BUTTE — (8-6-2025) The search for Michael Brown, suspected of killing four people at a local bar in Anaconda, Montana, has entered its sixth day as authorities comb through challenging wilderness terrain.
The manhunt is focused on the wilderness area outside Anaconda, which local outdoor experts describe as particularly difficult to navigate.
"It's extremely rocky. What you'd call...kinda having to scramble in some of these areas cause it's rocky, there's no trails. It's something that is not comfortable for people to traverse," Julie Kinka said.
WATCH: Rugged terrain challenges search for Montana shooting suspect
Kinka, an avid hiker and host at Pintler's Portal Hostel, explained that Garrity Mountain presents unique challenges for search teams.
"Garrity Mountain is actually considered pretty good elk winter ground. It's a north-facing slope, so it's pretty heavily vegetated. On top of just the kind of visual barrier that tree cover can offer, you can also get a lot of deadfall for people trying to move across the ground," she said.
Deadfall—large trees that have died and fallen to the forest floor—creates additional obstacles that can limit visibility and awareness for those searching the area.
"So, absolutely, it can be a complex terrain for people to navigate," Kinka said.
The wilderness area has been closed since the August 1 shooting that left four community members dead. The ongoing manhunt has affected local businesses, including Kinka's hostel, which typically serves hikers traveling the Continental Divide Trail—a 3,000-mile route stretching along the Rocky Mountains from Mexico to Canada.
"It's just a big unknown...uncertainty because he hasn't been apprehended yet," Kinka said.
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