Summer 2022

The tireless efforts of Louisa Willcox. On a Saturday morning seven years ago, I joined a meditation group in Livingston. After everyone introduced themselves, we “sat” for 30 minutes, then spent another hour discussing…

Unveiling and enforcing with John Meyer. In a place like Bozeman, ignorance can be bliss. The Gallatin flows fast in the spring, Big Sky has powder skiing in the winter, and our high mountains and cool rivers offer respite…

Todd Wilkinson's conservation credo. When Todd Wilkinson sets his sights on the controversies converging on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the environmental journalist and author draws a bead on public land: why we…

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The last best place. Life in Bozeman—what could be better? Especially for someone who’s experiencing it for the first time. With a full four seasons and a landscape that offers nearly infinite outdoor opportunities,…

Lessons from the river, for the river. “You have a whole life in the outdoors, you realize you have a responsibility to protect these wild places.” —Yvon Chouinard It was a warm summer evening on the Gallatin. I bobbed in…

As common as it is to complain about crowded campgrounds these days, nothing compares to these tight quarters. And this was back in the ‘70s! Pictured here is the 16th annual airstream caravan, held by the Wally Byam…

Current affairs in and around the Bozone. Full Frontage TrailBack in the fall of 2020, the Bozeman City Commission allocated $90,000 for a pedestrian/bike path along Frontage Road toward Belgrade. This summer, the funds…

In the great arc of human history, little is more common than the power-struggle between classes. Its effects are vast and varied, from informing interpersonal etiquette, to influencing social policy, to eliciting bloody…

A traumatic trail-tale with an unlikely attacker. It’s my first year in Bozeman and I’m eager to experience a quintessential southwest Montana summer. I sign up for the Ridge Run—what will be the longest race of my life—…

Population control for the outdoor-minded. Boasting an annual growth rate of around three percent, Bozeman’s population is ballooning to uncharted proportions. Most “real” Bozemanites blame this accretion on the…

What your rig says about you. Gone are the days when campers were only seen at KOAs or Walmart parking lots. Everywhere you go, there seems to be another form of shelter on wheels, each bigger and with more bells &…

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Somebody's gotta say it... Have you been to a place where the most pristine alpine-lake views were spoiled by toilet paper strewn across the landscape? Have you seen and smelled half-dug holes overflowing with human…

A letter to a concerned mother. Dear Mom, In light of recent and extremely popular adventure films, I thought it would be a good time to give you an update. I know you’re already my biggest fan on social media, so you…

Clapping, singing, and self-loathing in bear country. “Avoid the meadow ahead,” two hikers, hurrying toward me from the opposite direction, warned. “There’s a bear with her cub.” Of course, I thought. Not even James Bond,…

Stand-up-kayaking comes to Bozeman. Every so often, a product comes along that changes adventure sports forever. There’s the AT ski binding, the graphite fly rod, mountain-bike suspension, the packraft. Every modern…

Tying the Canyon Craw. Targeting carp on the fly is a great way to spend the summer months, especially as the water gets too warm for trout fishing. There are lots of sight-fishing opportunities, as these fish are usually…

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Summer skin-protection tips. One of the best parts of summer is feeling the warmth of the sun. However, it’s wise to take steps to protect your skin, particularly here in the Rockies. It’s not your imagination, the…

Nutrition tips for big outings. Outdoor recreation is at its most abundant during the summer. We can hike, bike, climb, fish, paddle—you name it. One of the worst things someone can do is miss out on an experience due to…

Advice straight from the hound's mouth. Oh boy, it’s camping season! There’s hardly anything more exciting then when you take me to the woods—as long as you follow the important rules that help me have fun and stay safe.…

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Tips for biking in griz country. There’s no way around it. Mountain biking in grizzly country comes with inherent risks. Thinking “it won’t happen to me” can get you into serious trouble. When riding in bear habitat, be…

What a mess…

A new era of work-life balance. It’s hard to live in Bozeman during the workweek. Every day, instead of setting off with the sun, we shuffle into buildings, jam keyboards, and suck in blue light until it radiates us stupid…

The dangerous plague of invasive species. You can’t un-see them. Once your eye is trained, you see them everywhere: an in-town walking trail, floating the Madison, fishing the Gallatin, and even hiking the backcountry…

Restoration on the lower Gallatin. It’s called the Lower Gallatin Watershed: the area from the mouth of Gallatin Canyon east to Jackson Creek, north along the Bridgers to Dry Creek, and westward far enough to encompass the…

A rundown of the Scummy Summer Slammer. We pause to take a break from scrambling up a rock field. The clouds darken with afternoon showers—whether a storm or a light sprinkle, only time will tell. We deliberate: attempt to…

A summer hike to cooler climes. Passage Falls is a massive, powerful waterfall that leaps over moss-covered rocks and plunges straight down to the narrow, rocky canyon floor. The waterfall is located in the Mill Creek…

A guide to overnight river trips. “He who is best prepared can best serve his moment of inspiration.” —Samuel Taylor Coleridge The river trip is a unique type of excursion. Not quite backpacking, not quite car camping,…

BarnThe last boards and timbers of the old barn loaded on the waiting truck He noticed a rusted hay hook on the ground where the loft ladder once stood Thoughts and eyes welled up, turning away No ChasersI was resting on…

Asada tacos with cilantro la crema. The summer season is grilling season and it’s hard to go wrong with fresh meat folded up in a warm tortilla. Try this recipe if you want to go south of the border without leaving the…

I was a little intimidated by stand-up-kayaking—it seemed hard, and a little weird. But after trying the SUKcinct by Harry Richards Designs, I realized that anyone could enjoy SUKing. At first, I was a bit skeptical that…

I stopped wearing jeans years ago. But the Denim Klassik pants from Kuhl have brought them back into my wardrobe. They have the look of traditional jeans, but the fit and function of pants more suited to activity. The…

The Grayl GeoPress 24oz is a major improvement in the world of water filtration. Simply fill, press, and drink for the easiest and fastest purified water, at up to five liters per minute. The GeoPress removes waterborne…

Blending the snug fit of a running vest with daypack-level storage, the Deckers X Lab NVRSTP balances its 25-liter capacity among a whopping 19 pockets. Easy-access front pockets provide room for flasks, food, phone, and…

Cute in their simplicity, the Canyon Shorts from Pearl Izumi provide great comfort while in the saddle. The fabric is light, durable, and breathable, with a wide-stretch waistband that fits snug. The detachable chamois is…

Inflation aside, outdoor gear is getting ridiculously expensive—and nowhere is that more apparent than in fly fishing. Thankfully, a few manufacturers are keeping it real and providing at least a few affordable options. One…

Bigger isn't always better, but since I discovered the excellent and affordable Nocs Provisions Standard Issue compact binocular, I've wanted a larger pair from the same company. I must not have been the only admirer,…

These days, lots of sleeping pads are marketed to make them sound like the next NASA project destined for outer space. Xtreme-thermal this, r-value that, yada yada. Well if you ever want to come back down to Earth for a…

When it comes to bikepacking tents, there aren't a whole lot out there. Fortunately, Big Agnes seems to have taken every detail into consideration with their Copper Spur HV UL3 Bikepack. The tent has bikepacking-specific…

Constructed for running, the La Sportiva Freccia Shorts are an ideal choice for warm-weather excursions, be it pounding pavement or ascending high-alpine ridges. These shorts are lightweight with a regular fit that offers…

After a morning workout, you need calories—but not a big, heavy meal to weigh you down for the workday ahead. Which is where Greenbelly's Mud Meal comes in. This protein-packed powder makes a satisfying post-exercise shake…

It seems that every other time I take the dog for a walk, I either can't find his leash, or I forget it altogether—the latter necessitating a hasty retreat, lest Raleigh and I suffer under the lash of Bozeman's increasingly…

Tight muscles after a long day skiing? Work out the kinks with the iLive Portable Cordless Massage Gun, a handy, affordable device that'll make every post-exercise evening a little less painful. Four different attachments…

These days, lotta' brands try to get you with fancy marketing jargon about high-tech materials and features. Well, sometimes, you just need a pair of socks to put on your feet, no strings attached. That's where Minus 33…

A good shirt is always something to write home about. Boasting comfort, breathability, and durability, the Kuhl Konstance Short Sleeve shirt is no exception. The first thing I noticed taking it out of the box was how soft…

Whether you're looking for sun protection on a hot summer day or a comfy baselayer for the winter months, the Kühl AirKühl Hoody has you covered. Its fabric is designed like a window shade, with alternating bands of…

Nathan now makes sunglasses, and they are awesome. Designed for people on the go, the Sunrise sunglasses with tortoise-shell frames are super comfy with outstanding clarity and style at an affordable price. Nathan’s…

I think we can all agree: the best part of car-camping is the food. The smell of juicy meat & veggies on an open flame; digging in after a long day outside; washing it all down with an ice-cold beer from the cooler...…

The Orca Walker 20 is great for a trip to the river, a camping excursion, or just carrying groceries that need to stay cool—it's the size I need when I've been asked to "pick up some cold ones." It'll hold 20 cans or 20…

Long gone are the days of substandard backcountry cuisine. And good riddance, we say—we're not primadonnas, but why eat gruel if you don't have to? Loads of options exist, and one of our favorites is Good To-Go, which makes…

The word "essential" gets thrown around a lot these days, often to promote comfort items that are not, in fact, essential. What is essential are food and water—both of which can be carried in the FLPSDE dual-chamber water-…

The Omnia Stovetop Oven offers a logical solution to a common problem in camp cooking. If you’ve ever used a camp stove, you know that the heat distribution is frustratingly uneven, with a scorching-hot flame in the center…

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but with Craig Hergert’s collection of photos in Montana Panoramic: Transparent in the Backlight (Great Wide Open Publishing, $85) only a few are necessary—“stunning,” “…

Some people spend lifetimes without seeing a wolf. Others spend most of their days living amongst them. Photographer Julie Argyle is an example of the latter, and her book Wolves: Western Warriors (Gibbs Smith, $50)…

Countless books have been written about fly fishing, and countless more about how fly fishing relates to other aspects of life. But John Childress's Fly Fishing for Leadership (Principia Associates, $25) may be the first to…