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Spring 2011

Features

  • Activities: Fishing

    Sex on the Fly

    A tale of two lusts. I never get laid in the summer. There is very little sex on the riverbanks these days. After all, it’s a hard place to find those types of women. Women who think that moldy waders, chapped hands, and…
  • Nature

    Life of the Grizzly

    “Tell us a scary bear story.”I knew what he wanted—I just didn’t want to give it to him.I had just finished presenting a living history character for an audience at Lone Mountain Ranch. Dressed as a buffalo-hide hunter…
  • Activities: Running

    Masochism on the Mountain

    My first time running the Baldy Blitz, I experienced the full gamut of human emotion: ecstasy as I ran down off the summit, my yee-haws drowned out by the roar of arctic-style winds, to spirit-crushing despair on the ice-…

Departments

  • Activities: Hiking

    Early-Season Trails

    When patches of snow become harder to find around town and blades of grass begin to appear, many anxious Bozemanites hit the trails. Such eager hikers are often deflated when they reach the trail and find only mud and post-…
  • Culture: Conservation

    Raised Beds

    An exercise for the green thumbs. Want to grow your own veggies? Interest in raised-bed gardening is growing, and our local climate and soils make them a great choice for Bozeman gardeners. Here's how to get started.Why a…
  • Culture: Arts & Culture

    Slingin' Heavy Metal

    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 big…
  • Culture: Arts & Culture

    Runners

    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…
  • Culture: Letters & Rants

    Letters - Spring 2011

    Better Ways to Fence I read with interest Melynda Harrison’s article on the pronghorns (Fall 2010, p. 30). I think you only scratched the surface of the problem. Restricting migration or herd movement is one issue, but a…
  • writing, people, excellence
    Culture: People

    Sublime Solidarity

    Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude. –Ralph MarstonSeveral years ago an essay landed in the O/B editorial inbox, about a woman’s post-divorce experience working in a barn with a retired rodeo bull named Wander.…
  • Culture: Humor

    What Your Knife Says About You

    Reveal your knife personality. You can tell a lot about people by the blades they choose to carry. It’s kind of like a personality indicator, or even a mood ring—that also doubles as a lethal weapon. Here’s a primer on…
  • Culture: Food & Drink

    Smoked Trout

    I rarely barbeque trout caught in the local rivers and streams, especially in summer, because the flavor and texture of the meat seems to diminish with the warmer waters. I prefer to harvest trout from colder water via ice…
  • Activities: Fishing

    Wetting Your Pants

    I’m out on a beautiful river, on a beautiful day, with beautiful trout. As the sun sinks low, I look over the river in search of an easy way to wade across without getting myself in trouble or falling in. It's not that I'm…
  • Training: Astronomy

    Porcus the Pig

    The story of Porcus. Constellations are a lot like movie stars. Some, like Orion, are superstars. Others, like Hercules, are character actors. And some, like Porcus the Pig, are who-dats. And just like movie stars, each…
  • Activities: Fishing

    Go-to Flies

    Spring is here and it’s time to stock up the fly box. As the honeycomb-like fly-shop bins suggest, there are literally hundreds of patterns to choose from. But if used properly, you only need a few. It’s okay to error on…
  • Places: Cities & Towns

    Spring Socials

    Outdoor spring events coming to a place near you. These events took place in 2011; for updated dates, visit our event calendar.  Nothing helps ring in the spring like getting out and enjoying the wide array of outdoor…
  • Training: Fly Tying

    Fishing with Worms

    The Tungsten Bead Goomie Worm is a go-to fly in the spring. This worm pattern is great when the bugs aren’t hatching, the water is off-color, or the fish are slow and lethargic. Those truths said, let us also disclose that…
  • Training: Injury Prevention

    New Season, New Skin

    Resurfacing isn't just for roads. Just as spring shows us the havoc winter has played on our byways, highways, and roads less traveled—exposing new holes, ruts, and bumpy terrain—skin shows similar wear and tear, making for…
  • Culture: The New West

    Felt Sole Brother

    The synthetic felt sole has long been the standard for wader traction and grip on slippery river rocks, but its days may be numbered: Montana State Senate Bill 230 proposes an amendment to fishing regulations that will…
  • Culture: Dogs

    Home on the Range

    Michelle Feldstein stands on the bank of the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley. Cottonwoods sway in the breeze next to the river at the feet of the Absaroka Mountains. Snow still skiffs the crags. Her eyes scan the…
  • Culture

    Marry Me in Montana

    Weddings under the Big Sky. Face it: no outdoors enthusiast worth his salt readily and without profanity cancels a sunny, spring-weekend excursion to pack into a church and watch a twitterpated twosome tie the knot. Most…
  • Activities: Fishing

    Take Mom Fishing

    Want to give the perfect Mother's Day gift? Take Mom fishing. That’s right; there’s even a corresponding aquatic insect hatch, which reminds us that Mother Nature also celebrates Mother’s Day. Numerous local fly-shops offer…
  • Activities: Fishing

    Fish Food

    I am not a disciple of Norman Maclean. To say it another way: I’m not a fly fisherman. Fly fishing is fine and dandy, but I’m more of an eater than a fisher. Fishing is something I do to provide myself with juicy, succulent…
  • Activities: Running

    Spring Runs

    Published May 2011- Check our EVENTS CALENDAR for updated dates. There’s no better way to shake off the cobwebs of hibernation than to ditch the treadmill, head outdoors, and compete. Lace up your shoes and come run this…
  • Culture: Conservation

    Wide Open

    An interview with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust.Penelope Pierce, the new executive director of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT), offered some insight into one of the area's most well-known organization that protects…
  • Culture: Dogs

    Through a Mutt's Eyes

    Having lived in the Bozeman area for some 13-odd years, it seems strange (at least to me) that I didn't really see the outdoors until recently.Of course, I've “seen” the outdoors. I'm not visually challenged—I had just…
  • Training: Skills & Safety

    Slippery When Wet

    Gearing up for life in the rain.At 11,000 feet, having only marginal rain gear during a storm can be life-threatening. On the other hand, if you're hiking for several hours in the rain, you're going to get wet, no matter…
  • Training: Workouts

    Spring into Strength

    Over the years, I’ve had people come into the gym after a weekend outing on one of our great rivers and they can hardly move. Kayaking, rafting, or paddling a drift boat uses a great deal of upper body and core strength.…
  • Activities: Running

    Running Through Fire

    A few months ago, my boyfriend got in touch with his fire-loving inner Neanderthal, and together they went out and purchased a wood stove for our house. To compliment his desire to improve our home, I found my way to Ace…
  • Training: Injury Prevention

    Shoulder Season

    Kayak and canoe paddles, bike wheels, bare backs in the sun. Aaah, Bozeman in the springtime. It really is paradise here in southwest Montana… until that darn rotator cuff injury ruins everything! Shoulder issues are so…
  • Culture: Around the Bozone

    The High Road

    The East Gallatin Recreation Area on Bozeman’s north side contains some of the valley’s most popular trails—residents come to immerse themselves in the beauty of the river, its shimmering green cottonwood and aspen forest,…
  • Culture: Conservation

    Community Gardens

    Springtime is finally here... and that means the fresh produce of summer gardens. However, if you’re like me, you live in an apartment, and the only space available for your gardening dreams are your windowsills. If you’re…
  • Activities: Mountain Biking

    A Clean, Dry Ride

    Isn’t it funny how things work? All summer long I dream of backcountry powder, but as soon as those long winter nights set in, I begin passing the time on a bike trainer and dreaming of future “gravel grinder” rides on my…
  • Activities: Rafting

    Gallatin River Thrills

    The rugged backcountry around Bozeman compels folks to partake of the fresh air and challenging terrain. Whether it’s hiking to Lava Lake or a more casual stroll along Hyalite Reservoir, each trip presents both a physical…
  • Activities: Mountain Biking

    Tykes on Bikes

    If you live in the Gallatin Valley, you know that biking is pretty damn fun. What you might not know is that biking with kids can be just as much fun—even though it takes a little more work and planning. But few family…
  • Culture: Face-Off

    Bozeman Vs. Park City

    Our latest mountain-town match-up finds Bozeman competing against the like-minded burg of Park City, Utah. Does this filthy rich tourist hotspot have what it takes to win? Let's see how they stack up.Movie Festivals…
  • Activities: Fishing

    By the Numbers: Fishing Edition

    88%: trout’s chance of survival if exhaustively exercised62%: trout’s chance of survival if exhaustively exercised and held out of the water for 30 seconds28%: trout’s chance of survival if exhaustively exercised and held…
  • Culture: Lingo & Etiquette

    Know Thyself

    How to calculate your asshole footprint. Being an asshole is like burying a dead body in the woods: everyone’s done it. Or something like that. Are you an asshole? Take our handy quiz to find out.1. Did you blow up the…
  • Activities: Rock Climbing

    Pebble Wrestling

    “You’ve gotta check out this arête, it’s amazing,” Tom Kingsbury urges on one of his many guided tours through the Desert, a bouldering area outside Whitehall. The six climbers following him gather around the blunt,…
  • Culture: Lingo & Etiquette

    Cut to the Chase

    The many uses and personalities of knives.  Ask someone to borrow a knife these days and nine times out of ten they won’t be packing. It’s damn near impossible to find a blade in public, even here in Montana, where there’s…
  • Culture: People

    A Tribute to Joanne Wilke

    July 22, 1957 - November 26, 2010I don’t know where she found the time. She swam, skied, mountain biked, hiked, backpacked, and scoured Montana cafés in search of pie. She wrote an award-winning book, was working on a…
  • Activities: Kayaking

    Water Gone Wild

    Now that winter has come to a close, it’s time to start thinking about hitting the rivers again—and all signs are pointing towards a fantastic paddling season. Bozeman’s favorite little girl, La Niña, treated us well this…
  • Activities: Road Biking

    The Two-Wheel Commute

    If you think that “looking forward to your daily commute” sounds outrageous, you’re probably thinking about mind-numbing, stress-inducing, bumper-to-bumper travel. Change your mindset to bike commuting—the kind that lands…
  • Training: Workouts

    Thinking Pink

    Around Montana, runners, anglers, and cowboys are breaking out their gear to help find a cure for breast cancer—the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, after lung cancer. In the United States, a woman has a one…
  • Training: Photography

    High-Energy Photography

    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. The sport …

Gear Reviews

  • Gear: Misc

    Review: Perfect Bungee

    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…
  • Gear: Misc

    Review: TX Direct Wash-In

    Waterproof gear is absolutely awesome—until it stops working. For the longest time, I would relentlessly use my waterproof stuff, and then sadly shrug off the fact that my gear’s “waterproof” claim was now meant…
  • Gear: Nutrition

    Review: Luna Bars

    Just so we’re clear, Luna Bars aren't "chick food." Each bar has nine grams of protein—which is about 50% more protein than an egg—and they come in mouthwatering flavors such as Peanut Butter Cookie, Vanilla Almond, and…
  • Gear: Equipment

    Review: Deep Creek Chest Pack

    The Fishpond Deep Creek Chest Pack solves many of the problems I’ve had with previous chest packs. The front pouch opens to a full 90 degrees so I can find the right fly, and the foam storage pad is attached with Velcro so…
  • Pet Naturals Breath Bites Review
    Gear: Equipment

    Review: Pet Naturals Breath Bites

    Few things feels better than a soft, furry dog head in one’s hands—and nothing’s worse than a sudden blast of rank dog breath on the face. If your pooch’s halitosis is out of hand, temper the terror with Breath Bites from…
  • Gear: Apparel

    Review: Salewa Mountain Trainer

    When I wear these shoes, I feel like I could kick Sasquatch in the nuts and then outrun him. The Salewa MTN Trainer is designed to be comfortable enough for everyday use and general hiking but technical enough to handle any…
  • Gear: Equipment

    Review: Solution Climbing Shoe

    Now that spring is here for the next six months, climbing only happens on terrain too steep to get rain or melting snow (i.e., thuggish, blocky limestone with glassy feet). I need all the help I can get to clip the chains,…

Book Reviews

Outside Bozeman Spring 2011

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