Explore Big Sky - July 28 to August 10, 2022 by Outlaw Partners

July 28 - August 10, 2022 Volume 13 // Issue #15

BIG SKY PBR BRINGS COWBOY CULTURE TO BIG SKY HOUSING SURVEY REPORTS NEED ACROSS COMMUNITY

LOCAL NONPROFIT TO SCREEN NEPAL FILM BOOK REVIEW: ‘RIPPLE EFFECTS’ DAMMIT LAUREN! RELEASES SECOND ALBUM

OPENING SHOT

July 28 - August 10, 2022 Volume 13, Issue No. 15 Owned and published in Big Sky, Montana

PUBLISHER Eric Ladd | eric@theoutlawpartners.com

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, VP MEDIA Joseph T. O’Connor | joe@theoutlawpartners.com MANAGING EDITOR Bella Butler | bella@theoutlawpartners.com

Castilleja, commonly called Indian paintbrush, is the state flower of Montana’s southern neighbor, Wyoming, but is native across many parts of the U.S. There are more than 200 species of Indian paintbrush that vary in size and color. Here in Big Sky, we most often see giant red Indian paintbrush, Castilleja miniata, which can be red, pink or orange and grow from May through September. These Indian paintbrush flowers were spotted near Beehive Basin, a well-known spot to find various wildflowers in the summer. PHOTO BY RODNEY WILLETT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gabrielle Gasser | gabrielle@theoutlawpartners.com DIGITAL PRODUCER Julia Barton | julia@theoutlawpartners.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Leonora Willett | editorial@theoutlawpartners.com

CREATIVE GRAPHIC DESIGNER ME Brown | maryelizabeth@theoutlawpartners.com

SALES AND OPERATIONS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Megan Paulson | megan@theoutlawpartners.com CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Treston Wold | treston@theoutlawpartners.com VP OF SALES EJ Daws | ej@theoutlawpartners.com MEDIA AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Ersin Ozer | ersin@theoutlawpartners.com MARKETING MANAGER Sophia Breyfogle | sophia@theoutlawpartners.com CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGIST Mira Brody | mira@theoutlawpartners.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT Sara Sipe | sara@theoutlawpartners.com

6 17 18 20 25 28 32 44

LOCAL 8 SPORTS REGIONAL 15 ENVIRONMENT A&E 16 BUSINESS OPINION 23 FUN

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LEAD Patrick Mahoney | patrick@theoutlawpartners.com

25 CONTRIBUTORS Lynn Anderson, Tom Attwater, Kaley Burns, Sarah Gianelli, Marne Hayes, Scott Mechura, Michael Ruebusch, Peter Schmieding, John Troy, Cy Whitling, Todd Wilkinson, Rodney Willett, Ted Williams

BIG SKY PBR BRINGS COWBOY CULTURE TO BIG SKY This year’s Big Sky PBR and Big Sky’s Biggest Week will be remembered for many things—an escaped bull being one of them—but the most resonant component of the 11th year of the event was community.

HOUSING SURVEY REPORTS NEED ACROSS COMMUNITY

The Big Sky Community Housing Trust recently published reports from two surveys they conducted early this summer. The conclusion: Housing remains an issue for people across Big Sky.

LOCAL NONPROFIT TO SCREEN NEPAL FILM

Local nonprofit Tsering’s Fund will screen its second documentary at The Independent theater on Aug. 3 in Big Sky. The film chronicles the story of Maya Hyolmo, one of the young women Tsering’s Fund has helped empower through an educational sponsorship.

BOOK REVIEW: ‘RIPPLE EFFECTS’

In his new book, “Ripple Effects: How to Save Yellowstone and America’s Most Iconic Wildlife Ecosystem,” national journalist Todd Wilkinson, who’s written about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for 35 years, implores readers to examine the ways we are destroying wilderness—and encourages them to participate in its survival.

DAMMIT LAUREN! RELEASES SECOND ALBUM

Big Sky-based band Dammit Lauren! has homed in on their unique sound in their latest “post-grunge” album “Electric Restlessness,” bringing in outside production help for a dynamic sound quality.

ON THE COVER: Belgrade cowboy Andy Bolich—former head coach for the Montana State University Rodeo Team—generally wrangles bulls inside the arena. On the second night of the Big Sky PBR, however, Bolich rode his horse through Big Sky chasing after an escaped bull, ultimately receiving $10,000 from Outlaw Partners for his valor. PHOTO BY JULIA BARTON

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.

SCAN FOR TOWN CRIER NEWSLETTER. DAILY NEWS, STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

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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 August 11, 2022 issue: August 3, 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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6 July 28 - August 10, 2022

Explore Big Sky

LOCAL

NEWS IN BRIEF

FISHING RESTRICTIONS ENACTED DUE TO HIGH TEMPS

GALLATIN COUNTY VOTERS TO DECIDE ON LOCAL MARIJUANA TAXES

EBS STAFF

BOZEMAN — On July 27, hoot-owl fishing restrictions went into effect on parts of the East Gallatin, Jefferson and lower Big Hole rivers due to rising water temperatures. Restrictions were enacted following three consecutive days with temperatures above 73 degrees.

GALLATIN COUNTY — Two questions regarding local-option sales tax on recreational and medical marijuana will be presented to Gallatin County voters in the November general election. Both taxes were passed by voters during the June primary election, however the results were negated due to county failure to meet the notice requirements required by the Montana Legislature. If passed, the county would enact a 3 percent local-option sales tax to both medical and non-medical marijuana purchases.

The restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight and will remain in effect until water temperatures cool down. Such restrictions are designed to protect fish as low flows and high-water temperatures cause higher stress and mortality to fish.

MONTANA TRIBE SUES US AGENCY OVER POLICING AND JAIL SPACE EBS STAFF

BILLINGS — On July 19, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe filed a lawsuit against the Interior Department and its Bureau of Indian Affairs over claims that the government is not providing adequate law enforcement assistance on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation as outlined in a treaty between the reservation and the Interior Department. Violent crime has increased on the reservation, however law enforcement services and resources—including federal law enforcement officers, drug investigators, missing persons investigators and jail space—have decreased.

NORTHWESTERN PLANS AUGUST REPAIR OF HEBGEN DAM

YELLOWSTONE SUPERINTENDENT: NORTH ENTRANCE ROAD MAY NOT RECOVER FROM FLOODS EBS STAFF

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. — Following June floods, Yellowstone National Park’s U.S. Highway 89 could require up to five years and $1 billion to repair. U.S. 89, providing access to the park from the North Entrance in Gardiner, runs through a canyon, which may face further erosion danger in the future. The National Park Service reports climate-related difficulties in most parks, including impacts from wildfires and rising sea levels. Currently, the Old Gardiner Road is being converted to a two-lane road to provide access to the park from Gardiner to visitors by November with potential to replace U.S. 89.

FEES TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT TWO BOZEMAN CAMPGROUNDS BEGINNING AUG. 1 EBS STAFF

EBS STAFF

WEST YELLOWSTONE — The Hebgen Dam malfunctioned last fall, restricting water to the Madison River. NorthWestern Energy, the company that operates the 108-year-old dam, has outlined a repair plan. The dam malfunction was caused by a failure of a coupling on the dam’s gate stem, according to NorthWestern Energy, leaving one of the state’s flagship trout fisheries without outflow from the dam for 46 hours. Water flow from the dam will be maintained during repairs to other couplings in August.

BOZEMAN – After offering free camping for more than 20 years, Battle Ridge and Blackmore campgrounds in the Custer Gallatin National Forest will begin charging overnight fees on Aug. 1. Increased traffic to these sites has caused faster wear and tear, and new fees will go toward maintaining the quality of these sites. Fees collected will be used to maintain and repair the sites, including replacing fire rings and picnic tables, as well as helping to provide funding for future investments at the campgrounds.

BIG SKY, MT

L I M I T E D AVA I L A B I L I T Y

POR TI ON OF PROC E E DS TO B E N E F I T

8 July 28 - August 10, 2022

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BIG SKY PBR: ITS OWN BRAND OF WESTERN

A rider holds on tightly to his bull, aiming not to hit the ground before the clock hits eight seconds. PHOTO BY TOM ATTWATER

BY BELLA BUTLER The Big Sky PBR is co-produced by Outlaw Partners. Outlaw Partners publishes Explore Big Sky. BIG SKY – Built around one of the nation’s largest ski resorts, Big Sky isn’t a traditional rodeo town. But on the weekend of July 21-23, the Big Sky PBR dusted this skiville with a Western culture that at its core shares the same foundation that holds Big Sky together: community. On the second evening of this three-day PBR event, thousands of people were suspended in a moment of shared adrenaline as the event quickly changed course. A bull escaped from a gate behind the chutes, and every cowboy, firefighter and law enforcement agent in the Big Sky Events Arena saddled nearby horses and jumped into trucks to wrangle the loose stock. Bull riders Dakota Louis and Eli Vastbinder joined longtime cowboy and former Montana State

Riders line up together to salute the American flag presented by the Big Sky Fire Department. PHOTO BY JULIA BARTON

University Rodeo Head Coach Andy Bolich in pursuit of the bull down the main streets of Big Sky. After it was caught, the three rode back into the arena on horses and Louis tossed his hat into the stands, where the crowd erupted. “That’s cowboy stuff right there, people,” said Flint Rasmussen, renowned PBR entertainer and longtime staple of the 11-years-running Big Sky event. Indeed, it was a display of true Western life, but it also resembled the sense of neighborliness embedded in the Big Sky PBR as well as Big Sky itself. Certainly more than a rowdy event and a chance to dust off cowboy boots each year, the consistently sold-out three nights of bull riding and now week chock-full of events leading up to it is about community. It’s about family. During night three, at the contestant’s pre-event meeting behind the arena, Outlaw Partners founder

Jesse Petri, the 2022 Big Sky PBR champion, hollers at the crowd with excitement. PHOTO BY TOM ATTWATER

and chairman Eric Ladd addressed a circle of riders and crew members and thanked them for looking out for his community. He then told them the story he would that night relate to the crowd: How the Big Sky PBR, born from awe of the cowboy and a big dream, has created a family. “You are my family,” Ladd told them, mirroring the riders with their hands tucked into their Wranglers and their heads hung in respect. The riders concur. After voting the Big Sky event the PBR Event of the Year for eight years in a row, the top-tier athletes at the 2022 Big Sky PBR were either veterans of the event who recounted it as their favorite, or eager rookies who had heard of the legend that the Big Sky PBR has become. “Big Sky, there’s nowhere else like it,” said this year’s event champion Jesse Petri after walking off the dirt with more than $46,000 in prize money and a slew of other big-ticket awards following his 88.5-point

Briella Rauch accepts her second Big Sky PBR Mutton Bustin’ trophy with tears in her eyes. PHOTO BY TOM ATTWATER

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championship ride. “The crowd is just absolutely wild. They throw a bunch of money at us and they love to see good bull riding and that’s what it’s all about.” Behind the chutes, the riders are each other’s biggest fans, but they also treat everyone else in the arena like family. They call members of the Outlaw Partners crew by first name, share seats with audience members in the stands and danced with Big Sky’s young and wild at bars each night after the PBR wrapped up. It’s a relationship founded on reciprocity: the fans provide enthusiasm, support and a window into the community, and the riders give everything they’ve got. “It’s just all in all good for us and the community loves us,” said bull rider Matt Triplett, who won the Big Sky PBR in 2017. “They treat us really good. They pay our fees, give us a little extra traveling money. It’s just this is by far the best bull riding we all go to all year … This is one we all want to come and perform [at] and do really well just because the fans [are] so into it.” The riders aren’t the only ones walking away from the week with big payouts. A 2021 study commissioned by Outlaw Partners found that events culminating with the Big Sky PBR, dubbed Big Sky’s Biggest Week, attract up to 30,000 visitors, support the equivalent of 311 jobs and generate $19 million throughout the community. “It pumps a lot of revenue into the local businesses and we love to see these big events come to town,” said Kristin Kern, owner of the Hungry Moose Market & Deli, who said her staff donned green bandanas all week to get excited for the PBR. In addition to commerce, the 50/50 raffle and Calcutta at the Big Sky PBR this year contributed nearly $152,000 in charitable donations to local causes. Additional charitable funds are raked in throughout Big Sky’s Biggest Week through highenergy events like a four-day art auction, a Black Bull golf tournament and a bingo night that celebrates late local legend Dick Allgood. “I hope that every fundraiser I ever host is this fun,” said Mariel Butan, executive director of Morningstar Learning Center, at bingo night. MLC was one of two beneficiaries for the bingo event. “It kind of embodies Big Sky that we’re showing up for each other and having it be a really fun way to do that.” Though Big Sky’s Biggest Week and the Big Sky PBR have become tradition for much of the community, the event is the picture of open arms. Each year, new faces embed themselves inside the crowd and add something of their own. A staple of the PBR is the dance competition, where three fans are chosen each night to take the dirt alongside Rasmussen and compete for the crowd’s affection to their music of choice. On Thursday night, Boyd Beasley, an “over-50” Texan who’d been to many PBRs but never the Big Sky event, shocked the

An excited crowd cheers as the Big Sky PBR kicks off for the 11th time in the Town Center. PHOTO BY TOM ATTWATER

crowd with an ‘80s hip-hop number that ended with him doing one of the more impressive worms ever witnessed in the arena. After the crowd decidedly cheered Beasley on to victory, he stepped off the dirt, sweat dripping down his face and flecks of dust coating his arms. “I love it when really tough men are riding on dangerous animals,” Beasley said about PBR. “I live vicariously through their risk.” Beasley took his own risk that night while the bull riders enjoyed a break behind the chutes, setting the crowd on fire for another round of all-time riding. “It’s exciting, it’s riveting, people are just riled up!” Beasley shouted over famous PBR announcer Matt West’s booming voice in the background. “Everybody loves a cowboy.” It turns out that everyone especially loves cowboys and cowgirls when they’re 3-feet tall. Mutton busters this year received some of the rowdiest crowd engagement, and for good reason. On Thursday night, Memphis native Burke Strange, 5, careened all the way through the arena on his sheep for a first-place ride. “This is my dream,” Burke said when accepting his trophy, which he later held up in the front at the crowd in Len Hill Park while he danced to the sounds of Chancey Williams. On Friday night, 5-year-old Briella Rauch’s face was streaked with tears as she accepted her mutton bustin’ trophy in her American flag print jacket and chaps, telling West in the microphone that it was the best day of her life. On Saturday, Big Sky’s Adley McPhillips followed her 2021 win with another champion ride, admitting to the crowd she had been practicing on her parents and dog.

of the Big Sky community for many years to come and we look at the opportunity to help curate events as a key pillar to our business and the community desires and needs,” Ladd said. When Ladd opened the final night of bull riding with an address to the crowd, he said when he first dreamed up the Big Sky PBR with the Watsons as well as Jim Murphy, they agreed it had to be about two things: “One is it’s gotta be the best,” he said. “No. 2: It’s gotta be about community.” Now 11 years later, between the dirt, the chutes, the bleachers and the streets of Big Sky, petrifying tradition binds together all the pieces of this evergrowing event. It informs a rich sense of place, one textured with different ways of life and colored by a dream come true. “As it polishes out and it gets bigger and bigger, it’s something I want the community to feel ownership in and it’s something that helps generate that bigger heartbeat within a community,” Ladd said on the Big Sky-based Hoary Marmot podcast while reflecting on this year’s event. “That’s what I hope for.” Big Sky isn’t a rodeo town, but it saddles up each July to celebrate community and to honor its own brand of Western; a brand that looks like cowboys riding horses down the streets with local fire trucks in tow to bring a bull back to the arena so the show can go on. And on. Leonora Willett, Gabrielle Gasser, Julia Barton and Joseph T. O’Connor contributed reporting to this story.

“The Big Sky PBR was again impactful at every level imaginable,” said Jacey Watson, who co-produces the Big Sky PBR with her husband, Andy Watson. “…A wonderful community event to be a part of and everyone is so grateful.” From the dirt on the last night, Ladd announced that a recent agreement extended the Big Sky Events Arena’s lease in Town Center and that the Big Sky PBR would be returning in 2023. “Outlaw Partners is committed to being part

Eric Ladd addresses the crowd before the final night of the 2022 Big Sky PBR. PHOTO BY JULIA BARTON

PHOTO BY TOM ATTWATER

PHOTO BY JULIA BARTON

PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER

PHOTO BY MICHAEL RUEBUSCH

PHOTO BY TOM ATTWATER

PHOTO BY MICHAEL RUEBUSCH

a g n i e b r o f u o y k n a h T ! R B P y k S g i B f o t r pa

We wanted to take a moment and thank our sponsors, partners and vendors for making the 11th annual Big Sky PBR a reality. It truly takes a community effort to pull off an event like this and we are proud to share a place like Big Sky with you.

Big Sky Fire Department • Civil Air Patrol •Gallatin Event Rentals Little Stinkers • MAV Security • Midway Rentals • Montana Party Rentals SCS Wraps • Spiffy Biffy • Big Sky SNO • YES Compost 406 Recycling • CC Gourmet • Mountain Fox Kitchen • YC Ambulance Rocky Mountain Security • Gallatin County Sheriff Dale Summerfield • Precision Lawn care • Big Sky Arts Council TMC Construction • Rent Biz • Big Sky Town Center • Blue Collar Group U.S. Army • U.S. Marines • Jereco Studios

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PBR 50/50 RAFFLE GIVES CIVIL AIR PATROL VITAL FUNDS Troth, from Bozeman, has been with the Montana Civil Air Patrol for the past 18 years. “My primary enjoyment of Civil Air Patrol is working with young people and teaching leadership and watching them develop as young adults,” he said.

BY LEONORA WILLETT BIG SKY— For the second year in a row the Gallatin Composite Squadron of the Montana Civil Air Patrol volunteered at the Big Sky PBR and received funding from the 50/50 raffle. The winner of this year’s 50/50 raffle donated their portion of the raffle back to the air patrol, totaling $3,380 from Thursday night. At the 10th annual PBR in Big Sky last summer, the air patrol received $1,050 from the 50/50 raffle as well as an additional $2,000 donation from Outlaw Partners for outstanding volunteerism. The money from last year’s event went into buying a trailer which serves as a mobile communication center as well as a storage unit. The trailer was at PBR this year, providing much needed space for event supplies such as a tents and tables. The trailer is equipped with two, 250-watt solar panels, radios, computers for flight simulations and high-frequency antennas capable of communicating across state lines. In addition, the trailer has charging stations for drones and satellite tracking devices. Funding from this year’s 50/50 raffle will go to three areas of the Civil Air Patrol: cadet programs, aerospace education and emergency services. Funding for emergency services will go toward training equipment and continuing to outfit

Along with search and rescue operations and training, cadets with the air patrol also participate in rocket training, flight training as well as a weeklong encampment. The organization is involved with volunteer programs around the community.

Rodney Aloise (left) and Capt. Austin Troth (right) stand in front of the new trailer. PHOTO BY LEONORA WILLETT

their new trailer. Cadet program funding will go to buying uniform supplies and continuing the program. Aerospace education funding will go to purchasing drones and RC planes. “[Cadets] are excited about aerospace sciences, whether they want to go into a career in the military or they want to go into a career in private industry, they all want to go do something really neat,” said Capt. Austin Troth. “They’re really energized and motivated.”

“We try to get the cadets as well as our members out in helping out for a variety of events,” Troth said. In addition to PBR in Big Sky, the air patrol helps at the Polar Plunge put on by the Gallatin County Sheriff ’s Office as well as other events. Troth said his favorite part of the air patrol is the week-long encampment the cadets participate in. “You see cadets really come out of it with a sense of pride and a sense of understanding of why excellence, our core value, is important, and why integrity is important,” he said. The Montana CAP played a vital role in survey and rescue missions in June after flooding devastated Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas. The squadron flew 21 sorties and helped save 88 lives, as well as captured photographs and video surveillance footage of damaged areas.

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HOUSING SURVEY REVEALS NEED ACROSS BIG SKY SPECTRUM BIG SKY – A survey recently released by the Big Sky Community Housing Trust largely reiterates what most resort town residents already know: housing is a critical issue that impacts people across the community spectrum. The set of surveys, one offered to Big Sky employers and one to employees, was intended to inform the housing trust’s future work as well as to characterize the local workforce, according to BSCHT Executive Director David O’Connor. “It all comes down to helping us make better informed decisions and be better stewards of public and philanthropic funds,” O’Connor said. Open between May 23 and June 15, the surveys were distributed through the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce, the housing trust’s own network, and employers as well as Explore Big Sky and is the first of its kind since 2017. Wendy Sullivan, a consultant based in California, will use the newest responses to update the Big Sky Community Housing Action Plan she prepared in 2018. The employee survey received 645 responses and the employer survey received 106.

“I think [the response rate] is an emphasis of how pervasive the need is, and the deficit that our community is facing in housing,” O’Connor said. “I think it also is reflective that … this needs to be something that our community needs to address.” One key takeaway from the survey O’Connor pointed to was that more than 90 percent of respondents said they live in Big Sky year-round and nearly 80 percent of respondents said they plan to work in Big Sky for more than two years. “To me, that says that we have a lot of people that are living here that would like to be longterm participating members of the community,” O’Connor said. “That to me says something very important: that our housing need is not ski bums looking for a better place to live.” He added that part of the housing trust’s goal is to help build a well-rounded community and house residents that keep Big Sky sustainable. “That number to me says that our pent-up demand for housing would fill that gap,” he said. “If we can solve this housing thing, we can provide this community with participatory, long-term residents.” Another data set that demonstrates the demographic diversity in Big Sky’s workforce O’Connor noted was that employee respondents reported living in a mix of housing types: 45.7 percent said they lived in condos, 26.6 percent in

HOW LONG DO YOU PLAN TO WORK IN BIG SKY? 100 79.19%

0 0-6 Months

5.85%

7-12 Months

13-24 Months

More than 2 Years

WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, DO YOU WANT TO ? 50

“Those are rubber-meets-the-road questions for the housing trust on this survey,” O’Connor said. “They did not give us responses that differ from what we perceive as our focus in the next five years, which is that ownership opportunities are the brass ring … We will not turn our back on rental opportunities if they present themselves, but what the community feels will be of the greatest long-term benefit to this community and its housing challenge is ownership—more accessible ownership.” The employer survey report can be viewed at bit.ly/ SURV-ER and the employee survey at bit.ly/SURVEM

14.40%

8.92% 1.88%

Single Family Home, Cabin

Condo, Apartment Townhouse, or Duplex

Motel or Hotel

15 0 Stay in current residence

Move into a new/different home in Big Sky

Move into a new/different home outside of Big Sky

RV or Camper

37.50%

17.14%

RENT

17.14%

Dorm Housing

45.36%

30.34% 24.40%

37.50%

DO YOU WANT TO... ...A HOME IN BIG SKY?

BUY

45.26%

Two other questions in the employee survey revealed that more than 45 percent of respondents said they would like to move into a new or different home in Big Sky within the next three years, and a similar percentage of respondents said they want to buy a home in Big Sky.

45.36%

30 26.60%

4.74%

“Conclusions like that help combat nimbyism that there’s us and there’s them and the housing-fit problem is their problem, whoever ‘they’ might be,” O’Connor said. “This says no, this is us as a community.”

WHAT TYPE OF HOME DO YOU LIVE IN NOW?

10.27%

single-family homes, 14.4 percent in apartments and the remaining in dorms, motel and hotel rooms, campers and cars or friends’ homes.

BUY or RENT

BY BELLA BUTLER

0.94% Car or Friend's Couch

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TSERING’S FUND FILM ‘HELAMBU’ TO SCREEN IN BIG SKY “I want Maya to show the audience who these girls really are and what they’re capable of,” he said. “She’s now ready to graduate from nursing school. She’s brilliant. But all she needed was a chance.”

BY GABRIELLE GASSER BIG SKY – A powerful new film defined by gorgeous cinematography and compelling storytelling, “Helambu” chronicles the way one school in the Helambu region of Nepal is changing the lives of many young women for the better.

Maya is studying nursing because, as she says in the film, she feels that if her parents had access to better medical care, they wouldn’t have died when she was little. Maya’s mother died of an unknown illness in 2008 after a month of treatment at a local hospital. Maya’s father died roughly 20 days later after heavily drinking and eating spoiled chicken.

Two years in the making, “Helambu,” will screen at The Independent theater in Big Sky at 6 and 8 p.m. on Aug. 3. Created by Tsering’s Fund, a local nonprofit founded by Karen Fellerhoff Schmieding and Peter Schmieding the story follows the Hyolmo people of northern Nepal and the efforts of Tsering’s Fund and a local secondary school, Melamchi Ghyang, to prevent the trafficking and early marriage of young girls in the region. Wes Overvold served as the director of cinematography for the film and Schmieding was the executive director. On the heels of the release of Tsering’s Fund’s first documentary in 2019, “Namaste Ramila,” Schmieding was first inspired to make this film when his adopted daughter, 20-year-old Maya Hyolmo, who grew up in the region, told him that she was the only girl left from her primary school and the girls she grew up with who hadn’t been married off or sent away to work. “The day she told me she was the only girl left, that was a significant moment because I couldn’t believe it,” Schmieding said. Raised by her grandmother, Nurjhangmu “Ebi” Hyolmo, after she and her brother, Karsang Hyolmo, lost their parents at a young age, Maya had the opportunity through a Tsering’s Fund sponsorship to stay in school past her primary years and is now attending HAMS Nursing College in Kathmandu.

According to Schmieding, Maya is a part of a larger cultural transition in Nepal from traditional medicine to Western medicine. In the film, Maya asks her grandmother why she never sent her away. In a tender moment, her grandmother responds that she heard too many stories of children dying overseas and committed herself to raising her two grandchildren despite the hardship.

Tsering’s Fund, founded 20 years ago, does work all over Nepal and more recently has been focusing its efforts in the Helambu region to place young, at-risk girls in boarding school at a young age and ensure they’re educated through college. By working closely with Purna Gautam, principal and founder of Melamchi Ghyang secondary school, Schmieding said Tsering’s Fund is trying to change the culture of a region that traditionally marries young women off or sends them to work overseas rather than paying for their education.

Schmieding said he was inspired to tell Maya’s story through the film to show how education can change lives.

Right now, Schmieding said there are about 140 students sponsored by Tsering’s Fund at Milamchi Ghyang. It’s a simple thing, he says, to pay $600 for a year of boarding school to change the lives of these young women.

“We feel the ultimate solution to early marriage and the trafficking of girls—really anywhere, but especially here—is education,” Schmieding said.

Schmieding hopes his film will inspire people to donate to Tsering’s Fund and help sponsor the education of more women and girls in Nepal.

Maya Hyolmo holds a candle during a ceremony in the village temple. PHOTO COURTESY OF TSERING’S FUND

“With an education, you’ll become mature and knowledgeable so that you can have success in your work,” she told Maya. Tsering’s Fund aims to create more Mayas, Schmieding said. “In other words, by showing an interest in these girls, putting them in boarding school, they turn into people like Maya: beautiful, empowered, educated women.” Following the screening of “Helambu” on Aug. 3 there will be a question-and-answer session where attendees can learn more about Tsering’s Fund and the work being done by the organization. There will also be a screening at the Madison Theater in Ennis on Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. Tickets can be found at Tseringsfund.org and are a minimum donation of $20.

17 July 28 - August 10, 20222

Explore Big Sky

SPORTS

BIG SKY CO-ED SOFTBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS EBS STAFF BIG SKY – Milkies remains undefeated in the eighth week of competition of the Big Sky Co-ed Softball League. The Huckers claimed second place in the rankings list followed by the

Wildcats and Riverhouse with seven wins apiece. More than three weeks remain in the season until the end of season tournament the weekend of Aug. 28. Below are the softball standings as of July 27.

TEAM NAME

WIN LOSS

1. Milkies 2. The Huckers 3. Wildcats 4. Riverhouse 5. Herbaceous Smokey Bears 6. Meadowlarks 7. Yeti Dogs 8. LPC 9. Cab Lizards 10. Lone Mountain Land Company 11. Lotus Pad 12. Big Sky Ballers 13. The Cave 14. The Rubes 15. Mooseketeers

8 7 7 7 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 2 1 1 0

0 1 2 2 3 4 4 3 5 5 4 4 8 9 9

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Herbaceous Smokey Bears pitch to the Wildcats on July 26. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER

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18 July 28 - August 10, 2022

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REGIONAL

A DEATH IN THE FAMILY: CROSSCUT MOUNTAIN SPORTS CENTER’S BOARD CHAIR AND FOUNDER, ERIC LOVE

LOVE’S PASSION, HEART AND VISION HONORED IN LOVE CROSSCUT FUND CROSSCUT MOUNTAIN SPORTS CENTER

BOZEMAN – On Friday, July 15, 2022, Crosscut’s beloved and passionate founder and board chair Eric Love died in a tragic car accident that severely injured his loving wife, Jacquie. Our hearts are with Jacquie, and Eric’s children Sabine and Alex Love, during this challenging time. Jacquie is in our thoughts as she continues to recover from her injuries and gain strength in the hospital. Over five years ago, Eric’s vision and passion brought Crosscut Mountain Sports Center to life. As our board chairman, he’s continued to drive our vision and charted a thoughtful course for Crosscut to grow, impact and serve our growing community— and beyond. “Our dad wasn’t the best skier, but he wasn’t building Crosscut for himself.

He founded Crosscut as a way for us and other Bozeman area kids to participate in biathlon. Because of his love and passion, Crosscut has grown into a home for our entire community. He found so much pride and enjoyment out of connecting people with the outdoors through his love for this magical place. It’s our hope that his vision continues,” remarked Sabine and Alex. In the wake of this heartbreaking news, community members, friends and those who loved both Eric and Crosscut have come forward to ask what they can do to help. With the support of Jacquie, Sabine, Alex and Eric’s entire family, we are honored to announce the Love Crosscut Fund— Fulfilling a Legacy of Leadership. Pledges and gifts made to this special fund will help Crosscut continue to grow in all the ways that were

deeply important to Eric: fostering community by creating special places where people can gather, enhancing opportunity through outdoor education and athlete development programs, and embracing our shared responsibility as stewards of the land and the organization we hold in trust. “I’ve had the pleasure of watching Eric pour his heart and passion into Crosscut and our community, his love for both shone brightly through the signature twinkle in his eyes. Eric founded Crosscut as an opportunity for his children to participate in biathlon, and grew it into the thriving, inclusive mountain sports center that connects thousands of people with nature. As we grieve the giant hole he leaves in our lives, I can hear him whispering in my ear to rally together and fulfill his vision for Crosscut today and long into the future—for

the benefit of our entire community,” shared Eric’s wife, Jacquie. This tragedy reminds us that life is fragile, and the support we give and receive to each other is paramount and binds us together. Thanks to all in our Crosscut family who have reached out, and our strongest hugs and deepest condolences to those who knew and loved Eric. Those who knew Eric well know that he would want us to do all we can to keep his bold vision for our community moving forward, despite this devastating loss for his family and close friends, for the Crosscut he loved and for our community. For more information regarding the Love Crosscut Fund, please visit: www. crosscutmt.org.

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20 July 28 - August 10, 2022

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ENVIRONMENT

DEQ PLANS MONITORING OF GALLATIN IN WAKE OF IMPAIRMENT LISTING BY GABRIELLE GASSER BIG SKY – After announcing a preliminary finding in June that the middle segment of the Gallatin River is impaired by algal blooms, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality is gathering public comment and preparing for the next steps in the listing process. On July 14, DEQ hosted a public meeting in Big Sky to present data from the assessment that led to the Category 5 impairment designation under the federal Clean Water Act. The public comment period, which opened on June 20, closes on Aug. 22, at which point DEQ will review the comments and make any necessary updates to the assessment. The listing decision found that two beneficial uses of the Gallatin River are not fully supported— aquatic life and recreation, said DEQ’s Darrin Kron at the July 14 meeting. Kron is the monitoring and assessment section supervisor of the Water Quality Planning Bureau. The pollutant in the listing, according to Kron, is the nuisance algal blooms that have been affecting the Gallatin for years and worsened significantly in 2018. The impairment listing will then move to the federal level where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will have the final authority to approve or deny the listing or ask for further clarification. If the listing is approved, the DEQ will then conduct further monitoring of the river to better understand what is causing the problem.

“The next two to three years we’ll really be trying to understand what’s going on,” said TMDL Section Supervisor with DEQ Andy Ulven. “We’re seeing the response variables; We’re seeing the algal growth that is higher than it should be if we’re looking at our standards.” Once the data has been collected, the process could go one of two ways: development of Total Maximum Daily Loads, which define the amount of certain pollutants a waterbody can hold without impacts to water quality and beneficial uses, or a change in water quality standards for the Gallatin River. Both Kron and Ulven emphasized that the impairment listing is for algae rather than nutrients since data shows the Gallatin is not exceeding current nutrient thresholds. Ulven added that nutrients are a major factor in algal growth along with temperature, increased sunlight and reduced shade from streamside vegetation. This is why further monitoring is so important, he said, because it will help DEQ determine the cause of the algae blooms and its source. Ulven said if the data points to the need for Total Maximum Daily Loads it would trigger a two- to six-year process to develop TMDLs for multiple pollutants as well as further public comment and approval from the EPA. “It is a long process, unfortunately, with environmental studies,” said Kristin Gardner, chief executive and science officer with the Gallatin

About 50 attendees gathered in-person and virtually via Zoom to hear the DEQ’s presentation on July 14. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER

River Task Force, a local nonprofit dedicated to conserving the Gallatin. “You can’t just collect one or two years of data because there’s so many variables that can influence the results you’re seeing in the stream.” Gardner said the task force has collected many years of data on the Gallatin but nothing that was specifically targeted at developing TMDLs or new standards for the river. In the meantime, Gardner said the task force will continue monitoring efforts on the river as well as work to advance several nutrient reduction projects. She added there is already plenty of work being done in the Big Sky community to address the issues on the Gallatin. Some examples of this work the task force is executing to reduce nutrients and temperature in the river include its trout friendly landscaping program and restoration projects like the recent work on the river access site at Deer Creek. Gardner noted that community efforts to reduce nutrients in the Gallatin include connecting the Gallatin Canyon area of Big Sky to centralized wastewater treatment as well as the upgrade of the current wastewater treatment plant. Task force staff, aided by volunteers, will conduct algae monitoring the weeks of Aug. 1 and Aug. 29. Gardner encouraged Big Sky residents to stay engaged as efforts to reduce nutrients in the Gallatin continue and directed the community to opportunities to submit public comment as the DEQ listing process moves forward.

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ENVIRONMENT

22 July 28 - August 10, 2022

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GALLATIN RIVER TASK FORCE EXPANDS WATER CONSERVATION INCENTIVES

NEW COMMERCIAL AND OUTDOOR REBATES CONSERVE WATER, SAVE MONEY GALLATIN RIVER TASK FORCE

BIG SKY — The Gallatin River Task Force announced last week the expansion of its Big Sky Water Conservation Program, originally launched in 2016 to promote the need for water savings in our droughtprone climate, preparing for a future with less water. Big Sky is included in the Upper Gallatin River Basin, which has a limited supply of water that will struggle to keep up with the growing demand for water if conservation strategies are not implemented. The demand for water will increase with the growing population and booming tourism industry. In addition, climate change is threatening longer and more severe droughts—meaning the need for water savings is more important than ever. Rebates for water-saving indoor and outdoor fixtures were offered as part of the original program to provide cash incentives for water wise behavior in residential homes and landscapes. The Gallatin River Task Force is growing the rebate program to include commercial businesses and expand the line of rebate-eligible products and services for the residential and commercial sectors. “It’s important for businesses to have access to rebates since they are a large water user in our community. Additionally, we are expanding our outdoor rebate opportunities because summer water use outpaces winter use by seven times due to landscape

irrigation”, said Jessica Olson, conservation associate for the Gallatin River Task Force. By making water conservation a way of life in Big Sky, the community can save water and money, minimize water waste, prepare for the uncertainties of climate change and make our community more resilient in the face of drought. Details about the water and money saving fixtures available for both inside and outside of your homes and businesses: Indoor Rebates Conserving water is not only about the actions people take but also about the appliances and fixtures used. The Big Sky Water Conservation Program partners with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Program to promote WaterSense labeled fixtures that use less water than standard models. In addition, get rebates for certain ENERGY STAR qualified appliances to help residents and businesses save water for future generations and reduce costs on their utility bills. The average family can save nearly 38,000 gallons of water per year by retrofitting its home with WaterSense labeled fixtures and ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. Indoor Water Savings and Maximum Rebate Awards Bathroom Faucets Residential: $60 | Commercial: $120 Estimated water savings: 2,700 gallons/year

Showerheads Residential: $75 | Commercial: $150 Estimated water savings: 5,100 gallons/year Clothes Washers Residential: $150 | Commercial: $300 Estimated water savings: 7,000 gallons/year Tank Toilets Residential: $300 | Commercial: $600 Estimated water savings: 13,000 gallons/year Urinals Commercial: $120 Estimated water savings: 520 gallons/year Flush-O-Meter Toilets Commercial: $600 Estimated water savings: 10,950 gallons/year Outdoor Rebates Inefficient irrigation schedules, leaks and outdated irrigation systems are the primary source of wasted water in Big Sky landscapes. We’ll help cover the costs for your water-wise landscape conversions. The outdoor rebate program incentivizes landscape conversions by covering the cost to upgrade to water-wise landscapes, reducing your water needs. Outdoor Water Savings and Maximum Rebate Awards Irrigation Audits: Residential and Commercial: $100 Estimated water savings: 10% reduction in water use Weather-Based Smart Controllers Residential: $250 | Commercial: $750

Estimated water savings: 15% reduction in water use Rain Sensors Residential: $50 | Commercial: $100 Estimated water savings: 15% reduction in water use (when paired with appropriate controller) MSMT/Rotary Nozzles Residential: $200 | Commercial: $300 Estimated water savings: 288 gallons per nozzle/year Drip Irrigation Equipment Residential and Commercial: $350 Estimated water savings: 35% reduction in water use Sprinkler Spray Bodies Residential: $200 |Commercial: $400 Estimated water savings: 20% reduction in water use Turf Conversion Residential: $1,500 | Commercial: $3,000 Estimated water savings: 50% reduction in water use Water-Wise Plants Residential and Commercial: $200 Estimated water savings: 20% reduction in water use Estimated water savings are based on averages and estimated use rates and do not reflect exact water savings if implemented. Exact water savings will vary depending on ther number of fixtures implemented, the wateruse of the fixture being replaced, and the usage of the fixtures. For more information, terms and limitations, and eligible products, visit gallatinrivertaskforce.org/ water-conservation.

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ENVIRONMENT

23 July 28 - August 10, 20222

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TO SAVE YELLOWSTONE BOOK REVIEW: “RIPPLE EFFECTS” BY JOSEPH T. O’CONNOR In the wake of damaging June floods in Yellowstone National Park and southwest Montana, Bozeman-based national journalist Todd Wilkinson wrote that natural disasters will not destroy the park. Although surging river waters swallowed houses in Yellowstone gateway towns like Gardiner, Montana, and destroyed human-made infrastructure, he asserts that one truth remains constant: nature never destroys herself. She merely changes. The idea of destruction is largely humanmade and, yes, humans can destroy wildness. Wilkinson, writer and founder of the nonprofit environmental watchdog journalism site Mountain Journal, feels a deep passion for the wildness of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. He’s written about it for National Geographic and The Guardian. Indeed, his greatest fear is that we will destroy this place. It is the impetus for his latest book, “Ripple Effects: How to Save Yellowstone and America’s Most Iconic Wildlife Ecosystem.” Part tour de force, part plea for help, “Ripple Effects” brings together the in-depth knowledge Wilkinson gained through 35 years of reporting in and around the world’s first national park with a passion for the wild places in the GYE and the wildlife that live here. The book is a full-throated call to action in hopes that it will serve as the pebble cast into the lake of humanity creating a ripple of consciousness to recognize the dire nature of Yellowstone’s future.

The late Rick Reiss, cofounder of Mountain Journal, received an early galley copy of the book before he died in January and said it “ought to be mandatory reading for all citizens and especially for the thousands of staffers working for conservation organizations in the Yellowstone region and larger wild West. It will teach them why advocacy practiced by all generations matters.” Wilkinson knows how unique this place is and says we need to recognize that there isn’t another Yellowstone over the next mountain range. “The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is this rare, still-standing miracle and bastion of native biological diversity, especially in large, migratory mammals,” Wilkinson told EBS in a recent interview. “The question that I want to pose to the public and to readers is, do we want to be remembered as the generation that allowed the permanent de-wilding of the last great wild ecosystem in the Lower 48?” The cast of characters Wilkinson interviews throughout “Ripple Effects” brings a wealth of expertise, among them author and National Geographic writer David Quammen; Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard; ski industry expert Auden Schendler; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ Ken McDonald; and renowned scientists and wolf experts L. David Mech, Mike Phillips and Doug Smith, among many others.

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With aplomb and thorough reporting, Wilkinson lays out the facts for readers to absorb and digest. He writes that the GYE is the final remaining mostly intact ecosystem in the Lower 48 retaining every large mammal present when Europeans first arrived on the continent in 1491. He proceeds to put the reader in the majesty of the park itself, all 2.2 million acres of it, by describing the sound of a wolf ’s howl; the waterfall’s roar at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, more than 130 feet taller than Niagara Falls; the point of the bison’s horn and the grizzly’s claws. The book is at once fact based and deeply researched while remaining accessible, almost conversational in tone. Wilkinson asks readers to look in the mirror and evaluate exactly what they see. In the second chapter, he examines the term around which his book, perhaps even his lifeblood, is centered.

climate change, what he calls a “wild card,” and a poor strategy for dealing with growth and the diminishing resource in the West: water. “The question, for me, is what if we solve only for human challenges and for human desires, but we lose the wild quality that allows us to be characterized as the American version of the Serengeti in terms of wild native wildlife movements?” Wilkinson said. “I would argue it is not success when we know better. It’s really a test of whether we have the will to think and do differently because we know where we’re headed. We are losing this place, and no one can deny that.”

“Every one of us has our own notion of what wildness is,” he writes. “What’s yours?” And later, “Why care about wildness?”

Yet without recognizing that this place and its creatures need our help, he says, we are abandoning them to the fate of our own greed, growth and consumption. Success, in Wilkinson’s mind, begins with a common cause the recognition, regardless of where we are on the socioeconomic or political spectrum, that wildness, that wildlife, bring us together.

Wilkinson points to two examples of where humanity has failed nature. The first is the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies where development and recreation are prioritized over land health and wildlife. “They’ve lost wildlife diversity,” he said, “and healthy populations of animals that they will never again recover.”

“But it is going to require that we retool our thinking and redouble our efforts,” he said. “What that means is that piecemeal and disjointed thinking results in fragmented landscapes. The only way that we have a chance of saving this place is to rally together and unite behind a common vision that unites people behind a common cause.”

The second is that we’re witnessing the death of the natural wonder of the Great Salt Lake. The reasons are a combination of

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25 July 28 - August 10, 20222

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A&E ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

DAMMIT LAUREN! RELEASES SECOND ALBUM LOCAL BAND HOMES SOUND, GROWTH WITH OUTSIDE PRODUCERS

Dammit Lauren! (L-R): Brian Stumpf, Lauren Jackson and Casey Folley. PHOTO BY JOHN TROY

BY JULIA BARTON BIG SKY – Dammit Lauren! has a unique sound with their original tunes finding intersections between '90s alternative rock and “post-grunge.” After two years of songwriting and production, the Big Sky-based band released their second album, “Electric Restlessness.” The album is a true labor of love, explained the band’s lead singer and namesake, Lauren Jackson. The trio, consisting of Jackson, Brian Stumpf on guitar and Casey Folley on drums, began writing songs for the album in the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 and began recording in October 2021. Their anticipated winter release became early spring with extra production time, and eventually was pushed back until July.

“We were very proud of the songs as they were written,” Stumpf said. “So we spent a little bit of extra time and money on [production] to make sure that the album sounded as good as we thought it could.” With the album finally out, the band was able to have a home-town release party at Tips Up on July 16 to celebrate their hard work. “I think we’ve grown as songwriters, and as collaborators,” Stumpf said. The album has a classic feel to it, despite being brand new. The band channeled everyday frustrations such as driving behind someone who neglects to use their blinker in their lyrics, Stumpf said.

There are two main differences between “Electric Restlessness” and the band’s 2019 debut album “Warning Signs.” The first album was released under the band’s original name, Dammit Lauren and the Well. After that release, they decided it was too much of a mouthful, so they shortened it to Dammit Lauren! explained Stumpf.

One of Jackson’s favorite tracks from the album, “Inevitable Letdown,” catalogs the euphoric feeling of a fresh new relationship and the subsequent letdown when reality hits. “Lose your faith, it’s not pre-designed,” Jackson sings on the track, a line surely relatable to anyone who has experienced such a relationship demise.

“Warning Signs” was also largely self-produced. For their most recent album, the band decided to bring in outside help for a higher-quality sound.

Based on the turnout to their release party at Tips Up, the band feels that Big Sky supports the direction of their growth as well.

“It was great,” Jackson said. “I think we had a really solid turnout and we got a lot of support. It means a lot. Big Sky has just been so incredibly supportive of us.” One of the most difficult parts about being a full-time musician is finding ways to play infront of people, Jackson explained, especially with original music. As such, the support of the Big Sky community is vitally important for the group. Through connecting with community members, Dammit Lauren! has been able to play various local shows over the years, including Music in the Mountains and the 2019 Peak to Sky Festival. Dammit Lauren! has a busy schedule touring around the Mountain West this summer. Some highlights will include opening for Southern Avenue at Music in the Mountains on Aug. 4 in Big Sky and a performance at the Western Montana Fair in Missoula on Aug. 13. “Electric Restlessness” is streaming on all platforms now, but the band encourages folks who want to support their music to purchase the album digitally.

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A&E

27 July 28 - August 10, 20222

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BIG SKY EVENTS CALENDAR Thursday, July 28 - Wednesday, Aug. 10

If your event falls between Aug. 11 - 24, please submit it to media@theoutlapartners.com

THURSDAY, JULY 28

TUESDAY, AUG. 2

Paint Day with Heather Rapp Big Sky Community Park, 1 p.m.

Abigail Kent and Friends Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.

Music in the Mountains: Will Hoge Len Hill Park, 6 p.m.

American Legion Goldfish Races The Independent, 4 p.m.

Live Jazz The Independent, 8 p.m.

Music on Main: Float Like a Buffalo Bozeman, 6:30 p.m.

Bozeman Farmers’ Market Lindley Park, 5 p.m.

Live Music: Weener Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Live Music: Savvy Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Bag the Peak Cornhole Tournament Crail Gardens, 5 p.m.

SATURDAY, AUG. 6

FRIDAY, JULY 29

American Legion Benefit Bingo The Independent, 5:30 p.m.

Youth Fly Fishing Clinic BSCO, 9 a.m.

Total Archery Challenge Big Sky Resort, 8 a.m. Live Music: Tanline Jazz - Berklee School of Music The Independent, 8 p.m. Live Music: Mathias Tips Up, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, JULY 30

Total Archery Challenge Big Sky Resort, 8 a.m. Madison Valley Arts Festival Peter T’s Park, 10 a.m. Mountain Mutt Mania Fundraiser Len Hill Park, 1 p.m. Live Music: Peter King The Independent, 8 p.m. Live Music: Max Hay Tips Up, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, JULY 31

Live Music: Tedeschi Trucks Fireside Live Armory Music Hall, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3

Lunch on the Lawn: Little Jane and the Pistol Whips Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, 11:30 a.m. Big Sky Farmers Market Firepit Park, 5 p.m.

Icehouse Open Big Sky Golf Course, 10 a.m. Sweet Pea Parade Bozeman, 10:15 a.m. Lehrkind Family Walking Tour Tinworks Art, 2:30 p.m. Bravo! Big Sky Music Festival: Big Sky Festival Orchestra with Rhythm Future Quartet Len Hill Park, 5 p.m.

Tserings' Fund Film: "Helambu" The Independent, 6 p.m.

Art and Design Expo: “Where you From?” Tinworks Art, 5 p.m.

Poker & Texas Hold’em Tips Up, 6 p.m.

Live Music: Dan Dubuque The Independent, 8 p.m.

Live Music: Cruz Contreras Tips Up: 9 p.m.

Live Music: Ticket Sauce Tips Up: 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, AUG. 4

SUNDAY, AUG. 7

Free admission to National Parks all day!

St. Joseph’s Mass Big Sky Chapel, 8 a.m.

Music in the Garden The Independent, 5 p.m.

Total Archery Challenge Big Sky Resort, 8 a.m.

Tserings' Fund Film: "Helambu" Ennis, 6 p.m.

Big Sky Christian Fellowship Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m.

Music on Main: Cole & The Thornes Bozeman, 6:30 p.m.

Poker & Texas Hold’em Tips Up, 6 p.m.

Music in the Mountains: Southern Avenue Len Hill Park, 6 p.m.

Film: “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” The Independent, 8 p.m.

Plein Air Paint out with Nic Fischer BASE, 10 a.m.

St. Joseph’s Mass Big Sky Chapel, 8 a.m. Plein Air Paint out with Nic Fischer BASE, 10 a.m. Big Sky Christian Fellowship Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m. Hooked on the Gallatin Riverhouse BBQ & Events, 5:30 p.m. Poker & Texas Hold’em Tips Up, 6 p.m.

Live Music: Damnit Lauren! Tips Up, 9 p.m.

Film: “The Bourne Identity” The Independent, 8 p.m.

MONDAY, AUG. 1

FRIDAY, AUG. 5

MONDAY, AUG. 8

Storytime BASE, 10:30 a.m.

Community Yoga Len Hill Park, 12 p.m.

The Crossing with Shara Nova Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, 4 p.m.

Community Yoga Len Hill Park, 12 p.m.

Gallatin River Water Quality Monitoring West Fork, 8 a.m.

Live Music: Emma and the Ledge The Independent, 8 p.m. Outdoor Film: “Where the Wild Things Are” Len Hill Park, 9:30 p.m.

Art and Design Expo: “Where you From?” Tinworks Art, 5 p.m. Poker & Texas Hold’em Tips Up, 6 p.m.

Tavern Patio Party Moonlight, 5 p.m. Family Roller Skate BASE, 5:30 p.m. Film: “Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckley” The Independent, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 10

Lunch on the Lawn: Megan Makeever and Friends Emerson Lawn, 11:30 a.m. Big Sky Farmers Market Firepit Park, 5 p.m. Community Open Mic Night The Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, 5:30 p.m. Poker & Texas Hold’em Tips Up, 6 p.m. Trivia The Independent, 7 p.m. Live Music: Telemark Tom Duo Tips Up, 9 p.m. FEATURED EVENT: Hooked on the Gallatin: Rollin’ on the river party and auction at the Riverhouse BBQ & Events, 5:30 p.m. The Gallatin River Task Force is hosting its ninth annual Hooked on the Gallatin party and auction on Sunday, Aug. 7. The event highlights the organization’s conservation efforts and proceeds will go to the task force’s ongoing projects on the Gallatin River. The event begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by a silent auction featuring exclusive artwork pieces. Live music from Moonlight Moonlight, heavy appetizers and a paddle raise will all be part of the party. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at one.bidpal.net/hog22/ ticketing(details:ticketing-summary).

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks: Twelfth Night Town Center Plaza, 5:30 p.m. Bozeman Community Theatre The Independent, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY, AUG. 9

Bozeman Farmers’ Market Lindley Park, 5 p.m.

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28 July 28 - August 10, 2022

Explore Big Sky

BUSINESS MAKING IT IN BIG SKY: THE COUNTRY MARKET BY SARAH GIANELLI BIG SKY – Located in the Meadow Village, The Country Market first opened in 1974, with Stephen and Lynne Anderson taking ownership 17 years ago. The Anderson’s goal has always been to be the community’s grocery store—not a specialty food store, but a place that can meet the needs and budgets of residents and tourists alike. Co-owner Lynne Anderson spoke with EBS and shared her thoughts on what it takes to make it as a small business owner in Big Sky. Explore Big Sky: What has been the key to your success? Lynne Anderson: Never say die. I am German, and quit isn’t in my vocabulary. In addition to the business aspects of the grocery, though, I believe relationships are key to its success. We genuinely care about each person who walks through the door. EBS: What are the biggest obstacles to operating a small business in Big Sky? L.A.: Seasonality affects cash flow, for sure, while our remote location dictates the necessity of higher-than-expected price points. When you are a large business, like Costco or Walmart, you can rely on volume. Our environment does not afford that advantage. EBS: How has the business landscape changed since you started out? L.A.: It has expanded as Big Sky’s exposure has expanded. The expected selections and quality of service anticipated by our residents and guests has grown to be more diverse and sophisticated.

“

Hopefully, Big Sky will be a fully developed community where all segments of the population can live, work and play in an environment of mutual value and respect.

”

– Lynne Anderson, Country Market, owner, on where she hopes Big Sky is in 20 years of the needs and wants of the community for every demographic. My goal has never changed. I always wanted to be Big Sky’s local grocer. However, I am always interested in doing it better. EBS: What is one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had as a resident or business owner in Big Sky? L.A.: As a resident, being part of a community that comes together to help its members in time of hardship or great need. I have not experienced such a giving community elsewhere. As a business owner, receiving the Business Person of the Year Award from the Chamber of Commerce, only slightly above a thank you note with a hand drawn picture of a steaming cup of coffee from a “lifty” thanking us for providing him with free coffee for the season.

Having young people come into the store to say hello to Grandma Cookie and leaving with their free cookie. EBS: Do you remember your first customer or first sale? L.A.: No, but it was probably a cup of coffee— and probably free. EBS: What was a business idea that didn’t work? L.A.: I think the one that cost dearly was putting in a fresh fish bar shortly after buying the business. I was assured everyone would love to have fresh fish in Big Sky—definitely before its time. EBS: Where do you see Big Sky in 20 years? L.A.: Hopefully, Big Sky will be a fully developed community where all segments of the population can live, work and play in an environment of mutual value and respect. EBS: Would you do it all over again? L.A.: A thousand times, yes. Buyer’s remorse never set in. We have had too many wonderful experiences in Big Sky and because of Big Sky. Memories abound. This series is part of a paid partnership with the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce. The following answers have been edited for brevity. This article was originally published in May 2018. Sarah Gianelli is the former Senior Editor for Explore Big Sky.

EBS: What advice would you give to small business owners just starting out in Big Sky? L.A.: Plan to work your fingers to the bone—but never forget to look up and love where you live. EBS: What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve received? L.A.: Do your homework. Don’t ignore due diligence. Pay attention to detail. Treat people with dignity and respect—all people. EBS: What does your business look like in 10 years? L.A.: Hopefully not much different—taking care

Lynn Anderson has been running the Country Market for over 17 years and has fond memories of Big Sky before many of us had arrived yet. PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNN ANDERSON

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SKI-IN/SKI-OUT RESORT PROPERTIES Ideal Mountain Recreational & Rental Opportunities! Summit Hotel Condo #10713 2 BR/ 3 BA 1,318 SF Lone Peak Center Condo #320 1 BR/ 2 BA 620 SF Lone Peak Center Condo #222 2 BR/ 3 BA 1,329 SF Shoshone Hotel Condo #1961 1 BR/ 2 BA 900 SF Shoshone Hotel Condo #1905 1 BR/ 2 BA 879 SF

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ALPENGLOW CONDOMINIUMS New Luxury Construction, Ready for 2023-24 Ski Season Unit 27A 4 BR / 3.5 BA 2,758 SF $3,100,000 Unit 25C 3 BR / 3.5 BA 2,440 SF $2,900,000 Unit 25D 4 BR / 3.5 BA 2,540 SF $3,100,000

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GOLF COURSE HOME 2695 CURLY BEAR RD. 4 BED /3.5 BATH /2,342 sf $3,295,000 In the heart of the Meadow, walk-out-your-door access to cross country ski trails and the golf course!

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32 July 28 - August 10, 2022

NEW WEST

Explore Big Sky

OPINION

MONTANAN DOROTHY BRADLEY PENS BOOK SHOWING WHAT’S MISSING IN POLITICS BY TODD WILKINSON EBS COLUMNIST Only hours before polls closed in November 1992, Dorothy Bradley of Bozeman was on the cusp of making history as the first woman elected governor in Montana. But then mailed ballots started to be counted favoring her opponent. Celebration abruptly turned into concession. In the face of a high-profile disappointment few citizens can ever understand, Bradley, following her loss to Marc Racicot, received several job offers, including feelers sent out from the Clinton administration about possibly going back to Washington, D.C. Bradley, however, did not want to leave her beloved Montana. What did she do? She quietly drove out of Bozeman headed east toward a community that had left an impression on her. There, in the town of Ashland on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, she received a second dose of humility—one more meaningful than her bruising gubernatorial defeat.

Bradley signed up to be a grade school substitute teacher and although she had to confess that in the beginning she wasn’t very good at the job, she learned. Right about now, in summer 2022, are you feeling stressed and cynical about how to deal with the uncivil divide tearing our country apart? Have you lost faith in the ability of politicians to not behave as if they are brainwashed members of a cult that rewards them every time they distort the truth? Maybe a better question to ask is this: Were America and states in the interior West to press a reset button, returning decision-making back to the realm of the “radical middle”—where the best and most lasting public policy has always been crafted—what would the people inhabiting such a space look like? Bradley offers us a glimpse in a new book of reflections. It’s not a thick, preachy tome or a treatise. “In Celebration” is only 68 pages long and you can breeze through it in a day. But its stories stay with you. After reading it, you will derive comfort from the thought that, not so long ago, the realm of politics was not as batguano crazy as it is now. Today, Bradley lives in the shadows of the Crazy Mountains; by her own admission, in the twilight of

her life. Once among the most prominent women in ascent in Northern Rockies politics, she’s been pursuing a less conspicuous existence in recent years. It was a joy to see her re-emerge, becoming a catalyst for helping many citizens in southwest Montana understand the importance of why wilderness is not only vital for protecting biodiversity and the essence of this state. Safeguarding wildlands is our gift to future generations. “In Celebration” isn’t a self-help book, though it’s full of inspirational, self-deprecating insights often drawn from disappointments. Bradley’s observations are more valuable for us to heed than ever. What I enjoyed most were her reflections on being a Montana woman born to two parents who assured her anything was possible but that the route up and down mountains wouldn’t be easy. The title of Bradley’s book comes from a gift. Her father gave her a book from Wallace Stegner with a personal inscription from the author: “In celebration of love, learning, beauty, hope and heart.” She explores those virtues in the final chapter dedicated to her Dad, after whom “Bradley Meadows” at Bridger Bowl is named, and says she has been shaped most by her experiences outdoors. After attending Colorado College and then earning a law degree at American University in Washington, D.C., she settled back in Bozeman. She was elected to eight terms in the Montana House of Representatives as a Democrat but did not serve them consecutively. The first span was during in the 1970s in the aftermath of Montanans coming together to write a new state constitution. The second half of her tenure lasted from the mid-1980s to early 1990s. Following her initial service in Helena as a representative from Bozeman (a town very different then), she ran for Congress, challenging fellow Democrat Pat Williams in the primary and lost. Williams went on to serve nine terms in D.C. It was that other race, in 1992, that commands the highest profile in “In Celebration”: her gubernatorial contest with Republican Racicot. Ahead in many polls into the final weeks of the campaign—after she barnstormed across the state, often driving her own vehicle or meeting people while on a symbolic horse ride—she narrowly lost. She did not claim the election was stolen. Of 407,822 votes cast in a state with less than a million people, the difference was just 10,980 votes. Racicot remembers her as a worthy opponent. In the wake of her substitute teaching position in Ashland, she served as director of the Montana State University Water Center. Politics is not for the meek, the thin-spined or those without ego. Almost never do winners and losers at the end of a tough race come together and wish each other well with bear hugs, but that was different with Racicot. Today there are actually few degrees of separation between them. While both had different approaches, they had the same outcome in mind. They shared a devotion to the public interest by working with the other side. The profoundest irony of all? Despite their differences, Bradley and Racicot, in terms of pondering what’s best for Montana and the West, are far closer in their thinking than to radicals at the fringes of both of their parties. “In Celebration” foremost is a reminder of what we are so badly missing today—civility.

In her new book, “In Celebration,” Montana’s own Dorothy Bradley writes about how politics was once civil, and that it one day could be again. PHOTO BY TODD WILKINSON

Todd Wilkinson is founder of Bozeman-based Mountain Journal (mountainjournal.org) and a correspondent for National Geographic and The Guardian. He’s authored numerous books, including his latest, “Ripple Effects: How to Save Yellowstone and America’s Most Iconic Wildlife Ecosystem,” available at mountainjournal.org.

OPINION

33 July 28 - August 10, 2022

Explore Big Sky

WRITERS ON THE RANGE

THE 'KEYSTONE PIPELINE' WON'T MAKE GAS ANY CHEAPER day. Many residents of those states fought fiercely against the pipeline cutting through their land.

BY TED WILLIAMS WRITERS ON THE RANGE A report that the Biden administration is weighing greater imports of Canadian oil is putting a renewed focus on the canceled Keystone XL pipeline and whether it would have made any difference with today’s tight oil supply.” – Energywire Ever since boycotts started blocking Russian petroleum products, social media has been rife with memes that blame rising gasoline prices on “the cancellation of the Keystone Pipeline.” Example: “Sooo, if shutting down Russia’s pipeline(s) will hurt their economy, wouldn’t shutting down ours hurt our economy? Asking for a buddy.” Most of the criticism comes from people who recycle truthiness. Former Vice President Mike Pence: “Gas prices have risen across the country because of this administration’s war on energy—shutting down the Keystone Pipeline.” Republican Rep. Jim Jordan: “Biden shut off the Keystone Pipeline.” Here’s what really happened: No one shut down, canceled, or shut off the Keystone Pipeline. It is fully operational, daily delivering 590,000 barrels of tar-sands oil in Canada to U.S. refineries. What some pipeline advocates think is the “Keystone Pipeline” is a 1,700-mile “shortcut” called Keystone XL, or KXL. It would have sliced through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma to the Texas Gulf Coast, delivering 830,000 barrels of tar sands oil per

Now, “Build the Keystone Pipeline” has become a socialmedia mantra, as if the United States could so decree. It is the Canadian firm, TC Energy, formerly TransCanada, that officially terminated the project once President Biden withdrew its permits. Even if construction on the pipeline began tomorrow, KXL could not be up and running in less than five years. The KXL pipeline was a project developed by a foreign company that would have delivered foreign oil products to mostly foreign markets. When former President Trump re-permitted KXL in 2017, his own State Department reported that it would not lower gasoline prices. The price of oil is set by the global market and certainly not by U.S. presidents. What’s more, the project was just about dead for a number of reasons, including litigation from aggrieved property owners whose land TC Energy seized by eminent domain. We should also remember that rendering gasoline from tar-sands oil, the planet’s dirtiest petroleum, is far more polluting and energy-intensive than conventional refining. Some carbon content is burned off in a process that belches greenhouse gases and generates toxic waste called petcoke, which is dumped around the United States in piles six stories high. Petcoke billows through neighborhoods and infiltrates schools and houses even when windows are shut. Bitumen, basically asphalt, continues to be strip-mined from what used to be Canada’s boreal forests in Alberta. Too thick to be piped, it’s spiked with volatile liquid condensate from natural gas and thus converted to a toxic tar-sands cocktail called “dilbit,” short for diluted bitumen.

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Dilbit, sent through the existing Keystone pipeline, contains chloride salts, sulfur, abrasive minerals and acids, and must be pumped under high pressure. It’s murder on pipes. In addition to greenhouse gases and petcoke, tarsands waste products include lakes, rivers, fish, wildlife and people. Between 1995 and 2006, when tar-sands extraction was accelerating, Alberta’s First Nations suffered a sudden 30 percent increase in cancer rates. KXL, if built, also threatened the world’s largest aquifer— the Ogallala. Anyone who thinks Nebraska lacks water should visit Green Valley Township, where I encountered Ogallala water so close to the surface it flowed along dirt roads and ditches. Pintails, mallards, and widgeon billowed out of them. But parts of the aquifer are now depleted, and a major dilbit spill could finish those parts off. In 2011 a pipeline representative named Shawn Howard assured me that ramming a dilbit pipe through the Ogallala aquifer would be risk free. “Why,” he demanded, “would we invest $13 billion in a pipeline and put a product in it that was going to destroy it like these activists are trotting out? It makes absolutely no business sense.” The existing Keystone pipeline has ruptured 22 times, including spills in 2017 and 2019 that fouled land and water with 404,000 gallons of dilbit. Business sense, as the oil industry consistently reminds us, is an attribute more often desired than possessed. Ted Williams is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring conversation about the West. He writes about fish, wildlife and the environment for national publications.

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6 SIOUX Big Sky

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43125 GALLATIN ROAD 1.59 ACRES Elevate your views on this vacant land in the South Gallatin Canyon just five miles from the entrance to Big Sky. This Rainbow Retreat Subdivision parcel has an elevated, flat bench for a home site overlooking the Gallatin River with Eastern and Southern exposures. Mature pine trees are the back drop with open views of the Gallatin Range out front. Enjoy easy access to extensive trail systems for all kinds of recreational activities on Forest Service lands nearby. $695,000 #373186 Kirk Dige 406-580-5475 Katie Haley Grimm 406-580-3444

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CLASSIFIED For rent. Lakefront furnished executive home in McAllister. 2 bedroom. 1 1/2 bathrooms. Super efficient. N/S. N/P. 20 miles from Big Sky Mountain Village via Jack Creek Road. Available mid September. Please contact Marty Griffin at 405.589.7272.

OPINION

36 July 28 - August 10, 2022

Explore Big Sky

EVERY DROP COUNTS RIVER RESTORATION

BY MARNE HAYES EBS COLUMNIST When the Gallatin River Task Force approaches projects around river restoration, it thinks of protecting habitat, improving access, repairs to riparian areas, fixing erosion and generally adding to the health of a river and watershed. But what does that all really mean? There are nuances to the scope, size, desired outcome, cost, oversight, challenges, and an entire gamut of possibilities for improvement. Every project is different; The parameters of restoration are wide, depending on the needs of the site/river, what the uses for the location are and what kind of permitting and/or budget needs to be considered. The primary goal of any restoration project is to, as it states, restore. Something has been degraded, and it needs help to get back to the original, healthy state. Ideally the goal is to return to the closest version of a river’s historical context—how it was before overuse, excessive flows, pollutants, etc. became a factor; This isn’t always possible, but becomes the desired benchmark. An example of this along the Gallatin River is the Deer Creek access site. There had never previously been a parking lot, but it was necessary to bridge the gap between the extensive network of visitor-created river access roads and the health of the river. By adding a designated parking area, boat ramp, pathways, etc., it

created an optimal situation for the restoration site to get the care that it needs (replanting the riparian buffer) while also allowing people to recreate and access the river without additional damage to the banks. By adding designated areas for recreation, it limits the amount of traction and strain being put on the rest of that area. Some would ask, “Why not just let nature do its job?” even if that means erosion or other forms of naturally occurring degradation. While nature is resilient and typically very good at “doing its job,” it's unable to keep up with the degradation that is happening in and around our waterways at the rate in which it is happening. An example of restoration where the task force has allowed nature to do its job is utilizing Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration techniques. It involves no, or very little, machinery and relies on the natural processes to take over. An example of this in Big Sky is the Middle Fork of the Gallatin River, where there was no actual conventional construction, but natural elements of the areas around the streambank (like branches) were moved around and provided structure to the stream. Nature just needed a little push to start the natural processes, and after a few years the river will adapt. It sounds logical, but nothing in restoration happens overnight. When a buffer is replanted, or a beaver dam analogue is added to a stream or additional improvements are made, it takes a lot of time for those to take hold. The plants need to grow and the river needs to adapt to its new structures—it is not an immediate process. However, by starting the project and steering overuse away from these areas, the degradation has been allowed

to stop. At Deer Creek, the new plants may take years to mature. But no longer having vehicles driving on that area is going to make a huge immediate difference from an erosion and sediment standpoint. The site has been allowed to start growing and moving back to its natural context. As riparian buffers grow the roots will get deep and help stabilize the riverbank. The trees will grow tall and provide shade to keep the water cooler. Essentially, you have stopped that area from experiencing further damage—which is the starting point. A healthy river and recreation can co-exist but people need to be encouraged to do so responsibly. By implementing elements of restoration that improve access, you deter people from paving their own way to the river. When someone drives up to a newly discovered fishing spot, another person’s curiosity is piqued, and another, and so on. Eventually, the ground has taken enormous impact and the plants have died, the soil erosion is subject to damaging runoff and the landscape will erode. Restoration projects, and the relationship between use, naturally occurring elements, degradation and restorative projects is a balance. At its core, restoration is largely about “people management.” The river is smart, and naturally works to be healthy. Our part is to listen to science, be good stewards, treat the river kindly and work to fix the problems that people have created. Marne Hayes is the communications manager for the Gallatin River Task Force.

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PREVENTION IS KEY.

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Bag the Peak

Clean your gear and watercraft. Remove mud, water, and vegetation after every trip. Use a brush and water, there is no need for chemicals.

Cornhole tournament fundraiser for Gallatin Invasive Species Alliance

Drain water from your boat and equipment at your access point. Pull the drain plug. Use a sponge for items that can’t be drained.

Tuesday, August 2 Bags fly at 5pm @ Crail Gardens

Dry your equipment thoroughly. The longer you allow waders and other equipment to dry out between trips, the better.

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

2270 Yellowtail Road | Golf Course Location | Big Sky, MT

Walking distance to Meadow Village Views of Lone Peak, The Spanish Peaks, & The Gallatin Range 2 Gas Fireplaces | +/- 2,757 SqFt. | 4 Bedrooms | 3.5 Bathrooms $2,795,000 | MLS# 371585

170 Owl Gray Lane | Big Sky, MT

TRUST EXPERIENCE Your trusted Big Sky real estate Advisor. Providing exceptional service to buyers and sellers of Big Sky properties for 25 years. Let me be your community connection. ©2021 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.E&OE. Published by REAL Marketing (REM) | www.REALMarketing4You.com | 858.254.9619

Price Reduction

M OU NTAI N LAK E CON D OM I N I U M | M OU NTAI N VI LLAG E

D E E R R U N CON D OM I N I U M | M EAD OW VI LLAG E

2B Summit View Drive #303B MLS # 369011 | 3 BED + 3 BATH | 2,071 +/- SQ. FT. | $2,395,000

12 Blacktail Buck #2A MLS # 371097 | 3 BED + 3 BATH + LOFT | 2,470 +/- SQ. FT. | $1,975,000

Mia Lennon Broker mia@bigsky.com 406.641.0051 View all my listings at discoverbigsky.com

M OU NTAI N LAK E CON D OM I N I U M | M OU NTAI N VI LLAG E

2B Summit View Drive #301B MLS # 374391 | 3 BED + 3 BATH | 2,071 +/- SQ. FT. | $2,295,000 Price Reduction

GALLATIN HILLS | GALLATIN CANYON

LAKOTA CON D OM I N I U M | M OU NTAI N VI LLAG E

TBD Colters Run Loop #13 MLS # 371560 | 1.84 +/- ACRES | $649,700

9 Manitou Loop #45-F MLS # 371559 | 5 BED + 4 BATH | 3,350 +/- SQ. FT. | 1/8TH FRACTIONAL INTEREST | $425,000

usbank.com/mortgage

stacy.ossorio@engelvoelkers.com | 406.539.8553

Talk to us about your construction loan options. Building your dream home takes planning and patience. And it all starts with the right financing. Our experienced, dedicated team can guide you through your construction loan options, providing the highest levels of service at every stage. Our competitive construction loans offer:

– One closing with one set of fees – Low down payment options – Financing for renovations and expansion projects Gina Marshall Mortgage Loan Officer 406.522.3293 office 406.600.8699 cell gina.marshall@usbank.com NMLS # 489006

stacy.ossorio@engelvoelkers.com | 406.539.8553

To learn more, visit my mortage loan officer webpage. Loan approval is subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and program terms are subject to change without notice. Visit usbank.com to learn more about U.S. Bank products and services. Mortgage, home equity and credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC. ©2020 U.S. Bank 448802c 4/22

stacy.ossorio@engelvoelkers.com | 406.539.8553

stacy.ossorio@engelvoelkers.com | 406.539.8553

DON’T JUST VISIT HERE, LIVE HERE.

© 2021 .. All rights reserved. Engel & Völkers and its independent franchisees are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act. Each property shop is independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing.

40 July 28 - Aug. 10, 2022

OPINION

Explore Big Sky

AMUSE BOUCHE NEW & CONSIGNED GEAR FOR ALL YOUR OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

HOW DO WE EVEN KNOW? WHERE ARE OUR PLASTICS REALLY GOING? BY SCOTT MECHURA EBS COLUMNIST

Everyone knew a kid growing up that was a little weird. Or maybe something about their house or family was weird. Well, in an odd sort of way, I was a weird kid. This was the late 1970s and my friends would come over and rally me to get out my bike or my bat and glove to head to baseball. Along the side of my garage were several brown grocery bags and cardboard boxes. In them were aluminum cans, glass bottles, newspapers and other paper such as magazines and junk mail, all lined up and separated.

BIG SKY’S SOURCE TO BUY & SELL HIGH-QUALITY OUTDOOR GEAR HOURS: OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 9 AM TO 6 PM CONSIGNMENT DAYS: MONDAY- FRIDAY FROM 10 AM TO 4 PM OR BY PRIVATE APPOINTMENT

Camping

Biking

Fishing

Water Sports

47995 GALLATIN ROAD 59730 | GALLATIN GATEWAY | 406-995-3324 | HEADWALLSPORTS.COM

Crail Gardens is a native garden demonstrating ways to:

“Why do you have all this trash in your garage?” my friends would ask. “It’s recycling,” I’d say. And them: “What’s that?” My mother was a green pioneer and the practice of recycling has been so ingrained in my psyche that to this day it’s difficult to simply toss one of these materials in the garbage. But I’ve been asking this question more and more the last decade: How do we know they really recycle? According to a 2017 Science Advances paper entitled “Production, use and fate of all plastics ever made,” only around 9 percent of all plastic wastes had been recycled. The overwhelming majority of plastic produced globally ends up in landfills in poorer countries by way of wealthier countries paying them to take it off our hands—or it ends up in the ocean. Also in 2017, China quit taking plastics back for recycling. So how much less of our plastic is actually recycled than the 9 percent we arrived at in 2017?

conserve water

It makes us feel good, but in the end it could just be a pyric victory.

provide wildlife habitat

In the American neighborhood, what we’ve done is create a second bin to keep on our properties to hold more and more plastics that can’t be recycled. And that bin is made out of plastic. Another example of the irony of man’s folly.

preserve our natural heritage

Growing up in the 1970s and ‘80s, we were encouraged (I remember it more like pressured, actually) to move from those awful, tree-killing brown bags, to the beautiful, sleek, white plastic bags of the future. Something tells me some plastic manufacturing conglomerates spent some money in Washington for a little added push.

Native plants fuel ecosystems. They evolved with the local wildlife, harboring more insects and producing more berries and fruits than non-native plants.

Learn more at

www.gallatinisa.org Crail Gardens, located at 2100 Spotted Elk Road, is free and open to the public 7 days a week during daylight hours. Crail Garden Partners:

Some restaurants I’ve worked in recycle and others have not, and it always felt good when we did but was also an immense hassle. It requires additional bins—large bins—that need to fit somewhere and in general adds more procedures to an already busy kitchen. And much of the empty containers that go into the recycling bins are very dirty. And dirty containers just get sent to the trash at recycling facilities anyway. It’s a forward-facing practice that looks good to guests, but is simultaneously hypocritical. For instance, at one property I worked at, we couldn’t have Keurigs because the pods were wasteful and weren’t part of our “brand.” Yet the amount of everything that we simply threw away far exceeded any brand value of guests poo-pooing disposable Keurig cups. There is much more to be written on this subject and I intend to. A very memorable line from the 1967 film “The Graduate” seemed to peer into our present-day reality: “There’s a great future in plastics. You think about it.” Well, I have thought about it a great deal and they are our future, just not the way they were intended. Scott Mechura has spent a life in the hospitality industry as well as a former certified beer judge.

41 July 28 - August 10, 2022

HEALTH BUZZ

OPINION

Explore Big Sky

YEARLY HOLISTIC HEALTH LAB TESTS BY DR. KALEY BURNS EBS COLUMNIST Checking in on health markers through annual blood testing can be the key to catching an underlying dysfunction and keeping you healthy. That’s why there are a few essential blood tests you should consider each year. Whether you have a chronic concern or you want to live a healthier lifestyle, these essential blood tests are a great starting point to addressing annual health. It is best to speak to your doctor about what tests are best for you, especially if you have a greater risk for chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neurological conditions. CBC (Complete Blood Count) As the name suggests, this test looks at blood cells and components in your blood. Why is this test important? Knowing the information about your blood cells tells you a lot about your general health. Its primary purpose is to screen for infection and anemia (including iron deficiency and B-vitamin deficiency). Increased white blood cell count is also a nonspecific marker for inflammation. CMP (Complete Metabolic Panel) Another test frequently run during an annual exam is the complete metabolic panel. This panel looks at a variety of key markers of health including liver and kidney function, blood sugar, electrolyte balance and protein levels. Why is this test important? An imbalance in your pH may lead to mild metabolic acidosis, which has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes and insulin resistance. Imbalances in electrolytes and pH may affect heart and muscle contractions, neurological processes and cellular function.

Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) This test provides information about blood glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity. The blood glucose test from the CMP provides a snapshot of your blood sugar at that moment in time, while HbA1C details blood sugar regulation over about three months. Why is this test important? Maintaining optimal blood glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity is important for more than just diabetes prevention. Poor glucose management and insulin resistance have been associated with more than 27 different chronic diseases. Vitamin D It is estimated that more than half of the world’s population has vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency, and it is a global public health problem for all ages. Why is this test important? Vitamin D plays a key role in health, and deficiency or insufficiency has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, thyroid function and gastrointestinal disorders. Thyroid panel With the wide-reaching function of the thyroid hormones, you want to ensure you have optimal thyroid function. TSH, or thyroid-stimulating hormone, is secreted to tell the thyroid to produce the active hormones T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). The most commonly used test for thyroid function is TSH, but getting a full thyroid panel provides a more complete picture of thyroid function. Additional thyroid tests include Free T3, Free T4, and if warranted, Reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies. Why is this test important? Thyroid dysfunction and subclinical thyroid disease have been found to correlate to an increased risk of atherosclerosis, dementia, diabetes, hypertension, mood disorders, obesity and osteoporosis.

Lipid Panel Cholesterol and triglycerides are also common tests in many annual physicals, especially for those with a high risk of heart disease. Why is this test important? Increased cholesterol and triglycerides, or dyslipidemia, are associated with atherosclerosis, heart disease and liver disease. Iron panel Iron carries oxygen through the body and plays a role in energy metabolism. Why is this test important? There is a balance to iron; Too much can contribute to symptoms and disease, as can too little. Anemia, especially iron-deficient anemia, has a high prevalence making it an important marker to check, especially if you are female or at risk of anemia or hemochromatosis (a condition related to excess iron). High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) Chronic, systemic inflammation is a risk factor for many chronic diseases and has also been shown to be an independent risk factor of chronic disease. Why is this test important? Inflammation, as measured by hs-CRP, is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Reducing chronic inflammation may help to mitigate your risk factor for certain chronic diseases. Dr. Kaley Burns is the founder, owner and naturopathic doctor at Big Sky Natural Health. She embraces a natural approach to health and aims to similarly inspire and guide others on their health journey. Dr. Burns has advanced training application of regenerative and intravenous injection therapy. She also serves as the vice president and CE liaison of the Montana Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

Pick a date. Pack your bags. The road to Yellowstone starts here. The Yellowstone region is a magical place in summer. With comfortable lodging and convenient tours into Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone Vacations is your Big Sky Country go-to. We’ll help you maximize your time out here, ensuring a lifetime of fond memories to look back on. Park yourself in Yellowstone. Call 800-426-7669 to book your tour today!

YELLOWSTONEVACATIONS.COM/TOURS

POWERFUL

Now – December 31 Portraits of Apsáalooke women symbolically caring for the shields. –Various Artists

Apsáalooke Women and Warriors explores the history, values, and beliefs of this Native American (Crow) community known for their horsemanship, artistic pursuits, matriarchal ways of life, and honors the tradition of “counting coup” - performing acts of bravery. Visitors will learn about Apsáalooke origins, cultural worldviews, and the powerful roles that both women and warriors hold in the community through a unique mix of traditional objects and contemporary Native American pieces. This exhibition is jointly organized by the Field Museum and the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society at the University of Chicago.

Beaded Horse Regalia. –Lydia Falls Down

Future in our Eyes. –Ben Pease

Presenting Sponsor:

Stephanie Dickson & Chris McCloud Leading Sponsor:

Contributing Sponsors:

Sheehy Family Foundation Apsáalooke Art and Design –Bethany Yellowtail

In Memory of Ruth Sommerfeld

m u s e u m o f t h e r o c k i e s . o r g | 4 0 6 . 9 9 4 . 2 2 5 1 | 6 0 0 W. K a g y B l v d .

PROUD TO BE THE ONLY PROVIDER OF BOTH NUTRIENT AND NAD+ IV THERAPY IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA

TREATMENTS ARE CUSTOMIZED TO MEET YOUR NEEDS - GIVE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM A BOOST - ALLEVIATE ALTITUDE SICKNESS, ALLERGIES AND FATIGUE - REGENERATIVE, RESTORATIVE, AND ANTI-AGING THERAPY

SCAN HERE TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY! bigskynaturalhealthmt.com | 406.993.6949 87 Lone Peak Dr, Big Sky, MT

Leadership Big Sky is an in-depth program of 8 monthly learning sessions designed to engage and empower a select group of emerging leaders who live and work in our region and are interested in:

Learning How Big Sky Works | Developing Leadership Skills | Networking Through a mix of classroom sessions, interactive tours, book club, leadership development modules and access to local decision-makers, Leadership Big Sky gives a behind the scenes look into “How Big Sky Works” through the complex interconnectivity of our economy, industries, and people. Apply today!

$800 for Members | $1,600 for Non– Members * Scholarships available for Nonprofit and Small Business Chamber Members Applications Open // Monday, August 1 Application Closes // Thursday, September 15

Applicants Selected and Informed // Friday, September 23 For more information about the application or programming, Visit BigSkyChamber.com./LeadershipBigSky Or email Caitlin@BigSkyChamber.com

Sponsorship Opportunities Available 2022—2023 Class Days 

October 19 // Orientation & Networking

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February 15 // Public Infrastructure

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November 16 // Health & Safety

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April 19 // Airport & Zoning

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December 14 // Tourism & Public Lands

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May 17 // Development & Real Estate

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January 18 // Local Governance

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June 14 // Graduation *Topics subject to shift class day

Thanks to our Underwriting Sponsors:

OUR COMMUNITY. OUR BUSINESS. BIGSKYCHAMBER.COM | 406.995.3000 | CAITLIN@BIGSKYCHAMBER.COM The Big Sky Chamber is a 501 (c) (6) nonprofit membership organization. Additional funding for this programming and advertising is supported by Big Sky Resort Tax

FUN

44 July 28 - August 10, 2022

Explore Big Sky

CAMP STOVE COOKING MISO SWEET POTATO POWER BOWL BY JULIA BARTON I often feel ravenous returning to camp after a long day outdoors, like I could eat anything and a lot of it. Camping classics like bagels, hot dogs, chips and s’mores can be delicious, but don’t always make my body feel its best afterward. In an attempt to find something tasty and re-energizing, I came up with a camping-friendly recipe for a power bowl that’s filling and full of healthy protein. This warm, sweet potato and chicken power bowl with miso sauce and other veggies tastes like it’ll cost you $20 at a bougie café but is easy and cheap to make at camp. The recipe is adaptable to flavors that you prefer and can easily be made vegetarian. I added chicken here for extra protein, but that can be substituted for another protein or taken out altogether if bringing raw meat to camp isn’t your thing. I typically make the miso sauce at home before heading out to camp and store it in my cooler to make things easier. This recipe is most simple to make on a two-burner camping stove rather than a backpacking stove, but it could certainly be done on either. The ingredients below will feed three to four people—depending on how ravenous they are.

1253 Jack Creek Road

• • • • • •

This tasty dinner is best enjoyed by a warm campfire on a cool, summer night. PHOTO BY JULIA BARTION

Miso sauce • 4 tablespoons miso paste • 2 tablespoons tahini • 1 teaspoon soy sauce • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds • 1 clove garlic, chopped • Juice from 1-2 lemon slices Power bowl • 9-ounce instant rice packet (This can be any type of rice; I like to use a brown rice

and quinoa blend. If you’re not taking these packets with you camping already, you’re missing out.) 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into bite-sized cubes 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced into small pieces 1 bell pepper, chopped ½ red onion, chopped 1 avocado, mashed 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions 1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan and cook chicken until lightly browned and cooked through, stirring frequently; remove chicken from pan and set aside in your mess kit. 2. Add chopped bell pepper and red onion to pan and cook over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes; add chicken back to pan and remove from heat. Cover to keep warm. 3. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook cubed sweet potatoes until soft, about 12 minutes; remove from heat and set aside in pan with other veggies and chicken. 4. Warm instant rice packet with a splash of water in pan over medium heat until warm, about 3 minutes. 5. Scoop rice into your mess kit, add chicken and veggies, top with mashed avocado and a healthy drizzle of miso sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Michelle Horning Sales Associate michelle@bigsky.com 406.570.8901

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On Property Ponds

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160 +/- Acres

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Horses Allowed

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Room for Barn and Guest House

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Opportunity to purchase a non-recallable Moonlight Club National Membership

45 July 28 - August 10, 2022

FUN

ILLUSTRATION BY CY WHITLING

BIG SKY

BEATS

SONGS FOR THE CANYON

BY LEONORA WILLETT It normally takes me about 55 minutes to get from the Explore Big Sky office to downtown Bozeman. For those who frequently have the privilege of driving through the Gallatin Canyon on Highway 191, music is a necessity. This 55-minute playlist contains my favorite songs to sing along to as I drive along the picturesque Gallatin River. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

“On my Knees” by RÜFÜS DU SOL “Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Lake Superior” by The Arcs “A-Punk” by Vampire Weekend “Walking On A Dream” by Empire of the Sun “Heatwave” by Cobra Man “Gold on the Ceiling” by The Black Keys “Electric Feel” by MGMT “Dramamine” by Modest Mouse “Dani California” by Red Hot Chili Peppers “Helena Beat” by Foster the People “Take a Walk” by Passion Pit “1901” by Phoenix “Sleepyhead” by Passion Pit

Explore Big Sky

Build Your Montana Dream! Vacant Land Listings

TBD Lot 26A Upper Promontory Big Sky, MT Listed at $2,600,000 | 39.88± Acres

Lot 113 Crow Point Big Sky, MT Listed at $1,750,000 | 2.59± Acres

This sprawling 39-acre parcel has jaw-dropping views of the Spanish Peaks and the Gallatin Range and adjoins thousands of acres of US Forest Land where you can hike, ride snowmobiles, 4-wheelers, RZRs, horses, and mountain bikes utilizing the neighborhood’s direct access trail. The land has an abundant variety of trees, a seasonal stream providing that tranquil sound of running water, and diverse wildlife. If nature, recreation, and privacy is what you are searching for, search no more as this is the pinnacle of Big Sky property!

Surround yourself with the best of what Montana has to offer. Located at Spanish Peak Mountain Club, this beautiful 2.59± acre south-facing lot offers coveted views of the Spanish Peaks, the Gallatin Range, and Yellowstone National Park. The old-growth natural timber that shields the property, as well as the empty neighboring lots, provides plenty of privacy and the desired terrain for all types of wildlife.

Listed by Eric Ladd

Listed by Michael Pitcairn

South Fork Ray Creek Road Townsend, MT Listed at $795,000 | 148± Acres Bring your imagination and an architect to create your Montana dream ranch with multiple spectacular home sites on the property with its natural topography that provides natural benched home sites. The property is located 15 minutes from Townsend, 15 minutes to Canyon Ferry Lake, 60 minutes to Gallatin Field Airport, 60 minutes to Helena, and 15 minutes to a National Forest trailhead. Take your horse for a day ride on the 484± acre State land adjacent to the property on the west side and the 80± acre BLM land to the northwest side. Deer and elk frequent the property due to its prime location between agricultural fields and mountain timber. Create your Montana dream ranch with multiple spectacular home sites on the property with its natural topography that provides natural benched home sites.

Listed by Darren Streets

Contact L&K Today! LKRealEstate.com 406.995.2404 All information given is considered reliable, but because it has been supplied by third parties, we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete, and should not be relied upon as such.These offerings are subject to errors, omissions, and changes including price or withdrawal without notice. All rights reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity. If you currently have a listing agreement or buyer broker agreement with another agent, this is not a solicitation to change. ©2016 LK REAL ESTATE, llc. lkrealestate.com * Membership upon approval

223 Town Center A-5 MLS# 367181 Big Sky, MT Now listed at $600,000

INVESTMENT POTENTIAL 223 Town Center A-5

PRICED TO CLOSE BEFORE AUGUST 15, 2022! This multi-use commercial unit offers over apx. 600 +/- sq ft in Big Sky’s bustling Town Center. There are few spaces like this in Big Sky’s fast-growing Town Center! Act now and take advantage of this exciting opportunity.

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THE BEST FOOD ON EARTH, DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR.

NATURAL. SUSTAINABLE. HEALTHY. Produced by local Montana farmers using regenerative agriculture practices.

SCAN TO PLACE AN ORDER regenmarket.com