1. Welcome to Mann Gulch

Above: This photo shows the slope where the tragic events of August 5, 1949 took place. It was taken from the place where Wag Dodge first saw the oncoming fire and ordered his men to turn around. This is the view the men had as they turned away from the fire and began to move up the slope. In his book, Young Men and Fire, Norman Maclean describes Mann Gulch as a place "where the struggle between mountains and plains came face to face."

Below: This photo was taken from the opposite end of Mann Gulch, looking toward the SW. The barren slope on the right is where the Mann Gulch Fire ended the lives of the 13 men. At the bottom of the gulch the Misouri River winds its way through the "Gates of the Mountains Wilderness". If it weren't for the ridge, the river might be visible from this vantage point.

Although I use story of the Mann Gulch Fire to make learning about "topo maps" more interesting to my Earth Science students at Helena High School, the purpose of this web site is to share photographs with those of you who already know the story of Mann Gulch. I hope that you gain a better appreciation for the tragedy of the Mann Gulch Fire as you go through the 15-page "virtual field trip".

Rod Benson, Helena High School Science Department