Floating on air above the Bozone.
If you’re anywhere within Bozeman city limits on a clear summer morning and happen to glance up, you’ll likely spot a colorful blob drifting lazily along the Bridgers. Adjust your eyes,…
Reflections from the Crazies’ Story Trail: On climbing Mount Everest, from the first attempt to the closure of a family tragedy seven decades later.
Two summers ago, many of our 1995 American Mount Everest Commemorative…
A tale of two exertions on the Gallatin Crest Trail.
Gallatin Crest, July 1935, Civilian Conservation Corps Trail Crew
“Sarge is comin’!” Willy announces to the crew.
Clark turns to the man next to him. “Keep your mouth…
Traveling light, fast, and free.
Get your motor runnin’Head out on the highwayLookin’ for adventureAnd whatever comes our way
—Steppenwolf
In a blurred chiaroscuro of flashing chrome and muted leather, my riding partner…
Reasons to slow down this summer.
There’s a subtle but persistent pressure that comes with a Montana summer. You feel it in the stacked weekends, the early alarms, the long drives, and in the sense that you should be out…
Edible plants of Montana.
How many times have you been walking along a wooded trail when something bright, shiny, or colorful catches your eye? As you impulsively reach for it, your inner voice shouts a warning: Don’t eat…
Big-mountain summer prep.
Recently a patient came in to talk about preparing for the Bridger Ridge Run and the Rut in Big Sky. He was already training hard—logging miles, climbing hills, and pushing his aerobic capacity—…
Avian family dynamics.
For the birds of southwest Montana, summer has arrived with completed mating and nest-building behaviors. The chicks, eaglets, ducklings, etc. have hatched or will hatch very soon. The female osprey…
The new Mount Ellis bike park.
The wheel: one of humankind’s most impactful inventions. The next being Lycra, at least according to road cyclists, skate skiers, and cosplaying fetishists. For others, though, real biking…
What to look for while sleeping under the stars.
There’s a reason sensible Montanans always bring a jacket if they’re going to be out at night, even in summer: our largely semi-arid climate usually doesn’t have enough…
The benefits of beef and bison.
Whether you’re an active outdoor enthusiast or a committed athlete training for the Ridge Run, you’re no doubt on the lookout for food sources that provide the biggest bang for your buck in…
The rundown on public access.
For generations, recreation in Montana has operated on an unspoken agreement: respect the land and respect each other. But landowners who don’t mind sharing a road or parking area are being…
Inside “Distance Dogging,” the new sport that’s sticking its snout up southwest Montana.
The next time you’re grinding your way up Mount Blackmore and get the feeling there’s a predator on your tail, you may find that…
Renewal and redemption at the Butte 100 bike race.
Some years ago, my father lost his battle with lung cancer. He and I were very close, so after he died, I was dealing with quite a bit of depression. My days were filled…
A day to remember on Hyalite Reservoir.
Locals recite a mantra about Montana weather forecasts: “Nine months of winter and three months of relatives.” Right on cue with this weather cliché, our nieces and nephews arrived…
Enantiodromia
by Orion Kubat
the days have finally caught their breath
as the sun rests long in the blue skies
over forests bluish in the distance.
somewhere a river prescinds from its high-water mark,
remnants of spring…
It wasn’t until the strap on my crossbody wallet had been tied in knots and the seams had been taped shut that I finally admitted it was time for an upgrade. That’s where the Dakine Renovation Crossbody ($51) came into my…
It’s perfectly natural to let our dogs run free—that’s what they live for, after all. But sometimes, it’s just not possible. Either out of consideration for others, or for the safety of the dog, our canine companions need…
Nothing makes car-camping meal-prep better than a table—and nothing makes it worse than said table collapsing and sending your stuff into the dirt. Say goodbye to rickety work surfaces with the Pecos Outdoor Table ($700), a…
Nothing kills a great mountain-bike ride like a flat tire. With CushCore, flats are pretty much a thing of the past. Their TRAIL tire inserts fit between rim and tire, absorbing impacts, shock, and vibration so you can…
PFDs may not be the sexiest pieces of outdoor gear—they don’t turn heads or earn style points—but in the same way that knowledge can be sexy, so too can a capable, well-trained person, paired with the right tool, be a…
Scarpa shoes are right at home during just about every mountain activity, from scaling rock faces to charging down ski slopes. Somewhere in between lies technical alpine trail running, where you’ll also find Scarpa with…
There's no shortage of trail shoes on the market, but what is in short supply is the same thing that's always hard to find: one shoe that does everything you want it to. After multiple models and extensive trial & error…
For those who want the best of the best, Yakima’s CBX Roof Box sits comfortably at the top. As the company’s premium cargo option, the CBX delivers all the functionality you’d expect while adding a level of design that…
With hundreds of different fly patterns to choose from these days, it can be hard to know which is which. If you're like me, you've got dozens of different flies in your vest, but can only actually name the most common ones…
Patagonia's Nano-Air Ultralight Full-Zip Hoody might just be the creme de la creme of ultralight jackets for high-output activity. This coat has it all—it's featherlight, has comfortable stretch, and boasts breathable…
Some years ago while fishing the Beaverhead opener, an afternoon thunderstorm rolled in. The temperature plummeted 30 degrees in as many minutes. One by one, fishermen peeled off, seeking shelter. I managed to hold out for…
The Surge sneaker from Kuru takes me back to middle school, with its retro style and wide, chunky design. These days, I appreciate the shock-absorbing layers that cushion my step when I'm walking the dogs or running errands…
I'm hard on shoes, especially the ones I actually like. I guess that is how I show it. The Merrell ProMorph feels like the middle child. It gets less attention than it deserves, but quietly performs in just about any…
Old habits die hard, and dog food is no exception. Why else would people still feed crappy kibble to their furry best friends? Wolves—our dogs' direct forebears—do not eat processed, compressed pseudo-food nuggets with…
One burly pair of pants that can go from landscaping projects in the back yard, to carpentry work on the job site, to creeping through the elk woods, to beating brush in search of sharpies? Yes, please. Kuiu answered the…
My favorite hikes are typically fast and light—I want to carry the essentials without feeling weighed down. That's where the 14L Terravia Pack from Patagonia comes in. Storage is minimal but thoughtfully designed, with room…
Last fall, I borrowed a friend’s Watershed Mississippi Duffel for a float trip, and immediately knew it was just a matter of time ’til I had one of my own. This behemoth of a bag fits 111 liters of gear. That’s enough space…
Headlamps are in the same category as pocketknives and Nalgene bottles: you’ll never have the same for more than a year. Somehow, they disappear into thin air. Poof. Gone.
On the bright side, it’s a chance to upgrade,…
For the fastest, most efficient movement, trail runners and speed-hikers want quick access to water, without the weight or bulk of a Nalgene—and that's exactly what HydraPak's new PackFlask offers. Fully collapsible, with a…
Old-school aesthetics and contemporary clarity come together in the Vallon Daytripper —so if you're not into oversized shades or overly fashionable designs, these sunglasses are for you. They're definitely for me, because I…
Reviewing the color options for the Orvis Wide-Mouth Guide Net, I thought to myself, Who wouldn’t want that sick blue with the rainbow-trout pattern? To each their own with color, I guess, but this net is going to be the…
Who doesn't love a classic, time-tested product made better with modern materials? Such is the case with the Miir Camp Cup, a contemporary version of the steel campfire mug that many of us grew up with, and which can still…
We all know how quickly the weather can turn in southwest Montana, but carrying extra layers "just in case" isn't always ideal when you're trying to keep your pack light. That's where the Nano Puff Hoody from Patagonia…
Bozeman has no shortage of reasons to stay put. But when mud season rolls in, the travel bug gets harder to ignore. This spring, I ventured over to Tanzania to hike Kilimanjaro and needed a solid duffel bag that would not…
Layering can be a hassle, but I'd still choose crumbled layers over staying indoors. Arc'teryx made that balance much easier with the Gamma MX Pant— a warm softshell pant made for mixed-weather conditions. They're…
For a lightweight hiker that can do it all, from quick jaunts through spring snow to mountain-climbing in the warmer months, the Corrie II from Kenetrek fits the bill. I needed a new boot for bowhunting, and the Corrie…
Good boardshorts are one of those things that are surprisingly tricky to find—especially for use here in southwest Montana. If you’re anything like me, you want something that is lightweight but burly enough to stand up to…
When the mid-winter blues set in, there's only one cure: head south. Just be sure to pack a good pair of flips along, lest your hyperborean feet remain pasty and sun-starved 'til spring. I recommend the Chaco Rapid Pro, a…
