such a steep grade for a mid-afternoon jaunt. Thankfully I have never been in my right mind. I prefer the left. There is no break in the grade the entire way up the gully or when you make the first right hand switchback that brings you to a small mountain meadow dotted with wildflowers and surrounded on three sides with happy trees as if they were painted from the hand of Bob Ross himself. At this point the trail levels out for a short time until you reach the forested edge where it continues its upward climb to Donahue Rock. The trail continues as steep as the mountain will allow, stopping only to switch back as to work it's way around the mass amount of fallen Ponderosa pines that clutter the forest floor, each one lying criss-crossed over the next adding texture to the huge pines that still tower above them. I consider myself to be in pretty amicable shape, however, this trail is no laughing matter. Three-quarters of the way up I was forced to stop and sit, my breathing labored intensely and my vision began to blur and and go white along the outside as my body struggled for the necessary oxygen to continue it's trek. I caught my breath and continued on all the while seeing my destination in front of me as I meandered back and forth through the forest.

I climbed out sat on the edge and felt blessed for the opportunity to take in the spectacle that lay before me. How many others have felt the same? How many have climbed to this spot and felt the exhilaration of the mountain peaks and the cool wind? Blackfeet and Crow, Stampeder and Prospector, Hiker and tourist all have stepped through this point and the appreciation for this place will continue on for generations to come as it has for the generations that have passed.