Author Pat Munday once referred to the Big Hole River as “Montana’s Last Best River.” The multitudes who cherish the Big Hole, be they ranchers, anglers, photographers or outfitters, would likely agree with Munday’s assessment.

They would probably concur also that the river is in peril – facing threats from climate change, prolonged drought, irrigation withdrawals, pollution from nutrients, being loved to death by recreationists, development and more. The summer of 2021 posed grim challenges. Current conditions suggest 2022 might buckle the knees of anyone who cares about the Big Hole River.