An isolated island range rises sharply from the plains, rewarding scramblers with airy summits. There are few better places on the continent to test yourself outside than the northern Rockies.

The Crazies stand alone east of the main Rocky Mountain chain.

What sets it apart

Crazy Peak tops the range at roughly 11,214 feet. It is the kind of specific that turns a passing curiosity into a lasting fascination.

Much of the range is a checkerboard of public and private land.

Why it matters

Taken together, these threads say something about Montana itself — a state where the wild and the worked-over sit close together. Go prepared, respect the conditions, and Montana's backcountry will give back in kind.