Montanans Sound Off: The Best (and Worst) Parts of Living in Big Sky Country

Be honest. Have you ever stood in your driveway at 6 a.m., scraping your windshield with frozen fingers, muttering things you’d never say in church, and wondered… does everyone else hate this as much as I do? Or maybe you’ve been driving down a sunlit highway, mountains glowing in the distance, and thought, yep, this right here makes it all worth it.

I know I’m not alone, because I recently stumbled across an old Reddit thread where people from all across Montana shared the best and worst things about living here and let me tell you, it was painfully relatable.

The Eternal Love Hate Relationship With Winter

User DarrenEdwards summed it up better than most: “Scraping that snow off the windshield this morning, and knowing I'll be doing that through April is one of the worst. Best is I don't need AC because the hottest 5-10 days of the summer are tolerable."

READ MORE: Montana Secrets: Discover More by Living Like a Tourist

If that doesn't scream Montana logic, I don’t know what does. We’ll complain endlessly about winter, but the second July hits and we’re sitting comfortably at 84 degrees while the rest of the country is melting, we suddenly become smug weather champions.

Friendly Faces, Frostbite, and Deer on the Highway

Another commenter, shannymcshanface, nailed it: "Best: Friendly people. Outdoor activities. Beer. Beautiful scenery. Not too many people. Worst: Cold winters. Icy roads. Hitting deer on the highway."

I don’t know what’s worse, slamming on the brakes for a deer in the dark or pretending you didn’t just spill your coffee all over yourself while doing it.

Individual Freedom vs. Dirty March Snow

Then there was HungryLikeTheWolf99, who touched on something a lot of Montanans quietly appreciate: “I appreciate our political climate — not homogenous… fairly strong on individual liberties.” But don’t worry, they didn’t forget the annoyances: “A 4-month growing season, dangerous highways, and piles of gross, dirty snow in March.”

That sludgy gray snow in late winter deserves its own horror film.

So What’s Your Montana Love-Hate Combo?

Maybe you adore the quiet, but curse the distance between grocery stores. Maybe you live for hunting season but dread black ice. Maybe you love that you can breathe out here, but occasionally wish for better shopping or dining options within 15 miles.

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So, what’s the best and worst part of living in Montana, according to you? Drop me an email, or better yet, share it with someone. Chances are, they’ll say “Oh my goodness… SAME.” Because that’s the thing about Montana, we may be spread across thousands of miles, but we’re all bonded by the same love, frustration, pride, and occasional frostbite.