The Snowcrest Range, el. , is a small
mountain range
A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...
southeast of
Dillon, Montana
Dillon is a city in and the county seat of Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,880 at the 2020 census. The city was named for Sidney Dillon (1812–1892), president of Union Pacific Railroad.
History
Dillon was fo ...
in
Madison County, Montana. The Snowcrest and adjacent
Gravelly Range
The Gravelly Range, highest peak Black Butte, el. , is a mountain range southwest of Cameron, Montana in Madison County, Montana.
About 310,000 acres total are roadless, separated by roads into nine units, the largest of which is 66,000 acres i ...
is one of Montana's most popular hunting grounds.
The two mountain ranges are home to nearly 10,000 elk and a growing population of
grizzly bears
The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America.
In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horri ...
.
[
The Snowcrest Range is extremely wild, with about 166,000 acres of roadless country, including 97,000 acres of roadless National Forest, as well as adjacent private and state lands.]Aspen
Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section ''Populus'', of the ''Populus'' genus.
Species
These species are called aspens:
*'' Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China ...
, spruce, and fir to alpine summits . . . is is high, dry, east-slope country, and the rich habitat mosaic is superb for Elk
The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...
, Bighorn
The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns might weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspec ...
, Moose
The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult mal ...
, Mule Deer, Red Tailed Hawk
The red-tailed hawk (''Buteo jamaicensis'') is a bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America, from the interior of Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West Indies. It is one of the most common members with ...
, Swainson's Hawk and Golden Eagle
The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of p ...
."[ The Snowcrest Range receives very little use outside of hunting season.][
Sunset Peak, el. 10,581, is the highest point in the Snowcrest Range.][ (Although Wolke lists Sunset's elevation at 10,573]
Peakbagger.com
lists its elevation as 10,581).
See also
* List of mountain ranges in Montana
Notes
{{reflist
Mountain ranges of Montana
Landforms of Madison County, Montana