Summer 2025

An ode to old bridges.  Our admiration of the antique is not admiration of the old, but of the natural. —Ralph Waldo Emerson To those unaccustomed to summertime in Montana, an old truss bridge might seem just that: old.…

Discovering a Montana treasure as a young man.  All these years later, it’s hard for me to imagine a time when sagebrush smelled exotic, but it did that morning—pungent, pure, and alien. I still remember the dissonance…

An aging mountain climber returns to Montana's highest peak.  There are three approaches to Montana’s highest point. None of them are short, none of them are easy. At 12,799 feet, Granite Peak is steep, stormy, and well-…

Teeing up a fun-filled multisport weekend in the Madison Valley. Summer in Montana has a certain feeling. It’s the mix of rushing water, warm wind, and blowing grass. The purr of a bike wheel, the sound of fluttering…

Confronting grief in the Montana Wilderness.  Turning 20 in Yellowstone National Park felt like a rite of passage. It’s a treasured memory. Sitting on the edge of a creek, face caked in sweat and dirt, I felt satisfied—…

A recon mission into enemy territory. “You’re doing what?” the bike tech at Owenhouse had asked, glancing at his watch. “Okay, well, sign the waiver and good luck.” That’s how my brother acquired his rental bike, which we…

Reflecting on 25 years of pushing back.  Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s…

A music-filled weekend in White Sulphur Springs. What do women’s workwear, summertime, and White Sulphur Springs have in common? For those in the know, the answer is obvious. If you’re out of the loop, be sure to clear…

Recreation & theater mix with Shakespeare in the Parks. If recreation be the food of love, play on! Our region’s majestic mountains make quite the backdrop for Shakespeare in the Parks. Between vibrant rivers and wild…

A weekend up north enjoying Montana’s state parks. For all that southwest Montana has to offer, there is one thing that our corner of the state is severely lacking: lakes. Now don’t get me wrong, there are a good handful…

Everyone wants to run big rapids, but being wet after the fact sucks. Don’t get me wrong, I love charging big class IV’s as much as the next guy, but once the adrenaline wears off, you're just sitting around soaked and…

Mountain weather is variable weather, so a solid long-sleeve is essential for evening and early-morning activities, even in mid-summer. You want something warm but lightweight, so it doesn't take up too much room in the…

The K4 5000 from Exo Mountain Gear is a pack clearly designed by serious hunters. The carbon frame flexes with your body, whether clambering under deadfall or scrambling up cliffs, but provides excellent rigidity when…

At a recent edged-weapons seminar, I watched the instructor reveal, one after the other, the 12 knives he had hidden on his person. Boot knives, belt knives, pocket knives... he had 'em all. But the coolest one was the…

Through-hikers and light backpackers be warned: there’s a new pack in town, and it might have just raised the bar. That pack is the CS40 Ultra Backpack from Outdoor Vitals—a durable, minimalistic, lightweight bag with a…

A portable fan, you ask, incredulously, in Montana? Yep, and here's why. Although it never gets that hot, for that long, in an open campsite, a closed-in tent is another matter altogether. More importantly, a fan does far…

For the outdoor enthusiast, the benefit of a booming economy (there are costs, of course) is the constant improvement of recreational products. Case in point: the Exped DeepSleep 45° sleeping bag. It's a mummy bag, you…

All jokes aside, there is truly no point in having a dull knife. Beyond the obvious lack of utlitity and ensuing frustration, dull knives are more dangerous and harder to control. While most outdoorsmen can agree on the…

There’s nothing better than whipping up a huge mess of hot food after a day spent in the back country. In the same vein, there’s nothing worse than stumbling back to camp only to find that your camp stove wont light, stay…

For years, I struggled to find the ideal trail running shoe—something lightweight, supportive, durable, and roomy enough for my feet to breathe. Then I found the Altra Timp 5’s. With a Vibram sole and sturdy build, these…

While cotton may be “the fabric of our lives,” it’s not exactly ideal for long days in the backcountry or strenuous exercise. Sure, a long-sleeve cotton button-down can be nice for hot days on the river, but that's only…

There's no use denying it: I have a pack problem. One for every activity, and then a few extras—my gear closet overfloweth with backpacks. So why do I need the Kifaru Escape & Evade? Because it's a fantastic little…

It's a common occurrence in mountain towns: you buy a piece of outdoor clothing, intending to punish it out in the elements—but you immediately realize just how damn nice the thing is, how attractive it is, and thus how…

For an all-in-one pack to weather the storms of spring, check out the Seafield 30L Waterproof Backpack from Laek. This pack's got it all, so you can do it all, and keep it all dry while doing it. The burly 600-denier…

For anyone on edge venturing into bear country—especially solo campers—The ADS Bear Spray Holster & Sound Alarm can provide much-needed peace of mind. It looks like a normal holster, but drawing your bear spray triggers…

Come summer, I more or less live in a sun hoody, and this year it’ll be Sitka's Radiant Sun Hoody. The breathable, lightweight baselayer provides head-to-finger-tip coverage, complete with a neck guard and thumb sleeves.…

Inflatable mats are often one of the least reliable pieces of backcountry gear—they're loud, uncomfortable, and usually start leaking after a few uses. Breaking the trend, however, is the Nemo Tensor Trail Ultralight…

Whether indoors or outdoors, I always prioritize a good night of sleep. With Nemo's Disco Women's Endless Promise Sleeping Bag, I no longer have to compromise comfort when camping—whether it's car camping, backpacking, or…

Landscape photography and trail running are my two favorite summer endeavors, but I've always had a hard time combining the two (running with camera equipment is a disaster waiting to happen). Enter Peak Design's  25L…

Kenetrek’s lineup of hunting boots hasn’t changed much in years. After all, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. As a result, the brand’s classic, leather boots have gained a loyal following in Montana and beyond. Now, the local…

In Montana, you can kayak 12 months out of the year—but let’s be honest, you probably won’t want to. The water’s freezing, there’s ice in the eddies, and the thought of getting wet is scarier than anything the river might…

Designed for whatever the day might throw your way, the 24HR Satchel from FHF Gear is a durable, modular bag that can handle it all. For everyday use, the 17-liter capacity is plenty for a laptop, charging cords, a few…

I spend a lot of time on the water, and while I enjoy a good sun tan as much as the next guy, there comes a point where UV defense is a must. For me, Himali’s Eclipse Sun Hoodie checks all the boxes. It’s paper thin and…

The Bushido III from La Sportiva is the latest iteration of a trail shoe that’s been around for nearly a decade. You’ll see people wearing Bushidos at just about any trail race or casual 5k around town—and for good reason.…

Like many outdoor enthusiasts, I spend a fair amount of time sleeping outside—40-some nights, most years. But regardless of the associated activity—kayaking, skiing, hunting, drinking by a campfire—I'm never content in my…

It's never too early to start thinking about spring—in fact, when you're shivering in subzero temps, that might be the best time, as it improves one's attitude immensely. And when I think of spring, I think of rain: frigid…

Big shades may be all the rage, but if you've got a small head, they make you look goofy—hence, no net gain. Luckily, Costa has every skull size covered, and their Caballito ("pony" in Spanish; how apropos) fits my junior-…

Around here, we know how important it is to carry bear spray—and we also know how inadequate stock fabric holsters are, especially for anything but hiking. Several companies make aftermarket carriers, a few of them right…

More support, less support... which is it? From Hoka to Xero and back again, we never know what's best for our feet—if we believe the "experts," that is. All we know is that Hegel was right: the pendulum always swingeth.…

Between tents, mattress pads, campfire chairs, and the heap of other gear needed for a camping trip, packing for a weekend in the mountains can be a real car-full. For years, Crazy Creeks have provided a compact, cushioned…

The Astral GreenJacket PFD is a top-tier choice for whitewater paddlers. Here are my thoughts after using it on several trips. Comfort & FitThere’s a reason why the GreenJacket has been the gold-standard PFD for so…