Winter 2023-24

A sampling of Montana’s best outdoor literature. In a world of mind-numbing devices and diminishing attention spans, books act as a lifeboat for our mental vigor and wellbeing. Books: those colorful, screen-less rectangles…

A skiing pilgrimage in Yellowstone Park. Have you ever gone on a pilgrimage? You know, a journey into terra incognita. Maybe you were seeking an enlightened understanding of yourself. Or even of life in general. It could…

How Bozeman cultivates a competitive Nordic ski scene. Bozeman’s physical and cultural landscapes go hand-in-hand with skiing. Our long winters, abundant snowfall, and easy access to mountains make it no surprise that the…

Taking the slow road to Cooke City. What comes to mind when thinking of a winter trip to Cooke City? Full-speed, hardcore snow-and-ice itineraries? Snowmobile capital of the West? Gate to the remote Absaroka-Beartooth…

A requiem for a ski buddy. It had been snowing regularly for days. The base at Bridger Bowl was in good shape. Twelve inches more fell overnight and it kept snowing into the morning. I was in line for the opening bell and…

Fifteen years after going out of print, Select Peaks of Greater Yellowstone is back—and it’s even better than before. It was 20 years ago now that an unusual book about local mountain ranges made its debut. While some…

Burgers, beers, and hot fishing on a local reservoir. The ice-fishing day started as most do: late and hungover. My roommate and I were sitting on the couch nursing coffee and watching English Premier League soccer as the…

Hitting the slopes outside P-Burg. The time has come. You know Bridger like the back of your hand, and the parking lot and lift lines are tiresome some days. You don’t have the poshness tolerance, or pocketbook size, for…

The history of snowcatting. There was once a time in the mountain West when the only motorized sounds of winter came from a few gas-powered ski lifts and some scattered snowcats powering up mountaintops. Long before the…

Winter mobility & hip-strengthening exercises. Ever wish you could get your hip just a little further into that kick turn? Or do you get that nagging hip pain after your first skin up Bradley’s Meadow every year?…

Tying the Baby-On-Board scud. Fishing a local tailwater is an excellent way to spend a winter day. The fish are hunkered down, schooled up, and looking for easy meals—typically scuds and sowbugs in nearby tailwaters and…

Old news from Yellowstone Park. This year marks the 120th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s historic two-week visit to Yellowstone National Park in 1903. But what actually happened on that trip? A recent journal…

Thoughts on belonging, from the world of transplants. Nine months gone in a blink. After a summer spent ranch-handing in Colorado and an autumn harvesting apples in Norway, I am settling for a third winter into the busy…

A lesson in etiquette. The snow’s coming down hard—over a foot of fresh overnight. First tracks at Bridger are gonna be epic. An 8:15 arrival should leave plenty of time to get a parking spot, trudge up the hill, and catch…

Digging deep with the GNFAC director. Doug Chabot moved to Bozeman in 1986. He was following a girl, but also looking for a place to live with nearby ice climbing. It all worked out—he got the girl and found the ice. Doug…

A smoked deer roast. One of the givens of roadkill is the difference in fieldcare compared to what might be called an “intentionally harvested” animal. After a gunshot, my priorities in dressing an animal are to remove the…

Finding light in a Montana winter. Lady winter sneaks in, and she sneaks in quick. In the blink of an eye, we go from strolling trails saturated in golds and reds, to a cold duochromatic season of white and blue. Our…

A rundown on snow-safety resources. “If you want to learn about something, going to school is just one way to do it.” —Doug Chabot, director of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center (GNFAC) Avalanches: the big,…

Defunct Montana ski hills. Before the days of high-speed ski lifts, trams, and advanced avalanche mitigation, Montana’s ski scene was simple. It was an era of rope tows, wooden skis with leather straps, and thick wool…

Marrying into cross-country skiing. Committing to a lifetime with my fiancé wasn’t the scary part—it was the skiing that came with it. Days after getting engaged, I consigned to another ambitious commitment: learning how…

Setting the track straight on Nordic pursuits. The long-awaited battle of cross-country skiers is finally here. If you’re someone who hits the slopes with hard boots and heels attached, then this showdown isn’t for you.…

Exploring the color spectrum of the winter sky. Frigid, snowy Montana winters start out cheery enough with the holiday season—until the long, cold slog to spring sets in after New Year’s. But the winter sky remains…

Stone Creek access is under threat. With close access to a pile of trails and abundant National Forest land in our back yard, it’s easy to take them for granted. But every year, we’re reminded of how tenuous that access is…

Benefits of apres-ski beer. After a strenuous day on the slopes, few things sound as inviting as a cold, refreshing beer. And in a mountain town with no shortage of breweries, kicking back and rewarding yourself with a…

Pre-game and post-game ski exercises. Let’s face it: the commute to Bridger Bowl is getting longer. In addition to the stress of the Bridger Canyon conga line, the longer commute leaves more time for stiffness to set in—on…

All that is hidden in the storm. The wind comes in gusts as I trudge through calf-deep snow with two cameras, two long lenses, and a tripod slung over my shoulder. It’s agony, and I wonder if it is worth the effort. A few…

"Firewood" by Paul Zarzyski A sacrilege against my blue-collar Catholic manhood, I no longer cut my own winter supply. I pay 85 a cord delivered, but I’ll be damned if I’ll stand idly by and watch Willy stack it solo. When…

Learning from my dog’s first hunt. First hunts for a dog are more introduction than trial. They are the culmination of many lessons, corrected failures, and increasing hopes that this bundle of fur and bones has been…

The skinny on Nordic skiing. On a cold, blustery day in late January, Crosscut Mountain Sports Center hosted a somewhat rambunctious group of eight O/B staff members for a Nordic skiing clinic. Each of us arrived with a…

Adult ski racing melds camaraderie and competition. Artfully linking turns down a snow-covered slope is the challenge that motivates expert skiers to improve their technique. For some, additional demands make the pursuit…

Winter care for skiers. Winter in Montana brings exciting ski outings, but for those who spend their days in ski boots, it’s essential to prioritize foot care to ensure comfort and avoid common skin issues during the…

A new spin on roller-skiing. As we interviewed Bozeman’s top Nordic skiers this past fall (see “Proving Grounds,” p. 106), we were surprised to discover that the reason many winter athletes call Bozeman home has nothing to…

Ode to an old ski dog. He stares longingly out the window, then turns to look at me, brown eyes full of questions. The heavy snowdrifts accumulating on our porch taunt us both, yet due to an unfortunate language barrier,…

Older and wiser, but less impressive. It’s closing day at Bridger. The sun is out, babes are in bikinis, and the fellas are feelin’ flashy. Everyone’s throwing down. The mogul line under the lift looks like a choreographed…

On those extremely bright days, especially in winter when the midday sun radiates off the snow, there’s no better eyewear choice than the Costa King Tide 6. The large frame and removable side shields keep your peepers…

Avalanche-rescue equipment is some of the most important gear money can buy, but that you also hope to never use. The Tracker 4 Avalanche Rescue Package is BCA’s high-end rescue set-up that has all the essentials for…

When it comes to productive, full-body winter workouts, nothing compares to skate skiing. Whether it’s lunchtime laps at Highland Glen or a three-hour jaunt around Crosscut, the result is maximum effort exerted, maximum…

If you spend time attempting to catch fish through the ice, don’t you want to know if there are fish around? The Aqua-Vu AV822 HD Camera is up to the task. It’s easy to operate, with 60 feet of cable attached to a 1080p HD…

As all woodsmen know, perhaps the most ubiquitous hunting-camp breakfast topic is: “Are you wearing long underwear today?” And it’s not a decision to take lightly. Sweating too much on a morning hike will inevitably lead to…

The wrong wax ruins a day of skate skiing before it even begins; but at $25 a pop ’round town, consistent waxings really add up. For avid recreational skiers, an at-home setup from Toko makes daily touchups easy and saves…

These days, companies seem to be selling skis branded as “all-mountain quiver-killers,” or something similar. But let’s face it, there is no one ski that is truly perfect for all conditions—especially in Montana. What is on…

The lightweight, packable Abisko Padded Vest from Fjällräven has recently become an essential companion on my adventures. Lightly padded and crafted from a pliant polyester fabric, this vest offers a level of warmth and…

I enjoy my ACLs in one piece. When on the slopes, ski bindings are the most crucial piece of gear in keeping those bands of connective tissue together. With the Marker Griffon 13 Bindings, I feel secure enough to hit any…

With our ever-more digitized, electrified existence, portable power stations are becoming increasingly popular among the outdoor crowd. From elevated camp meals to apres-ski tailgates, phone-charging to van-lifing, there's…

“You have anything sharp in your bag?” the TSA lady asked me. “Not that I know of,” I told her. “Want to bet on that?” she retorted, and then proceeded to extricate my pocketknife from the deep recesses of my duffel.…

There are some pieces of outdoor gear that are simply necessities. As a stubborn guy, I learned this the hard way when I chose not to buy a winter sleeping bag and brought my summer bag on an overnight ski trip in the…

Spend a lick of time outside in the Montanan winter, and you’ll know the importance of having a high quality down jacket in your wardrobe. The Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie is a winter essential that meets all the…

When conquering the rugged alpine environments of southwest Montana’s backcountry, having the right backpack can make all the difference. Enter the Mystery Ranch Scepter 50, a versatile and dependable climbing-focused pack…

Some pieces of outdoor apparel are a cut above the rest, and the Patagonia DAS Light Hoody is one of them. Its combination of fit, feel, and features (or lack thereof) make this jacket the obvious choice for a lightweight—…

There's nothing better than getting the crew together for a camping weekender. In go the tents, sleeping pads, the cooler, the camping box, then everyone's gear. And just like that, the back of my SUV is packed full,…

Classic kerosene lanterns have an unmistakable aesthetic appeal, but they're also a pain—the odds of a successful mantle replacement, for example, seem to match those of winning the lottery. Not so with the BioLite…

From the Vibram sole to the stretchy, zippered gaiter top, the Ruffwear Polar Trex Winter Dog Boots are the real deal. Both of my high-energy, 45-pound dogs love to go for walks and play in the snow, but when the…

The state of your extremities can make or break a ski day. My poor circulation makes keeping my fingers warm a challenge, regardless of gear. This is until I started wearing Burton's Gore-Tex Mittens. I can now spend more…

Cold fingers have been the ruin of many a good day outside in the winter. Whether cross-country skiing up Sourdough, lapping runs at Bridger, or even a stroll downtown, the fun ends when the fingers get cold. That’s why…

In an age of specialization, it's hard to be really good at more than one thing—which is why so few companies make high-quality products for wildly disparate purposes. Helly Hansen, however, is among the elite cadre that…

The Maloja Fuchsm down jacket takes puffy performance and comfort to the next level. The Fuchsm is stuffed with 700-fill-power recycled down, which means it’s well-insulated. But, at the same time, the material impressively…

Designed for harsh summits and bitter cold nights at basecamp, the Gordini Radiator Mitts live up to their name and don't disappoint during the iciest temps. The mitts combine a tough woven polyester shell with a synthetic…

In an era when lots of climbing boots resemble your grandma's favorite slippers (read: flimsy), I'm reaching for the tried-and-true Nepal Cube GTX from La Sportiva. These boots are the current iteration in a decades-long…

Patagonia has become renowned for its sustainable practices and stewardship, but this identity was not necessarily the intent from the brand’s inception. In The Future of the Responsible Company: What We’ve Learned from…

In just a 20-year span, from the 1870s to the 1890s, many Native American tribes lost their most important resource: the buffalo. Today, mostly treeless grasslands stretch as far as you can see to the horizon, but this…