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Winter 2018-19
Two seasons ago, when skiing through some trees, I cracked my helmet colliding with an overhanging branch. I wasn’t going that fast, and its flimsiness was disconcerting. Read more >>
Fueling up for winter activity. Bozeman provides endless opportunity for outdoor recreation. For those of you exploring the mountains in winter for competition or adventure, your mood, cognition, and overall performance will reflect your fueling choices. Read more >>Fall 2018
After a long hike, when I reach an alpine ridge, the sweat stops and the cooling begins. Read more >>Spring 2018
If millennials have shown the world anything, it’s that people in their 20s really do have it all figured out. One example of this unprecedented generational wisdom is the phenomenon of #vanlife. Read more >>Winter 2017-18
Fall 2017
As darkness comes sooner to southwest Montana, but temps remain (relatively) warm, a bike light becomes an essential item—for everything from in-town commuting to post-work Read more >>
The human mind can process an astounding amount of information in a few short moments, especially when life and death hang in the balance. Read more >>Summer 2017
Naming Mount Blackmore. At 10,154 feet, Mount Blackmore looms high above Bozeman on the southern horizon. Anyone who has lived in town for more than a few weeks can point to the peak, but few know how the mountain got its name. Read more >>
For women with ankle instability, the Lowa Sassa GTX Mid trekking boot is what you need. Read more >>
Once an essential apparatus, the fly-fishing vest no longer holds hegemony, thanks in large part to innovations like the FHF Gear Fishing Chest Rig. Read more >>Winter 2016-17
Charging burly lines demands burly apparel, and the Berreta line from Dakine offers just that. Read more >>Fall 2016
Montana FWP explains the delisting.“We didn’t work on this for over 30 years to see the bear disappear.” Read more >>
Two things are paramount in a ski boot: comfort and performance. And the sock you choose to wear affects both significantly. Which is why I’ve switched to the Precision-Fit Ultralight from Lorpen. Read more >>Summer 2016
Convenience is king these days, and it doesn’t get much more convenient than the Pinnacle Dualist cooking system from GSI, especially if you backpack in pairs. Read more >>
We’ve all heard the accolades from national publications about the outdoor paradise that is Bozeman and Montana in general. Read more >>
I was looking for a tent that could go from car camping to the occasional backpack, that would have a bit of interior room while keeping a low profile, and could handle a variety of weather. Read more >>Spring 2016
At its most basic level, fishing requires a line, a hook, and a lure, three items attainable for under five bucks. How, then, has the industry grown into a billion-dollar one, and how, then, did anglers spend over $900,000,000 in Montana alone in 2014? Let’s take a closer look at the numbers. Read more >>
When my family outgrew our beloved Mutha Hubbard three-person tent, upgrading to MSR’s larger Papa Hubba NX four-person backpacking tent was an easy choice. Read more >>
Gone are the days of weighty, oversized hiking boots—those eight-pound clodhoppers that made the ankles invincible but limited one’s pace to a slow, steady walk. Read more >>Winter 2015-16
Nothing is more essential than a good knife. It’s the ultimate tool and when you buy one, you can never imagine when and where you’ll need it. The applications are endless, and this winter, I’m using a Freescape folding knife from Gerber. Read more >>
I recently had a chance to try out the Alpen Teton 10x42 ED HD (extra-low dispersion, high-definition) and I have to say, I’m extremely impressed with both the feel and function of these binoculars. Read more >>Fall 2015
In the mountains of Montana, even the warmest days can yield chilly nights. For someone who’s always cold, extra warmth is a must in any sleeping bag, and the Lithia Spring SL 15 by Big Agnes delivered just that. Read more >>
Hunting grounds are hallowed places, viewed with great anticipation and anxiety over the bragging, freezer-filling, story-gathering process each fall. But to be sure your time there doesn’t turn to pure anguish, here are some tips to help you prepare. Read more >>Summer 2015
Every once in a while, a product comes around that I won’t shut up about. The Ericksson GTX from Vasque is such a product. These boots were made for walking, and that’s just what I do in them. I walk up mountains; I walk through mud; I walk around town. Read more >>
Quivers may be all the rage these days, but a more minimalist approach has its advantages: less money shelled out, less space occupied in the closet, less time spent fixing gear. Which is why I like my new Sky 5100, made by Bozeman’s own Stone Glacier. Read more >>Spring 2015
The sounds of silence make wilderness a special place. But the sounds of music make car camping, working out, tuning skis, and adjusting bike chains all that much more enjoyable. Enter the Big Turtle Shell Wireless Speakers from Outdoor Tech. Read more >>
Your Livingston-area activity list. If you find yourself in Livingston this spring, don’t plan on much downtime—the historic Western town is full of fun activities for the whole family. Read more >>
Or you won't catch them again. "Game fish are too valuable to be caught only once.”—Lee Wulff, father of catch-and-release fishing Read more >>Winter 2014-15
When it comes to camp food, convenience and healthiness tend to move in opposite directions—but not so with Good To-Go’s Dehydrated Meals. These slim packets contain loads of healthy ingredients, without all the chemical compounds you’ve come to expect from most packaged foods. Read more >>
Did you know that it’s possible to get the warmth of a giant puffy jacket without wandering the streets of Bozeman looking like the Michelin Man? Read more >>Fall 2014
Delve deep into Yellowstone’s wild with David Peterson’s stunning photo book, Yellowstone: Near, Far & Wild (Farcountry Press, $20). Read more >>
There's more to photography than point and shoot.The world is filling up with images. Online, in our newspapers and even some magazines, snapshots are the currency of the day. And as more creators enter the pool, the water continues to get deeper—but it lacks clarity. Read more >>
Step outsideIt’s still and coldThe mountains shineLike burnished goldAll aroundThe silence ringsYou feel the powerThat wildness bringsThis is the worldAs it was madeThis crystal snowThat virgin gladeHigh overhead Read more >>Summer 2014
I had a pretty good idea of what I was looking for in a new cookset for my raft—it had to be compact, light, and it needed components to dish up meals for four people. The Pinnacle Camper integrated cooking and eating system from GSI Outdoors fits the bill perfectly. Read more >>
When the peaks and alpine lakes call, pick up the Tibet GTX Hi from Lowa and head to the high country. Read more >>Fall 2013
Alive, the grizzly is a symbol of freedom and understanding—a sign that man can learn to conserve what is left of the earth. Extinct, it will be another fading testimony to things man should have learned more about but was too preoccupied with himself to notice. Read more >>
Over my morning coffee, I sat staring out the window at the Madison River and thinking about things that needed to be done: my job, packing, cleaning, storing things for the winter—and then it occurred to me that this would be a damn fine day to go fishing. Read more >>
Mine is a worthy prey. His home range is expansive, and in his element, he is King of Beasts. His numbers are large and growing. He is smart, he is elusive, and he is dangerous. In short, he is the ultimate hunt, for the ultimate hunter. He is the Touron. Read more >>
For many of us Bozemanites, the first snow of the year is a tease, an alluring look ahead to the oncoming season. We daydream about the incredible powder days, and gnarly runs that we weren't quite ready to tackle last year, but feel this year might be the one. Read more >>
It starts up in the trees: a frail rustling through the leaves brought on by a cold, bracing breeze. Sweeping down through the ground there is a change of hue—an array of a colorful display. Read more >>Summer 2013
Have you ever enjoyed a Dutch-oven dinner and wanted to learn to cook one yourself? Well, Carsten Bothe’s Dutch Oven: Cast-Iron Cooking Over an Open Fire (Schiffer Publishing, $30) is the perfect cookbook to get you started. Read more >>
Google Earth is awesome, no doubt, and that fancy GPS of yours is not to be scoffed at—but there’s nothing quite like unfurling a map on the kitchen table and letting a world of adventure appear before you. Read more >>
Yellowstone Yesterday and Today (Golden Valley Press, $45) provides a captivating photographic history of Yellowstone Park. Photographer Paul Horsted recreates historic photographs of Yellowstone, illustrating how the Park has developed over the years. Read more >>
“Multimedia” is a bland and nebulous term, and therefore fails to capture the elegant and symbiotic blend of song and imagery that is Mike Haring’s new DVD, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (self-produced, $20). Read more >>
Wrapping a trout in tin foil might be nice when you’re out camping, but when you bring your catch home, try something a little more exciting. Read more >>Spring 2013
There’s no shortage of recreational guides out there, but how often do they help anyone but novices? When was the last time you, self-respecting Bozemaniac and expert outdoorsman that you are, found anything original or useful in one? Read more >>
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. Read more >>
A common complaint among the good women of BozeMan, Mantana—apart from the age-old "The odds are good, but the goods are odd" lament—is that the dating humor tends to be male-oriented and disrespectful of feminine sensibilities. 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 >>Winter 2012-13
I’m kicking and gliding along the impeccably groomed Nordic trails at Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky. Snow-laden trees line the edge of the trail, threatening to drop gobs of snow; North Fork Creek gurgles near the trail, verdant green moss peaking out from under the snow. Read more >>
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 >>
Once the snow falls, there’s no better time than winter for “reading sign.” Whether snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or surveying the landscape from a chairlift, picking out animal tracks and trails can enhance any outdoor experience. 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
For most of us Montana men, it simply happens. It might be a Tuesday, around mid-October. We stand shirtless at the sink with a razor in one hand, and look at ourselves in the mirror. Read more >>
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 >>
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 Radianceby 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 nor white,But ambiguous grey, a beautiful sight! Read more >>Summer 2012
In 2011, the City of Bozeman dedicated its fifth and sixth recreational climbing boulders, which makes six more than virtually every other city in America. Read more >>
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 >>
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 >>
Wild turkeys, not unlike the namesake whiskey, can bring an otherwise sane person to the heights of elation, the depths of depression, or the brink of madness. 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 weekand 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 >>
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 >>
Arapahoe Basin, otherwise known as “The Legend,” is a small resort hidden among giants in the Colorado Rockies, just outside Denver. Unlike its money-grubbing neighbors, A-Basin has remained humble. 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
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>Spring 2011
Tired of hiking the same old circuit of trails around Bozeman? Check out the new edition of Robert Stone’s Day Hikes Around Bozeman (Day Hike Books, $16) for plenty of beautiful hikes you’ve never done before, all within a 90-mile radius from Bozeman. Read more >>
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 Jesushisself was puttin' 'em on the hook. Hell, Roy Dean, he seen Bobby Dontoss 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 >>Winter 2010-11
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 >>
Most people don’t think a hood on a vest is necessary—sort of like screen doors on a battleship. To the contrary, however, I found the hood on the Whisper Hoodie Vest delightful. Read more >>
Do not underestimate the need for a bomber sleeping bag when spending time outdoors this winter. Long, frigid days and cold, stormy nights take their toll without a solid refuge from the elements. Read more >>
We've all seen him: the guy up on the ridge who looks like a total mess. He's holding the line up, he's swinging skis and poles everywhere, and he's stopping in the middle of everything to fix his gloves. Read more >>
The Talus and Salish are two sweet little packs from the Jansport Cloud Ripper series. Both are small and snug and tight on the body, resulting in high functionality no matter the activity. Read more >>Fall 2010
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 >>
That brown, tailing in the tail of these riffles, strikes my attractor, my sick joke: black hackles then white rubber legs and a piece of red yarn for a butt. Now here he is, wallowing in the shallows, flashing his Read more >>Summer 2010
Trying to pick the best places to run near Bozeman is a little like trying to decide between ice cream and candy—they're all so good! So when the editors asked me which five I thought were the best, I had some thinking to do. Long or short? Hilly or flat? Read more >>
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 >>
Come hill or high water, your tootsies will appreciate the Merrell Waterpro Tawas, a hybrid river/trail shoe designed for playing in and around the river. Drainage ports allow soggy feet to dry quickly, while the perforated footbed provides a stable fit. Read more >>
The text message blinked as I sent it: “drinking 40s on the lawn.” A decade ago, it would have sounded logical; now it just seemed like we were trying too hard. Yet there I sat. Read more >>
If you’ve got a hankering to make your own outdoor clothing, here’s one place to start: Montana Outdoor Fabric on in downtown Bozeman. Hiding inside this little white house across from Willson School are stacks upon stacks of fabric, of every imaginable kind and color. 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 >>Winter 2009-10
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 >>
Bozeman-area skiers and snowboarders have plenty of hazards to deal with on the hill: rocks, ice, tree wells, unmarked cliffs, poor visibility, half-stoned trust-funders poaching your line. The last thing you need is an inadvertent run-in with a gaper. Read more >>
I’m not a gun nut. I’m a regular nut who owns guns, but only to hunt, not to defend my home and family, join the militia or fight the forces of tyranny.Gun nuts don’t scare or intimidate me. Instead, I’m learning a few things from them. You can, too. Read more >>
The forest, once too thick to ski through, had thinned and opened itself up, granting us the opportunity to explore its altered terrain. 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 >>Fall 2009
Fanning out across the field, a dog in front of each of us, we move slowly, deliberately, through the hayfield’s saffron stubble. It’s late morning in the lower Madison Valley; the sky is clear and bright, with a cool, persistent breeze. Perfect hunting weather. Read more >>
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 >>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.CHAMPS: Read more >>
Nothing screams Montana like a fun-filled day on the river, be it fishing, floating, or whitewater. An important logistical concern, of course, is the shuttle. While some hardcores prefer to hitchhike, bike, or even (gasp) run back to the put-in, we like the idea of a nice cozy car ride. Read more >>The Bozeman Recreation Department helps facilitate a strong, vital and involved Bozeman community through parks, programs, and people and the opportunities available encompass all age groups, ability levels, and interests. Read more >>Sometimes, when the fishing is especially goodwe stop the moment, the boat in the current.Stop casting,and start smiling.We say to each other,damn, it's like we're in Montana or something.Like this is the Yellowstone River Read more >>One day I'm building a deck in a snowstorm in Montana, the next I'm fighting fire on a stinking-hot day in Quincy, California. So it is, in wildland firefighting. Made here in Bozeman, the Mystery Ranch Hot 3 Firefighting Pack provided copious storage (1,500 cu. Read more >>Spring 2009
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 >>
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 >>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 >>Winter 2008-09
Sigmund Freud should have studied the ski area lift line. If he had, rather than screwing around with silly Oedipus theories and catering to his clear obsession with breasts, he would’ve found personalities and behavior of another order: the order of The Line. 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 >>
The Greater Yellowstone region is chock-full of cross-country ski trails. Whether you want to ski with your pup, watch wildlife, or spend a night in a yurt, we’ve picked out some of the best trails in the area. Read more >>This past September, the Gallatin Valley Land Trust ramped up its Main Street to the Mountains trail system by opening a new trail off of McIlhattan Road. It’s called the Snowfill Recreation Area and is located on 37 acres of land just north of the Bozeman City Landfill. Read more >>Fall 2008
Founded in 1607, Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the United States. It's a high-desert town one hour north of Albuquerque, and it boasts sunshine, mountains, good food, and plenty of outdoor fun. But can it measure up to Bozeman? Vamanos.CELEBRITY MAGNETISM Read more >>
After spending a sufficient amount of time on the river this summer, I have a pretty good idea of what to bring. FishPond's Blizzard Soft Cooler was a nice addition to my weekend trips. Read more >>One good thing about high gas prices (there are plenty, by the way) is that we’re riding our bikes more. Which means you may find yourself cruising the streets late at night amid Bozeman’s notoriously bike-blind drivers. A new weapon to add to your accident-avoidance arsenal is the SpokeLit. Read more >>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 >>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 >>
Montana summers are beautiful, but what if you need to break that been-there-done-that bad mood you've been in lately? We've got the perfect fix: Ennis.Fourth of July Parade & Rodeo 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 >>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 soccer15.9: percent of men over age 30 who have been married twice 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 >>
Thomas Elpel is the director of the Hollowtop Outdoor Primitive School in Pony. The guy has been around for years and is one of the area's foremost experts in survival skills. 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 >>Winter 2007-08
In the early 1920s, the West was still relatively wild—many territories had just gained statehood, mine-worker violence had recently erupted across the region, and train robberies were common. Read more >>Fans of ice sports throughout southwest Montana were saddened when the Valley Ice Garden shut its doors to become a cold-storage warehouse. Thankfully, the Gallatin County Fairgrounds immediately provided partial remedy with its semi-enclosed Haynes Pavilion. Read more >>
You can't call yourself a dedicated skier without having read John Fry's The Story of Modern Skiing (University Press of New England, $28). It's simply one of the most thorough and diligently written books on the heritage of skiing. Read more >>“The true force behind ice fishing is that it is better than no fishing at all,” states renowned American author Jim Harrison in his essay “Ice Fishing, the Moronic Sport.” And while many may agree with the sentiments of this literary genius, it is worth considering that ice fishing, whether by m Read more >>Fall 2007
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 >>If you’re an active outdoor guy in Bozeman and want to capitalize on that with the ladies, you gotta look the part: rugged, down to earth, but with a clear sense of style. Which is where Tarma Designs comes in. Read more >>Back in July, while you were floating lazily down the Madison, you may have sensed a sucking feeling every time your wallet got near the river. 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 >>Keep the stories and photos coming! The 2007 Suby Tales Contest is shaping up nicely, with several tales of grand adventure and high romance submitted already. We want this round to be a good one, so if you’ve got a story that involves a Subaru, send it our way. Read more >>Spring 2007
A Road Runs Through It: Reviving Wild Placesedited by Thomas Reed PetersenJohnson Books Read more >>When spring finally arrives and you’re itching to get outside for some early-season activity, a good pair of hiking boots is a must. Enter the Jannu Lo by Lowa—easily the best light-hiking boot I have ever worn. The shoes are really comfortable and well-made. Read more >>Winter 2006-07
Land Navigation Handbook: The Sierra Club Guide to Map, Compass, & GPSby W.S. KalsSierra Club Books Read more >>The morning air was crisp and the camp coffee strong. “I think I’d like to be a mountaineer,” my friend Naomi told me on the final morning of a backpacking trip in the Bridgers. “Could you teach me a few things?” Read more >>When you find something you love it’s hard to give it up. For the past 10 years I’ve been cross-country skiing in my Salomon Backcountry 7 boots. But, after countless kilometers kicking and gliding through the backcountry, they’ve gotten a little packed out and soft. Time to upgrade. Read more >>
Since the Las Vegas marathon was only three weeks away, this was the day, in early January 2005, that we needed to do the capstone 23-mile training run. Read more >>Bridger BowlSeason: 12/9/06 - 4/8-07Base Elevation: 6,100 feetSummit Elevation: 8,700 feetVertical Drop: 2,600 feetLongest Run: 3 milesAvg. Snowfall: 350 in/yrSkiable Acres: 1,500Number of Trails: 71Lifts: 7 Read more >>Fall 2006
In honor of the November gridiron meeting between our beloved Bobcats and the hated Grizzlies, this season’s battle of college towns goes Montana-style. Read more >>
Convenience is key at hunting camp—after a long day chasing elk through rugged Montana country, the last thing you need is to be stooped over a lightweight backpacking stove, struggling to prepare a hearty supper for you and your famished friends. Read more >>In the West, triangles have a certain “Come and get it!” quality, as any hungry cowpoke at the end of a long day can tell you: the clang of the metal triangle—the dinner bell from the chuckwagon--was music to his stomach. Read more >>The outdoors is big business in Bozeman. Here's the latest on what some of those businesses and business owners are up to.Testing the Waters Read more >>Summer 2006
Not every mountainous region in the world is blessed with the quality of life we enjoy in Montana. The people of Nepal and Tibet, for example, are so bad off in places that they lack access to education, clean water, and other basic needs. But a few Bozeman locals aim to change all that. Read more >>Spring 2006
The old West was built on logging, mining, and ranching, and the New West is being built on tourism, technology, and the “amenity” economy—or so the conventional wisdom goes. Read more >>Any day you pull on a dry top is a good day. Even if it’s late winter and 30 degrees at the Beartrap put-in—which is where I found myself testing out the new Lotus Designs Royal Flush dry top. Lotus has a reputation for making quality gear, and I soon found out why. Read more >>So why do you want to watch birds? Or, if you're already a casual observer, what is it that's motivating you to dig more deeply? Perhaps it's a muse—a guiding genius, a source of inspiration—impelling your involvement in a truly joyful pastime. Read more >>Winter 2005-06
It snowed last night, I can smell it. The dry air, the chill nudging the back of my throat. The tip of my nose feels numb. Engulfed in a lair of blankets I retreat into sleep. It’s way too early. Read more >>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 >>Twenty-five years ago, the US Cross-Country Ski Team encountered a problem with their early-season training in Cooke City, MT: too much snow. The solution? Move down the road to West Yellowstone and continue training there. Read more >>Fall 2005
Cabela’s — Sidney, NECabela's LST/LSR Fly Rod & Reel Combo - $260www.cabelas.com1-800-237-4444 Read more >>Still Speaking Ill of the Dead: More Jerks in Montana HistoryEdited by Jon Axline and Jodie FoleyGuilford, CTTwoDot, 2005147 pages Read more >>DARN TOUGH SOCKS - Nortfield, VTHike-Trek Boot Sock - $17-$20www.darntough.com877-327-6783 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 >>Is irony something beyond us—in the mindof a fish (if fish have minds), in the way a dogcocks its head or a cat looks behinditself when it knows nothing's there? In the logof human misery, the fates always providethese illustrations: man bites dog, fish hook Read more >>Spring 2005
In New Mexico, it's 100 degrees out in July and the last thing you want to do is walk around with 20 pounds of golf clubs on your back for four hours. But that's what I did summer after summer as a kid, because my parents kept signing me up for lessons and tournaments. Read more >>
Thanks in part to the recent extreme sport craze, whitewater kayaking has evolved dramatically in the last ten years. What was once a relatively unknown sport now ranks high on the list of the most popular adventure activities. Read more >>Ultimate, the field sport played with a flying disc, was born of 1960s college-campus counterculture. It has since matured into a highly competitive sport where nice guys almost never win anymore. But you can see the game played at its spiritual roots in mixed-gender events like Bozofest. Read more >>Winter 2004-05
Walk through the halls of Longfellow Elementary School and you enter a world where art and the outdoors intersect. Four walls throughout the school are testimony to the overall art theme that Longfellow has adopted: A Sense of Place. Read more >>Maybe it’s just me, but there seems to be way too much whining going on around Bozeman these days. The temperature dips below freezing, or we get two inches of snow before Thanksgiving, and everybody’s in the doldrums. 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 >>
A Sportsman's Life: How I Built Orvis by Mixing Business and Sportby Leigh Perkins with Geoffrey Norman Read more >>Summer 2004
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 >>July 10, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.Depot Rotary Park in Livingston, MontanaSustainability is…a vision and a journey that promotes environmental stewardship, economic prosperity, and community well being. Sustainability is achieved through the choices we make every day. Read more >>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 >>Spring 2004
Ask about twelve-hour workdays stacked up, sometimes in blistering hot or numbingly frigid weather, continuous fatigue, or aches in the body, and Terry Johnson will still insist he has the best job in the world. Read more >>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 >>
In these parts, most of us have a room full of camping gear and at least one bicycle. So chances are, you already have nearly everything it takes to give bicycle touring a try. That includes an ideal location—southwest Montana attracts bicycle tourists from around the globe. 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 >>Two hundred and one years ago this month, Merriweather Lewis sat down at a table in rainy Fort Clatsop and gave consideration to an animal the Indians called “pekan,” one he personally referred to as the “black fox.” He described it thus: 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 >>
For the last four years I’ve been teaching one day a week in Billings. Remarkably, there has been just one day when weather kept me from making the trip. Read more >>
Twice a year, on June 21st and December 22nd, we observe the summer and winter solstices. Read more >>Connoisseurs can take ski waxing to an elevated art form; here we’ll just cover the basics. Before you wax you have a few simple equipment choices: ski support or vice, waxing iron, and lastly some scrapers and brushes. 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 >>If you spend any amount of time in, on, or near the waterways of Southwest Montana—and whom in this arid landscape doesn’t—chances are you’ve used a Fishing Access Site (FAS) owned by the state and maintained by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). 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
From my blocking position atop a rock outcropping, I scan the broad, sage-covered slope below. There's movement to my left. Sliding along like phantoms, a small group of horses has veered out of a narrow gully and wheeled back upslope. 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 >>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 >>It was a curious moment on the steep hillside. After miles of rhythmic skinning in the early light of dawn, the trail turned upward. 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 >>I have to admit, I had my reservations about the Schnee’s Montana boot. Looking at the pull-on style, I had flashbacks to my elementary school moon boots. Read more >>I have been selling sleeping bags for over 20 years. That makes for a lot of stories about cold feet and sleepless nights trying to stay warm in under-built bags. Read more >>When it comes to outdoor recreation, gear is like money: there’s no such thing as too much. Problem is, gear takes up space, and when you’re loading the car for a multisport weekend road trip, space tends to be your biggest commodity. Read more >>Summer 2002
The “No Trespassing” sign loomed large on the dry, cracked fencepost, its black letters cold and threatening. A hundred yards behind it lay the river, calling to me in sonorous tones of riffle and rushing current. Read more >>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 >>
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
A cold trickle of ice water runs down my cheek, freezing me back into reality. I look upward into blue overhanging gobs of frozen water. Stupid. The ice water runs smack between my eyes and fills my right ear. I take a few steps to the side and drier ground. Read more >>"One must have a mind of winter," the poet Wallace Stevens says, to “see the nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.” If you hike along the frosty water outside Bozeman this winter, you won't need much imagination to discover lots of bird activity beneath the glitter of the January sun Read more >>Whether you prowl the winter landscape in snowshoes, skis, or your favorite pack boots, look skyward whenever your adventures keep you outside at nightfall. You’ll find a fellow sportsman in the heavens in the glittering figure of the constellation Orion, the hunter. Read more >>Scroll through your mind on a frigid January afternoon for something fun to do and chances are it won’t involve stripping down to a bathing suit and completely submerging yourself in the neighborhood pond—a body of water sealed with thick ice, save a tiny inlet. 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. It’s headed for the biker bar downstream and into your backing when it finds a rusted turquoise Plymouth fin and breaks off. 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 >>We all know people who are stubbornly spartan in the woods, deriding high-end internal frame packs with their flashy colors and space-age construction. But the majority of us are Epicureans at heart, gladly sacrificing looks for comfort and performance. 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 >>
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 >>Summer 2000
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 >>
Through the fog they come, through the early morning mist: two hundred loping crusaders, steely-eyed and sweat-soaked, rushing forward like a herd of wild horses – side-stepping boulders, hurdling fallen logs, and propelling themselves, chests heaving, through the steep and rocky terrain. Read more >>I intended to mow the lawn. I really did. Not that I felt any real need to, but I’d seen someone else doing it, so I thought what the heck, I might as well do it too. Read more >>
I am not a fly fisherman. Lacking a true affinity for political correctness, I am not a fly fisherwoman either. But I do like to fly-fish. It is therapy and yet it is madness, like an addiction. Read more >>
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