for a bit of the dark side and drama of the place read James Lee Burke's two novels about that area - Bitteroot and then The Land of Red Ponies. Burke lives up there and loves the place, but he addresses some of the things previous posters had mentioned. For beauty and the outdoors you cannot beat it. Well, almost (I live in Oregon). The employment thing is a big deal.
[This message has been edited by Gardenfish (edited 18 August 2005).]
