Summer 2015

Climbing Electric Peak. Electric Peak is one of Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s most dominant mountains, rising nearly 5,800 vertical feet above the Yellowstone River as it drains northward out of Yellowstone National Park…

Fishing by motorcycle, from Bozeman to the Castle Mountains.The formula for happiness in my world is simple: ride, fish, camp, repeat. I like to avoid the banalities of interstate travel, so I ride a so-called “adventure…

Downhill riding gets a boost in the Big Sky.There are downhill mountain-biking destinations in North America whose mention conjures images of loamy trails with hand-finished berms and painstakingly designed freestyle…

Two days on the Jefferson River.“Watch out for rattlesnakes,” a middle-aged blonde warns as we strap our dry bags onto our paddleboards at the Silver Star boat launch, 11 miles north of Twin Bridges. “They’re on land and in…

A guide to running Bear Trap.  It’s Sunday at 7am. Under normal conditions I’d be off in the nether, stumbling through some primal log-sawin’ narrative. Today, however, I’m living the dream, and as I pull into Mama Mac’s…

On gender equality in sports. Montana’s endurance sports have a reputation for bringing crowds of talented, friendly athletes together. An accommodating environment encourages everyone to get involved. But even in this…

In the ongoing land-transfer struggle, a few folks stand out—on both sides of the battlefield. Here’s a recap of admirable acts and shameful shenanigans for the 2015 legislative session. Champs: Rep. Ed Lieser (D–Whitefish…

Categorizing conifers.Think all conifers are pretty much the same? Think again. Next time you’re in the woods, use these simple ID-techniques to better understand your environment. 

The Hunt Right campaign explained.  Long before the heat of summer gives way to cool autumn nights, the hunt will begin—and with it, the inevitable ethical dilemmas that confront sportsmen in their pursuit of game. To help…

The fight to save the Land and Water Conservation Fund.In 1965, Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund, guaranteeing Americans access to public land, and while you might not know it, it’s helped pay for the…

Repentance and redemption at the Granite Creek Range. The shriek of a red-tailed hawk fills the air as I relax and settle into position. Spilling out before me is a series of targets: orange silhouettes the size and shape…

How Bozeman Creek was liberated.The year is 1973 and elk season is one hour away. Gallatin National Forest district ranger Ross MacPherson is lying belly-down in the meadow above Mystic Lake with his son and four other…

A wilderness river-crossing gone wrong. The river rushes madly, its water, churning and muddy due to the sudden spike in temperature of the last two days. A tall, overhanging rock face to the left, a half-million acres of…

Massage for runners and cyclists.So you’re training incredibly hard for a triathlon or the Ridge Run and you notice some pain running down the side of your leg and into your knee. Your running partner’s been complaining…

Summer at the CB Ranch.A weekend at a guest ranch is a rite of summer for any visitor to Montana. Horseback rides through the pine, steak dinners, sunset views: it doesn’t get better than that. This summer, head to the…

Stay ski-fit with dryland training. You don’t have to trade your summer recreation for hot days in the gym in order to get ready for ski season. Take a few notes from the Bridger Ski Foundation’s (BSF) dryland training…

Beartooth's latest map. For over ten years, Beartooth Publishing has treated Bozeman locals to the best, most detailed maps around. This year, they’re expanding their lineup of beautifully crafted recreation maps to…

O/B’s answer to outdoor offenders. I harbor limited faith in self-governance. Nothing underscores this more than my wish for Apple to equip computers with email breathalyzers. Many mornings-after might have been prevented…

Custer and Gallatin combine.Last August, with little fanfare, the Custer and Gallatin national forests became one management unit. One of the most geographically diverse forests in Montana, the Custer Gallatin National…

You may be doing more damage than you think. It’s a classic summer day on the water: the afternoon passes quietly, the only sounds are the riffling river and the sigh of a reel slipping line. This is what we live for as…

From a local's perspective. Yellowstone National Park can be one of the most freeing and unique places in the world—if you know where to go. The majority of Park visitors never leave the well-maintained boardwalks or RV-…

Canyon wolf pack edition.Driving down from Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone Park, we spotted four wolves on the road, coming our way. It was the Canyon pack: the alpha pair and two others. They left the road and moved uphill,…

Local artists turn utility into art. Three years ago, the plain grey traffic box on the corner of Wallace and Main was given a trial facelift by local artist Krista Morey and the Bozeman-based urban beautification company…

Outfitting your backcountry rig.If you’ve ever found yourself sitting nervously in your trusty steed on your way to a forest service campsite deep down a mountain road, you’ve probably had that feeling in your gut that…

An athletic ménage-a-trois.That’s right, summertime is triathlon season, which means you can do it three ways with some of your favorite friends and competitors. There are races in all the major Montana cities and we have…

Enticing Ennis Lake. Just north of Ennis is a reservoir that, viewed from the surrounding mountains, looks like the haphazard puddle of a spilled bucket. Though small and shallow—the deepest sections mark out around 20…

Unexpected benevolence saves the day.We pulled into camp at Sunset Cliffs as the sky collapsed upon us. The strobe pulse of lightning along the rims of the river canyon set off peals of thunder. First some hail, and then…

Small-town vibes with big-mountain highs.When you think of West Yellowstone, you think of the Park. However, long summer days provide access to so much more. Whether you’re fishing blue-ribbon streams, hiking in pristine…

Avoiding rattlers in southwest Montana.If you have pets in Montana, there’s one type of snake you have to worry about, and that’s the western or prairie rattlesnake. While this is a relatively docile species, snakebites…

Family time outside. Montanans know how to make the most of our short but amazing summers, and we like to take our families along for the ride. Whether you do it yourself or go with an expert, you’ll find enough trails and…

Benefits of boot camps.Boot-camp fitness classes are popping up all over the Gallatin Valley, and for good reason: they’re a great way to accelerate one’s fitness and prepare for an active summer season. They also help…

Montana's wolf population explained.Wolves, as many of our hunters learn, can be hard to find even when you’re looking for them. They’re smart, elusive animals that can travel great distances in a short time. And that’s…

Swan on the wing.Of all the fowl that soar the skies or glide the waters of the Rocky Mountain West, none is larger—or more elegant—than the trumpeter swan, the biggest native North American bird there is. You can see them…

Tying the Clouser minnow.In the 30-plus years I’ve been fly fishing, the general trend in streamers has been to make them bigger and uglier—and thus more unwieldy to cast. From zonkers to double-bunnies, articulated fat-…

Lands win in the legislature.Earlier this year, Montanan recreationists of all stripes—from hunters and fishermen to mountain bikers and backpackers—beat back a dozen bills aimed at transferring ownership of American public…

How to tell an adventure story. Call them fish stories, tall tales, flights of fancy, or yarns—whatever term you use, the stories we tell about our outdoor adventures can be as much fun as the adventures themselves. The…

Paddling bill redux.Wyoming representative Cynthia Lummis is taking another stroke with her park-paddling bill. HR 974, the Yellowstone and Grand Teton Paddling Act—which would allow the use of hand-propelled vessels on…

Gallatin Valley Land Trust summer walks.In an effort the make the Main Street to the Mountains trail system more accessible, the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) offers guided trail walks throughout the summer. Beginning…

In-state showdown.It’s been over two years since Bozeman squared off against another town—perhaps we’ve run out of worthy adversaries. Or maybe we’ve just been looking too far afield. What better way to re-test Bozeman’s…

It’s open season. Trails wait for fresh footsteps, jagged ridgelines call out, anticipating our arrival. Take time off from a fast-paced place and bask in the easy drawl of summer. The world is fresh, dripping new in hues…

And let summer do its thing.Beware the barrenness of a busy life. —SocratesLike many others, I live mostly by my calendar. If something’s not scheduled, underlined, and circled in red ink, it usually doesn’t happen. This…

Your ride is only as good as the gear that gets you from A to B. Here's a rundown of the season's best. Smith Optics Forefront Helmet Smith is a lot more than just optics these days, and the Forefront helmet is proof of…

When it comes to car-camping, sleeping in a cramped backpacking tent is just silly. NEMO’s new Wagontop 4P tent combines modern design, quality materials and construction, and ridiculous convenience for civilized camping…

I’ve never been one to pontificate about a trail shoe. Hell, up until three years ago, I’d run in whatever was on the bargain table. The Peregrine from Saucony has changed all that. This trail shoe is the perfect…

When fishing a large lake like Hebgen, one of the keys to success day is knowing where the fish are and what the lake bottom looks like. This is where having a good fish-finder on my kayak comes in handy, and the echoMAP…

Most of us have that special, multipurpose blanket—the one in constant movement, from couch to camp, back yard to the back of the truck. Mine’s an old army blanket, and I love it; but I have yet to find a bedmate who will…

The idea of packrafting a river deep in the wilderness is exciting. Doing so with a couple hundred pounds of fresh elk meat—now that’s an adventure. The PR-49 from Pristine Ventures makes this type of epic Montana outing…

If you’re a recreational or professional waterman looking for a do-it-all shoe for the summer season, look no further than the Astral Brewer. This is an extremely lightweight water shoe designed for whitewater kayaking and…

For those extended summer road-trips deep into the Montana backcountry, you need a reliable ice-chest—when the fishing’s good and the sunsets are even better, the last thing you want is a mandatory town run. Stay afield as…

One of the most challenging things about kayak fishing is transporting the considerable size and weight of the boat from my vehicle to the water’s edge. When fully loaded, my boat weighs well over 100 pounds, and at 12 feet…

If you’re looking for lightweight protection on the singletrack this summer, the Summit Glove by Pearl iZumi is a good option. It’s relatively breathable and the polyester-and-rubber construction keeps bulk down but utility…

I’ve never been a runner, but last summer, I trashed my mountain bike and wasn’t able to pick up a new one until recently. That meant I needed another exercise outlet, and since running is relatively affordable, I decided…

Combine Montana’s notoriously volatile weather and the inherent lack of storage on your oversized surfboard, and you’ve got a recipe for discomfort. Which is where the Kokatat X-Jacket comes in. Designed specifically for…

Tips from a champ.Former World Championship silver-medalist Bill Wood teaches long-range shooting techniques at Granite Creek Range near Virginia City. Here are Bill’s top tips for shooting well—both at the range and in the…

Climbing high in Paradise Valley.Mount HolmesJust south of Electric, Mt. Holmes tops out at 10,336 feet and makes for a long all-day climb. You’ll gain almost 3,000 feet of elevation over 11 miles, and should plan for five…

Off-season workouts for skiers.Every skier can benefit from at least 30 minutes of strength training twice a week. Again, keep it fun, and keep it outside: at the park or in an alpine meadow in the middle of a hike. Here…

A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting. —Thoreau Reading, especially reading books, and especially…