Summer 2023

Tension & redemption on the Yellowstone. “Damn it! Fish like a man on a man’s river.” My little brother’s shoulders slumped as his fly line collapsed into the Yellowstone River a mere ten feet in front of the driftboat…

One man’s 40-year quest to bag Greater Yellowstone’s highest peaks. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you like sunshine into trees. —John Muir It’s late July and I’m perched…

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The urgency of open-space preservation. On my first bike ride of the season, I did my usual loop—south on Sourdough to Nash, then 3rd Ave. back into town. In the seven months since I’d last done the same ride, I was…

Exploring a repainted landscape. We’re driving into our fishing hole after the fire, to see if it burned. I suck dust through my open window, past sage and rabbitbrush and juniper that browns to rust in winter, more trees…

Doug Peacock’s conservation crusade. Doug Peacock isn’t afraid of a good fight. That’s clear down to his doormat, which reads, “Come back with a warrant.” To the left hangs a wood-and-iron spear, which Peacock brought with…

Spotting Montana’s most invasive species. Most outdoorsy folks in Bozeman know the common invasive-plant species ’round these parts—the telltale spikes of Canada thistle, the milky-white sap of leafy spurge, the purple…

Relishing & remembering in the Bear Trap. Lee Metcalf was a man who wore many hats. Among them, he was a college football player, lawyer, lieutenant in the Army, judge, U.S representative, and senator. But perhaps his…

Relationship advice for the Bozeman crowd. Love is hard. With expectations, shortcomings, make-ups, and break-ups, it can be a vicious, relentless cycle. Throw some bikes, rafts, and ropes into the mix (climbing ropes,…

How one climber found his calling. Bozeman-based climber and mountaineer Conrad Anker is used to overcoming adversity. From an ascent of Mount Rainier at age 16 to a successful summit of Meru Peak—a previously-unclimbed…

Gravel biking, misplaced IVs & hard lessons. The light blinded me as I pushed open the door of the aid-station porta-potty. I stumbled out, my legs simply tree trunks at this point. To reach my bike, I had to sneak…

Diving into Montana’s 68th legislative session. As outdoor enthusiasts, we’re directly affected by the laws and regulations governing our public resources. So much so, that outdoor-oriented issues are often key topics…

Tips for a well-planned backpacking trip. “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.” —Edward Abbey A backpacking trip is a great way to spend a summer weekend—so long as…

Messy sites and noisy neighbors. It’s a warm summer night, tucked away on a remote Forest Service road. The only sounds are a chorus of birds and the rushing of a nearby creek. A peaceful evening, and a much-needed respite…

Scrambling for the top hold. Climbing rocks is fun, no matter how you slice it. There’s a visceral thrill in scaling cliffs by the pads of your fingers and tips of your toes, overcoming a natural urge to stay on the ground…

Downhill running picks up speed. Mountain culture has long celebrated those who can go farther, faster, longer. When it comes to trail running, the titans are tall, wiry specimens who drink green smoothies and pontificate…

Planning a new trail. In 1981, the last train chugged to a stop on the Burlington Northern rail line running from Livingston to Gardiner. Now, over 40 years later, Park County is working to turn the derelict tracks into a…

Late summer sheds its fiery tears. Summer’s long days make for short nights. It’s nothing to cry about; the nights will grow increasingly longer as we head back down the seasonal slope toward fall, then winter. But by…

A clarion call on social-media use. We live in a funny time. An age where announcing one’s experiences outweighs living the experience itself. If you don’t have a picture, did your trail run even happen? If your photo wasn…

A guide to edible & inedible plants. “Earth was not built for six billion people all running around and being passionate about things. The world was built for about two million people foraging for roots and grubs.” —…

Outdoor sign language, part four. As the old adage goes, summer is for comfortable living, and everything is accessible. In the summertime, there are two places I prefer to be: in the valleys, floating down rivers; and in…

Prepping for a worst-case scenario. On a recent weekend, I signed up for a NOLS Wilderness First Aid seminar. Prior to the course, my medical training had been limited to watching the occasional hospital show that surely…

The life & legacy of George Bird Grinnell. The tracks of many explorers, conservationists, and ethnologists have passed through southwest Montana. Countless people have scaled the same mountain peaks, stood on the same…

Intentional nutrition for race season. It’s summertime; off-season is in the rearview and you’re knee-deep in training. That also means increased, or modified, fueling needs. “Periodized nutrition” refers to the strategic…

Breaking through barriers after an injury. Resilience (noun): the ability to adapt in the face of tragedy, trauma, adversity, hardship, and ongoing significant life stressors. Resilience is a vital characteristic in…

Tying a terrestrial fly pattern. The cinnamon bionic ant has been a mid-summer staple for the past couple years in Montana. When the days are long and smoke fills the air, trout in our area key in on terrestrial insects…

Walking the back-alleys of Bozeman. Cottonwoods extend overhead, leaves scattering the sunlight. It’s cool in the shade. I take a seat on a log beside a creek. The water’s burbling trickles through my brain, draining…

Calculating your outdoor credit score. With entire industries dedicated to gathering personal data, much of it used to evaluate credit worthiness, it was only a matter of time before Bozeman-area banks, brokers, and car…

Enhancing access & protecting plants. Access points on the Gallatin are no secret, but their use comes at a cost to this well-loved river. That’s where the Gallatin River Task Force steps in to help. Recently, the…

A karmic encounter in the Spanish Peaks. On a sunny morning in mid-August, we packed small backpacks and drove up the canyon to Beehive Basin. The broad south face of Beehive Peak had always enticed me as a mini alpine-…

When the guide catches your fish. Sometimes, while floating down the river, fly-fishing guides will offer suggestions. They know the river well. They know things that we don’t know and see things that we don’t see. The…

Primitive fire-building with Thomas Elpel. What do you need to build a fire? Turns out, a knife will cut it. The O/B crew took a field trip to the banks of the Jefferson River with none other than Thomas Elpel, director…

The Big Sky Wind Drinkers, running on 50 years. There are two types of people who run the Ed Anacker Bridger Ridge Run: those who witness keg stands on Baldy before rallying to the finish line, and those who pass Baldy…

How to stop a trail from falling off the map. At the southern end of Paradise Valley, a stone’s throw from Yellowstone Park’s northern edge, Cliff Creek flows into the Yellowstone River, ending its short but eventful…

Spending a night in the woods. Many intrepid outdoor explorers get their first taste of the wild on a backpacking trip. Maybe it’s a simple overnighter, but it inspires bigger and better excursions to come. And indeed,…

Making Livingston livable. The city of Livingston recently announced plans to build a gargantuan wind-block on the south side of town. After suffering relentless winds hurling up through Paradise Valley and pounding the…

The Effects of Bear Spray vs. Guns on Mammalian Subjects. Abstract There’s a plethora of folklore and anecdotal evidence regarding the efficacy of bear spray versus pistols in stopping a grizzly attack, but very little…

Swimming the Kitchen Sink. Jack I crack a crisp PBR while pumping up the double-ducky. This bright-yellow inflatable kayak is robust, instilling false confidence. I climb into the bow and Corey takes the stern, amused by…

Preserving the true spirit of adventure. Before heading into the woods, I usually tell my emergency contact that if something bad happens, I’ll crawl to the nearest creek bottom before I die. I’ll drag my mangled leg,…

No Chasers I was resting on the bank after a day’s fishing. A guy waded down the river and sat down. We talked about trout and the day on the river. We were old guys so the talk got philosophical. He said time was running…

Building confidence on the pedals. Mountain biking can be an exhilarating, challenging sport requiring physical and mental strength. Transforming your mindset can be essential for overcoming fear and developing your skills…

Reimagining shared-use trail ethics. You know those days where everything seems to line up perfectly without much thought? This was starting out to be one of those days. A few friends and I had agreed on a day of mountain…

Finding solace at the Missouri Headwaters. Living in Bozeman can make a person immune to the spectacular. Every day we’re surrounded by striking displays of nature, much of which is steeped in history and ripe with…

Summertime is scoutin’ time, and while it’s fun to hike into your hunting area to swap SD cards, it also disturbs the environment and displaces game. Better to access your images remotely, and with the Edge from Moultrie…

Nothing ruins a good day hunting quite like wind. Besides the havoc it can cause on your shooting (archery or riffle), a stiff October wind will cut through your typical jacket, sucking the will to continue right out of you…

Weight; space; comfort—I usually have to sacrifice one for another, but with NEMO’s Dagger Osmo three-person backpacking tent, I no longer have to pick and choose. Weighing just under four pounds and made from 100% recycled…

As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for—and with the Mystery Ranch Terraplane, you get it all: comfort, functionality, versatility, and longevity. It's built to last, it's loaded with features, and it fits…

Gearing up for more convenient camping. Off-highway exploration is about many things: excitement, adventure, seeing new sights, and testing one’s driving skills, to name a few. But at the end of the day, when it comes time…

The first thing I noticed when I tried on the KURU Atoms was how high my heel was off the ground—8mm felt like a long way compared to my flat Altras. Reason is that the Atoms come with three insoles. Yep, three separate…

Take me to the river. Last summer, I rented a packraft for a trip down a remote river in northern Montana. After two days of hiking and three days of rafting, I was hooked. Upon returning to civilization, I immediately…

Watersports' latest craze. Given our landlocked nature, being some 600 miles from the nearest ocean, we Bozemanites are often a bit behind when it comes to watersports. Case in point: wingfoiling. You may have heard of it…

I’ll admit, I fall somewhere between a Beefy Scourge and a Spotted Dirtbag, but the common denominator is a good pair of shorts. The Kuhl Renegade Shorts allow me to blend in equally well on the trails and at the bars. They…

As a lifelong writer, hunter, angler, and boxer, I’m a big fan of Ernest Hemingway. So it was easy to embrace the CRKT Pilar IV, named for the spy-ship that "Papa" used to scout for German U-boats during World War II. The…

In a world where there’s a supplement for this and a powder for that, it doesn’t always pay off to create a do-it-all product anymore. Osmo Nutrition doesn’t seem to be bothered by this trend of specialization. Their Power…

As a hardtail guy, I need every advantage I can get. A little foot slip here; a holdup there—they cost precious momentum when trying to keep up with the full-suspension crowd. That’s why I picked up the enduro-racing style…

The Gregory Zulu is one humdinger of a backpack, and is the perfect bag for weekend outings in the Montana wilderness. My favorite feature is the FreeFloat dynamic suspension system, with a comfort-cradle hip-belt that…

When it comes to bikes, having the right tools for the job can mean the difference between a quick fix at home or having to drop your rig off at the shop. And while I appreciate the great work that local shops do here in…

Casual and comfy, the Duck Camp Drifter Shorts are just right for warm days on the trail or in the boat. The nylon material is thin and lightweight for breathability, but durable enough to withstand the rigors of hiking,…

The BioLite 800 Pro Headlamp is light done right. From its snug-but-comfortable fit to its bright, powerful lighting, it proves exceptional on everything from after-dark mountain-bike descents to pre-sunrise trail runs.…

When the time came for a new hiking pack, I naturally looked to a local company: Mystery Ranch. I picked up their Coulee 30, which is the perfect size for a versatile day pack or a short overnight bag. Here's what I like…

Most dehydrated camp meals require two things: heated water to cook with, and copious amounts of hot sauce to mask the taste. However, Good To-Go meals only require the former. Not saying I didn’t still use hot sauce—I like…

When packing up for a backcountry outing and space is at a premium, the default solution is to trim creature comforts. Great, that's part of what backpacking's all about—but what about a steamy cup o' joe in the morning? I'…

As mud season rolled in, and with it, unpredictable snow, rain, and shine, I realized I didn't have any staple wardrobe pieces that were ready to tackle all of these elements. Dovetail's Freshley Overalls changed that right…

Making good food in the backcountry isn't as easy as making it at home. Thankfully, Backpacker's Pantry has a whole selection of tasty freeze-dried meals that'll keep your tastebuds happy on any outing. They take barely any…

Coffee in a can? Indeed, it's a strange sight amid the ubiquitous bags and pouches. But cans stack better, are recyclable, and you can roll 'em across the table to your friends. And this particular can o' beans is made…

Tasty, filling, all-natural, protein-rich, made right here in Bozeman... what more does one need from an outdoor snack? With four different flavors in a handy dual-purpose package—two solid bites when cool, creamy goo when…

Slip-on shoes can be the best thing that ever happened to your feet, or they can be the worst. Having experienced only the latter, I've been loath to let go of my standard snug-fitting shoes, despite the extra time it takes…

It’s hard to imagine the sheer time and effort needed to create a comprehensive guide to southwest Montana’s hiking, biking, and ski trails. Luckily, you won’t ever have to take on such a monolithic task, because Bryan…

If someone told you that a pack llama had escaped in Yellowstone Park and survived on its own for several months before being captured, you’d probably say, “Wow, that’s crazy.” But when you hear the story from the llama’s…

For the inhabitants of southwest Montana, Yellowstone National Park is a common topic, whether it be the diverse wildlife or the impending doom from the supervolcano’s eruption. Most, however, do not think of the living…

Sometimes, as the saying goes, the old ways are the best. So too with literature—in this case, Big Two-Hearted River (Mariner Classics, $25), Ernest Hemingway’s classic short story about fishing, solace, and battle fatigue…