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Spring 2006

Features

  • Activities: Climbing

    Protons and Pitons

    Portrait of a climber.We Montanans are not generally known for our exceptional water polo players. Nor for our contributions to the beach volleyball athlete pool. The Big Sky state tends to produce athletes and adventurers…

  • Being Green in Bozeman

    The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope. —Wendell BerryHow do you define the term…

Departments

  • star map, spring sky, Montana, corona borealis
    Training: Astronomy

    Corona Borealis

    The crown of the spring sky. Ah, spring—when a young cowboy’s fancy turns to thoughts of, well, calf-roping and branding and the sorts of things that make boy calves sing soprano. And as if to remind the cowpuncher of his…
  • Culture: Arts & Culture

    My Sock is a Napkin

    An ice cream sandwich— I like vanilla. I've eaten my beans, I've eaten my dinner. My hands are sticky, I have no napkin. Could wash them right now but that ain't gonna happen. Wipe them on my shirt? It will leave a stain. I…
  • Culture: People

    Picking the Picker's Brain

    An interview with music legend Leo Kottke. For the last 35 years, Leo Kottke has been considered one of the most talented and innovative guitarists around. His most recent album, Sixty-Six Steps, recorded with Phish…

  • Intelligent Design

    Intelligent design would be just fineby me if the people who came up with suchideas stripped down and spent as much timeas they could naked. That way we'd see the touchof the creator as he/she intended it. Take buttsfor…
  • Activities: Bird Hunting

    Spring Turkey Huntin'

    Chasing Montana's largest bird.Early April marks the season-opener in Montana for North America’s largest upland game bird, the Wild Merriam turkey. Although Montana falls well outside the Merriam turkey’s traditional range…
  • Activities: Rafting

    Raft-Buying 101

    Lots of rafts are showing up on Montana’s rivers lately, and with good reason. They’re fun, safe, stable, and take you places with friends. With all the choices out there, let’s take a look at what fits for our rivers.…

  • Mountain Bike Race Series Introduced in 2006

    For the very first time, the Montana Bicycle Racing Association (MBRA) has unveiled a complete summer series. There are nine races in all, beginning in Billings on May 21 and ending in Helena on September 10. The other race…
  • swine, pig, weight

    Shedding Those Winter Pounds

    It seems it’s happened again—the inclement winter weather has reduced the amount that you regularly exercise, and the savory holiday meals followed by decadent desserts have packed your body with some unwanted stuffing. We…
  • Culture: Family Time

    Consider the Lilies

    After a long winter in the Montana high country, glacier lilies are among the first color to return that does not crawl or creep or fly. In a sense they do move, though, their bright yellow blossoms flourishing in the bare…
  • Training: Workouts

    New-Age Fitness

    I used to think yoga was for sissies, Pilates for the lazy, and Rolf—who the heck is he? As I’ve managed to mature (just a little) through a series of unfortunate mishaps—a torn ACL courtesy of skiing, a strained hamstring…
  • Black Bear, Montana
    Nature

    The Black Bruin Awakes

    Imitating bears, becoming possessed by their spirit, and sometimes even becoming a bear are all part of Native American Bear Dances. Bear Dances were performed for many reasons: for the Yocuts it was a harvest rite, the…

  • Mourning Becomes Montana

    In Eugene O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prize-winning trilogy, Mourning Becomes Electra, the protagonist’s grief becomes her source of strength. The sorrow shared by family and friends of those who have perished on Montana roads is…

  • The Mouth/Body Connection

    Many times in the dental office, after patients have answered a page full of questions about their general health and any medications that they are taking, they will ask me why I need all of that information just so they…

  • The O/B Index

    26–total personal income, in billions of dollars, of Montana residents in 20043–Montana’s rank (if it were a person) in world’s richest individuals19–percent increase in average purchase price of housing in Montana from…
  • Activities: Miscellaneous

    The Hot Pot Roundup

    After a hard day outside, when you feel so sore you can barely move or so cold your toes might snap off, just head to one of our nearby hot springs and melt your discomforts away. With everything from primitive springs…
  • Culture: Conservation

    How I Threw it All Away

    I started buying bottled water a few years ago, when I decided to start living by the 64-ounces-a-day rule. At first, the bottles were great. I could put a few in the car, two in my gym bag, and one in the diaper bag. I…

  • Bozeman vs. Burlington

    To test the legitimacy of Bozeman’s claim as one of the best towns around, we decided to compare it to similar small cities across the country. First up: Burlington, Vermont, home of the University of Vermont and minutes…

  • The Buck Starts Here

    If Bozeman gets a little too “big city” for you this spring, or if you’re just looking for a damn good time, think about heading east. May 19-21 is the annual Miles City Bucking Horse Sale and it is guaranteed to entertain…
  • Culture: Books

    Book: Three Cups of Tea

    In 1993, American climber Greg Mortenson, fresh off a failed attempt at the summit of K2, stumbled into the village of Korphe in the shadow of Pakistan’s Karakoram Range. Despite their impoverished existence, the villagers…
  • Activities: Fishing

    Rites of Spring

    Spring into early-season fishing. Perhaps you’ve ventured out during the winter months to favored local rivers when the weather permitted, attempting some deep-water nymphing or looking for elusive midge hatch. Now it is…

Gear Reviews

  • dagger nomad outside bozeman review
    Gear: Equipment

    Review: Dagger Nomad

    If you’re looking for a new creek boat, check out the Dagger Nomad. The Nomad comes in two sizes, so it doesn’t matter if you’re a 120-pound chick or a 240-pound dude. The Nomad 8.1 (8’ long, 25.5” wide, 68 gallons, 42…

  • Riot Astro

    For many, Riot kayaks are synonymous with expert-only paddlers. But Riot’s designs, as well as their “brash and youthful” image, have matured over the years. With the Astro 54 they’ve found a nice blend of performance,…

  • Lotus Royal Flush

    Any day you pull on a dry top is a good day. Even if it’s late winter and 30 degrees at the Beartrap put-in—which is where I found myself testing out the new Lotus Designs Royal Flush dry top. Lotus has a reputation for…

  • Snap Dragon

    After selling sprayskirts for more than 25 years, you get to know a thing or two about them. First, the Snap Dragon skirts are the best made we've ever found. This might be because the owner of the company still makes the…
  • Gear: Equipment

    Review: WRSI Current

    Any adventure sport is truly about minimizing the risk, focusing on the task at hand, and proceeding to have the time of your life. Proper gear and knowledge are the best ways to minimize the risk, giving you the peace of…

Book Reviews

Columns

  • Culture

    Lasso in the Sky

    Ah, spring—when a young cowboy’s fancy turns to thoughts of, well, calf roping and branding and the sorts of things that make boy calves sing soprano in the herd. And as if to remind the cowpuncher of his springtime lariat…
  • Activities: Fishing

    Parachute Caddis

    As the snow begins to melt and the trees brighten with their spring colors, anglers gear up for some of the best dry fly fishing the season has to offer. The notorious caddis, the small meat-and-potatoes insect of the trout…

  • Spring FWP News

    Pursuit of a Unique QuarryBeginning on November 15, 2005, thirty-four Montana sportsmen and women got the chance to participate in a unique hunting experience. With the start of Montana’s first bison hunt in 15 years, these…
Outside Bozeman Spring 2006

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