Spring 2010

I met Bud Lilly in the fall of 1976, during a month-long camping trip to Yellowstone Park. I was a graduate student on fishing sabbatical, and when I entered the door of Bud Lilly's Trout Shop it wasn't to buy anything, but…

Getting flushed in the Kitchen Sink. Some days you’re feeling flush, some days you’re getting flushed—that’s the way it works. But more often than not, when I get near a kayak, it’s one of those “getting flushed” sort of…

Spring skiing at Beartooth Pass. “It’s like standing at the top of the world,” I hear someone say over the constant hiss of the wind. Men mill around in shorts and t-shirts, ladies walk across a snowbank in sandals with…

Identifying spring's silliest pastime. With the possible exception of road cyclists (see “Living with Lycra,” Summer 2009, and my subsequent stacks of hate mail), whitewater kayakers—and playboaters, most of all—are…

What to do till summer. This is the season when we whine the loudest in the office. After all, it's cold and muddy out there—in a weird way. It's not really warm enough to float, not dry enough to bike, and the skiing's…

With all the attention on Canada over the last few months, it was natural for us to wonder about Banff, home to the Banff Center for Mountain Culture and originator of one of Bozeman’s all-time favorite events, the Banff…

The last time I floated down the Madison, I was waist-deep in water, scuffing along the bottom in an underinflated, sinking kiddy pool. I had on far too little clothing given the circumstances and with both hands full of…

Last issue, Outside Bozeman visited three local workout facilities that were easily accessible, conveniently located, and offered a free trial period. We wanted to expand the playing field this issue, so I chose two more…

Few things are as satisfying as cooking up fresh-caught trout in the springtime. The cold, clear water makes for some of the healthiest, tastiest trout you’ll find anywhere. And literally bringing home the bacon—or in this…

When it comes to tying dry flies, nothing is more important than how realistic a fly looks and how well it floats. There are many fly-tying techniques that can produce an almost unsinkable dry fly, but they usually require…

Springtime in Montana offers many photo opportunities. But capturing wildflowers, snowmelt, and other beautiful scenes with a digital SLR camera is challenging, especially if you're trying to get those up-close shots that…

Bring your rusty ride into the Bozeman Bike Kitchen's annual recycle drive and they'll fix it up, shine it up, and give it up to somebody who needs it. Last year the group refurbished and redistributed 51 bikes from the…

Pulling up to the South Cottonwood trailhead, I take a moment to survey the half-full parking lot of fellow outdoor enthusiasts milling around their cars, preparing to hike, bike, or run the trail with a small pack and a…

The spring rodeo at Montana State University.Not unlike the reappearance of songbirds or the emergence of the tulips in Granny’s flowerbed, the annual Montana State University spring rodeo is a sure sign of the season.…

Have you ever gone hiking on a glorious summer day, only to come to a fork in the trail… that isn’t labeled? Ever been cruising along on your bike, just you and Montana, only to come to a crossroads full of speeding cars?…

Green Crocs, French pedicures, and gray hair? Yup. We’re the River Girls. Or sometimes “Val’s Pals,” named after the woman who got the ball rolling. Between us we have at least 75 years of fishing experience—all over the…

If you're looking for a "permission slip" to go fishing this weekend, read on. Because with cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death in Montana, you should know that catching that spring trout is more than…

The controversy is an old one: ranchers eke out a living doing work that is important and will never be easy. Conservationists do not approve of the pesticides, growth hormones, and environmental issues associated with…

In March, the Montana state legislature celebrated the completion of its 10-year effort to change the names of 76 places containing the word squaw. Though House Bill 412, the measure that first sought the name changes, was…

Spring recreation in and around Bozeman almost always includes some form of water sport. For those of us with a canine counterpart, this can be intimidating, especially when watercraft is involved. Making sure your dog is…

Times may be tough economically, but in other respects Bozeman is doing just fine. That’s what Stephen Johnson, executive director of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT), has to say about the future of open space and area…

As winter slogs along and you begin to crave stone to pull on, finding the right shoulder-season crag can make for perfect afternoon climbing while your friends are out skiing on slush. So grab the quickdraws, approach…

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. —Joseph CampbellIt’s not easy to be a hero in southwest Montana. Unlike other places, where fame and fortune seem sufficient criteria, we…

Brittany Wiser’s laughter echoed through the snowy woods of the Bridger Mountains as I lay there with my skis and poles wedged beneath my tangled limbs. The original plan was to do something like ice climbing up Hyalite or…

Warm, sunny days might seem years away, but it’s never too early to start thinking about summer races. Triathlon? Road race? Trail run? A late spring or summer race is great motivation for cold-weather training, and you don…

With ten years of Outside Bozeman articles archived online, there’s lots to read about recreation in southwest Montana. Every so often, we do a tally of the stories that get the most hits. To check them out, go to…

Stricken with the struggles of puberty, awkward attempts at dating, and the ever-precarious Rubik’s cube of social acceptance, middle school is a hard time in every kid’s life. But one private school, Headwaters Academy,…

One beautiful spring weekend last year, I opted to head east to hunt down some Merriam turkeys. I had recently gotten permission from a friend at school to hunt his family ranch along the Yellowstone. Having never pursued…

The coming of spring is a big deal, and the Bozeman Recreation Department has planned many programs to get kids and families outdoors. Here are some highlights:T-Ball registration starts February 27 and runs until April 10…

This may be a Carhartt town—and don’t get us wrong, we love ‘em too—but there’s more than one way to bedeck your lower body in Bozeman. Among those few but fine options is Arborwear, and the Estimator is the ideal…

I’m a dirtbag at heart, content to wear ratty second-hand clothing covered in duct tape—but one thing I won’t scrimp on is socks. Warm, comfortable feet are a must, and the new Ski Light OTC from Point6 is just what the ski…

A fly vest is kinda like a home: all empty spaces tend to get filled. Nature may abhor a vacuum, but I like the Flint Hills Vest from Fishpond. Although the pockets are abundant (eight in front, four inside, two in back),…

Hands down the best down jacket I have ever worn, the Stoic Bombshell Insulated Jacket should be added to your list of essential gear for a cold day outside. The Cirrus Microfiber Synthetic Insulation kept me warm and dry,…

Dogs are easy to please. And the adventurous outdoor dogs of Bozeman are no exception. They live in our boats, truck beds, and tents; they’re covered with mud and dirt; and they’re happy as can be. But sometimes, when they’…

This base layer is one of the most featherlight wool layers I have ever worn. Made from Merino wool, the Merino Bliss Shirt will keep you dry and warm—two of the factors you want most in any outdoor sport. Merino wool…

From the leader in ergonomically advanced paddles, the Adventure Technologies AT4 River offers a natural wrist position, improved control, and larger blades on this new piece to maximize stroke and reduce flutter each time…

For calorie-rich backcountry sustenance, it’s hard to beat the classic PB&J sandwich. It’s simple, tasty, and can emerge completely edible after 12 hours in an overstuffed backpack. ProBar has taken this convenience…

Like it or not, micro-cams are inherently unsettling. Trusting something marble-sized to stop thousands of pounds of force takes some pretty big marbles of your own, so when you’re up above that 1/2-inch placement, you want…

I wanted a pair of Uggs, Emus, or something warm and comfy to slide on after skiing, fishing, etc. After doing some research on how not to blow a million dollars on shoes that make my legs look like nubby stumps, I…

At some point in her life, every woman runs into a situation like this: you’re in a drift boat, you have to relieve yourself, and you’re in waders. The men are peeing right off the boat while you grimace at your own…

Like the hand-held flashlight before it, which reached its evolutionary apex with the once-ubiquitous Mini Maglite (aka, MiniMag), the modern headlamp seems to grow smaller and lighter while still providing maximum light…

Early spring fishing can do a number on your body if you aren’t dressed properly. My current jacket is great, but on those freezing-rain days you need some real core warmth. I got the Inversion Vest from Cloudveil and have…

Hands down, this is the best boot ever. This women-specific trekking boot has a narrower heel than men’s boots, making them more supportive. I have super-weak ankles, and not only do these boots give me the boost I need for…

With the addition of Slushman’s chairlift, more relaxed Ridge rules, and the opening of side-country access gates on both sides of the mountain, things may feel a little different to those who grew up skiing Bridger Bowl.…

Looks like the tax bills might be going up for the folks in the Gallatin National Forest's 198 privately owned cabins, many of which were built decades ago when the U.S. Forest Service began leasing federal lands to…

If you've ever wanted an invitation onto Ted Turner's famous Green Ranch, along the Madison River west of Bozeman, dress as a buffalo and you just might get in. After all, two days after Valentine's Day, the Montana…

With 84 years under his belt—and a heart palpitator inside his chest—Bud Lilly still can’t seem to slow down. The indefatigable octogenarian’s latest effort is a new Gallatin River access point in Logan, upstream from the…

Getting your kids into the outdoors is great, but teaching them at the same time is even better. For the last 15 years, Montana Outdoor Science School (MOSS) has been providing quality outdoor education and nature camps for…

The Beartooth Pass typically opens in late May, after sufficient melt-off for plows to clear the snow-laden Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212). One of the most scenic drives in the country, this 70-mile-long, high-alpine…

One of the most beautiful things you are ever likely to see is a thundering herd of horses raising dust under the azure Montana sky. Just ask anyone who’s ever seen it. Some folks will tell you it’s downright religious, but…

Ted Leeson, author of Inventing Montana: Dispatches from the Madison Valley (Skyhorse Publishing, $25) posits an interesting theory: the moniker “Montana” doesn’t strictly refer to the geographic place that is our home, but…

If you like cooking outdoors but aren't exactly Bobby Flay when it comes to technique, then this book might help make your next blaze a little more enjoyable. With over 150 recipes and 12 cooking techniques, Cooking…

Nervous about sprawling development and threatened wild areas in Yellowstone Park, author and longtime O/B contributor Philip R. Knight decided to experience the wilderness firsthand with a walking circumnavigation of the…

Countless books of photography have been published about the greater Bozeman area, and yet, local photographer Carol Polich, in Portrait of Paradise (Farcountry Press, $25), still managed to provide a uniquely intimate and…

If you’re shopping for a new turkey blaster—or just want to ogle all the cool guns on the market—pick up a copy of the Firearms Multimedia Guide (Impressum Media, $30) and prepare to spend several hours in a desirous daze.…

I’ll take a girl on the rocks, please. Katie Brown’s book Girl on the Rocks (Falcon Guides, $20) is a great introduction for any beginning climber and an inspiration for rock-hard veterans as well. This book is not an…