Summer 2002

 Get out and ride."There's something about the outside of the horse that is good for the inside of a human." —Winston ChurchillJust 20 horse steps from Highway 191 West onto the Fawn Pass trail, the rumbling sound of…

Turning 30 wasn’t difficult for me, but I had reservations about 33. Fine lines have sprouted around my eyes, like the map of a well-developed city. My yoga teacher pokes my belly when I’m in warrior pose and says, “What’s…

"Angle for the pond itself," Henry Thoreau advises, "the hook of hooks!" Walden Pond had no silver rainbows in his day, but our beloved clear Gallatin does. And so we fish for fish, though we have the opportunity of seeing…

The “No Trespassing” sign loomed large on the dry, cracked fencepost, its black letters cold and threatening. A hundred yards behind it lay the river, calling to me in sonorous tones of riffle and rushing current. Deep runs…

All about Strong Frames. What this morning was a pile of hollow metal tubes is now taking the shape of a bike. After hours of measuring, cutting, fitting, aligning, and cleaning, the most critical and holiest of all bike-…

It's a myth that wildfires burn with greater ferocity in wilderness areas than in population zones. That the reverse is true is another myth. What is certain when it comes to wildfire is that environmental elements like…

Hiking in the Spanish Peaks. Gallatin Peak, at 11,015 feet, is the tallest of the Spanish Peaks south of Bozeman. While visible from town (it’s the one on the left), it is surprisingly isolated from civilization, with a…

Every year I suffer through the spring snows, frosts, and winds, waiting to embrace my summer passion: water. Some say that the only way to enjoy the gift of water our lady summer bestows on us is by doing something pricey…

The deep and irrational fear of grizzlies."When they saw me, wet and covered with blood, they became excusably excited and wanted to know what was the matter. I told them that I had been killing a grizzly. ‘But what did you…

And what they mean to Montana.On a mid-April day with deceivingly spring-like weather, I went running on a dirt road about 10 miles outside Bozeman. My original plan had been to drive to a trail in the foothills of the…

Considering the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition covered more miles in what is now Montana than in any other state, had some of their most dramatic experiences and life-threatening adventures here, that we’re…

A float through history on the Headwaters. "Rivers are highways that move on," observed Blaise Pascal. "And bear us whither we wish to go." If you wish to float back in time this summer, to a place little changed from the…

For as long as most people can remember, Bozeman has suffered from an identity crisis. Cow town, college town, ski town, tourist town, "New West" yuppie town — just what is this place, anyway? The answer, of course, is that…

This is the best season to see the hazy band of the Milky Way, stretching high across the east from north to south at nightfall in June. In July, it's higher as night begins, and by August, it stretches overhead from…

Tying the Copper John. Anglers have dredged up the mysteries of the depths of western streams for decades with the use of flies graced with the occasional lead split shot. The weight aids the fly in probing deep into watery…

"Does the wind blow this way here all the time?" asked the Eastern visitor. "No, mister," replied the cowboy. "It'll maybe blow this way for a week or ten days, and then it'll change and blow like hell for a while." —K.…

A necessity for the modern world. Pack it in, pack it out. Over the years, this popular backpacker’s mantra has become one of the most sacred tenets of outdoor recreation. Want to test the theory? Try chucking an empty…

Seeing a grizzly in the wild can be a thrilling experience — its massive, brown body; those powerful jaws; that great, lumbering stride. But these qualities are best enjoyed from a safe distance. When you round a bend in…

Close-by climbing spots. If you want to get in some good rock-climbing without the approach and commitment of an alpine climb, "the Canyon" is your spot. Gallatin Canyon’s gneiss formations are close by, just long and…

Get ready for a sumptuous summer of Shakespearean proportions. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks theatre ensemble commemorates its 30th anniversary by performing two of Shakespeare's most entertaining plays, Henry IV, Part I…

These are some of my favorite mountain bike rides in the area. They are fun and not so technical that you’ll have to go real slow, but not wide open enough to go super fast. They’ll scare you and challenge you, but you won’…

The seasons have changed. The death of winter has brought flourished life to the mountains, canyons, and valleys. Alpine moisture has changed from a solid to a liquid form. Sporting enthusiasts have also changed their form…