THREE FORKS — You know the saying: “the sky’s the limit.”
But did you know that’s true right here in Gallatin County, where you can go skydiving?
“Oh man, I wish it’s a feeling that I could describe. It’s really not because it’s not like anything else,” said skydiver Eric Skroch.
WATCH: DZONE Skydiving is reaching new heights in Three Forks
It was a sunny, perfect-for-skydiving day at Three Forks Airport on Saturday. It was also a historical day, as skydiving center DZONE Skydiving officially announced the sale of what they say is the industry’s first-ever skydiving franchise at their 2026 Safety Day.
“I think that really drives home the maturity of our industry and our sport,” said Abbie Mashaal.
Mashaal is the founder of DZONE Skydiving, which has locations in Parma, Idaho, and Three Forks, Montana.
“The vision began, I think, in 2012,” said Mashaal.
Flash forward to 2026, Mashaal decided to turn the Three Forks location into a franchise, after realizing how hard it was to manage so many different things and places.
“I really found that the franchise model is the best of both worlds,” he said. “You have local owners that have a vested interest, they care.”
The owner of the new Three Forks franchise: Eric Skroch, who has been involved with DZONE Skydiving for over a decade.
“That’s kind of the beautiful part of being a franchise; we’ve kind of got our system down. You can expect great customer service and safety,” said Skroch.
As both Skroch and Mashaal explain, they’ve skydived thousands of times.
“Just wanted to check it off my bucket list like everybody else and fell in love, no pun intended,” said Skroch.
“It’s just pure enjoyment with the surroundings and your friends; you’ve got to try it to really understand it,” said Mashaal.
Their shared passion for the sport made it an extra special day both in the sky – where they did a tandem skydive together – and on the ground, where they were pied by their daughters.
