Winter 2000-01

Montana. To fishermen around the globe this word conjures images of rising trout, endless riffles, drag-free drifts, and spectacular mountain scenery. And while the trout probably rise as we speak and the riffles continue…

Where to soak around southwest Montana. Deep in a forested canyon, on the bank of a gurgling stream, a ceaseless flow of mineral water gushes up from the bowels of the earth, into a deep, narrow pool lined with rocks and…

It’s deep winter in Yellowstone and the evening air is crisp and still. My breath hangs in the last weak rays of the sun which is setting behind the trees to the west. The crusty snow creaks under my boots. Occasionally, I…

Decades of wonder lead to a satisfying culmination. It was one of those days you might hear about at an AA meeting, the kind of nine-to-five-career-ending day that is the lore of many a mountain town across the Northwest.…

Travails of a first-time ice climber. Ice climbing is a strange sport, if you can even call it a sport. A sport is a game – it has cheering, beer-drinking fans, there is usually a ball involved, and most importantly there…

A history of wolf-eradication in the Gallatin Valley.As they traveled through present-day Montana, the men of the Lewis and Clark Expedition were struck by the great number of gray wolves in the area, often seen feasting on…

When the deep powder is tracked out at the ski slopes and it’s too cold for mountain biking, try some alpine climbing this winter. Many excellent climbs lie within just a few hours of Bozeman and require little technical…

Never are we more at the mercy of our warm-blooded physiology than in winter. You know the feeling: it’s Sunday morning in mid-January, cold enough to freeze nose hairs, and you’re simply NOT getting out of bed. You…

Sprinkle fish, whole or cut into strips, with lemon juice. Roll in flour seasoned with salt & black pepper. Prepare batter by combining 3/4 cup flour seasoned with 1/4 teaspoon salt & dash of black pepper. Pour in…

All about the GNFAC. 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-…

Winter workouts around Bozeman.Ahh, winter is here: the air is cold, the snow is falling – now is the time to hibernate, right? Wrong. Now is the time to enjoy the peace and solitude of winter in a way that awakens all your…

No bugs fighting all night to get through the mesh screen and eat you. No sleepless nights clenching bear spray. So quiet you can hear the snowflakes hit. Cocoa tastes better. No muddy gear to clean. The brightest you will…

Four-footed furry creatures aren't the only inhabitants of Yellowstone's harsh winters; many birds manage to make Yellowstone their year-round residence as well. Along open waterways, look for the American Bald Eagle and…

A book for all seasons. 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…

If you want to separate yourself from the modern world and get intimate with the earth, grab a copy of Thomas J. Elpel’s Participating in Nature and head for the woods. Not for a day, or even a week–with this primitive…