Montana

Book excerpt: MONTANA: SKIING THE LAST BEST PLACEPhotographs by Craig W. HergertStories by Brian HurlbutForeword by Warren MillerFrom big-mountain resorts to small town ski hills only open a few days a week, Montana is the last frontier for skiing in the West. It's a place where farmers and ranchers share the slopes with snowboarders and twin-tip skiers, a place where snow lovers can still experience skiing at a mountain not yet contaminated by the sport's increasingly commercial atmosphere. Vintage chairlifts and A-frame lodges are as much a part of Montana's skiing landscape as high-speed quads and glitzy resorts, yet they seamlessly blend together and coexist to create a winter experience like no other: Wide-open spaces, expansive mountain vistas, dry, light powder, friendly locals and a laid-back feel.This is what skiing in Montana is like, as seen through the camera lens of award-winning photographer Craig W. Hergert in this breathtaking new volume. Compiled over many years and thousands of miles, "Montana: Skiing the Last Best Place" highlights all of the state's seventeen ski areas in stunning photographs that brilliantly depict the lifestyle, atmosphere and charm of winter in the Treasure State. Combined with stories about each mountain, these timeless photos capture the people and places that make Montana a special place to ski, creating a one-of-a-kind book that uniquely and beautifully chronicles Montana's skiing culture. For skiing, Montana truly is the Last Best Place, recorded here in photographs, no doubt to be treasured for years to come.