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Spring 2013
Not that we’re into stereotypes. But we double-dog-dare you not to wind up cracking a Montucky Cold Snack, sharing a chair lift, or splitting a Gobbler from Dave’s Sushi with one of these dudes. You know the type. And if you don’t… behold our guide. The Architect Read more >>
The effects of climate change are already evident, and the stakes are high for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers living in southwest Montana who recreate year-round in Yellowstone National Park. Read more >>
The boat slices through the last standing wave and carves smoothly into the placid eddy on my right. The thrill of the upstream rapids courses through my veins while I slowly spin in the calm water. Read more >>
Cocky nine-point elk sitting yards from the trail, parades of bison clogging the roads, playful coyotes mousing on the crusted snow: the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone Park was teeming with wildlife—and we got pictures of all of it. Read more >>
Drunken spring: soaked and flooded with life. Sore from a long nap under a thick blanket, the natural world reaches out anxiously to breathe a long, slow breath. Just as it is on the side of Slough Creek in Yellowstone, change is evident in any valley, meadow, or mountain. Read more >>Winter 2012-13
Snowmobilers have unique avalanche risk factors built into their sport. Today’s high-powered sleds are capable of reaching new heights at greater speeds, and each year riders venture farther into remote terrain. Read more >>
One winter morning, after spending the night at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge in the middle of Yellowstone, I woke early for a short solo ski tour. The boardwalks around the Upper Geyser Basin were still covered in a thin layer of snow. No one was around. Read more >>
What do you envision when you think of “therapy”? If you’re like most people, you probably see a settee in a dimly lit room with “ocean sounds” coming from a CD player. Sound about right? Read more >>
Every so often, a blue light flashes on top of the Baxter Hotel, alerting anyone within view of the tallest building in Bozeman that snow is falling at Bridger Bowl. Read more >>Fall 2012
The shadows stretched long as my wife, daughter, and I drove to our friends’ ranch to catch a few fish on the Madison. Getting out of the car we noticed a commotion above us. Three ospreys flew around erratically; then we saw an eagle, and then another, talons outstretched and beaks open. Read more >>
“Oh! but Grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!” “The better to eat you with!” And scarcely had the wolf said this, than with one bound he was out of bed and swallowed up Little Red Riding Hood. Read more >>
With winter just around the corner, it’s important to understand the different options for heating your home. Here’s a look at three different ways to stay comfortable when the mercury drops. The Sun’s Radiance by Todd Hoitsma Read more >>
In 1985, Montana formally created Block Management Areas (BMAs), which provide free access to private lands across the state for hunting big game, upland birds, and waterfowl. Read more >>
Oh Dawn, bringer of light,With eternal vision deliver us from night.And color the world, not black, not white,But ambiguous grey, a beautiful sight! Read more >>Summer 2012
Summertime is play-in-the-water time, and our dogs like to splash around in lakes and ponds just as we do. But the aquatic world around us isn’t always as benign as it looks. As you enjoy the warm weather this summer, keep in mind that there are dangers lurking beneath the water. Read more >>
Hot summer days in Bozeman usually mean fun and adventure, but if you’re not careful, they can mean something else: heat stroke. Read more >>
"I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright." –Henry David Thoreau Read more >>
Let's face it: we live in a destination town and tourists are a part of life. Luckily, many of them fly quietly into Belgrade, rent an enormous SUV, and plow screaming into a herd of bighorn sheep before we ever know they’re here. Read more >>
This little northern oasis has escaped battling us for far too long. Great Lakes, thriving outdoor culture, and a staggering trail system all make Duluth a force to be reckoned with—but how does this Minnesota town stack up to Bozeman’s endless outdoor opportunities? Read more >>Spring 2012
By mid-March, most Bozeman residents have had just about enough of cold weather. The days are getting longer, and it’s finally time to head outdoors for a little sunshine. Sadly, our outdoor-rec reach tends to exceed our grasp. All too often, bikers are sent back to the car by muddy, snow-clogged... Read more >>
My friend threw an elbow into my ribs. “Shut up,” he said through clenched teeth. The usual chatter of the crag had ceased and half a dozen people froze to stare upward, jaws hanging limp and eyes unblinking. Read more >>
We’ve all seen them. Like a herd of placid bovines at the feed pile, their Subys line up at the trailhead lot, so caked with dust and mud that you can barely read the Sierra Club, WWF, and “Live Simple So Others Can Simply Live” bumper stickers. Read more >>
Few communities are more dog-friendly than Bozeman. Everywhere you look, it seems there’s a dog waiting for the next hike, bike, ski, or float—and that’s a good thing. But with all this dog culture, it can be easy to lose track of the lingo. Here’s a refresher on Bozeman dog-speak. Read more >>Winter 2011-12
For the average outdoor enthusiast, winter can be a difficult time to squeeze in a fun-filled overnight or multiday adventure without freezing your buns off or breaking the family budget. Read more >>
Shakespeare wrote “thy breath be rude,” but I think thy breath has little attitude. Dullness, neglect, but not vulgarity— of emotions you haven’t even slight sincerity. While your chill betrays some tempered winds, your stillness renders still their sin. Read more >>
The last of the geese have frozen over in my backyard, covered in a foot of snow. I dig one out each week and thaw it in the fridge—with a high success rate; even the runt is able to take flight after a few days at 50 degrees. Read more >>
Ahead of me Hardscrabble cracks knuckles against clouds. Behind the Bridgers splay crags in the oystery air. I move to a tango. Skies and poles glide, cut, break. I am partnered by the wind against whom I tangle, kick. Read more >>
When winter hits, trying to get vegetables locally becomes a seemingly grueling task, whereas eggs, dairy, grains, and meats may still be easy to find. So this winter, use these helpful tips for ways to keep your veggies local this winter. Read more >>Fall 2011
When traveling abroad, have you ever met people ashamed of their native land? (Boulder, CO; Iowa; Alabama; and the entire East Coast spring to mind.) Thankfully, that never seems to happen with our residents. Read more >>
In the second century BC, Roman invaders of present-day France made great fun of their enemy’s attire—they considered the Gauls’ long trousers intolerably effeminate, compared to their cool and manly tunics. Read more >>
It may be hard for homegrown Montanans to imagine an urbane French nobleman in the field chasing game, but author Guy de la Valdène makes it clear, in his memoir The Fragrance of Grass (Lyons Press, $25), that a love of hunting and the natural world transcends c Read more >>
Although any season is a good season for a local brew, fall is perhaps the best. Oktoberfest-style beers typically have higher alcohol content, but these days the name refers to almost any beer of the fall season. Read more >>Summer 2011
In a rapidly growing western landscape, the ability to assimilate into the local culture is a skill and even a gift. Read more >>
In this sophisticated age where motor-driven, auto-focused, auto-exposed digital cameras can be shot while blindfolded and produce a useable image through Photoshop trickery, there is still no electronic substitute for thoughtful composition and deliberate content. Read more >>
Against my grandmother’s advice, I’d like to pass on a rumor. It’s relatively harmless, though I cannot confirm it. It goes something like this. Around the mid-‘60s, a group of women in Japan grew increasingly concerned about their food. Read more >>
If you’re looking for a new perspective on life, some folks might suggest getting high. But when it comes to photography, this takes on a whole new meaning for Bozeman photographers Jim Harris and Chris Boyer. Read more >>
If exploring the unknown on foot is more your style, open up Peakbagging Montana (Riverbend Publishing, $15) and prepare for a long summer—and a lifetime, for that matter—of vigorous outdoor adventure. Read more >>Spring 2011
Whitewater kayaking has long been one of my favorite subjects to photograph. The high energy, emotion, and adventure elements of the sport inspire my photography and continually bring me back time and time again. Read more >>
You should of been here yesterday. I mean spoons was workin’ like Jesus hisself was puttin' 'em on the hook. Hell, Roy Dean, he seen Bobby Don toss a Alka Seltzer where they was rootin' and a little one took it, then a Read more >>
Feelin’ hot, hot, hot! If you’re looking for a little somethin’ to tickle your taste buds, give Oso Loco a try. This versatile sauce goes great with tacos, eggs, chili, or anything else you feel like spicing up. Read more >>
Bungee cords come in many styles, from cheap Wal-Mart flimsies to burly S-hook straps used for lashing big-rig load covers. One flaw common to all, though, is eventual deterioration—nylon bungees eventually stretch out, and even professional-grade rubber degrades. Read more >>
You can see them bouncing near dusk. Like the deer, antelope, and elk that used to live here. On pavement and in the shadow of sodium vapor lamps they dance, frolic, and try to forget everything that brought them here and busied their days. Read more >>Winter 2010-11
With three million people swarming its gates every year, Yellowstone can get a little crazy in the summertime. Not so in winter, when the endless human hordes are replaced by open roads, vast fields of white, and a cold, quiet beauty. Read more >>
There are some places that many women try to avoid, and let’s face it, a locker room full of sweaty guys—along with their stinky, unwashed capilene—is one of them. Read more >>
When Mother Nature’s out for vengeance, the North Face Venture Jacket will keep you dry come rain or snow. The coat is made with a HyVent nylon fabric that utilizes a polyurethane coating, protecting you from all forms of moisture. Read more >>
In winter, it's just as important to consume Vitamin D and Vitamin C as it is to keep up physical activity. However, intakes of these micronutrients tend to decline in winter due to limited sunshine (for Vitamin D production) and limited access to fresh fruits (which contain Vitamin C). Read more >>
Trusting four tiny pins to hold each boot in place in my new bindings took some getting used to. But that is exactly what I do when riding the Garmont Shogun and G3 Onyx. This was my first touring setup, and I really lucked out. Read more >>Fall 2010
Yellowstone Park’s brucellosis-infected bison have been in the Montana Department of Livestock crosshairs for years, but the newest round of shots might prove less fatal. Read more >>
In Bozeman, truly remarkable landscapes are a fact of life. And, in my opinion, there is no better way to experience them than from the seat of a bike. Read more >>
Our lame cowboy carefully gimps up The Bozeman alley, that long Rouse alley. His cane of twisted box elder weighs The gnarled burdens of his range-riddled bones. Leaves as if petals cushion his way. Read more >>
We’re all falling down We leaves on the lam Spinning like sailors Walking on land And land where we may Any land at all There’s a place for each Bright leaf of the fall Yellow, orange And deep, bloody red Read more >>Summer 2010
In wildlife-rich Montana, it’s common to spot a cool raptor flying overhead—but how often can you identify it? Was it a hawk or falcon? Swainson’s or red-tailed? Prairie or peregrine? Read more >>
Summer on the Yellowstone River offers the best dry fly fishing of the year. Although the trout key on dozens of different insects, the Salmon Fly, Grasshopper, and Evening Caddis are three of my favorite. Read more >>
I have always sworn by Teva for a summer-sandal—unswayed by the popular Chacos—but I'm tempted by the Merrell Heather Sandals. The air cushion, Lycra neoprene uppers, and QForm soles make them comfortable, durable, light, and great arch supporters. Read more >>
If you've had the misfortune of getting tangled up with a woman who isn't outdoorsy, then turn to Laura James’ book, The Girl’s Guide to Camping (Skyhorse Publishing, $15). It caters to the elusive anti-camping woman who fears the outdoors. Read more >>
The Sierra Designs Veranda 3 Tent is the perfect crash pad for three weary travelers—or in our case, two people and two dogs. This snazzy three-season shelter is designed for comfort, with two doors, two vestibules, a high ceiling, and a panorama window to enjoy the view. Read more >>Spring 2010
With the addition of Slushman’s chairlift, more relaxed Ridge rules, and the opening of side-country access gates on both sides of the mountain, things may feel a little different to those who grew up skiing Bridger Bowl. Read more >>
With all the attention on Canada over the last few months, it was natural for us to wonder about Banff, home to the Banff Center for Mountain Culture and originator of one of Bozeman’s all-time favorite events, the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Read more >>
Looks like the tax bills might be going up for the folks in the Gallatin National Forest's 198 privately owned cabins, many of which were built decades ago when the U.S. Forest Service began leasing federal lands to Americans in the early twentieth century. Read more >>
If you've ever wanted an invitation onto Ted Turner's famous Green Ranch, along the Madison River west of Bozeman, dress as a buffalo and you just might get in. Read more >>
Countless books of photography have been published about the greater Bozeman area, and yet, local photographer Carol Polich, in Portrait of Paradise (Farcountry Press, $25), still managed to provide a uniquely intimate and beautiful view of our beloved land. Read more >>Winter 2009-10
Last February, a motley crew of four couples from the Gold Coast of Florida convinced me that taking a snowmobile tour into Old Faithful was a good idea. Read more >>
I feel a snort. A wet misting of doggie mucus slightly scented with Eukanuba and a deer carcass that McKinley happened upon on the trail the day before. As I was unresponsive to the canine hydrating-facial-mist, my aging Siberian husky stepped up his game a bit. Read more >>
As soon as snow covers the ground, you can count on Bozemanites rushing to their favorite spots for some sweet sledding action. Read more >>
Montana is known for its big skies and even bigger skiing, but how did it all start? Downhill in Montana (Pictorial Histories, $25) features hundreds of detailed photos and documents detailing the birth and development of skiing in Montana. Read more >>
Meticulously researched, Two Planks and a Passion (Continuum, $30) might just be the definitive text on the development of skiing, period. Read more >>Fall 2009
I took the Mystery Ranch Snapdragon on a full-day trail hike; on a long, steep approach to an alpine climb; and on an all-day, off-trail scouting trip deep in the wilderness. The Snapdragon did what Mystery Ranch packs are known for: riding well and making the load more comfortable. Read more >>
I picked up a pair of Flojos (pronounced flo-hos, meaning kick back in Spanish) Primo sandals, not expecting much, but needing some after my veteran kicks had fallen apart. I was pleasantly surprised—they've got great arch support, great cushioning, and a soft feel on the feet. Read more >>
If you need a straightforward, light, and extremely durable messenger pack, check out the Outa Ware Messenger Bag. Read more >>
Yet another picture-book worth picking up is A Pictorial Souvenir of Yellowstone (Riverbend Publishing, $15) by Nelson Erickson. Read more >>Summer 2009
Every day, one stalwart citizen does the right thing, while another acts like a blithering bonehead. Here's a recap of admirable acts and embarrassing blunders for the summer season. Read more >>Nothing says summertime like a bike ride, although your road rash, saddle butt, and helmet hair may say otherwise. Regardless, bust out the lycra and participate in some of these bike-centered events. Your butt will hate you by September. Read more >>Let me start with this: the photographs in this book are truly amazing. If I had to evaluate only that part of Horse: A Portrait (Willow Creek Press; $35), I'd give it a perfect score. Christiane Slawik is a talented photographer. Read more >>If this pack could talk, I'm sure it'd say some nasty things about me. Deuter designed the ACT Trail 32 as a technical dayhiking pack with ice axe and trekking pole attachments, a built-in rain cover, and hydration bladder pocket. Read more >>Ever notice how the item you want always seems to be at the bottom of the dry bag, so you have to pull everything out, then stuff everything back in again? If you're sick of this inordinate susceptibility to Murphy's Law, pick up a WideMouth Duffel from Seal Line. Read more >>Spring 2009
Robbins divides Montana into seven regions in this recreationist’s guide to Montana’s public lands. Each region has 50-odd pages of description, complete with color pictures, maps, travel tips, and history to describe its wealth of habitat, wildlife refuges, and state parks. Read more >>
Paying $12 for freeze-dried camping "entrees" that taste like crap is for lazy bastards. At least that's what I think to myself when I'm standing in line to pay $12 for freeze-dried camping "entrees" that taste like crap. Read more >>Glacier National Park: The First 100 Years (hardback $40) by C. W. Guthrie is a stunning coffee-table book full of history and wonderful old photographs. Did you know that more than 4,000 people attended the opening ceremony for the Going-to-the-Sun Road? Read more >>
Books on avalanche safety have been flying out the doors. They include ABCs of Avalanche Safety by Sue A. Ferguson and Edward R. Read more >>
We are excited to have two new children's books about Greg Mortenson's work building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea (hardcover $17) is written for kids in preschool up to about eight years old. Read more >>Winter 2008-09
Do you ever wonder, “What temperature is too cold for my dog to be outside?” The answer varies depending on several factors. A lot has been written about gear, workouts, and calories, and how they can vary for people of all shapes and sizes… dogs are no different. Read more >>
In 1982, Alan Kesselheim moved to Bozeman and began his writing career. He was done with his job as an outdoor education director in Wisconsin and wanted to come West to the state his dad was born and raised in, and the town—Bozeman—where the woman he had fallen in love with lived. Read more >>
Greg Keeler is a sensible and serious poet who also happens to be laugh-out-loud funny,” says Tim Cahill, an author and friend of Keeler’s. According to Dave Quammen, another friend, “Greg has written lunatic masterpieces. He sings pretty good for such a big guy. Read more >>When the temp hits zero or below, as it frequently does at Bridger Bowl, sweat tends to freeze before it hits the ground, sometimes accumulating on the hair of the head or face creating an icy cocoon-like helmet about the wearer. The sweat flows freely no matter the temperature. Read more >>After traveling in different directions for 15 years, Jo and I reconnect in the spring of 2007. We burn up the summer and fall hiking and biking and skiing together throughout December. When she suggests a trip to Trail Creek, I balk. Read more >>Fall 2008
Amid a sea of compact headlamps lacking significant differences, UK’s Vizion stands out. Not only is it waterproof—UK stands for Underwater Kinetics—but the bulb is mounted along a battery-pack cylinder that rotates like a socket rather than on a hinge. Read more >>If you missed the one in July, keep your calendars open for next year’s Luna Chix mountain biking clinic at Bohart Ranch. It’s perfect for the beginner to intermediate female biker who wants to gain confidence before hitting the single-track. Read more >>Next time you go play in Gallatin Canyon, it will be hard to miss the new billboard near Castle Rock in front of the old Critter Camp. Read more >>Whether yodeling into the thunder mug or drivingThe porcelain Buick or talking to Ralph on the bigWhite phone, your bear brain is making you do it. The prigIn you hollers, “Enough of the life!” This bear brain is jiving Read more >>Summer 2008
If you have a camera that allows you to change the lens—a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera—specialty filters will improve the quality of your photographs. So before you head out to take photographs in high mountain country this spring, be sure you have a polarizing filter. Read more >>Dogs, it is often said, are people too. And while that statement may be subject to interpretation, I think we can all agree that like us, dogs do have at least some material needs. Here’s a rundown of some useful pet products for the summer season. Read more >>The Big Hole River is the first choice of any Butte-area angler, with its wide variety of hatches and hungry trout. Just 30 minutes south of Butte on I-15, there is a chance at rainbows, browns, cutthroat, brook trout, whitefish, and grayling. Read more >>When it comes to Gardiner, the journey is the destination. Highway 89 is the kind of road that makes even those near-numbed to natural splendor wish for a lower speed limit and acoustic radio stations. The jagged peaks, rolling river, and swooping paragliders provide welcome distraction. Read more >>My first time whitewater kayaking was a lot like my first kiss: sloppy, wet, desperate, and over way too soon. Both terrified me, both thrilled me, and in both cases I ended up treading water in dangerous territory. Read more >>Spring 2008
730 billion: dollars spent on active outdoor recreation in U.S., 200624 million: number of Americans who paddle every year6 million: number of Americans who play soccer Read more >>After wandering the mountains of the Pacific Northwest for most of her life, a happy bipedal hominoid named Hairy Ann has finally settled down in Missoula, Montana. “I’m ready for a more urbanized lifestyle,” the Bigfoot-human cross says. Read more >>After wandering the mountains of the Pacific Northwest for most of her life, a happy bipedal hominoid named Hairy Ann has finally settled down in Missoula, Montana. “I’m ready for a more urbanized lifestyle,” the Bigfoot-human cross says. Read more >>There’s no shortage of energy bars on the market today—my local grocery store, for example, devotes an area bigger than my closet to them—but most have only subtle differences in flavor, shape, etc. Read more >>Even if a thick mane of hair protects your head, you may still need a little extra coverage when exposed to the elements. The Adventure Hat from Sunday Afternoons should be an essential part of all outdoor enthusiasts’ wardrobes. Read more >>Winter 2007-08
The Wild Steelhead Coalition (WSC) is a not-for-profit group of concerned citizens who are committed to reversing the decline of the wild steelhead in the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Read more >>As the days become shorter and the snow covers the valley floors, thoughts of fly fishing dwindle in almost every angler’s mind. However, rivers that see a plethora of anglers throughout the warmer months are now open to unique opportunities for solitude. Read more >>When the snowy season comes, most sporting folk clean and lock up the firearms and spend most of their winter recreation time waiting in lift lines and watching the sky for fresh powder. Read more >>
“You’ll be fine, just drop your heels, stay calm, and DON'T CUT THE ROPE.” My teacher may not have been a sage, but he certainly knew his Klemheist from a clove hitch. That first day, he taught me to find the fun in a cold, wet, miserable sport: ice climbing. Read more >>Fall 2007
Fall in West Yellowstone. Kiss Coppertone-scented summer park crowds goodbye and say hello to a sublime season of hogging the whole playground—all to the familiar screech of a lusty elk. Here are five ways to do autumn in West. Read more >>If you like the idea of a backcountry bike but usually end up carrying way too much in your pack for a comfortable ride, check out the Ibex Bike Trailer from BOB. Read more >>With hunting season in full swing, Montana men are even more prone to gathering in small groups, indiscriminately belching and breaking wind while grunting monosyllabic poppycock. What better time to eschew the male gender? Check out some of these women-only activities this fall season: Read more >>October frosts your breath as you float near a kaleidoscope of thousands of brilliant white swans. Not hundreds, but thousands. They are beautiful, large birds, pure-white in adulthood with black feet and beaks, an eight-foot wing span, and long, curving, romantic necks. Read more >>You’ve probably heard of yerba mate—it’s that South American tea and coffee substitute that’s only slightly less potent but much gentler on the stomach, and is rife with health benefits. Read more >>Summer 2007
Don’t buy Trapper Badovinac’s Fly Fishing the Solitude: Montana if you’re expecting the author to reveal his favorite fishing spots. Read more >>
I am one of the clumsiest waders I know. I’ve always blamed my lack of grace on poor balance and overexcitement, but after trying the Simms G3 Guide Boots I now blame past stumbles on my old wading boots. Read more >>Big Sky’s community park received a huge boost over the winter when it received an additional 23 acres, finalizing a much-anticipated deal that will one day create one of the most stunning multiuse parks in the state. Read more >>This is the nail-biting true story of a group of hikers who were struck by lightning on top of Half Dome in 1985. Read more >>Spring 2007
Here is the second half of our list of good places to donate your used gear. We hope you got off your duff and gave something to the folks in the winter issue. But if you didn’t, here’s your chance to get us to like you again, you lazy son of a bitch. Read more >>March 200720 "Yellowstone Hot Spot and It's Plume Origin," Museum of the Rockies. 994-2251.22-24 MWA class: Lesser-Known Carnivores. 406-443-7350.23 NASTAR, Moonlight Basin. nastar.com.24 Point and Chute film competition, Bridger Bowl. 556-5677. Read more >>Ah, spring! The season when Tennyson said a young man’s fancy “lightly turns to thoughts of love.” But for the region’s grizzly bears, newly roused from their winter’s fast, love can wait. It’s all about getting a good meal. Read more >>Winter 2006-07
Land Navigation Handbook: The Sierra Club Guide to Map, Compass, & GPSby W.S. KalsSierra Club Books Read more >>Blame it on whatever you want—global climate change, temperamental snow gods, your estranged ex-girlfriend—but fact is, we’re seeing more and more snowless winter weeks in Montana these days. Here’s what to do when nothing’s flying but your boss’s dandruff. Read more >>Customer satisfaction is the name of the game in the guiding industry. Success should be judged by everyone having a safe, fun outing regardless of the activity. Read more >>Fall 2006
We’ve noticed a bumper crop of bumper stickers out there lately. Here are some of our favorites: Read more >>The early days of inducting my dog Stella into the pleasures of drift boating left me feeling like a dog abuser. Being from New Zealand, she had never seen a drift boat, much less been in one. Rivers were a place she associated with chasing sticks and having fun. That was all about to change. Read more >>Turn off your headlamp, holster that marker-sized Mini-Mag, and think about the flashlights of yore—namely, Dad’s big ol’ handheld jobber that took the monstrous square battery and shot a beam of light halfway across town. You gotta admit, that was a pretty cool light. Read more >>Summer 2006
As the sun warms the Gallatin Valley and the only visible snow lingers high in the mountains, look closely as you wander around town—signs of area athletes are everywhere. Read more >>Backpacking through Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica last April, Mariann Van Den Elzen ran into three folks from the Bozeman/Big Sky area. The following week, in Puerto Viejo, two Missoulians on bikes stopped her to ask, “Hey! Read more >>
Summer in Montana means rodeo, and there are plenty of boot stompin’, knee slappin’, bronc bustin’ events to choose from. Read more >>The snow has melted and the warm weather has arrived. For many of us, that means one thing: biking season is here! Biking is a great way for almost anyone to enjoy the outdoors, and in the past few years riding has become a way of life in southwest Montana. Read more >>Few people know that when Rudolph Diesel debuted his namesake engine in the 1890s, he ran it on peanut oil. Read more >>Spring 2006
An ice cream sandwich—I like vanilla.I've eaten my beans,I've eaten my dinner. My hands are sticky,I have no napkin.Could wash them right nowbut that ain't gonna happen. Read more >>The Wilderness Paddler’s Handbookby Alan S. KesselheimRagged Mountain Press, 2001Camden, Maine284 pages Read more >>When matching wines for most dishes, I often look to the sauce or seasoning. Yeah, you can play it safe with the “white with fish and red with meat” routine, but that doesn’t always work, and it’s not always fun either. And fun is what it’s all about, right? Read more >>
For the last 35 years, Leo Kottke has been considered one of the most talented and innovative guitarists around. His most recent album, Sixty-Six Steps, recorded with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, explores the calypso rhythms of the Caribbean Islands. Read more >>Perhaps you’ve ventured out during the winter months to favored local rivers when the weather permitted, attempting some deep-water nymphing or looking for elusive midge hatch. Read more >>Winter 2005-06
When the temperatures plunge to frighteningly low numbers and even the desire to tromp out onto the ice begins to wane, take heart—this is the time to partake in an annual reorganization of your beloved fly collection. Read more >>Anyone who’s been around the Bozone for more than a few years knows that entertainment options used to be pretty thin: a few smoky, half-empty bars; roaring bonfires in the back yard; or beers and brats on a friend’s couch. Read more >>I forget which guy said he climbed a mountainbecause it was there. That always seemed like a lameexcuse to me. I know some dudes who standon ledges and lean out over chasms in a little gamewhere thermals hold them up—or not. They Read more >>If you’re in the market for a new snowboard that performs well in powder, crust, ice, and crud, check out the Steepwater Plow 164. This board is designed for those looking to ride outside of the park and among the peaks that surround it and who therefore need a board that can handle a vari Read more >>The Gnu Barrett Pro is one of my favorite women-specific boards of all time. This board rips and so fun! It's soft enough to let you butter around with the boys, yet knows when it's time to get aggressive. Read more >>Fall 2005
Cabela’s — Sidney, NECabela's LST/LSR Fly Rod & Reel Combo - $260www.cabelas.com1-800-237-4444 Read more >>On the river it is still dark, but above the canyon rim the starlings catch the dawn. At first they are three separate flocks, but as I watch they merge into two, then one. Like a formation of fighter jets, they dive and bank and climb in perfect synchronicity. Read more >>You were here first.I can see why in the way the rivers don't rob you of what the streams gave.The dim rosettes on your sides live behind your spotsin another timeas if Lewis and Clark were still planning to meet near Read more >>Every elk hunter treasures the hunting camp: the roomy wall tent, toasty woodstove, and scenic horseback ride in. But experienced hunters know that trophy elk wander far from the odors, noise, people, and horses of a base camp. Read more >>Summer 2005
If you've ever had to pull porcupine quills out of a dog's face or wondered why your pal won't stop panting and laying in the shade during a trail run, then you need local veterinarian Sid Gustafson's new book First Aid for the Active Dog (Alpine Blue Ribbon Books, $18). Read more >>IST Designs – Bozeman, MTPak-Lite - $24SideWinder - $25www.istdesigns.com522-9300 / 888-478-6565 Read more >>Spring 2005
If you’re a skier, April may indeed be the cruelest month—it’s when Bridger, Big Sky, and Moonlight close for the season. No more long days on the slopes, carving hundreds of effortless arcs through our favorite form of mountain moisture. Read more >>
Paddling out into a frigid spring torrent strewn with rocks and sucking holes presents a classic test of judgment. How do your ability and experience stack up against the challenge and the hazard? Decide badly, and you may wind up broken or even dead. Read more >>After a long break from shoulder-intensive sports, many southwest Montana outdoor sports enthusiasts will soon transition into kayaking, golfing, climbing, Frisbee golf, and other sports involving overhead or raised-arm motions. Read more >>Spring is in the air and it’s time to dust off your tent and sleeping bags for a trip to the forest. When getting your gear together, take a second and look in the freezer. I bet you’ll find a duck that you shot last fall or maybe one that your neighbor gave you. Read more >>Commonly thought of as a single mechanism, the shoulder is actually a complex of four different joints that allows you to move your arm in a number of directions. The shoulder has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body and thus it is designed primarily for mobility. Read more >>Winter 2004-05
Traveler’s Tree—Wenatchee, WABalaclava $14, Glove Liners $10, Socks $12www.designsalt.com509.667.1600 Read more >>This April, snowy images of chunder sessions, jib tricks, and powder shots will lure Bozeman’s steep and deep fanatics to the second annual Cold Smoke Awards. Read more >>The Bridger Bowl Ski Patrol and local artist Craig Hergert of the Montana Panoramic Co. have teamed up on a fundraiser for the ski patrol's avalanche dog program. Read more >>Fall 2004
The law locks up the man or womanWho steals the goose from off the common,But lets the greater felon looseWho steals the common from the goose.—Anonymous Read more >>Summer 2004
The Bozeman area offers numerous summer recreation activities, including the opportunity to spend these long summer evenings tossing around a Frisbee with a bunch of Bozos. I’m speaking, of course, of Bozeman’s Ultimate team, the Bozos. Read more >>Whether you’re a saddle-weary cowpoke or a wilderness adventurer, there seems to be one gastronomical truth about the Western mythos of outdoor living: at the end of a long, hard day on the range, the ridge, or the river, no Western campfire would seem complete without its coffee pot, ready to ta Read more >>Early summer in Southwest Montana is typically striped with muddy, raging rivers full of the melted snows of winter. Most anglers this time of year seek out tailwater fisheries and lakes. Read more >>Bill Johnson just wanted to get his life back on track. After the tremendous high of winning Olympic Gold in the Downhill at Sarajevo, his personal life became a mess. He decided to go back to the beginning, back to the place where he'd felt successful- going maniacally fast on snow. Read more >>The long days of summer are here for us to enjoy... but what to do? Well, load up the car with your camping gear and get out there is what I say. Enjoy Montana for what it is, an outdoor person's paradise. Read more >>Spring 2004
Gallatin Valley Golf announces its sponsorship of the Special Olympics Golf Fundraiser this spring. Fundraising activities will include the hole in one, long drive, and putting championship competitions. Read more >>Having just closed the Jeep door, my eyes haven't yet adjusted to the inky indigo darkness of the March night. There is just enough moon to illuminate the snow with an odd bluish glow. Read more >>Saturday, June 5th, come celebrate National Trails Day with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust and your fellow community members. GVLT’s 12th annual celebration will offer over 20 educational and volunteer activities for all ages and levels, including nature walks, hikes, and historic strolls. Read more >>“But I don’t run fast and my butt jiggles. I can’t run with them!” My next-door neighbor shrinks back from the door, hands on her cheeks, eyes big, when I suggest joining the Wind Drinkers club fun run. Read more >>Yippee-kayo! July 2-4, get yourself down to the Livingston Roundup Rodeo. Celebrating its 81st year, the Livingston Roundup has bragging rights as one of the oldest professional rodeos in Montana. This year top hands will compete for a total purse of over $160,000. Read more >>Winter 2003-04
I get excited at the thought of fresh powder and start to salivate every time I hear, “a winter storm warning is in effect.” Obviously others share my obsession since each storm is followed by a shortage of workers in Bozeman, as folks call in sick and play hooky. Read more >>Formed in the mid-1980s by a handful of die-hard hockey enthusiasts, the Bozeman Amateur Hockey Association (BAHA) is a nonprofit organization that provides the Gallatin Valley with affordable, high-quality organized youth and adult hockey programs. Read more >>
Look at a map of your area, and what do you see? Can you find every fishing access site you’ll ever need, or all the best hard-to-find creeks the locals won’t tell you about? Read more >>
With this latest installment, the award-winning author of The Song of the Dodo and The Boilerplate Rhino presents readers with another sharp and informative masterpiece of natural history. Read more >>Fall 2003
Early fall is a temperamental time in Southwest Montana. As night temperatures ease into the 40s, the daytime thermometer might reach 80, but it might also plummet to 30. Snow might collect in the rocky couloirs, or anglers might squeeze 30-proof sunscreen on exposed arms and legs. Read more >>Our days are much shorter now, the rays of sun have faded in intensity, and the blades of grass have lost their luster. Although the leaves of autumn have merely begun, winter calls to us from around the corner with a northern chill in the air. Read more >>The wind has died and sunset is not far away now. Birds are trilling in the bushes while insects hum and buzz above the peaceful wetland. Here and there, a fish rises to snatch an unsuspecting fly for dinner. Ducks squawk sleepily from further upstream. Read more >>Summer 2003
Like the title indicates, Kalispell’s Ben Long presents a collection of bear stories from across Montana. Read more >>
MARK OF THE GRIZZLY by Scott McMillion Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press, 1998 249 pages Read more >>
In the small town of Willow Creek (not far from Three Forks, Montana), as basketball season begins and ends, Stanley West takes us through the lives of those participating on and off the court in the Blind Your Ponies. Read more >>
Set in the prairies of eastern Montana from 1916 to 1946, In Open Spaces is about the lives of the Arbuckle brothers. First we meet George, a man on the brink of baseball stardom, whose life ends unexpectedly under mysterious circumstances. Read more >>
There are a few places on earth where fishermen’s dreams are forged within a framework of grandeur and natural beauty—an elegant overlay in which fish are a single element among many. Read more >>Spring 2003
Sick of seeing grocery bags wrapped around tree limbs as you’re casting for trout? How about those empty Budweiser cans bobbing alongside your boat? If you prefer our local streams waste-free, then join the Gallatin Valley Wad’n Women for a river clean up on Sunday, April 27th. Read more >>Like any other issue that affects us and our recreation around Bozeman, the important thing is to get involved. But unlike many governmental policies, your voice DOES make a difference with the Gallatin National Forest's travel plan. Read more >>Can you say, "Viva Las Vegas?" You'd better start thinking about it, because that's the theme for this year's Pinhead Classic, where dozens of telemark "pinheads" head for Bridger Bowl dressed in wacky costumes to race each other on a specially designed course. Read more >>For me, fishing began 27 years ago, at the age of five when my family and I would thread fat nightcrawlers onto bait hooks and fish for anything that swam. Several years later I picked up a fly rod, and at the same time began tying my own flies. Some caught fish; many did not. Read more >>When I turned 13, my dad decided that he wanted to be a cowboy. To my chagrin, he started wearing cowboy boots, a plaid shirt, a cowboy hat, and a black duster—everywhere. At the time, I was too embarrassed to appreciate his longing to ride. Read more >>Winter 2002-03
It's the ever-looming question: When will Bridger Bowl allow access to the backcountry from its north and south boundaries? Bridger Bowl and the Forest Service have been in discussion over this for many years and there are several issues influencing the decision-making process. Read more >>There's a distinct sense of adventure in following animal tracks in the snow, and winter is probably the best time for developing your tracking skills. Read more >>The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center and the ASMSU Outdoor Recreation Center are offering avalanche seminars, basic workshops, and advanced workshops for the 2002-2003 winter season. Ron Johnson and Karl Birkeland are the instructors for both the classroom and the field sessions. Read more >>From the first snowfall in late September to the lingering remnants in early May, buck up buttercup, winter's here! I'm a summer person, and besides disliking the cold, I used to hate winter because there was nothing to do. Read more >>In the staid, contemplative world of fine art, humor isn’t just out of place—it’s a social crime of the highest order. After all, we are told, the purpose of art is to transcend the ephemeral, to create a portal through which we can gaze, if only slightly, on the deeper meanings of life. Read more >>Summer 2002
If you want to get in some good rock-climbing without the approach and commitment of an alpine climb, "the Canyon" is your spot. Gallatin Canyon’s gneiss formations are close by, just long and exposed enough to get your heart going, and many climbs see very little traffic. Read more >>Summer is here, and that means the hardy trail runners of Bozeman will be out in full force. For those who aren’t ready to attempt the following big runs, hook up with the Big Sky Wind Drinkers every Wednesday night from the middle of May through October for weekly fun runs. Read more >>Our own local marathon, joining the path taken by Lewis and Clark in their expedition west, will return for its third year on September 29th. The 26.2-mile course has had some slight changes this year. Read more >>Get ready for a sumptuous summer of Shakespearean proportions. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks theatre ensemble commemorates its 30th anniversary by performing two of Shakespeare's most entertaining plays, Henry IV, Part I and The Comedy of Errors. Read more >>
The seasons have changed. The death of winter has brought flourished life to the mountains, canyons, and valleys. Alpine moisture has changed from a solid to a liquid form. Sporting enthusiasts have also changed their form, from snow sliders, to river riders. Read more >>Winter 2001-02
Few things in Montana have the power to get an adventure lover’s blood pumping and adrenaline racing as much as a field of fresh powder or an undiscovered frozen waterfall that begs to be climbed. But few things also have the power to be so potentially dangerous. Read more >>Large ranches aren’t quite as common around Bozeman as they used to be; beyond the trophy-cabin fragmenting that’s visible roadside, the proliferation of “Cows not Condos” bumper stickers around the Gallatin Valley is evidence enough. Read more >>This January, hundreds of world-class athletes from around the country will converge on Bozeman to compete in the 2002 U.S. Cross-Country Ski Championships. Read more >>For the third year, assigning closure to several local extreme sports and introducing many others, The Best of Bozeman Slideshow will be visiting a “to be determined at a later date” theater in the Bozeman area come the first part of April. Read more >>On September 15th, 2001, the Willson Auditorium in Bozeman was packed with skiing fanatics. Read more >>Summer 2001
Behind the stockyards trout are taking nymphs, so you ditch the evening news and hit the stream. On the first cast you get a rainbow, a piggish wallowing blimp of a fish. Read more >>It’s 10:00 a.m. on a bright summer day near Yellowstone National Park, and a young golden grizzly bear scampers across the hillside. He tumbles down the bank, landing sideways and ready for his sister to pounce. It’s playtime! Read more >>Shoot the moon. That’s what Bozeman writer David Quammen attempts in his 700-page environmental epic, Song of the Dodo. Read more >>Ok, you’ve made the big investment and bought a boat. Then you had to buy paddles, maybe a sprayskirt or a frame, then a helmet and a PFD. Your wallet’s thin enough to shave with, but you still need outerwear. Something durable and comfortable, something inexpensive but bomber. Read more >>When it comes to backpacking and camping gear, two basic categories exist: the essentials, such as pack, tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc.; and the comfort & convenience items like pillow, headlamp, water purifier. Read more >>Winter 2000-01
Chances are you're someone who enjoys winter – as a snowmobiler, backcountry skier, or snowboarder, you probably dream of steep slopes and deep, untracked powder. Or perhaps you snowshoe or cross-country ski, and you cherish the winter woods and the solitude that a blanket of snow provides. Read more >>
If you want to separate yourself from the modern world and get intimate with the earth, grab a copy of Thomas J. Elpel’s Participating in Nature and head for the woods. Read more >>Fences make good neighbors, Robert Frost famously penned; but then again, Frost didn’t ski. The fence in this case – the marked boundary between Bridger Bowl and the wide-open National Forest backcountry – has created far more ire than affability in recent years. Read more >>Montana. To fishermen around the globe this word conjures images of rising trout, endless riffles, drag-free drifts, and spectacular mountain scenery. And while the trout probably rise as we speak and the riffles continue to run endlessly, there is, in fact, a bit more to the story. Read more >>While you’re out in the mountains this winter, far away from town’s star-obscuring ambient light, take advantage of your unobstructed upward view and check out some planetary bodies other than the Earth for a change. Read more >>Summer 2000
Maybe it started with a hike up Sypes Canyon at dusk, when the clouds seemed to converge over the Tobacco Roots, as if to float just a little longer in the sun's receding radiance. Read more >>In the summer of 1806, not long after passing through the Gallatin Valley, the Lewis & Clark expedition came across a small camp on the Missouri River belonging to a pair of fur-traders from Illinois. Read more >>The battle against whirling disease – the aquatic malady that's devastating prized trout populations in many of America's lakes and streams – hasn't been an easy one. Read more >>Hiking Montana's mountain trails is enjoyment in and of itself, but when you add the thrill of birding, it takes on a whole new level of wonder and excitement – like turning a lazy, late-afternoon river float into a safari expedition. Read more >>The river was huge. Swollen and discolored from the previous night's rainfall, it looked like a swirling sea of chocolate milk. Read more >>
