Big Sky Magazine

FEATURING BIG SKY ARTISTS ANDREW DENMAN & DANA HOOPER

BIG SKY SUMMER 2015

M

A

G

A

Z

30

I

N

|

COMPLIMENTARY

E

Reasons

Why I love to fish AN ANGLER’S PAEAN TO THE SPORT HE CHERISHES PG. 8

BIG SKY CHAPEL 60 YEARS OF DEVOTION PG. 19

BIG SKY GUIDE PL AN YOUR BIG SK Y DREAM VACATION PG. 51

Photo by Mike Coil

North America’s Largest Ski and Snowboard Rental Delivery Service

Slope Side Service In-Room Fitting

utte, B d e t s e, Cre boat, n m o t a s e y t S Ke Free Delivery ahoe, T ridge/ n e e k k a c L e ht, Br South k g , i y l e n l l o a o er Par V t M r n / i e y e W k S d /D ler an k City s, Big t r s s a a i P h m , w W e /Sno , Vail, e Ta h o e k d IS.COM a i L K Aspen r S u h l E t l I r e T o T lley, BLACK oth, N Sun Va Mamm IGSKY@

WWW.B

ESK LACKTI

406 | M IS.CO

372 .995.3

|

B

FREE DELIVERY SAVE UP TO 20%*

17 Meadow Village Drive, Big Sky, Montana

r e a l t y b i g s k y. c o m

©MontanaPanoramic.com

Buying, Selling, Renting REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS 406-995-2500 B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 3

17 Meadow Village Drive, Big Sky, Montana

Vacat ion Living

Agent Owned

26 Low Dog Road 4 BR | 4 BA | 3,793 SQ. FT. $1,499,000 4 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

MLS# 195562

Marjie Toepffer

REALTOR ® BROKER 406-581-3111 Cell

17 Meadow Village Drive, Big Sky, Montana

...At Its Best

1329 Streamside Way HOME | 160 ACRES | RIVER FRONTAGE $4,900,000

MLS# 206172

Lesli Colis

REALTOR ® SALES AGENT 406-600-7707 Cell B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 5

BIG SKY M

A

G

A

Z

I

N

E

TABLE OF CONTENTS {SUMMER 2015}

8

FISHING 30 Reasons Why I Love to Fish

by Mike Coil

18

23

29

BIG SKY CHAPEL

SKIING

GHOSTS

by Laura Bell

by Reece Bell

by Laura Bell

Little Brown Church in the Vale

Family Tradition

The Lion Queen

ROCKIES

F E AT U R E D S T O R I E S

BIG SKY ARTISTS

Andrew Denman by MICHELE CORRIEL.......................... 32 Dana Hooper by MICHELE CORRIEL.............................. 36

RECOGNITION {VOL . 13, NO. 1 • BIG SK Y MAGA ZINE}

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

PUBLISHER

On the Trail of Lewis & Clark

Laura Bell

Bob Eichenberger

by RICK & SUSIE GRAETZ

Reece Bell

LEWIS & CLARK

............................................ 40

RESTAURANT HIGHLIGHT Bar N Ranch

by LAURA BELL

....................................................... 46

BIG SKY RESORT

America’s Largest Ski Resort

by SHEILA D’AMICO

.................................................. 63

Mike Coil Michele Corriel Rick & Susie Graetz Sheila D’Amico Patrick Straub Jan Stoddard

EDITOR

Wayne Adair ASSISTANT EDITOR

Laura Bell ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Mary Buchli ART DIRECTOR / DESIGN

Jessica Ferreyra

RIVERS

Big Sky’s Local Rivers

by PATRICK STRAUB

.................................................. 72

WEST YELLOWSTONE

An Adventure for Every Season

by JAN STODDARD

.................................................... 77

6 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

Big Sky Magazine is a special publication of the Lone Peak Lookout. Big Sky Magazine and Guide is published twice annually by Big Sky Publishing and the Lone Peak Lookout and is distributed for free in Big Sky and surrounding areas. For questions or comments contact Lone Peak Lookout at (406) 995-4133. Contents copyright 2015 unless otherwise noted.

17 Meadow Village Drive, Big Sky, Montana

r e a l t y b i g s k y. c o m

Andrew Simon

David Simon

Elana Wexall

Lesli Colis

Marjie Toepffer

SALES AGENT

SALES AGENT

SALES AGENT

SALES AGENT

BROKER/OWNER

406-570-3813 Cell

406-640-2167 Cell

406-209-0113 Cell

406-600-7707 Cell

406-581-3111 Cell

REALTOR ®

REALTOR ®

REALTOR ®

REALTOR ®

REALTOR ®

Looking for a new career?

Call us today.

Peter Simon

Roger Schwer

Tim Foote

Tim Ryan

Coming Soon

SALES AGENT

SALES AGENT

SALES AGENT

BROKER/OWNER

SALES AGENT

406-570-3812 Cell

406-581-7330 Cell

406-580-5517 Cell

406-581-7926 Cell

406-995-2500 Office

REALTOR ®

REALTOR ®

REALTOR ®

REALTOR ®

REALTOR ®

Buying, Selling, Renting REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS 406-995-2500 B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 7

30

y h W s n o s a Re h s i F o t e v o IL An angler’s paean to the sport he cherishes Story and Photos by MIKE COIL

Over a lifetime of fishing you spend a lot of time on the water, handling gear, hanging out with your fishing buddies and driving to and from your favorite spots. Sometimes you actually get to sit for a bit and contemplate what you are doing and why. My favorite job at the start of each float is to send the shuttle crew to the take out and then organize the boat, unpack the gear, string the rods with an appropriate line and fly and then and sit and enjoy the river until they return. During those times I have figured out why I love fishing.

8 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

1

The smell of the river or lake at dawn.

Each location has its own smell but there are common smells as well.

It smells fresh and damp at dawn. A combination of damp brush, sand, water, moss, leaves and my damp waders or wading sandals.

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 9

30 REASONS I LOVE TO FISH {SUMMER 2015}

2

The bird sounds on the water Often it is the magpies and black birds that make the most racket, but you often get the meadowlark song and the whistle of the osprey.

Occasionally you hear the call of the loon floating across the lake.

3 4 5 6

The power and calm of the river The surging boil and strength of an eddy and the placid, serene look and feel of the pools.

8

that look like the B-52s of the bug world coming right at you and causing you to duck in surprise at their size.

9

I can feel the floor of my boat undulate as the water rolls under it.

10

The way the bow of my trusty Clacka pitches... way up and then makes a steep drop as I row through standing wave trains, water shedding off of the curled gunnels exactly as it was designed to do.

when the bugs are pounding your face like a blizzard.

10 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

11

when I can hold my hand up to shade my eyes and look into the sun and see huge swarms of salmon flies and golden stones filling the air on a hot summer evening.

Giant salmon flies

The slap of the water on the bottom of my boat

The heavy hatches

7

Swarms of salmon flies and golden stones

Salmon flies clustered while in the brush in the cool of the morning, all huddle together and exhausted from a night of frenzied mating.

Females The dip of the females as they lay their eggs.

The surge of a huge trout towards your fly when you have laid down the perfect cast into his lair and coaxed a strike and the sudden feel of power and fight that surges through your rod as he feels steel and turns for home trying to get an advantage against the tackle.

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 11

16

30 REASONS I LOVE TO FISH {SUMMER 2015}

12 13

The feel of a big silver fresh from the ocean

Hunkering on shore while a storm passes by pounding us with rain and wind and the calm that comes after.

when he hits your fly and then jumps way down stream and powers away, stripping line from your reel, the reel handle banging you knuckles as you try to slow his run. I love the fight that follows, the tired arms and shoulders and the multiple runs silvers can string together.

The tail walk of a big tarpon 75 yards from the boat Most of your backing out, the rod butt pounding your stomach as you fight for leverage to turn him away from his family pod. I love the hour-long contests you get sometimes with the tarpon and the utter miracle that your rod can take the strain of that sort of battle. I love the flash and gaudy scales of a big tarpon if you can bring him to heel next to the boat.

14

The glorious colors of a large cutthroat as he rolls into the net, his yellow belly and throat slash on full display.

17 15

Waking up in the camper at fishing camp The daylight coming on, buddies snoring softly, birds chirping in the trees and the prospect of another day on the river.

12 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

18

The rainbows when they jump multiple times after being hooked, shaking their heads and trying to throw the fly.

The other rainbows Those arching over the mountains as a thunderstorm moves in, the summer green all wet and lush and the scramble for rain gear as the first drops start to hit.

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 13

30 REASONS I LOVE TO FISH

19 20

The heat of afternoon as it bears down on us causing us to wet our hats and t-shirts to stay cool. How it makes us sweat even when sitting and how it forces us to retreat to the shade to visit and play cards.

The hay field stretching just above Yankee Jim on a warm summer evening when we are the only boat out and the fish are boiling to the hatch and both fishermen are catching steady numbers of fish.

21 22

{SUMMER 2015}

Handling my boats and gear Hooking up the boats, tying down the boats, hauling the boat. Stringing the rods, building the leaders, tying on the flies and getting them lubed up to float.

23

The families and fisherman that come to the put-ins to get ready to shove off for a day of fun and fish.

24 14 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

Fishing with kids decked out in their newish gear, trying to master their casting and get the fly out far enough to have a chance of a strike. I love their overwhelming joy when they finally hook a fish on a fly rod and bring it to the net. A memory they will never forget. Their smiles and excitement are infectious and renewing for old fisherman.

The women that come with their men to fish all decked out in their fishing clothes, caps and makeup. The lilt and music of their voices across the parking lots and the water. The curve of their frames stripped down to bathing suits and shorts, rod in hand, ponytails hanging out the backs of their hats.

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 15

30 REASONS I LOVE TO FISH

25 26

{SUMMER 2015}

The slashing, aggressive take of a brown or rainbow when the salmon flies are fresh, the fish are hungry and they first realize that the salmon flies are on the water.

The small animals we always see scurrying along the banks.

Skunks, beaver, otter, mink, muskrat, rabbits, snakes, raccoons.

27

The absolute perfect camaraderie of being with my fishing buddies and all of their glorious and entertaining eccentric and idiosyncratic behavior and trash talk.

29

The rare privilege I love that I have had the rare privilege of all of the accumulated seasons on the rivers of Montana.

The rhythm of the year as it flows from early spring to late fall and the variety of things that you see; the changes in tackle and flies; the changes in clothing and wading gear needed to stay comfortable; the change in the light as the seasons wax and wane; the ebb and flow of the crowds at the launch sites; the changes in the rivers as they drop and clear.

30 28

The look of a perfect cast the back loop tight and long, the power stroke at the right instant and the placement of the fly in exactly the right spot next to rock or branch.

16 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

The look of a big fish in the net Most of all I love the look of a big fish in the net, gills working to gain oxygen after the battle and the feel of satisfaction as I ease up on the line, the fly drops from his lip and Mr. Big eases out of the net back to the river to be caught again and again.

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 17

18 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

Kay and Tom Fisher were married at the chapel 57 years ago in 1958.

Little Brown Church in the Vale

Soldiers Chapel marks 60 years as spiritual heart of Big Sky

By LAURA BELL

The Big Sky Soldiers Chapel has been a landmark in Big Sky since its inception in 1955.

To commemorate the Chapel’s historic anniversary, a service by retired All Saints Pastor Darius Larsen will be held Sunday, July 5th at 11 a.m. with an ice cream social to follow. The non-denominational service is open to anyone living in or visiting the Big Sky area. Each Sunday from Memorial Day through Labor Day non-denominational services led by different ministers from the Greater Gallatin Valley take place at 11 a.m. The Chapel is open

for meditation, prayers and visits daily through the end of October.

Built as a memorial to the World War II fallen comrades, the Chapel is a “fellowship of believers, a fellowship composed by various beliefs, but one faith… many viewpoints, but one Christ,” reads the pamphlet created by the chapel’s board of directors.

The chapel was designed and built by Nelson Story III and his wife Velma in 1955. Nelson Story III, a former member of Montana’s 163rd Infantry, built the chapel to

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 19

Photos Courtesy of Big Sky Chapel

commemorate his son, Nelson Story IV, who was killed in action in the South Pacific in 1944.

The chapel’s location and architecture are symbolic of the men of the 163rd Infantry and the location represents their homeland. It is a small formal church of classic cruciform design, built of native stones and logs. The steeple houses an ancient bell and is of antique copper surmounted by the cross.

In the 1980s longtime Big Sky locals Patty Goodrich and Dorothy Vick compiled a history from letters from Story III as well as their remembrances.

“The dream of having a place to worship in the Canyon came to fruition through the labor of love of Nelson and Velma Story, The Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club, Dorothy and Joe Vick, nine members of the Bozeman Ministerial Association, the 163rd Infantry Association and the Gallatin Canyon Improvement Association,” Goodrich wrote.

In the winter of 1954, Jimmy Goodrich and Dick Miller cut logs at the 320 Guest Ranch and delivered them to the chapel with the aid of the Goodrich’s two roan work horses, Rock and Ribbon.

On March 18, 1955, Nelson Story III spoke at St. James Episcopal Church in Bozeman to “gentlemen of the cloth,” from other denominations about his plans for the chapel.

2 0 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

“We are going to build a memorial chapel at the mouth of West Fork Creek in Gallatin Canyon…. The chapel is to be a memorial to our son Lieutenant Nelson Story IV and the 81 solders of our Montana Regiment who died with him in World War II,” Nelson read from his eloquent three-page proposal. He then outlined the plan for the chapel, a cemetery and parking space as well as plans for upkeep. In closing Story III said, “We feel sincerely that this Chapel will fill a long established need in the hearts and residents of the Gallatin Canyon, the travelers who visit our beautiful vacation country, the people of the valley, the many veterans of the beloved old outfit, yourselves and your Bozeman congregations.”

The chapel was dedicated on October 2, 1955. In his address, Colonel Charles R. Dawley said in part, “This day is an occasion for sober thought. It is a time to measure our contribution to our country, to our fellow men as against the supreme blessings to those whom we honor.

“If their sacrifice has any meaning, it is because there are certain principles, certain values, certain eternal truths more precious than life itself.”

An estimated 3,000 people came and went during the daylong dedication. Many people brought picnic lunches.

Harry Fletcher of Bozeman played an organ recital of sacred and classical selections at 2 p.m. At 4 p.m. the Montana State College String Ensemble performed and at 7 p.m. Ernest Neath, a Bozeman organist ended the dedication with vespers.

The baptismal font in the church was built by Nelson Story III from a gold pan that was given to him by his grandfather Nelson the first. On January 3, 1956, Mikel Kallistead, the grandson of Story III, was the first child

BIG SK Y CHAPEL {SUMMER 2015}

Steve and Renea Schumacher, Married June 2, 1996 J.C. and Marjorie Knaub, Married May 10, 1980

baptized at the Chapel. According to Vick, “It was a valiant group who struggled through the snow banks for the baptism.”

In 1987, Mikel would marry Susan in the chapel and 23 years later their daughter Britta would celebrate her baptism at the same font. “Hopefully I can talk Britta into picking up the torch and become a board member,” said Mikel who has served the chapel in one capacity or another for 35 years. He is currently the organization president and Susan is the secretary/ treasurer.

Kay and Tom Fisher were married at the chapel 56 years ago in 1958. “It was the only place around. We were the fourth couple to get married there,” she laughed.

She and Tom worked at the 320 Guest Ranch and were married on the Goodrich’s anniversary. Kay has been on the chapel’s organizational committee for 20 years and was also the caretaker for 13 years. As caretaker, she booked weddings at the chapel and recalls, “I knew lots of people whose grandkids were getting married there (the chapel).”

Marjorie and J.C, Knaub, who celebrated their 30th anniversary May 10, chose the chapel because, as J.C. explains, “We lived here and it was the only church. We didn’t want to get married in Bozeman because we lived in Big Sky for seven years and this is where we wanted to get married.”

Local minister Brad Lartigue has been presiding over weddings at the chapel for more than two decades. One of his first couples was long-time locals Curly and Kelly Shea who became husband and wife on Sept. 25, 1993.

This summer Lartigue officiated the weddings of Ophir graduate Madeline Fell to Keith Mayes on June 20th and another Ophir alumnae Eddie Hake to Jenny Phipps on July 3rd.

When asked the appeal of the chapel Lartigue replied, “Because Soldiers Chapel is the one place here in Big Sky that is steeped in Gallatin Canyon tradition and history for past and present locals who have planted and rooted themselves here like those of past homesteaders.”

Eric and Heidi Domescik, Married July 5, 1997. With parents Jon and Sharon Holtzman.

Heidi and Eric Domescik said their vows at the chapel on July 5, 1997. The couple so loved the chapel that, according to Heidi’s father John, “Their first son was baptized there

by Brad Lartigue just before midnight December 31, 1999.”

In 2005 the chapel lined and lit the driveway with United States flags in honor of the 50th anniversary. This tradition has been kept up annually. Dorothy Vick, who owned the neighboring property, donated the land for the driveway.

On July 4, 2006, Nikki and Brandon Berg tied the knot at the chapel. The couple, who lived in Bozeman at the time, chose the location because they loved Big Sky and the chapel, according to Nikki, was so picturesque that they “knew it was the perfect place.”

“It’s pretty hard to beat that window with Lone Peak right there,” Nikki said, adding that they love the American flags lining the drive way and as it was Independence Day, there was even more meaning.

Julie Grimm has been the events coordinator of the chapel since 2014, but the chapel has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. Her mother Katie has B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 21

BIG SK Y CHAPEL {SUMMER 2015}

Brandon and Nikki Berg, Married July 4, 2006

Self-guided walking tour of the Chapel and grounds: Compiled by: Julie Grimm

The Memorial Monument: Located in front of the entrance to the chapel, and this low heavy masonry block is topped with a large bronze plaque with the names of the World War II South Pacific casualties of the original Montana regiment (inducted in 1940).

Many more Montanans and Americans died during World War II. Many did not die in battle: “The men whose names are in bronze ask with silent words that we remember these and all who went before, down through the years.”

Stained glass window: The theme of the Soldiers Chapel is portrayed in the stain glass window that depicts: “A mortally wounded soldier, in a lush tropical setting, reaching upward to receive the hand of God.” This window is located above the mall entrance and was designed by 163rd Infantry Sergeant Jack C. Gunter.

Gold star: A 22-inch gold star is mounted between the Memorial Monument and the entrance to the chapel. It is mounted in white marble and imbedded flush with the surface of the stone.

Russell and Tamela Barnett, Married June 1, 2002 with officiant Brad Lartigue.

been a board member since the 1980s.

“It is unbelievable the number of people who stop by the chapel in the summer time,” Katie said.

Julie recalls taking part in Christmas Nativity Scenes since she was a child.

“It was really freezing in there. The chapel wasn’t and isn’t open in the winters, but for the sake of the live Nativity Scenes the doors opened and the community entered to watch the youth of Big Sky. In 2004 Julie, a history major at Carroll College, wrote her senior thesis on the chapel. “I was able interview many of the surviving 163rd Infantry Members, who have since passed away and the chapel has always been a part of my family. I was very excited to take over booking the events and being a part of the it (the chapel),” she said.

Altar picture window: Inside, the western end of the chapel houses an altar picture window; the window showcases a magnificent view of Lone Mountain. The chapel was built specifically so that the view of the cross and Lone Mountain could be seen from every point of the nave.

The buffalo skull and baptismal font: Montana’s 163rd Regimental Cross is painted on the skull of the bison. Created from an old gold prospector’s pan, the baptismal font reminds us of American’s history of gold rush and westward expansion and settlement. It honors the families of American and of Montana and their sacrifices.

Altar flags: national colors, Gold Star Flag, Regimental Colors and Australian Colors: Australian colors stand next to the Montana’s 163rd Regimental Colors. The Soldiers Chapel memorializes those original men of Montana’s 163rd Infantry who died in battle. It also commemorates all who have served in times of war. The Australian military trained and fought with the 163rd Infantry in the South Pacific Theater. The request was made that the Australian colors accompany Montana’s regimentals in the chapel, “An affection that will forever endure.”

To schedule a wedding, baptism or memorial at the chapel or for more information, please call: 406-995-4089.

2 2 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

FAMILY TRADITION {SUMMER 2015}

Reece Bell

PROFILE

★

Hometown | Big Sky, Montana



Passion | Skiing



Sponsors | Atomic UK, 2Pure/Active, POC UK, Slick Willy’s Banana Wax, Mike Coil Photography, Big Sky Resort

Photo by Mike Coil

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 2 3

Y L I FAM N O I T I D TRA er f Big Sky rac

24 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

ather’s f r e h in s ollow

sk i t r a

ompet c h c n e r F t c ks a By: Reece

ition

Bell

British Ski Team girls at La Scara parade Reece Bell, Daisi Daniels, Abi Bruce, Abby Rebert, Olivia Ward Photo by Heather Bruce

uring the first week of January, I received exciting news. I had been selected to represent Great Britain in my first international race. After a season of anticipation and of races in the USSA’s Northern Division, I packed my bags and traveled across the world to Val d’Isere France, for the competition.

I had never before raced against multiple nations, only against skiers from around the United States, let alone while representing the entire nation of the United Kingdom’s youth ski racing. This was possible because, since my father, former Olympic skier Martin Bell, is British, I hold dual citizenship, UK and US.

I could tell that the atmosphere was going to be far different from anything I had experienced before. We arrived a few days prior to the race and before we reached the base of the resort, we saw a banner advertising the La Scara series, one of the most competitive youth ski races in the world.

Right away, I could tell why they chose to hold the series in Val d'Isere. The entire resort was high tech and functional and had every form of skiing transportation, funiculars (uphill underground trains), gondolas, trams, bubble lifts, up to ten-man-chairlifts, chairlifts that loaded alternately (they had two different loading stations and depend-

Photo by Mike Coil

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 25

EDITOR’S NOTE: Reece Bell, 13, has lived most of her life in Big Sky where she’s an honor student as well as a talented skier. Her mother Laura Bell is a reporter for the Lone Peak Lookout and assistant editor of Big Sky Magazine. We asked Reece to write the story of her competition in France.

ing which side you loaded that’s how far up they would take you), poma lifts and T bars. When you include the ski area known as Tignes - you can ski both Val d’Isere and Tignes on one ticket; there are more than 20,000 skiable acres and 90 lifts. The combined area is called I’Espace Killy.

I was happy to spend a day training there before the races on April 8th. The next morning the British Ski Team was off to an early start. We left our hotel while it was still dark to walk to the gondola at 6:45 a.m. Although the lifts normally did not open until 9:00 a.m., the resort had specially opened them for La Scara. As we boarded the gondola we were able to watch the sun rise over the French Alps.

Our first race was a Super G. It ran along the same

26 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

British teammate Daisi Daniels hugs Reece Bell after Reece’s 6th place slalom finish.

Martin Bell (in POC helmet and goggles) looks on.

Photo by Fiona Daniels

track as the World Cup and Olympic races held there.

Great Britain had a fairly small inspection group, as only one other U14 British girl, Daisi Daniels, had qualified.

It was far different than anything I had seen in Montana, where every team was discussing the course in a similar way.

At this race, I barely recognized a single language that was being spoken and was only cued in to what team racers were on by the back of their jackets which had their countries’ name on it. Every once in a while I would catch snatches of Italian or of French and on the rare occasion we would hear a team speaking English, though it would be with an Australian or New Zealand accent. Every racer we rode up with was from a different part of the world. Daisi and I rode with someone from Latvia, from Venezuela, from Chile, and from Japan, all the best racers from their countries here to represent their nation.

Our start numbers were by seed, which meant that the country’s number one seed would be running somewhere among the top thirty girls. I had bib number 20 for the Super G while girls from Slovakia, Lithuania and Croatia

Parade of Nations Photo by Mike Coil

had bibs one, two and three in that order.

Right after you finished your run, your time would flash upon a huge billboard, and would show you what place you were in and how far behind the fastest time you were. And once you handed back your bib, another board would show you a video recap of your run.

On the day of Super G, I finished 13th and was a few hundredths off the top ten spot, the best British result out of the ten kids selected (U14 and U16 boys and girls).

The winner of the race was from Czechoslovakia. Later that day was our opening ceremony. For the first half an hour, all the athletes played various games, such as arm wrestling, arcade duck shooting and ping pong, while race officials handed out hot chocolate and snacks. Next were the parade, and the opening ceremonies.

Men and women in feather wigs and painted faces led the parade, pounding on huge drums. Then the athletes from all the countries in their team jackets marched carrying their flags. I spotted athletes from almost every nation on the continent of Europe.

There were teams from North and South America and Asia. Some racers had even traveled over 11,000 miles

from New Zealand just to compete for those two days.

After walking through the streets of La Daille (the town next to Val d’Isere) we came across the awards stage. It was complete with spotlights and large speakers and, of course, a podium. The top five fastest times and racers were called to the stage, music blasting in between the announcement of the names.

Toward the side of the stage was a smaller stand with only two things on it, a very large balance scale and piles and piles of little brown boxes stacked among each other.

After the top five finishers were announced, the male and female winners of the races made their way over to the balance scale and sat on one end while the race officials would begin to stack the boxes on the other side of the scale, one after another until the balance scale was even.

The boxes, the French announcer had said, contained candy, each winner won their weight in sweets.

The day after the parade was the morning of our final race, the slalom. Because a slalom race has two runs, opposed to a Super G, which only has one, we had to wake even earlier than the day before. The slalom was in a different location than the Super G, so instead of riding the B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 27

Reece racing in Tignes with the town of Val Claret below.

Photo by Mike Coil

gondola we took the funicular in a winding tunnel through the mountains. Accompanying us on the ride, were U14 athletes from Belarus, Estonia, and Lithuania.

Our slalom course was once again sharing the track of the World Cup slalom. Right before my run my dad told me that when he was sixteen he won his first British slalom title on this same run.

My bib for the slalom was number 13. After my first run and the top seeds finished I was pleasantly surprised to see that my run had been quite fast and that I was in sixth place. That meant that on my second run, I would be running 24th as they flipped the top 30 racers so that the 30th place girl ran first and the first place girl ran 30th.

I finished sixth, happy to be in the top ten, but a little frustrated that I was so close to top five.

It turns out that when my dad raced a World Cup in Val d'Isere, (in downhill) he had also finished sixth.

Looking back on it now, I would have to say that La Scara was my best racing experience to date. If at the beginning of the season, someone had told me I would finish sixth in an international race with top skiers from around the world, I'm not sure if I would have believed them.

But most of all, the week in Val d’Isere reminded me that I shared a common dream with kids from all over the world, striving toward the same goal, working just as hard I was.

Even though the sport is individual, I felt as if I were a part of something bigger, in a place where everyone understood how it felt working to become a professional athlete.

At the start.

Photo by Fiona Daniels

28 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

ThinkStock Photography

LION QUEEN The

By LAURA BELL

Cougar researcher learns to admire the ‘ghosts of the Rockies’ Just because you’ve never seen them, doesn’t mean they haven’t seen you, says Polly Buotte, referring to the mountain lions that inhabit the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 2 9

THE LION QUEEN {SUMMER 2015}

O

3 0 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

Photo by Mike Coil

“They are called the ghosts of the Rockies because you never see them,” she elaborated.

Buotte, a wildlife biologist, spent 10 years studying mountain lions, cougars or panthers (call them what you will — they are one in the same) in Yellowstone National Park from 1997-2006 as a member of The Hornocker Wildlife Institute at the University of Idaho.

Buotte, who is now working on her doctorate in climate change ecology and mountain pine beetle outbreak, was a member of a team studying the effects of wolf reintroduction on the resident mountain lion population in the park.

Because previous studies done in the mid-1980s were without the wolves, Buotte says there is nothing to reference with regards to this study.

She is currently working on a book with project leader Toni Ruth and due to publishing rights Buotte could not speak extensively about the study, but was eager to discuss mountain lions and their behavior in general.

“I didn’t know much about wolves or mountain lions before I began the study,” Buotte laughs, “but I did learn a lot about mountain lions and one of the most fascinating things is each lion has its own personality.

“Wolves tend to travel in packs, but mountain lions are very independent. The wolves will all raise the cubs, but a mother mountain lion will do it on her own.”

Buotte’s favorite mountain lion “hands down”— which was ear tagged 125 — lived in the middle of an area where wolf packs intersected.

“Her kill was always getting taken by wolves or bears and then she would just go and kill something else. She raised these monster kittens and was just amazing.”

And those cute balls of kitten fluff?

“Even at that age the kittens have developing personalities,” Buotte says. “They can’t do much, but they will try. Some of the kittens will hiss or spit at you. Some will just look at you in shock. It’s not a male or female

Photo by Toni Ruth

nce roaming the entire United States, this stealthy creature now is restricted to the mountains of the west.

Photo by Toni Ruth

Ghosts of the ROCKIES thing. It’s just the kitten’s personality.”

There are about two to four kittens per litter and they can still be ferocious. When they are born, they weigh less than a pound. The cubs will stay in dens for up to 10 weeks and then begin to follow their mothers around to get the lay of the land and learn valuable hunting and survival skills. When they are four months old the kittens will be able to climb trees.

According to Buotte, mountain lions used to live everywhere in this country, but now they are restricted to the mountains of the western United States.

And while 125, Buotte’s favorite cougar, lived in a formidable animal war zone of wolves, Buotte says there is not a lot of interaction between different species.

“The elk know where the wolves are actively hunting and when they will stay away from that area. The mountain lions hunts in short, fast sprints while the wolves are cours-

Photo by Mike Coil

Female cougar F125 treed during capture.

Northern Yellowstone cougar-wolf study. 2001

ing predators and will chase prey over long distances,” she explained.

And while these ghosts of the Rockies have learned to live with predators, one of the greatest threats to their survival is mankind. All of these animals have had to adapt and learn to live with humans nearby.

“It is important to think about all of these populations as being dynamic. They change all the time and are not going to be the way they were when you remember them.

Wildlife Management does a good job of looking after all these animals and setting quotas,” Buotte says.

But they will still be out there watching us even if we can’t watch them.

Polly Buotte was a guest speaker at The Jack Creek Preserve Foundation’s “Call of the Wild Speaker Series.”

For more information on The Jack Creek Preserve, please visit: www.jackcreekpreserve.org

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E RPhoto 20by 15Mike • Coil 31

BIG SK Y ARTISTS {ANDRE W DENMAN}

HARNESSING THE UNPREDICTABLE

By MICHELE CORRIEL

3 2 • B I G S K Y MBar AGCode AZINE

BIG SK Y ARTISTS {ANDRE W DENMAN}

Artist blends realism, abstract in spontaneous harmony

Andrew Denman’s approach to wildlife art moves the understand wildlife art with an ecological approach. genre from pure mimetic replication to another level of “When a subject behaves in a natural way within its artistic interpretation, one where intangible ideas mesh with natural environment that is the paradigm of wildlife art as I a masterful eye for detail. knew it,” he says. “And some of my first forays were in that “It’s basically the hallmark of my approach to the same paradigm. But I began to feel it was too limiting.” work,” painter Andrew Denman says. “I incorporate very As his realism got better, spending fifteen hours strict hyper-realist art with stylization painting only the talon of a bird, he realized and abstraction.” he needed to add his own voice to his art.

As his realism got There is also one more important “If I kept doing that kind of detailed component to Denman’s work: humor, work I knew I’d go insane,” he says. “So for better, spending or at least a dry cynical take on the me juxtaposing areas of high realism with f ifteen hours painting looser more stylized areas, not only keeps world around us.

Take for example his piece The me excited and interested in the process, but only the talon of a Bar Code: Two Nuttal’s Woodpeckers makes both aspects of the elements more bird, he realized he interesting.” each on the trunk of vertical barcodes.

Mostly monochromatic, Denman places needed to add his own An additional note of interest in his work near perfect renderings of the birds is the way he textures his canvas. voice to his art. amidst the white space of the barcodes “Like most things, it came to me by and the textured surface of the canvas accident,” Denman says. “The way I seems which conveys a sense of buying nature; of stripping introduce the elements is as much a stylist choice as a the bark bare, so to speak. It is at once unsettling and process.” captivating.

While still in college, he got an assignment to work Denman began showing his work at age sixteen in with a palette knife. While preparing his canvas he the San Francisco Bay area and over the years came to slathered on the white gesso with the intent to sand it

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 3 3

Confetti

3 4 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

down to a smooth surface. What he ended up with was something quite different.

“As I sanded down the canvas I saw all the dark peaks emerge from the texture of the gesso, it left me with an evocative background,” he says. “Up until then, I’d been painting really tight. But this approach, starting with gloppy paint and then smoothing it down, gave me a way to have a loose, textural, abstract and unplanned beginning.”

Even now, years later, he likes to include this sort of unpredictability in his work.

“I may know what I want the painting to become but I don’t know exactly how it will turn out,” he says.

In this way he can explore the character of the paint itself as well as the subject matter.

In another one of his paintings, Modern Camouflage, there is a wallpaper type of background with fleur de lis images that is done with hand-cut stencils on a gesso overcoat. The patterns where the underpainting is thicker bring out interesting textures.

“That was only planned to a minimal extent,” Denman says. “The rest is an accident with what happens physically as well as during the painting process. I often say when you see my paintings they are about as much about the subject as they are about the process of painting itself.”

Incorporated into that is storytelling.

“I believe in the narrative of a painting,” he says. “For me those stories are at least two pronged.”

The first step is the way Denman personally reacts to an animal then the context comes into play. Lastly is what he, as an artist, is trying to say about the piece, the narrative that holds the work together. Often it’s whimsical, but more often, it’s intellectual.

His essays that accompany each painting allow the viewer a window into the way in which he processed the idea into a painting.

“It helps people to connect to the work even more,” he says. “It’s somewhat deliberate.

I don’t want my work to go over people’s heads. There are layers of subtle comedy and wordplay, as well as dry humor. It’s part of my personality. It just happens.”

If he were working in a traditional style of pure realism he would not be able to

BIG SK Y ARTISTS {ANDRE W DENMAN}

incorporate his own take on nature.

“Working in this modality frees me,” Denman says.

“Wildlife is simply a designation of the piece. We do tend to approach it as a genre, when technically isn’t.

Although wildlife artists are introducing a lot more contemporary elements into their wildlife pieces.”

Collin Mathews, owner of the Creighton Block Gallery, first saw Denman’s work at the National Wildlife Art Museum in Jackson.

“He’s an extraordinary bird painter,” Matthews says of his newest artist in the gallery. “And then I saw his paintings where he sets birds against interesting design backgrounds and that combination of realism and geometric art is a genre that appeals to me enormously.”

Matthews sees Denman’s work as a crossover between modernist art with a geometric slant and realism.

“It’s dynamic to see a combination of the two,” Matthews says. “The creative spark that set a tightly and accurately painted owls as a camouflage against the fleur de lis wallpaper is something I haven’t seen before. It’s creative, fascinating and beautiful.”

He appreciates Denman’s flair for the ironic.

“The way the graphical illustration component is in harmony with the birds shows his particular genius,” Matthews says. “He creates fun, satisfying and brilliant

Modern Camouflage

pieces. It’s a reminder to me that artists see the world differently from the rest of us.”

This fall, Denman’s work will go on a solo museum tour beginning in San Francisco and ending up on the East Coast.

David Wagner, President of David J Wagner, LLC, produces museum exhibitions and manages traveling exhibitions. Wagner is working on Denman’s first traveling exhibition, called “The Modern Wild.”

“It will be a one-man show featuring highlights from his career,” Wagner says. “A lot of artists will come and ask us to represent them, but in some cases I reach out to artists I admire. In this case, I reached out to Andrew because he shows an incredible imagination and creativity in his work. He’s more than a wildlife artist. In this day and age there’s a lot of cookie-cutter work. Andrew’s work takes wildlife art a step further.”

Wagner feels Denman approaches his work with a new way of looking at the ecology of wildlife set in the realm of humanity.

“It shows the interrelatedness of people and nature,” Wagner says. “So much work today has been to set wildlife against the backdrop of pristine wildness. The world isn’t really like that anymore. His work is a meta-level above other work.”

Modern Camouflage - detailed view B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 3 5

Mojo 3 6 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

BIG SK Y ARTISTS {DANA HOOPER}

Alter ego Artist finds power in changing course mid-painting

By MICHELE CORRIEL

Dana Hooper carves images in paint, in colors lush with abandon. Her courageous brushwork cuts through the scrim by which we view the world and allows us to see the rawness of truth, the unmuted power of landscape.

She paints intuitively, without a plan. It’s easy to feel that kinship of the moment from her work.

“I don’t have a formula at all,” she says.

“I always try to paint a new painting. My process is to get a painting going and then alter it.”

She paints only what she wants to paint, allowing subjects to come to her.

“It could be a color, a pattern, a landscape or an animal … whatever inspires me,” Hooper says. “Then I turn the painting upside down, rework it with a large brush and simplify it.

I’m looking at it as an abstract composition.

When I turn back again, it’s still what I was painting, but more abstracted and simplified.”

Turning the painting upside down allows her to loosen up her brushwork. It’s a more wholistic approach.

“When you turn it upside down, you can see the subject isn’t balanced,” she says. “By looking at it that way I can see if it’s saying what the painting wants to say. It also creates interesting edges in the painting. A small amount of messiness relaxes the painting more and makes it feel less intentional.”

Her contemporary lines and colors bring a fresh style to traditional subjects.

It may look simple, but that is because she works to make it appear that way.

“What I like in my own work and what inspires me is that effortless feel,” Hooper says. “Sometimes it’s about knowing when to Tangerine Sky B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 37

View

Vacancy

stop.”

Gustafson also appreciates Hooper’s ability to work en plein In some of her pieces, the tension in the composition air. comes through in her willingness to fail. It pulls us into the “I love that about an artist who can work outdoors. A lot piece and we teeter on her edges, catch our breath with her of time artists will take it back to the studio where it can choices. lose its spontaneity.”

For Hooper the power of her work lies in her In Hooper’s recent show, Painting by Heart, Gustafson ability to reach for color. noticed Hooper pushed her colors more than she usually “It really expresses how I feel,” she says. “That’s what it’s does. for. Combining colors helps to express a complete sense “She really makes it all work,” Gustafson says. “What’s within a painting. It’s more how I combine the colors, how unique about her is how she relies on negative space to they live next to each other. My overall theme is sort of like sculpt out her subject matter. She’ll go back in with a bold a sense of optimism in a world of challenges. Optimism orange get the outline of a dog or a horse and that makes with an edge.” her subjects pop. It’s very unique. It’s not really thought

And that reflects her approach to out, but she dives in and starts creating life. her subjects around the intention of that “My life experiences have given me a sense negative space.”

Gustafson feels the Gustafson feels the narrative behind of making the most of each day,” she says.

“I want to make the most of each painting.

Hooper’s paintings give her work a kind of narrative behind I think people see that in my work. It’s mystery.

Hooper’s paintings what the work conveys. There’s a joy in it.”

“There’s a bit of a story going on in each Julie Gustafson, owner of the Gallatin give her work a kind painting,” she says. “Her titles give them River Gallery, represents Hooper and has a magical, vibrant and fresh quality. She’s of mystery. known her for a long time. a talented painter with a unique twist on “It always caught me how fresh and loose plein air painting.” her work is and how textural her surfaces Hooper began painting seriously as a are,” Gustafson says. “She has such an second career. She was teaching physiology unusual color palette. And I just love her choice of subject at Boudin College. matter, which is so down to earth.”

“I ended up living in Maine for a couple of years while all Subjects like old farmhouses, chickens, horses and dogs my family and friends were in California and I had a lot of bring out an uncomplicated feeling that is also rich in time to paint,” Hooper says. “I was fortunate that a gallery meaning. picked me up and started selling my work right away.

“Her work resonates with a great appreciation of the rural Getting the internal drive to paint and finding a place to life,” Gustafson says. “I like how she is able to capture an sell it was a good combination.” intensity with a minimum amount of brushstrokes.”

In her painting, On The Verge, a haphazard group 3 8 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

of barns she painted plein air, we can see her inspiration in the textures and colors she uses.

“It’s a place in the country,” she says. “The whole beginning of why I liked the jumble of barns. That time of day the shadows cast on the metal roof grabbed me. From there – I’d painted it before in a small format and I loved painting it – so I tried painting it larger. It is part of the mystery – it’s not spelled out and it’s not about being literal.

It’s about being inspired by the shadows and the permanence of the buildings in the landscape.”

When she paints, even though she may be outdoors, she needs that solitude of place.

“I want to know nobody’s going to interrupt me,” Hooper says. “Other people interfere with me and the painting. I can do a lot of things and not care about being interrupted. It’s like a spell, being in the zone, and if somebody comes and talks to me, it breaks that spell.”

It’s not because of her need to not be interrupted. It’s more than that. It’s about being able to connect directly with the work, unimpeded.

“I feel like so many people that do art haven’t learned that you have to cut off the world,” she says. “If you want to get down to the nitty-gritty you need to let time stop.

Your senses are reduced except for the ones that are focused on the act of painting. If I have a book on tape or music, but I don’t even hear it once I get in the zone. I forget about eating, drinking, everything except being there with the painting.”

Bill Rushton, a fellow painter and collector, loves that kind of intensity emanating from her paintings.

“She is able to put a type of energy into a painting that keeps me involved with it,” Rushton says. “I have several of her pieces and I never get tired of looking at them. I really enjoy spending time with her work.”

Aside from her singular use of color combinations, Rushton admires the bold honesty of her work.

“She’s not following a trend, or painting somebody else’s way,” he says. “She’s finding her own way. It comes from a place inside of herself. She stays true to her process and trusts her instincts. I really respect that.”

Top right: Ghost Riders Bottom right: Jigsaw

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 3 9

Lewis ON THE TRAIL OF

4 0 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

&

Recent discoveries near Lolo confirm facts about their historic journey

& Clark Photos and story by RICK & SUSIE GRAETZ

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 41

“Set September out at 7a.m.

9, 1805 this morning and LEWIS’S JOURNAL proceeded downENTRY: in on the West as our guide informs us that we should leave the river at this place and the weather appearing settled and fair I determined to hault the next day to rest the horses and take some celestial Observations.

We called this Creek ‘Travellers Rest’.”

“Set out at 7 a.m. this morning and proceeded down the Flathead (Bitterroot) river leaving it on our left, the country in the valley of the this river is generally a prairie and from five to 6 miles wide,” continuing downriver and eventually crossing to the west side “encamped on a large creek (Lolo Creek) which falls in on the West as our guide informs us that we should leave the river at this place and the weather appearing settled and fair I determined to hault the next day to rest the horses and take some celestial Observations. We called this Creek ‘Travellers Rest’.”

Fall colors along Lolo Creek at Travelers’ Rest.

4 2 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

n the nearly 8,000 miles Lewis and Clark traveled during their exploration of the Missouri River and beyond, both heading west and returning, there has been only one confirmed bit of physical evidence to verify the Corps of Discovery’s exact presence. On July 25, 1806, Captain William Clark carved his name and the date in the soft sandstone face of Pompey’s Pillar, a 200-foot high outcropping on the south banks of the Yellowstone River east of Billings. After committing this act of historic graffiti, he noted the event in his Journal and named the site after Sacajawea’s toddler son Baptiste whom the men of the Corps affectionately called Pomp.

Recently, a new find at the site of “Travellers Rest” is the second such substantiation. September 9 -11, 1805, before heading west over the Bitterroot Mountains and again on their return journey from the Pacific on June 30 July 3, 1806, the explorers camped there.

In 1999, the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed Montana’s Traveler’s Rest as one of the 11 most endangered historic places in the nation. Now the heart of the area has been preserved!

Students learning about Native American traditions from Tim Ryan of the Confederation Salish & Kootenai Tribes.

Traveler’s Rest State Park, located west of Hwy 93 a short distance south of the town of Lolo and about 3/4 of a mile up Lolo Creek along Highway 12 is owned by the State of Montana. By the fall of 2012, the park has grown from the original 15 acres donation to more than 60 acres in size, complete with a park visitor center and museum to interpret not only the Lewis and Clark history of the site, but the periods before and after the famous explorers stopped at Travelers’ Rest.

In the early 1960’s, believing that Lewis and Clark’s campsite was located at the confluence of the Bitterroot River and Lolo Creek, the National Park Service declared it a National Historic Landmark. In the mid 1990s, an independent researcher, Bob Bergantino of Montana Tech in Butte, made corrections to the astronomical readings of Lewis and pinpointed the current, farther west location.

Recent findings, oral history, the journal entries and common sense are ample proof in favor of the creek site being their camp.

The Corps had been traveling on horses and would have avoided the brush and rough surface of the river bottoms. Also, they were following a well-used Indian trail (through the Bitterroot Valley) that oral history maintains

stayed up on the benches above the river channel. These facts alone indicate they wouldn’t have encountered the mix of Lolo Creek and the Bitterroot but rather the eastwest orientation of Lolo Creek a ways up from where it meets the Bitterroot and most likely the intersection of the trail across the mountains.

A unique research project in 2001 and 2002 validated the campsite location. Since this was a military expedition the camps were set up in keeping with a military manual of the time. Using this layout aided the search for physical evidence of Lewis and Clark’s use of the site.

The explorer’s central fire used for cooking, the making of ammunition and gunsmithing was identified along the banks of former channel of Lolo Creek. Cracked rocks show an intense fire had burned in this spot at one time; high heat would have been needed to prepare the lead.

A spent lead ball, circa 200 years old, was found nearby and melted lead was uncovered inside the pit. Through a process of lead isotope analysis, the lead was determined to have likely come from the Olive Hill region of Kentucky, where lead was being mined in the late 18th century.

Passages from Lewis’ journal show that gunsmithing took place at Travelers’ Rest during the stop in 1806.

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 4 3

Brigade re-enactor demonstrating Lewis and Clark era firearms at weekend festivities at Travelers’ Rest.

Also, charcoal from the fires was subjected to Carbon 14 analysis, and was found to come from the Lewis and Clark era. It is almost certain that the Corps had to manufacture more ammunition, especially in 1806, as they were about to split up.

About 150 yards away from the fire site (in accordance with the military manual), the latrine trench was unearthed.

Six inches into the trench, archeologists uncovered a length of gray organic matter. Mercury was found at the bottom of this layer and being an inert substance, would have settled to the bottom of the trench. The excavation went down 18 inches and under the organic material ordinary soil was in place. This is the most telling evidence of the expedition’s presence. Members of the Expedition had been taking Dr. Rush’s pills, an instant purgative containing 60 percent mercury. It is known from the journals that at least two

4 4 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

expedition members were treated with Rush’s medication during the 1806 pause at Traveler’s Rest, and at this point of the journey it would have been in the systems of the men who had been using the treatment prior to reaching this camp.

After review by historians, scientists, military experts and others, the National Park Service moved the boundaries of the National Historic Landmark to the current park site in 2006.

What is in position now, and what is planned for the future, will put this historic major trail crossroads into the full light it deserves. A Native American culture was flourishing here well before the Corps discovered the site for white society.

Infrared testing has found numerous tipi rings near the junction of the Lolo and Bitterroot Valley trails. Great

Indian Nations — the Salish, Kootenai, Nez Perce and Shoshone passed through and interacted in this landscape. And to the Salish, the Bitterroot is still a revered homeland. The Native’s side of the story, as well as the explorer’s experiences, makes for a fascinating and integral part of Montana’s past. Montana State Parks and their nonprofit partner, the Travelers Rest Preservation and Heritage Association, embrace that multicultural history, using native voices to help tell the native history of the area through programming and consultation.

About 1850, “Travellers rest Creek” became known as Lolo Creek. Local Indians (most likely the Salish) had trouble with a French Canadian trapper’s name. They couldn’t pronounce the French uvular r, in Lawrence and shortened it to the easiest part ... Lo-Lo, hence Lolo. And the onerous path the Corps was about to embark on, used for generations by Indians (principally the Nez Perce) on their way to hunt buffalo on the east side of the mountains, and said to be passable only with the knowledge of those who had been shown the way before, was first called the Nee Mee Poo (the Nez Perce’s name for themselves) or Nez Perce Trail, then Lolo Trail.

Indeed, Traveler’s Rest State Park interprets the times gone by of a region, once considered a hub of western Montana.

An interpretive trail leads from the Holt Museum and Visitor Center across Lolo Creek to the historic campsite. Along the way, the trail passes through a rich riparian area that is home to a variety of wildlife, including more than 130 species of birds documented on site. The museum adds to the experience, providing exhibits of the Native American Pow Wow culture and early pioneer settlement. A professional staff and a diverse cadre of knowledgeable volunteers provide in-depth information of the site and surrounding area.

Students learn about the archaeology that was used to prove that this was the Lewis and Clark campsite.

The historic Lewis and Clark campsite in the winter.

ABOUT THE WRITERS:

Rick and Susie Graetz, professors at the University of Montana, are prolific writers and photographers, passionate about all aspects of life in Montana and part-time residents of Big Sky.

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 4 5

BAR N RANCH {SUMMER 2015}

Bar N Ranch Where the fare matches the flair

By LAURA BELL | Photos by Reece Bell

4 6 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

A scenic drive, animal sightings, wide open spaces inside and out, oh and fine dining with an emphasis on fun. The South Fork of the Madison River meanders through the 200-acre ranch.

Welcome to the Bar N Restaurant, outside of West Yellowstone, where the entrees rival the ambiance. The dining ranges from casual – a beer and burger - to fine dining - pan-seared salmon or filet mignon accompanied by a bottle of wine from an extensive selection of varietals.

Diners can amble on in wearing blue jeans and cowboy boots; after all this is the Wild West or dress for a special occasion.

The décor in the 2,700 square–foot restaurant is reminiscent of an upscale hunting lodge, replete with high ceilings, wooden beams; a decorated skull hangs over the well-stocked bar. Natural light streams through huge windows on three sides and the scenery, mountains and wildflower-strewn meadows on the vast ranch property are pretty tough to beat.

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 47

Homemade bread is brought to each table while diners peruse the menu.

In his first season at the Bar N, Executive Chef Bobby McKnight has a simple philosophy, “fresh, organic and local food, everything made from scratch.”

McKnight, who came to Montana from California, has been in the culinary industry for 30 years. His experience is reflected by the food presentation as head-turning dishes such as the ranch style blue cheese bread appetizer or Mississippi Mud Pie desserts make their way from kitchen to table.

And the food tastes as good as it looks.

From the bistro menu, the roasted chicken tacos are topped with cheese, pico de gallo and a roasted garlic chipotle aioli. This is a light twist from a similar menu item: roasted chicken nachos compete with traditional toppings: sour cream, guacamole, black beans and onions.

4 8 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

And what bistro/bar menu in the land of buffalo would not be complete without a bison being represented. Indeed bison burgers are on the Bistro menu and bison meatloaf features prominently on the main dinner menu. However diners can order from either menu at the bar or at a table.

Smoked trout cakes, the aforementioned ranch style blue cheese bread, beer-battered shrimp and roasted garlic chipotle pepper hummus are among the appetizer offerings.

A melt-in-your mouth hazelnut trout and a stuffed herb roasted chicken, noodles or pasta primavera are part of the lighter entrees.

But why go meat free when you are in Montana? A Bar N, bison rib eye, chile braised short ribs, Montana strip loin and other hearty dishes await hungry diners.

All main courses are served with soup of the day or a salad. SautĂŠed season vegetables and a type of potato: roasted, garlic mashed, torte or rice accompany most meals.

And while the meals are filling, save room for a dessert or an after-dinner drink. Chef McKnight has homemade cheesecake, crème brulee and a fruit cobbler in addition to the Mississippi Mud Pie. Non-alcoholic beverages are served in a glass cowboy boot, which children enjoy. And children are welcomed with crayons and a paper menu, the back of which has a cowboy ready for coloring. The

B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A | S U M M E R 20 15 • 4 9

Lil Buckaroo’s menu has chicken tenders, pasta, a small Montana strip, burger or chicken dinner. All kids meals are only $9 each and include a small beverage and a scoop of vanilla or huckleberry ice cream. The ice cream is the only menu item not made on property.

Of special note, the staff is well trained and alert to food allergies. For instance when a guest - who previously mentioned an intolerance to dairy ordered cornbread with chili, the waitress was quick to point out that the cornbread was made with cheese. And the chili came sans cheese or sour cream.

It’s easy to relax and enjoy dinner when the staff is this attentive.

Water glasses never go beneath half full and non-alcoholic boot beverages are quickly refilled. The glass boots, metallic over-size coffee mugs and t-shirts and other Bar N memorabilia are available.

At peak occupancy the ranch can accommodate 275 overnight guests and according to general manager Duncan Allinson, about 75 percent of those staying venture to the ranch each night for dinner.

“We also have a faithful following from Island Park (Idaho) and those looking for a place in West Yellowstone that is a little bit more upscale dining experience,” he said.

Although the ranch restaurant serves only breakfast and dinner, guests can purchase box lunches as well as a “picnic pack out,” or “grill pack out” that they can grill on the restaurant’s deck. There is a strict no food policy in the tent area, which is understandable as Yogi, and friends are in the park’s vicinity.

Sarah and Jake Dusek are the owners of the Bar N Ranch They also own three glamping locations Yellowstone (at the Bar N), Glacier and Moab Under Canvas. Lone Peak Hospitality, out of Bozeman, manages all of the Under Canvas locations as well as the Bar N Ranch.

The Bar N Ranch Restaurant is open daily for breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. through 10 p.m. nightly for dinner through September. To book a reservation or for more information, please call The Bar N Ranch at 406-646-9455. Alternatively you may book online at www.barNranch.com

5 0 • B I G S K Y M AG A Z I N E

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

Big Sky, Montana There is an old mountain adage often found on bumper stickers and magnets: “Winter is why I came here, but summer is why I stayed.”

It is easy to see why full-time ski bums and those headed out for only a single season made Big Sky their home after their first summer. Wildflowers abound, the skies are 50 shades of blue and wildlife is visible throughout the area.

The Gallatin River runs through it and offers many recreational activities, from world-class fishing to whitewater rafting.

There are numerous hiking trails affording fabulous views.

Ousel Falls, one of the more popular and family-friendly trails, is so-named for the beautiful waterfall at the end of the trail.

In 1968, famed NBC newscaster and Montana native Chet Huntley first came up with the idea of creating what is now known as Big Sky. Huntley took his future backers to Lone Mountain Ranch to show them the scenery and his vision. And in December 1973, the first lifts opened for winter skiing. And now the tram is open for summer fun. Enjoy Lone Peak from BUILDING / CONSTRUCTION

HEALTH & BEAUTY

MEDICAL CLINIC OF BIG SKY

BIG SKY BUILD Lone Peak Dr, Big Sky, Mt 59716 (406) 995-3670 | www.bigskybuild.com

BLUE RIBBON BUILDERS 145 Center Ln, Big Sky, Mt 59716 (406) 995-4579 | blueribbonbuilders.com

PURCELL TIMBER FRAME HOMES (800) 655-5574 | purcell.com

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

OLIVE B’S BISTRO

the top with a scenic tram ride at Big Sky Resort.

There are ziplines, rope courses and other on-mountain activities.

Mountain biking is a popular activity and there are many single-track trails in the area. Big Sky Resort offers more than 40 miles of trails from the Mountain Village, from low and level to steep and rocky.

Another way to ride is via horse and local outfitters are knowledgeable and can tell a tall tale or two about the Wild West.

The dining in Big Sky can accommodate all tastes and pocketbooks. Patio dining is popular in the summer.

The Big Sky Farmers Market happens each Wednesday, June 24 - September 30, from 5-8 p.m. at Fire Pit Park in the Town Center. And the free summer concert series, “Music in Mountains,” happens Thursday evenings in Town Center.

With so much to do, you’ll need a vacation from your vacation.

YELLOWSTONE ALPEN GUIDES (406) 646-9591 or (800) 858-3502 www.yellowstoneguides.com

Corner of Ousel Fall Rd & Hwy 64 2nd Floor Above Grizzly Outfitters (406) 993-2797

SANOOK SKINCARE & MASSAGE (406) 539-3625 | www.sanookbigsky.com

OUTDOOR RECREATION

BIG SKY RESORT (406) 995-5000 | www.bigskyresort.com

BLACK TIE SKIS

REAL ESTATE

BIG SKY REAL ESTATE

Martha Johnson, Owner/Broker (406) 580-5891 | BigSkyRealEstate.com

LTD REAL ESTATE (406) 995-2800 | LTDrealestate.com

REALTY BIG SKY 17 Meadow Village Dr, Big Sky (406) 995-2500 | realtybigsky.com

Center Ln, Big Sky, Mt 59716 (406) 995-3355 | www.olivebsbigsky.com

(406) 995-3372 | www.blacktieskis.com

JEFF HELMS - SOTHEBY’S

ANDIAMO ITALIAN GRILL

GALLATIN RIVER GUIDES

(406) 995-2290 | montanaflyfishing.com

123 Lone Peak Drive, Big Sky (406)995-2244 or (406)539-0121 jeff.helms@sothebysrealty.com

Big Sky Mountain Village (406) 995-8041 | bigskyresort.com/andiamo

HEALTH & BEAUTY

ALPENGLOW HEALTH ENTERPRISE, INC. PO Box 160218, Big Sky, Mt (406) 995-4663

JAKE’S HORSES

SERVICE PROVIDERS

(406) 995-4630 or (800) 352-5956 www.jakeshorses.com

SEE YELLOWSTONE

(800) 221-1151 | SeeYellowstone.com

WILD TROUT OUTFITTERS

1/2mi South of the Stop Light on Hwy 191 (406) 995-2975 | (800) 423-4742 www.WildTroutOutfitters.com

ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY bigskyarts.org

LONE PEAK LOOKOUT 145 Center Lane, Big Sky, Mt (406) 995-4133 | lonepeaklookout.com

MEADOW VILLAGE ASSOCIATION bigskymeadowvillagecenter.com

51

SHOPPING / RETAIL

COUNTRY MARKET (406) 995-4636 | www.BigSkyGrocery.com

CONSIGNMENT CABIN Big Horn Shopping Center (406) 993-9333

HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR Meadow Village, Big Sky (406) 995-3113 www.HorseBigSky.com

NORDIC HOT TUB 47520 Gallatin Rd, Big Sky, Mt (406) 995-4892 www.BigSkyHotTubs.com

MERIDIAN 101 E. Main St, Bozeman, Mt (406) 585-0608 www.MeridianBoutique.com

OTTER BANKS 222 E Main St # 2B Ennis, Mt 59729 (406) 682-3133

WILLOW BOUTIQUE 151 Center Lane #1, Big Sky, Mt (406) 995-4557 www.WillowOutwest.com

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

MEADOW VILLAGE CENTER

N O PH YSI CA L LO CAT I O N

Meadow Village Association

Arts Council of Big Sky Black Tie Skis Blue Ribbon Builders Country Market Horse of a Different Color Lone Peak Lookout Meadow Village Association Olive B’s Realty Big Sky Willow Boutique

52

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

OLIVE B’S BIG SKY BISTRO LUNCH MENU

DINNER MENU

N OT EWO RT H Y W I N E LI S T • F RES H F I S H DA I LY • H A N D - C U T S T E A K S • H O M EM A D E D ES S ERT S F U LL BA R • H O M EM A D E S O U P S & C H I LI S • O U T S I D E PAT I O D I N I N G O P E N M O N D AY - S AT U R D AY 1 1 A M - 9 P M L U N C H & D I N N E R 1 5 1 C E N T E R L A N E I N T H E M E A D O W V I L L AG E C E N T E R

4 0 6 . 9 9 5 . 3 3 5 5 , V I S I T U S AT O U R W E B S I T E O R O N L I N E AT “ O P E N TA B L E ” F O R R E S E R VAT I O N S

O L I V E B S B I G S K Y. C O M 53

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

The

Big Sky Chapel

510 Little Coyote Road Schedule of Sunday Services: 8:00am ...............St. Joseph’s Catholic Mission of Big Sky 9:30am ...............All Saints in Big Sky (A shared ministry of the Episcopal and Lutheran (ELCA) Churches) 11:00am .............Big Sky Christian Fellowship

Vacation Bible School

Each year the Big Sky Chapel hosts an action-packed, fun-filled Vacation Bible School.

We welcome and encourage all children ages 4 - 12 to join us for this adventurous week!

Call for more information about Vacation Bible School 2015.

Check our website www.bigskychapel.com

To find more information regarding times of Christmas services, Bible studies, Religious education classes, AA meetings and other events at the Chapel.

The Big Sky Chapel is located at 510 Little Coyote Road across from MEADOW Center and is open year round.

Please stop by and visit our beautiful chapel when you are in the Big Sky area.

PO Box 160792 • Big Sky, MT 59716 • 406 995-3336 • bigskychapel@gmail.com 54

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

Golf Course in Big Sky. Photo by Big Sky Resort

• Select Hand-carved Meats • Imported & Domestic Cheeses • Fresh Fruit & Vegetables • Country Breads, Pastries & Desserts Baked Daily • International Coffees • Domestic & International Beers • Region’s Largest Assortment of Foreign & Domestic Wines • Delivery Service • Custom Orders • On-line Ordering • Pre-arrival Fridge & Cupboard Stocking

ExtEndEd HOURS July 1 - Labor Day & Dec 15 - April 15 6:30am to 10pm

REgUlaR HOURS 6:30am - 8:00pm www.bigskygrocery.com Phone: (406) 995-4636 Fax: (406) 995-4633

Located in the Heart of the Meadow Village Center 55

F

e Cu re

p oF CoF

6:30 am to 8:00 am Monday thru Friday

Fe

e

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

Big Sky MEADOW VILLAGE CENTER and businesses. If real estate is on your mind, visit Realty Big Sky for the finest listings on the market. And don’t forget the Country Market when your shopping list demands attention; it’s the best full-service grocery store in town. Retail shops include Willow Boutique and Horse of a Different Color, under new ownership, which can’t be missed on your shopping adventures in Big Sky. The Post Office and Bozeman Pharmacy are both conveniently located in Meadow Village Center as well.

Blue Ribbon Builders is one of the long-term businesses that call the Center home. We can’t overlook Black Tie Skis, offering years of expertise and offering door-to-door service for all your ski needs.

And don’t forget the Arts Council of Big Sky sponsors free concerts every Thursday during the summer for the best in wholesome entertainment.

SUMMER 2015 The Meadow Village Center has an endless variety of delights to offer residents and visitors alike with all kinds of interests and activities. There is a wealth of shops and great choices for dining. Located across from the iconic Big Sky Chapel, a visit to the Meadow Village Center puts you and your friends and family within walking distance of Big Sky’s Park and Recreation area.

If your visit to the Meadow Village coincides with mealtime, be sure to check out a local favorite, Olive B’s. Serving the finest in Continental cuisine with a bistro ambiance, this outstanding restaurant has a delightful menu of summer salads for lunch and fine evening dining selections of lamb, seafood or steak dinners. They serve lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday. They have outdoor seating for those beautiful days when you want your meal in the fresh air and with a stunning view of Big Sky and the famous alpine vistas.

The Meadow Village Center has over 50 shops, restaurants

Make Big Sky Meadow Village your first stop; it’s always the best option for your family’s needs.

56

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

57

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY 2015 SCHEDULE

All concerts at Town Center Park unless otherwise noted. Check www.bigskyarts.org for complete schedule and more information.

June 25: Midnight River Choir, Texas groove rock

July 2: Sons of Bill: Americana roots music

July 4: The Tiny Band: Funky rhythm & blues, soul

July 9: Incendio: Latin guitar fusion July 16: The Suffers: Gulf coast soul July 23: The Whisky Gentry: Country rock July 28: Baroque Music Montana: classical The Whiskey Gentry

Midnight River Choir

The Suffers

(free concert at Big Sky Chapel) August 2: Montana Shakespeare in the Parks: The Taming of the Shrew August 6: Corb Lund & the Hurtin’ Albertans: Canadian rockabilly swing August 7: Classical Music Festival: WindSync August 8: Classical Music Festival: Rachel Barton Pine, Matt Haimovitz, etc. (@WMPAC) August 9: Classical Music Festival: Big Sky Festival Orchestra August 13: Royal Southern Brotherhood: Soulful rock featuring Cyril Neville August 20: The Brothers Comatose: High-energy rocking string band August 27: Euforquestra: Funk, soul, Afrobeat, reggae and world grooves Sept. 27: NPR’s From the Top with Host Christopher O’Riley, young classical musicians (@WMPAC) 58

Rachel Barton Pine

Royal Southern Brotherhood

Matt Haimovitz

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

BIG SKY TOWN CENTER

Big Sky Build Big Sky Medical Clinic Big Sky Real Estate Montana Living Live The Dream Sanook Sothebys - Jeff Helms

EST. 1997

EST. 1997

87 Lone Peak Dr P.O. Box 160117 Big Sky, Mt 59716 USA 8 7 L O N E P E A K D R | B I G 406.995.3670 S K Y, M T | U SA | 406.995.3670 | BIGSKYBUILD.COM BigSkyBuild.com 59

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

BIG SKY TOWN CENTER •

M

O

N

T

B

ig Sky Town Center is located in the ski and summer resort of Big Sky high in the Rocky Mountains of southwest Montana. Within the town of Big Sky, the Town Center is centrally located 7 miles below Lone Mountain (and its two resorts) and at the turn-off to the renowned private community of the Yellowstone Club.

A

N

A

•

over the past few years, and now that the project is about 18% built out, it’s beginning to take on a life of its own, as many residents find it a very desirable place to live, and business owners find it a profitable place to open up shop.

BIG SKY MONTANA’S DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY The 165-acre walking village is surrounded by spectacular 11,000 foot snow-capped peaks. Although the slopes look close enough to touch, they’re a few thousand feet above the shops and homes, giving you a milder living climate with mountain access just minutes away.

The casual pace of the Town Center, and all of Big Sky, is set by its residents and visitors. Here you’ll never feel rushed, and with the variety of shops and services, the Town Center provides the “Downtown” of this alpine community… a central place bordered by flower filled meadows and dramatic peaks.

The Town Center is nestled in the heart of Big Sky, southwest Montana’s hub of world-famous recreation and nature, just fifteen miles from Yellowstone National Park.

As the newest of the Rocky Mountain four season resort areas, Big Sky uniquely blends all of the amenities you need, yet still retains the free spirit, authenticity, and emotion that comes from a community still being discoveredeveryday, from points around the world.

THE STORY OF BIG SKY TOWN CENTER The resort of Big Sky is a young community built on world-class recreational interests and a respect for nature.

Like a village piazza, the Big Sky Town Center is the natural gathering place of the area, where everyone comes together.

TOWN CENTER HISTORY In the early 1970’s after Chet Huntley announced that his plans for Big Sky included a Meadow Village and a Mountain Village, Bob Simkins and Jim Taylor bought the Sappington Ranch, which contains a part of the Town Center project.

Master Developer Simkins Holdings, LLC has been actively working on securing the development rights for the project since the late 1990’s, and the first infrastructure projects were completed in 2001.

The momentum for the project has continued to increase

60

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

61

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

MOUNTAIN VILLAGE

Big Sky Resort Willow Boutique Andiamo Italian Grill

62

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

Big Sky Resort Your Basecamp to Adventure

63

Photo by: Glennis Indreland

Photos and story by: Big Sky Resort

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

B

ig Sky Resort, located between Bozeman and the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park, is family focused offering adventure activities through their Basecamp to Yellowstone activity center in the main Mountain Village area and within close proximity to hotels, condos, cabins, and individual homes. Beyond the added amenities of swimming pools, hot tubs, spa, wellness center and free internet, a family can play together for days at the Resort and plan day excursions in the surrounding area.

Reservations recommended for most activities, bigskyresort.com.

WHAT’S NEW Guided Mountain Bike Tours and Downhill Mountain bike coaching are

a great way to fully explore the trail system Big Sky Resort offers. New downhill and flow trails were added last summer with more being built during summer 2015. Professional guides provide a total mountain bike experience customized to the ability and expectations of the guest.

Downhill Mountain Biking is accessed via the Swift Current chair lift and the beginner chair lift, Explorer, from the Mountain Village. Cross-country trails and tours are in the Mountain Village and Moonlight areas of Big Sky Resort.

Stock Photo

Photo by: Glennis Indreland

64

Big Sky Resort was named in the top five for the 2014 Best Bike Parks Riders’ Choice Awards survey from MTBparks. com (Mountain Trail Bike Parks) in the Northwest Region. The rider-voted awards crown the top lift-served mountain-bike parks in eight separate regions across North America: Western Canada, Eastern Canada, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic/Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, Northwest, and the Rocky Mountains. More than 3,000 riders participated in the online survey and provided ratings in more than 20 categories covering a variety of aspects from “Best Base Area Amenities” to “Best Technical Trails,” to the all-encompassing, “Riders’ Choice Awards.” Big Sky Resort was up against 15 other lift-served mountain bike resorts.

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

and fly through the mountains with amazing views of Lone Mountain and the Spanish Peaks of the Madison Range.

The Nature Zipline Tour is an affordable introduction to ziplining and a great family activity involving a 20 minute hike up Lone Mountain and consists of 3 ziplines ranging from 350’ to 500’ in length and 30’ to 60’ in the air. Details: 2 hour activity, 12 guests per tour. Weight requirements 45-300 lbs.

Lift accessed mountain biking is available from the

Swift Current and Explorer chair lifts. Intermediate and advanced Downhill Mountain Biking trails are available via Swift Current. A beginner Downhill Mountain Biking trail and flow trail access are available via Explorer. Full suspension downhill (includes mandatory helmet and full set of pads) and cross-country mountain bikes are available for rent at Different Spokes bike shop located in the Snowcrest building in the Mountain Village.

Adventure Zipline Tour is designed for speed. The tour

begins on the Explorer chair lift with expansive views of Lone Mountain and the Spanish Peaks of the Madison Range. Swoop down the mountain on 4 adrenaline pumping ziplines spanning up to 1500’ long and 150’ above the forest floor. Includes belaying off one of the platforms and a Twin Zipline for side by side racing to the end.

Details: 3 hour activity, 10 guests per tour. Weight requirements 80-220 lbs.

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Lone Peak Expedition: Tram to the Top is a 3-part

guided adventure including a scenic chair lift ride, a safari style rugged truck taking you on a journey through time as the tour guide explains the geology and history surrounding Big Sky, and stops at the base of the Lone Peak Tram. The group ascends to the top of Lone Peak at 11,166 feet in elevation with views of 3 states and 2 national parks. It’s a fun adventure for any age. Details: 2.5 hour activity and 11 guests per tour.

Scenic Chair Lift Rides provide a bird’s eye view of

the surrounding mountains from the Swift Current and Explorer chair lifts. At the top of Swift Current are ample viewpoints for magnificent photographs, hiking around or back down, or riding the chair lift down for a different

Nature Zipline Tour at Big Sky Resort is far more than

typical road side attraction, guests can do freestyle tricks

65

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

Photo by: Michael Tallichet

perspective of the area. The Explorer chair lift provides access to the Adventure Zipline Tour, beginner Downhill Mountain Biking, and hiking (cannot ride down). Both chair lifts are free for guests staying in Big Sky Resort managed properties. Detail: No age or weight limits.

!

EVENT ALERT

10TH ANNUAL BIG SKY BREWFEST Saturday, July 11, 2015

Serving up beers, brats, brisket, bands, and fun for the whole family. Lone Peak is the backdrop for one of the largest brewfests in Montana with nearly 35 Breweries showcasing more than 70 different beers, local food artisans, live music, and kid activities with a bouncy house, face painting, and games.

High Ropes Course consists of more than 10 elements suspended

20’-30’ above the ground and is a thrilling personal or team challenge. Begin with a 20 minute hike into the woods, and once you are safely harnessed to the guidelines it’s time to enjoy features such as the Pirates Crossing or Swinging Beams. Details: 2-3 hour activity. Must be at least 3 feet tall, weight requirements 45-300 lbs.

KID FRIENDLY, PARENT APPROVED Big Sky Resort has great activities for kids where parents and sit back, relax, and enjoy watching their kids burn up some energy.

Located in the Mountain Village are the Bungee Trampoline, which is a great time bouncing, jumping, or flipping over and over again (weight requirement 30-180 lbs.); the Climbing Wall, which challenges thought and limb coordination while harnessed to a top belay system and choosing various paths to reach the summit of the 25’ wall (weight requirement 45-220 lbs.); and the Giant Swing, which begins by climbing a stairwell to the 30’ platform where you

Guided Hiking at Big Sky Resort is a great way to get acquainted

with Mother Nature. There are many hiking trails available through our vast terrain and our guides will show you around pointing out the Rocky Mountain’s flora and fauna. All guides carry bear spray and are educated in wildlife awareness. Details: 2 hour or more activity. Maps available for hiking on own. Inquire about guided hikes to top of Lone Peak at 11,166 feet.

66

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

Photo by: Michael Tallichet

are harnessed to guidelines and step off the edge for an exhilarating free-fall swing until coming to a natural rest (weight requirement 45-220 lbs.).

!

EVENT ALERT

THE KIDS ADVENTURE GAMES

Friday & Saturday, August 28-29, 2015

Gemstone Mining is a fun activity with a great gemstone take

at Big Sky Resort for kids ages 6 through 14. Teams of two will navigate their way through wild terrain to find predetermined checkpoints to complete their journey. The Kids Adventure Games are an to opportunity for kids in teams of two to experience the thrill of adventure racing, learn teamwork skills, have fun, and build confidence in a one-of-a-kind outdoor experience created just for them. They will need to work together to complete a variety of sports and problem-solving challenges.

away for all ages. Purchase a bag of mining rough dirt, use a screen box to sift the rough out, and explore the gemstones which appear. Details: All ages. Located in the Mountain Village area next to Basecamp.

Kids Club is for kids 4 years old and up offering 2 hours of outdoor

activities for kids to do together. Each day has a new activity like Mask Making, Tie-dye, Craftastic with recycled products, and more. Free for children staying with their family in Big Sky Resort managed properties. Details: Monday-Friday. Hours: 4pm-6pm.

500 rounds of paintball ammo, and a referee. Recommended for ages 11 years old and up.

Ever shot a clay pigeon? Try Skeet Shooting at clay pigeons with provided 12-guage shotgun, ammunition, targets, and a short drive up to the summit of Andesite Mountain. Details: Groups of up to 5 people. Maybe it’s time to pick up a bow and arrow. Archery is a fun activity for the whole family whether learning for the first time or turning it into a competition and the range is a short walk from the Mountain Village area. Using a Genesis compound bow, there

UNIQUE FUN Break out of the ordinary and try something you never imaged doing. Paintball in an outdoor arena can’t be beat when played on a mountain-side as teams are pitted against each other in this open air sporting ground. A referee keeps it honest and can recommend suitable games. Details: Includes camouflage outerwear, paintball guns,

67

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

Photo by: Michael Tallichet

REFRESH THE BODY & MIND Solace Spa & Salon provides relaxation, relieves tired muscles, and hydrates the body at the hands of professional massage therapists and estheticians. The salon professionals are Aveda trained and perform an array of hair services, manicures, and pedicures. The spa boutique carries Epicuren, Barbor, Aveda, Jane Iredale makeup, Prana clothing, and gifts. Details: Spa menu available online. Located in the Huntley/Shoshone Lobby in the Mountain Village. Reservations recommended through Solace Spa & Salon.

Wellness Studio offers daily classes of yoga, Pilates, cardio-

conditioning, kettle bells, kickboxing, and more. Detail: Class list available online. Purchase drop-in and passes at Solace Spa & Salon or Basecamp in the Mountain Village.

Photo by: Big Sky Resort

!

will be 4 targets set 15 yards away. Details: 1 hour activity and up to 4 people. Recommended for ages 7 years old and older, must be able to pull the bow back. How about some leisure on the lake? Lake Levinsky Marina offers rentals for pedal boats, canoes, and paddleboards with a fun mountain beach to hang out in the warm Big Sky sun. Fishing is encouraged with a license. Details: Life vest supplied. Located across from the Welcome to Big Sky Resort sign. Operated by Geyser Whitewater (raftmontana.com). !

EVENT ALERT

3RD ANNUAL THE RUT 50K, 25K, 11K & VERTICAL RACES September 4-7, 2015

You’ll need Solace Spa and the Wellness Studio after the 3rd Annual The Rut 50K, 25K, 11K, and Vertical races at Big Sky Resort on September 4-7, 2015. Join Big Sky Resort alongside International SkyRunning Federation and Salomon for The Rut 50K, 25K, and Vertical K as the 2015 Skyrunner World Series Ultra Final. Spots are filling up fast, check bigskyresort. com/rut. The Rut 50K, a 10,000 foot gain in elevation, tests runners with off-trail exposed ridgelines, forested single-track trails, rugged jeep roads and the lofty summit of an iconic Lone Peak. The Rut 11K will gain about 2,000 vertical feet and Vertical K, a 2.4 miles race, will be a vertical gain of 3,280 feet up Lone Peak. New this year is the 25K race.

EVENT ALERT

2ND ANNUAL VINE & DINE FESTIVAL August 13-16, 2015

At Big Sky Resort, with more than 20 vintners from around the world. The event will feature wine seminars, educational tastings, inspiring food, local art and music, and the headlining event, “The Wine Stroll.” Google Global Food Program Chef Scott Giambastiani and world renowned Court of Master Sommeliers Fred Dame and Jay Fletcher will be presenting seminars and food demonstrations.

FUN AT NO COST There are a variety of free activities to do at Big Sky Resort: Disc Golf, Tennis Courts (for guests of Big Sky Resort managed 68

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

properties), Miniature Golf, Hiking, Jungle Gym Playground, Steer Roping Practice, Bean Bag Toss, and Putting Green Practice.

metropolitan city, except skyscrapers are replaced by rugged mountain peaks and the iconic Lone Peak, at 11,166 feet in elevation. Big Sky Resort provides impeccable event planning, modest to elaborate room setups with superb catering and state of the art audio visual components.

BIG SKY RESORT GOLF COURSE Big Sky Resort Golf Course is the closest golf course in Montana to Yellowstone National Park and offers amazing views, fantastic play, and longer drives. Teeing off at 6,300 feet above sea level offers longer drives at Big Sky Resort Golf Course. This public 18-hole, par 72, Arnold Palmer designed course winding along the banks of the West Fork of the scenic Gallatin River has a MountainMeadow style layout with spectacular views of Lone Peak and delicious food at The Bunker Bar & Grill. Details: Big Sky Golf Course tee times call 406-995-5780.

Envision your wedding day with gorgeous views, alpenglow sunsets and crisp mountain air. Add either snow-covered peaks, or colorful wildflowers and Big Sky Resort is the ideal location for your wedding. Whether you have visited Big Sky for years, or your wedding day will be your first trip, the picturesque backdrop of Lone Peak and Montana hospitality will provide the most romantic and memorable wedding day for you and your guests.

Big Sky Resort Golf Course’s PGA Head Golf Professional, Mark Wehrman, received recognitions from Rocky Mountain Section of the PGA (Professional Golf Association) of America as 2014 Resort Merchandiser of the Year and 2014 Horton Smith Award.

Wehrman was selected by the Rocky Mountain Section of the PGA of America as the recipient of the 2014 Horton Smith Award, which he was also awarded in 2012. This award recognizes an individual for outstanding and continuing contributions to professional education by demonstrating outstanding qualities in leadership, strong moral character, maintaining a substantial record of service to the Association and the game of golf.

Big Sky Resort Golf Course was featured in the January 2013 issue of Golf Range Magazine and online at golfrange.org after receiving the 2012 GRAA Top 50 Range in the Public Category.

MEETING, CONVENTIONS, AND WEDDINGS Corporations seek out Big Sky Resort as a meeting destination because their conference becomes an experience, not just a meeting.

Big Sky Resort is less than an hour from Bozeman-Yellowstone International Airport and Yellowstone National Park’s West Entrance. Participants are able to focus on the conference with plenty of outdoor adventure in their free time. Meeting Planners report an increased attendance when the meeting is held in popular destinations.

Big Sky Resort has one of the largest convention centers in Montana, the Yellowstone Conference Center, hosting up to 750 people with state of the art services and lodging accommodations from basic to luxury for more than 2,000 guests. Guests have strong, resort-wide internet and cellphone service. The new mountain top restaurant, Everett’s 8,800, located at the summit of Andesite Mountain, is available for exclusive group functions.

As Montana’s premiere destination for conferences and meetings, Big Sky Resort has the amenities you’d expect from a major Photo by: Big Sky Resort

69

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

70

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

GALLATIN CANYON

LOCATED OUTSIDE THE MAP

Jake’s Horses Meridian (in Bozeman) Purcell Timber Frame Homes

Consignment Cabin

Yellowstone Pack Trips

Gallatin River Guides

Licensed Montana Outfitter since 1976

Jake’s Horses

(406) 995-4630 (800) 352-5956 www.jakeshorses.com

Meridian Nordic Hot Tub Purcell Timber Frame Homes

Located 2.5 Miles South of Big Sky on Hwy 191

Wildtrout Outfitters

Open year ‘round for your shopping pleasure!

COME IN TO SEE US NOW!

Your Local Consignment Store in Big Sky

The resale of quality, upscale, lightly used goods!

- Home Furnishings, Accents & Décor - Kitchen Items & Small Appliances - Furniture for all Rooms / Lamps, etc.

- Artwork & Wall Hangings - Clothing: Women’s, Men’s & Children’s - Sports Gear & Sports Clothing - Animal Trophy Mounts (deer, elk, ram, fish & exotics) and much, much more!

Call Janine & Dick at 406-993-9333 71

Located in the Big Horn Center, across from the Bugaboo Café, at the corner of Hwy 191 & Lone Mtn Trail to Big Sky.

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

T

Big Sky’s Local River

he Gallatin begins as a trickle in Yellowstone National Park and tumbles for nearly a hundred miles until it joins the Jefferson and the Madison to create the Missouri River. For anglers seeking a truly unique experience, they’ll find it in our local river. Discover native Westslope cutthroat trout in a deep canyon, big brown trout lurking along banks lined with tall cottonwoods, and rambunctious rainbows hiding in waters near ancient Native American buffalo jumps.

The prime time for the Gallatin in the canyon, or what locals consider the water above Spanish Creek, is mid-June through September. For many fly fishing enthusiasts, they may recognize the scenery on the Gallatin as many of the fishing scenes in Robert

Photos and Story By PATRICK STRAUB

Crystal clear riffles and pools.

Canyon walls towering high above. A hungry trout lurking behind each boulder.

72

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

GALLATIN RIVER GUIDES AND YOU.

Specialists in large trout to happy human introductions for nearly thirty years

Redford’s “A River Runs Through It” were filmed on the Gallatin.

You probably won’t meet Brad Pitt on the river, but if you put your fly in the right spot you might get to meet wild Montana trout.

Wade fishing is the primary means of fishing the Gallatin, and it has to be, because for nearly 60 miles fishing from a boat is prohibited. Wading can be treacherous at times, especially during periods of high-water. It is highly advised to have a sturdy pair of felt or sticky-rubber soled wading boots. Waders are nice to have during cooler temperatures, but in the heat of summer many anglers opt to “wet-wade” meaning wearing not wearing waders and only wearing wading boots.

Generally speaking, on most of the Gallatin matching the hatch is not a prime concern. The water from Yellowstone Park Boundary to the mouth of the canyon is fast flowing with lots of hungry trout and exact imitation will not make or break your fishing. Does that mean you don’t need to know about the hatches?

Nothing could be further from the truth, as despite their affinity to smack dries and nymphs, the Gallatin’s trout feeding habits are tied directly to available food and that food is only available during periods of heavy hatches.

Once runoff recedes and the river clears and drops in early summer, the Gallatin comes into its glory mode--salmonflies,

TRIPS • learn to fly fish • kids and family trips on our private pond • trips for all abilities • walk-wade and boat fishing trips

CLOTHING AND GEAR • all the new and specialty gear • always something on sale • fly fishing gift items

PH: (406) 995-2290 | TXT: (406) 439-4545 gallatinriverguides@gmail.com | gallatinriverguides.com

73

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

Gallatin River Guides, Pat Straub’s Five Favorite Gallatin River Flies:

Golden Stones, Yellow Sallies, Pale Morning Duns, tricos, and even terrestrials dominate a trout’s diet and on any given an angler may see any of the naturals and the fish may eat any of the offerings.

As with other freestone rivers, the salmonflies bring up the fattest trout up the year to the large dry flies. This will last about a week and you want to fish the river during this time. It is best to hire a guide as they know exactly when and where to be and what flies to use.

As the river continues to drop the salmonflies taper off but trout will still continue to feed on the surface well into the summer. In August most of the hatches are done, save for the occasional evening caddis hatch and tricos in the early morning. Hoppers, ants, beetles, and other terrestrials provide the bulk of the action into September when Blue Winged Olives dominate the currents.

Blue Winged Olives will hatch well into October and November and a few areas of the Gallatin, mainly the water between Gallatin Gateway and the confluence of the East Fork of the Gallatin, a few October caddis can be seen fluttering around. These large caddis will often entice a few larger fish to the surface, but the hatch is not prolific and anglers would be better served adding a dropper nymph if fishing a large caddis imitation.

Late fall, October and well into November, are times to be on the lower reaches of the Gallatin in hopes of a living-room worthy brown trout. As the hatches dwindle, the temperatures drop, and more anglers are in the hills chasing big game instead of big trout, dedicated streamer anglers may catch serious pig on the water from Gallatin Gateway to the headwaters of the Missouri. At the same time a full day of casting big flies in hopes of landing a big trout may also leave you with nothing but a sore arm and a battered ego.

Patrick Straub is the owner of Gallatin River Guides in Big Sky and the author of five books. For nearly thirty years Gallatin River Guides has been offering guides, gear, and honest info for locals and traveling anglers. Stop in and say “Hi.” 409-995-2290; www.GallatinRiverGuides. com

1. Pat’s Rubberleg Nymphs a. So simple, yet so darn good. Contrasting colors tied to a longer shanked hook with wiggly rubberlegs. The Gallatin’s trout really cannot resist.

2. Spruce Moth a. These insects hatch in abundance on our river.

Fish these dry flies along the banks and you’ll trick your fair share of trout.

3. Chubby Chernobly a. A gaudy looking dry fly, yet in its ghastliness it is easy to see, can float a dropper nymph—two things most anlgers find essential. Plus the trout love it too.

4. Little Green Machine Beadhead Nymph a. This fly burst onto the scene a few years ago and for good reason: it catches fish, lots of fish.

5. Sculpzilla Beadhead Streamer a. Strip this weighted streamer through the deeper holes and you might find the biggest fish in the hole. Black, white, olive, and brown are the favorites.

PAT’S FAVORITE SECTIONS OF THE GALLATIN: Overview From the rivers’ headwaters to Spanish Creek fish populations hover around 2,500 fish per mile. In this swift water fish are not large, but what they lack in size they certainly make up for in spunk and desire to feed.

Below Spanish Creek to Cameron Bridge fish numbers are similar to the canyon stretch, but below 74

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

Cameron Bridge the numbers of fish decrease dramatically.

A few miles downstream of Manhattan the East Fork of the Gallatin, commonly called the East Gallatin, joins the Gallatin and the river offers solitude and few fish from the confluence to the headwaters of the Missouri.

From the Taylor’s Fork to Big Sky Here the river is framed by tall pine trees and high cliffs.

The trees snag their fair share of flies and the cliffs often make wading difficult. However, there are ample access sites for this stretch and there are plenty of fish to be had.

Salmonflies, stoneflies, and caddis dominate the hatches in this stretch.

Near Big Sky the canyon opens a little and the river should take-on a meadow feel to it, but it doesn’t as the river bottom is full of bowling-ball sized boulders. These boulders create lots of pocket water and keep the river flowing a reasonably fast pace. Wading is a little easier in this stretch but still requires good boots and reasonable caution. Rainbows and whitefish are the bulk of the fish right around Big Sky. Anglers will see plenty of deer, elk, and perhaps a moose or two.

From Big Sky to Storm Castle Creek Downstream of Big Sky the river enters a tight canyon.

Pine trees outline the river and at times overhang the river.

There are several tight turns, creating deeper holes where the bigger fish in this stretch will lie. The salmonfly hatch is the most prolific in this stretch of the river and anglers will enjoy exciting fishing in the small canyon and fast water. Fish will hold tight to the banks in this stretch, especially during the post-runoff hatches. Wading anglers should exercise extreme caution while wading.

From the confluence of Storm Castle Creek and downstream, the Gallatin’s average fish size gradually increases and the river’s gradient evens-out to make wading a little less work. Access can still be had from the highway side of the road and a few access points on the east side of the river but wading anglers need to be very aware of trespassing and stay below the mean high-water mark.

These several miles consist of fast pocket water with very nice bank structure. In the fall anglers may find some large brown trout aggressively chasing streamers, but for the most part rainbows, whitefish, and a few cutthroats have the desire to hang in the pockets. This is great water for anglings who enjoy hoping from boulder to boulder shot-gunning a big bushy dry fly in and out of pockets and seams.

75

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

This is how Big Sky gets into hot water.

Fly Fishing Guide Service providing Year-Round Angling Adventures

Nordic Hot Tub

• Float Trips on the Gallatin, Madison, Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers • Wade Fishing on the Gallatin, Madison Rivers and Yellowstone Park • Excellent Winter River Fishing • Jet Boat Fishing Trips • Still Water Guide Trips on Hebgen and Ennis Lakes • Equipment Rental • Professional, Friendly and Knowledgeable Guides

We service What We sell!

Spa Sales to Fit YourBudget Spa Covers and Custom Lifts Pool & Spa Care After the Sale Lots of Accessories for Your Spa Custom Maintenance Plans Special Orders Available

www.BigSkyHotTubs.com Outfitter #614 :: Established 1988 Fly Shop Located 1/2 mile South of the Stop Light Hwy 191, Big Sky, MT 59716

(406) 995-4892 • NordicHotTub@aol.com

406-995-2975 :: 800-423-4742

47520 Gallatin Rd. • Big Sky, MT 59716

www.WildTroutOutfitters.com

WEST YELLOWSTONE

Hwy 287 to Ennis Otter Banks

Otter Banks Yellowstone Alpen Guides See Yellowstone

76

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

VISIT WEST YELLOWSTONE Less than an hour south of Big Sky, surrounded by mountains, sits the small town of West Yellowstone, Montana. West Yellowstone, Montana is located at the west gate to Yellowstone National Park and is the closest destination community to Yellowstone’s Old Faithful and geyser areas.

WEST

West Yellowstone is open year-round offering a full array of lodging, restaurant, retail, and activities that vary by the season. It’s also home to the accredited Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center with daily naturalist talks and movies, and the chance to see grizzlies, wolves, and raptors in their natural habitat. Open 365 days a year, a trip to the GWDC guarantees a grizzly or wolf sighting. Check www. destinationyellowstone.com for a calendar of current activities, events and attractions, as well as the most current road and weather reports.

Stop at the West Yellowstone Visitor Center (30 Yellowstone Avenue) for area information, park passes and back country permits, and the latest wildlife sightings. West Yellowstone also has a number of professional Yellowstone tour companies that offer a choice of tours given by local, interpretive guides, specialists at knowing the best wildlife and photography spots in the park.

Yellowstone

AN ADVENTURE FOR E VERY SE ASON Story by: JAN STODDARD with stock photography

77

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

right next door with its famous geysers, wildlife and waterfalls, there’s adventure to be found just to the West Hebgen Lake, with its miles and miles of shoreline offers camping, boating, canoeing and some of the best fishing around. Or, take an afternoon and learn to kayak on this clear mountain lake surrounded by beautiful mountains.

Just beyond is Earthquake Lake, formed the night in 1959 that a 7.5 quake rocked the Madison Valley and a mountain fell. Don’t miss the movies and displays at the USFS Earthquake Lake Visitor Center is open (free admission) from Memorial Day to Labor Day each summer.

With summer comes a choice of activities, from the weekly Wild West Yellowstone Rodeo, to the Playmill Theatre productions, a free “Music in the Park” concert series, the Yellowstone Historic Museum Center, daily Yellowstone Ranger talks. The Yellowstone Nature Connection, located at the east end of the Visitor Center parking lot, features three programs just for kids including the 10 AM, Yellowstone Nature Connection Kid’s Smokejumper Program where kids 6 and up can learn about smokejumpers and fire ecology, tools, parachutes, equipment used, and the physical fitness required to fight wild land fires. A Naturalist program is also held at 1:00 and 3:00 PM.

Is being in a parade on your bucket list? Here is your chance! Join in the West Yellowstone July 4th Parade where anyone can be in the parade. Then, join the free music and food at the City Park, followed by an incredible fireworks display set against a backdrop of mountains.

Spring’s Babes, Bears, and Bikes

Spring is a time of change and renewal in West Yellowstone. From mid-March to mid-April, the west entrance to Yellowstone opens to people-powered vehicles only. These “cycle-only” days also bikers to see the first splashes of color as green sedges and bright yellow monkey-flowers emerge amidst dwindling snow banks. Bison trudge along the roads and elk feed along the rivers.

May brings bison calves and bison jams on the roadways. Bison begin calving in mid-April and by May you can start to see hundreds of bright reddish-brown calves among the bison herds. The bison gather in traditional “nursery” areas such as Fountain Flats just north of Old Faithful or in areas along rivers such as Lamar and Hayden Valleys.

It’s the best time for bear sightings as grizzly and black bears make their way down from higher elevations to the meadows and rivers. Where else but Yellowstone can you have a ringside seat to witness the sheer strength of a bear tearing apart a rotten tree stump or carcass?

And, then just a few miles later, watch as a sow gently nosing her wayward cubs across a busy road with everyone stopped for the first “bear jam” of the season?

Summer’s Endless Adventures

When it comes to summertime activities the West Yellowstone area is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. The long summer days provide visitors unlimited access to explore and play in the splendor of the high country. You can fish blue ribbon streams, hike in pristine wilderness, experience real western horseback riding, go whitewater rafting or mountain bike on hundreds of miles of single track and forest service roads.

In addition to the regal Yellowstone National Park

Amazing Autumn

Fall brings spectacular scenery and the annual elk mating season where huge bull elk battle for their harems with eerie echoing bugles across wide valleys. Cooler fall 78

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

SEE

YELLOWSTONE OUR INTERPRETIVE GUIDES MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE We are the leader with over 25 years experience in: - Personalized custom private tours.

- Family and group tours.

- Adventure and backcountry tours.

- Sea Kayak tours.

yellowstoneguides.com

800.858.3502 West Yellowstone, Montana

BigSky_AlpenGuidesHalf.indd 1

6/4/15 2:43 PM

DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE FOR MULTIPLE TOURS, GROUPS AND CUSTOM PACKAGES.

CALL TODAY! TOURS ACTIVITIES LODGING PACKAGES

Give one of our Vacation Planning Specialists a call today.

We will be happy to help you plan the perfect vacation or weekend getaway. From lodging, tours, activities and package deals, our team can help you create the perfect itinerary.

800.221.1151 BigSky_SYC_Half.indd 1

217 YELLOWSTONE AVENUE WEST YELLOWSTONE, MONTANA 59758 79

6/4/15 3:52 PM

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

temperatures create spectacular photo opportunities at Old Faithful and other geysers in Yellowstone Park. It’s the best time of the year for mountain biking, road cycling, hiking, and photography in Yellowstone and the surrounding National Forests.

Spawning runs of big brown and battling rainbow trout from Hebgen Lake up the Madison, Gallatin, and Firehole Rivers make West Yellowstone the prime fishing destination each fall earning the title as one of the “Top 10 Trout Towns in America” by Forbes Magazine. Even a rainy fall day is fun with a visit to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. Meet the two wolf packs or different resident grizzly bears, observe the raptors, talk to a Naturalist, and check out the “Keeper Kids Program.”

Next door is the movie, “Yellowstone,” playing daily at the Yellowstone Theater with a six story movie screen.

The end of September features the annual West Yellowstone Old Faithful Cycle Tour. This roundtrip cycle ride circles through Yellowstone National Park from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful and back. With feed stations along the way and a snag wagon to grab a lift if you get tired, it is the perfect family cycling event. Or, join the Pineneedle Stampede – a half-marathon that takes place entirely on groomed forest service trails.

The third weekend in January features a national Ice Fishing Tournament on Hebgen Lake, just north of town.

This is winter’s equivalent of summer’s big time bass and walleye tournaments, filled with seminars, a kid’s workshop and the fishing competition itself. The West Yellowstone/Hebgen Lake Tournament, like all NAIFC qualifiers, is a three-day event consisting of two-thirds education and one-third competition, with a maximum entry of 150 two-person teams.

Winter events in West Yellowstone range from dog sled races to cross country ski races, the annual Yellowstone Ski Festival each Thanksgiving and Rendezvous Race the first weekend of March.

The popular, award winning Kids’N’Snow program takes place one weekend each winter month. It offers very affordable activities for kids and winter (both outdoors and indoors). Snowshoe with a ranger, learn to cross country ski, free ice skating (and skates) and make your own S’mores on Saturday evenings, or take a “Snowcoach Sampler” into Yellowstone Park. A full list of activities is posted each month at www.kidsnsnow.org.

Wintry Wonderland

With an average of 143” of snow every year and 184 days of snow, West Yellowstone has earned its place as one of the “Top Ten Winter Towns” by National Geographic Traveler.

The extensive groomed trail and off-trail winter is another reason West Yellowstone is always one of the “Best Snowmobile Destinations in the West”.

The Rendezvous Ski Trail system starts right in West Yellowstone and offers a groomed 35KM trail, usually groomed daily and available from November through April. The new Boundary Ski Trail (pet-friendly) and Yellowstone Park’s Riverside Trail also start from West Yellowstone.

If you’re fortunate enough to experience Yellowstone in the winter, you’re in for a rare treat. The snow covered landscape, frozen waterfalls and frosted trees when, contrasted with geysers and other geothermal features, create a surreal winterscape. If you’re lucky enough to venture into the backcountry, you will encounter a quiet calm that for some is a transcendental experience.

West Yellowstone tour companies offer over the snow day-long tours into Yellowstone via snowmobile or snowcoach. Tours begin on December 15th and end on March 15th each winter, weather dependent. Snowmobile tours include all the equipment and clothing that you will need for a day in the park.

Outside the park there are millions of acres of public lands for snowmobilers and cross-country skiers to explore. Explore over 400 hundred miles of groomed snowmobile trails by West Yellowstone and the State of Idaho in the surrounding National Forests.

80

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

CAPTURING THE

Yellowstone Area

AND BEYOND!

© Jeremy Weber

PHOTOGRAPHY NAME Jeremy Weber

West Yellowstone News Editor/Photographer

WEBSITE www.flickr.com/photos/ jeremyweber/albums PHONE 903-434-9795 EMAIL doublejwebers@yahoo.com

81

© Jeremy Weber

BIG SKY GUIDE - SUMMER 2015

© Jeremy Weber

© Jeremy Weber

© Jeremy Weber

© Jeremy Weber

© Jeremy Weber

© Jeremy Weber

© Jeremy Weber 82