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Fall 2019
Like other frugal fishermen, I refused to replace my beloved wading boots, instead modifying them with sheet-metal screws, duct tape, and other jury-rigging, season after slippery season. Read more >>
Fall is for the road.This autumn, I think I’ll head west on I-90 to retrace an exploration of more than 20 years ago when my daughter and I happened upon a scrap of Montana history that remains in my mind like a half-remembered dream. Read more >>Summer 2019
Gregory’s Swift 20 H2O women’s daypack includes a three-liter water bladder that fits in a s Read more >>Spring 2019
With the compact and efficient Rainier two-burner stove from Camp Chef, a hot beverage on a chilly morning i Read more >>Winter 2018-19
What if you were pursued through the mountains by killers and tracked by dogs? Could you outrun them? Could you outwit them? Could you turn and defeat them? Many a young man has had the flight of fancy of an extreme survival adventure. Read more >>
Before hitting the road for a powder-chasing road-trip, grab a Ranger 60L duffle from Dakine. Read more >>Fall 2018
Catch-and-release hunting takes off. No guns. No bows. No spears, knives, or clubs. This is hunting at its most primeval, pitting man against beast without the aid of technology. No weapons are allowed—it’s hand versus hoof, head versus horn. Read more >>
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
Montana’s backcountry is a dreamland for skiers, snowmobilers, and ice-climbers, but sometimes, things go south. Read more >>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
Over time, people change, and after reading Toward a Natural Forest (Oregon State University Press, $20), it’s clear governme Read more >>Summer 2016
Rocks are hard and bikes go fast, so in order to protect my boney knees and elbows, I got a set of Slayer Pads from Dakine. Now when I’m bombing down from Mystic Lake, I don’t have to worry as much about careering off the Wall of Death. Read more >>Spring 2016
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 >>
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 >>Winter 2015-16
A case for conversation.Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits. —Mark Twain Read more >>
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
Fall edition. I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book. ―Groucho Marx Read more >>Summer 2015
The idea of packrafting a river deep in the wilderness is exciting. Doing so with a couple hundred pounds of fresh elk meat—now that’s an adventure. The PR-49 from Pristine Ventures makes this type of epic Montana outing possible. Read more >>
In the ongoing land-transfer struggle, a few folks stand out—on both sides of the battlefield. Here’s a recap of admirable acts and shameful shenanigans for the 2015 legislative session. Read more >>
Categorizing conifers.Think all conifers are pretty much the same? Think again. Next time you’re in the woods, use these simple ID-techniques to better understand your environment. Read more >>
Tips from a champ.Former World Championship silver-medalist Bill Wood teaches long-range shooting techniques at Granite Creek Range near Virginia City. Here are Bill’s top tips for shooting well—both at the range and in the field. Read more >>Spring 2015
To stretch the ski season even further—and enjoy an inimitable skiing experience “at the top of the world”—fill up the tank and head east to the Beartooth Pass. Read more >>Winter 2014-15
Demand for ice time in Bozeman is on the rise, and in response, a second skating rink is going in adjacent to the Haynes Pavilion at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. Read more >>
Some combos just seem right—peanut butter and jelly, Jack and Coke, and now in Bozeman, skiing and shooting. This season at Bohart Ranch, thanks to the efforts of the Bridger Biathlon Club (BBC), Bohart pass holders will be able to test their mettle at an all-new Olympic-caliber shooting range. Read more >>
During the nationalistic fervor of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games last winter, word on the street was a that formal bid to bring the 2026 Winter Games to Bozeman was underway. 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 >>
In the fall, bikers share the woods with hunters—here are some tips to play nice and be safe. Read more >>
The section of Mandeville Creek from Montana State University to Bozeman High School (BHS) has been neglected like a misunderstood stepchild for years—but that’s about to change. Read more >>Summer 2014
Patience may just lead to perfection.When I first observed spey casting, it looked like a man waving in surrender, or perhaps a horsetail swatting flies off its ass. There is nothing graceful about either image. 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 >>
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 >>
The lovebird is a captured and marginalized African parrot that forever yearns to form a strong and monogamous pair bond with another of her feather, preferring to roost side-by-side for peaceful spells in the unbounded nascent smells of Mother Earth. Read more >>
There’s something undeniably mythical about chasing large fish—precious few anglers escape that eventual, insatiable hunger for a lunker on the end of their line. 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
Want to give road biking a try? Here are a few classic rides around Bozeman to get you pointed in the right direction. Read more >>
The Yellowstone is a great place to fish streamers. Often, we’ll be running #4 sculpins or baitfish patterns sporting heavy lead eyes in front of a sopping wet bunny strip. This is often very effective for big brown trout, yet it cannonballs the water, spooking shallow water predators. 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
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 >>
Dean Sauskojus’s Yellowstone: The Ultimate Photo Guide to Yellowstone National Park (self-published, $15) is a great companion for any photographer venturing into Yellowstone. 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 >>
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 >>
I love to touch wood that’s beaver-skinnedand worn to glass by flowing water. There are willow saplings that startle.Bent low by winter snow loadbut still rooted to the bankthey get pulled downstream by the current Read more >>
In the middle of autumn, I rarely wish for the bone-chilling snows of winter to return—but after putting on my new Aussie Dogs Bonzer boots, there was a small part of me that hoped just a few flakes would fall. 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 >>
"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 >>
Hootin’ and hollerin’ aside, rodeos are some of the best events of the summer. Check out traditional bull riding and calf roping, or see what wild cow riding and mutton busting are all about. Read more >>
In Montana, attacks on runners and hikers are rare, and most women are assaulted by men they know in places they consider safe—but statistics are no consolation. Read more >>
Brooking no limit on the sex or size of their funThrowing themselves and money into the Big SkyThe seasonal hatch awakens a feeding frenzy.Only remembering bits and snatches of placesCommended itineraries blurred by market imaginations Read more >>Spring 2012
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 >>
With ski season on the horizon, it’s time to get those ski/snowboard/nordic legs ready—try these exercises to improve your cardio strength, stamina, agility, and balance before the snow flies. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Read more >>
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 >>Winter 2011-12
Once the domain of hardened alpinists, ice climbing has come a long way in its evolution and now anyone (thanks largely to modern equipment and Gallatin County snowplows) can enjoy a sense of adventure, complete with warming afternoon sun and hot cocoa between rounds on the vertical. Read more >>
You might not believe it, but there will come a day when you don’t want to go skiing this winter. Either your quads will be too blasted or the thermometer won’t crawl above zero, but you’ll spend one day entirely in your sweatpants, promise. Read more >>
Between Yellowstone Park in the south, Ted Turner in the middle, the National Bison refuge at Moiese in the northwest, and all of the smaller bison-ranching operations in between, Montana has become a virtual bison factory. Read more >>
The economy is still in the toilet, so a quiver of ice tools just isn’t an option for most ice junkies. Read more >>
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 >>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
Because Montana doesn't come free."Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do." –Norman Vincent Peale Read more >>
If exploring the unknown on foot holds any appeal, 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 >>
Montanans know all too well the dread-inducing buzz of a rattlesnake’s tail—and how these slithering serpents can cast a dark shadow over an otherwise glorious summer day. Read more >>Spring 2011
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 >>
You can see them bouncing near dusk.Like the deer, antelope, and elkthat used to live here.On pavement and in the shadow ofsodium vapor lamps they dance,frolic, and try to forget everything thatbrought them here and busied their days. 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 >>
Last year, Scarpa joined the eco-friendly party with their specially designed T2 Eco tele boot. The key distinction is in the shell—it’s built with Pebax Rnew plastic, which is made from castor plant oil rather than petroleum. Read more >>
No pair of devoted, loyal skis should ever be left to rot in the garage—no matter how unshaped, heavy, geriatric, or neon. Fortunately, there are more than a few ways to reincarnate your skis and give them a useful second life, long after even their rock-hopping days are over. Read more >>
These insulated winter boots were a little girly for my taste but extremely functional in wet, slushy weather. They have a plush fur lining to block out snow, and the lacing system is very secure. 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
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 >>
When it’s time to throw your own backyard bash, remember that convenience is a key ingredient for success. From park to back lawn, portable tables and shelters can make the difference between an uncomfortable afternoon and a carefree day outdoors. Read more >>
After a long, cold winter, when the sunshine finally outpaces the rain and snow, the people of Bozeman embrace the summer season en masse. Shirtless runners, grandmas in flip-flops, and barefoot kids spring up like wildflowers in an alpine meadow. Read more >>
The UV Chewy Crayfish pattern is a great year-round pattern on the Yellowstone and Madison rivers as well as our local lakes. Its lifelike movement, silhouette, and softness draw many species of fish—they like to chew on it for an extra second or two, allowing time to set the hook. Read more >>
Preparation and outdoor skills are crucial to survival in Montana's high country, and even a single day in the hills necessitates proper gear. Rather than discuss the “10 Essentials,” let’s instead debunk the concept of what is really needed for day in the hills. 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
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 >>
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 >>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 >>
Another vital aspect of safety in the mountains is dealing with the weather. Dennis Diclaudio's new book Man vs. Read more >>I lived in Montana for eight years without ever actually leaving "Bozeman." Sure, I skied at Big Sky, backpacked the Beartooths, cycled Yellowstone, and soaked at Norris. However, I never escaped my Bozeman bubble when I was home. Read more >>To be honest, the Saddlehorn 26" Rolling Duffel was my first rolling duffel bag, and it's made travel so easy that I want to go somewhere every weekend. It has more than 5,730 cubic inches of durable space to store clothes, gear, and even wet waders in the waterproof interior compartment. Read more >>As a child, I fished almost every day-however, I never kept a fish to eat. It wasn't because I embraced the ethos of Lee Wulff, but rather because no one in my family was much interested in cleaning and cooking a fish. 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 >>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
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 >>Think meth and the outdoors are unrelated? According to the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks; various game wardens; and several forest-service professionals, significantly less meth lab debris has been found in state parks and forests since the Montana Meth Project started in 2005. Read more >>The economic crisis, shorter days, and the stress of the holidays can be enough to trigger depression for many people. Regular exercise in the beautiful surroundings of southwest Montana offers a great way to battle the winter blues. Read more >>Fall 2008
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 >>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 >>
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 >>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
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 >>When an unexpected dinner guest or a long day at the office makes dinner preparation seem impossible, turn to this shortcut curry and relax. If you have canned coconut milk, chicken in the freezer, and a little red curry paste hiding at the back of the refrigerator, you are halfway there. Read more >>I think it’s fair to say that we’re all sick and tired of hearing about MySpace.com already. So in hope that we can help everyone remember that the internet should help people enjoy their lives, not be their lives, here are a few of our favorite outdoor-oriented websites. Read more >>Fall 2007
One cannot mention Three Forks and autumn in the same sentence without conjuring up images of the big brown and rainbow trout that begin their fall calorie glut in the Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson rivers. 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 >>Horse Women: Strength, Beauty, Passion is a book brimming with awe-inspiring photography, poetry, and quotes that speak to the link between women and horses, and the undeniable similarities between the two. 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 >>
With a name like “the Devil’s Backbone,” this race will deter all but the hardcore, sweat-smelling, Gu-loving, suffer-fest fans of the running persuasion from their quest for personal victory. Read more >>Start training now for the 8th Annual Lewis and Clark Marathon here in Bozeman—the race is September 23 at 8 am. Entry fee for the marathon is $45, the half marathon is $30, and the marathon relay team is $100. The race begins on Jackson Creek Road and ends at the MSU track. Read more >>Spring 2007
I’ve always avoided four-season tents—the extra weight of a nine-pound double-wall never seemed worth it, and single-walls usually lack that all-important vestibule—but one too many butt-cold January nights in the backcountry made me reconsider. Read more >>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 >>Winter 2006-07
Land Navigation Handbook: The Sierra Club Guide to Map, Compass, & GPSby W.S. KalsSierra Club Books Read more >>With the fall of the first heavy snow, sledheads around Montana heave sighs of relief, load their trailers, and gear up for another exciting snowmobiling season. Read more >>
If zipping through Yellowstone on a snowmobile or gliding around on cross-country skis doesn’t sound appealing, that doesn’t mean you can’t experience all of the mystical, snow-covered treasures the nation’s first national park holds in the winter months. 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
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 >>Nobody cares for a foot full of poop. You know the story—you head to the park, kick off the flips for some barefoot grass-strolling, and your first frolicking leap comes down on a huge, steamin' pile of doggie delight. Not pleasant. Read more >>Summer 2006
Kevin Hutchison has given southwestern Montana a gift that keeps on giving, and he humbly calls the guide that opens our eyes to the vast possibilities of climbing in Paradise Valley “a dream realized.” When he began developing areas for sport and trad (traditional, for you non-climbers) climbing ar Read more >>Chasing Montana: A Love Storyby Lori SoderlindThe University of Wisconsin PressMadison, Wisconsin272 pages Read more >>
Don’t Forget the Duct Tape: Tips and Tricks for Repairing Outdoor Gearby Kristin HostetterSeattle, WashingtonThe Mountaineers Books85 pages Read more >>Spring 2006
Lots of rafts are showing up on Montana’s rivers lately, and with good reason. They’re fun, safe, stable, and take you places with friends. With all the choices out there, let’s take a look at what fits for our rivers. Read more >>The Wilderness Paddler’s Handbookby Alan S. KesselheimRagged Mountain Press, 2001Camden, Maine284 pages 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 >>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 variety Read more >>Fall 2005
Cabela’s — Sidney, NECabela's LST/LSR Fly Rod & Reel Combo - $260www.cabelas.com1-800-237-4444 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 >>So you shot an elk, ate the backstraps, and made most of it into sausage and jerky. Now what to do with the odds and ends? Sure, you could make them into chili, but didn’t you do that last year? It’s time to expand your culinary repertoire and branch out. 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
Note: this article was published in the summer of 2005; much of the information may be outdated. Read more >>In December 2001, American Wildlands submitted a petition to the Montana Board of Environmental Review to designate the Gallatin River, from Yellowstone Park to the Spanish Creek confluence, as Montana’s first Outstanding Resource Water (ORW). Read more >>
From the realistic to the ridiculous, Park County and the surrounding area has offered artistic inspiration for over a century. Read more >>Winter 2004-05
In only its second year of existence, Moonlight Basin has already become a household name in the Bozeman area. Their marketing efforts can be best described by one word: relentless. 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 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 >>
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 >>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 >>This is Feldarb from Parallel 12 reportingback to Carbolyte in the Fifth GalacticQuadrant. We've dismissed our plans for abortingour mission and are considering a new tactic.The creature specified in your orders appearsto be infected by a phosphorescent mold. Read more >>
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay area in the 50's and 60's—before business expanded across the Bay into the suburbs, before the dot.com companies redefined the economy—I wondered where the pavement ended. Read more >>A result of a handful of Big Sky locals’ desire for a fun, family- and community-oriented winter event, the second annual Big Sky Winterfest is scheduled for March 20. Read more >>
The first in a series of six books, Miranda and Starlight begins the story about a precarious ten-year-old girl and the special friendship she shares with the horse of her dreams. Read more >>Winter 2003-04
Telemarking is one of those things, like rock climbing or perhaps fly fishing, that can’t be easily explained to outsiders. I mean, why make skiing harder than it has to be? Read more >>I’ve helped hundreds of people travel to literally every corner of the globe, and my pre-trip visits with some of them continue to amaze me. Read more >>
"The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball." –Doug Larson 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 >>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 >>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
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 >>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 >>Winter 2001-02
When it comes to local controversies, last year’s announcement of the Yellowstone Park snowmobile phase-out is hard to beat for right-wing rancor, left-wing quixotism, and just about every reaction and viewpoint in between. Read more >>
Founded in 1990 to “provide the public with current snowpack and mountain weather information and avalanche education,” the GNFAC is a tremendous resource for any backcountry visitor. Read more >>
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 >>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 >>
In the deep green world of its backcountry, a hiker with a small pair of binoculars and an alert nature will get to know, up close and personal, many of the birds of Yellowstone Park. 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 >>Winter 2000-01
Sprinkle fish, whole or cut into strips, with lemon juice. Roll in flour seasoned with salt & black pepper. Prepare batter by combining 3/4 cup flour seasoned with 1/4 teaspoon salt & dash of black pepper. Pour in some beer & mix. Read more >>
Fifty–one years ago this fall, Oxford University Press published a slim collection of nature essays entitled A Sand County Almanac. Its author was the great forester, ecologist, and first-ever wildlife management professor Aldo Leopold. 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 >>
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 >>Easing over a small roof, I mantle up onto an ice cream sandwich-sized ledge, some 300 feet above the Gallatin River. It's our fourth pitch, and I stand quickly, hips tight to the rock, and grasp for a small egg-sized pebble protruding from the rotten cliff face. 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 >>
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