Gallatin Canyon

From the acclaimed author of Ninety-two in the Shade and Cloudbursts—the stories of Gallatin Canyon are rich in the wit, compassion, and matchless language for which Thomas McGuane is celebrated. Set mostly in famed Big Sky Country, McGuane brings us an "astonishing" (The New York Times Book Review) collection in which place exerts the power of destiny. A boy makes a surprising discovery skating at night on Lake Michigan; an Irish clan in Massachusetts gather around their dying matriarch; a battered survivor of the glory days of Key West washes up on other shores. Several of the stories unfold in Big Sky country: a father tries to buy his adult son’s way out of virginity; a convict turns cowhand on a ranch; a couple makes a fateful drive through a perilous gorge. McGuane's people are seekers, beguiled by the land's beauty and myth, compelled by the fantasy of what a locale can offer, forced to reconcile dream and truth.

The Gallatin Way, a picturesque route heading south through the canyon to the west gate of Yellowstone, boasts a history covering more than a century of exploration, homesteading and development. Early pioneers and adventurers endured a rugged and unforgiving terrain where today's travelers speed along a modern highway. One might expect to see dramatic shifts, yet little change is evident in some areas, while others teem with contemporary luxuries. Pairing historic and modern photography of the same locations, Duncan T. Patten retraces the marvel of this iconic thoroughfare.

Montana’s rivers hold a wealth of riches, and Paddling Montana, fully updated and revised, features over thirty river trips for avid paddlers, floaters, and anglers. History buffs can follow the routes of Lewis and Clark along the Missouri, the Jefferson, the Beaverhead, and the Bitterroot. Whitewater enthusiasts can head for the Gallatin or the Madison’s Beartrap Canyon. Look inside to find: Full-color photos GPS coordinates Detailed river descriptions Maps showing access points and river miles Level of difficulty, optimal flows, rapids, and other hazards Who to call for up-to-the minute information on floating conditions A brief overview of Lewis and Clark’s historic paddle through Montana