Montana Rescue or Survival Stories You Might Not Have Heard Of

Montana is beautiful, but it's also dangerous. To me, that adds to Montana's allure— as long as I never actually encounter any of it up close. 

Of course I don't want anyone to be in danger, but I do love the stories about people who've faced life-threatening situations and lived, either through their own perseverance or through the efforts of rescuers. Here are some Montana rescue or survival stories you might not have heard of:

Guy Shoves Arm into Grizzly Bear's Throat

In 2015 a man in north-west of Choteau managed to survive a mauling by shoving his arm down its throat, which he thought to do because of an article his grandmother sent him about how large animal's have bad gag reflexes, according to The Guardian. I'm certain that's the most badass story I've ever heard.

Skier Survives Avalanche While Filming

In 2017 a skier near Bozeman caught THIS on his GoPro-style camera. He seems to have not been hurt at all, but the video still gave me the sweatiest palms, like, ever.

Woman Uses Pants for Rescue

In 2021 a woman got lost in the Little Belt Mountains on August 13th and was rescued on August 17th. When she saw a helicopter, she waved around her pants as a method of being more visible. Oh, and she was able to get her pants back on before the rescuers landed. Here's an article with more details.

National Guard Rescues Stranded People

During the floods in June of last year the National Guard used helicopters to save 12 people stranded in Roscoe and Cooke City, according to KTVH. A reminder of just how intense Montana's weather can really be.

Man Records Message After Bear Mauling

In 2016 a man survived a brutal grizzly bear attack, and after an about 3 mile walk back to his phone, recorded a bear safety message while still bloody. It got so much attention he was welcomed onto the show Tosh.0, check it out below:

Stay safe, Montanans :)