Explore Big Sky - January 14 to 27, 2022

January 14 - 27, 2022 Volume 13 // Issue #1

Wildlife suffers from Canyon traffic Ennis schools propose $59M bond Big Horns clock big wins, some losses

Ideas Fest, TEDx return to Big Sky Local dispensaries reflect on booming business Laugh Fest instills humor in current events

TABLE OF CONTENTS

January 14 - 27, 2022 Volume 13, Issue No. 1

Owned and published in Big Sky, Montana

OPINION ................................................................... 4 LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS .................................................6 LOCAL.........................................................................8 REGIONAL ................................................................11 OP NEWS ..................................................................14 SPORTS .....................................................................17 ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS...............................18

PUBLISHER Eric Ladd | eric@theoutlawpartners.com

EDITORIAL

8

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, VP MEDIA Joseph T. O’Connor | joe@theoutlawpartners.com SENIOR EDITOR Bella Butler | bella@theoutlawpartners.com STAFF WRITER Gabrielle Gasser | gabrielle@theoutlawpartners.com DIGITAL PRODUCER Tucker Harris | tucker@theoutlawpartners.com

10

CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR Marisa Opheim | marisa@theoutlawpartners.com SENIOR DESIGNER Trista Hillman | trista@theoutlawpartners.com

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Megan Paulson | megan@theoutlawpartners.com CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Treston Wold | treston@theoutlawpartners.com

VP OF MARKETING Blythe Beaubien | blythe@theoutlawpartners.com

VIDEO DIRECTOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER Seth Dahl | seth@theoutlawpartners.com CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGIST Mira Brody | mira@theoutlawpartners.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT Sara Sipe | sara@theoutlawpartners.com

Local dispensaries reflect on booming business With nearly two weeks of booming business under their belts, Big Sky dispensary owners are adapting to a recreational market. As demand exceeds expectations, supply comes into question for these three local businesses.

17

Big Horns clock big wins, some losses

18

Wildlife suffers from Canyon traffic

34

Laugh Fest instills humor in current events

MEDIA AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Ersin Ozer | ersin@theoutlawpartners.com MARKETING COORDINATOR Sophia Breyfogle | sophia@theoutlawpartners.com

Ennis School District is proposing a $59 million dollar bond issue intended to support an ambitious expansion of the Ennis school facilities. Among the electorate to approve or deny the bond are registered Big Sky voters residing in Madison County, who make up almost 12 percent of the Ennis School District voting bloc. Ballots for the upcoming Madison County election will be mailed on Jan. 20 and must be returned by 8 p.m. on Feb. 8.

14

VP OF SALES EJ Daws | ej@theoutlawpartners.com VP OF EVENTS Ennion Williams | ennion@theoutlawpartners.com

Ennis schools propose $59M bond

Ideas Fest, TEDx return to Big Sky

GRAPHIC DESIGNER ME Brown | maryelizabeth@theoutlawpartners.com

SALES AND OPERATIONS

HEALTH.... ................................................................31 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ......................................33 BUSINESS ................................................................36 FINANCE .................................................................41 DINING .....................................................................43 FUN...........................................................................45

Outlaw Partners, publisher of EBS, will host TEDxBigSky and the Big Sky Ideas Festival from Jan. 27-30. Meet our final round of esteemed speakers, who will each speak on this year’s theme: resilience.

Early season for the Big Horns has yielded both significant wins and hard-fought losses. In this recent basketball update, EBS covers Lone Peak’s matchups against the Lima Bears, Ennis Mustangs and Harrison/Willow Creek Wildcats.

Montana ranks second among all states for most wildlife-vehicle collisions, and the perilous section of U.S. Highway 191 between Bozeman and West Yellowstone is a significant contributor.

As the rapidly growing area continues to explode with human development, experts and residents suggest improvements must be made to the roadway to protect wildlife and drivers.

Roy Wood Jr., a comedian of Comedy Central recognition, brought satirical relief to the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center Stage on Jan. 8, cracking jokes about everything from COVID to gun control. Two hundred people attended Wood Jr.’s rowdy late show to cap off the WMPAC’s two-night Laugh Fest.

ACCOUNTING MANAGER Taylor Erickson | taylor@theoutlawpartners.com

Opening Shot

PROJECT MANAGER Eli Kretzmann | eli@theoutlawpartners.com

Big Sky Rotary has donated and installed food donation pantries at select public locations around Big Sky which are open for food donations and community membersin-need to have access to free food.

Currently, the pantries are set up in the ATM vestibule at First Security Bank and in between Milkie’s Pizza & Pub and By Word of Mouth.

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Meg Koenig | mk@theoutlawpartners.com EVENTS COORDINATOR, RETAIL MANAGER Connor Clemens | connor@theoutlawpartners.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER, LOCAL SALES Patrick Mahoney | patrick@theoutlawpartners.com COPYWRITER Patrick Straub

CONTRIBUTORS Ian Adnerson, Julia Barton, Matthew Brown, Scott Brown, Doug Chabot, Patrick Conroy, Kwame Dawes, Hank Devre, Dan Egan, Jacob W. Frank, Brian Hurlbut, Jeff Lusin, Jason Martin, Scott Mechura, Holly Pippel, Alex Sakariassen, Annie Spratt, Shannon Steele, Brandon Walker, Cy Whitling, Todd Wilkinson, Emily Stifler Wolfe

ON THE COVER: Longtime Gallatin Valley local and photographer Holly Pippel has been following the movement of elk herds near Gallatin Gateway on Highway 191 and its offshoots for years from behind the lens of her camera. A recent corridor study found that nearly a quarter of the 1,077 vehicle crashes from 2009 to 2018 were related to wildlife collisions. PHOTO BY HOLLY PIPPEL

EDITORIAL POLICIES EDITORIAL POLICY Outlaw Partners, LLC is the sole owner of Explore Big Sky. EBS reserves the right to edit all submitted material. Printed material reflects the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the opinion of Outlaw Partners or its editors.

EBS will not publish anything discriminatory or in bad taste.

EBS welcomes obituaries written by family members or from funeral homes. To place an obituary, please submit 500 words or less to media@theoutlawpartners.com.

#explorebigsky

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor allow EBS readers to express views and share how they would like to effect change. These are not Thank You notes.

Letters should be 250 words or less, respectful, ethical, accurate, and proofread for grammar and content. We reserve the right to edit letters and will not publish individual grievances about specific businesses or letters that are abusive, malicious or potentially libelous. Include: full name, address, phone number and title. Submit to media@outlaw.partners.

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ADVERTISING DEADLINE For the January 28, 2022 issue: January 19, 2022 CORRECTIONS Please report errors to media@outlaw.partners.

OUTLAW PARTNERS & EXPLORE BIG SKY P.O. Box 160250, Big Sky, MT 59716 (406) 995-2055 • media@outlaw.partners © 2022 Explore Big Sky unauthorized reproduction prohibited

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4 January 14 - 27, 2022

OPINION

Explore Big Sky

Op-Ed:

Gallatin County commissioners introduce new county judge GALLATIN COUNTY COMMISSION

With the ringing in of the New Year, we have much to be thankful for and a lot to look forward to in 2022 in Gallatin County!

One of the things we are most grateful for is our newest judge, Andrew Breuner, who has joined the ranks as our fourth District Court judge in Gallatin County.

With a growing population, our three District Courts—which handle the most serious of our citizens’ issues—have been handling rapidly increasing caseloads for years. With more cases on their plates, our three judges have been working to the best of their abilities to get cases adjudicated in a timely fashion. But there are only so many hours in a day and cases, especially our civil ones, have unfortunately been taking longer to resolve. No one wants to spend additional time in the court system if they can help it.

Thankfully, the 2021 Montana Legislature recognized this issue and awarded us a fourth District Court judge to help tackle our county’s every-increasing caseloads. This is the first time since 2005 we have added a District Court judge in our county. It is a big deal.

Gov. Greg Gianforte recently appointed Belgrade Municipal Court Judge Andrew Breuner to become our county’s fourth judge, and he was sworn in on Jan. 3.

We greatly look forward to working with Judge Breuner and congratulate him on his appointment to continue serving our citizens.

With our additional judge comes the need for additional space, which leads us to the second thing we are most grateful for this year.

ILLUSTRATION BY CY WHITLING

We are so very appreciative of the Gallatin County voters who approved the bond to replace our aging Law and Justice Center, which houses our county’s District and Justice courts, with a new courts facility that will serve our citizens for decades to come.

We do not take asking taxpayers for money lightly, but this was a dire need that we are so happy to finally be able to tackle in the coming years.

The county will likely break ground on the new courts facility this summer and the building will take a couple years to complete. After the new building is constructed, operations will be transitioned over, then the Law and Justice Center will be demolished.

This new building will have an additional District Court courtroom for our newest judge, and space for additional judges we may be awarded by the state in the years to come.

In the meantime, we will make room in our current facility for Judge Breuner and his staff among our other judges. They have all graciously agreed to be flexible working within the confines of our current building until more adequate space is available, something we greatly appreciate.

Again, we are excited for the future of our county’s court system and look forward to sharing more updates as we progress with the new courts facility.

Wishing you a happy and healthy start to 2022! Thank you, taxpayers, for partnering with us as we strive to make strategic investments in Gallatin County’s future. It is an honor to work for you, and with you, as we collectively look to the future!

BETTER TOGETHER A biweekly District bulletin In early November, the District released a guide to understanding taxes in Big Sky. The following is an overview from the guide. To read the full guide and learn more visit: ResortTax.org/Tax-Ed/

BIG SKY RESORT AREA DISTRICT Resort Tax

HOW MUCH? 4%* $7,671,899 collected in 2020 *1% is committed for Infrastructure, and currently funding community water & sewer upgrades

Resort Tax Fund Distribution

(percentages based on Award history since 1993) 10%

7%

24%

16%

WHO PAYS? Those purchasing luxury goods and services sold in the District.

WHO COLLECTS? Local businesses collect and remit (not pay), retaining 5% for administrative processing.

WHERE DOES IT GO? 100% to Big Sky

STATE OF MONTANA Lodging Facility Sales & Use Tax

12%

Public Safety (24%) Infrastructure (30%) Economic Development (12%)

30%

Conservation & Recreation (16%) Community Development & Social Services (10%) Housing (7%)

“Use” Tax Fund Distribution

(Established annual percentage based on Montana Statute)

HOW MUCH? 8% $61,531,300* collected in 2020 • 4% “Use” Tax • 4% “Sales” Tax WHO PAYS? Those purchasing short-term lodging (hotels, motels, campgrounds, vacation rentals, dude ranches, etc.) in Montana.

0.5% 0.7% 1% 1.4%

2.5% 2.6%

63%

6.5%

22.5%

WHO COLLECTS? Lodging establishments WHERE DOES IT GO? “USE” TAX: See chart “SALES” TAX: 75% towards the State General Fund, and, until 2025, 25% towards the construction of the Montana Heritage Center and historic preservation grants.

Property Tax Formula ((MV x TR) x TML) + NMLT = Taxes Owed • The Market Value (MV) of property is determined by statute and assessment by the Montana Department of Revenue.

• The Tax Rate (TR) varies according to the property class, the residential rate is 1.35% • The Total Mill Levy (TML) is based on a property’s value and applicable mills. The amount of mills each entity can levy is determined in several ways.

• The Non Mill Levied Taxes (NMLT) are other applicable taxes unrelated to mills.

Regions/CVBs (22.5%) Fish, Wildlife, & Parks (6.5%) Historical Interpretation (2.6%) University System (ITRR) (2.5%)

Aquatic Invasive Species (1.4%) Historical Society (1%) DOR Tax Admin & State Employee Reimbursement (0.7%) Tribal Tourism (0.5%) Montana Office of Tourism & Development (63%)

GALLATIN & MADISON COUNTIES Property Tax

HOW MUCH? % variable based on tax formula • Madison County: $46,537,891 collected in 2020 • $31,740,720 collected from Big Sky • Gallatin County: $187,502,399 • $14,106,771 collected from Big Sky

WHO PAYS? Property owners, including landowners, homeowners, and business owners.

WHO COLLECTS? Gallatin & Madison Counties WHERE DOES IT GO? Property taxes fund all governmental levels (State, County, and Local).

STATE: General Fund (Including State Schools and Universities) COUNTY: Infrastructure, health & human services, public safety, county administration, and more LOCAL: Depends upon voter-approved mills and location of property.

Administered by the Big Sky Resort Area District, Resort Tax is a 4% tax on luxury goods & services.

OUR VISION: “Big Sky is BETTER TOGETHER as a result of wise investments, an engaged community, and the pursuit of excellence.”

Info@ResortTax.org | ResortTax.org | 406.995.3234 |

6 January 14 - 27, 2022

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS

Despite championship loss, MSU football celebrates banner season EBS STAFF BOZEMAN – Montana State University fell to North Dakota State 38-10 at the FCS National Championship football game on Saturday, Jan. 8. The Bison outplayed the Bobcats on the ground, rushing for 380 yards and preventing MSU from scoring a touchdown for the first 55 minutes.

Bobcat starting quarterback Tommy Mellott, a true freshman, sustained an injury at the end of the opening drive and did not see the field again. Tucker Rovig took over at quarterback, completing a 29-yard touchdown pass to Lance McCutcheon with five minutes and eight seconds remaining in the game.

Despite the loss, MSU football had a positive year ending their season 12-3 overall and making their first national championship appearance since 1984. Before the national championship game, MSU’s defense held opponents to fewer than 22 points per game all season.

MSU senior linebacker Troy Anderson earned the FCS ADA Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

Bobcat junior running back Isaiah Ifanse set MSU’s single-season rushing record during the quarterfinal game against Sam Houston with a total of 1,623 yards in the 2021 season. He averaged 118.4 rushing yards per game.

Explore Big Sky

Big Sky Rotary adds food donation pantries in Big Sky EBS STAFF BIG SKY – Big Sky Rotary recently donated and installed Little Food Pantries at select public locations in Big Sky for food donations and to provide free food to community members in need.

Currently, the pantries are set up in the ATM vestibule at First Security Bank and in the breezeway between Milkie’s Pizza & Pub and By Word of Mouth. The Rotary Club of Big Sky is looking to place two more pantries in Big Sky in the near future: one at the BASE community center and another near Big Sky Resort.

“We loved the Little Food Pantry project because, like the Little Library Project which allows folks to share books, this initiative allows many members of the community to get engaged in supporting those in need,” Laura Seyfang, Rotary Club of Big Sky’s youth service and membership director, wrote in an email to EBS. “People can leave their extras and know they are helping someone who is struggling to get by.”

“We know that helping local workers with their food needs in the expensive environment is a WIN for the whole community,” wrote Sefang, adding that Big Sky Rotary strives to serve the Big Sky community and focus on growing local economies.

The Big Sky Food Bank will monitor the stocking of the pantries and ensure appropriate items are in there, adding as needed from their main office location stores.

NPS announces free entrance days for 2022

Big Sky man charged with raping 13-year-old

EBS STAFF

EBS STAFF

The National Park Service will have five entrance fee-free days in 2022. These free admission dates are meant to encourage visitation in an accessible way, allowing everyone to discover America’s parks.

BIG SKY – A Big Sky man appeared in court on Jan. 10 after being accused of raping a 13-year-old girl, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported on Jan. 10.

Free entrance dates this year are: • • • • •

Monday, Jan. 17 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day Saturday, April 16 – First day of National Park Week Thursday, Aug. 4 – Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act Saturday, Sept. 24 – National Public Lands Day Friday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day

“Whether on an entrance fee-free day or throughout the year, we encourage everyone to discover their national parks and the benefits that come from spending time outdoors,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams in a Dec. 28 news release. “National parks are for everyone, and we are committed to increasing access and providing opportunities for all to experience the sense of wonder, awe and refreshment that comes with a visit to these treasured landscapes and sites.”

In 2020, approximately 237 million people visited a national park in the U.S., spending $14.5 billion in the parks’ local communities. The parks supported 234,000 jobs across the country and created a $28.6 billion impact on the country’s economy.

Mason Suppes, 21, was charged with sexual intercourse without consent. Suppes appeared in Gallatin County Justice Court by video from Gallatin County Detention Center, where Judge Bryan Adams set his bail at $150,000.

The charge stems from an accusation that Suppes allegedly forced the girl to have sexual intercourse with him multiple times while the girl and her family were staying in Big Sky last July.

The girl disclosed the incidents to her parents in November and the family, who resides in Yellowstone County, reported the incidents to the Billings Police Department.

Last month, one of the girl’s parents provided law enforcement with videos and screenshots of messages, including a message where Suppes asked the girl to send him an explicit photo, according to the court documents.

Suppes told law enforcement he had been in contact with her and did have sexual contact with her, though he did not admit to the full extent of allegations expressed in the arresting documents.

Community contributes to successful Giving Tree EBS STAFF

BIG SKY – This year’s Giving Tree in the Big Sky Post Office provided 55 children with toys, books, clothing and shoes over the holiday season. In addition to presents, each family received a food hamper from Roxy’s Market, homemade cookies from the Hungry Moose and a Country Market gift coupon.

On Dec. 20, more than 35 volunteers showed up at Bucks T-4 Lodge to wrap the presents.

“The Big Sky Fire Department showed up en force to wrap and deliver the

hampers and gifts,” according to a statement from the Big Sky Rotary Club, which sponsored the Giving Tree. “I think they actually had a small competition going on for best wrappers. All the other elves came from the Big Sky community and really got into the spirit of the night.”

From the East Slope Outdoors, local schools, Morning Star Learning Center, Big Sky Discovery Academy, Ophir School and American Bank to numerous individuals who went above and beyond, the community helped fulfill family Christmas wishes and create a successful Giving Tree.

7 January 14 - 27, 2022

LOCAL

Explore Big Sky

LO C AT E D I N BOZEMAN’S NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD WILDLANDSBOZEMAN.COM

8 January 14 - 27, 2022

LOCAL

Explore Big Sky

Ennis schools propose $59M bond Big Sky voters could pay 87 percent

BY GABRIELLE GASSER

“I found out about it through a friend,” she wrote in an email to EBS. “I know of another family who said they had something show up in their mail, however, that was not the case with us. Once I saw the PDF brochure it was clear there is a plan established and they are going for it.”

ENNIS – Ennis School District #52 is proposing the third largest bond ever in the state of Montana in the upcoming Feb. 8 mail-in Madison County election.

Among the electorate to approve or deny the bond are registered Big Sky voters residing in Madison County, who make up almost 12 percent of the Ennis School District voting bloc and contribute roughly 87 percent of the district’s property tax base, according to data from the Montana Department of Revenue based on levy districts.

The $59 million bond is intended to support an ambitious expansion of the Ennis school facilities including a new building, new gym and improvements to the existing junior high school wing. According to Ennis Schools Superintendent Casey Klasna, the district’s bonding capacity, or legal debt margin, is $355,324,820, a figure calculated as 100 percent of the district’s total taxable value less any outstanding debt.

The $59 million bond measure is 16.6 percent of the district’s overall bonding capacity.

Morris encouraged every Big Sky resident in Madison County to view the proposal and to see if it makes sense.

School board trustees from Ennis School District and Big Sky School District sat down together for a joint meeting on Jan. 5. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER

During the meeting, the discussion quickly turned to how the Ennis district could better inform Big Sky voters on the bond issue.

The existing high school building, built in 1971, is not meeting space and infrastructure needs, Klasna said, is not handicapped accessible and is not compliant with current building code. The district’s concern is that growth will outpace the existing facility, which is already overcrowded with classes held in every available space, according to Klasna. One such example is a raised platform located in the center of the high school building over the library where world language classes take place.

“When you’re asked to pay more taxes to an entity that you’re not benefiting from, there will always be pushback,” said BSSD trustee Stacy Ossorio during the discussion.

As the evening progressed, several Ennis residents offered comments including Maria Marzullo, a former school board member and longtime community member.

“I, as a retired widowed homeowner, will receive no benefit from what this district wants to do,” Marzullo said in response to the concern raised by Ossorio. “I love children. I love education. I think the biggest investment we can make in our life is to educate our children. There are a lot of voters who are not going to personally benefit from anything whether they’re in the Big Sky area or the Ennis area.”

“The bottom line is we are doing this for our students and our education,” Klasna said. He emphasized the importance of providing quality education and a “positive and safe learning environment for students.”

Klasna said space is at a premium for the 411 students enrolled in the district. He explained that the junior high students are being pushed out of the building they share with the elementary school and into the high school building.

From last school year to now, Klasna said enrollment has increased by about 8 percent. The district’s plan is based on a 10-year Cohort Survival Method which predicts that enrollment will increase to as many as 680 students in 2031, a 65 percent increase from current enrollment.

Data provided by the Montana Department of Revenue. GRAPHIC BY ME BROWN

Kelley Knack, assistant girls’ basketball coach and Ennis community member, also weighed in.

“I feel that our communities are very entwined, and I think we always piggyback off the success of the other,” she said.

Knack’s comments echoed a larger discussion theme: consideration of how the Big Sky and Ennis communities interact and can learn from each other’s experiences.

The original high school building was built as an open concept and partitions were later added between classrooms that Klasna said do nothing to prevent sound leaking between classes. If the bond passes, construction on the expansion would start in June of 2023 and would finish in August of 2025.

The impact on taxpayers will be approximately $114 annually for a home with an assessed market value for tax purposes of $344,000, the median value of a home in the district. Based on current taxable values and interest rates, the 20-year bond will be broken into approximately 24.55 mills per year.

“As a result of geographical barriers, and not through open enrollment, BSSD #72 is the school our kids go to —yet we do not enjoy the right to vote on [BSSD] school bonds, for school board members or even run for school board ourselves,” Morris wrote. “We would like for the state to consider redrawing the school district lines to incorporate all current and future homes where, because of geographic barriers, have or could have students end up at BSSD.”

BSSD trustees urged the Ennis board to provide more information on the upcoming bond to Big Sky voters through a meet-and-greet event to show voters where their money would go. Bough also encouraged Ennis trustees to consider the annual expenses required to upkeep the new facility, which he said would likely appear before voters every year as additional dollar requests.

Ennis K-12 Schools Superintendent Casey Klasna gives a tour of the current facilities. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER

Though Ennis School District’s 441 Big Sky voters comprise approximately 12 percent of the district’s total 3,701 voters, Big Sky property owners in the district will pay an amount of the bond proportionate to the taxable value of the levy districts. That amount is currently 87 percent but could fluctuate over the years based on changes in taxable values.

To address this overlap with the Big Sky community, the Ennis School District Board of Trustees hosted a meeting with the Big Sky School District Board of Trustees on Jan. 5 to open a dialogue between the two districts, and to allow BSSD trustees to tour the Ennis school facilities.

During the meeting, BSSD Board Chair Loren Bough shared data on the Madison County portion of Big Sky as well as voter sentiments and comments the school board has heard.

One voting resident in the Madison County portion of Big Sky, Heather Morris, shared in a Jan. 12 interview with EBS that she felt out of the loop when the Ennis School District was creating a plan for the proposed bond.

“I’m just super appreciative that you’re willing to have this meeting and I thought the way forward is just the sharing of ideas and communication,” Bough said in the meeting.

The joint school board meeting concluded with an agreement that the two school boards will create a joint subcommittee or working group that includes members from both boards that will continue to meet and have an open dialogue.

“I thought that the meeting was very productive and apparent that both school boards want a great educational system in place for kids,” Klasna wrote in an emailed statement.

“Having a good relationship with neighboring schools is important.”

Ballots for the upcoming election will be mailed on Jan. 20 and must be returned by 8 p.m. on Feb. 8. Ballots postmarked on Feb. 8 but received later will not be counted.

Ennis K-12 Schools will host an Open House on Saturday, Jan. 20 from 1-3 p.m. in the Ennis High School lobby to tour Ennis shareholders through the facility and answer questions.

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10 January 14 - 27, 2022

Explore Big Sky

Marijuana demand ‘exceeded expectations’ for Big Sky dispensary owners Dispensaries cope with supply concerns as business blooms

BY BELLA BUTLER

recreational marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, meaning product can’t be sourced from outside the state.

BIG SKY – The floodgates opened on Jan. 1 for recreational marijuana sales and Big Sky’s three dispensaries are celebrating success while planning for the future of an exploding industry.

State shops raked in a collective total of more than $1.5 million on opening weekend of recreational sales according to reporting by the Missoulian, adding more than $313,000 in tax revenue to state coffers. Big Sky dispensary owners said nearly two weeks in, demand from recreational customers has been greater than anticipated, putting their businesses in the same boat as others statewide now concerned over supply.

“We’re not sure if there is going to be enough because I feel like the demand is pretty high,” she said.

Miller said Greener Pastures, which has additional locations in Bozeman and Missoula, will continue to exclusively sell its own products but will add a growing operation in Logan to support its current facility in Bozeman.

Tanya Simonson, co-owner of Big Sky dispensary Herbaceous, helps a customer at her West Fork location. PHOTO BY BELLA BUTLER

“I just was shocked at the number of people that were coming into the store,” said Charlie Gaillard, owner of Big Sky dispensary LPC.

Montana Free Press recently reported a story about medical users’ concerns that the blow recreational users have delivered to state supply will negatively impact availability to the state’s approximately 55,000 medical marijuana cardholders.

Tanya Simonson, co-owner of Herbaceous, and Shine Miller, manager of Greener Pastures, each described lines out the door on Jan. 1. Simonson said on opening day her shop hosted around 150 people and has continued to bring in closer to 80 customers per day since. She added that these customers can’t be summed up in one archetype; they range from construction workers in their 20s to retirees in their 70s.

“We did have a lot of [medical patients] stock up prior to January 1 I think just for that reason,” Simonson said, though she’s hopeful it won’t become an issue.

“It’s been busier than we expected,” she said. “Right now we’re just trying to balance the amount of demand that we’ve got with product.”

The medical marijuana market in Montana up until 2022 was vertically integrated, meaning dispensaries could only sell products that they grew and produced. Legislation permitting recreational sales allows the market to integrate horizontally, so dispensaries can now purchase wholesale products from other growers and producers.

The three dispensaries in Big Sky all operated as medical marijuana dispensaries prior to Jan. 1. Simonson and Gaillard estimated that since the start of the year, more than 80 percent of their business serves recreational customers with the remainder being medical patients. Miller similarly estimated the split at Greener Pastures is roughly 75 percent recreational and 25 percent medical.

At Greener Pastures, recreational and medical marijuana is displayed separately. The dispensary’s manager, Shine Miller, said maintaining stock for medical patients is a priority for Greener Pastures. PHOTO BY BELLA BUTLER

Gaillard said LPC, which has locations in West Yellowstone, Bozeman and Ennis in addition to Big Sky, has already brought in products from another producer to his shelves to help with supply concerns and plans to introduce more brands to his stores soon.

Herbaceous, which has another store in Butte near its farm, currently only sells Herbaceous products, but Simonson said building partnerships with other producers and growers to bolster her supply isn’t out of the question.

“If it continues to be as busy as it has been,” she said, “I believe that we will have to buy from other people.”

Simonson added that she’s still unsure if this solution will be sufficient. Montana House Bill 701, the legislation establishing the framework for the new industry, gave existing producers 18 months to operate before new licenses can be issued. On top of that,

Gaillard said he doesn’t think medical cardholders will have issues sourcing products, though since recreational customers are a bigger piece of the market, medical products will still be there but may be available in lesser quantities at LPC moving forward.

Inside Greener Pastures, medical and recreational products are displayed in different cases. Miller explained this separation has two purposes. First, recreational edible products are statutorily limited to 100 milligrams of THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, whereas the limit does not apply to medical products. Second, the shop intends to ensure that product is reserved for medical patients.

“It’s a prescription and it’s a medical card so they are a priority for us,” Miller said. “We started out as a medical company and we had medical patients and we want to keep them happy.”

On Jan. 12 in Herbaceous, most customers saddled up to the counter with both products for purchase and questions: What’s the tax? How much can I buy?

Simonson said many recreational customers are still riding a learning curve, but so are dispensaries, and for good reason; the 153-page House Bill 701 is extensive, covering everything from cultivation and sales to licensing and transportation.

“We’re just trying to figure it out day to day,” she said.

Bozeman Yellowstone International sets all-time record at 1.94 million passengers in 2021 BOZEMAN YELLOWSTONE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BOZEMAN – Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport handled an all-time record 1,940,191 passengers during 2021. This is an increase of 118.1 percent over COVID-impacted 2020 and a 23.3 percent increase over the previous record of 1,573,860 set in 2019. Over 40 percent of passengers traveling to or from Montana traveled through Bozeman in 2021. On a national basis, the Transportation Security Administration reported a 31.1 percent decline in passenger throughput across 440 United States airports for 2021 compared to 2019.

“BZN has been fortunate to see a very robust recovery in passenger traffic with record-setting passenger levels since April 2021,” said Brian Sprenger, airport director. “It is estimated the increase in passengers in 2021 generated nearly $200 million in additional economic activity for southwest Montana compared to 2019.”

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REGIONAL

The addition of Southwest Airlines to the market with access to their network and passenger loyalty was a highlight of 2021. In addition, nearly every airline serving BZN added additional destinations during the year including new seasonal non-stop markets such as San Diego, Austin and Washington, D.C. Also fueling the increase in passengers was the average aircraft size serving BZN increased from 99 seats in 2020 to 124 seats in 2021.

The Air Traffic Control Tower handled an all-time record 116,055 aircraft operations during the year, up 11.5 percent. Business aviation operations increased 27.4 percent to 15,288. General aviation accounts for 63 percent of aircraft operations, scheduled passenger and cargo airline service accounts for approximately 24 percent with business aviation accounting for the remaining 13 percent. There were 107 general aviation international arrivals handled at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office at BZN during the year compared to 98 during 2020.

BZN added two new passenger boarding bridges and began construction of a new $23 million dollar in-line baggage handling system which will incorporate the newest TSA technology for baggage screening. Fourteen new private hangars were constructed during 2021 with an additional 16 either under construction or in the design phase.

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BZN also began construction of a new ramp, roadway and infrastructure on the north side of the airport to serve our thriving flight schools. BZN is the seventh busiest airport in the 7-state Northwest Region of the country, the region including Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, and the 86th busiest airport in the nation in terms of passengers.

Passenger totals in and out by airline brand in 2021 were: • Delta Air Lines - 519,913 • United Airlines - 496,313 • American Airlines - 305,315 • Alaska Airlines - 228,867 • Southwest Airlines - 216,826 • Allegiant Air - 88,894 • JetBlue - 32,087 • Frontier Airlines - 22,157 • Sun Country - 12,912 • Avelo - 12,320 • Chartered Airline Flights - 4,587

Hunters kill 20 Yellowstone wolves that roamed out of park

BY MATTHEW BROWN ASSOCIATED PRESS

BILLINGS – Twenty of Yellowstone National Park’s renowned gray wolves roamed from the park and were shot by hunters in recent months—the most killed by hunting in a single season since the predators were reintroduced to the region more than 25 years ago, according to park officials.

Fifteen wolves were shot after roaming across the park’s northern border into Montana, according to figures released to The Associated Press. Five more died in Idaho and Wyoming. Park officials said in a statement to AP that the deaths mark “a significant setback for the species’ long-term viability and for wolf research.”

One pack—the Phantom Lake Pack—is now considered “eliminated” after most or all of its members were killed over a two-month span beginning in October, according to the park. An estimated 94 wolves remain in Yellowstone. But with months to go in Montana’s hunting season—and wolf trapping season just getting underway—park officials said they expect more wolves to die after roaming from Yellowstone, where hunting is prohibited.

Park Superintendent Cam Sholly first raised concerns last September about wolves dying near the park border. He recently urged Republican Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte to shut down hunting and trapping in the area for the remainder of the season. Sholly cited “the extraordinary number of Yellowstone wolves already killed this hunting season,” in a Dec. 16 letter to Gianforte released to AP under a freedom of information request.

Wolf trapping in the area opened Dec. 21. Under new rules, Montana hunters can use bait such as meat to lure in wolves for killing and trappers can now use snares in addition to leghold traps.

“Allowances for trapping and especially baiting are a major concern, especially if these tactics lure wolves out of the park,” Yellowstone spokesperson Morgan Warthin said.

Urged by Republican lawmakers, Montana wildlife officials last year loosened hunting and trapping rules for wolves statewide. They also eliminated longstanding wolf quota limits in areas bordering the park. The quotas, which Sholly asked Gianforte to reinstate, allowed only a few wolves to be killed along the border annually.

The original quotas were meant to protect packs that draw tourists to Yellowstone from around the world for the chance to see a wolf in the wild. Montana’s efforts to make it easier to kill wolves mirror recent actions by Republicans and conservatives in other states such as Idaho and Wisconsin.

The changes came after hunters and ranchers successfully lobbied to reduce wolf populations that prey on big game herds and occasionally on livestock.

But the states’ increased aggression toward the predators has raised concerns among federal wildlife officials. In September, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it would examine if federal endangered species protections should be restored for more than 2,000 wolves in northern U.S. Rockies states including Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Protections for the region’s wolves were lifted a decade ago, based in part on assurances the states would maintain viable wolf populations.

A representative of the hunting industry said outfitters and guides support the A single female wolf traveling on the winter groomed road. NPS PHOTO / Jacob W. Frank preservation of wolves inside Yellowstone.

But once the animals cross the boundary, sustainable hunting and trapping should be allowed, said Montana Outfitters and Guides Association Executive Director Mac Minard.

“Once a wolf exits the park and enters lands in the State of Montana it may be harvested pursuant to regulations established by the (state wildlife) Commission Minard questioned whether the 20 wolves killed so far this year after leaving under Montana law,” Gianforte wrote.

Yellowstone should even be considered “park wolves.”

Gianforte last year received a warning from a Montana game warden after “That just doesn’t make sense,” he said. “Why aren’t they ‘Montana wolves’ that trapping and shooting a radio-collared wolf about 10 miles north of the park happened to go into the park?” without taking a state-mandated trapper education course. In his response to Sholly, the governor said Montana protects against overhunting through rules adopted by the wildlife commission, which can review hunting seasons if harvest Marc Cooke with the advocacy group Wolves of the Rockies predicted a backlash against Gianforte and the state for not doing more to shield wolves levels top a certain threshold. leaving Yellowstone.

For southwestern Montana, including areas bordering the park, that threshold “People love these animals and they bring in tons of money for the park,” Cooke is 82 wolves. Sixty-four have been killed in that region to date this season, out said. “This boils down to the commercialization of wildlife for a small minority of 150 wolves killed statewide, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. of special interest groups.”

The most recent wolf killing along the Montana-Yellowstone border happened on New Year’s Day. Gianforte, an avid hunter and trapper, did not directly address the request to halt hunting in a Wednesday letter responding to Sholly.

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News from our publisher, Outlaw Partners

TEDxBigSky: Meet the speakers Pt. 4

Introducing the 2022 TEDxBigSky speaker lineup

BY MIRA BRODY

CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGIST

BIG SKY – Solidarity. Responsibility. Fortitude.

We’ve heard a lot of iterations of what resilience means to each of this year’s TEDxBigSky speakers.

This issue, meet Todd Dittmann, who spent 25 years in energy finance; Lisa Senters-McDermott, CEO and founder of Jet Senters Aviation; Ryan Busse, author of the critically acclaimed memoir, “Gunfight”; and Bruce Anfinson, Montana born and raised singer/songwriter who will close out night two with some inspiring tunes.

This year TEDxBigSky is paired with another great Big Sky Ideas Festival featuring a roundtable discussion on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 5:30 p.m. as well as live performances by musicians Monique Benabou and Bruce Anfinson on Friday, Jan. 28 at The Independent at 6 p.m. Be sure to purchase your tickets to all events at tedxbigsky.com.

As we wrap up our speaker introduction series, we’d like to remind you to find your own sense of resilience in life—whether it’s working together to save the planet, start your own company, write some good music or change the culture of our community for the better. Join us at TEDxBigSky this month to start your resilient journey.

Todd Dittmann Todd Dittmann believes that the practice of solidarity is waning in our culture.

“That is unfortunate because if you don’t practice solidarity it actually comes at the cost of personal fulfillment and it comes at a cost to social justice,” Dittmann said.

The cost he will address during his TEDxBigSky talk is that of inaction on climate change, specifically the need to practice solidarity in order to fully transition our energy sources from fossil fuels to Lisa Senters-McDermott “Everybody needs a passion. That’s what keeps life interesting,” the late Betty White wrote in her 2011 book, “If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t).” “If you live without passion, you can go through life without leaving any footprints.”

It’s a quote Lisa Senters-McDermott, private aviation expert and CEO and founder of Jet Senters Aviation, referenced when recounting her path to success. SentersMcDermott will be speaking about resilience as an entrepreneur and how the journey of of climbing to the top has changed over the years with the introduction of technology. Perhaps the greatest contributor to her success, she says, is her belief in trusting her instincts in the face of disbelievers and naysayers.

renewable sources and halt the detrimental effects of climate change and ensure the longevity of humanity. In order to achieve this, he believes, we need solidarity in our country as a whole population, as well as among its leaders.

Dittmann spent more than 25 years in energy finance with investing and board experience in both public and private companies. He joined Angelo Gordon in 2013 to lead the firm’s energy strategy and today is a managing director and member of the firm’s executive committee. He believes there can be a happy ending to the fight against climate change, but that relies on the concept of solidarity.

“When I think of resilience I think of fortitude,” Dittmann said. “And if I’m right about waning solidarity then we live in a culture that’s increasingly selffocused and it takes fortitude not to be so. It takes fortitude not to be selffocused and I think that’s a challenge.”

For her, this success does not come without failure. In fact, according to smallbiztrends.com, entrepreneurs fail an average of four times before succeeding.

“Resilience is essential,” said Senters-McDermott. “You have to follow your gut, trust your instincts and allow yourself to dream.”

She hopes her TEDxBigSky talk is funny, inspiring and enlightening and reaches younger listeners, encouraging them to follow their wildest dreams—all while teaching their parents not to quash those dreams.

“Everyone’s brain functions differently so everyone is unique and capable of achieving different things,” said Senters-McDermott. “That’s the beautiful thing about being an entrepreneur, you can see things different then I can. I’m bringing something to life that no one ever thought of before.”

To Senters-McDermott, resilience means not giving up. She illustrates an image of the old Bozo the Clown punching bag toys—when you punch Bozo, he pops back up. Although humorous, that’s the image she likes to encourage others to feel—the tenacity to get back up, no matter how hard the punch.

OP NEWS

15 January 14 - 27, 2022 Ryan Busse

John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.

It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” It’s a conundrum Busse—a former firearms executive, activist and author of the critically acclaimed memoir, “Gunfight”— believes we’re faced against as a country.

In his TEDxBigSky talk, Busse will talk about what decisions led him to stray from the firearms industry. Once a member of the National Rifle Association, he believes the firearms industry and the politics related to it, combined with a lack of societal responsibility, has created disillusionment around gun culture that is responsible for events like school shootings, inner-city gun violence and domestic terrorists.

“Some of what I’ve said and stances I’ve taken end up being political because that’s just the way things are,” Busse said. “I’m less concerned with Archean laws Bruce Anfinson During his interview with EBS, musician Bruce Anfinson was driving from Helena to Big Sky after a big snowstorm.

“Looking at the wide open spaces and landscapes really feeds a person,” Anfinson said, the sound of his automobile rumbling in the background of the call.

Driving along the open roads of Montana is a fitting scene for the country/folk musician—a lot of his inspiration comes from his home.

Anfinson grew up along the Missouri River in Great Falls and today lives in a home he built himself near Helena recording music (in a studio he also built himself ), raising horses, huckleberries and a family. He has performed all over the world including at the famed Berlin, Germany Volk Festival and has shared a stage

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and what we do to control guns. I’m [more] concerned about irresponsibility and culture and the way in which guns and the power of guns fuel that irresponsibility.”

“The balance between our freedoms and responsibility is really badly out of whack,” he continued.

Busse is also an environmental advocate who served in many leadership roles for conservation organizations including as an advisor to the U.S. Senate Sportsmen’s Caucus and the Biden presidential campaign. He is a proud outdoorsman, gun owner, father and resident of Montana.

Busse believes his idea of rediscovering our responsibility as a country plays well into this year’s theme of resilience.

“Our responsibility as gun owners, or as Montanans, whatever, we’re not going to be very resilient if we don’t integrate reasonability into that,” Busse said.

Learn more at ryanbusseauthor.com

with Merle Haggard, Michael Martin Murphy, Big Sky Mudflaps and many more.

“I guess they’re going to get a stack of my life,” said Anfinson, answering the question of what TEDxBigSky-goers can expect from night two’s musical guest.

“People have told me that I’m authentic and I don’t know what else to be, why would you be anything but yourself ?”

Anfinson’s music paints intimate pictures of the Montana way of life; the people, landscapes and history we love so much. His music is very lyric-heavy, relying on the power of storytelling to make people feel and connect. His idea of resilience: “…keep on keepin’ on. Keep that focus out there, that’s how things get long,” he said.

“I’ve been very fortunate to be able to play around the world a lot,” Anfinson said. “It allows you to see the world through different spectacles, but there’s no place like home to hang your hat.”

Listen, and learn more at charlierussell.com/bruce/index.html

Live performances by TEDx musicians

Monique Benabou & Bruce Anfinson Friday January 28, 2022 6:00 - 7:30 PM at The Independent

Bozeman

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17 January 14 - 27, 2022

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SECTION 2: SPORTS, ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS AND HEALTH Wildlife suffers from increased 191 traffic pg. 18

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: A Rare Place Indeed pg. 26

Seasonal depression pg. 31

Big Horns split basketball games versus Wildcats Boys fall while girls claim commanding victory

BY GABRIELLE GASSER

“The Lady Big Horns spent 26 hours in the gym over the Christmas Break and the results were evident in the implementation of our ‘relentless passing attack,’” wrote Head Coach Loren Bough in an emailed statement. “Ball movement and spacing on the court allowed a number of open 3-point opportunities and our shooting percentage as a team has improved to 20 percent.”

BIG SKY – In an evening full of ups and downs, the two varsity Lone Peak High School basketball teams split the evening with the boys falling to the Harrison/Willow Creek Wildcats and the girls claiming a commanding victory.

The boys took the court first. The Wildcats earned an early lead they were able to maintain throughout the entire game.

The Lady Big Horns ended the first half with a substantial 40-10 lead.

The Big Horns played a consistent game in the first half, scoring 10 points each quarter. The second quarter was marked by a momentum shift in favor of LPHS. The Big Horns were able to work their offense into scoring chances and turned some steals by junior guard Gus Hammond into fast break opportunities.

The Big Horns closed the gap to within four points of the Wildcats near the end of the first half and trailed the Wildcats by just 10 points with a score of 30-20 going into halftime.

LPHS took the court with high energy after the break, taking advantage of a lot of fast-break opportunities and continuing to work their lightning-quick offense with focused passing.

Freshman Addy Malinowski took advantage of the scoring opportunities created by the Big Horns’ offense and sunk two 3-pointers from the right corner.

“The Harrison game was a great confidence building opportunity as eight of our nine players scored and all the players gained significant varsity experience,” Bough wrote.

Junior Jessie Bough shoots a layup. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER

LPHS unleashed a full-court press at the start of the second half meant to disrupt the Wildcats’ relentless offense. The Big Horns created more fast-break scoring opportunities, and guards Hammond and junior Max Romney took lots of shots, putting up 13 points and 21 points respectively for the Big Horns throughout the game.

The Lady Big Horns cinched their victory over the Lady Wildcats by 43 points with a final score of 66-23.

On Jan. 6, the Big Horns faced off against the Ennis Mustangs on the road.

Although the Big Horns stepped up their outside shooting game, sinking a handful of 3-pointers in the third quarter, they began trailing farther behind the Wildcats, ending the third quarter down 14 points.

The boys fought their way back from a 17-point deficit to 4 in the second half, though they never caught up to the Mustangs. The Mustangs ultimately defeated the Big Horns 60-53, bringing Lone Peak’s season record to 2-6.

As the energy on the court lagged in the fourth quarter, both teams scored on their offensive possessions for three trips up and down the court keeping the gap consistent.

The Lady Big Horns also fought hard on the road but were unable to close the gap. They too fell to the Lady Mustangs 55-38.

The Big Horns fought hard until the buzzer, taking lots of shots in an attempt to close the gap, but were never quite able to catch up with the Wildcats ultimately losing by 15 points with a final score of 62-47.

On Jan. 8 the Lady Big Horns again hit the road to play the Lima Bears and between Malinowski, King and Wilson the girls scored ten 3-pointers against the Lady Bears. Lone Peak claimed a 65-33 victory, bringing their record this season to 4-5. The varsity boys did not face off against the Bears.

Junior Gus Hammond shoots a layup over a Wildcat defender. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER

“Overall I was happy with how hard we played and how we integrated our new pressure defense,” wrote Head Coach John Hannahs in an emailed statement.

“I don’t think anyone is questioning our effort; unfortunately, when you have a couple extended lapses on defense and let the other guys go on a run it is hard to close a game out. If we eliminate that and take advantage of each possession we will be able to make those games closer.”

Next on the schedule, both varsity Big Horns teams will face off against their rivals the West Yellowstone Wolverines at home on Jan. 14.

Following the boys’ defeat, the Lady Big Horns took the court and built an early lead. They snagged some first-quarter steals, converting them into fast break scores. The Big Horns boasted a bigger and more seasoned bench than the six-player Wildcat team, which included at least one eight grader, allowing them to run a full-court press from tipoff.

Senior guard Carly Wilson made some key defensive plays during the Lady Big Horns’ press, causing turnovers by the Wildcats and runs by the Big Horns. The Big Horns ended the first quarter with a 21-2 lead over the Lady Wildcats.

The team communicated well and moved the ball swiftly on offense. The LPHS girls consistently worked their pass-focused offense, moving the ball around the perimeter until the Wildcats’ defense lagged leaving an opening for a 15-foot or 3-point shot.

Wilson and junior Kate King both demonstrated consistent shooting for the evening and sunk several 3-pointers.

HARRISON / WC BOYS GAME

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18 January 14 - 27, 2022

ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS

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Wildlife suffers from increased 191 traffic

Solution seekers look to wildlife crossings as future fix

BY JULIA BARTON EBS CONTRIBUTOR

GALLATIN GATEWAY – On most days, drivers traveling along the section of U.S. Highway 191 colloquially known as “the Canyon,” are treated to views of bighorn sheep lapping up salt on the roadside, elk grazing and deer gallivanting through the woods. Unfortunately, as the most direct route north from West Yellowstone to Bozeman and the sole public road providing access into Big Sky, this is an especially dangerous route for human travelers and wildlife alike.

Montana ranks second among all states for most wildlife-vehicle collisions, and this perilous passage is a significant contributor. As the rapidly growing area continues to explode with human development, experts and residents suggest improvements must be made to the roadway.

The Montana Department of Transportation reports that Gallatin County’s population has grown by 25 percent since 2010 and is projected to continue to grow at a rate of 2.5 percent annually through 2040. This equates to anywhere between 7,000 to 17,000 vehicles driving the Canyon between Big Sky and Bozeman each day. In other words, this single-lane road is really feeling the weight of an increasing population.

In a corridor study completed in October 2020, MDT surveyed a 37-mile stretch of U.S. 191 from Four Corners to Beaver Creek Road just south of Big Sky and reported that nearly a quarter of the 1,077 vehicle crashes from 2009 to 2018 were related to wildlife collisions. More than 90 percent of the wildlife carcasses collected from those collisions were deer, a pattern seen across the state. “[Deer collisions] are a primary concern on our other major north-south routes in southwest Montana being the Madison Valley and U.S. Highway 287, Paradise Valley on U.S. Highway 89 and Interstate 15,” said Deb Wambach, the district biologist for MDT. “We have lots of wonderful wildlife, and we have lots of people driving our highways.”

The remaining 10 percent of wildlife collisions involve other large mammals in the area such as elk, moose and bighorn sheep, which occupy select stretches along U.S. 191. Julie Cunningham, the Bozeman area wildlife biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, explained that wildlife is often attracted to low elevation areas that run alongside the river and, subsequently, the highway.

U.S. 191, which parallels the Gallatin River, is a prime example.

Longtime Gallatin Valley local Holly Pippel has been following the movement of elk herds near Gallatin Gateway on U.S. 191 and its offshoots for years from behind the lens of her camera. She began interacting with elk almost daily in the late 1990s while working on the Flying D Ranch on the north end of the Canyon and has been photographing them ever since, intrigued by their travel routes and social behaviors. Pippel is drawn to watching how elk travel in and out of human development and catalogues this unique intersection in stunning photographs.

In her time watching elk behavior change as the Gallatin Valley has boomed in population, Pippel says that although the problem of elk being killed near roads has increased, she believes elk are getting smarter and adapting to the changing environment. She urges Montanans to adapt to the growth in a similar fashion.

“A lot of people are blaming it on out-of-staters, and to be honest, it’s a lot of us who live here in the valley and are commuting for work that need to be a little more conscious and patient for the wildlife as we get busier,” Pippel said.

A solution often proposed for mitigating wildlife deaths on highways are crossing structures–either underpasses or overpasses–that physically separate wildlife from the roadway. Many such structures have been successfully implemented along other Montana highways. Along U.S. Highway 93 on the Flathead Reservation, for example, MDT constructed 39 crossing structures in 2005, which have proven effective at decreasing wildlife-vehicle collisions along the roadway. Deer, the most common animals to fall victim to collisions, were found to use the structures the most frequently.

One of the difficulties in introducing such crossings is deciding on a single spot for a wildlife crossing structure, Cunningham and Pippel both explained, as

A herd of elk crosses the road in Gallatin Valley. A Montana Department of transportation study found elk made up approximately 6 percent of animal carcasses collected between Four Corners and Big Sky from 2009 to 2018. PHOTO BY HOLLY PIPPEL

19 January 14 - 27, 2022

ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS

Elk graze in snowy grass. PHOTO BY HOLLY PIPPEL

animals generally don’t cross the road at a specific mile marker. To be successful, a crossing would have to link existing wildlife corridors together that cross the road and often require miles of fencing to guide animals to the crossing. Not only does this introduce additional costs, but it would impact landowners in the corridor and requires in-depth research for fences to be adequately located.

Finances are a clear barrier to integrating a project such as a wildlife overpass; the 2005 project totaled more than $21 million. The Big Sky Resort Area District in 2021 allocated $50,000 of resort tax funding to the Bozemangroup Center for Large Landscape Conservation that is being used to fund an assessment of U.S. 191 to determine where an adequate location for a potential wildlife crossing may be.

In November 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which designated $350 million of federal funds to the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program. The program aims to provide funding to projects that will reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat security for wildlife populations near roadways. Wambach noted that MDT is working to best situate itself to use some of these federal funds for Montana highway projects, such as a potential solution along U.S. 191.

In the meantime, perhaps the fastest and cheapest mitigation strategy is to help

Animal Carcasses Collected

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Elk hurry to get to the other side of the road. PHOTO BY HOLLY PIPPEL

drivers in the Canyon be more aware of the risks and how they can take precautions.

“A lot of it is from the human behavioral end, it is not about fixing the animals so much as it is fixing the people,” Cunningham said. This can take the form of improved and dynamic signage to vegetation management, making it easier for drivers to spot animals near the roadside.

Wildlife activity in the Canyon increases in the fall, and dusk or dawn hours are the most dangerous time to drive in areas with extensive wildlife. Wambach believes it’s worth taking things slower and being extra alert for animals on the roadside or avoiding driving during these times altogether when possible.

Wambach says it’s not just about the collisions, it’s also about the animals’ ability to move through their corridors. Looking toward the future as development in Gallatin County and along U.S. 191 increases, the roadway will likely become difficult for animals to cross at all.

“You actually start to see a drop off in [wildlife collisions] because the highway and the traffic volumes begin to act as a barrier to movement,” Wambach said. “…It’s about habitat security, as well as ensuring that the highway is permeable to wildlife movements.”

Canyon Vehicle Collisions 2009-2018

1,077 Collisions

Wildlife Collisions Data sourced from MDT corridor study between Four Corners and Beaver Creek south of Big Sky from 2009 to 2018.

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21 January 14 - 27, 2022

ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS

Explore Big Sky

Late climber-conservationist Reese literally put Greater Yellowstone on map

BY TODD WILKINSON

EBS ENVIRONMENTAL COLUMNIST

Rick Langton Reese died Jan. 9 in Bozeman. He may not be a household name to young readers familiar with the famous constellation of conservationists synonymous with Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

If true, the lack of association is ironic because he and his cohort of conservation contemporaries literally put the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem on the map—a feat taken for granted but in its day was globally momentous.

Reese has played not only a seminal role in popularizing the modern concept of “Greater Yellowstone”—he was the first to write a book about it—but for decades he has insisted that whenever possible the three words should always be presented fully in tandem.

“Greater” as in signifying there is much more happening beyond the primary focal point.

“Yellowstone” as in it being our first national park, the cradle of an American conservation ethic that has been emulated around the world, and that its health is dependent not only on interior factors but forces occurring around it.

Lastly, “Ecosystem,” indicating this region of seamless, interconnected mountain ranges, rivers and vales, wildlife migrations and scenic landscapes that stir our imagination, is analogous to a human body. The rivers of Greater Yellowstone are like a circulatory system moving around water, the essential lifeblood; wildlife migrations are equivalent to a pulmonary system and mountains and vales, encompassing public and private lands, serve as essential bone and connective tissue. Underlying all of this is a geo-hydro-thermal system that is manifested as geysers, hot springs and fumaroles, some 10,000 in Yellowstone, that represent the largest still-functioning congregation of those phenomena on Earth.

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem encompasses all of the above and many other moving and stationary parts. What’s extraordinary is that such things only persist in an interrelated way because they have not yet been impaired by various kinds of human activity.

One of Reese’s favorite taglines, one he has uttered innumerable times to anyone who will listen, is that “the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is one of the last biologically and topographically intact ecosystems in the temperate zones of the Earth.” It’s safe to say that Greater Yellowstone never had a more tenacious, headstrong and enthusiastic cheerleader.

Back in 1983 Reese and a plucky contingent of citizens from the three-state intersection of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho came together and founded the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. The idea of forming a group started with Ralph Maughan, a conservationist and political science professor at Idaho State University in Pocatello. It was Reese’s book in 1984 and its subsequent editions that made Greater Yellowstone palpable—a focal point that had previously been lacking.

“People who don’t understand the value of wild country, or who don’t care, or who want to capitalize on it for their personal gain, will take as much as they can get,” Reese told me. “They are always demanding more of something that is finite. The takers need to be met with an equal amount of resistance from people who are not willing to surrender or give away things that, once gone, cannot be replaced.”

Reese was born in Salt Lake City in 1942 and raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While his involvement with Mormonism lapsed over the years, he often mentioned how love of nature is a value embraced by many of the faithful; people he forever welcomed into the fold of conservation.

After graduating from East High School, he joined the National Guard, his service coinciding with the Berlin airlift crisis. Upon returning to the states, he earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Utah and then completed a graduate degree program as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies.

While he would go on to teach political science as a professor at Carroll College and serve as director of community relations for the University of Utah, one of his favorite passions was rock climbing and mountaineering which began during his youth along the Wasatch Front. He was recognized as a skilled and precocious young alpinist.

Reese became a member of the crack Jenny Lake Climbing Rangers in Grand Teton National Park, taking part in several dramatic rescues, none more legendary or harrowing than he and his six friends who rescued a severely injured climber and his companion on the North Face of the Grand Teton.

The event was featured in a documentary, “The Grand Rescue,” that appeared on PBS stations across the country. His close alpinist friends who took part were Pete Sinclair, Leigh Ortenburger, Ralph Tingey, Mike Ermarth, Bob Irvine and Ted Wilson, who went on to become mayor of Salt Lake City.

It was in 1980, however, Reese and his wife from New Mexico, Mary Lee, made a life-changing decision that brought them squarely into the center of saving the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. That year the couple was recruited

by Yellowstone Park Superintendent John Townsley to serve as codirectors of The Yellowstone Institute (today Yellowstone Forever), which offered outdoor education opportunities to park visitors.

Just a few years later, the Reeses were part of meetings held in Jackson Hole, Bozeman and at the ranch of John and Melody Taft in the Centennial Valley where the Greater Yellowstone Coalition was born.

Reese, as cofounder of Mountain Journal, astutely believed that it would draw a crowd of avid readers but had no idea it would attract 230,000 followers on Facebook and have its stories pass in front of millions of eyeballs.

History is destined to remember Rick Reese as a person who always looked ahead past the span of his own life to see the higher purpose. He has not fought for wild country because it’s popular in the short term, but because it is right. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for helping us see the brilliance of a Greater Yellowstone.

Rick Reese stands above Salt Lake City along the Ancient Lake Bonneville Shoreline Recreation Trail that he was instrumental in helping create on the west side of the Wasatch. PHOTO BY TODD WILKINSON

Todd Wilkinson is the founder of Bozeman-based Mountain Journal and a correspondent for National Geographic. He authored the book “Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek,” featuring photography by famed wildlife photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen, about Grizzly Bear 399.

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25 January 14 - 27, 2022

ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS

Explore Big Sky

Popular avalanche myths

BY DOUG CHABOT GNFAC DIRECTOR

I hear the wildest things. People share their tales of near-death on social media.

During classes students explain their adventurous avalanche experiences.

Even coffee shop java junkies will freely tell of their exploits. I listen to these stories because they are entertaining and to glean nuggets of critical snowpack information. Occasionally laced within these tales are myths about avalanches.

All of us hold dear certain myths about our world, me included, like believing caffeine isn’t really a drug or that I’ll cramp up and drown if I go swimming within an hour of eating lunch (a myth courtesy of my mom).

Avalanche forecasters dispel myths about avalanches so everyone can make better decisions about traveling in avalanche terrain.

Avalanches strike without warning.

Ninety percent of avalanche accidents are triggered by the victims or someone in their party. Rarely are they hapless victims. Avalanches, unlike earthquakes which strike with little warning, are typically preceded by obvious signs of instability such as previous avalanches and collapsing or cracking of the snowpack. If we know what to look for, we can see patterns and recognize warning signs of dangerous avalanche conditions.

The crown of the fatal avalanche on Scotch Bonnet. PHOTO COURTESY OF GNFAC

I can outrun an avalanche.

If luck is on your side, sometimes this is possible, but avalanches can accelerate quickly and easily reach speeds over 80 mph. Snowmobilers have better odds than skiers of outrunning a slide if they’re facing downhill and low on the slope.

Even with a throttle at your disposal the odds are not good. It doesn’t matter how big an engine you have or how fast you can point your skis downhill, the accident literature is littered with burials and fatalities of folks who thought they could outrun a slide.

Tracks on a slope mean it's safe.

This is a common and incorrect assumption. If a slope has a widespread weak layer, it is possible to trigger an avalanche, even on a slope with hundreds of tracks. This has happened more than once on Saddle Peak in the Bridger Range. Snow depth is not uniform and slopes harbor both deep and thinner areas. A skier or sledder might not affect a deeply buried weak layer but trigger a thinner area of the same slope. An avalanche released on a thin spot could propagate into deeper snow and wipe out a winter’s worth of tracks. Previous tracks have lured many avalanche victims into thinking the slope was safe.

This slope never slides.

It is naïve to think that just because you have not seen a slope avalanche it never will. A snowy slope steeper than 30 degrees is avalanche terrain and could slide if unstable conditions exist. If the ingredients for an avalanche are present (a steep slope with a slab of snow overlying a weak layer) then all that is missing is you, the trigger.

The noise of my snowmobile triggered the slope.

This is a popular myth. Noise does not exert enough force onto the snowpack to trigger a slide. If noise was powerful enough to trigger slides our snowmobiles would knock us to the ground every time we started them. The combined weight of a rider and machine on the snowpack is the trigger, not the noise.

If I get caught, I can dig myself out.

Avalanche debris sets up like concrete. Even light powder forms avalanche debris so dense that moving a hand is near impossible. A buried victim is helpless and has to rely on a partner for rescue, provided both were carrying avalanche transceivers, a probe and a shovel.

Throw out myths and embrace reality. There is no excuse for thinking, “Hey, let’s hit this slope! It’s already got tracks on it, plus it never slides anyway. Even if the noise of my machine triggers it, I can always outrun it, or if I’m really unlucky at least dig myself out.” You are smarter than that.

Doug Chabot, director of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center, received his B.A. in Outdoor Education from Prescott College in 1986. From 1990 to 1999 he worked as a professional ski patroller at Bridger Bowl Ski Area in Bozeman, Montana. Starting in 1995 Chabot has worked for the GNFAC as an avalanche specialist. He’s also a mountain guide and climber.

A Dec. 27, 2021 avalanche on Scotch Bonnet Mountain, north of Cooke City claimed the lives of two snowmobilers. This photo shows where people and their machines were buried. PHOTO BY S. STRENGE/GNFAC

26 January 14 - 27, 2022

ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS

Explore Big Sky

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: A Rare Place Indeed

BY EMILY STIFLER WOLFE EBS CONTRIBUTOR

​​ From a window on the third floor of the Huntley Lodge, Patrick Conroy watched as a big bull moose chased a cow moose on Silver Knife ski run. The resort’s staff videographer, Conroy grabbed his camera, ran downstairs, and started hiking. Keeping a safe distance and out of sight, he framed up one photo, zooming in with a 400-mm lens right before the bull disappeared into the trees.

Embodying the moose’s rugged power, that image is one of 13 stunning photographs of area wildlife that grace the downhill-facing side of the new Swift Current 6 chairlift seatbacks. Several are Conroy’s, while three other local photographers took the rest.

The chairback photos are the biggest display yet of the ForeverProject, an initiative by Big Sky’s parent company, Boyne Resorts, committing all of its 13 properties to sustainable business practices, including reaching net zero emissions by 2030. The project was originally born in Big Sky in 2019 out of an understanding not only that the resort and the Big Sky community at large depend on the wild places surrounding us, but also of our impact on this incredible place.

The 250,000-acre Lee Metcalf Wilderness encircles Big Sky on three sides, and the Gallatin National Forest hems the fourth. The snow you ski on Lone Peak melts into the Gallatin River, a headwater of the Missouri River. These rivers and wilderness and the wildlife that inhabit them are part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest nearly intact temperate ecosystems on Earth. Spanning 18 million acres in southwest Montana, eastern Idaho, and northwest Wyoming, this vital, interconnected web of living beings is a rare place indeed.

From 11,166 feet in southwest Montana, it’s clear that what we do matters.

And not only for Big Sky, but also for our neighbors in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and so much of the nation downstream.

Alongside the ForeverProject launch in February 2021, Boyne purchased RECs through CMS Enterprises to offset all electrical energy company-wide.

But RECs—or renewable energy credits—aren’t the perfect solution, as they don’t actually remove emissions, so alongside that, leaders of both Boyne and Big Sky have been using their weight to push for renewable energy on both the local and national stage. The resort participates in the National Ski Area Association’s climate and sustainability programs, which require emissions reporting, further climate advocacy, climate outreach, reductions in energy use, and contributions to habitat health, among other things.

Big Sky Resort staff videographer Patrick Conroy was able to snap a photo of a bull moose chasing a cow moose on the Silver Knife ski run. PHOTO BY PATRICK CONROY

“The resort has the opportunity to lead the greater Big Sky community by setting an example for what we should all be striving toward,” said Lizzie Peyton, community engagement director for the Big Sky Sustainability Network Organization, a new independent nonprofit working to advance sustainability and environmental initiatives.

“There’s a lot of psychology in how you change societal norms, and mostly it’s not big drastic changes. It’s by little nudges,” said Peyton, who has lived in Big Sky on and off for 19 years and whose eclectic professional background includes roots in social justice. “Committing to this larger goal of the ForeverProject makes those all-important smaller projects more intentional and feasible.”

The chairback photos are one of those nudges.

By putting wildlife front and center, they show what’s at stake for the resort and this community. They show the why behind the ForeverProject.

Margaret Siberell, the resort’s in-house graphic designer and art director of the chairback photo project, grew up in Bozeman and wanted to elevate the work and voices of local photographers. She chose Big Sky resident Patty Bauchman, ecologist Charles Post, and Army veteran Dale Evans.

Combined, Bauchman, Post, and Evans have spent thousands of hours photographing wildlife in the region, in the process learning about animal behavior, as well as how humans’ presence in the region affects them. Each of the three stories in this series focuses on one of the photographers—their work, their stories, and their passion for protecting the Greater Yellowstone.

Learn more about Patty Bauchman in, “Love Thy Neighbors (Big Sky-based photographer Patty Bauchman on protecting the elk, bears, foxes, and other wildlife in and around Big Sky).”

Learn more about Charles Post in “The Imperative of Ecosystems (Ecologist and Explorers Club Fellow Charles Post on what we’ve lost and how much we still have left to save).”

Learn more about Dale Evans in “Finding Yourself in the Mountains (Air Force veteran and wildlife photographer Dale Evans on the healing power of nature and being in the right places at the right time).”

Emily Stifler Wolfe is a writer and business consultant based in Bozeman, Montana. Find her at emilystiflerwolfe.com.

The new Swift Current 6 chairlift features 13 stunning photographs of area wildlife on seatbacks. This display is part of the resort’s ForeverProject which aims to reach net zero emissions by 2030. PHOTO COURTESY OF BIG SKY RESORT

This article originally appeared on Big Sky Resort’s blog: The Way I Ski It on Dec. 6, 2021. For more stories, visit blog.bigskyresort.com.

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28 January 14 - 27, 2022

ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS

Explore Big Sky

Old and new for ‘22

BY DAN EGAN EBS CONTRIBUTOR

The aging athlete inside of me is locked in an ongoing internal debate that consists of my old-self slowing down and battling my young-self who constantly says, “You got this!”

If you've ever asked a friend, “How old are you in your mind?” you know what I’m talking about, which leads me to one of my favorite Warren Miller quotes: “If you are over 40 and think you are skiing better than you were at 20, you weren’t very good at 20.”

The other day this debate played out in real-time as I skied through an open gate and stood on top of a chute, full of powder, with a choke point in the middle that would require a few quick turns before it opened to a powder field with some trees and eventually down to the cat track.

It was midday, and I was feeling good, still brushing off the rust from the off season, but overall confident and full of anticipation of a new year. Looking right down the gut of the gully, I pointed it down the fall line, gathered speed and made my first left turn in the deep new snow. My young-self smiled.

As I entered the transition for the next turn, I felt free in time and space. Arcing the right turn, the internal debate started instantly: “Careful, the snow is a bit punchy,” my old self mumbled. As I exited that turn and once again floated through the transition and landed in a sweet lefty my younger self said, “punch it man, you’re alone on this mountainside, let it rip.”

Full of energy I darted back across the fall line and entered the right hand turn only to meet face to face with a bit of doubt in my mind: “Just a few more turns above the choke point, its narrow, play it safe,” said my old self. Shaking any doubt I doubled down on the acceleration of my next left turn. It felt so sweet, my younger self was celebrating as “still got it dude,” echoed in my mind.

Dan Egan filming for Warren Miller’s film ‘Future Retro’ in the winter of 2020. PHOTO BY IAN ADNERSON/WARREN MILLER ENTERTAINMENT

Wanting the internal chatter to chill a bit, I lingered in the transition, soaking up the freedom found and entered the right turn out of balance with my inside hand back a bit. My old self picked up on this. “Might want to downshift a bro,” it screamed, “you are above the narrow section.”

Recommitting to the fall line I hit the decelerator a bit on the left turn and timed the next three turns through the crux of the chute: A quick righty into a skidding left turn through the sluff back to a long arcing righty and out into the open powder in the field dotted with trees.

My next left turn made me feel like I was 25 years old again. With snow flying, my hands punched forward. I exploded into the transition laughing. With a bit more speed than normal, my old self was tense as I landed half way through the turn and I broke at the waist, feeling that nagging lower back ping. Searching for some relief I carried the turn across the hill and then dove back downhill for a left turn clipping some branches like a race gate. My younger self applauded.

“You are crushing it man,” echoed in my mind.

The trees were coming faster now, the slope was still steep and the snow down low was actually a bit hollow. With my head on a swivel I was looking to bail out as I jumped into an open space for a right turn. Feeling my back twinge and hamstrings tighten, I started to pull up to slow down, then my younger self piped up: “You are not at the bottom yet, freshies ahead.” Heeding the call I pointed my tips back in the fall line and felt like a million bucks carving a long left turn around a clump of trees.

I was breathing a bit heavy as I exited the turn and saw what looked to be a large lump under the snow. “Take it easy here," my old-self cautioned. "It's a long season, what are you nuts?” I pre-jumped the lump and landed unsteadily and bobbled the right turn. Looking to regain balance I threw my arms, shoulders and upper body down the fall line and landed in a left turn that just felt so right my young self let out an “Oh ya.”

Finding the groomed cat track below, my old self felt relieved when my younger self said, “Don’t look back,” and I dropped into a tuck and raced to the chair for another lap. Out loud I was laughing and saying, “Old and new in ‘22 is the best you can do for the year ahead!”

Egan on a photo shoot for Powder Magazine in 1991. PHOTO BY HANK DEVRE

Extreme Skiing Pioneer, Dan Egan coaches and teaches at Big Sky Resort during the winter. His 2022 steeps camps at Big Sky Resort run Feb. 24-26, March 10-12 and March 17-19. His newest book, “Thirty Years in a White Haze” was released in March 2021 and is available at www.White-Haze.com.

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HEALTH

31 January 14 - 27, 2022

Explore Big Sky

Seasonal depression

The cycle of the seasons and living in a ski resort town

BY SHANNON STEELE

EBS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COLUMNIST We all have our “cycles and seasons of doing and solitude, running and staying, being involved and being removed, questing and resting, creating and incubating, being of the world and returning to the soul-place [ourselves].” – Clarissa Pinkola Este

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES: EMERGENCY/CRISIS SERVICES:

When I first moved to Big Sky, I remember having a conversation with an individual who had been here for nearly a decade. He put his index finger in the air and slowly began drawing a circle, saying: “Living here is like a circle, but spiraling forward—you continue to advance forward whereby aging or personal growth, but often find yourself in the same place because the cycles of winter, summer and shoulder seasons are inevitable.”

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE NETWORK 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255 En Española 888-628-9454

I then was prescribed a guide for how to navigate the cycle of the seasons. In short, the prescription entailed hunkering down and reveling in the beauty and adventure during winter and summer seasons and bailing to surrounding areas that are dry during mud seasons.

FOR PREVENTATIVE CARE AND MIND/BODY WELLNESS:

Unlike prescription drug ads that give you an absurd list of risks and side effects at the end, we were not necessarily informed of the risks and emotional, psychological and behavioral side effects of living in a mountain resort town. A soothing voice tells you, “the mountains will deliver adventure, tranquility and open-skies,” but alternatively, does not tell you that you might increase your drinking and drug use, experience suicidal thoughts and feel bouts of loneliness and depression that fluctuate with the seasons. The first shoulder season, especially, can make you feel a bit duped and unprepared.

A 2020 Gallatin County Community Health Assessment reported on the prevalence of excessive drinking behaviors in Big Sky (33.9 percent), personal impacts of substance abuse (48.5 percent negatively impacted) and depression diagnoses (28.6 percent). Note: These numbers account for Big Sky residents and don’t reflect the seasonal workforce population or the growth within the past year. However, it is unknown how many people that live and/or work in Big Sky experience fluctuations in appetite, energy, sleep patterns, mood, anxiety, depression, feelings of guilt and even thoughts of death or suicide that sync with the changing seasons. In other words, it is unknown how many people experience seasonal depression.

Though concrete statistics are challenging to find, seasonal depression (formally known as Seasonal Affective Disorder) affects approximately 10 million Americans. It is estimated that another 10-20 percent are mildly affected or unreported. The average age of onset is between 20 and 30 years old and prevalence appears to be related to areas that are at higher elevations. Can you guess why?

The answer is similar to the reasons Montana remains in the top five for highest suicide rates for the past 30 years. The figure below was adapted from the state’s Suicide Prevention Coordinator’s Suicide in Montana Report (Department of Public Health and Human Services):

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY: correlated with increased risk of depression ALTITUDE: Metabolic stress caused by long-term oxygen deprivation. Worldwide above 2,500 ft you see a spike in suicides.

The average suicide in Montana occurs at 3,500 ft

SOCIAL ISOLATION: MT has 6.7 people per square mile.

The national average is 88.7 SOCIOECONOMIC: The poverty rate in Big Sky is 14.2%. 1 out of every 7 residents live below the poverty line.

LACK OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES: Though some services exist in Big Sky, there is not currently a continuum of care established to support the need

Perhaps it is comforting to know that the cycle and fluctuation of the seasons, moods, energy, and weirdness that comes with living in a ski resort town is normal. Know you are not alone and depression IS treatable. Many things inhibit us from reaching out for help: “I can figure it out on my own,” “I don’t want to be a burden,” “It’s not that big of a deal.” Sometimes, however, symptoms can feel unmanageable or life seems overwhelming. It’s okay to not be okay, AND it’s okay to ask for help.

For referral to mental health services or a therapist, call 2-1-1

SANTOSHA WELLNESS CENTER 169 SNOWY MOUNTAIN CIRCLE 406) 993-2510 santoshabigsky.com BIG SKY NATURAL HEALTH 87 LONE PEAK DR. (406) 993-9647 bigskynaturalhealthmt.com HEALING HANDS CHIROPRACTIC 145 CENTER LANE UNIT B (406) 641-0932 https://drandreawick.com/

SEASONAL DEPRESSION PREVENTATIVE STRATEGIES One large factor related to seasonal depression symptoms is the decrease of serotonin levels—the mood-boosting hormone— in your brain. There are preventative strategies that are recommended to be used over long periods of time.

1.

Invest in a sun lamp and get outside: Exposure to bright light is a standard treatment for seasonal depression.

Though evidence related to this is indirect, a study looking at human postmortem brains, found serotonin levels were higher in those who died in summer than those in winter. Even on a cloudy day, the light outside can be greater than 1000 lux, a level never normally achieved indoors.

2.

Engage in self or therapist-induced changes in thought: Alterations in thought can affect brain metabolism and studies report changes in brain blood flow. Studies looking at effects of meditation report an increased release of dopamine. Additionally, there seems to be a two-way dialogue with serotonin influencing mood and mood influencing serotonin.

3.

Exercise: It sounds rather cliché to say, “exercise will make you feel better!” because… duh. However, it is interesting that motor activity increases the firing rates of serotonin neurons in animals (though effects are unknown in humans), and that exercising till you experience fatigue is associated with an increase in tryptophan (fancy word for the amino acid that helps synthesize and release serotonin). Therefore, the release of serotonin is increased during exercise. Furthermore, it’s interesting to note that tryptophan is a mild hypnotic which inspires the hypothesis that it might be involved in fatigue.

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TEDxBigSky Speaker Lineup 1/29 Doors open 5pm, Talks start 6:30pm

Lisa Senters-McDermott

Saul Martinez

Rev. Briana Lynn

Nick & Mike Fiorito

Todd Dittmann

1/30 Doors open 5pm, Talks start 6:30pm

Ken Scott

Monique Benabou

Jan Winburn

Tom Spruance

Ben & Azrya Bequer

Tim Tate

Ryan Busse

Bruce Anfinson

Warren Miller Performing Arts Center Peter Mathieson

TEDxBigSky.com

33 January 14 - 27, 2022

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Explore Big Sky

SECTION 3: ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, BUSINESS, FINANCE, DINING AND FUN

Roy Wood. Jr. brings satirical relief to WMPAC pg. 34

MIIBS: Dave Pecunies Photography pg. 41

Camp stove cooking Minestrone Soup pg. 43

‘In a Landscape’ takes the performing arts outdoors Editor’s Note: Classical pianist Hunter Noack returns this year for Warren Miller Performing Arts Center’s “In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild” on Jan. 22-23. Read about last year's event and visit warrenmillerpac. com to purchase tickets to this year’s event Jan. 22-23.

BY MIRA BRODY BIG SKY – The attendees of the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center’s “In a Landscape” performance on Dec. 27 and 28, 2021, were not seated but rather walking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Most were actually too far to hear the music clearly from its source: the Big Sky Resort Golf Course’s driving range, where it resonated from a 1912 9-foot Steinway piano on a flatbed platform. At its helm, in metallic futuristic-looking gloves that allowed his hands dexterity in the below-freezing temperatures sat award-winning concert pianist Hunter Noack.

His performance, broadcasted via Bluetooth headphones, is part of a series in its sixth year called Classical Music in the Wild, founded by Noack with the mission of bringing classical music into the wilderness so that the experience of listening to it can be enjoyed—and enhanced— by the surrounding landscape.

“We are so excited to be here and just so grateful to John [Zirkle] and the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center for taking a chance and for hosting us and making us feel so welcome,” said Noack between sets. “As I overheard John (WMPAC’s executive director) say yesterday, there are a million things that could have gone wrong, so it’s sort of a miracle that this is working.”

The “million things” included transporting the piano via snowcat onto the golf course, creating the 1,000-yard labyrinth of groomed ski trails, made possible by Lone Mountain Ranch, and putting on three different shows, one of which was at 8 p.m. by the light of a nearly full moon. Just as the pianist wore warm gloves in the outdoor concert, the Steinway has enhancements of it’s own that make it more resistant to humidity and temperature changes.

Although it was Noack's first time performing in Montana, Lone Mountain and its neighbors in the Madison Range felt like a natural backdrop. Since 2016, “In a Landscape” has performed 83 concerts in 72 different locations

Pianist Hunter Noack performs Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy in the presence of Lone Mountain as the sun sets. PHOTO BY MIRA BRODY

including Oregon, Washington and California and has been critically acclaimed by media outlets including CBS This Morning, the LA Times, PBS and TED. Before the conclusion of the show, Zirkle, the executive director of WMPAC, spoke of how WMPAC had adapted the theater’s winter lineup to COVID-19, including an enhanced air filtration system, shorter shows, requiring masks indoors, limited and spaced seating and by offering virtual shows for those who feel safer viewing with their families from home.

“If you have the opportunity to support artists, wherever your community is, whether that’s Big Sky or somewhere out there, we encourage you to please do that,” Zirkle said on stage. “Remember, more than 50 percent of artists are out of work right now. This is an incredibly difficult year, and artists are going to be some of the people who come back last, way after the vaccine is distributed, so thank you in advance for any support that you can provide.”

Just as WMPAC explores new avenues for keeping the arts alive and accessible this winter and through a global pandemic, the evening’s attendees too, are exploring the landscape around them, accompanied by their music-filled headphones. Signs around the golf course offer directions as well as encourage patrons to do something that not many theaters often do—wander.

Prior to Noack’s final piece, Zirkle thanked guests for attending and motioned to the landscape around him as it slowly turned the shades of orange and pink that come with the conclusion of another day.

“Thank you for joining tonight and let’s enjoy that beautiful sunset together,” he said.

On Dec. 27 and 28 the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center presented In a Landscape which featured a nine foot Steinway piano, acclaimed pianist Hunter Noack and 1,000 yards of groomed cross-country ski trails. PHOTO BY MIRA BRODY

This story was originally published in the Jan. 1, 2021, edition of Explore Big Sky.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

34 January 14 - 27, 2022

Explore Big Sky

Roy Wood Jr. brings satirical relief to WMPAC

BY TUCKER HARRIS

WMPAC suggested leaving the kids at home and designated Saturday night of the Laugh Fest 18-plus.

BIG SKY – On Jan. 8, a brisk winter evening, Big Sky residents and guests flocked to the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center to warm up with laughter.

While the night wasn’t fit for children, it definitely gave the adult audience something to laugh about. Wood Jr.’s set featured comedic takes on dealing with children during the pandemic, the Catholic church and faith healers, and guns.

Roy Wood Jr., longtime correspondent and comedian on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” took the stage on night two of WMPAC’s Laugh Fest weekend to bring humor to everything from COVID to gun control to relationships. Night one featured the legendary Chicago improv comedy group, “The Second City.”

One of the crowd’s favorite jokes of the night was Wood’s recommendation that the COVID-19 vaccine should have been called medicine rather than a vaccine because everyone loves medicine despite knowing the dangers and side effects that come with it.

“We were so thrilled with how the shows went,” said Rikka Wommack, WMPAC’s communications manager.

“The energy in the room was incredible, and it felt so good to laugh with our friends and community.”

“We know medicine can kill us, ‘cause they tell us on the side of the box,” Wood said. “Now, what happens if I take a lot of Robitussin?” Then, the punch line: “Well, then it’d be your last cough.”

Big Sky locals Michelle and Joe Borden introduced the two performers on stage before the event began.

Michelle runs the community improv classes for high schoolers and adults at WMPAC. Joe, a former head co-executive producer and writer for Comedy Central’s show “Tosh.0,” gave his own shot at some prepared jokes to set the mood, with many of those in the audience chuckling at his effort as he read them off a scrap of paper. Michelle shook her head at him and criticized his jokes, creating a humorous, selfdeprecating act.

“That’s what we should’ve done,” he continued, “called the vaccine medicine; called the booster shot more medicine. Because if there’s one thing we love more than medicine in this country, it’s more medicine.”

Standup comedian Roy Wood Jr. took the stage on night two of WMPAC’s Laugh Fest weekend to bring humor to everything from COVID to gun control to relationships. PHOTO BY TUCKER HARRIS

Wood performed two shows on Saturday evening, one at 5:30 p.m. for the early birds and an 8:30 p.m. late show for those looking for a rowdier time. The late show brought in almost 200 attendees.

Eddie Gossling, Los Angeles-based writer and producer for “Tosh.0,” opened for Wood’s first set and American actress and comedian Erica Rhodes who has guest starred on “Modern Family” and “New Girl” opened for the late show.

The latter portion of Wood’s act took on a darker sense of humor. The comedian shared about his aunt'’s death from COVID-19, the ensuing struggled attempt to post a recording online so his family could attend her service and stories of his fractured relationship with his father.

The audience would often laugh and then stop, collectively unsure if these topics were acceptable to find humor in. A few times Wood told the crowd that he was, in fact, still delivering jokes; it’s okay to laugh at painful and more serious topics, he said.

Wood reminded the community through his satire on that cold winter evening that even through the hardships we’ve faced, sometimes laughter is the best medicine.

STACY OSSORIO Broker, Private Office Advisor 406-539-8553 stacyossorio.evrealestate.com stacy.ossorio@evrealestate.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

35 January 14 - 27, 2022

Explore Big Sky

BIG SKY EVENTS CALENDAR Friday, Jan. 14 – Thursday, Jan. 27

If your event falls between Jan. 28 and Feb. 10 please submit it by Jan. 19 by emailing media@outlaw.partners

Friday, Jan. 14

Full Moon Women’s Circle Santosha Wellness Center, 7:30 p.m.

Craig Hall Jazz The Independent, 8 p.m.

Open Mic Night Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Live Music: Blake Brightman Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 19

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Willson Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 15

Six Course Wine Pairing Dinner ACRE Kitchen, 6 p.m.

Trivia Night The Independent, 7 p.m.

Live Music: Sam & Lilly Platts Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 20

Film: ‘Honey Moon in Las Vegas’ The Independent, 7 p.m.

Live Music: Kylie Spence The Independent, 8 p.m.

Live Music; The Damn Duo Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Live Music: Big Head Todd and the Monsters The Elm, 8 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 21

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Willson Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 16

Craig Hall Jazz The Independent, 8 p.m.

Live Music: Lee Calvin Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Pint Night: Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund Beehive Basin Brewery, 4 p.m.

Live Music: Leftover Salmon The Elm, 8 p.m.

Live Music: Cole Thorne The Standard, 7 p.m.

In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild Big Sky Resort Golf Course, 3 p.m.

Live Music: The Cameroons Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Willson Auditorium, 6 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 17

Monday Night Ruck Peets Hill/Burke Park, 6:45 p.m.

Film: ‘U2 Rattle & Hum’ The Independent, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 18 Film: ‘The Alpinist’ The Independent, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 22

Bozeman Stingers v. Austin Wolves Big Sky Ice Rink, 7:30 p.m.

Live Music: John Floridis The Independent, 8 p.m.

Live Music: One Leaf Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 24 Film: ‘Bittersweet Motel’ The Independent, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 25 Film: ‘The Dawn Wall’ The Independent, 7 p.m.

Live Music: Hippie Sabotage The Elm: 8 p.m.

Open Mic Night Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 26 Trivia Night The Independent, 7 p.m.

Live Music: Luke Flansburg Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 27

Teen Tech Squad: Wearable Tech Montana Science Center, 4 p.m.

Live Music: The Damn Duo Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Featured Event: Bozeman Stingers v. Austin Wolves The Bozeman Stingers Hockey Club will take on the Austin Wolves at the Big Sky Ice Rink in Big Sky Town Center on Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. The Bozeman Stingers are a nonprofit organization that competes at the USA Hockey Sr. A Division and as members of the Black Diamond Hockey League. While most home games are played at the Haynes Pavilion in Bozeman, the Stingers are the only team at that level to play outdoor games in Big Sky Town Center. Additional away games take place in other ski resort towns such as Jackson, Wyoming, Sun Valley, Idaho and Park City, Utah.

Sunday, Jan. 23

In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild Big Sky Resort Golf Course, 3 p.m.

Live Music: Cole Thorne The Standard, 7 p.m.

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Call 1-833-800-8553 to talk to an A.A. member or Get the Meeting Guide app or Go to aa-montana.org for virtual and face-to-face meeting times and locations

36 January 14 - 27, 2022

BUSINESS

Explore Big Sky

Developing a Sense of Place

Despite growth, a neighborhood maintains its eclectic history

BY MIRA BRODY

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT

Bozeman artist Mitch Sander spray paints the finishing vibrant lines of an orange-red sun tinted by wildfire smoke on the side of a corrugated tin shed in Bozeman’s Northeast Neighborhood. The sun shines down on three painted red-winged blackbirds and stalks of brown cattails, and passersby walking to and from neighboring Wild Crumb Bakery watch Sander as he works—some silently, some striking up conversations with the artist before they grab a pastry and head back home, to work, or to recreate in the nearby Bridger Mountains.

The mural Sander is working on is a part of the Parade of Sheds event hosted by the Northeast Neighborhood Association, and the shed itself stands on the site of a new infill development project called The Wildlands that will soon break ground among the historic structures of the northeast side.

“It’s a lot better just for larger surfaces, it allows me to be more loose with my painting,” said Sander of his chosen medium. The self-taught acrylic painter has been a part of Bozeman’s art scene since he moved here from his hometown of Bismarck, North Dakota, in 2009. “I kind of tend to paint things that are very clean-cut, very straight, very round, that sort of thing, and spray painting is more of a free form … It’s easier to express a lot more, quicker.”

This neighborhood has taken a similar creative approach to growth. They make an effort to protect their history and artisan culture and are doing so by communicating with developers as real estate booms in Gallatin Valley. The Wildlands is one such project. It’s a collaborative effort between Outlaw Real Estate Partners, a southwest Montana real estate company, and 45 Architecture of Bozeman, and aims to build with creativity and intention.

“The goal for us with this is to find a way to integrate living and additional commercial opportunities in this neighborhood while responding to its unique, eclectic nature,” said Eric Ladd, owner of OREP. “Inspirations for this project really came from its surroundings. The project will be an eclectic, polished but fun building and should support and celebrate the existing template that’s already there.”

pectives

Ladd calls The Wildlands “low-scale and responsible,” and will yield 12 apartments and three more commercial areas. It will add improvements to existing public spaces around Wild Crumb and Fink’s Delicatessen, creating more room for community gathering. The project is slated to begin in early 2022.

A cultural enclave The Parade of Sheds is a quirky celebration and perhaps the best way to introduce the Northeast Neighborhood to those unfamiliar with the cultural enclave. The event is a play on the traditional Parade of Homes that many cities celebrate, during which residents self-tour often large, newly built homes in their community. The Parade of Sheds, however, celebrates practical and idiosyncratic designs such as drought-friendly gardens, a giant tree house or an old, painted tin barn.

“It’s designed to be a fun community gathering,” said Reno Walsh, president of the Northeast Neighborhood Association, known as NENA. “I think it’s an important community appreciation event and it’s an attempt to keep the north side funky and hold onto that eclectic nature, and I think it does that.”

Walsh, who is raising his family on the northeast side, appreciates the small size and familiar faces at the event. Nearly 100 attendees turned out for the parade and many more for the self-guided shed tours. “Now I Know,” a solo music project composed by Montana State University emeritus Chris Jenkins, played live music for passersby.

The Northeast Neighborhood has not only embraced its culture through quirky residential exteriors and intimate neighborhood events, but also through its support of small local businesses and artists, such as Wild Crumb and Fink’s, as well as Treeline Coffee Roasters, Alter Bikes, Tinworks Art, Echo Arts and a variety of other locally owned shops that call the area home.

In 2005, the Northeast Neighborhood was designated by the City of Bozeman as an Urban Renewal District, which collects city taxes to fund neighborhood improvements. This designation has made many of these development projects a reality and allowed for this variety of businesses to call the area home, making for a unique mix of residences as well as offices, eateries and breweries.

A current rendering shows The Wildlands development project, which includes brick, wood and an uneven parapet where the roofline meets the sky. It will offer 12 apartments, three business spaces, and public areas to sit and gather around the existing Wild Crumb Bakery. RENDERING BY 45 ARCHITECTURE

LANDS DEVELOPMENT

37 January 14 - 27, 2022

BUSINESS

Explore Big Sky

a location that’s the pit stop to the outdoors and to adventure, that’s The Wildlands.”

“It’s hard to replicate character,” Ladd said. “Character is usually earned through time and place, and so as you drive around the neighborhood, you’re inspired by things from fences made of skis, to their prized shed tour and chicken coops. This neighborhood also has a deep history of the railroad and all the [grain] storage buildings, and all those elements. Our architects have studied that.”

Lusin utilized brick for the first level, wood on floors two and three, and a varied parapet creating a unique connection between the ground and the sky. The attention given to the Earth-sky connection, he says, is essential because so much of our culture in Montana is looking up at the vast celestials and mountainscapes around us.

“When you put a feeling behind a building … in a place that’s so artist-centered and really kind of eclectic in the uniqueness, you can create your own stamp,” said Lusin.

“That’s the power of the Northeast Neighborhood—it allows people to be really as creative as they want.”

Much like the old brick buildings that grace Bozeman’s Historic Downtown making for its recognizable skyline, The Wildlands structure, Lusin says, is intended to Bozeman artist Mitch Sander spray painted a mural in the Northeast Neighborhood as a part of the Parade of Sheds event. The provide a sense of familiarity and permanence that mural, consisting of red-winged blackbirds, cattails and a blazing red sun, are all elements that remind him of the unique area. stands the test of time. He describes the vast walls they PHOTO BY SETH DAHL designed on the building with the specific intention of them becoming a mural space. Although specific art has not yet been determined, the walls are intended to stand Developers of The Wildlands project have presented at NENA’s biannual as a blank canvas on which local creatives can make their mark. meeting as well as the association’s town hall meetings, which consist of a 10-minute presentation by the developers followed by a Q&A session. It’s an While The Wildlands project will welcome visitors and residences soon enough, effective way to engage the community with development projects and provide allowing it to find its place in Bozeman’s storied history, Lusin says, will be a them with a voice, Walsh explains. Some concerns voiced by neighbors include longer, more organic process. window placement in the new building, as well as area parking. Walsh speaks candidly about the feeling of discomfort that some neighbors have toward “How do we create something that really does stand the test of time as well so growth and development, a complexity many longtime Montanans have that the building itself can have enough pride and importance …?” asks Lusin. grappled with as their beloved town is discovered.

“You have to let that integration happen over time.”

“We all know what it was like 25 years ago,” Walsh said. “We know it was good but we don’t know what it’s going to be like in the future and that unknown is uncomfortable. [The developers] are being transparent, so that goes a long ways.

But in the end it’s development, it’s change and change can be difficult and it has an impact on our daily lives.”

Back at his shed-canvas, Sander puts the finishing touches on his own The Wildlands Parade of Sheds mural. He talks about the other projects he’s completed in the area—spray paint pieces at the Starlite Bozeman dance studio or a sketch he did of Misco Mill one afternoon when he felt the inspiration, a power he says the area has over artists.

Walsh is urging residents to maintain open lines of communication. “Something we can do is address the policies that encourage and manage planning development,” he said. “I encourage people to get involved with their local neighborhood association.”

“I get inspired by something like the old building work [and] the old construction,” Sander said of the northeast side. “New development does happen, but it’s cool when there’s something new, if it can also represent the old stuff. Artists want to be around that old architecture.”

Although Bozeman has witnessed significant growth in recent years, one thing that hasn’t changed over the decades is the reason so many come here— opportunity and quality of life. With easy access to recreation, views and friendly community, the Gallatin Valley has always attracted adventure seekers and those looking for a better life.

This article was originally published in the winter 2021-22 issue of VIEWS. Big Sky magazine. Read more at viewsbigsky.com

For Jeff Lusin, lead architect of The Wildlands and owner and principal of 45 Architecture in Bozeman, the process of collecting existing characteristics and sculpting them into a new development project began at the Gallatin History Museum.

A hub for adventure In the 1800s, Bozeman’s northeast side was a bustling hub of agriculture. Story Mill and the Lehrkind Brewery provided employment to many of the area’s blue-collar workers and because of access to the Northern Pacific Railroad, surrounding farmers used the trolley line to transport produce to the train station to be shipped throughout the country.

For its part, 45 Architecture has been developing projects in the area for 15 years, including Van Winkle Stadium at Montana State University and Neptune’s Taphouse and Eatery in Livingston. Lusin joined as owner and principal just over five years ago. As a Bozeman native who spent his youth in the neighborhood attending Hawthorne Elementary School, channeling this history and character into a new development project was more than just another job for him—it’s been a project of passion.

“How do we take all that rich history of the railroad, the mills, the brewery— it’s kind of wild right? It’s the Wild West,” Lusin said. “So if we can create

Initial rough sketches by architect Jeff Lusin depict an early design concept for The Wildlands.

ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF LUSIN

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39 January 14 - 27, 2022

Explore Big Sky

Making it in Big Sky: Dave Pecunies Photography

BY BRANDON WALKER A version of this story was originally published in a December 2020 issue of Explore Big Sky. BIG SKY – For the greater part of six years, professional photographer and videographer Dave Pecunies has chronicled a multitude of subjects, namely the land, animals and real estate that Big Sky has to offer. Pecunies is a Portsmouth, New Hampshire native with a passion for skiing and the outdoors. Naturally, he found his way to Big Sky in 2015.

“My inspiration to start taking photos had a lot to do with just documenting various skiing adventures around New England and Quebec and that led to shooting other outdoor sports,” Pecunies said in an email to EBS. Prior to his relocation to the Treasure State, Pecunies earned a degree in business administration from the University of New Hampshire. His photography career is partially rooted in a role he held on the opposite end of a camera lens.

“

EBS: As a professional photographer, has your business approach adapted over time?

How so?

D.P.: If you don’t adapt in business then you will get left behind. I would shoot skiing every day if I could but that is just not financially feasible at this point.

However, I’ve taken my love of architecture and design into photography and can now afford to eat. Also, opening a gallery has been another creative outlet for me and has allowed me to share my art with more people. I think the other thing that I’ve adapted to is social media and its immediacy, especially in the marketing world. At least with skiing, nobody wants to see a photo from last week, they want something from today.

I always tell people that photography is like learning a language, playing a sport, or math—the more you practice the better you will become, so keep shooting.

-Dave Pecunies

”

“I skied as a photo model for several photographers and would always ask lots of questions,” Pecunies said. “When they realized I was interested in photography they would show me what they were doing, how they were envisioning the action, how they were composing their shots.”

Fueled by insatiable curiosity and drive, those questions and the knowledge he gained led to a management position at the Maine-based Sunday River Ski Resort for the Outside Television station.

Pecunies has found a new home for his gallery in the Big Sky Town Center. Pecunies exchanged emails with EBS in December of 2020 on a range of topics, such as photography for demand versus enjoyment, and the progression of his imagery over the years to name a few.

Big Sky photographer and videographer Dave Pecunies relocated to Big Sky more than six years ago. His professional photography journey began, in part, on the other side of the lens while as a ski model in New Hampshire. PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVE PECUNIES

Explore Big Sky: In your opinion, how has the photography industry changed over the years?

Dave Pecunies: I think the main change that we have seen in the photography industry is how much easier taking photos and seeing your work has become.

I started in the film days and you never knew if you got the shot until you got your film back from processing. Now it’s instant. More recently, since most everyone has a camera on their phone, it has made photography accessible to most everyone.

EBS: How do you prioritize shooting photographs for enjoyment versus shooting to meet demand?

D.P.: I am fortunate in that I generally get to shoot what I enjoy. Certainly there are bluebird powder days that I am stuck inside but I love storm skiing so I can’t complain. Because we live in such a beautiful area, I’m often lucky enough to capture great wildlife or scenic shots on my way to a paying gig.

EBS: Have you found yourself taking on new projects or coming up with new ideas as a result of the pandemic?

D.P.: The beginning of the shutdown was certainly a time to reflect and reevaluate priorities and try and forecast what the business environment would look like in one month, six months, one year and beyond. I took on more video work at the beginning of the pandemic when there was some uncertainty. However since the Big Sky real estate industry had a record summer, I ended up having the busiest summer I’ve ever had shooting homes and other commercial projects.

EBS: What business changes or adaptations have you made as a result of COVID-19?

D.P.: My job is pretty socially distant to begin with since I’m mostly shooting unoccupied homes or waiting in the wilderness for the perfect wildlife shot, so I really haven’t had to alter things too much. Just wearing a mask and being careful when I’m around others.

EBS: What advice would you offer aspiring photographers?

D.P.: I always tell people that photography is like learning a language, playing a sport, or math—the more you practice the better you will become, so keep shooting. If you really want to get into a specific type of photography, find a professional photographer that will let you assist. You won’t make much/any money being an assistant but the experience can be priceless.

EBS: What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

D.P.: “Choose a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life.”

“If you don’t do it this year, you will be one year older when you do.”

– Warren Miller

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TBD Mountain Valley Trail, Wildridge Lot 34 $3,795,000

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406.995.4009 | www.bigskypurewest.com All information contained herein is derived from sources deemed reliable, however, is not guaranteed by Pure West Real Estate, LLC., Managing Broker, Agents or Sellers. Offering is subject to error, omissions, prior sales, price change or withdrawal without notice and approval of purchase by Seller. We urge independent verification of each and every item submitted, to the satisfaction of any prospective purchaser.

41 January 14 - 27, 2022

FINANCE

Explore Big Sky

Enjoying the Ride: The January Effect

BY SCOTT BROWN

drag created by year-end contributions that may stay in cash while waiting for the new year to get invested.

Happy New Year to you and yours! I trust this finds everyone off to a positive start to 2022! Hopefully, you had a wonderful holiday with family and friends and you feel reinvigorated to get back to work, school or whatever your routine typically involves.

In addition, some investors believe that January is the best month to begin an investment program or perhaps they are following through on a New Year's resolution to begin investing for their future.

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For many, January is commonly a time for resolutions, goal setting, a renewed focus, and a time for reflection and hopefully appreciation for our blessings like health, happiness, loved ones, accomplishments and more.

As investors, it can be a time for the so-called “January Effect.” What is the January Effect you ask? The January effect is a hypothesis that there is a seasonal anomaly in the financial market where securities' prices increase in the month of January more than in any other month. In fact, according to Investopedia the average gain during the month of January in the S&P 500 is 1.8% vs. 0.7% on average for the other 11 months.

As with all calendar effects, if true, it would suggest that the market is not efficient, as market efficiency would suggest that this effect should disappear, according to Investopedia.

Some potential explanations for the January Effect include but are certainly not limited to; selling that typically occurs in the month of December related to tax-loss harvesting (selling underperforming stocks to offset gains with the hope of minimizing tax liabilities); and, portfolio rebalancing and performance

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Finally, some investors who earn year-end bonuses that are typically paid out in January opt to invest some or all of their bonus money in January just as small business owners whose profits were promising during the previous year may opt to invest some of their earnings in January as well.

With the January Effect in focus, I have to say I find it a bit depressing that for most consumers the January Effect is the opposite as our spending typically rises in December to pay for gifts and holiday travel and then our balance sheets drop in January as we pay off credit card debt. But I digress.

Just remember, as you detox your body this month don’t forget to also detox you balance sheet so that you can continue to Enjoy the Ride!

The opinions expressed here reflect the judgment of the author as of the date of the report and are subject to change without notice. The material has been prepared or is distributed solely for information purposes and is not a solicitation or an offer to buy any security or instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. Additional information is available upon request.

All investing involves some degree of risk, whether it is associated with market volatility, purchasing power or a specific security, including the possible loss of principal. Stocks offer long-term growth potential but may fluctuate more and provide less current income than other investments.

SEE A SHOW IN BIG SKY

Shining a light on the future.

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View more of the story at NorthWesternEnergy.com/BrightFuture

JANUARY 22+23 2022 IN A LANDSCAPE: CLASSICAL MUSIC IN THE WILD™

DINING

43 January 14 - 27, 2022

Explore Big Sky

Camp stove cooking minestrone soup

By Julia Barton EBS Contributor It’s winter in Montana and nothing soothes the soul on a chilly night after skiing like a delicious cup of warm soup. This recipe is simple, customizable and vegan friendly. As a bonus, this soup can be made on a camp stove just as easily as in a kitchen and will feed four to five people. Don’t feel like you must stick to these exact measurements as they can be easily altered to fit whatever is available to you.

Method: 1. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot over medium heat and add in all the chopped carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Let this heat up while stirring occasionally for a few minutes until the veggies have started to soften.

2. Then add in the broth, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes and the tomato paste, stir. Based on how much soup you hope to make, you can add some extra water here as well.

3. To this, add your Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, Ingredients: PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNIE SPRATT • 3 tablespoons of olive oil and bring to a simmer for five to eight minutes.

• 2 large carrots, diced 4. Once all the veggies and beans are soft, you can add in the noodles. Let the • 3 stalks of celery, diced noodles cook to your desired softness before taking the soup off the heat.

• 1 small onion, diced • 3 cloves of garlic, diced 5. Add in the rest of the olive oil, stir and serve.

• 4 cups or 1 liter of broth (can be veggie or chicken) • 1 can of cannellini beans This soup is sufficiently hearty and fulfilling on its own, but also pairs well with • 1 can diced tomatoes a loaf of French bread or some crackers for dipping. Stay warm and enjoy!

• 1 small can tomato paste • 4 cups or 1 liter of water This recipe was originally published in the Granola Guidebook newsletter.

• 1-2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning To subscribe to the Granola Guidebook, visit https://bit.ly/GranolaGuidebook.

• Salt and pepper to taste • 2 cups of egg noodles

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NOTICE TO THE BIG SKY FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE DISTRICT MEMBERS An Election of two trustees for the Big Sky Fire District Board of Trustees will be held on May3,2022.

Declaration of Candidacy forms for the election are available at the Big Sky Fire Department, Station #1 - Westfork Meadows, 650 Rainbow Trout Run, Big Sky, Montana and the Gallatin County Election Department, Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main Street Room 210, Bozeman. Montana.

Original Declaration of Candidacy forms must be filed with the Gallatin County Election Department no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 7, 2022.

44 Jan. 14 - 27, 2022

DINING

Explore Big Sky

AMUSE-BOUCHE Amuse-bouche refers to an appetizer, and by French translation means, “to entertain the mouth.” It offers a glimpse into what you should expect from a meal. Also it’s free, compliments of the chef.

Words I never thought I’d say

BY SCOTT MECHURA EBS FOOD COLUMNIST

Life is full of actions, beliefs and words that we never think we would ever say or do; people we say we would never interact with, or simply think we’ll never see them again. And it’s amazing how many times we see that same person again, believe something we never thought we would believe, or in my case over the years, employ someone I never thought I would employ, or employ again.

But life’s funny that way.

Now, I find myself saying two words I never thought I would say as often as I do.

Thank you.

Yes of course I’ve used those words an infinite number of times in my life. But what has changed is the context and frequency with which I say them.

Times are tough and we all know it.

America was in the midst of a generational labor shortage long before the era of COVID—COVID just magnified it.

I remember moving here in 2000 and when interviewing an applicant, the only question on their minds was whether or not we provided a ski pass. If we did not, well, it was highly likely they were not interested and would move on to someone who did.

How many Big Sky businesses now pine for the day when they only had to provide a ski pass to entice an employee?

By the time I moved back from Texas in May 2014, a sea of change had happened.

I was shocked how the first question, the only question really, was if we provided housing or not. As I’ve written, if you’re not a landlord then you aren’t an employer now.

Unemployment benefits, fear of one’s health, government stimulus as well as an underlying shift in away from physical work have all exacerbated an already challenging issue.

So it occurred to me recently just how much I now say thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for putting forth the effort it takes to do the job you do. Thank you for doing a job you know is difficult before taking it.

Thank you for being part of what has always been the backbone of any successful society.

BIG SKY’S

I recently stopped for a coffee on my way to work at Horn & Cantle on Christmas Eve long before the sun was even thinking about rising.

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I went about my business and headed to the register to pay where two employees and the same manager were now conversing.

They did their usual morning greetings, all with a smile. I left, but turned back around after a few steps away. I approached them as they looked at me as I had forgotten something.

I forgot to say thank you.

“Thank you all for being here on this holiday morning and thank you for what you do in this store every day. It doesn’t go unnoticed,” I said to them.

The manager thanked me back with a look in his eye that was as genuine as it was pleasantly surprised. And both of the women behind the register each began to tear together as if they planned it as they thanked me back and told me to have a good Christmas as well.

Please, no longer take for granted those who we took for granted for most of our lives. I’m sure thankful they showed up to work that morning.

Scott Mechura has spent a life in the hospitality industry. He is an executive chef, former certified beer judge and currently the executive chef for Horn & Cantle at Lone Mountain Ranch.

45 January 14 - 27, 2022

FUN

Explore Big Sky

American Life in Poetry

BY KWAME DAWES Albert Goldbarth’s imagination has the unique penchant for a certain absurdist insistence on the delight we can derive from strangeness. The poet hears his wife singing and thinks of a horse’s skull. This seems like a prelude to intimations of mortality (the poem’s title is, after all, “Tough Day: Closure”), but then, what happens is not quite humor, but dogged joy, “as if the brain/ is determined to sing and fly.” And the image that stays with me is this one, a bird rising out of a horse’s skull.

Tough Day: Closure

BY ALBERT GOLDBARTH Upstairs, in the bath, my wife is humming some made-up tune in which the mood of a zoned-out happiness willfully prevails.

Why do I suddenly think of the horse skull that I saw last year in the countryside?

Because a bird rose out of it, as if the brain is determined to sing and fly, the brain is determined to sing and fly no matter what.

Corner Quote “If life were predictable it would cease to be life and be without flavor.”

-Eleanor Roosevelt

BIG SKY

BEATS ‘Yellowstone’ soundtrack

BY TUCKER HARRIS Season four of American drama television series “Yellowstone” just came to a close. Fans will have to patiently await season five’s release, which is set to go into production in May. In the meantime, Explore Big Sky brings you a playlist of our favorite songs from these past four seasons.

Elevate your Yellowstone National Park trip by setting your experience to the "Yellowstone" soundtrack.

Or just as well, relax from the comfort of your couch, enjoying these Western tunes to keep your "Yellowstone" stoke alive throughout the year.

"Yellowstone" Soundtrack 1. “Wolves” by Ryan Bingham 2. “Dear Rodeo” by Cody Johnson 3. “Nose on the Grindstone (OurVinyl Sessions)” by Tyler Childers, OurVinyl 4. “The Humbling River” by Puscifier 5. “Stone” by Whiskey Myers 6. “Howlin at the Moon” by Bad Flamingo 7. “Peace in the Pines” by Kolton Moore & the Clever Few 8. “Drunken Poet’s Dream” by Hayes Carll 9. “Ain’t Gonna Drown” by Ellie King 10. “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton

46 January 14 - 27, 2022

BACK 40

Explore Big Sky

For Explore Big Sky, the Back 40 is a resource: a place where we can delve into subjects and ask experts to share their knowledge. Here, we highlight stories from our flagship sister publication Mountain Outlaw magazine.

Noun: wild or rough terrain adjacent to a developed area Origin: shortened form of “back 40 acres”

Blue River Bounty

How Mike Wiegele built a powder skiing empire deep in the British Columbia backcountry

BY BRIAN HURLBUT A version of this story was first published in the Winter 2019 edition of Mountain Outlaw magazine. Mike Wiegele passed away in July 2021 at the age of 82.

Much like the late, legendary filmmaker Warren Miller, not everyone understood Mike Wiegele’s vision. As Miller toured the world promoting skiing through his annual movies, Wiegele was busy strategizing how to entice more skiers to the pristine powder he had discovered in the remote mountains of British Columbia.

The owner of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing turned 80 years old in September, he’ll celebrate his 50th year in business next winter, and he shows no signs of slowing down.

In the late 1960s, the idea of bringing paying guests into the backcountry was unheard of—and logistically difficult. Unless, Wiegele thought, you have a helicopter.

“Who would spend money to go flying in the mountains to ski?” said Carman Smith, a third-generation logger who has spent his life in southeast British Columbia’s North Thompson River valley. Smith met Wiegele soon after he moved to the area.

“He had a totally different vision than what we had,” Smith said. “We hadn’t really thought about the mountains for recreation. I never dreamt of skiing up there.”

Smith, 82, and Wiegele have now been friends for nearly five decades, and Smith’s logging operation helped create some of the runs that Wiegele’s clients pay big bucks to ski. But back then, when Wiegele had sketches on napkins and daydreams about creating one of the world’s first heli-skiing operations, Smith just thought he was nuts.

Warren Miller and Mike Wiegele were also longtime friends and kindred spirits who met in 1963. Miller came to Blue River, British Columbia, to film for the first time in 1973 and Wiegele’s operation appeared in more than 20 of his films. Miller passed away in January 2018 at age 93, but left a lasting legacy of the ski bum-turned-entrepreneur lifestyle, which Wiegele still embraces today.

“He put trust in people and his friends when getting into the business, and that’s what I try to [do] today,” Wiegele said of Miller. “He’s gone, but his spirit is still with us.”

Born in Austria to a family of farmers who weren’t avid skiers, Wiegele nevertheless gravitated to the sport. Growing up, he skied whenever he wasn’t doing farm chores and eventually earned a spot on the national junior race team. By the time he was 21, he wanted out of post-war Austria and in 1959 emigrated to Canada, a place he’d been fixated on since he was a young boy, listening to stories from when his father and grandparents spent time working there.

After arriving in Banff, and then leaving for brief ski-instructing stints at Mount Tremblant in Quebec and California’s Sugar Bowl, he returned in 1965 and opened his

own ski school at Lake Louise. One of his first students was Ken Read, who at age 20 became the first North American to win a World Cup downhill race.

The same year Wiegele opened his ski school, his Austrian friend and renowned mountaineer, Hans Gmoser, started flying skiers into the Canadian mountains with helicopters. Gmoser and Wiegele spent many days together in the high peaks during the early ‘60s, touring in the backcountry and looking for the best snow. Gmoser’s operation eventually became Canadian Mountain Holidays and is still in existence today, although he died in 2006.

When the helicopters landed on the scene, backcountry powder skiing in Canada became a nascent industry. Gmoser made a film featuring him and Wiegele heli-skiing and Gmoser immediately jumped into the business of taking guests. Wiegele followed suit a few years later, starting in the town of Valemount at the foot of Mount Robson Provincial Park, and eventually settling on a remote British Columbia valley nestled between two striking mountain ranges, the Monashees and the Cariboos. The tiny logging town of Blue River, located between Jasper and Kamloops, would serve as his base area.

“The helicopter quickly made you realize that there was much more to be had,” Wiegele said. “We have a vastness of choices and that’s heli-skiing—having the choices.”

Wiegele’s business now has well over a million acres of terrain and more than 1,000 peaks they can access, on public land leased from the Canadian government. Guests can stay at the main lodge in Blue River or one of several private lodges scattered around the mountains. Wiegele has built a luxurious, comfortable experience for his clients, which average about 1,300 per winter. His company has also become the benchmark in an industry with close to two-dozen heli-skiing operations in British Columbia alone.

While the amenities do attract clientele, Wiegele knows that it still boils down to the bounty found on the slopes. With an average annual snowfall of nearly 400 inches, he believes the mountains around Blue River are the perfect powder paradise.

“It’s truly the most reliable and consistent snowfall,” he said. “If you have good snow, you have happy customers.”

Wiegele is proud to point out that his company hasn’t missed an opening day in 49 years, and that last winter there were only four down days due to weather—the season typically begins around Dec. 1 and wraps up by mid-April.

According to Wiegele, a crucial component to his success is the staff. Treating them more like family than employees, Wiegele has a long history of taking good care of good people. Bob Sayer, 62, earned a trip to Blue River 32 years ago, after winning the Canadian Powder 8 Championships at Lake Louise. He came to compete in the world finals at Wiegele’s, and soon after signed on as a guide—his dream job after working as a patroller and seeing Wiegele featured in several Warren Miller films.

More than three decades later, Sayer is now a lead guide and the operations manager for the business. He was one of the few guides back then with a family, and Mike Wiegele made it possible for him to make a living in the mountains.

“He didn’t have to—I was just another young heli-ski guide—but over the years I have been always really well taken care of by Mike,” Sayer said. “He wants the best for his company and his clients, and he knows that you will get the best out of people if you treat them well.”

These days a top Wiegele guide can make six figures; it’s hard work and long hours, but the dedication can pay off.

“We’re attracting high-quality people,” Wiegele said. “It has developed into a profession where you can make a living. The myth is gone that it’s a bum job.”

At 80 years old, Mike Wiegele is still the chief powder tester for his heli-skiing business. PHOTO BY JASON MARTIN

During the winter, the small community of Blue River swells with Wiegele employees. From dishwashers and housekeepers to massage therapists and cooks, Wiegele has about 240 people on staff during the peak season. That’s more than the entire town’s population, which has shrunk from about 650 to less than 200 in the nearly 50 years since Wiegele started. In an area where the logging and railroad industries once reigned, recreation now drives the local economy.

BACK 40

47 January 14 - 27, 2022

“Mike is really community minded,” said Carman Smith, the logger. “He has always been there for us.”

Smith described an event, many years ago, when one of his workers was hit in the head by a tree and badly injured. They were in a remote area that an ambulance couldn’t reach, and Wiegele happened to have a rare down day because of low fog.

“He took a helicopter and flew just above the highway, and followed the logging road all the way in,” Smith recalled. “He had a German doctor on board and we loaded my guy into the helicopter and flew right down to the hospital.” Smith credits Wiegele for saving the man’s life.

There was also the harrowing rescue in 1990, when Wiegele pulled survivors, including his own wife Bonnie, out of a burning helicopter that had crash-landed. These acts earned Wiegele a Medal of Bravery from the Governor General of Canada and helped cement his place in the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame. But the awards don’t mean as much as his innovations in snow safety and the impact they have had on the industry.

He founded the Canadian Ski Guide Association in 1990, and that same year initiated avalanche research with the University of Calgary—something that all heli-ski operators now participate in.

“Many of the things that are standard operating procedure in the industry started with Mike—he’s always five steps further down the road than everybody else,” Sayer said.

“His focus on safety has no limits, and his belief that nothing should get in the way of safety is his legacy.”

This focus on safety indirectly led him to be a pioneer of wider, shorter powder skis. In the early days, clients would often want the stiffest, longest skis available—up to 225 centimeters—for powder skiing, but Wiegele thought there was a better way. He started drawing up prototypes in the 1970s, but it wasn’t until the late 1980s that he was able to convince Atomic to make a ski specifically for deep, untracked powder.

“Just make me a ski for the skiers and not for the racers,” he told them. “We have to make a better ski.”

The Atomic Powder Magic debuted in 1988. With a 115-centimeter waist, they were not for the average skier, but in the mountains above Blue River they were ideal. The Powder Plus followed, becoming a standard that helped usher in the fat ski revolution.

All of these safety and product innovations are driven by one fact: Mike Wiegele loves to ski and he loves to take people skiing. Yes, he’s built a successful business over the years, but what hasn’t changed is his devotion to the sport he loves.

Explore Big Sky

___________ For his 80th birthday last fall, Wiegele again rode his bike 512 kilometers, from Banff to Blue River, in his annual Tour de Blue event to kick off the 49th year in business. The ride is part of Wiegele’s Get Fit for Winter program, designed to inspire his team for the upcoming ski season. And he did it with a bum knee, which was surgically repaired in late September. He plans to be healed in time to ski by February, the peak of the Blue River ski season.

“He’s as driven now as much as he was when he was 50,” Sayer said. “Mike doesn’t sit still.”

Sayer likes to tell a story from 1988 when Wiegele built the existing main lodge and chalets in Blue River. After construction was done, Wiegele lived in a small room in the basement, because he just needed a place to sleep for the winter.

“Here was this big, beautiful lodge and the owner lived in a storage closet because that’s all he needed,” Sayer said. “Mike is the consummate ski bum. He’s done well in life but all he really wants in life is to go skiing. And if he can go skiing everyday then he’s happy.”

Wiegele echoes this sentiment. After all, he moved halfway across the world as a young man to explore the Canadian mountains and to seek out the best powder. It’s what many winter enthusiasts do at some point in their lives, but in Wiegele’s case, he’s managed to create and sustain a business that empowers other snow lovers to follow their dreams.

Much like the inspiration that Warren Miller evoked with his annual ski films, Wiegele wants people to experience the freedom that comes from gliding through powder.

In 2020 he’ll celebrate the 50th year of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing, and it’s a safe bet that he’ll be just as excited as he was during that first season of flying clients to the high peaks of British Columbia.

“I’m motivated by the quality of skiing, the quality of snow, and the quality of friendships you develop,” Wiegele said. “That turns into a package of having fun living.”

Mike Wiegele is clearly still having fun. While some people his age dream about winter retreats to palm trees and sandy beaches, this skiing pioneer is waxing his boards for another season in the mountains—and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

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