Summer 2007

How NOT to climb Granite Peak.Granite Peak is the most vexing mountain in the state of Montana. There may be mountains in Montana that are more difficult to climb, but the thing about those mountains is that you don’t…

Motorcycle race in Baja, Mexico.  The desert stretches for as far as you can see. Though it’s only June, the heat is brutal and exhausting. Silty dust hangs in the air, a reminder of the racers still in front of you. You…

Once upon a time, not far from the Oxbow Bend of the Snake River and Massive Mount Moran, lived the oxymoronically monikered mountain man Richard “Beaver Dick” Leigh. Often visiting that same area today is a highly…

Ted Border and I had been friends for 35 years and climbing partners for 28. Together we’d summited more than 50 mountains around southwest Montana. In all those years, mishaps had been utterly nonexistent. Until today.…

Ever since I first went rafting on the Gallatin River and submersed myself in its awe-inspiring rapids, I’ve been addicted. As the mountain snow melts in the spring and early summer, I both dread and crave our return to the…

On a high bank above the East Gallatin River, my father and I sat on the hood of my beat-up ’64 Pontiac Catalina, sharing a beer. The early-afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees, warming our upturned faces. After…

What is the most dangerous and frequently encountered weather hazard experienced by people each year in many parts of the United States, including Montana? If you said lightning you would be right, if not you are in good…

A sherpa's story of Mount Everest. During a trekking expedition to the Nepal’s Anapurna region in 1999, some local children took an interest in my guidebook, the introduction of which had been penned by legendary climber…

In a more cosmopolitan setting it could be entirely expected that any sort of romantic outing might take place over an expensive meal at some trendy gourmet eatery. In and around Bozeman, however, romance can and maybe even…

Another season, another face-off. This time we take on Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, home to Lake Coeur d'Alene, 40,000 people, and almost three times as many car thefts in 2004 as Bozeman. Seems like we can take 'em, but with…

As children develop they struggle with the competitive nature of athletics. Balance, agility, and coordination do not come easily to everyone. This can cause children to feel uncomfortable participating in healthy…

My head was spinning when I arrived in the Gallatin Valley one scorching August afternoon, and it wasn’t just from the heat. For the first time in my life, I didn’t have a job, classes to attend, papers to write, or any…

There is something highly inconsiderate about creatures whose sole impulse is to suck your blood. We hear about them every day and we rarely hold them in high regard: vampires, lawyers, salespeople. To protect ourselves…

The lunch-hour rush didn’t keep John Bozeman’s Bistro executive chef Perry Wenzel from putting down the skillet to talk about his passion for cooking with Montana products. From wheat to whitefish, the Bistro, like several…

A true story of climbing's dirty little secret. Climbing has no shortage of challenges to overcome. Weather, fragile rock, sketchy protection, route logistics, and physical and mental limitations combine to make climbing…

The Wild and Woolly West of (mostly) bygone days was so-called for a reason, for it could also be hazardous. There was danger of fever, rattlesnake bite, broken bones, and the occasional bout of lead poisoning, for which…

Sometimes people start companies because they want to live a dream, and sometimes they start companies just to make money. In a viable business, the two have to coexist, and making that happen is particularly difficult when…

And neither is NASCAR, or anything Laird Hamilton does.Given that it's played by millions, you'd think there'd be no question that golf is a sport. But Google the phrase "golf is not a sport" and you find a lot of people…

As summer approaches, weekend warriors get excited about some of the best dry-fly fishing of the season. With salmonflies, goldenstones, yellow sallies, PMDs, caddis, drakes, tricos, and terrestrials on the plate during the…

Summertime is big for the galleries in Bozeman and Livingston. Many offer extended summer hours and some are only open during the summer. For those of you who frequent them and buy the art, kudos to you. You are patrons of…

Early in the summer of 2006, I had two small epiphanies.Epiphany One: Bozeman is a great place to live and my garden is very satisfying, but if I’d stuck it out as a federal bureaucrat, I could afford a nice garden in, say…

Before getting geared up for rock-climbing season, give some thought to safety. Here are three simple things to think about: properly threading top anchors, doubling back your harness, and replacing old, worn-out gear. And…

Fly fishers often draw comparisons to artists, thanks to a certain Robert Redford film from the early 1990s. But if you want to interact with more conventional artists, head to Wild Rose in Park in Ennis for the 12th Annual…

This is a simple dish that is healthy, quick, and celebrates summer's bounty. To accentuate the summer flavors, serve with a 2005 Truchard Chardonnay.CREAMY POLENTAIngredients3 C. vegetable stock1 C. course ground cornmeal1…

Grizzly bears, with their magnetic pull toward media attention, are polarizing the nation yet again. In April, the grizzlies in and around Yellowstone National Park were delisted from the Endangered Species list, sparking…

Headed to West Yellowstone? Here's your packing list for a day, weekend, or fortnight of fun in our lodgepole-enveloped neighbor to the south:BIKEA wee embarrassed about your broken-down turquoise '90s Huffy? Bring it to…

MooJee and I are hunkered down inside a cluster of granite boulders on the west side of the Bridgers, high above the Gallatin Valley. I doze with my head against a rock, chasing the sleep that eluded me last night. MooJee…

“Mom, when are we going to build a tennis court like the Burns’s?” These words were the impetus for the family’s move to Bozeman. Our eldest son, then 10 years old, seemed to want more and more material things. Granted,…

Welcome to the Last Old West.1. Pull up your droopy pants. You look like an idiot.2. Let's get this straight; it's called a "gravel road." No matter how slowly you drive, you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or…

Pondering the influence of outdoor catalogs. I’m currently sitting at my kitchen table on a damp Tuesday afternoon attempting to confront my addiction to outdoor gear and clothing. This admission spawned from a recent…

The fallow plot had become a haven of weeds and rogue sapling trees. I scrutinized the early spring dirt, kicking a frozen clod. Still renting, but longing to plant a garden, a friend had offered me the use of a once-…

It’s high time we honored the ballsy Bozeman rippers who put the rest of us wannabes to shame—those plucky men and women who climb higher, run farther, and generally just go bigger and better than everyone else. And so we…

With a name like “the Devil’s Backbone,” this race will deter all but the hardcore, sweat-smelling, Gu-loving, suffer-fest fans of the running persuasion from their quest for personal victory. This is the fifth year of the…

Start training now for the 8th Annual Lewis and Clark Marathon here in Bozeman—the race is September 23 at 8 am. Entry fee for the marathon is $45, the half marathon is $30, and the marathon relay team is $100. The race…

Every day, one stalwart citizen does the right thing while another acts like a blithering bonehead. Here's a recap of admirable acts and embarrassing blunders for the the past season. Champs: Montana Senator Bob Hawks, for…

Break out the champagne and celebrate; Bozeman just became a lot more livable. Whether you’re a cross-country skier, Frisbee golfer, or just enjoy lounging in the grass, expect a host of new parks and trails to be completed…

Gotcha. Again.Okay, people, let’s set the record straight. TERRY LEVINE WAS A JOKE! This should have been self-evident, as anybody’s who’s done more than look at the pictures knows that we at Outside Bozeman find the…

Don’t buy Trapper Badovinac’s Fly Fishing the Solitude: Montana if you’re expecting the author to reveal his favorite fishing spots. Though the author names a few creeks and rivers in western Montana, the book focuses more…

Thank goodness for desktop publishing. Bozeman-based Beartooth Publishing, producer of some of the best trail maps around, recently went where no major publishing house has gone before and produced the first statewide…

Books about bruins. In all its splendid forms the bear is one of the most revered creatures of the wild. And it’s not as if outdoor enthusiasts have much of a choice in that matter: not respecting these often vicious…

A Yellowstone reading list to inspire summer adventure plans. Before the big excursion While waiting for the weather to warm up, enjoy a copy of Tracking the Spirit of Yellowstone: Recollections of Thirty-One years as a…