The Custer Gallatin National Forest has recently approved a contentious land exchange that encompasses over 15 square miles in two mountain ranges of south-central Montana.
As a result of this decision, consultants appointed by the Yellowstone Club can proceed with the transfer of property titles, with the Forest Service estimating that the process will be finalized shortly.
The agreement entails the Forest Service relinquishing 3,855 acres to private landholders in the Crazy Mountains and Gallatin Range. In return, a total of 6,110 acres of private land will transition into public ownership, under the management of the Forest Service.
Matthew Jedra, the current Forest Supervisor, has taken on this proposal, which was previously managed by Mary Erickson until her retirement after 16 years. In a letter detailing the decision, Jedra acknowledged the project’s complexity and the controversy it has stirred, receiving over 1,000 comments during a public input period in 2022.
Since a preliminary environmental assessment was released, some amendments to the original deal have occurred. These include the introduction of conservation easements and deed restrictions, which aim to protect most parcels being transferred out of federal ownership. Additionally, there are new terms concerning a “right of first refusal” over certain properties.
A significant alteration in the agreement is the Forest Service’s acquisition of a one-square-mile area that borders the southern end of the Crazy Mountains, including Smeller Lake. This particular parcel is valued at upwards of $1 million and is currently owned by Crazy Mountain Ranch, which was previously under the ownership of the tobacco company Altria. In 2021, a developer linked to the Yellowstone Club purchased the ranch, known locally as Marlboro Ranch.
The transaction involves multiple stakeholders, including five landowners from the Crazy Mountains and one from Madison County, as well as the Yellowstone Club, which operates as a luxury ski resort that has long sought to access Eglise Peak in order to widen its expert ski terrain offerings. Along with land exchanges, the deal encompasses provisions related to trails, trailheads, conservation easements, and mineral rights.
The Forest Service’s decision to approve the land swap has elicited mixed reactions from various groups within the conservation and recreation sectors. Some praised the addition of conservation easements and deed restrictions designed to curtail residential and industrial development. Conversely, others expressed disappointment, arguing that the transfer of lower-elevation lands to private hands could make them susceptible to development and displace the public from more favorable, accessible areas of the mountain range.
Members of the Crazy Mountain Access Project, a group established by the Yellowstone Club five years ago to promote the land swap, expressed satisfaction with the Forest Service’s decision. They view it as a well-considered compromise that aims to resolve longstanding access disputes stemming from a checkerboard pattern of land ownership that complicates public access to historical Forest Service trails.
Maddy Munson, Wild Montana’s federal policy director, acknowledged some of the development limitations introduced but remains wary about the lack of adequate long-term protections surrounding the consolidation of land in the mountain range.
John Sullivan from the Montana chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers shared a more critical perspective, expressing his disappointment with what he perceives as the Forest Service yielding to wealthy interests eager to restrict public access. Sullivan attributed the process leading to this decision to external pressures, including influence from U.S. Senator Steve Daines.
Despite differing opinions, supporters like Lorents Grosfield from the Crazy Mountain Access Project highlighted the collaboration process, noting the compromise that had to be made to increase public access and accommodate private property rights.
Erica Lighthiser, another project member and co-director of the Park County Environmental Council, remarked that while the exchange does not fully address all conservation concerns, it represents significant progress in conservation efforts.
A representative from the Yellowstone Club, Mike DuCuennois, stated that the exchange signifies a substantial advancement toward securing permanent public access and consolidating public lands within the Crazy Mountains, referencing a smaller 2021 land swap.
As stated on a dedicated Forest Service webpage, the agency plans to move forward with the implementation of this land swap next month.
