BIG TIMBER - In the shadows of the jagged peaks of the Crazy Mountains, Brad Wilson’s voice carries the weight of generations.
“The Crazy Mountains, you know… they are very sacred to many of us.”
Watch two perspectives on the future of the Crazies:
Wilson isn’t just any Montanan. He’s a fifth-generation resident, founder of Friends of the Crazy Mountains, and a man with deep roots in these rugged lands.
In this first part of our series on the East Crazy Mountain Land Exchange, we’re hearing from the voices at the center of this complicated debate. The proposed deal has sparked deep divisions over questions of public access, private property rights, and the future of the Crazy Mountain range itself. Through these stories, we aim to give you a fuller picture of the stakes and the passions surrounding the Crazies.
Wilson's grandfather once packed sheep for the Smith Brothers, worked for loggers and, as Wilson laughs, “ran moonshine on those trails.”
“I grew up here when I was a little kid,” he said. “Basically, I am born and raised here, Montanan… five generations.”
But Wilson's laughter quickly fades into concern. What he sees happening to the Crazy Mountains alarms him. For years, he’s watched access shrink, and trails disappear behind locked gates.
And now, with a major new land exchange finalized in January 2025, he fears what comes next.
The Land Deal That Changed Everything
The Crazy Mountain Land Exchange is one of the most complex—and controversial—land swaps in recent Montana history.
On paper, the deal brings benefits: 10 Forest Service parcels were traded for 11 private ones, unlocking more than 2,200 acres of public land near the Crazy Mountains and Madison Range.
It also consolidates 30 miles of public land into a continuous block and paves the way for a new 40-mile looped trail system.
One of the key drivers of the deal is the Yellowstone Club, a private luxury resort in Big Sky known for its billionaire members and long track record of public land trades.
In a statement, Mike DuCuennois, a representative of the club, said the exchange is the result of years of federal review and collaboration with multiple Montana stakeholders, including the U.S. Forest Service.
“It is an honor to be one of the numerous Montana stakeholders working with the U.S. Forest Service on the East Crazy Inspiration Divide land exchange,” DuCuennois said. “This agreement will unlock currently inaccessible checkerboarded public lands, consolidate 30 miles of public land into one contiguous block, and create a new 40-mile looped trail.”
The Forest Service echoed that sentiment, calling the exchange a win for recreation access, limited development, and protection of culturally significant Crow Nation sites.
A History of Controversy
The Crazy Mountains have long been a flashpoint for clashes among the Crow Tribe, the U.S. Forest Service, railroads and family ranchers.
And the Yellowstone Club’s role only adds to the tension.
In the 1990s, founder Tim Blixseth used Forest Service exchanges to gain over 100,000 acres near Big Sky.
By 2015, the Yellowstone Club was back in the spotlight seeking more swaps that would eventually draw public scrutiny to the Crazy Mountains.
Then, in 2021, Yellowstone Club’s parent company, CrossHarbor Capital, made a surprise move, purchasing Crazy Mountain Ranch near Clyde Park on the west side of the range, further expanding its private footprint in the area.
Concerns of Development and Access
While supporters praise the land swap as a win for public access, some opponents argue the on-the-ground impact raises concerns.
“It’s our rich man’s playground now,” Wilson says. “We aren’t even allowed to hunt here anymore. It’s getting tougher and tougher.”
He worries the land exchange is a prelude to Big Sky-style development creeping east.
“You hear these folks say they won’t develop it, come on. They develop everything they touch," he said.
What’s more, Wilson points to historic trails that once appeared on Forest Service maps but are now excluded from the exchange. That includes Sweet Grass Trail, a key access point for generations.
“We’re losing the Sweet Grass access point, which is critical,” he said. “The new trail they’re proposing, it’s for mountain biking. I’ll say it publicly— it’s engineered for that.”
Signs of Change
Wilson says since the Yellowstone Club purchased Crazy Mountain Ranch, the writing’s been on the wall.
“We were told they had no interest in development. Really? Then why are there new buildings, new lodges, and talk of an airstrip?” he asked. “You’re telling me they’re not going to develop this?”
Even the signage has changed.
“It used to say, ‘No Trespassing.’ Now it says you’re under surveillance.”
For him and others, it’s about more than land.
It’s about legacy.
“We have the deepest concern for keeping our public lands public, and our trails open,” he said. “We’re losing pieces every day. Even as we’re talking, someone rich is throwing up a gate.”
A Fight for the Future
Wilson’s stories are filled with hikes, bear encounters with his kids, a mountain goat that once stuck its head in their tent. But it’s the stories he fears future generations may never get to experience.
“How are we going to slow it down a little and not take rights away?” he said. “I hate to even say that, but we’ve got to do something.”
As the Crazy Mountains loom behind him, their snow-dusted ridges cutting into the sky, Wilson remains committed to his cause.
“The stories I could tell you… the memories out here.”
Editor’s note: This story is part one of our Crazy Mountain Land Exchange series. Next, we’ll feature Mary Erickson, the longtime U.S. Forest Service supervisor who championed the deal before retiring, offering a look at the effort to expand and protect public access.
