The trials and tribulations of building an illicit, slopeside ski shack.
Let me set the scene. We were four high-school ski buddies spread across the state for college, but from Thanksgiving to mid-April, we would meet for…
Behind the scenes with three local businesswomen.
Bozeman is a haven for outdoor business—after all, we’re more or less surrounded by mountains, rivers, forests, and abundant opportunities for adventure. But those kinds of…
Exploring the frozen waters of southwest Montana.
It was a dry, brown winter. Early-season snowfall lulls had the Gallatin Valley looking unseasonably bare in December. Bridger sported a measly 13-inch base. Big Sky wasn’t…
Theresa Leland’s ongoing impact on the ski-education community.
It’s a brilliant day at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center, with last week’s powder dump now neatly groomed into corduroy Nordic ski trails that sparkle under…
A multisport to remember.
When it comes to all-day winter recreation around Bozeman, things are becoming a bit cliché. It’s all, “Snowmobile here, skin this, ski that, etc.” Throw in some ice climbing or fat-biking as…
Is the seasonal job worth it?
When it comes to seasonal work around Bozeman, the labor force spreads out across all types of jobs come summer—landscaping, firefighting, funemployment, etc.—but in winter, it coalesces…
Over the years, we’ve seen some eclectic outfits take to the ski slopes—and fall away equally as quickly. Curious as to how the trends have played out, we mapped out a timeline, from the early days, to the present, to our…
Revisiting an O/B expansion project.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Almost a decade ago, in the winter of 2015-16, we launched a series of O/B franchise expansions to other towns and locales around…
A savory shepherd’s pie to feed the masses.
Winter in Bozeman means game nights. And what better way to complement your favorite board game than with a wild-game dish? The following recipe was inspired by a buddy who…
Snowdrift Time
Then,
a quarter century ago,
a long winter of millennial skiing,
day in, day out. Nights stilled by talk.
Dark-night talk, talks of from whence did this all fall? Why?
All the thoughts, the actions, the…
Close encounters on the trail.
It was a classic Montana winter day, with azure skies, blindingly bright sun, and sparkling snow that measured in feet instead of inches. With the trail packed down by early-rising hikers, I…
A new tram in Gallatin Canyon.
Anything you can do, I can do better—that was the mantra at a Yellowstone Club development meeting last summer. The subject? How to one-up Big Sky’s new tram to the top of Lone Peak. “It’s…
Thrifting a Bozeman legend’s ski gear.
As I drank a cup of coffee at the pack rack near the top of the Bridger lift, I chatted with Eddie, a longtime Bridger Bowl ski patroller, when I noticed his purple-and-lime-green…
Snowball-fight etiquette.
“The will must be stronger than the skill.” —Muhammad Ali
Snowball fights might be among the most ubiquitous of winter activities, but they don’t come without a cost. Over the last few decades,…
Face-off: ski-touring with dogs.
Dogs and backcountry skiing: two of Bozeman’s most emblematic icons in their own right, but do they mix? We rounded up two local skiers to argue the issue. Turns out, aside from the…
Happenings from around the Bozone and southwest Montana.
R.I.P. 399
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem lost an icon last October, with the death of Grizzly #399 (who, it should be noted, deserved a name—shame on those…
Setting the skintrack straight.
Ski gear seems to be getting lighter every year, with new materials and new designs. If you don’t have the latest and greatest, good luck keeping up on a ski tour—unless you have the lung…
Chairlift pickup lines.
Riding the chairlift is a bit like speed-dating; you only have a few minutes—well, sometimes 30 at Bridger—to chat up your chairmates. And with only a little bit of skin exposed, it’s up to your…
How well do you know a mainstay of Bozeman ski culture?
Every winter, a single beacon of blue light intermittently illuminates above Bozeman—there to beckon all those who chase snow. But whether you’re new town or have…
Switching roles with the red planet.
“That Mars is inhabited by beings of some sort or other we may consider as certain as it is uncertain what these beings may be.” So wrote astronomer Percival Lowell early in the last…
Tips for a strong Nordic season.
Bozeman’s Nordic skiers don’t waste time in winter. Think about it: by late December, you’ve likely gotten out for a handful of groomer days, and you probably have a few off-trail sessions…
Tips for winter skin care.
Montana’s harsh winter climate offers countless recreational opportunities; however, the extreme weather poses challenges to our health—particularly the skin. Though skin is the body’s largest…
Perfecting the short-radius turn.
Skiers who can carve a short-radius arc on a steep groomer can ski anything with elegance: chutes, pow, frontside, and crud. And no one slices more perfect turns than the slalom racers on…
Shifting perspectives on winter in Montana.
“Bozeman’s a winter town.” For the uninitiated, it might be hard to believe—Montana winters are certainly known to be brutal. When the trails are buried, the air stings with cold…
A dystopian vision of Bozeman’s future.
“Hi, are you the mechanic, the one who’s skilled at getting old equipment up and running?”
“One and the same, Will’s my name,” the young fellow said, as he reached out to shake the…
A new spin on an old practice.
It’s a calm winter night in Big Sky. With a new moon, it’s nearly pitch black, and a soft snowfall quietly blankets the mountainside McMansions. For the most part, they’re dark, the occupants…
A Utah stunt has implications across the West.
Spend any amount of time hunting, fishing, camping, or otherwise recreating in Montana, and you’ve surely found yourself on federal land. It’s abundant, and we’re incredibly…
Winter driving in Montana.
“Have you ever noticed that anyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?” —George Carlin
Winter is the preferred season for many Bozemanites, and for…
A guide to tuning skate skis.
Nordic skiers are wax nerds—ski wax, that is, although some are equally passionate with other uses. Regardless, a proper coating of wax is essential for a good day of skate skiing. The…
How animals survive the Montana winter.
In the thralls of spring and summer, Montana brims with year-round resident critters, big and small. But when the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, sometimes well into the…
A strong case for snowshoeing.
It’s nearly a half-mile from the car to our campsite. There’s enough food and gear strewn about in assorted piles and containers to outfit the Russian army—or so I think, as I’m the one who…
A beginner’s guide to low-angle touring in the Gallatin corridor.
US Highway 191 travels south through the tight, scenic, and potentially dangerous Gallatin Canyon along the Gallatin River, famous for fly fishing and…
Catching up with a local Olympic skier.
Andy Newell took to cross-country skiing early in life. Growing up in southern Vermont, he skipped the bunny trails and began competitively racing at age six. He continued on to high…
Off-season biking at Lewis & Clark Caverns.
In most mountain towns around the West, it’s common to hear about diehard skiers who carve turns every month of the year. It’s possible around Bozeman, too, with a little…
Life lessons from a morning bird hunt.
We all know how hunting plans go down. Ideas are tossed around, remarks such as, “That would be awesome!” or “We should totally do that!” are exchanged; but then other things in life…
A winter weekend in Seeley Lake.
As much as I love skiing, sometimes I crave variety in my winter lifestyle. After 40-plus years in Bozeman, I’d been feeling motivated to experience something a little different than the…
Setting a record at Jackson Hole.
There’s something about skiing hard by day and sleeping in bunk beds by night that just hits different. It typically means you and a bunch of friends are cramming in someplace to get the…
Old-timers take to the ice.
People often say they want to watch hockey, but they have trouble keeping up with the action. Well, there’s an opportunity to view, or play, the game in slow motion: the Legends of Hockey Senior…
An organized hockey league brings skaters to the rink.
Wild-ice skating and pond hockey are casual, athletic ways of getting on the ice around Bozeman, but for those seeking more structure, there’s an organization in town…
The Seirus HeatTouch Atlas Gloves are designed for extended trips into harsh, cold environments. The gloves feature 240g of insulation and flexible panels that evenly distribute heat from built-in battery packs across the…
A downhill-ski kit that's durable, weatherproof, multi-functional, and thoughtfully designed to tackle the nitty-gritty details is no longer a figment of your imagination. Stio's Figment Jacket ($499) and Figment Bibs ($479…
When the ice forms on our local trails, due to freeze-melt cycles, hiker compaction, or both, conditions get downright precarious. Which is where the Hillsound Trail Crampons come in. Slip these suckers onto your shoes or…
When it comes to outdoor sports, safety comes first. With Smith's Liberty Helmet, not only can I keep my noggin’ protected with Smith’s proprietary MIPS safety system, but I can also keep it comfortable and dry. In addition…
The Scarpa TX Pro isn’t just a telemark boot; it’s the boot tele skiers have been dreaming about. It raises the bar, offering an impressive combination of power, precision, and comfort. Designed for versatility, the TX Pro…
A good binding should offer power, precision, and ease of use—and the Outlaw X Telemark Binding from 22 Designs delivers all that and more. This bad boy brings modern innovation to the timeless art of telemark skiing…
Introducing: the sweet-spot pack for both resort and backcountry skiing. When looking for the ideal ski pack, I wanted versatility. Some days I feel like ripping laps on the chairlift, and other days I seek solitude by…
There’s a reason Nordic skiers love Bozeman. With a top-notch professional ski program in town, and miles of groomed trails within a 20-minute drive (thanks to both Crosscut and Bridger Ski Foundation), access and training…
Occam's razor notwithstanding, there's always a better way to do something—a principle that Helinox proved over a decade ago, when they came out of nowhere with a radically different camp-chair design. Like the Yeti cooler…
Click, click, click—the dreaded noise when you turn the truck key, but nothing happens. Click, click, click. Damn. Best-case scenario, you’re in a parking lot and a helpful passerby can jump your vehicle. Worst-case…
Pond hockey doesn’t require much gear, but agile skates with good ankle support are a must. CCM’s Jetspeed FT6 Player Skates have a one-piece composite boot for quick energy transfer; and lightweight materials throughout…
On more than one occasion, I’ve had the misfortune of running out of water or having my bladder hose freeze while I’m backcountry hunting or skiing. Hence, my interest in the GeoPress Ti Purifier from Grayl. Simply fill the…
Anyone who’s had a brush with frostbite knows the importance of insulated boots. But boots rated down to negative 40? That’s what you get with Muck Boot Co.’s Arctic Sport Boots, thanks to a 5mm neoprene liner and…
For those looking to improve their keychain arsenals, there’s no better addition than Screwpop’s Toolkey II. Weighing in at a mere .65 ounces, this 17-in-1 multitool is an effective addition to even the most austere…
In the market for a lightweight, durable pair of shades? Look no further than the Wiley X Ovation Sunglasses. Glass safety lenses keep your eyes protected on the jobsite, while fishing, or at the rooftop bar—not that you…
Unlike most of the Lower 48, Montana has countless dead spots, where cell reception is nonexistent. That's a wonderful thing—but it also presents challenges. Namely, when the proverbial feces hit the fan, and you need to…
Country dancing might seem like a whole different world, but it's got some surprising similarities to the outdoor sports we all love here in Montana. And just like those other activities, it has its own set of gear—…
Think merino wool is soft? Then you’ll be blown away by alpaca wool. As far as socks go, they don’t get more comfortable than the Extra Cushion Alpaca Boot Socks ($34) from Alpacas of Montana. A mid-calf fit provides good…
It’s a tale as old as time: you're hiking along and suddenly, you urgently have to go. I don’t mean leave; I mean go. With windchills picking up, no hiker wants to pull her pants down all the way come fall and winter. Enter…
After five or six river trips this year without proper sunglasses, I decided it was time to invest in a legitimate pair. Choosing the right style can be tricky, as it’s challenging to find sunglasses that prioritize…
At O/B, we're not preppers, per se, but we do like to be prepared for the worst, because every once in a while, the worst happens. So when Roundhouse Provisions sent us some Survival Mode Emergency Ration Bars, we happily…
Picture the back of a car four days into a road trip: gear strewn across the back seat, snacks scattered everywhere, dirty clothes draped over headrests… it’s hard to stay organized when you’re on the move, whether it's a…
When on the go, mobile power is important, especially when you can work from just about anywhere with a cell signal. Lately, the BioLite SolarPanel 10+ paired with the Charge 100 Max has become my go-to combo for multi-day…
When it comes to cold-weather layers, there are two you’ll see in every Bozeman closet: a down puffy and a synthetic fleece. Outdoor Research makes both, but they do the latter especially well with their Vigor Grid series—…
I picked up the Alpaca Wool Sweatpants from Arms of Andes with the primary intention of using them for cold morning runs. In a very short time, they found their way into many of my other cold-weather activities, especially…
For those who suffer from intermittent hypoxia, due to a lack of acclimatization to altitude, mild sleep apnea, or over-exertion, supplemental oxygen can really make a difference. It can also increase energy, improve mental…
Cooler weather took its time making it to Montana this season. But when Old Man Winter finally made his appearance, I stayed comfortable and protected on the mountain thanks to the Flylow Charlie Coat women’s ski jacket.…
Hailing from the future, Gordini’s cutting-edge Forge heated gloves are an ideal blend of comfort, function, and durability. Along with multiple layers of outstanding craftsmanship, these “smart” gloves are fully…
Bindings can make or break the entire experience of snowboarding. Anyone who's had a day ended prematurely on a broken binding, or a day of retching discomfort from a binding laden with pressure points, knows this.
The…
Snowboards come in all shapes and sizes. From stubby split-tailed pow slashers, to true-twin terrain-park destroyers, to rock-solid trench diggers, we knuckle-draggers have our pick of the litter. So when I snagged the…
The ski bib seems to be all the rage nowadays. Pants, while once ubiquitous, are the minority on the slopes now. The reason is simple: the extra protection and adjustability of suspenders are far superior. But my one…
On a cold night in 1967, two teenagers were attacked and killed by grizzly bears in northern Montana, in separate but simultaneous incidents. Their deaths spurred a conversation across the United States about just how wild…
Through a series of thoughtful essays by both current and emeritus professors, as well as scientists from around the globe, The Heart of the Wild (Princeton University Press, $27) gives us fresh and inspiring stories of the…
Montana is big, and it has an incredible history—both natural and human—making it a wonderful place for historians and travelers alike. While roadside signs may pique our interest, pointing us to the site of an abandoned…
As anyone who’s visited Glacier National Park knows, the Earth’s glaciers and icecaps are receding. As these swaths of frozen ground melt, revealing previously hidden artifacts, archaeologists have found themselves with…
