Naturalist looking for that pristine off grid mountain location.. please help (Hamilton: sale, buy)

[rambrush]

Plus they need to take in consideration that most remote areas are not year around access. I would think my place is buried in several feet of snow currently. generally no access until June.

[grizzfan]

PerduePro asks:

Grizz, I was a little confused about the area that you mentioned. Is there a town named Northwest? Or are you saying to travel north/northwest in the area? Thanks

I was giving travel directions. If you have some topo maps of the area look for the Slough Creek drainage into the northern part of Yellowstone National Park. That is in the middle of the Hellroaring Primitive Area. My directions are probably a bit off as HPA is more west than north of the Cooke City area. Anyhow that whole area is pretty devoid of humans any direction you choose to go.

One word of caution. The Montana wilderness is pretty unforgiving particularly in winter. Make sure you are up to it mentally, physically and with enough basic provisions to survive. A very sad story this winter of a couple from Oklahoma who decided to camp out over the winter in a cabin some miles north of Drummond as I recall the story. They even had firewood. The woman froze to death and the man was near death when he was found. Apparently they lacked the three necessities I highlighted. Your urban survival skills from the eastcoast will be of absolutely no value here.

Good luck. Plan and pack well.

[seven of nine]

Yes the cold here is intense, beyond anything I have ever experienced in Europe or during a visit to Alaska a few years back in the month of December. I think it must have something to do with the wind. Over here we can get an easy combo of wind and cold and wind up with -40. I think we hear your wants and desires, maybe you would want to ease into this type of situation. Maybe spend the warmer months camped out until you asses the situation. I visited several times in different seasons and yet the first winter was rough, and I live in "town" Good Luck.

[PerduePro]

Maybe I shouldn't have said completely self sufficient. We will be living off grid and will be using solar and wind energy. We will also be burning wood for heat and hot water via a broiler type system. It's funny that you mentioned a vegetable garden, we will also be building a green house, to supplement our food supply. Anyway, I'm sure you get the idea. We're just getting back to basics as much as possible.

As far as access to certain areas, I guess that's where snowmobiles and off road vehicles come into play.

Thanks for all of the advice, trust me, we don't take moving out to Montana as a piece of cake. We are very aware of all of the mentioned circumstances.

[balljoint_]

Go up in the Yak. NW of Libby. But be careful, even Montanans think that place is weird.lol

If being in Montana is comparable to jail (or anything else) that place is solitary confinement.



I have always wanted to go around Cooke City. I hear there is a beautiful highway.

[Interpol76]

Look into the mountains above Corvallis or Hamilton.

[seven of nine]

Originally Posted by rambrush

Plus they need to take in consideration that most remote areas are not year around access. I would think my place is buried in several feet of snow currently. generally no access until June.

Hey BTW do you have any photos of Anaconda? I would like to see it. Thanks, 7/9

[rambrush]

Originally Posted by seven of nine

Hey BTW do you have any photos of Anaconda? I would like to see it. Thanks, 7/9

This pic is up on our property looking North East towards our lady of the Rockies in Butte. The ranch below is owned by Ingersol Rand and it sits in the Mill Creek area along Mill Creek.
More pics when I get home tonight.

[PerduePro]

I just wanted to add that the people of Montana are incredible lucky to live in such a beautiful place. I can totally understand how " outsiders " can change the landscape and community. There are some people that respect the environment and it's people. We want to blend in with your state, not alter it. We're just old fashioned country souls, stuck in the urban areas of the U.S.

You're very blessed.

Thanks for all of the great input.

[rickers]

Originally Posted by Interpol76

Look into the mountains above Corvallis or Hamilton.

If you are talking about the Bitterroot range then take a real good look at them. First off it all National Forest land and straight up and down. There is no way these folks can get away with living there.
Now take a good look at the mountains on the east side of the valley. The Sapphire range is also federal property in the Bitterroot National forest and Lolo national forest. You wont get away with squatting on federal land in Montana. What is left ? The valley, that is mostly private property, very expensive, and developing very quickly. I think The OP chose the wrong state. Try Alaska or plunk down tons of money for a private hunk of wilderness like property. Huey Lewis's old hot spring resort (Sleeping Child) near Sula is for sale. I think they want like four million for it. If someone tries to squat on state or federal lands they will get busted so quick. Even the private property way up in the Yak is very expensive and surrounded by public lands. There is only so much land that is livable and for sale and it's all very pricey. The rest is unlivable and/or government owned. Come to Montana to "live off the land" and bring tons of money to make it happen or homestead (squat) on public land and end up either in jail or being told to move on and don't come back. There is one more option that is doable, buy a mining claim property. You can find them in the mountains, they have seasonal access and are not very expensive. You will be snowed in for the majority of the year as even snowmobiles get bogged down in deep soft snow and on these claims very often the water source is contaminated. You can always just live in a small town and forget the Grizzly Adams Idea, visit the mountains in the summer and be comfortable in the winter.