Hamilton – Mario Locatelli of Hamilton, passed of natural causes within days of his 90th birthday with the comfort of his family, November 25. He was born in Berbenno, Italy to Angela and Battista Locatelli and had 12 siblings.
Mario moved to the United States when he was 16 with a few family members on an arduous journey aboard ship and train to California. While working as a laborer at various jobs, he fell in love, married Margaret and had four girls while starting a firewood business. Recognizing his talent for running heavy equipment and his desire to be closer to wooded countryside, he moved the family to Oregon where he thrived as a wrecking contractor. He and Margaret saved to purchase a ranch in Montana. The nearby canyons and mountain summits lured him to spend the rest of his life hunting, climbing, and skiing them; so much so that he was tagged with the name of “Mountain Goat.” Mario launched the Mountain Goat Marathon, a grueling 25-mile race up, down, across and over the Bitterroot summits that raised thousands of dollars for various charities. He is the author of several books on backcountry hiking. His climbing desires stimulated him to climb all the highest peaks in all 50 states. His most gratifying achievement was holding the record for a short time as being the oldest man in the US to climb Mt. McKinley in Alaska. His life was not without personal struggles and tragedies along the way.
He is survived by his daughters, Cathy, Angela, Carmela and Tammy; grandchildren, Jeremy, Mandy, Heather, Casey, Lindsey, Branden, Ty, Caleb and Archer; many great-grandchildren; siblings, Battista, Pete, Marcella, Irene, Maria, Benita, Ornella, Silvia and Vittorio. Mario was married three times and is also survived by his wife Liesa, and vast extended family. Mario was preceded in death by two daughters, Carlene and Peggy; three siblings, Giovanna, Ornella and Tina.
There will not be a service; he requested his ashes to be spread on the mountain summit close to his back door shown in the photo that he backcountry skied the most. He wants you to know that “exercise is the key to keeping you mentally and physically fit, no pain, no gain” and to “take it easy but go ahead.” RIP Montana Mountain Goat. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.