During a cold January in 2018, I made my way to Montana for the first time to meet friends for a ski trip. This began my obsession and love affair with Montana.

The one word I constantly go back to when thinking about Montana is “raw”. It’s by far the wildest and most untouched landscape that I’ve have experienced in the US. It’s a country where at times I’ve felt like an intruder out in the wilderness. To call Montana home you have to know how to take care of yourself, and that’s what got me hooked.

In Montana, mountains rise up from flatlands into the clouds and capture your imagination. Every time I think about this trip I remember these snow covered mountains, the endless big blue sky, the strong wind whistling through the terrain and our group of friends enjoying the chance to hike and ski together. For a few days, it seemed like we had Montana all to ourselves.

To me, Big Sky smells of clean cold water, crisp dry grass and open fires. It encompasses the rich history of ranching across Montana and its expansive landscape of lakes, glaciers and grasslands.