Unit 313

The Crazy Mountains form the dominant feature, with Wilsall Peak and Big Timber Peak as key high-point references. Grasshopper Glacier stands out as a major landmark visible from distance and a navigation anchor for high-country travel. The Hogback ridgeline system runs north-south through the unit, offering glassing opportunities.

West Hogback, East Hogback, and Whitetail Ridge provide relief and travel corridors. Canyon Creek and Big Timber Canyon serve as major drainages for foot access; several reservoirs and lakes (Voldseth, Lucas, Dead Horse Lakes) mark valley water sources.

Terrain spans low river valleys near 4,000 feet to alpine peaks above 11,000 feet, creating extreme elevation change. Lower elevations hold scattered ponderosa and Douglas fir on rolling foothills; mid-elevation drainages push through timbered slopes with increasing spruce-fir. Upper elevations transition to sparse alpine meadows, talus, and rocky summits characteristic of goat habitat.

Grasshopper Glacier and several high basins offer the highest, most exposed country. Vegetation density decreases dramatically with elevation; treeline sits around 9,500 feet.

Fair road access to trailheads via valley bottoms; over 1,300 miles of roads exist but most connect ranch lands and lower terrain. Main access corridors follow drainages: Big Timber Canyon, Canyon Creek, and routes near Wilsall. Interstate 90 corridor on the north provides quick access but funnels hunter pressure to obvious starting points.

The steep, alpine terrain naturally limits access once away from roads—hunters must hike into productive goat country. Private land in valleys creates access pinch points; public land access is via traditional drainages.

Unit 313 straddles Gallatin and Park Counties, bounded north by Interstate 90 and the Yellowstone River, south by Yellowstone National Park, west by the Gallatin-Yellowstone divide, and east by the Yellowstone River drainage. The Crazy Mountains dominate the unit's western half, rising sharply from lower foothills. Towns like Wilsall and Martinsdale provide basic services; most access comes from mountain valleys and scattered ranch roads.

The unit's western boundary edges the park, creating a sharp transition from private valley bottoms to public alpine terrain.

Major streams include Canyon Creek, Lost Creek, Sourdough Creek, and Big Timber Canyon—reliable water sources in lower and mid-elevations but thin at altitude. Several named springs exist (Bear Spring, Spruce Springs, Hunters Hot Springs) but locating water in high alpine basins requires prior knowledge. Reservoirs and ponds dot the lower unit (Voldseth, Lucas, Rock Lake, Martinsdale), useful for staging but not for high-country hunts.

Upper alpine basins hold seasonal snowmelt and occasional tarns. Water scarcity at elevation demands careful planning.

Mountain goat habitat dominates high alpine terrain above 9,500 feet, particularly around Grasshopper Glacier, the Hogback ridgeline system, and cliff faces in the Crazy Mountain core. Success requires multi-day efforts; expect 4,000+ feet of elevation gain from trailheads. Early season (September) offers best access before weather closes high country; goats occupy rocky summits, talus slopes, and cliff edges.

Glassing from high ridges critical—goats often feed in visible basins at dawn/dusk. Water above treeline is scarce; plan camps accordingly. This is physically demanding country requiring fitness, route-finding skills, and comfort on steep terrain.