Summer 2005

Paddling Yellowstone Lake. Looking for a big-time paddling adventure close to home? Want a flat-water canoe or kayak trip that will test your skills and your endurance? Try Yellowstone Lake, the largest lake above 7,000…

Q&A with Becki Heath.National forest travel planning has become a flashpoint in our society’s cultural rifts, with both sides claiming the moral high ground. Piston-powered visitors take to the streets, waving the flags…

Running from East Rosebud to Cooke City. “Just so simply, the currents carry time away, and we are left confused by the velocity of our lives.” —from Glen Barrett’s Off the Road Tap, tap, tap. I rap my pen impatiently as…

When considering the benefits that this town offers, our downtown certainly stands out as a testament to civic awareness, historic preservation, and community collaboration. In no small way does Main Street contribute to…

Way more than Pinot Grigio. The onset of summer brings festive Italian wines for every table, raft, or backpack. While Pinot Grigio is the most recognizable white wine, many other options exist for Italian summer sippers.…

Is irony something beyond us—in the mindof a fish (if fish have minds), in the way a dogcocks its head or a cat looks behinditself when it knows nothing's there? In the logof human misery, the fates always providethese…

Once again the showery skies of springtime Montana turn to blue, and the summer yellow sun shines high and long. While fisherman adapt to the heat with sunscreen and sandals, the bugs time their hatches and breeding seasons…

Ankle sprains are the bane of many a runner. The good news is that with proper conditioning, ankles can become incredibly resistant to injury. Unfortunately, most runners do little more than run, which does not necessarily…

Men and women? Vive la difference! At least when it comes to backpacks, that is. Women’s shapes, carrying capacities, and centers of gravity are different than men’s, so their packs need to be, too. Our torsos are shorter,…

There’s a poignant scene in the movie Office Space that’s speaks to the millions of us stuck working as cubicle rats. The main character dismantles the thin walls of his office cube, causing them to fall to the floor. He…

Unless you’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a guy in spurs filling up his 4x4 before heading off into the sunset, the only cowboy hat you’ll see in most parts of our tourism-laden locale will probably be on the head of…

Summer is here, and many of us are getting out and enjoying runs on the many trails in our area. Trail running is a fast-growing sport that allows a runner to enjoy nature while being softer on the joints overall. A good…

Need a break from cell phones ringing while you’re getting a latte? Ever wonder what it was like to be a woman in the Old-West mining days? Perhaps you’ve been curious about the role the railroad has played in Montana’s…

Last summer I was part of a near-fatal running trip from Bridger Bowl, across the spine of the ridge, and down to the "M." It should have been an average-Jane run with a group of friends and two dogs—a strapping Black…

When asked why people build their own fly rods, longtime fly-fishing guide Dave McKee replies, “You get a sense of satisfaction from using something you put together yourself. I get a big kick out of being out there using…

Living in Montana forces us to notice and observe animals, both wild and domesticated, in ways that are often overlooked by city-dwellers. On any given morning there are at least two Golden Retrievers parked outside the…

Following the rules of the river. Montana’s many rivers offer some of the best opportunities for scenic, accessible recreation in the state. That being said, the general consensus among frequent river-users and guides is…

It had been a hot, dry summer. On August 19, 1881, Walter Cooper and friends Peter Koch and George Wakefield began the trek on horseback into Gallatin Canyon with dog Brownie. They planned to travel on to Yellowstone…

Birding on the Madison River. I felt a little out of place without a fly rod. From May through July last year, most people who sported hip-high waders in the Madison River were angling for a Zen-like trance and the feel of…

Ultralight Backpacking—the latest trend in backcountry travel—has definitely found a home in Bozeman. In fact, though most locals might not know it, many people around the country see Bozeman as a kind of ground zero for…

Examining your dog: determining the seriousness of injury and illness.If you suspect your dog has been injured or is sick, but don’t know where or what is wrong—or how wrong it is—stop, collect your wits, leash and table…

Protecting our public lands.  There's nothing like living on the edge of the Gallatin National Forest. The air smells good, it's quiet, the birds chirp, and oh yeah, the whole thing is a giant ATM. Yep, the Gallatin…

Tom Kalakay first began scoping Rocky Canyon for its climbing potential 20 years ago. He initially dismissed the broken limestone crags a few miles east of Bozeman as “a pile of crap,” but soon discovered it had potential…

At the base of the majestic Madison Range, along a prime fly fishing section of the Madison River, lies a close-knit western community that’s interconnected the old-fashioned way—before modems. Here, drivers’ nods of…

Tumbling down from the jagged peaks of the Crazy Mountains is one of the most intimidating and exclusive kayaking runs in Montana. Equally crazy whitewater paddling can be found on various creeks around Montana and Idaho,…

There’s no time like summertime to celebrate American icons—Mom, apple pie, and the flag mixed with lemonade on the back porch, fireworks on the Fourth, Old Faithful spouting in Yellowstone, and of course, that national…

And how to care for them.One night when called in to see a patient and trying to quietly exit our bedroom, I painfully twisted my ankle. In the stream of invective that followed, I discovered that I resent professional…

“Whoa Black Betty, bam-a-lam, whoa Black Betty, bam-a-lam…” There I was, singing off-key in a funky blues-rock beat, a hole in the clouds above and the sun shining through full-bore—yes, even the gods themselves spotted a…

In the case of Bozeman streets versus cyclists, the jury’s still out. The situation is like a typical bicycle ride: some uphill, some downhill; both potholes and smooth pavement; for every tailwind helping you along, you’re…

A paddler's paradise. The pristine rivers and creeks flowing from Yellowstone National Park and the massive Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness are renowned for their magnificent waterfalls and world-class fly-fishing…

In the world of backpacking, the lightweight revolution is well underway—who wouldn’t want to go farther, faster, and with less back and shoulder pain? A great way to skim weight without sacrificing comfort is to replace…

IST Designs – Bozeman, MTPak-Lite - $24SideWinder - $25www.istdesigns.com522-9300 / 888-478-6565Local innovators IST Designs (99 E. Oak Street, above the new Asian Mart) have come out with a couple handy new products that…

Starting with the first person that thought jumping off of high objects was a good idea. Skydiving has come a long way since Leonardo da Vinci sketched the earliest known rendition of a parachute in 1495. Da Vinci’s…

If you've ever had to pull porcupine quills out of a dog's face or wondered why your pal won't stop panting and laying in the shade during a trail run, then you need local veterinarian Sid Gustafson's new book First Aid for…

Scott Waldie’s final installation in his Travers Corners series is a sweet, observant picture of small-town life in Montana. Travers Corners: The Final Chapters tells the story of two residents of a small, beautiful fishing…

Death in the Grizzly Maze: The Timothy Treadwell Story is Superior, Montana resident Mike Lapinksi's take on the life and tragic death of the late "bear whisperer" Timothy Treadwell, who along with friend Amie Huguenard was…

Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher picks up where many other climbing instruction books culminate. Authors and experienced climbers/guides Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley harness all the basic rock climbing…

Confluenceby Susan MorganMissoula, MTSelf published, 2003283 pagesFrom the flashflood on page one to a lightning storm at the end, the forces of nature in Susan Morgan’s Confluence parallel the forces of her narrator’s…

Butte's Climbing Guide by Dwight Bishop First Ascent Press Bozeman, MT 192 pages From the dramatic Dragon’s Back in Homestake Pass to the colossal Humbug Spires, rock climbing around Butte is both spectacular and manifold.…