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Summer 2018
Wilderness gets no second chances. “Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential.”—Winston Churchill Read more >>
When John Kemp Starley introduced the modern form of the bicycle in 1885, women’s suffrage was well underway but not yet a national movement. Women still wore binding corsets and voluminous hoop skirts. Nary a breeze would graze their ankles on a sizzling summer day. But the bicycle changed all... 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
I’ve been extremely happy with my Native sunglasses, so I decided to try out their ski goggles. Read more >>
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 >>
We often wax poetic about the millions of acres of pristine public land surrounding Bozeman, but the reality is, our trails, 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 >>Winter 2013-14
Go to your bosom: Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know. —William Shakespeare 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
On those blazing summer days in Bozeman, sometimes all you want is to grab a swimsuit and some beer and go in search of sweet relief. There are a number of places to swim around Bozeman if you’re willing to look. Read more >>
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 >>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
In this sophisticated age where motor-driven, auto-focused, auto-exposed digital cameras can be shot while blindfolded and produce a useable image through Photoshop trickery, there is still no electronic substitute for thoughtful composition and deliberate content. Read more >>
Against my grandmother’s advice, I’d like to pass on a rumor. It’s relatively harmless, though I cannot confirm it. It goes something like this. Around the mid-‘60s, a group of women in Japan grew increasingly concerned about their food. Read more >>
If you’re looking for a new perspective on life, some folks might suggest getting high. But when it comes to photography, this takes on a whole new meaning for Bozeman photographers Jim Harris and Chris Boyer. Read more >>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 >>
Who’s bad to the bone? Round two of the annual Top Dog contest brought in photos by the dozen of Bozeman’s most beloved beast—Canis lupus familiaris, that happy-go-lucky, four-legged friend who shares and enriches our outdoor experience. Read more >>
When Mother Nature’s out for vengeance, the North Face Venture Jacket will keep you dry come rain or snow. The coat is made with a HyVent nylon fabric that utilizes a polyurethane coating, protecting you from all forms of moisture. Read more >>
In winter, it's just as important to consume Vitamin D and Vitamin C as it is to keep up physical activity. However, intakes of these micronutrients tend to decline in winter due to limited sunshine (for Vitamin D production) and limited access to fresh fruits (which contain Vitamin C). Read more >>
Trusting four tiny pins to hold each boot in place in my new bindings took some getting used to. But that is exactly what I do when riding the Garmont Shogun and G3 Onyx. This was my first touring setup, and I really lucked out. Read more >>Fall 2010
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 >>
Get out your Superman cape and your magic carpet, because road construction on I-90 is cutting off access to the Story Mill Spur Trail until November 5, 2010. Read more >>
I have always sworn by Teva for a summer-sandal—unswayed by the popular Chacos—but I'm tempted by the Merrell Heather Sandals. The air cushion, Lycra neoprene uppers, and QForm soles make them comfortable, durable, light, and great arch supporters. Read more >>
May 21 is Bike to Work day in the United States, but for more and more Americans, a two-wheeled commute is a year-round proposition. According to the League of American Bicyclists and the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people who bike to work rose 43% between 2000 and 2008. 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 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 >>
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
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 >>
For the fisherman, fall is a transition from some of the best dry-fly fishing of the year to some of the best streamer fishing of the year. Typically we think of big, gaudy, nasty streamers for the fall, and make no mistake: I have those in my fly box. 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 >>
In early April, 2009, vandals wreaked havoc at Dailey Lake Fishing Access site in the Paradise Valley. Using a vehicle, the vandals drove over 12 signs, including several large signs and a visitor kiosk. Read more >>Another source of fascination for Montanans is the Rocky Mountains. Climber and mountaineer Ed Cooper celebrates this awe-inspiring range in his photographic collection Soul of the Rockies (Globe Pequot Press, $40). Read more >>At some point in our adult lives, we outdoor folk start paying attention to our socks. It's hard to justify that first $15-plus purchase, but after one day in the mountains with quality socks, there's no going back to those cheap cotton eight-packs from K-Mart. 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 >>In1929, the New York Court of Appeals issued an opinion rejecting a personal injury claim brought by a plaintiff injured in a fall on “the Flopper,” a Coney Island amusement park attraction in which participants tried to keep their balance while standing on a moving belt. Read more >>With gas prices jumping up and down, we figured we'd better check in with our old pal Scott Brown, owner of Desert Rose Biodiesel in Bozeman, and see if he's rich enough yet to buy us whatever we want at the gear shop. Read more >>Fall 2008
With more protein and energy bars on the market than you can shake a ski pole at, it’s easy to be skeptical of newcomers to the scene. I didn’t expect much from Whole Food Country Squares, and boy was I pleasantly surprised. 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 >>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 >>Summer 2008
If you have a camera that allows you to change the lens—a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera—specialty filters will improve the quality of your photographs. So before you head out to take photographs in high mountain country this spring, be sure you have a polarizing filter. Read more >>Dogs, it is often said, are people too. And while that statement may be subject to interpretation, I think we can all agree that like us, dogs do have at least some material needs. Here’s a rundown of some useful pet products for the summer season. Read more >>The Big Hole River is the first choice of any Butte-area angler, with its wide variety of hatches and hungry trout. Just 30 minutes south of Butte on I-15, there is a chance at rainbows, browns, cutthroat, brook trout, whitefish, and grayling. Read more >>
When it comes to Gardiner, the journey is the destination. Highway 89 is the kind of road that makes even those near-numbed to natural splendor wish for a lower speed limit and acoustic radio stations. The jagged peaks, rolling river, and swooping paragliders provide welcome distraction. Read more >>
My first time whitewater kayaking was a lot like my first kiss: sloppy, wet, desperate, and over way too soon. Both terrified me, both thrilled me, and in both cases I ended up treading water in dangerous territory. Read more >>Spring 2008
730 billion: dollars spent on active outdoor recreation in U.S., 200624 million: number of Americans who paddle every year6 million: number of Americans who play 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 >>There’s no shortage of energy bars on the market today—my local grocery store, for example, devotes an area bigger than my closet to them—but most have only subtle differences in flavor, shape, etc. Read more >>Even if a thick mane of hair protects your head, you may still need a little extra coverage when exposed to the elements. The Adventure Hat from Sunday Afternoons should be an essential part of all outdoor enthusiasts’ wardrobes. Read more >>Winter 2007-08
The Wild Steelhead Coalition (WSC) is a not-for-profit group of concerned citizens who are committed to reversing the decline of the wild steelhead in the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Read more >>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
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 >>The beauty of a fundraiser is that when you come across a good one, it becomes the reliably fun and much-anticipated party of your year. Read more >>You’ve probably heard of yerba mate—it’s that South American tea and coffee substitute that’s only slightly less potent but much gentler on the stomach, and is rife with health benefits. Read more >>Summer 2007
Don’t buy Trapper Badovinac’s Fly Fishing the Solitude: Montana if you’re expecting the author to reveal his favorite fishing spots. Read more >>
I am one of the clumsiest waders I know. I’ve always blamed my lack of grace on poor balance and overexcitement, but after trying the Simms G3 Guide Boots I now blame past stumbles on my old wading boots. Read more >>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 >>Montana’s horse-and-buggy days are long over, the buckboards and freight wagons of frontier days have been replaced by today’s 4x4 pickup for hauling modern Westerners and their gear. Read more >>
Blame it on whatever you want—global climate change, temperamental snow gods, your estranged ex-girlfriend—but fact is, we’re seeing more and more snowless winter weeks in Montana these days. 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 >>The early days of inducting my dog Stella into the pleasures of drift boating left me feeling like a dog abuser. Being from New Zealand, she had never seen a drift boat, much less been in one. Rivers were a place she associated with chasing sticks and having fun. That was all about to change. Read more >>Summer 2006
Don’t Forget the Duct Tape: Tips and Tricks for Repairing Outdoor Gearby Kristin HostetterSeattle, WashingtonThe Mountaineers Books85 pages Read more >>I lost a lifelong friend recently. We grew up together in a small town in central Illinois. It’s one of those places that you can’t wait to leave when you’re old enough, but continually find yourself gravitating toward over the course of a lifetime. Read more >>Backpacking through Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica last April, Mariann Van Den Elzen ran into three folks from the Bozeman/Big Sky area. The following week, in Puerto Viejo, two Missoulians on bikes stopped her to ask, “Hey! Read more >>
Summer in Montana means rodeo, and there are plenty of boot stompin’, knee slappin’, bronc bustin’ events to choose from. Read more >>Spring 2006
When matching wines for most dishes, I often look to the sauce or seasoning. Yeah, you can play it safe with the “white with fish and red with meat” routine, but that doesn’t always work, and it’s not always fun either. And fun is what it’s all about, right? Read more >>
For the last 35 years, Leo Kottke has been considered one of the most talented and innovative guitarists around. His most recent album, Sixty-Six Steps, recorded with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, explores the calypso rhythms of the Caribbean Islands. Read more >>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 >>Fall 2005
Cabela’s — Sidney, NECabela's LST/LSR Fly Rod & Reel Combo - $260www.cabelas.com1-800-237-4444 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 >>The perfect cast, the cutthroat rises to the hand-tied fly, and the battle royal ensues. Such is the drama of fish versus fisher, playing out on countless mountain streams in Big Sky Country through the long, lazy summer and the earliest chills of autumn. Read more >>
Gittin' Westernby Duane WilsteLincoln, NEiUnverse, 2005206 pagesGittin' Western: The resulting chaos when the forces of nature and the laws of physics collide where you are standing. 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 >>
Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher picks up where many other climbing instruction books culminate. Read more >>Spring 2005
Ursus arctos horribilis, the grizzly bear, is the largest predator in North America. To see a wild grizzly is to view raw freedom and power. Read more >>Springtime in Livingston and the Paradise Valley offers much more than just the coveted re-opening of the beefburger stand. Read more >>“It is strongly recommended that the Biological Survey continue their campaign in this region without abatement until these pests are greatly reduced in numbers.” —Chief Naturalist Vernon Bailey, Yellowstone National Park, 1915 Read more >>Winter 2004-05
The NHL lock-out may be cutting down on hockey viewing time this winter, but there’s no shortage of opportunities around Bozeman for you to slide and glide on the ice yourself. 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
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 >>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 >>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 >>
Having just closed the Jeep door, my eyes haven't yet adjusted to the inky indigo darkness of the March night. There is just enough moon to illuminate the snow with an odd bluish glow. Read more >>“But I don’t run fast and my butt jiggles. I can’t run with them!” My next-door neighbor shrinks back from the door, hands on her cheeks, eyes big, when I suggest joining the Wind Drinkers club fun run. Read more >>Spring is a sometimes season in Montana—sometimes we get it, sometimes we don’t. Such are the vagaries of a mountain climate, where the weather pays scant attention to the astronomical milestones of solstice or equinox. 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 >>Go to your bosom: Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know. —William Shakespeare Read more >>Lindley “World Cup” RacesThe Bridger Ski Foundation and First Security Bank are teaming up again this year to bring the Lindley “World Cup” Nordic Ski Racing Series back to the Lindley Park cross-country ski trails. 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 >>Dick Clotfelter has become the most talked-about person in Bozeman. He’s won approval to build a performing arts center, parking garage complex, convention center, hotel, and a new city hall downtown. 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
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 >>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 >>
If you’re like me, riding fresh powder is one of the greatest feelings of all—the type of addictive pleasure that influences life decisions. It’s that addiction that brings us away from the chairlifts and tracked lines of ski hills and into the pristine backcountry. 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 >>Summer 2002
If you want to get in some good rock-climbing without the approach and commitment of an alpine climb, "the Canyon" is your spot. Gallatin Canyon’s gneiss formations are close by, just long and exposed enough to get your heart going, and many climbs see very little traffic. Read more >>Our own local marathon, joining the path taken by Lewis and Clark in their expedition west, will return for its third year on September 29th. The 26.2-mile course has had some slight changes this year. Read more >>
Get ready for a sumptuous summer of Shakespearean proportions. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks theatre ensemble commemorates its 30th anniversary by performing two of Shakespeare's most entertaining plays, Henry IV, Part I and The Comedy of Errors. Read more >>
The seasons have changed. The death of winter has brought flourished life to the mountains, canyons, and valleys. Alpine moisture has changed from a solid to a liquid form. Sporting enthusiasts have also changed their form, from snow sliders, to river riders. Read more >>Winter 2001-02
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 >>For the third year, assigning closure to several local extreme sports and introducing many others, The Best of Bozeman Slideshow will be visiting a “to be determined at a later date” theater in the Bozeman area come the first part of April. Read more >>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 >>A boat’s a boat, right? That’s what we thought. Then we took Yellowstone Drifter's new 16-foot Guide Boat out for a day on the lower Madison. Read more >>If you're like us, you love the lightness and comfort of breathable waders but can't seem to find anything as durable as those old neoprene jobbers you've been wearing since Don King's last haircut. 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 >>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 >>
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 >>The river was huge. Swollen and discolored from the previous night's rainfall, it looked like a swirling sea of chocolate milk. 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 >>
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