1. Welcome to Mann Gulch

Above: This photograph 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 southwest. 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.

The purpose of this web site is to share photographs with those of you who already know the story of Mann Gulch as told by Maclean in Young Men and Fire. I hope that you gain a better appreciation for the tragedy of the Mann Gulch Fire as you go through this 15-page "virtual field trip".

This summer (2009) I hope to visit Mann Gulch again to take some better photos and record several video segments to add to this site. Check back in September to see if I have accomplished this goal.

Rod Benson, Helena High School Science Department