The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Looking on line, "The Mountaineer" came across a story entitled fifteen places in Montana you must see before you die.

We decided to include the list for our readers to see how many of those places they have actually been to or are planning on seeing.

But, then there is the real list of places that are little known or seen for what they are but they are places in Montana that if you don't want to miss. Don't wait until you are ready to croak. See at least some of them this summer.

But first the first list.

1. Big Horn Canyon National Recreation Area

2. The Missouri River

3. Kerr Dam at Flathead Lake

4. Glacier National Park

5. Virginia City and Nevada City

6. The Berkeley Pit at Butte

7. Giant Springs State Park at Great Falls

8. The Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman

9. The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

10. The Little Bighorn Battlefield

11. The geothermal areas of Yellowstone Park

12. Lolo National Forest

13. Daniels County Museum and Pioneer Town

14. Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park

15. Flathead Lake

Well here is our bucket list for this summer or take a couple or three summers. The best thing about "The Mountaineer" bucket list is that it is guaranteed to keep you alive and happy and curious along the way. Use it often.

Go to Flathead Lake when the cherries are ripe, Pick lots and make them into cobblers, jams, jellies and pies. Then pick huckleberries until you cannot pick any more and do the same with them. Then pick June berries and choke cherries out on the prairie and do the same with them. Then decide which is your very favorite and pick a bunch more of them. Serve them at Christmas and Thanksgiving to guests who will love you forever.

There are three world class views in Glacier/Waterton Park. Plan to visit all of them and capture them for all time with your camera. First go to St Mary Lake and take a picture of Wild Goose Island with the parade of mountains reaching up to the Continental Divide. Then go to Waterton and at the Prince of Wales Hotel take pictures of the Waterton valley looking out of the giant windows framing the scene in that world class hotel.

Then go to Lake McDonald. There you are going to do two things. First capture in your camera that beautiful bank of mountains at the north east end of the lake that becomes the Garden Wall. Perhaps that is the best scene of all to get perfect in Glacier.

But wait, there is more here. Get up before daybreak and on mostly clear mornings, go to the edge of the lake and wait for the sun to come up. Or you can rent a room from the Village Inn and be inside for this spectacle or rent cabin 6 at the Village Lodge to see the same thing. Just before dawn something like a huge fire erupts above the Little Matterhorn and sort of in front of Mount Reynolds, that fire is mimicked in the waters of Lake McDonald. Maybe then all the mountains will turn a rosy glow or maybe the fire will just disappear as dawn erupts in that part of Glacier. That phenomenon is called Alpenglow and is not to be missed. It is best seen on clear days at Lake McDonald.

Don't miss seeing the Jim Kipp Lookout. You head down the highway from Harlem to the D Y Junction. Just before getting to the junction turn toward the river at a clearly marked road called the Power Plant road. Take a left off that road and before long you will come out on a beautiful plateau above Cow Island and the Missouri River and the mouth of Cow Creek is right there too.

Shades of Tavie Kipp, that is one of the most beautiful palaces on the upper Missouri and one of the least known. Don't go when it is wet!

If you go to Butte to visit the Berkley Pit, don't miss visiting the Copper King Mansion, the Chateau, and in Hamilton the Marcus Daly Mansion. In Kalispell there is the Conrad Mansion and don't miss the Bair Mansion around White Sulphur Springs. In fact if you are into glorious houses, take a summer and visit all of them along with a couple more in Billings.

Climb Mount Otis in Beaver Creek Park. There is a great trail to the top built by CCC boys during the 1930's. the views from the top are great in all directions and most of the mountain is on public land. It is one of the few Bear Paw Mountains that is on public land. For an added treat, take the family and the family telescopes to the top and spend a night looking at constellations that appear to be right in front of you. That episode will not be forgotten.

Visit the iris choked cemeteries of Zortman and Landusky. There are a lot of sermons in grave stones there. Then visit boot hill just south of Landusky and see where Pike Landusky is supposed to be buried deeper than anyone else and with a pile of rocks on his grave so he couldn't get out. That man needed a personality makeover.

Hike to Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park. It is an easy hike and best done around mid July when it is like hiking through a giant flower garden all the way. That hike will take your breath away and not from elevation gain.

Visit fall foliage in at least four Island Mountain ranges. Remember in Montana there are the Rockies and other ranges associated with them but on the prairie there are mountain ranges all over the place. On the High Line are the Sweet Grass Hills, Bear Paws, Larb Hills and Little Rockies. In the Judith country there are the Judith's, the Snowies, the Little Belts, the Belt range and the Highwoods. Each has exceptional fall foliage.

Of all places to visit for fall foliage, don't miss when the aspen turn close to Chief Mountain in Glacier National Park. That is not to be missed and is arguably one of the best fall foliage sights in all of Montana.

Adopt a western artist and hang his or her work or reproductions in your house. An easy way to find out about western artists is to visit the Russell show in Great Falls in March. And while you are at it, teach your children about art and artists and you will be giving them something they can probably get nowhere else. Fill your house with art. It is something simple as that that makes all the difference in raising children.