The Crazy Mountains hold deep significance for the Crow Tribe, serving as a spiritual refuge and a site of ancient visions.
A young Chief Plenty Coups received a powerful vision at Crazy Peak, guiding his people and cementing the mountains' sacred status.
Watch Crow tribal members reflect on the legacy of the Crazies:
Dr. Shane Doyle, a research scientist at Montana State University, reflected recently on the connection, with the Crazy Mountains behind him.
“It goes back to the very beginning of when the Apsáalooke people first came here and called this place home,” Doyle said. “There's something about the powerful mystery of the Crazies that draws us in and it captures our eye.”
In this installment of our series on the East Crazy Mountain Land Exchange, we’re taking a look at what these mountains mean to the Crow people. Read previous installments here, here, here, here and here.
The mountains, known as ‘Awaxaawippíia’ or “the crazy." are revered by the Crow Tribe.
Standing at over 11,000 feet, Crazy Peak offers breathtaking views of the surrounding land. Despite its natural beauty, the land has a complicated history. The Crow Tribe lost significant territory following the signing of the Fort Laramie Treaty in 1868.
“I don't think that, you know, given the choice that Crow Indians would have ever parted with the Crazy Mountains,” Doyle said. “I think even in 2025, the Crow people understand and know that these are sacred mountains to their ancestors and to today's people as well.”
For Crow members like Sidney Fitzpatrick, knowing what the journey to Crazy Peak means is essential. Fitzpatrick drives by the mountains often but doesn’t go to them. He still has healing medicine that his grandfather got from the land on the mountain.
“There’s a spring up there you get water to help yourself,” he said, emphasizing the spiritual connection to the land.
As important as the mountain range is to the Crow Tribe's history, access to the mountains has become increasingly challenging.
“When the rich man comes in, he locks the gate, and nobody's allowed,” Fitzpatrick said. “I pray that they don't take advantage of the mountain.”
The limited access has been an ongoing concern for the community.
“I think the Crazy Mountains have been locked up for a very long time to public access,” Doyle explained. “We want the Crazy Mountains to be a part of our community and while they're locked off, you know, they're just kind of an ivory tower right now.”
Recent developments bring hope. A land swap agreement includes a permanent easement granting access to Crazy Peak for the Crow Tribe. Doyle was involved in the negotiations.
“Part of the Crazy Mountain land exchange includes access to Crazy Peak for the Crow Indians, and that was signed as a permanent land easement. And so, I'm really proud and happy about that,” Doyle said. “The spirit of the land exchange was to keep the crazy mountains intact, to keep them accessible to the public and make sure that they're always a Montana treasure.”
The access is from the east side, but Doyle said it is still not an easy journey to get to the peak. There is no road available to drive up to the peak.
“Crazy Peak is privately owned, and so at this point only Crow tribal members are allowed or given permission to go up there,” Doyle said. “It's very difficult. It's a long trek. It's filled with, you know, a lot of difficult terrain.”
Aaron Brien, the Crow Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, highlights the importance of access.
“There’s an assumption that we’re for it (the land swap) or against it. Really what matters is what gives us more access to the landscape,” Brien said. “I want all Crow land should be back to Crow people. That's my personal belief, you know?”
Brien also said that as much as Crow people would like to focus on more access to land, they have other things that need to be addressed on the reservation first.
“We're in control of 2.2 million acres of ground with the exterior boundaries of the reservation. This is the size of Yellowstone Park, and we have an eighth of what the Yellowstone Park has in terms of its resources, even that. So, we're fighting that issue here,” Brien said. “Here on the reservation, yeah, we'd love to give all of our attention to the crazy mountains, because they are important to us. But you can't forget that we're fighting starvation here. We're fighting poverty. We're fighting domestic violence. We're fighting drug abuse. We're fighting unemployment. We're fighting racism.”
See the full Crazy Mountain series:
'We're losing it': One man's fight to keep the Crazy Mountains public
One forest supervisor stakes her legacy in the Crazy Mountain land exchange
Finding common ground: The group quietly shaping future of the Crazy Mountains
Montana Ag Network: Cabin in the Crazy Mountains 'just the beginning'
'Ranches not resorts': Clyde Park residents anxious over Crazy Mountain Ranch development
