Summer 2008

Three local traverses to hit this summer. Living in Montana, we are spoiled by the number of choices we have when it comes to climbing mountains. One way to "re-appreciate" the bounty in the surrounding peaks is to add…

Five of the Boulder River's best kayaking spots. The Boulder River drainage, south of Big Timber, is a popular destination for the Montana paddling community, and for good reason. The river drains the southeastern section…

The sun is high overhead as I step out of the trees. I drop my pack, flop down on the grass, and watch the wind send long ripples across the lake as Bear, my furry, four-legged companion, quenches his thirst in the cool…

If you have a camera that allows you to change the lens—a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera—specialty filters will improve the quality of your photographs. So before you head out to take photographs in high mountain country…

When it comes to Gardiner, the journey is the destination. Highway 89 is the kind of road that makes even those near-numbed to natural splendor wish for a lower speed limit and acoustic radio stations. The jagged peaks,…

There are firsts for everything. My first time whitewater kayaking was a lot like my first kiss: sloppy, wet, desperate, and over way too soon. Both terrified me, both thrilled me, and in both cases I ended up treading…

Summer bike rides around Bozeman. Mud season is over, let the mountain biking begin. There are a ton of options, but if you aren't in the mood for a three-hour car ride or only want to mess around after work for a while,…

Scuba diving and Cajun cooking, Montana-style. At 10:30 am, heat waves swim off the asphalt on Hwy. 287 north of Norris. It's gonna be a hot one. A quick stop at the Harrison store for munchies and Gatorade, and we're…

A city with more than 4,000 historic buildings, Butte is one of only five cities in the country recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Filled with a rich and remarkable history, Butte was the “place to be” during the…

Gravelly Range wildlife tour.Outside Bozeman’s readers are not limited to the young and fit, the climbers of frozen waterfalls, the runners of Bridger Ridge. My 88-year-old mother, for instance, also loves to get out and…

Montana summers are beautiful, but what if you need to break that been-there-done-that bad mood you've been in lately? We've got the perfect fix: Ennis.Fourth of July Parade & RodeoRight out of a Norman Rockwell…

The Big Hole River is the first choice of any Butte-area angler, with its wide variety of hatches and hungry trout. Just 30 minutes south of Butte on I-15, there is a chance at rainbows, browns, cutthroat, brook trout,…

No figure of the Old West is more iconic than the gunfighter—the lone wolf with the tortured soul, traversing a hostile landscape, selling his skills to the highest bidder for “a few dollars more.” The figures of the sky…

Most people find it difficult to admit they have a problem, and when they do, they confess only to a good friend or relative.Not me. I'm fortunate enough to be in a position to admit it to everybody who uses the Internet.…

Lightning crackled. Gullies filled with runoff from the monsoon. What had I been thinking when I signed up for three days at the top of the world? Then the quiet voice of Dr. James Halfpenny reassured me and the rest of the…

I take no responsibility for this fly whatsoever. It's been around for several years, and guides continue to rely on it because it's just one of those patterns you can't do without. The Shop Vac, as the name implies, seems…

When I was 12, I was diagnosed with cancer and survived three years of intensive chemotherapy treatments at Johns Hopkins Hospital. I was given a second chance at life, and years later Yellowstone gave me an opportunity to…

On March 28, 2008 with the delisting of the Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf, the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) did exactly what it was designed to do—recover a listed species to a point where the protections afforded under…

Memories of Yellowstone. Not long ago, I read a blog post wherein an author gave a vivid account of his recent trip to Yellowstone. The post unleashed a plethora of memories. Some brought a smile. Others evoked emotions…

“First you jump off the cliff and you build wings on the way down.” —Ray Bradbury Around the middle of March, when spring arrived on our calendars but not in the skies, mountains, or streets of Montana, I got a call from…

Thinking about new hiking boots or shoes? The correct sole should surely be part of the equation, and with a few considerations, you can be sure you're choosing the proper one for the terrain you'll be covering. This…

The desire to build a pond on your property might seem like the perfect way to provide wildlife habitat, create a native fishery, develop a ready source of water for fire suppression, improve the aesthetics and value of…

Fire season is here—that time of year when we look up and wonder if that cloud is actually evidence that Big Timber is burning to the ground. Though forest fires generally haven't sent rural Bozemanites packing in recent…

How does your bottle measure up?NalgeneThe staple. Attractive, relatively inexpensive, and nearly impossible to destroy, this water bottle reflects your full indoctrination into established outdoor protocols. Recent BPA…

Remember when you would cross the street, and folks always said “Howdy” or waved? I mean, Montanans are a friendly bunch and we celebrate our Big Sky heritage together. But things are changing. Each day on my way to work, I…

Outdoor art around Bozeman.You've seen it. A toilet rolled on its side with a splash of perennials pouring out of the bowl, lawns adorned with strange gargoyles and gnomes riding Harleys, not to mention the unusually…

Bats in Montana.People don't usually think of bats when they think of Montana, but Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is a great place to view these critters close up. During the right time of year (generally, summertime…

Winston Churchill once said, "I have always considered that the substitution of the internal combustion engine for the horse marked a very gloomy milestone for the progress of mankind." Though he may not have considered the…

Relief for the weekend warrior. Yes, you KNOW you should have stretched / trained / carbo-loaded / not climbed so many pitches. Little comfort when stiffness and soreness set in by Monday. That's Delayed Onset Muscle…

With all of the incredible outdoor activities Bozeman has to offer, most of your spare time might be spent just looking for a place to live, earning money to pay rent, and saving what little is left for a down payment. But…

Summer in Montana means many folks are eager to kayak, mountain bike, hike the trails, fly fish, and play organized sports like soccer, baseball, and softball. But with the rush to sports also comes the unfortunate injuries…

Weighing in at only 22 ounces, the DoubleNest hammock, made by Eagles Nest Outfitters, packs down to the size of a grapefruit. Made from high-strength nylon and super-strong nautical line, the DoubleNest can hold up to 400…

If you're like me and hate wearing shoes when you know your feet are going to get wet or hot, then the new shoe by Helly Hanson is for you. The Manifesto Breathe bridges the gap between sandal and trail shoe by combining…

I’ve heard that no one looks good in waders. They aren’t exactly all the rage in Paris. Simms' new Women’s Gore-Tex Stockingfoots, however, have a lot of the same specifics the men’s waders have—plus a few perks for us gals…

Carabiners have long been used to attach various items to backpacks, PFDs, fly vests, etc., and it was only a matter of time before somebody improved on the system. Nite Ize’s two-sided S-Biner clip partitions the ‘biner…

On Saturday, July 12th, Outside Bozeman isn't sleeping in. We're joining the 7th Annual Drop & Trot 5k Walk/Run to support the Network Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse. This Network Crisis Hotline fundraiser is an…

Wetting a line in Montana's high country.As the summer months reach their peak, those good ol' secret spots and honey holes turn out to be not so sweet, and not so secret. A sure cure for those overcrowded-river blues is…

You may have thought it was the wind, but that gust you felt in late March was actually a giant, city-wide sigh of relief after Bridger Canyon Partners withdrew its application with Gallatin County to build over 400…