Crown Of The Continent: The Last Great Wilderness of the Rocky Mountains

Ralph Waldt (Riverbend Publishing / $29.95)

Wondering what you missed on that hike in the Rockies? Probably more than you imagine, as demonstrated by naturalist Ralph Waldt’s expertly guided tour through the 10-million-acre expanse known as the Crown of the Continent.

Replete with anecdotes and instruction on approaching elk in the open, Waldt suggests pretending “your whole universe is complete without a single elk in it”—the book draws on more than 30 years of journals, notes and hiking experiences, including Waldt’s time as a naturalist at The Nature Conservancy’s Pine Butte Guest Ranch in Choteau, Montana.

With the air of a trusty companion, Waldt spins grizzly tales, interprets scat and reawakens a sense of awe for this wild corner of North America.

— Danielle Furlich

Learn more about Crown of the Continent by Ralph Waldt:

• Book: Crown of the Continent
  For thirty years naturalist Ralph Waldt dedicated himself to exploring the wildlife and natural features of the 10-million-acre Crown of the Continent region. Now he has put his observations of the natural world into his first book.
• Places We Protect in Montana: Crown Of The Continent
  Home to some of the most intact wildland on the continent, this region contains almost all of the wild creatures that the native peoples, including the Blackfeet Indians, encountered on their forays into the Backbone of the World.
• Where We Work: The Nature Conservancy in Montana
  The Nature Conservancy has worked with Montana landowners and communities since 1979 to conserve almost 500,000 acres of important ranchland and wildlife habitat.