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Big Sky Weekly
Big Sky
July 13, 2012
Volume 3 // Issue 14
Exploring life, land and culture from the heart of the Yellowstone Region
Mountain Biking
at Big sky resort
Big Brothers Big sisters
Celebrity Golf tournament
BsCC
Parks and
trails gala
Lone Peak expedition:
a local's perspective
Big Sky's locally owned and published newspaper explorebigsky.com
rider: shane maloney // Photo by david reeves

July 13, 2012
Volume 3, Issue 14
PUBLISHER
Eric Ladd
Publisher oF the
biG sky weekly
2011 biG sky
Chamber oF CommerCe
Business of the year
COO & SENIOR EDITOR
Megan Paulson
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Mike Martins
MANAGING EDITOR
Emily Stifler
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Kelsey Dzintars
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
Taylor Anderson, Renae Counter
DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR
Danielle Chamberlain
VIDEO DIRECTOR
Brian Niles
VIDEOGRAPHER
Chris Davis
ACCOUNT RELATIONS COORDINATOR
Kacey Brown
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Katie Morrison
WEB DEVELOPER/DESIGNER
Sean Weas
CoNTRIBuToRs
Jamie Balke, Robin Brower-McBride, Buscrat, Maren
Dunn, Felicia Ennis, Siri Fossel, John Holtzman, Brian
Hurlbut, Chad Jones, Max Lowe, Matty McCain, Mike
Mannelin, John Marshall, Anne Marie Mistretta, Heather
Morris, Brandon Niles, Joseph T. O'Connor, Eric Ossorio,
Ersin Ozer, Tori Pintar, Laura Schaap, Kaela Schommer,
Jeff Stickland, David Tucker
edIToRIal PolICy
Outlaw Partners LLC is the sole owner of the Big Sky
Weekly. No part of this publication may be reprinted
without written permission from the publisher. The Big
Sky Weekly reserves the right to edit all submitted material
for content, corrections or length. Printed material reflects
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of Outlaw Partners or the editors of this publication. No
advertisements, columns, letters to the editor or other
information will be published that contain discrimination
based on sex, age, race, religion, creed, nationality, sexual
preference, or are in bad taste.
leTTeR To The edIToR PaRameTeRs
The Weekly accepts letters to the editor to give readers a platform
to express their views and share ways they would like to
effect change. These should not be Thank You notes. Letters
should be 250 words or less, respectful, ethical, state accurate
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reserve the right to edit letters. Include: first and last name,
address, phone number and title.
Submit to: media@theoutlawpartners.com
adVeRTIsING deadlINe FoR
July 27 Issue:
July 20, 2012
CoRReCTIoNs
The Big Sky Weekly runs corrections to errors we’ve printed.
Please report them to emily@theoutlawpartners.com
© 2012 The Big Sky Weekly
Unauthorized reproduction prohibited
2 July 13, 2012 explorebigsky.com
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explorebigsky explorebigsky
summer events
This summer, southwest Montana
=and Big Sky are packed
full of fun events, big and
small. We’ve reported on many
of them in detail in this issue
of the Weekly. Here are a few of
the highlights:
Bike to Farm – weekends, July
14 – Aug. 19
Know your farmer, and get fit
along the way!
BBBs Celebrity Golf Tournament
– July 15 – 16
Hobnob with celebrities, test
your golf skills and raise money
for Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Gallatin County.
operation Never Forgotten –
July 17 – 23
Help Big Sky and Bozeman welcome wounded warriors
to our communities while they enjoy the best
outdoor activities our state has to offer.
Big sky Food Festival – July 17
Serving up fabulous food outside on the lawn at
Buck’s T-4 Lodge since 1997.
Gallatin County Fair – July 18 - 22
Themed “The Best in the West,” the fair is more
than a century old. Pig wrestling, mutton busting,
bronc riding, theatrical jousting, amusement rides,
mud boggin’ and cotton candy. How could you miss
this?
BsCC Parks and Trails Gala – July 21
Cocktails, silent and live auctions, a gourmet dinner
and a nine-piece R&B and Soul band—all to benefit
parks and trails in Big Sky.
Big sky Weekly Distribution
Grand marshall car from the 2011 big sky Country Fair parade
Photo by kaela sChommer
Anaconda
Hamilton
Bozeman Big Timber
Three Forks
Livingston
Wisdom
Dillon
Big Sky
Ennis
Virginia City Gardiner
West Yellowstone
Community...4
local news...8
regional..10
opinion...11
montana...14
yellowstone...16
Gallery...17
sports...18
health...21
Big sky PBR – July 31 – Aug. 1.
The inaugural Big Sky Professional Bull Riding tour
won “Event of the Year” for 2011 from the Big Sky
Chamber of Commerce. Although this year’s PBR
sold out in the first 48 hours, more tickets may go
on sale before the event. Check explorebigsky.com
for updates.
32nd annual Big sky Country Fair – July 28
Themed “Wild Blue Yonder,” this year’s Country
Fair will have a parade, local and regional vendors, a
dunk tank, a car wash, a petting zoo, live music and
even a high-heeled race.
Big sky XC – Aug. 24 – 26
The world’s fastest off-road motorcycle racers come
to get their butt’s kicked on the rowdy trails at Big
Sky Resort. This great spectator event also has races
for all ages and abilities.
BC
AK
table oF Contents
business...22
outlaw news...25
Classifieds...30
Business Profile...31
real estate...28
outlaw news...26
environment...30
history...33
Food & dining...34
outdoors...36
Gear reviews...39
events...40
entertainment...43
Fun...45
Columns...46
back 40...48

HELMS
J E F F HELMS
JAMISON
KULESZA
96 properties sold in the last 6 months
“ ere has never been a more opportune time to purchase real estate in Big Sky”
Sold Properties List Price Close Date Sold Properties List Price Close Date Sold Properties List Price Close Date
Fairways 2156 $539,000 Jan 3, 2012
199 Candlelight, Firelight Chalet $184,900 Jan 7, 2012
19 Meadow Village Unit 2B $58,500 Jan 10, 2012
Lot 25 Porcupine Park Sub $99,000 Jan 17, 2012
Fairways 2148 $539,000 Jan 18, 2012
Lot 8 Little Coyote Rd. $89,000 Jan 23, 2012
Big Horn 14 $325,000 Jan 27, 2012
Big Horn 19 $469,000 Jan 27, 2012
1929 Chief Joseph Trail $1,695,000 Jan 27, 2012
2620 Curley Bear Rd. $479,000 Jan 30, 2012
Beaverhead 1433 $600,000 Feb 2, 2012
Hill Condo 1296 $70,000 Feb 6, 2012
Lot 6 Chief Joseph Trail $240,000 Feb 7, 2012
Hill Condo 1314 $64,000 Feb 9, 2012
Summit Hotel 10306 $549,000 Feb 10, 2012
339 Low Dog Road $999,000 Feb 14, 2012
Moonlight Mountain Home 2 $995,000 Feb 15, 2012
Glacier Condominium 149 $115,000 Feb 16, 2012
Alpine Meadows Suite 6D $1,595,000 Feb 17, 2012
Hill Condo 1247 $40,000 Feb 22, 2012
Hill Condo 1288 $99,900 Feb 24, 2012
245 Karst Stage Loop $214,500 Feb 24, 2012
Firelight Condo C2 $100,000 Feb 28, 2012
Summit Hotel 10912 $199,000 Feb 29, 2012
Firelight Condo B11 $100,000 Mar 1, 2012
Tamarack Court Condo 7 $245,000 Mar 2, 2012
Moose Ridge 20A $649,000 Mar 5, 2012
Stillwater Condo 1002 $127,500 Mar 6, 2012
Park Condo 288 $299,000 Mar 6, 2012
Summit View Ph 1, Lot 9 $140,000 Mar 9, 2012
Pine Ridge Condo 9 $142,500 Mar 12, 2012
Summit Hotel 10811 $199,900 Mar 13, 2012
Cowdrey Unit 9 $44,900 Mar 14, 2012
Crail Creek Club 620 $395,900 Mar 14, 2012
Cowboy Heaven Luxury Ste 2D $1,695,000 Mar 14, 2012
Summit Hotel 10602 $460,000 Mar 15, 2012
Cowboy Heaven Lot 20 $555,000 Mar 15, 2012
Deer Run H-1 $375,000 Mar 19, 2012
Big Horn 10 $345,000 Mar 23, 2012
Cowdrey Warehouse Units $549,000 Mar 23, 2012
10 Candlelight, Firelight Chalet $174,900 Mar 26, 2012
Antler Ridge 105 $795,000 Mar 26, 2012
Strawberry Ridge Lot 3 $1,095,000 Mar 27, 2012
1955 Little Coyote $569,000 Mar 29, 2012
Cedar Creek Condo 47 $145,000 Mar 30, 2012
1003 Lone Mountain Trail $1,585,000 Mar 30, 2012
Hill Condo 1350 $36,000 Apr 3, 2012
87 Starlight, Firelight Chalet $186,900 Apr 6, 2012
Hill Condo 1319 $149,900 Apr 8, 2012
Cowboy Heaven Cabin 9 $679,000 Apr 10, 2012
Firelight Condo A17 $105,000 Apr 11, 2012
Lot 31 Porcupine Park Sub $142,500 Apr 11, 2012
Firelight Condo D17 $69,900 Apr 13, 2012
Hill Condo 1221 $44,500 Apr 20, 2012
Lot 70 Goshawk Trail $497,000 Apr 20, 2012
Powder Ridge 2 $499,000 Apr 25, 2012
120 Cheyenne Road $699,000 Apr 25, 2012
Silverbow 39 $86,900 Apr 27, 2012
Lot 92 Settlers Loop $149,000 Apr 27, 2012
Gallatin Bldg Unit 8 $100,000 Apr 30, 2012
145 Karst Stage Loop $336,000 Apr 30, 2012
e Pines Condominium L2 $399,000 Apr 30, 2012
35 Rainbow Trout Run $439,000 Apr 30, 2012
394 Candlelight, Firelight Chalet $195,000 May 2, 2012
288 Firelight, Firelight Chalet $153,500 May 3, 2012
Moonlight Mountain Home 57 $899,900 May 4, 2012
Crail Creek 616 $350,000 May 6, 2012
32 Low Dog Rd. $759,000 May 9, 2012
Moonlight Mountain Home 4 $1,095,000 May 10, 2012
487 Grey Drake Road $1,875,000 May 10, 2012
Cabin 18 $1,990,000 May 10, 2012
135 Lower Diamond Hitch Road $4,199,000 May 10, 2012
e Pines Condominium C1 $335,000 May 11, 2012
473 Firelight, Firelight Chalet $180,000 May 14, 2012
Moonlight Mountain Home 51 $995,000 May 14, 2012
Lot 13 Sawbuck Rd. $675,000 May 15, 2012
Ranch 116, Crow Point $150,000 May 16, 2012
456 Firelight, Firelight Chalet $164,500 May 16, 2012
350 Low Dog Road $1,699,000 May 16, 2012
Cabin 15 $1,990,000 May 18, 2012
19 Meadow Village Drive 2G $87,900 May 24, 2012
3 Black Moon $920,000 May 24, 2012
15 Rising Bull Rd. $1,799,000 May 25, 2012
Meadow Village Ctr. Ln. Unit D $58,000 May 31, 2012
472 Firelight, Firelight Chalet $168,500 May 31, 2012
Cabin 14 $1,790,000 Jun 1, 2012
Lot 74 Eagel View Trail $289,000 Jun 5, 2012
Cascade Lot 286 $179,000 Jun 8, 2012
Hill Condo 1315 $62,500 Jun 15, 2012
Alpenglow 18C $368,000 Jun 15, 2012
2115 Little Coyote $455,000 Jun 15, 2012
2160 Lone Walker Road $419,000 Jun 18, 2012
Cowboy Heaven Cabin 24 $450,000 Jun 19, 2012
Alpine Meadows Chalet 69 $1,195,000 Jun 20, 2012
86 Candlelight, Firelight Chalet $169,900 Jun 21, 2012
Shoshone Hotel 1937 $199,900 Jun 27, 2012
Call me directly for up-to-date market information: 406-539-0121
Representing buyers and sellers in:
MOONLIGHT BASIN YELLOWSTONE CLUB THE CLUB AT SPANISH PEAKS GREATER BIG SKY AREA
Jeff Helms
Big Sky Town Center O ce
M: 406.539.0121
E: je @sothebysrealty.com
All information is derived from MLS sources and deemed reliable, however, is not guaranteed. Data is subject
to error, omissions, prior sales, price change or withdrawal without notice and approval of purchase
by Seller. We urge independent veri cation of each and every item submitted, to the satisfaction of any
prospective purchaser.

4 July 13, 2012
Community
Local scholarship to help fund outdoor education
Calendars fundraise for the erika Pankow Fund
by emily stiFler
big sky weekly managing editor
BIG SKY – Sometimes, tragedy begets positive change.
Erika Pankow’s death in a 1996 explosives accident
rocked the Big Sky Ski Patrol community. Pankow,
a second year patroller, was doing avalanche control
work on a serious storm day. She never came home.
With great enthusiasm for life and helping others,
Pankow had made many friends in the ski community.
“She was really a special lady,” said friend and fellow
patroller Jay “Magnum” Frisque. “She was somebody
who worked from the heart. She always had a big
smile.”
Many locals and businesses wanted to donate in her
honor, and Frisque, together with the Big Sky Ski
Patrol, founded memorial and scholarship funds in her
name.
“Everybody stepped up. Everybody offered to help,”
Frisque said.
More than 100 donors pitched in, including at least 20
ski patrols from around the West.
The memorial fund was used to create a plaque for
Pankow, which is in Erika’s glades in Big Sky’s Bavarian
Forest, and also a plaque for another Big Sky patroller
killed in an avalanche accident, Dave Stutzman. One
final plaque—for Big Sky’s first ski patrol director Jim
Kanzler—is still in the making.
After the accident, many ski patrols across the Western
U.S. created more intensive training and documentation
programs for avalanche control work, said Larry
Heywood, an avalanche expert who investigated the
incident. Heywood also had a hand in revamping the
National Ski Area Association’s avalanche control
guidelines and said the accident was a driving force to
make the guidelines much stricter.
The scholarship fund initially went toward avalanche
and medical education for locals, but with no follow up
fundraisers the money eventually ran out and the fund
was all but forgotten.
But the ski patrol community and those who knew
Erika didn’t forget. And over the past year, Big Sky
BIG SKY – Cliff Rossberg woke
early on Sunday morning, July 8,
drove to Yellowstone, and shot photos
of wolves and other wildlife.
The Great Falls-based artist was
back in Big Sky by 10 a.m., painting
wildlife at the ERA Landmark Real
Estate office in the Meadow Village
Center.
Part of the fourth Big Sky Meadow
Village ArtWalk, which took place
July 7 – 8, Rossberg’s live painting
drew a crowd, said ArtWalk organizer
Louise Astbury.
“He even sold a few paintings,” she
said. Astbury works at ERA, which
sponsors the now biannual event.
explorebigsky.com
patroller Ody Loomis and Frisque worked together to
bring the scholarship fund back.
“I thought it was such a great thing for the community,
and it shouldn’t just be sitting there dormant,” Loomis
said. Plus, she said, she’s thankful she’s not afraid to do
her job and that today’s “policies and management help
make it safe for us to be out there.”
Spearheading the project, Loomis contracted local
photographer Ryan Turner to shoot photos for an
18-month calendar “Women of Big Sky.”
Loomis describes the project as “a huge group effort….
All the girls came together and said ‘let’s do
this.’”
A different local business sponsored each month
of the calendar, and Turner, graphic designer Lisa
Ankeny, and web designer Lindsay Pruett did much
of their work in-kind.
The calendar is a mixture of black-and-white and color
photography, a combination of fun, sexy, whimsical
and badass. The women featured are ski patrollers,
snowmakers, snow cat drivers, chairlift operators and
maintenance crew members and Dirtbag queens.
Turner’s photography skills are evident, and the
images, many of which feature the women in bikini
This was the first time the event has
been two full days, and it drew 25
Montana artists from as far away as
Glasgow, Miles City, Billings and
Helena. They included painters, sculptors,
photographers, jewelers and a
children’s book illustrator.
The artists set up their work between
nine other businesses in the Meadow
Village, and they saw constant, steady
visitors, Astbury said.
“The artists did well,” said JoDean
Bing, another event organizer. “Everybody
I talked to wants to come back.”
Having it over two days made the
atmosphere relaxed and also helped
the artists, Astbury said, because
“people looked the first day, and
a lot of sales happened the second
day.”
Sales were in fact up from the
winter event, and Astbury thought
attendance was, as well.
Local band Bluebird Sky played
outside the Clock Tower Building
on Saturday, and Morningstar
Learning Center had success with
its new children’s program “Pintsized
Picassos that afternoon.
The Meadow Village Center funds
the event and allows artists to
participate at no charge, but in turn
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
tops, are all in good taste: working on the tram, skiing
the south face, posing on a snowmobile, riding the
Triple chair, and standing with snowboards and snow
cats.
And the scenery isn’t half bad either.
“I love this one,” Loomis says, pointing at a black and
white shot at the top of Lone Mountain. “I love the
skyline, you can see through the Spanish Peaks, all the
way to the Tobacco Roots.”
That particular day was cold, and the wind was
blowing about 35 miles and hour, Turner recalls. The
crew—two lift ops, three patrollers and Turner—
would get psyched up inside the Tram top shack, and
then run outside to shoot photos.
“It was like being sandblasted,” Turner said, adding
that the girls were so tough that they didn’t even race
back inside right away. “They seemed to really have a
lot of fun when they were doing it as a group.”
The calendars go on sale this summer, and proceeds
will benefit the scholarship fund.
And as it did at its inception, the fund’s board will have
representation from Big Sky Search and Rescue, Gallatin
Canyon Volunteer Fire Department, and Big Sky
Ski Patrol. Pankow was a member of each organization.
The fund will provide financial support to individuals
interested in advancing medical, search and rescue
or avalanche related skills and will also help acquire
equipment like sit skis, outriggers or prosthetics.
Full or partial scholarships will be given out twice a
year, in November and April, and will depend on availability
of funds in the scholarship account. Preference
will be given to residents of the greater Gallatin Valley
area and to high school students.
“The more people that get avalanche training, the better
for all of us,” Frisque said. “Erika would approve
of that. She would approve of the calendar. You don't
have to be a patroller to be part of the skiing community.”
Visit erikapankowscholarshipfund.org mid summer to
buy a calendar or download a scholarship application.
artists came from across Montana for Big sky artWalk
takes a 5 percent commission for
promotion of the next ArtWalk.
Neighboring Historic Crail Ranch
also had an artists’ market on
Sunday, which was unrelated to
the ArtWalk, but the two helped
promote each other.
The winter 2013 ArtWalk is set
for Feb. 17, which is the Sunday
of Presidents’ Weekend. And next
summer, the event will include a
quick draw, in which the artists
will create live works outside, and
sell them at live auction to benefit
the Warren Miller Performing Arts
Center, Astbury and Bing said. e.s.

Thank you to all of our sponsors.
PBR’S BEST
COWBOYS & BULLS
explorebigsky.com
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be a wild ride”
2011 Champion
Beau Hill
JULY 31 &
AUGUST 1, 2012
BIG SKY
TOWN CENTER
LIVE MUSIC
MUTTON BUSTIN’
ENTERTAINMENT BY
FLINT RASMUSSEN
TICKETS ON SALE
22! JUNE 22
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EXPLOREBIGSKY.COM
EVENT OF THE YEAR
Produced by Outlaw Partners
& Freestone Productions
Big Sky Weekly

6 July 13, 2012
Community
BsCC’s Parks and trails gala is July 21
BIG SKY – For the first time ever, the
Big Sky Community Corp. is holding
its annual fundraiser in the Community
Park. This is a benchmark for
the nonprofit organization, which has
been fundraising, building and maintaining
parks and trails for 14 years.
At the Parks and Trails Gala on July
21, the BSCC will host a silent auction
and a live band in one tent, and
a dinner and live auction in another.
Proceeds from this fundraising event
will directly benefit new parks and
trails projects in the area.
“It’s a big deal that we’re moving it to
the park,” said BSCC executive director
featured auction items:
Classic car tour and gourmet dinner
you and up to nine friends will be welcomed
at with cocktails and canapés at tom Gerrard’s
home on aug. 8. enjoy a private tour of
Gerrard’s classic 1950s and 1960s american
convertibles, one of the top privately owned
collections in the country. Following the tour,
enjoy fine wine and a gourmet dinner prepared
by a private chef.
Big pearls for the Big sky girl
a bolo styled lariat with two jumbo baroque
teardrop tahitian Pearls on leather. 18kt gold
caps and 18kt gold slide with diamonds.
handmade by jewelry designer shelly bermont.
Jessie Neal. “It creates a great experience
for the people attending, and also
an opportunity to showcase the park
and the hard work the BSCC and their
generous donors put forth.”
The event, which starts at 6 p.m., will
also feature appetizers, a cocktail hour,
dinner catered by the Corral, and live
music and dancing from nine-piece
R&B and Soul band Blue Jack.
“We’ve really stepped it up with auctions
items,” Neal said. “This is a whole
new category of event.”
Past fundraisers have made possible
the expansion of the community park,
which included the new softball and
explorebigsky.com
multi-use fields, and basketball
court, as well as miles of trail, and
the success and establishment of
recreation programs and children’s
camps.
Bozeman’s Stronghold Fabrication
will have a new artificial climbing
structure framed by the time of
the Gala. Dreamland Skateparks
will have started work July 16. The
Oregon-based company has done
many of the skateparks in Montana
and the west coast, and is one of the
best in the country, Neal said.
The Community Park has been
hopping this summer, Neal added,
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
with its 110-car parking lot nearly
full on many evenings. “It’s not just
softball. It’s disc golf, the [old] skate
ramp, and multiple nights of soccer,
lacrosse and ultimate Frisbee.”
Sponsors of the BSCC Gala are Outlaw
Partners, STOA Management,
Lone Peak Brewery, Lohss Construction,
Bozeman Audi, Nordic Hot
Tub, Big Sky Conoco and On Site
Management.
For tickets, information, sponsorship
opportunities, or to donate auction
items, contact Jessie Neal (406) 993-
2112 or jessie@bsccmt.org. e.s.
seven night stay at Villa Paradiso, Bali
a once in a lifetime opportunity! this exquisite three-bedroom private home is located near the
beach, on the tranquil eastern coast of bali, and has views of the ocean and the nearby lush
river valley and mountains. there is also a separate fully self-contained cottage by the pool. villa
Paradiso also has a private 40-foot pool, a shallow pool for children, a day spa and a restaurant.
also included: round trip transportation from the airport, breakfasts, massages, one dinner, diving
or snorkeling excursion, housekeeping.
Baldface Lodge cat skiing
two seats on a four-day, all-inclusive cat
skiing trip at baldface lodge, british Columbia.
trip is Jan. 14 – 17 and is with the outlaw
crew.
Casa san Marco, italy
golf with the pros
three-night stay and Golf at Pronghorn Golf
resort in bend, ore. a 1988 issue of golf
magazine signed by Jack nichlaus and
framed signed photo.
this restored, four-bedroom home is located in Cortona, a 3,000-year-old etruscan hill town. situated
in tuscany between Florence and rome, Cortona is on the main rail line and also the main autostrada
between rome and Florence.
Occupying the top two floors of a former 16th century palazzo, Casa San Marco overlooks the stunning
church of san Francesco and the valley below. it’s just up the hill from Cortona’s main Piazza
repubblica, where people congregate to talk, shop and eat.
The house will sleep 8 – 10 people, and the main floor has a large living room with an adjoining library
that opens out onto a terrace where one can watch the sunset with a glass of local wine. the kitchen
has been remodeled and has a large dining area.

Community
Letter: support Lone Peak Cinema
We have a treasure in our midst and should all work to support it. This treasure is the
Lone Peak Cinema. We have been a number of times and had a wonderful time, but
we would like to see more people attend. The young people who started this venture
have taken a big risk to provide the citizens of Big Sky community with an opportunity
for entertainment. Their theater is excellent....comfortable seats, great sound and
absolutely the best popcorn. Enjoying a movie even once a month (more would be
better:) would go a long way to help keep this great movie theater in our community.
-Jan and Jim Cummings
summer social: ski Bridges
of Madison County
by heather morris
moonlight community foundation
MOONLIGHT BASIN – What do
you do with the reputed “longest ski
bridge in America” when the snow has
retreated to the peaks and the sun sets
late at night? Have a party, of course.
The second annual “Ski Bridges of
Madison County: Summer Social”
will be on July 29 from 5 – 7 p.m., on
the long ski bridge near the Moonlight
Lodge. The Moonlight Community
Foundation is hosting the event.
A part of the proceeds will go to the Big
Brother/Big Sisters of Gallatin County,
and the foundation will have a presence
at the charity’s celebrity golf tournament,
which is July 16 at the Big Sky
Golf Course.
More then 50 people came to the inaugural
Ski Bridges event last August, and
most of the money raised went toward
design and fabrication of interpretive
signs for the Ulery’s Lake hiking loop,
BIG SKY – Morningstar Learning
Center has a mortgage payment
plan on its new building thanks to
funding from the Big Sky Resort
Tax Board.
Morningstar was allocated $24,000
to use toward paying off the new
site, a sizable increase after being
denied funding last year.
“The Morningstar Board was really
excited and thankful for the money
from the resort tax,” said Tracy
Jacobson, a Morningstar board
member.
The group plans to refinance the
building which will result in a
$25,000 saving on the mortgage.
This saving will help to keep costs
down, Jacobson said.
which begins at Moonlight Lodge.
The signs, which will be installed this
summer, provide information on the
wetlands, wildlife and peaks in and
around Moonlight.
While last year’s event was attended
by mostly homeowners from the north
side of Lone Peak, the committee hopes
people from across the area will attend
the gathering this year, and also check
out the new trail signs.
A group of Moonlight homeowners
started the foundation last year. Today,
it is focused on education, conservancy
and youth development in the Moonlight
and Big Sky areas.
“The Moonlight Community Foundation
is dedicated to giving back to the
entire Big Sky community,” said committee
member Gayle Parseghian.
Purchase tickets for the Ski Bridges of
Madison County summer social by
calling (315) 529-6577. We hope to see
you there!
Morningstar Learning Center using
resort tax funds to pay off mortgage
by renae Counter
big sky weekly editorial assistant
Morningstar is Big Sky’s only state
certified childcare and preschool
facility. As a nonprofit, it relies
on grants, fundraisers and donations
in order to keep tuition costs
manageable. According to Jacobson,
Morningstar strives to “keep
tuition affordable for the Big Sky
community.”
Morningstar moved to its current
location, 659 Spruce Cone Drive, in
October of last year. The new facility
“functions and serves more than
perfectly for our needs with plenty
of space for toddlers and preschoolers,”
Jacobson said.
Now that it has enough money to
go toward mortgage payments for
the whole year, Morningstar is
looking at being more financially
stable. The board has discussed
plans for expansions on the building
in the future, but for now
isfocused on the space it has.
Correction:
in the 6/29 special health section of the weekly, the author of “Gel
sense” wrote that hammer Gel has dextrose, a simple sugar. there is
no dextrose in hammer Gel, which is an all-natural product. For more
on this montana-based company, see Chris davis’s review on page__.
More Results
Selling more real estate than any other firm in
Big Sky for the second year running.
Jason Parks, Broker
406.580.4758
Ania Bulis, Broker
406.580.6852
Jackie Miller, Broker
406.539.5003
Branif Scott, Broker
406.579.9599
Sandy Revisky, Broker
406.539.6316
*Based on 2011-2012 information from Gallatin Association of Realtors MLS Data
www.purewestproperties.com | 406.995.4009

8 July 13, 2012
loCal news
BIG SKY – The Calcutta auction is
returning to the Big Sky Professional
Bull Riding tour event this summer on
the evening of July 31. Later that evening,
rising country music star Morgan
Frazier will play an outdoor concert in
the Town Center.
Starting at 6 p.m. in the PBR arena, the
Calcutta auction will split the 35 PBR
riders into teams of seven, which will
each be raffled off to betters. A pot will
be put together, and the gamers who
bet on the winning rider go home with
half.
The other half will be donated to two
local nonprofits, the Big Sky Community
Corp. and the Yellowstone Club
Community Foundation. Last year the
event raised more than $18,000 for
YCCF.
Bull riders will also be on hand that
night, signing autographs and socializing.
Both that event and the Morgan
Frazier concert are free and open to the
public. The vendor village will open at 6
p.m., and the concert will start at 8 p.m.
“She has that classic Nashville voice,”
said Brian Hurlbut, general manager of
the Arts Council of Big Sky, describing
Frazier. ACBS is bringing Frazier
to town as part of its summer music
series, which often features up and
coming artists.
Frazier, who is 18, is originally from
Texas and has been playing music, performing,
and writing songs since she
was 7 years old. She recent signed with
Curb Records, and the Big Sky show
is part of her first big national tour this
summer.
“The fact she was coming through
Montana during the rodeo was a natural
fit,” Hurlbut said.
One of the Calcutta’s key sponsors is
Fay Ranches, which is hosting its annual
client party in Big Sky during the
PBR. The real estate brokerage is also
a chute and barrel sponsor at the main
event the following night.
The Big Sky PBR is an “up close and
personal event that isn’t done anywhere
else,” said Jenny Davison, who
organizes Fay’s client party and comes
explorebigsky.com
from a rodeo background. The small
nature of the show and the way the
arena is set up allows “people to get
close front row seats pretty much
anywhere you sit,” she said.
"Last year's PBR was an extraordinary
success,” said Yellowstone Club
principal owner Sam Byrne. The club
will again be the event’s title sponsor
this year.
“The energy was
fantastic and the
event could not
have been more
fun for me and
my family…[It]
created a signature
summer event for
the entire Big Sky
community.”
Bringing the PBR
to Big Sky was also
an accomplishment
for local business, Byrne said.
“The Yellowstone Club has a vested
interest in the success of our local business
community, so we are always looking
to support events that will in turn
support the local business community."
Jim Murphy, from the event’s presenting
sponsor Continental Construction,
echoed that sentiment. Growing the
summer activities schedule will bring
new people to Big Sky, which will help
drive the economy, Murphy said.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Calcutta returns to the Big sky PBr July 31
bull riding event boosts community morale, sponsors say
big sky weekly staff writer
bigskytowncenter.com
Where Big Sky Comes Together
farmers market:
Join 80+ vendors every Wednesday
from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at fire Pit Park for
the farmers market, starting July 11.
• fresh Produce, herbs, plants, flowers,
freshly prepared food, baked goods
• Local and regional artisians
• Live music and much more!
Country music star morgan Frazier will play an outdoor concert in the
town Center July 31.
July 31
a Calcutta auction will
be held at the Pbr arena
in the town Center, and
is free and open to the
public. it will start at 6
p.m. the morgan Frazier
show, also in the town
Center will start at 8 p.m.
“Everyone thinks of Big Sky as a ski
place but it’s much more than that.
It’s as much fun—if not more—in
the summer, with all the things to
do.”
Murphy likes seeing local businesses
come together to put on the
PBR, and said summer events like
this contribute to the morale and
the fabric of a community.
“It’s not only
something you
can do, but
something your
community can
be proud of.” It’s
also a nice way
for Continental
to give back and
be involved in the
community, he
said.
“To see something
blossom and grow from the ground
up, it’s fun. “A lot of local businesses
have stepped up. Ticket sales
have been robust. People want to
come back.”
Murphy credited Outlaw Partners
CEO Eric Ladd (publisher of this
newspaper) for getting the Big Sky
PBR off the ground, and Sam Byrne
“for stepping up that first year and
believing in what was then just an
idea.”

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loCal news
Big sky XC draws X-games riders
dirt bike race is aug. 24 – 26
by emily stiFler
big sky weekly managing editor
BIG SKY – The Big Sky XC race on Lone Mountain is
gaining attention from some of the country’s top dirt
bikers.
Three medalists from the 2012 summer X Games Endurocross
have confirmed they’ll be racing in Big Sky
this August, Big Sky XC organizer Joe Miller said.
Men’s silver and bronze medalists Cody Webb and
Cory Graffunder will be here, as will the women’s
bronze medalist Chantelle Bykerek. Another six X
Games riders have also committed to the race, and
several more are considering it.
It’s a big deal having riders of this caliber come to town,
says Bozeman rider Mark Weirich, who’s currently in
first place in the 40+A class in the Montana XC series.
“Those are the fastest extreme enduro riders in the
world,” Weirich said. And while the race is part of
the National Hare Scramble series, which has tight
singletrack courses, Weirich says the Big Sky XC is
actually more like an extreme enduro event because of
its difficulty.
“It’s tough—tough to ride it fast and finish. You’ve got
to keep your bike going, and your body.”
An architect in Bozeman, Weirich was the 2010 AMA
National Hare and Hound series champion (high speed
desert racing) and also did the entire National Hare
Scramble series in 2008. No other course on the series
is as gnarly as Big Sky, he said.
“A lot of guys that race both those series are from California,
and despite the fact that there are a lot of rocks
in California, they don't ride them the way we do up
here. The locals definitely have an advantage, because
that’s the type of terrain we ride all summer for fun.”
Now in its forth season, the event has grown each year.
Miller estimates that in total, 1,000 people came to
Big Sky for last year’s event, including more than 350
riders.
Big Sky School District name official
As of July 1, the Ophir School District #72 is now the Big Sky School District
#72. The website address is now bssd72.org. Email addresses for all staff will be
changing over the summer as well, but the previous addresses and website will
forward to the new ones during the transition period.
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This year, there will be a series of six different races
over two days. Because each race is broken down into
classes, there are events for everyone, Miller says, from
age 4 – 60, from beginners to professional athletes.
The pro race, which has a $10,000 purse, starts at
12:30 p.m. on Sunday and will last three hours. The
entire mountain will be open for hiking, and trail maps
marked with prime viewing spots will be available that
day. More of the action will be visible from the Swift
Current chairlift than in past years, Miller said, and the
lift will be open for spectators.
To allow preparation and clean up before and after the
race, and to maximize safety during the weekend, Big
Sky Resort will temporarily move its mountain biking
chairlift access to Andesite Aug. 23 – 27. The Lone
Peak Tram Expedition will continue running during
the race weekend.
A pro racer autograph
session will be held in
conjunction with the
youth/novice awards
ceremony at 7 p.m. on
Saturday night in the
Huntley Dining room.
Youth/novice classes take
place all day Saturday.
Miller encourages the
Big Sky community to
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Growing in Big Sky for 32 years
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
check out Saturday’s events too, especially to support
several youth racers from Ophir School that will be
participating.
Last year’s race brought people from Florida, New
Jersey, South Carolina, and Canada, Miller said, filling
more than 100 hotel rooms and closing down the free
skier parking at Big Sky Resort for camping.
“The race attracts some of the country’s fastest motorcycle
racers, and it truly is a fun spectator sport. It’s
the type of event where you can watch a professional
athlete from just feet away from the action.”
There is also a spectator friendly endurocross section
(which is like an obstacle course) near the base area, but
to get the most out of watching the race, Miller says
you really have to be involved in it.
“It’s best to come expecting you’re going to do some
hiking. The endurocross section is exciting, but the
story unfolds out on the mountain.”
He suggested catching the chairlift up and watching
from multiple spots on the hike back down to the base
area.
Kenda tires is the event’s title sponsor, Klim technical
gear is the presenting sponsor, and Yamaha Corp./Blitz
Motor Sports are the pro purse sponsors. Tire Rama
and Ressler Motors are the supporting sponsors.
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eGional
northWestern energy to upgrade
gallatin Canyon transmission line
by emily stiFler
big sky weekly managing editor
BELGRADE – The transmission line that connects
Belgrade and Big Sky is getting an upgrade, starting
this summer.
NorthWestern Energy will start construction on a new
161 kilovolt line in late July or early August and work
through the fall, said Claudia Rapkoch, a spokeswoman
for the company.
The current 69 kV line between Four Corners and the
Meadow Village substation in Big Sky is at capacity
or above during some times of the year, Rapkoch said.
The other transmission line feeding into Big Sky is a
161kV capacity line that comes into the Lone Mountain
substation from Ennis.
NorthWestern is finalizing easements with the majority
of private landowners along the new line’s northern
segment and will start work there. Traffic delays
caused by construction may be possible, Rapkoch said.
The new line will be taller than the current one, and
the cross arm will be slightly larger. Most of the supports
will again be single pole structures.
The new line will be installed alongside the current
one because it cannot be taken down until the new
one is operating. Its path will remain mostly the same,
differing only in two areas, one near Four Corners and
one in Gallatin Gateway. As segments of the new are
built and tied into the system, the corresponding segments
of the old line will be removed.
“[The upgrade is] important for future growth, and
for high demand situations either brought on by
extremely cold or hot weather, or during ski season,”
Rapkoch said
BIG SKY – From July 17 to 23, the Big Sky and Bozeman communities will be
hosting Iraq and Afghanistan veterans visiting from around the country who
have physical and invisible wounds.
Approximately 55 warriors and their caregivers will travel to the areas and
participate in an event organized by Operation Never Forgotten called the
SAS (Sports, Afield and Stream) Project. The goal is to help the warriors
discover new skills, mentorship, passions and hope through outdoor sports,
hunting, fishing and wilderness adventures.
ONF is encouraging the public to welcome the veterans at the airport on the
afternoon and evening of the 17, or at the Gallatin County Fair Rodeo on July
21.
The group is also inviting the public to join warrior guests for entertainment
at Big Sky Resort on Friday, July 20. Comedian and former Marine, Mark
Sweeney, will emcee the evening, and musicians Lucas Hoge, Adele Morgan
and Devorah will perform.
ONF held its first SAS event at Big Sky Resort in winter of 2011. The nonprofit,
non-partisan 100 percent volunteer group works to connect civilians
and the military through national awareness campaigns and support for
deployed troops, wounded warriors, fallen heroes and military families. ONF
also supports Gold Star Families by creating personalized outdoor digital
billboards posted in their hometowns. sasproject.org
As it stands now, if a fallen tree or a wildfire shut down
one of the lines during the busy season, the other
would be maxed out. In that situation, Rapkoch said,
power delivery would be affected.
In addition, because NorthWestern’s grid is interconnected,
all parts of the system must perform well for
the utility to provide reliable power.
“A problem over here can ultimately create a problem
someplace else,” Rapkoch said. “Having [the new line]
is important for all for the customers in the area.”
This project is part of NorthWestern Energy’s larger
plan to increase capacity and reliability for Big Sky
that’s already included the 2010 construction of a new
Meadow Village Substation. The Ennis Line will also
see an upgrade at some point, Rapkoch said. Because
it’s rated at 161kV capacity but energized at only 69kV,
the utility will install equipment to increase its capacity
instead of having to replace the entire line.
NorthWestern also upgraded the line between Three
Rivers and Four Corners seven years ago.
“Because the Gallatin Valley has seen so much growth
in the last 10 years, it’s definitely an area we have had
to work really hard to keep up with,” Rapkoch said.
NorthWestern Energy’s shareholders will fund the
Gallatin Canyon upgrade, which is expected to cost in
the range of $35 million over the next few years. The
charges will be incorporated into the utility’s rate base,
which is regulated by the Montana Public Service
Commission and paid by all customers.
The Forest Service is still completing an environmental
impact statement for the section of line that runs
through public land in Gallatin Canyon. NorthWestern
expects to finish that portion over the next two
years.
explorebigsky.com
Bike to farm
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
The bumper sticker “Who’s your Farmer” has been
around for a while.
This summer, the Human Powered Mountaineers
are taking that idea to heart, leading peddle-powered
rides to organic farms in Gallatin County.
“Ditch your bike for the day, the week, the summer,
or for good,” says Chris Bangs, the group’s founder.
The rides will be on weekends for six weeks in a
row, starting July 14. They’re open to the public,
free of charge and suitable for a broad range of riders.
Each farmer will give the group an hour-long
tour, helping people “get more in touch with the
food they eat and the people who produce it,” Bangs
said.
Bike to Farm’s other sponsors are 406 Brewery and
the Leaf and Bean Coffee House.
scheduled farm visits:
• Three Hearts Farm, July 14, 18 miles
• 3 Fiddles Farm, July 21, 20 miles (with at stop
at 406 Brewery for a free beer)
• Gallatin Valley Botanical, July 28, 9 miles
• Harvest House Farm, Aug. 4, 20 miles
• Slabtown Farm, Aug. 12 , 28 miles
• Norris Hot Springs, Aug.18 – 19, 74 miles
(This weekend ride includes camping, music,
dinner and soaking in the hot springs and has a
small charge.)
All the rides start at 10 a.m., leaving from the Leaf
and Bean Coffee House (35 West Main Street. Riders
will be need to bring their own lunch and be prepared
to ride 20 to 30 miles. For more information,
check out Human-Powered Mountaineers’ Facebook
events page or blog at humanpoweredmountaineers.
blogspot.com
onf asks public to help welcome injured warriors to Bozeman and Big sky
injured veterans speak out to support peers
the public is invited to join warrior guests for these topics at
big sky resort missouri ballroom on July 20:
"uncovering the tragic reality of PtsD"
david Philipps is the author of lethal warriors, a must read according
to tom brokaw. drawing on harrowing prison, family
and police interviews, Philipps takes readers into the action
overseas, and also portrays the heartbreaking drama unfolding
at home, where soldiers are at a loss to readjust as they
fail to reintegrate back into society because of Ptsd.
"family strength… More Power than a Bomb"
SFC Mike Mills, along with his wife Suki, describe his horrific
journey from the ied explosion followed by countless surgeries,
to the secondary Ptsd with their family. mills will explain how
he has turned his battlefield at home into a mission to help
other injured veterans and their families adjust and heal.
"surviving PtsD" CPt (ret) Jesse sellars commanded soldiers
that received 97 individual awards for heroism, valor and
gallantry on the battlefield, two of which were awarded to
himself. after successful treatment with Ptsd, sellars speaks
around the country and has been highlighted on 60 minutes,
the discovery Channel, Pbs, the history Channel, FoX news,
Cnn, Cbs, the military Channel, the new yorker, the new
york times and time.
July 13, 2012 11

12 July 13, 2012
reGional
Msu professors visit Jack Creek Preserve
Partnership proposed
big sky weekly staff writer
ENNIS – A group of Montana State
University professors visited the Jack
Creek Preserve this June, touring what
will soon be the new Outdoor Education
Center and interpretive nature
trail.
Part of the Earth Sciences, Ecology,
Animal and Range Sciences Department,
the 10 professors also spent
time walking through some different
habitats in the 4,600-acre preserve,
which sits between Big Sky and Ennis.
The idea was to introduce them to the
facility and natural laboratory that will
be available to their students as soon as
this coming fall.
The foundation aims to conserve and
protect wildlife habitat in the preserve
and the surrounding area, and to connect
young people to ecology, conservation,
wildlife management and hunter
conservationists. It has offered summer
camps for school children for the past
seven summers.
The professors’ visit was part of the
foundation’s effort to expand the reach
of its mission to MSU students. It’s
currently starting the process of formal-
izing what may be come a partnership
with the school.
The group explored some of the preserve’s
diverse habitats, which range
from 6,000 to 8,500 feet, brainstorming
possible research projects. They
were excited about the opportunity for
students to do fieldwork there.
That kind of experience will help them
be competitive in the job market when
they graduate, said Bob Garrott, director
of MSU’s Fish and Wildlife Ecology
Department, who is also on the foundation’s
board.
Professor Dave Roberts, who heads
MSU’s Plant Ecology Department,
envisioned having undergraduate
students inventory vegetation on the
property, and also map vegetation
distribution.
The preserve has several non-productive
grassy areas in need of restoration
to make them more attractive to elk and
deer. Assistant Professor Bok Sowell,
from the Animal and Range Sciences
department, suggested it would be
interesting to do small controlled burns
in these areas over several years to see
what would regrow.
• See Us at the 320 Ranch •
12 miles south of Big Sky on Hwy 191
BIG SKY
ART RENDEZVOUS
Monday Night
JULY 16 TH & 30 TH , 4-9 p.m.
BearFeather Studio - Ken W. Hall - fi ne art photography
BearFeather Studio - Penny Hall - hand sculpted leather
Bill Sweney - contemporary western paintings
Ed Totten - western landscapes & wildlife paintings/carvings
Fish’s Antler Art
Harmony By Hand - rustic custom furniture
Jim Dick - Big Sky landscape oil paintings
Ott Jones Sculpture - wildlife & sporting bronzes
Todd Connor - western, historical & landscape oil paintings
Pig Roast Dinner and Live Entertainment $10/person
Art show is FREE and open to the public
For more info contact Ott Jones at (406) 585-9495
explorebigsky.com
Dave McWethy studies
climate history by
looking at tree cores
and lake sediment
cores. He thinks
that some of the
alpine lakes on the
preserve could have
been there since
the last glaciations
and would like to
take core sediment
samples and collect
climate data.
The professors “were
enthused before they
got here, but they
were even more enthused once they
saw the diversity of habitat and
flora and fauna and elevations,” said
Jack Creek Preserve founder Jon
Fossel. Fossel himself was “fired
up” about the concept. “You can
learn a lot more out here than you
can sitting in a classroom in Bozeman,”
he said.
The foundation this spring broke
ground on the Outdoor Education
Center. The facility will have
classroom space to accommodate 50
people and overnight sleeping space
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Jack Creek Preserve executive director katie alvin
showing the msu professors the boundaries of the
Preserve. Photo by siri Fossel
for 40 students and teachers. It will
be powered by a mini-hydro plant
onsite, and will use solar resources
to heat water for showers.
The center will be open seasonally
to the public and available for use
year round by educational and community
organizations. The foundation
anticipates the building will be
completed by next spring.
Visit jackcreekpreserve.org for more
information.

e best!
oPinion
trails Bond could ensure gallatin
Valley retains sense of place
by david tuCker
big sky weekly contributor
BOZEMAN – For many outdoor
enthusiasts, Bozeman is paradise. That
sense may soon grow if a bond proposed
by Commissioner Chris Mehl
passes the Bozeman City Commission.
On June 18, the Commission heard
testimony from Commissioner
Mehl and dozens of citizens favoring
a general obligation bond paid for
by Bozeman property owners. The
bond would use a yearly tax ranging
between $30 and $45 over the next
twenty 20 years.
The public’s overwhelming support
of the measure speaks to the region’s
commitment to preservation and
its legacy of outdoor recreation and
environmental stewardship, a commitment
that, for many, defines the
Gallatin Valley and characterizes its
citizens.
Over the years, many local nonprofits
have partnered with private landowners,
businesses and government
organizations in the greater Bozeman
area to ensure that places for outdoor
recreation are preserved and expanded.
In one recent example, the Gallatin
Valley Land Trust held the Longest
Day of Trails event on June 22, a
membership drive aimed at raising
awareness for the organization’s mission
of maintaining and expanding
the Main Street to the Mountains trail
system in and around Bozeman.
Earlier in June, on National Trails
Day, the Bridger Ski Foundation
partnered with the U.S. Forest Service,
Wilderness Recreation Partners, the
Dirt Concern, and citizen volunteers
to improve the Hyalite Reservoir ski
trails for summer recreation, another
example of how broad diverse partnerships
are creating excellent outdoor
opportunities.
In Big Sky, the nonprofit Big Sky
Community Corp. also took advantage
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of National Trails Day to focus on trail
upkeep. Twenty-six volunteers came
out to work on the Black Diamond/
Little Willow Way trail, Kircher park,
and Ousel Falls, adding rock, filling
in a slumping hillside, and fixing the
transition on and off the bridge at
Kircher Park.
BSCC’s mission—to unite and build
the community through parks, trails
and open spaces—has received strong
and consistent support from individuals
and businesses in the Big Sky
community and also from the Big
Sky Resort Tax Board. More recently,
regional entities like the Bozeman REI
and GVLT have also shown a growing
interest in working with this community-oriented
nonprofit.
At the July 16 Bozeman City Commission
meeting, the council will vote
on a motion that would add a parks
and trails bond referendum to the
election ballot in November. With
voter turnout expected to be high due
to the presidential election, the city is
uniquely poised to gauge its citizens’
commitment to the preservation and
expansion of open spaces.
It’s the council’s responsibility to put
the matter in the hands of the voters,
and the voters’ responsibility to show
up at the polls and cast their ballots for
an issue that concerns us all.
Agriculture, conservation, outdoor
recreation and environmental stewardship
have all contributed to making
the Gallatin Valley the place it is
today. The population boom and the
economic diversification the region
has experienced is due in large part to
people seeking to take advantage of
this natural gem.
As more people come, the impulse to
develop, build houses and subdivide
ranches grows. If the commitment to
preservation doesn’t grow alongside
the population, the region will lose
the qualities that make it so attractive
to businesses and families: its sense of
place.
4 blks S. of 4corners on Hwy 191
between Big Sky & the airport
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Thank you to all of the sponsors of the
2012 Big Sky PBR
SEE Y’ALL AT THE SHOW
Outlaw Partners
Continental Construction
Yellowstone Club
Big Sky Resort
Big Sky Town Center
Fay Ranches
Haas Construction
STOA Management
Jack Daniels
Centre Sky Architects
Toyota of Bozeman
Lone View Ridge
Black Bull
Fay Ranches
Sotheby’s – Jeff Helms
Moonlight Basin
Lone Pine Builders
Big Sky CVB
Fulton Hertz Hoover Wealth Management Group
Bill Earl’s
Buck’s T-4
Olive B’s
Mountain Home Electric
Hammond Property Management
Big Sky Western Bank
Sotheby’s - Tim Cyr and Cathy Gorman
Blue Ribbon Builders
Big Sky Community Corporation
Nordic Hot Tub
Simkins Hallins
Christie’s Realty
Big Sky Council of the Arts
Sotheby’s – Ryan and Tallie
320 Guest Ranch
Geyser White Water
Big Sky Taxi
Natalie’s Estate Winery
Delaware North Company
Stone Legends
Broken Spoke
Choppers
Half Moon Saloon
Burger Bar
Ousel and Spur
Yellowstone Park Foundation
Jan and Jim Cummings
Sponsorship opportunities still available.
Call Kacey at 995-2055

During the first senatorial debate
between Sen. Jon Tester, Rep. Denny
Rehberg and Dan Cox, a Ravalli
County Libertarian, one thing was
made perfectly loud and clear: This
election, one of the most heated in
a gargantuan election year, will not
bring any new rhetoric to the table.
It’s an interesting thought, given
Montana’s Senate seat could be
make or break for which party runs
Congress. But the two main party
candidates are playing old cards in a
state whose middle ground is looking
to follow a leader.
I was on the three-person panel
for that June 16 debate, alongside
Nick Ehli, managing editor of the
Bozeman Daily Chronicle, and Jan
Anderson, editor of the Boulder
Monitor.
My first question, initially directed
at Rehberg, asked how he planned
to ensure students can expect
student loan rates to keep from
14 July 13, 2012
montana: PolitiCal Commentary
rehberg and tester slow to shake ground in
country’s most important race
by taylor anderson
big sky weekly editorial assistant
rising after they leave school. The
answers I got from each candidate
were cookie cutter responses that
could have been lip-synched by the
audience.
“The cost of tuition is something
that we need to be concerned with,”
Rehberg said. “The fact that our
graduating seniors are getting out,
and one out of two are having a difficult
time finding a job is a different
part of that.”
In laymen’s terms: We need to fix
the economy so students can pay
their loans.
“We have a package that’s over the
Senate. We hope the Senate will
join in and solve this issue before it
becomes a crisis.”
Again: The other side is at fault if
rates rise.
Tester countered, pointing out that
Rehberg’s view hurts everyone
when he suggests we should pay for
keeping the rates down by taking
Burning and fireWorks Ban
in MaDison County
on June 28, 2012, the board of madison
County Commissioners, in cooperation
with the sheriff/Fire warden, the director of
emergency management, and all local Fire
Chiefs, confirmed an Open Burning Ban, effective
June 26, 2012, on private property in
Madison County due to extreme fire danger,
and initiated a ban on the use of all Fireworks
in madison County until further notice. any
exceptions to this ban will be considered on
a case by case basis and must be approved
in writing by the sheriff/Fire warden and the
local Fire Chief.
explorebigsky.com
money from the health care bill.
Alluding to the House-passed bill,
Tester said, “Unfortunately to pay
for that, they took it away from
health care prevention mostly focused
on women. That’s robbing Peter
to pay Paul. You can’t do that.”
In laymen’s terms: I am the candidate
to vote for if you’re a woman.
I’m a middle class American.
Tester went on to talk about subsidizing
education as an investment,
expecting out of it a generation of
middle and upper class workers that
will be able to pay back the subsidies
with high-wage jobs.
But this isn’t a two-person race,
and Dan Cox, the third candidate,
reminded the audience he’s read the
U.S. Constitution, and nowhere in
that document is there a guarantee
for helping students go to college.
He compared student loans to the
housing bubble before it burst,
and warned that if the government
doesn’t get out of education, it will
cause another meltdown.
Hark! Something new. Something
the others should probably address.
Students are racking up thousands
in debt to obtain a degree that’s not
returning the favor anymore. And
that’s bad.
Although that, too, could have
been guessed right out of Cox’s
mouth, the third-party candidate
does bring some spunk to the
monotony. If there is a chance for
new rhetoric, Cox may be the one
to bring it.
Before the end of that debate, the
Tester campaign sent out 15 press
Big Sky Weekly
releases all declaring he had, in essence,
won the debate.
In truth it wasn’t a debate; it was instead
two candidates appearing in front
of a crowd together. Nothing new was
brought up, and no real combat came
to light. If that doesn’t change, this
election will remain a coin flip come
November, with the middle ground
leaning toward Rehberg.
If Tester wants a shot, he’s going to
need to put on his big boy boxing
gloves.
The top three issues for each candidate
as of July 2012:
Tester:
1. Rehberg supports the unpopular
Citizens United ruling.
2. Rehberg is a “mansion rancher,” a
wealthy developer and not a middleclass
Montanan.
3. Tester is a rancher who knows what’s
best for Montanans.
Rehberg:
1. Democrats haven’t passed a budget
in more than 1,000 days.
2. President Obama’s policies are jobskillers,
and Tester has voted for them
95 percent of the time.
3. The Affordable Care Act is a jobs
killer, bad for Montanans, and needs to
be repealed.
Cox:
1. Get the federal government off the
backs of people and businesses.
2. The federal government (but not
necessarily state government) is creating
more bubbles similar to the ones
created before the recession.
3. I’m not going to win, but I’d like to
open the eyes of Montanans and
shake up the two-party mindset.
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Big Sky Weekly
MAERA helping house horses, livestock during wildfires
BELGRADE – The Montana Awareness,
Education and Equine Rehab
Association, a nonprofit in Belgrade,
has opened its facility to help anyone
anywhere who needs to move horses or
livestock from any fires to get them out
of harm's way. MAERA is also opening
its doors and paddocks for found animals
or those in need or rehabilitation
due to extreme injury.
MAERA has outdoor paddocks and
150 stalls, and can house over 400
horses/livestock. The facility has 24hour
supervision, and the group will
also providing hay, sawdust, vet care
and transport at no charge, and has trailers
ready to shuttle livestock if needed,
as well as volunteers for transportation
across all states.
Quite a few animals displaced by the
Beartrap II Fire have already come to
MAERA, and “what’s awesome is that
they were all able to go back home,”
said executive director Sasha Hyland.
The group will pick up stock or horses,
help with rehab, and can then arrange
for transportation back when danger
is over or when the animal has recovered.
The services will be available all
summer long and includes stock found
without owners.
It also has access to an airplane in Montana
and will use it to fly over burnt
areas and look for horses and livestock.
MAERA is also networking with pilots
in other states to set up similar programs.
Bozeman olympics? not yet
by JosePh t. o’Connor
big sky weekly contributor
BOZEMAN – The debate began in 2010, as soon as
Montanans heard the rumors that Bozeman hoped to
submit a bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
On Facebook, YouTube and in the blogosphere, people
bickered over whether the Olympics would help or
hurt Montana. Some said the revenue would bolster
the state’s economy, while others argued the games
would turn the pristine landscape into a veritable
circus. It actually wasn’t clear if Bozeman was planning
to enter a bid at all.
But for now, the hype and circus will have to wait.
On July 3, the U.S. Olympic Committee announced it
was not submitting a U.S. bid for the 2022 games, in favor
of focusing on this summer’s games in London and
on possible bids for the 2024 and 2026 Olympics.
In a carefully prepared three-minute statement during
a media teleconference, Scott Blackmun, U.S. Olympic
Committee CEO and Larry Probst, USOC chairman,
laid it on the line.
“The board has unanimously agreed that we would not
submit a bid for the 2022 winter games,” Probst said.
Blackmun and Probst said the board’s decision, made
during a two-hour discussion last Tuesday, stemmed
from the committee’s desire to give the U.S. the best
chance at winning a bid to host the Olympics, and that
putting together a bid for the 2022 games was unrealistic.
“It wasn’t about not bidding for 2022,” Blackmun said.
“It was more about what strategy gives us the best
chance for submitting a winning bid.”
Probst added that pushing back bids for the games
allows the committee to further cultivate its relation-
maera rescue horses Photo by laura sChaaP
“We’re trying to find out what
people are still missing,” Hyland
said. Volunteers are on call with
horses and trailers, so if they locate
stock they can go wrangle them up.
MAERA is located at 16355 Frontage
Road (recently changed to 150
Overo Trail) in Belgrade, Montana.
Call before dropping animals off.
ship with the International Olympic Committee, the
governing body that ultimately decides what international
city will host any given Olympics.
Tom Kelly, Vice President of Communications for the
U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, said his group is
disappointed in the USOC’s decision to not submit a
bid for 2022, but understands its position.
“A bid you put forward that’s not strong can have negative
implications that can be significant,” Kelly said. A
weak bid, one that underestimates cost or hasn’t considered
other logistical impacts, wastes the IOC’s time
and can even undercut a country’s bids in the future.
Jon Greenspon, CEO for the Big Sky Committee for
the Winter Games, feels the USOC had to forgo bids
for the 2022 games because of money issues caused
by a long-standing dispute between USOC and IOC
over marketing and broadcast revenue sharing that was
finally resolved in May after two years of negotiations.
“It generally takes 7 to 14 months to put together a
comprehensible bid,” Greenspon said. “There was
not enough time for us to put in a true and good bid or
enough time for the USOC to look at all the sites and
meet with all the authorities necessary.”
Montanans were divided about Bozeman potentially
hosting the 2022 winter games. Olympic mogul skier
Heather McPhie, a 28-year-old Bozeman native, feels
torn. “It could bring so many opportunities for kids to
participate in different types of sports,” she said. “And
I would love to compete in the Olympics in my own
country, but it would kind of change the town. I’m a
little protective of Montana.”
Greenspon said some members of his committee felt
cheated by USOC’s decision, but that he and other
members were also relieved.
The work to make Bozeman home to the Olympics
will have to wait, at least for a year. Greenspon says his
committee plans to bid on the 2026 winter games.
The group is also looking for volunteers,
donations, hay, buckets, feed and
additional supplies, as well as temporary
fencing, corrals and panels.
For more information or to get involved,
contact MAERA executive
director Sasha Hyland at (406) 600-
3756, (406) 551-4913, or sasha@
montanaawareness.com. A list of
missing and found livestock is available
at montanaawareness.com.
transportation Bill
signed: recognition for
Montana "traffic jams"
by deb Courson smith
big sky connection
BOZEMAN – Commuting in Montana sometimes
feels like a zoo, with the state's abundant wildlife traveling
along, and over, roads. Recognizing the dangers
for people and animals, the new federal transportation
bill signed by President Obama over the July 7 weekend
grants state and federal agencies, along with tribes,
funding to retrofit roads to prevent collisions.
Rob Ament, road ecology program director at the
Western Transportation Institute in Bozeman, says
there are several solutions to pursue.
"Wildlife underpasses, animal depiction systems that
warn drivers that animals might be on the road, to
invest more to protect motorists from large wildlife."
The Federal Highway Administration recently filed a
wildlife-vehicle collision report with Congress, documenting
a 50 percent increase in collisions over the
last 15 years. The report estimates there are up to two
million such collisions each year, which rarely end
well for the animals, and sometimes result in human
fatalities.
Ament says all those crashes are expensive, too, with
damages totaling more than $6 billion a year nationwide.
He praises the new transportation bill for addressing
the problem.
"So it's taking into consideration the safety of motorists
with wildlife-vehicle collisions, and the need for roads
not to disrupt wildlife movement."
He says the bill also allows for structures to protect
small animals and reptiles, such as pipes or tubes
under roadways.
July 13, 2012 15

16 July 13, 2012
yellowstone
America’s first national park is now on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
The park is using social media to help expand its reach of public information and
better connect with worldwide audiences.
Through these platforms, it will share blog posts podcasts photos and videos
about popular sights, sounds and experiences, and also to get out daily information
about wildlife viewing safety, road closures and other visitor news.
Since the park set up a Twitter account a few years ago to provide wildland fire information,
it’s gained more than 13,000 followers and now tweets on everything
from road and weather conditions to wildlife and geyser updates. Within the
first few days of launching its Facebook page, “likes” for Yellowstone numbered
nearly 40,000.
The primary online repository for much of the park’s trip planning and other
information will continue to be the park’s website at nps.gov/yell.
Follow Yellowstone at:
twitter.com/YellowstoneNPS
facebook.com/YellowstoneNPS
youtube.com/YellowstoneNPS
flickr.com/photos/YellowstoneNPS
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explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
ynP joins social media Park visitation up
compared to last year
On June 29, Yellowstone National Park released a
draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Winter
Use Plan that contains alternatives
for managing the park in winter.
Ultimately, the SEIS will establish a framework
for managing the parks’ winter resources and
values. This draft SEIS will determine whether
motorized winter use in the interior of the park is
appropriate, and if so, the type, extent and location
of this use. The range of alternatives may be
found in the sidebar.
The draft SEIS has three proposed action alternatives,
and one that would leave the status quo.
Its stated objectives are to provide for visitor use,
experience and accessibility; protect resources,
including wildlife, sound, air quality and wilderness;
ensure health and safety; to improve
coordination and cooperation; and promote park
operations and management.
The National Park Service’s preferred alternative,
Alternative 4, groups visitors in “transportation
events.” One event equals seven snowmobiles
together, or a single snowcoach, and management
is according to the groups’ effects on the park.
Park officials believe this kind of management
would provide “a sustainable solution for winter
use management that protects park resources,”
and allow for “greater flexibility, a cleaner, quieter
park, and… more visitors into the park.”
The comment period for the draft SEIS will close
Aug. 20. In the meantime, the NPS will hold four
open house meetings in local communities—West
Yellowstone, Cody, Bozeman and Jackson—to
present its preferred alternative, answer questions
and formally hear public comments.
For more information, visit the Yellowstone
Winter Use website:
nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/winteruse
The park recorded 674,498 recreational visitors in June 2012, up more than 6
percent from last year, and second only to record levels reported in 2010.
The number of recreational visitors entering Yellowstone for the first six months
of the year is also up compared to 2011. The park recorded 1,044,570 recreational
visitors from January through June 2012, compared to 941,723 during the same
period in 2011, that’s nearly an 11 percent increase
July is typically the park’s peak visitation month, followed by August,
June, September and May.
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
new yellowstone Winter use Plan
range of alternatives
All action alternatives would include development
of Best Available Technology for snowcoaches by the
2017-2018 season, BAT standards for snowmobiles, 100
percent guided snowmobile use, Sylvan Pass Avalanche
Control for Alternatives 2 and 4, and adaptive management.
Sylvan Pass would be closed under Alternative 3.
alternative 1: No action
• Public OSV use wouldn’t be permitted because the
2009 to 2012 interim regulations expired after the
2011/2012 season.
• Non-motorized access throughout the park and
wheeled vehicle use along the northern road would
still be allowed.
alternative 2: Continue snowmobile/snowcoach use
at 2011/2012 limits
• Up to 318 snowmobiles and 78 snowcoaches would
be allowed daily.
• All OSV interim regulation requirements would
continue, including commercial guiding and BAT
standards for snowmobiles.
alternative 3: Transition to BaT snowcoaches
• This would initially provide up to 318 snowmobiles
and 78 snowcoaches per day, the same levels as the
interim regulation.
• After the 2017/2018 season, when all snowcoaches
must meet BAT requirements, snowcoach numbers
would increase up to 120 per day, with a corresponding
decrease in snowmobile numbers to zero during a
three-year phase-out period.
• East Entrance to Fishing Bridge (Sylvan Pass) would
be closed to OSVs during the winter season once the
phase-out of snowmobiles is complete.
alternative 4 (NPs preferred alternative): manage
osV use by transportation events
• 110 total transportation events per day, with up to 50
events allocated for snowmobiles.
• Snowmobiles and snowcoaches will be subject to
robust sound emission standards—68 decibels and
75 decibels, respectively by the 2017/2018 season.
0
ynP # of Visitors in June
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
• Operators would decide how to split their daily allotments
of transportation events between snowmobiles
and snowcoaches.
• Should OSV improve further and vehicles meet an
enhanced BAT standard of 66 dBA for snowmobiles
and 71 decibels dBA for snowcoaches, additional
vehicles may be added to each transportation event.
• All snowmobile use in the park would be guided.
One non-commercially guided group of up to five
snowmobiles would be permitted into the park daily
through each entrance. Non-commercial guides and
members of their group operating snowmobiles
would be required to complete both online and onsite
training.
get involved
Public participation will help shape this project, and there
are a number of ways to be involved.
• Submit comments electronically: logon to http://
parkplanning.nps.gov/yell and select “2012 Draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.”
• Submit written comments by mail or hand delivery
to:
Yellowstone National Park
Winter Use SEIS
P.O. Box 168,
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
attend a public meeting
Jackson, Wyo
Monday, July 16, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
The Virginian, 750 West Broadway
West Yellowstone
Tuesday, July 17, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
The Holiday Inn, 315 Yellowstone Avenue
Bozeman
Wednesday, July 18, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
The Wingate by Wyndham, 2305 Catron Street
Cody, Wyo
Thursday, July 19, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
The Holiday Inn, 1725 Sheridan Avenue

section 2:
business, health and environment
explorebigsky.com
Western artist tom gilleon among several
celebrities at BBBs golf tournament
by Jon holtZman
big brothers big sisters
R. Tom Gilleon, a Montana-based Western artist,
is best known as a painter of iconic, archetypal
teepees. His large paintings, which hang in many
museum and private collections, sell for upwards
of $40,000.
Longtime patrons of Moonlight Lodge have seen
several of Gilleon’s major works in the lodge’s
public areas. His work is also exhibited at Big
Sky’s Creighton Block Gallery.
Gilleon donated an original 20” by 20”
oil entitled “Twilight’s Last Glow” to Big
Brothers Big Sisters for auction at the organization’s
celebrity golf tournament in Big
Sky, July 15 – 16. But he didn’t stop there.
The artist also gave the group a 24” by 20”
giclee of a painting titled “Blue Norther,”
and his publishing house added a 24” by 20”
newly released giclee of a painting titled
“16th Hole, the Reserve at Moonlight Basin.”
A giclee is a fine art quality reproduction, on
canvas, which uses archival, fade-resistant inks
from multiple color cartridges of pigment-based
materials.
Gilleon will also appear as a celebrity golfer at the
11th annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Celebrity
Tournament at the Big Sky Resort course July 16.
The reception for celebrities and the charity auction
will be at the Summit Hotel, on Sunday, July
15 at 7 p.m.
The original oil, as well as two tickets to the 55th
Annual GRAMMY Awards, will be auctioned
live, said Barb Rooney, Big Sky Resort vice
president and 11-year member of the tournament
planning committee. Rooney welcomed anyone
interested to the reception.
Gilleon, a native Floridian, comes by his interest
in Western art and Native American lore from a
family background. His grandparents raised him,
and his grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee.
Most of the celebrities at the tournament are current
or former professional athletes, and the artist
"twilight's last Glow", a painting by tom Gilleon, will be
auctioned off at the big brothers big sisters Celebrity
Golf tournament Cocktail Party on July 15.
will be comfortable in their company. He went to
the University of Florida on a baseball pitching
scholarship.
Gilleon arrives in Big Sky fresh from a show at
Mountain Trails Gallery
in Jackson Hole,
Wyo. His one-man exhibition,
“The Iconic
West of R. Tom Gilleon,”
was presented
by the Booth Western
Art Museum in Cartersville,
Georgia from
January through May
this year.
He began his career
as a commercial and
technical illustrator,
but had several experiences
that informed
his life as an artist.
As a member of the
U.S. Navy, Gilleon
marched in John F.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
July 13, 2012
Volume 3 // Issue No. 14
Kennedy’s inaugural parade, served on a ship
in the Cuban missile blockade and is a Vietnam
veteran.
He worked as a technical illustrator for Pan American
World Airways and as an illustrator for the
NASA Apollo missions. He joined Walt Disney
Imagineering Studios and led the design team for
Epcot Center. Later Gilleon did conceptual artwork
for the development of Disneyworld Paris and
Tokyo.
More recently he worked with Richard Branson’s
Virgin Galactic Company to create conceptual
visions of the first commercial spaceport in the
world—or rather off the world!
Gilleon also created matte (scenic background)
paintings for the movie “Dick Tracy” and has illustrated
a children’s book.
In the 1980s, he and his wife Laurie, also an illustrator
for Disney, moved to Montana to focus on fine
art painting. Today, they live on a 2,000-acre ranch
north of Great Falls that they restored, and Gilleon’s
work hangs in permanent museum and private collections,
including the C. M. Russell Museum.
Writer Jon Holtzman is chair of the 2012 Big Brothers
Big Sisters Celebrity Golf tournament.
July 13, 2012 17

Lakers get nash
by brandon niles
big sky weekly contributor
LOS ANGELES – After the Lakers lost in the second
round of the playoffs earlier this year, NBA
fans have been speculating over what the team will
do next to compete for a title next season. Always
at the forefront of trade rumors, the Lakers have
yet again made a splashy transaction, adding twotime
MVP Steve Nash to the team.
Nash, a perennial All-Star point guard and long
time Phoenix Sun, will join shooting guard Kobe
Bryant on the Lakers backcourt. Combined with
Bryant and fellow All-Stars Pau Gasol and Andrew
Bynum in the front court, Nash should be able
to revive a Lakers offense that too often relied on
isolation plays last season and was snuffed out by a
younger, more athletic Oklahoma City team in the
playoffs.
The Lakers will still need to contend with age, as
the addition of the 38-year-old Nash does nothing
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to help the team get younger or more athletic. Bryant
is an old 33 (he entered the league straight out
of high school), and Gasol is 32. Bynum, at 24, is
the only young star on the Lakers squad.
What the Lakers will lack in youth, they’ll make
up for in experience and basketball IQ. Nash is one
of the smartest distributors in the league and will
instantly improve the Lakers’ pick and roll offense,
helping to improve Gasol’s offensive efficiency.
Additionally, Nash will relieve pressure off
Bryant, allowing him to save energy and perhaps
prolong his career.
The Lakers gave up very little to get Nash, just
four likely low future draft picks. What he adds
should be well worth the reported $27 million
he’ll receive over the next three years. The team
has long been in search of a high-impact point
guard, and Nash has been one of the most prolific
and dominant players at his position over the past
decade.
How much time he has left is a mystery, but Nash
takes excellent care of himself and he has the skill
set that allows for a longer career. Rather than relying
on athleticism, Nash uses pin-point passing
and deadly shooting to set up his teammates and
keep opposing defenses honest. Nash averaged
over 12 points and nearly 11 assists last year for a
Phoenix team with far less talent than the Lakers.
While perhaps not the MVP candidate he was several
years ago, he should have more than enough
gas left in the tank to help his new team advance
further in the playoffs for the next couple of years.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Some fans question whether a different offensive
system will be conducive to Nash’s talents; others
wonder if Bryant’s effectiveness will be diminished
by the arrival of another player who excels
with the ball in his hands. Most likely, these issues
will be minimal to non-existent.
While accustomed to dominating the ball, Bryant
has repeatedly mentioned his respect for Nash’s
ability and will likely appreciate the backcourt
help he’s been lacking throughout most of his career.
Nash on the other hand, has the kind of work
ethic and selfless mentality to work in any system
and make those around him better.
Nash’s presence should take pressure off Bryant,
providing him with more open shots and opportunities
at the basket. In other words, Nash will
allow Bryant to take better shots, rather than consistently
having to create his own opportunities.
Ultimately, this is a low-risk move for the Lakers
that pairs up two of the best backcourt players
from the past decade as L.A. makes a final push
to get Bryant a sixth championship (and Nash a
first). Only time will tell if the plan will work, but
it’s clear that the road to the finals in the Western
Conference just got a little harder.
Brandon Niles has done online freelance writing
about the NFL since 2007. His articles range from
NFL news to team-specific commentary. A communication
studies graduate student at the University
of North Carolina Greensboro, Niles is also an avid
Miami Dolphins fan, which has led to his becoming
an avid Scotch whisky fan over the past decade.
Big sky softball schedule
Field 1 - 530pm Field 2 - 530pm Field 1 - 645pm Field 2 - 645pm
16-Jul 4v7 5v10 4v8 6v10
17-Jul 9v13 3v12 1v9 2v13
18-Jul 7v8 2v14 6v13 7v14
23-Jul 7v12 4v9 Make Up #4 3v9
24-Jul 5v11 8v12 7v11 5v12
25-Jul 10v14 1v13 3v10 Make up #5
30-Jul 2v10 1v12 2v9 1v11
31-Jul 6v12 12v13 6v14
Look for continued schedule in future issues of the Big Sky Weekly.
National League
Team 1 Big Sky Resort
Team 2 Country Market
Team 3 Scissorbills
Team 4 Big Sky Christian Fellowship
Team 5 Cab Lizards
Team 6 Black Bear
Team 7 First Place/Cabin
American League
Team 8 Hillbilly Huckers
Team 9 Eye in the Sky
Team 10 Milkies Big Dogs
Team 11 Beavers
Team 12 Broken Spoke
Team 13 Lone Peak Brewery
Team 14 Connecticut Softball Club

Integrity.
Vision.
Craft.
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Join us on the porch this summer
For available Continental Properties at Yellowstone Club call Bill Collins
at 1-888-700-7748 or visit continentalconstruction.com
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Big Sky Weekly
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July 13, 2012 19

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• 337.5 +/- acres
• outstanding commercial property
• unique mountain hideaway
• spectacular mountain views
NORTH FORK RD, TRACT 2
$1,050,000 • #180623 • Call Stacy
• 20 acres Triple Triangle Ranch
• extraordinary views and ski trail access
• desirable, private enclave
• contiguous to North Fork Tract 8
BEAVER CREEK W, LOT 13
$695,000 • #176399 • Call Don
• 20 +/- acres, spectacular views
• located on gentle slope, private driveway
• ideal for a new home, well is drilled
• convenient to all of Big Sky
SKYCREST CONDO #1704
$320,000 • Call Don
• 2 bd, 2 ba, 1604 +/- sf
• remodeled like new
• furnished, lower level unit
• fi replace, indoor hot tub
GALLATIN CANYON CABIN
$190,000 • #183761 • Call Lynn 581-4268
• 406 +/- sf
• 1 +/- acre, picnic area, fi re pit
• 150’ Gallatin River frontage
• boarders USFS, great access
COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR
$5,000,000 • #182936 • Call Peter
• 81 +/- acres
• runs parallel to Highway 191
• zoned community commercial
• great development potential
COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR
$995,000 • #175374 • Call Erin
• 20 +/- acres (16 +/- acres zoned community
commerical, 4 +/- acres zoned residential
• Big Sky water and sewer accessible
• West Fork of the Gallatin borders parcel
ARROWHEAD CONDO
$614,000 • #181216 • Call Tim
• condo unit #1659, 3 bd, 4 ba, 1,950 +/- sf
• ski/in, ski/out, upgraded free standing condo
• great furniture package, indoor hot tub
• Spanish Peak views, agent owned
LOOKING GLASS RD LOT 63
$225,000 • #181151 • Call Stacy
• .25 +/- acre level building lot
• overlooks golf course
• great views of the surrounding mountains
• municipal water, sewer, utilities are adjacent
RAMSHORN, LOT 4
$189,500 • #180395 • Call Don
• nice level building lot
• all season easy access
• great views of Porcupine Creek
• electricity and phone to lot
TRACT 3 SECTION 5
$4,000,000 • #175378 • Call Erin 579-3583
• 162.4 +/- acres
• section 5 zoned commercial/residential
• close to hunting, skiing, hiking
• great mountain property
NORTH FORK RD, TRACT 8
$950,000 • #180527 • Call Stacy
• 20 acres Triple Triangle Ranch
• hiking and ski trails to lot
• desirable, private enclave
• contiguous to tract 2 to create 40 acres
2500 LITTLE COYOTE RD
$495,000 • #183440 • Call Stacy
• 2 bd, 3 ba, 2403 +/- sf
• Spanish Peaks Club condo #13 A
• end unit on the pond
• upstairs den and downstairs bonus room
BEAR CREEK, LOT #68
$199,900 • #183893 • Call Don
• 2.3 +/- acre estate lot
• adjacent to Bear Creek
• Spanish Peak Views, trees
• beautiful home site, well is in
CEDAR CREEK #50
$149,900 • #183116 • Call Stacy or Eric
• 2 bd, 2 ba, 868 +/- sf
• sold furnished w/ hot tub on deck
• gas fi replace, lots of storage
• well cared for unit, view of ski slopes
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
PINEWOOD HILLS ESTATE
$1,075,000 • #175582 • Call George
• 3 bd, 5 ba, 4,500 +/- sf home
• 8 +/- acres (2 contiguous lots), pond
• $50,000 allowance for kitchen upgrade
• fabulous mountain views
CRAIL RANCH TOWNHOME
$899,000 • #180839 • Call George
• 4 bd, 4 ba, 3,500 +/- sf
• furnished with over $124,000 furniture
• next to fl owing creek with outstanding views
• heated 2 car attached garage
261 HERON DRIVE
$410,000 • #183610 • Call Tripp 579-6978
• 4 bd, 3 ba, 2776 +/- sf
• close to Hebgen Lake
• panoramic view of the mountains
• full daylight basement
MADISON COURT # 17
$199,000 • #180293 • Call Eric
• 2 bd, 2 ba, 1,207 +/- sf furnished condo
• corner unit, spacious kitchen
• 1 car attached garage
• close to Big Sky Town Center
ANTLER RIDGE LOTS
$99,000 • #156549/#156551 • Call George
• 46 & .5 +/- acres lots
• wonderful building sites, gorgeous views
• water and sewer (septic) metered
• purchase 1 lot or make an offer on both
Stuart Koch, Sales Associate, 406.581.1225
NEW PRICE

health & wellness
ask Dr. Dunn
by maren dunn
big sky weekly contributor
my roommate had an allergic reaction a couple
of weeks ago but can't pinpoint what it is.
should she carry an epi-pen?
Allergic reactions can cause a wide spectrum of
symptoms, from itchy skin to life-threatening
breathing problems. Sometimes the allergen
responsible is easy to identify, other times not.
What’s most important to understand is the difference
between mild allergic symptoms versus
life-threatening symptoms so proper treatment can
be administered as quickly as possible.
Most allergy symptoms are caused by the immune
system’s hypersensitivity to a normally harmless
substance. What happens is this: IgE antibodies
(produced by the immune system) recognize the
substance, and then trigger other blood cells to
dump their contents, including histamine. This
cascade manifests as symptoms wherever it takes
place, such as the skin or the airways.
When a mild allergic reaction occurs in the skin,
itching, hives, flushing and swelling are common reactions.
If the skin involved is the lips or oral mucosa,
swelling in this area is called angioedema and can be a
sign of a more serious situation.
When the reaction is in the respiratory tract, sneezing,
nasal congestion and itchy mouth are common.
More serious respiratory reactions include wheezing,
shortness of breath or choking. The mild symptoms
can often be managed with over-the-counter medications,
while the more serious ones should be treated
and monitored by a medical provider.
In anaphylaxis, a life-threatening full-body allergic
reaction, many systems become involved, including
the cardiovascular and neurologic systems. Anaphylaxis
manifests with many of the above symptoms,
and also a fast heart rate, dizziness or passing out,
nausea, vomiting or a sense of impending doom. Immediate
treatment with epinephrine is mandatory.
Since some cases require additional treatment to stop
the reaction, people with anaphylaxis should seek
new Bozeman emergency room now open
BOZEMAN – The walls are up, the
floors are finished and equipment
is in place. Phase I of the newly
constructed Bozeman Deaconess
Emergency Department is ready
to receive patients in 19 state-ofthe-art
examination rooms, most of
which are dedicated to specific medical
needs.
The new facility will allow the
Emergency Department to deliver
better care through increased efficiency,
said Angela Jennings,
Emergency Department manager.
Previously, the department spent a
lot of time moving people because it
only had three high acuity rooms.
Along with two cardiac rooms
directly across from the nurse’s stations,
there are two trauma rooms
equipped to handle the most acutely
injured; three orthopedic rooms;
two OB/GYN rooms with bathrooms;
one general treatment room
connected to a new decontamination
shower; an isolation room with
a new negative-pressure system;
a room reserved for ear, nose and
throat cases; two secure rooms for
at-risk patients; and five general
exam rooms.
There also are eight places in the
halls with full hookups to treat
patients in the case of a major disaster,
along with alcoves for digital
imaging equipment, crash and suture
carts, a nutrition area and a wheelchair/stretcher
park. Other rooms
are designated for staff, consultations,
families, phlebotomy, oxygen
storage, clean and soiled utility,
offices and a medications.
The new Emergency Department
uses an advanced nurse call system
that will be installed hospital-wide
and a pneumatic tube system to the
main laboratory that “saves a lot
of leg work,” Jennings said. Not
only does every examination room
have a computer, each also is larger
to accommodate stretchers, family
members and equipment.
Designed by CTA Architects and
Engineers and built by Martel
Construction, the facility reflects
Bozeman Deaconess Health Services’
commitment to going green,
said John Sommer, the senior project
superintendent.
“We recycled as much construction
waste as we could,” Sommer said.
“We chose high-efficiency motors
on pumps and fans, installed highefficiency,
low-wattage lights, and
put in lots of effort to use products
that are easy to clean and durable,
like the anti-microbial flooring and
wall covering.”
Before construction began, Martel
built mock-ups of various rooms,
where staff were able to bring in
a stretcher and move equipment
around. “That was hugely helpful in
getting staff input and ownership,”
Jennings said.
While the new space was operational
July 10, the construction workers
won’t be retiring their hammers yet.
Phase II, expected to be completed
in January 2013, will include a
complete renovation of the current
10-bed Emergency Room into a new
triage area with seven updated examination
rooms, for a total of 26. The
rest of the space will be converted
into reception, waiting, admissions
and children’s play areas.
In all, the completed project, including
fixtures, furniture and equipment,
is expected to cost $15 million,
with nearly $9 million donated
by community members through
explorebigsky.com
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
medical attention immediately, even if they have
already self-medicated with an epi-pen. \
If you have suffered an allergic reaction of any
kind, it’s important to discuss it with your medical
provider, who can determine what treatment is
appropriate for you, and whether it’s necessary for
you to carry an epi-pen.
Maren Dunn, D.O., is owner of
Gallatin Family Medicine, a medical
clinic in the Big Sky Meadow Village.
Have a question? Email her at
inquiries@gallatinfamilymedicine.com.
gallatinfamilymedicine.com
the Bozeman Deaconess Foundation.
The new facility will be able to accommodate
38,000 patients annually
anticipated at the Emergency
Department by 2020.
BIG SKY’S ONLY FULL-SERVICE WORKOUT FACILITY
OPEN 5 A.M.-10 P.M. 7 DAYS A WEEK
DAY, WEEK AND YEAR-LONG MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE
VISIT OZSSAGE.COM/GYM.PHP FOR DETAILS
32 MARKET PLACE, MEADOW VILLAGE, BIG SKY (406) 995 4522
July 13, 2012 21

22 July 13, 2012
business
Chamber annual meeting and awards
BIG SKY – Positive and optimistic
was how David O’Connor
described the atmosphere at the
Big Sky Chamber of Commerce
annual meeting and awards
dinner, held at the Moonlight
Lodge on a summery evening
June 28.
“I think people’s businesses
are starting to come back,” said
O’Connor, who is chairman of
the Chamber board. “I think the
summer tourist season is going
better than people thought, and
we thought it would go well
anyway.”
While many chambers in the
U.S. have seen a decline in
the last few years, Big Sky’s
has continued growing, even
through the recession. This last
year it had the highest retention
of any chamber in Montana,
said membership director Robin
Brower-McBride. Currently, it
has 440 members, and in June
received an unprecedented 12
new commitments.
“People are coming out of the
woodwork,” she said, crediting
the Chamber’s ongoing projects
like wayfinding signage and new
visitors’ center for “generating
quite a buzz.”
In his ‘state of the community’
address, O’Connor discussed
the progression of these larger
projects, thanked the Big Sky
Resort Tax board for its support,
and also officially announced
the new executive director hire,
Kitty Clemens.
“We’re doing a lot of these
things as a community,”
O’Connor said after the event.
O’Connor, took time to publicly
thank all the Chamber staff,
including “last but not least,”
Brower-McBride, who received
a standing ovation. For three
months this winter, Brower-
McBride was the only Chamber
employee. A lot of people
would have packed up and left,
O’Connor said, but she dug her
heels in and got the work done.
Marne Hayes, recipient of the
first ever Chet Huntley Distinguished
Achievement Award,
was the Chamber’s executive
director for 10 years until she
left in December. Hayes also
received a standing ovation. e.s.
JULY 19: THE BLACK LILLIES
JULY 19: THE BLACK LILLIES
JULY 26: NICKI BLUHM AND
THE GAMBLERS
JULY 31: PBR PRE-PARTY WITH
MORGAN FRAZIER
AUG 2: THE CLUMSY LOVERS
explorebigsky.com
members of the big sky Chamber voted
for the following awards for the year of
2011/12. Quotes are from nomination
forms.
Chet huntley Distinguished achievement
award – marne hayes
this award is given in recognition of a
distinguished individual who has made a
profound and long-term contribution to the
Community of big sky.
“Congratulations marne and thank you for
your years of leadership and service at the
Chamber.”
Business of the year – lone Peak Cinema
“an indoor activity for big sky – super necessary
for our growth!”
“a business created 100 percent with the
community in mind.”
nominees: Geyser whitewater, buck’s t-4,
alpine Property management, big sky town
Center, bugaboo Café, alltrips, moonlight
Basin, Grizzly Outfitters.
green Business of the year - big sky shirt
Co.
“Green materials, recycled materials and
company founded on environmentally
sound practices.”
nominees: lone Peak Physical therapy/the
Gym, ophir school, big sky landscaping,
alltrips
ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY PRESENTS
SUMMER SCHEDULE
AUG 9: THE ELDERS
AUG 10-12: CLASSICAL MUSIC
FESTIVAL
AUG 16: JOHN REISCHMAN &
THE JAYBIRDS
BIGSKYARTS.ORG
explorebigsky.com
event of the year – Pbr
Big Sky Weekly
“Direct benefit to entire community and a
lot of fun!”
nominees: Classical music Fest, summer
Concert series, big sky XC
Project of the year – bozeman – new york
direct flight
“making getting here easier is key to big
sky’s growth! also a great show of all
entities working together for a common
cause.”
Nominees: Wayfinding [signs], Big Sky Parks,
Cowboy hall of Fame, ophir school, lone
Peak tram, visitor information Center
Community Person of the year -
ryan hamilton
“a million behind-the-scenes efforts: park
district, wayfinding [signs], entry monument,
strategic marketing efforts, bike race, Pbr,
Big Sky on [Yellowstone National Park] map,
hockey, farmers market, centralized recycling,
effective lighting plan, and overall
a person who sees the big picture of how
working to strengthen our community will also
make our individual businesses stronger.”
nominees: david o’Connor, marne hayes,
katie Grimm, eric ladd, steve Johnson,
loren bough, robin brower-mcbride
FREE MUSIC CENTER STAGE IN
TOWN CENTER PARK
PARK OPENS AT 6PM
MUSIC STARTS AT 7PM
JULY 26: NICKI BLUHM & THE GAMBLERS
AUG 23: MIKE BECK & THE
BOHEMIAN SAINTS
AUGUST 30: COLD HARD CASH
SHOW
SEPTEMBER 6: PINKY AND THE
FLOYD

usiness
Chamber board meeting
by emily stiFler
big sky weekly managing editor
The Chamber has landed in its new
building on the corner of U.S. 191 and
Lone Mountain Trail, and the board
held its first meeting in the new space
July 10.
The Chamber’s new executive director
Kitty Clemens called in to the meeting
on a conference line and weighed
in on some of the discussion. Clemens
will arrive in Big Sky July 15 and stay
for two weeks, starting her job. She’ll
move to Big Sky permanently Aug. 15.
The group discussed possible property
improvements, considering the building
will now have significant traffic.
To set up a new digital phone system
and wireless Internet, it’s working with
Montana Opticom. Informational racks
and displays are all set up, thanks to
donated labor from Big Sky Build, and
the building is outfitted with furniture
from the previous occupant.
During the meeting, several tourists
stopped by—a good sign for the excellent
location, all agreed.
The board also discussed plans for the
new wayfinding signs and lighting
along the base of Lone Mountain Trail
near the Conoco, which may be up as
soon as this fall, and for the planning
and design of the proposed entryway
monument.
“This is the community brand, the
community look and feel—it’s our
brand,” said Ryan Hamilton, who is
heading up both of those projects for
the Chamber and will hold future
public meetings regarding the design of
the monument.
Businesses come together for
after hours summer blowout
by robin brower-mCbride
big sky chamber of commerce
On Thursday, July 19, the glass garage
doors of the Big Sky Health and
Fitness in the Meadow Village will
be rolled up for the Business After
Hours event of the summer, hosted by
Lone Peak Physical Therapy, Redleaf
Consulting, OZssage Therapeutic Spa,
Netwave and Greene Construction.
All current and potential Chamber
members, patients and clients are
invited.
Raffles will include a 90-minute “body
revival session” from the Body Therapy
Collection at OZssage, two personal
training sessions at Lone Peak Physical
Therapy, and two month long gym
passes at Big Sky Health and Fitness.
In addition, pay for any service that day
from OZssage’s Custom Facial and Skin
Care or Body Therapy Collection and
receive a discount.
The group has been finishing up a deal
with AD Creative, a marketing and
design firm out of Billings that created
the new community logo and branding
standards guidelines and helped with
initial strategic planning. The final
images and guidelines will be available
later in July for community partners.
The Chamber has learned a lot in the
last year, said board member John
Richardson. “It illustrates where we’re
at and where we want to go as a community,
even though we may not quite
have gotten it from AD. We have a
sense of where to put our efforts going
forward.”
In AD’s defense, said board chairman
David O’Connor, “We started a year
ago and asked them to help better
tell the Big Sky story. In those hours
of meeting time, we got a lot further
down the road than where we were a
year ago.”
The group agreed that associating the
community with Yellowstone Park
is some of “the best branding we can
have,” said board member Bill Simkins.
“It’s known around the world.”
Since Big Sky is only 18 miles from the
park boundary, “we’re truly one of the
gateways,” said Chamber membership
and programs director Robin Brower-
McBride after the meeting.
The board also passed a motion to hire
local designer Vega creations to create
a vinyl sign for the Visitors’ Center
building that will include the word Yellowstone.
“The key is right here, right
now, it’s done,” Richardson said about
putting up the sign.
Wander upstairs to Redleaf Consulting,
which provides clients with high
quality, cost-effective and timely
engineering solutions. Visit Netwave,
a local webpage designer and hosting
service. Say hello to Greene Construction
specializing in just that!
There are many new faces in the
Chamber’s growing membership, so
before heading over to see the Black
Lillies take center stage for the free
Thursday night concert in the Town
Center park, come enjoy ales from Lone
Peak Brewery and have a tasty appetizer
while catching up on the exciting state
of business among your colleagues.
Chamber After Hours functions are
hosted monthly on the third Thursday,
and offer a venue for members to network
and build contacts for increasing
the exposure of their businesses. For
more information, contact the Chamber
office at (406) 995-3000.
Ultimately, Hamilton said, there will
need to be a comprehensive sign plan
for the entire building.
The board also discussed possible staffing
and volunteer expansion. To cover
this summer’s needs at the Visitors’
Center, Brower-McBride has trained
two local girls home from college and is
paying them with state grant funding.
The talk turned to Country Fair, which
this year is July 28 and is in its 32nd
year. While the event is positive for
community morale, the Chamber
doesn’t make a profit on it. Brower-
McBride later said she envisions it will
some day be a collaboration between
benefitting organizations like the Arts
Council of Big Sky, the Booster Club,
and the Big Sky Community Corp., and
partly funded by resort tax.
Brower-McBride also mentioned
the growing number of tour busses
coming to Big Sky, including a group
of 44 people with Cavalier Tours that
came through July 6 – 7. The group, all
elderly people from the southeast, flew
into Billings and spent the day there,
then spent two nights in Big Sky on the
way to Jackson, Wyo. Three other large
groups are set to come through this
summer, something Brower-McBride
has helped facilitate.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
She also updated the group on her
work to host a TEDx event in Big Sky,
and said she’s now applying for 2013
licensure.
In another effort to bring visitors to
Big Sky, the Chamber has secured
$15,000 from the Montana Convention
and Visitors Bureau to revamp the
Chamber website and change the url to
visitbigskymt.com. The board hopes to
have an agency starting to work on that
new site by September.
new members
The following businesses have committed
their membership investment to
the Chamber recently:
Alpine Adventure Guides
Amp Electric
Big Sky Chimney
Big Sky Computer Solutions
Big Sky Trout
Centre Sky (rejoined)
Gallatin River View and Interpretive
Insty Prints
Jerico Studios
Landscaping for Less
Lone Peak Outfitters
Montana Opticom
Montana Law
SCS Vinyl

24 July 13, 2012
business
shuttle to Big sky offering
new yellowstone luxury tours
trips are customized, private
BIG SKY – Shuttle to Big Sky and
Taxi recently added a new division of
its business that will specialize in customized
private tours of Yellowstone.
Guests of Yellowstone Luxury Tours
will be able to explore the park based
on their “whims and the knowledge
of an experienced guide,” says Catherine
Gilb, the company’s marketing
director.
Fit for all ages, the tours will use a
Mercedes sprinter van, and incorporate
activities like kayaking, horseback
riding and riding in a stagecoach into
the day. A gourmet picnic lunch is part
of the package.
Yellowstone Luxury Tours provides
door-to-door service from Big Sky,
Bozeman and West Yellowstone. A
licensed tour operator through the
National Park Service, the company’s
experienced guides share more than
30 years of experience working in and
around the Yellowstone ecosystem.
For more information, contact us at
(888) 684-1167 or visit
yellowstoneluxurytours.com
explorebigsky.com
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
BIG SKY’S FULL SERVICE GROCERY STORE
Hand-cut meats • Fresh baked goods • Gourmet items • Beer & wine
LOCAL
Delivery available - have your rental unit
stocked upon your arrival! 406-995-4636
Open 7 days a week, 6:30am to 8pm
Extended hours 6:30am to 10pm December 15-April 15 and July 1- Labor Day
Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery
grg moves to town Center
BIG SKY – The Gallatin River Gallery has moved to the Big Sky Town Center,
across from the fire pit. Along with the new space, original oil paintings by Russell
Chatham, as well as works by other artists are now on display. The gallery is open
Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. or by appointment. (406) 995-2909.
Lone Peak expedition triples
business in first week
BIG SKY – As far as Nick Efta is concerned,
it’s pretty exceptional that you
can get to 11,166 feet without hiking.
Efta is Big Sky Resort’s Basecamp
Operations Manager, and he’s talking
about the Lone Peak Expedition, which
is taking people to the top of Lone
Mountain in the summer for the first
time ever.
Starting June 28, the program initially
offered two trips a day, but demand
was so high the resort bumped up to six
as of July 6.
At that rate, 60 people a day can ride
the tram, said Big Sky public relations
manager Chad Jones. Most of the trips
are full, and the first wedding atop the
tram is planned for mid-July.
“It has been hugely successful,” Jones
said. “The coolest thing is you can take
your grandmother, or your 5-year-old
up. In the winter that could never happen.
It’s really designed to be able to get
anybody up there.”
The program has room to grow, Jones
said, naming a new deck and “peak
finder” installed on the summit this
year, and the possibility of adding a coffee
and snack shack up there, too.
Lone Peak Expedition will run at
least six trips through Labor Day and
continue as long as weather allows until
the resort closes for the off-season in
October. To read a personal essay about
a local’s view on the program, turn to
page 48. e.s.
FRESH

A lifetime OF SKIING, GOLF
AND FAMILY LEGACY
ANNUAL SKI PASSES
for members, spouses, and immediate family
PREMIER GOLF MEMBERSHIP
with advance tee-time reservations
LEGACY PRIVILEGES
with membership transfer to family members
Moonlight Club Founding
Memberships Available membership joining fee
Inquire
DISCOUNTS
on Moonlight Basin owned retail and dining facilities
JACK CREEK ROAD ACCESS
to and from the Madison Valley
$35,000
EXCLUSIVE MEMBER EVENTS
bringing together member families and the Moonlight Community
at (406) 993-6012 or membership@moonlightbasin.com

26 July 13, 2012
ClassiFieds
for rent
Small one bedroom cabin in
Gallatin Canyon. 1 person only.
5-month lease. No smoking,
no pets. First, last and security.
$450/month. 581-4361 or 763-
4361.
RENTALS
RAFTS/TUBES, DRIFT BOATS,
RV'S, TRAILERS, SKI BOAT,
BABY GEAR
BigBoysToysRentals.com
406-587-4747
Backhoe for hire - lic. experienced
and insured. Kevin 539-4303
explorebigsky.com
serViCes
Victoria Bentley is the Owner and
Director of Bentley Bodies, a
premiere mind-body-wellness boutique
committed to healthy lifestyle
choices. Locations are in Big Sky and
Bozeman. bentleybodies.net
heLP WanteD
Choppers is hiring experienced line
cooks and servers. Call 995-3830 to
schedule an interview.
for saLe
Southfork home for sale in Big Sky
Finished in 2009, 3 bedroom, 2.5/
bath, ~2000 sq ft, open floor plan,
very efficient, low heating costs,
hardwood floors, outdoor deck.
$389,000. Call 406-595-6641
explorebigsky.com
Albany Sleigh Coffee Table
$1195 (includes curbside delivery)
Ski wall sconce
$229
explorebigsky.com
Home of tHe
Classifieds!
Email classifieds and/or
advertising requests to:
Big Sky Weekly
media@theoutlawpartners.com
vintagewinter.com
A collection of Alpine Home Decor and Chalet Style Antiques
off
15%
Vintage Ski Posters
$19
Ski Hall Tree
$549
any items at
VintageWinter.com
(406) 995-2055
collectable ski sets
starting at $325
three pane ski frame
$359
use promo code:
Outlaw

usiness ProFile
ari-o Jewelry
by emily stiFler
big sky weekly managing editor
BIG SKY – Jeweler Ariane Coleman is
focused. She easily spends three days
making one of the necklaces in her Fine
Artisan line, she says.
“I can start at eight in the morning, and
five at night will just be there all of a
sudden. I just get so engrossed in it—
wanting it to be perfect, playing with
how things look. Three days will go by
and it will feel like three hours.”
On top of designing and constructing,
she also imports beads for the necklaces
from India and the Czech Republic. If
she decides the piece would look better
in gold, she ships out it out to be gold
plated.
Coleman, 35, is a Billings native and has
lived in Big Sky since 1998. She learned
metalsmithing at MSU, graduated with
a degree in fine art in 2004 and officially
opened Ari-O Jewelry in 2009.
Coleman says a semester she spent
studying metalsmithing in Italy still
influences her work, particularly the
more complex layered pieces, that she
builds with rivets instead of soldering
the metal.
“Every tool we had, we had to carry on
our back and share, so it really taught
me how to think outside of the box and
redefine myself without the crutch of a
torch.”
With five different lines of jewelry,
including one for men, Coleman has
a broad range of styles and price. The
fine, layered, sculptural pieces have
been on display in Gallatin River Gallery
for several years, and she’s selling
her newer “boho chic” beaded bracelets
at the Big Sky Farmers Market this sum-
mer. Also new to her work are copper
pendants and buttons.
“I’m trying to have a really broad
spectrum market, everything from the
high-end jewelry which only sells to a
certain group, to the beaded bracelets
and the copper necklaces to another
type of customer.”
Riding a bull
market is easy
(It’s the bear market that can throw you off)
We are please to support
Professional Bull Riders Association
blue melon bracelet
Besides, she says, she gets bored doing
the same thing over and over again.
“The key to success as an artist is to
reinvent yourself, so if you have a return
customer he or she comes and sees
something new.”
Coleman hopes to move her shop
out of the garage and to a small space
with a storefront by this fall. With
that, she’d also like to hire a couple of
interns through the MSU metalsmithing
program and up Ari-O Jewelry’s
production.
“If I can turn this thing I love into making
a living, it would be my dream,” she
says. And Big Sky is a good place to do
it.
Fulton/Hertz/Hoover
Wealth Management Group
875 Harmon Stream Blvd., Suite 200
Bozeman, Montana 59718
(406) 556-4407
(800) 995-3443
www.fhhwealthmanagment.com
Contact: Koy M. Hoover, CFP
Vice President/Investment
hooverk@stifel.com
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Big Sky Weekly
“It presents great opportunity with the
PLEASE dynamic of people sign, here. There’s date, influ- and return within five working days for comple
ence from all over.”
Your prompt attention is greatly appreciated in returning this proof even if t
Coleman’s community supports her:
When she sent out an email asking for
votes to be considered for a small busi-
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28 July 13, 2012
real estate
Big sky returns
by eriC ossorio
prudential/ossorio real estate
For the past few years we’ve all been
hoping for the best while preparing for
the worst. Just when the news cycles
seemed the bleakest, a ray of hope
would peek through the mist... when
things started moving into positive
territory, another shoe would drop and
correct the mood.
And then there’s Big Sky in the summer.
What’s not to like? A new movie theatre
is now showing first run films in a
first rate facility. New restaurants have
added to the selection of fine dining
venues. There are zip lines, mountain
biking trails and outdoor concerts. The
days are sunny and the evenings are
cool. And real estate prices are at pre-
2004 levels—that seems like a bargain,
and it is. Even the afternoon thundershowers
only help add drama to the
already beautiful panoramas.
While not completely insulated
from the events affecting the rest of
the country, this resort community
has developed a strong attraction for
many people, and it’s continued to
improve and grow—not always in a
linear progression, but grow nonetheless.
Following the triple blows of the
Yellowstone Club reorganization, the
Moonlight Basin reorganization, and
then the liquidation of the Club at
Spanish Peaks, the area is now somewhat
chastened by the recession, but in
a solid position for continued growth.
A much-improved Highway 191 makes
driving Gallatin Canyon from Bozeman
to Big Sky smoother than ever.
The Bozeman-Yellowstone International
Airport’s expansion was perfectly
timed, and the facility can now receive
more than 400,000 visitors annually
and has added more direct flights. The
Big Sky ski resort posted its largest ever
skier day-count numbers last winter.
Moonlight Basin had its most profitable
ski season ever, according to MLB reps.
Yellowstone National Park down the
road anticipates record-breaking visitations
in 2012.
The sporadic recent reports of the national
decline in housing inventory are
mirrored in our local supply of housing
stock. Here’s what that means for the
Big Sky market:
There are currently 101 “improved”
properties listed in the Meadow area
explorebigsky.com
for sale—those are homes, condos and
town-homes. In the Mountain Village
there are 152, with a high-end listing
for $5,850,000 and a low end of
$59,500 in the Hill Condos.
So, what’s sold? Well, 81 Mountain
Village properties sold in the last 12
months—67 properties for under $1
million and 14 for more than $1 million.
The top end property sold for over
$5 million. In the Meadow, 100 properties
sold during the past year. Four of
those sold over the $1 million mark,
seven were sold for between $500,000
and $1 million and 89 sold for under
$500,000. Twenty-nine sold for
between $250,000 – $500,000 and 61
units sold for under $250,000. Thirtynine
of those sold for under $150,000.
Of the 181 properties that sold in the
past year, the average DOM (days on
market) was 230, with a several sales
on the market for 0 days... (priced attractively,
no doubt), and 14 properties
listed for over 600 days, seven of which
were listed for over 1,000.
Evaluating both areas, there are
253 currently listed properties,
and there were 181 sales in the last
12 months. This shows that over
Marcie Hahn-Knoff recently joined
Winter and Co. Real Estate as a
Broker Associate. An experienced
broker who has worked mostly in
Utah ski resort communities, Hahn-
Knoff will work in both the Big
Sky and Gallatin Valley markets.
Her connections with business
owners and friends in
Montana, Park City
and Salt Lake City
are a huge advantage,
says company owner
Shawna Winter.
Interest in Big Sky
and Moonlight Basin
resorts has been
growing consistently,
Winter says,
something that’s
illustrated by the
first ever Freeskiing
World Tour stop at
Moonlight this past
winter.
An avid outdoorswoman,
Hahn-Knoff
has spent almost two
decades exploring
the West. Selling
real estate since 2004
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
70 percent of the supply of housing
was absorbed over 12 months.
Seventy percent absorption means
that there are still some listings out
there, which have failed to attract a
buyer, for some reason or another;
however, with a 3.6 month supply
of housing, the market is tightening
up.
We’re seeing price increases in
some sub markets. In Cascade, for
example, the high price two years
ago was $1.25 million for a single
family home. This past spring there
were three sales—at $1.39 million,
$1.5 million and $1.65 million
All and all, those are nice Big Sky
market returns.
Eric Ossorio is a managing broker
of the Prudential Montana/Ossorio
Real Estate Group in Big Sky, where
he works with this wife and partner
Stacy. He’s lived in Big Sky for 20
years, and been a broker for 35.
Having almost seen it all, he sees no
reason to live anywhere else. Contact
him at (406) 539-9553 or
ossoriorealestategroup.com.
Marcie hahn-knoff joins
Winter and Co. real estate
and a broker since 2007, she has
facilitated numerous land acquisition,
income property, second home
and residential real estate transactions.
In this role, she hopes to help
mountain enthusiasts looking to
escape to Montana.
More at mtwinter.com.

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Big Sky Weekly
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30 July 13, 2012
environment
The communities of Bozeman, Big Sky,
Livingston, Gardiner and West Yellowstone
know the Gallatin Mountains as
an exceptional outdoor recreation area.
With 10,000-foot peaks, majestic canyons
and internationally known “blue
ribbon” trout streams, opportunities
for hiking, biking, fishing, climbing,
skiing, horseback riding, and motorized
recreation abound.
The range is also a vital component in
the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,
one of few large, intact networks of
wild lands left in North America. A
designated Wilderness Study Area
since 1977, the Gallatins still lack permanent
protection.
With the populations of nearby towns
and cities burgeoning, demand for fresh
water and recreation use have both
grown dramatically over the last 30
years. Many organizations are calling
for the community of people around
the Gallatins to come together to finally
make a decision how to best protect this
valued land before it’s too late.
One such group, The Wilderness Society,
is working to highlight the wildlife
piece of this puzzle to inform discussions
about the future of the range.
“Up to this point much of the conversation
has surrounded recreation,” said
Jennifer Miller, The Wilderness Society’s
Montana Program Manager. “We
wanted to gain
a better understanding
of
how wildlife
use the area, to
make informed
decisions moving
forward.”
To further
this goal,
The Wilderness
Society
commissioned
a wildlife
report of the
area from
biologist Steve
Gehman,
co-founder of
Wild Things
Unlimited in Bozeman, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to increasing
the effectiveness of wildlife and habitat
management in the Rocky Mountains.
Gehman’s 40-page report, completed
in December of 2010 and updated May
2012, gives detailed observations on
the area’s species, and also the interests
of land and wildlife management agencies
and the conservation community.
In it, he stresses that the Gallatin Range
plays an important role in maintaining
habitat connectivity.
“The northern end of the range forms a
linkage to a major wildlife corridor that
connects the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
to the Northern Continental
Divide Ecosystem,” he writes, naming
explorebigsky.com
the Gallatin-Bridger-Big Belt Corridor
as a primary link.
Wildlife corridors are vital for large species
requiring significant sized ranges,
and also as connection corridors for
smaller animals and plants, Gehman
says.
The Gallatin Range is also key to linking
habitat for wildlife at a continental
scale, from Yellowstone National Park
to Canada’s Yukon Territory. Stretching
1,988 miles, a link like this would conserve
multiple species and allow gene
flow between distant wildlife populations,
say wildlife conservationists.
Grizzly bears, which remain on the
endangered species list after a November
2011 9th Circuit ruling, are one species
that need such a corridor.
After WTU research from 2006-2008
discovered an increased grizzly bear
population in Tom Miner Basin, the
group conducted surveys in the northern
Gallatin Range in 2010 and 2011.
Visual and laboratory analyses of hair
samples concluded the range outside of
Yellowstone National Park is now home
to 28 grizzlies, 20 of which were bears
identified in Tom Miner in the 2008
analyses.
In an interview with the Weekly,
Gehman attributed this migration to
food opportunities in these drainages not
available inside the national park, and
also to the widespread die-offs of whitebark
pine in the Greater Yellowstone
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
the time is now
long-term vision for the Gallatin range needed for both people and wildlife
story and Photos
by kelsey dZintars
big sky weekly staff writer
ecoflight
this June, the wilderness society teamed up with ecoFlight to provide
local journalists the opportunity to fly over the Gallatin Range
with biologist steve Gehman to learn more about the diverse and
essential habitats of the area.
ecoFlight pilot bruce Gordon aims to educate others through the
use of small aircraft and aerial perspective.
“i want people to get their own experience,” Gordon said. “i want
them to learn.”
Conservation in the Gallatin range is one of ecoFlight’s many projects.
Learn more at ecoflight.org.
the Gallatin Crest provides a diversity of habitats essential for wildlife to thrive.
Ecosystem. The Gallatins and other
ranges northwest of the park provide a
diversity of forest that the animals need
and use, he says.
“The most important issue is to keep an
eye on our outdoor recreation usage and
keep in mind what that means for wildlife,”
Gehman said. “Be aware of the fact
that we are pushing into wildlife area.”
Some organizations, such as the Citizens
for Balanced Use, a coalition of motorized
and mechanized recreationists,
believe the current designated Wilderness
Study Area is too restrictive. They
say trail inventories in Montana show
very little if any resource damage from
off trail riding. Others add that surrounding
tourism-based communities
like Big Sky could economically benefit
by opening up more trails for recreation
opportunities.
The Wilderness Society hopes “a diverse
group of people who enjoy the range for
different reasons” can support further
protection for the area, ensuring clean
water and healthy wildlife habitat, while
also allowing for increased recreational
opportunities.
With the evidence of increasing wildlife
presence closer to Montana cities, and
outdoor recreation on the rise in these
essential habitats, a need for permanent
protection for the Gallatin Range has
become ever more pressing, Miller said.
“There is no better time than now.”
A copy of Steve Gehman’s wildlife report can be downloaded from:
gallatinwrp.org/wp/gallatin-range/library
how to report wildlife observation
data collected in the gallatin range
wildlife data collected by citizens is an increasingly valuable resource
for biologists and forest managers, especially if sufficient
and specific information is included. The Wilderness and Recreation
Partnership is particularly interested in observational data on wildlife
that is less commonly seen. data may be submitted online at:
gallatinwrp.org/wp/gallatin-range/wildlife-observation

Rob Akey
Greg Alexander
Jim Barrett
Diana Brady
Lynn Cain
Todd Connor
Tom English
“October Afternoon”
Creighton Block
John DeMott
Jerral Derryberry
Flavia Eckholm
Edd Enders
Thomas English
Mark Gibson
Don Grant
Mimi Grant
Frank Hagel
Ott Jones
David Lemon
Asha MacDonald
ARTIST PROFILE
WINE TASTINGS
EVERY THURSDAY AT 4:30 PM
BIG SKY TOWN CENTER
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM MONDAY THRU SATURDAY
SUNDAYS BY APPOINTMENT
Mike Patterson
Paula Pearl
Jacqueline Rieder Hud
Gary Lynn Roberts
Daniel San Souci
Deb Schmit
Laurie Stevens
Dave Swanson
Ezra Tucker
Shirle Wempner
Originally from Austin, Texas, Thomas English has been a Montana resident since 1991. English is
an avid outdoor painter as well as a studio painter. He has participated in many shows throughout
the United States and his work has been widely collected. English has participated many
times in the C.M. Russell Auction, Quick Draw, and Masters in Miniature. Other shows include
the Treasure State Invitational, the Montanan Land Reliance, Plein Air Tucson, Masters in Montana,
and many gallery shows.
He was invited to attend the annual Glacier National Park “Superintendents” Hike and many
times to the annual “Russell Ride” at the Circle Bar Ranch, near Utica, Montana, as an “artist
guest”. English has had one-man shows at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art in Great
Falls, Montana and at the Hockaday Museum of Art in Kalispell, Montana. During the Hockaday
Museum showing the museum purchased one of his paintings of Glacier National Park for their
permanent collection. His work has been displayed at the Governors’ Mansion in Helena, MT,
and he also was awarded the prestigious “Artist in Residency” in Glacier National Park. He is a
founding member and was the first President of the Montana Painters Alliance.
the cave
Spirits & Gifts
406-993-9400
CREIGHTONBLOCKGALLERY.COM
Artwork also displayed at Outlaw Partners and Lone Mountain Ranch Dining Room
provided by

environment
BIG SKY – Noxious weeds have invaded
the winter range for the big horn
sheep living near Big Sky. Known as the
Spanish Peaks Big Horn Sheep Herd,
approximately 150 of the animals
spend winters in the lower elevation
areas between Moose Creek and the
corner of Highway 191 and Lone
Mountain Trail.
Noxious weeds are nonnative, invasive
plant species that cause harm to
an ecosystem by overpopulating and
destroying native plant life. Weeds
including spotted knapweed, hoary
alyssum, houndstongue, oxeye daisy,
Canada thistle, chet grass and musk
thistle have populated these hundreds
of acres near Big Sky, causing damage
not only to the land but the wildlife as
well, said Jennifer Molher, coordinator
of the Gallatin/Big Sky Noxious weed
committee.
Once noxious weeds find their way
into an area, it’s quick and easy for them
to reproduce and travel. One prime example
is houndstounge, which is identified
most easily by its sticky seeds
called spurs. These attach to big horn
sheep and other wildlife, which then
transport them. Hikers, motor vehicles
and natural elements like wind are also
modes of noxious weed transportation.
Molher has worked in collaboration
with the Gallatin County Weed
District, the Gallatin National Forest
Service, the Montana Department of
Transportation, and Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks to reclaim the area,
one weed at a time.
The group began spraying the herbicides
Forefront R&P and Telar along
with pulling noxious weeds last year,
with the project continuing into 2012.
For two days in late June, crews of 12 –
14 volunteers climbed the steep slopes
along Highway 191 and Lone Moun-
tain Trail, equipped with 37-pound
plastic backpacks full of spray, and
began taking down the weeds.
The idea is that with repeated efforts,
the weeds will be reduced or eliminated,
and native vegetation will again begin
to flourish. This, Molher says, will
benefit sheep and also other wildlife.
“A healthy winter ranger equals
healthy sheep,” Molher said.
Four elements are crucial for a healthy
sheep population: plentiful wild grasses
and shrubs, reliable water sources,
a wide range of view to see predators,
and bare slopes to escape danger. Noxious
weeds have taken hold on much
of the area though, pushing out native
vegetation. The ensuing soil erosion
causes slope corrosion, which in turn
can find its way into nearby creeks and
rivers as a pollutant, Molher said.
Opponents of such treatments point
out that the spray used to kill the
weeds is toxic itself, and remains in the
ecosystem for many years.
“We tend to spray as a gut reaction and
not think about the level of disturbance
it is causing,” said Matt Lavin, a professor
of Plant Biology at MSU.
Noxious weed sprays will kill broad
leaf plants, meaning native wildflowers
also die as a result of spraying. The
group replaces the dead plant life with
something that will thrive such as native
grasses.
The noxious weed committee tries to
use the smallest amount of chemicals
possible, but Molher says they’re necessary
at times.
Julie Cunningham, a biologist for Fish,
Wildlife and Parks, has been studying
the herd since 2009 and has records
dating back to 1980. With a population
of approximately 150 this year, the
herd is stable, she says. It could support
a gain or loss of 20 percent and still be
Big Sky Weekly
treatment of noxious weeds in big horn sheep winter habitat
by renae Counter
big sky weekly editorial assistant
Photo by matty mCCain
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the satisfaction of any prospective purchaser.
healthy, but any more than that would
make the population unstable, she said.
“When conditions get really hard,
fewer sheep will be able to make a living.”
Because big horn sheep are on the U.S.
Forest Service’s “sensitive species” list,
the Gallatin National Forest manages
the animals carefully to ensure their
conservation.
“Noxious weeds don’t obey fence
lines,” Mohler says, meaning that because
they’re on private land as well as
public in the winter range, it will take
collaboration to reclaim and maintain a
healthy habitat.
Molher urges private landowners to
control and maintain noxious weeds
that may have spread onto their land.
Effective weed management can be
made with proper treatment over a
certain course of time, depending on
the amount of noxious weeds and how
long they have inhabited the land.
“More people treating noxious weeds
creates more pressure to protect the environment,”
Molher said. “Landowners
begin to realize that if they don’t take
care of their land it affects the wildlife.”
Gallatin/Big Sky Noxious Weed Committee
works under the Big Sky Natural
Resource Council which receives
funding from the Big Sky Resort Tax.
This year BSNRC received $19,000
in resort tax funding for weed control
projects. From that, $225 was allocated
for this project to cover supplies for the
crew.
Gallatin/Big Sky Noxious Weed Committee
conducts free landowner visits
as well as offers a cost share program
to help with effective treatment of
noxious weeds. Visit bigskyweeds.org
for more information.

section 3:
liFe, land and Culture
history
explorebigsky.com
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
July 13, 2012
Volume 3 // Issue No. 14
images of america: Big sky
local historians co-author book on early history of big sky
by emily stiFler
big sky weekly managing editor
BIG SKY – When white settlers arrived
in the Big Sky area in the 1880s, many
experienced such hardship and failure that
they soon packed up and left. Few individual
and family names appeared from
one 10-year census to the next.
Those that did persist were hardy and
flexible, says local historian Anne Marie
Mistretta. They went from trapping to
mining, to ranching, to seasonal work at
the emergent dude ranches.
One family, the Crails, managed to
sustain a stock ranch the longest. When
they homesteaded along the west fork of
the Gallatin in the early 1900s, they were
miles from their nearest neighbors. They
lived there for 50 years, running a herd of
cows and sheep and living off the land.
“The Crails and other ranchers were incredibly selfsufficient,”
Mistretta said. “They had generators,
built their own buildings, and had their own milking
cows.” Some of the other longtime residents
of the area, like the Karsts and the Lemons, were
entrepreneurs who supplied services to locals and
tourists, Mistretta notes.
Pete Karst started motorized trips from Gallatin
Gateway to West Yellowstone with a pair of Cadillac
busses in 1913. The trip took two days. Billy Lytle
brought the first personal car to the area in 1915,
and by 1920 nearly every rancher and homesteader
had one. The road was primitive, however, and
it took an entire day to get from the West Fork to
Bozeman. Drivers had to be prepared for up to three
flats per trip.
In their forthcoming book, Images of America: Big
Sky, co-authors Mistretta and Dr. Jeff Strickland
depict stories like the Crails’ in detail, giving a sense
of what life was like for early settlers in Big Sky and
Photos clockwise from top left: haying at Crail ranch, "rocky
mountain" dick rock, skiing at karst Photos Courtesy oF anne marie
mistretta and JeFF stiCkland
Gallatin Canyon through photos, character sketches,
anecdotes and historic records.
“It's about the hardy, the persistent, the ‘trials and tribulations’
of trying to create and sustain a life, lifestyle, and
a community,” Mistretta said. More than 175 historic
photos bring those stories to life.
The authors did much of their research at the Gallatin
Historical Society’s Pioneer Museum, the Museum of
the Rockies, the County Land Records Office, and the
Renne Library at MSU. They spent a year poring over
historic letters, journals, legal documents, family photos
and government archives, and interviewing local people
whose families had been in the area for generations.
“Stories came from here, there and everywhere, and
photos came along with them,” Strickland said.
They also found that many people from the earliest
generations were already gone. “Their stories needed to
be told,” Mistretta said.
The book’s careful detail is astounding, said Al
Lockwood, chairman of the Historic Crail Ranch
Conservators, which helped facilitate
the book’s publishing. “Some
of it changed the fundamental
things we’ve been saying all along
about local history,” Lockwood
said.
“It was fun, like a little detective
experience,” Mistretta said about the
meticulous research process.
The book starts with the Hayden Expedition in
the early 1870s, which surveyed much of the
region, and has chapters about logging, mining,
homesteading, ranching, recreation and tourism.
It concludes in 1970, when local Freddy Pessl
and Olympic gold medalist Jean-Claude Killy
helicoptered to the top of Andesite to determine
whether it might be a viable ski resort.
“You can’t stop turning the pages to read and look
at the next picture,” Lockwood said. “I think it’s
going to open up a tremendous amount of interest
in Big Sky history.”
Images of America: Big Sky is being published as
part of an Arcadia Publishing series. The book
will be available Oct. 29, but advanced orders
may be placed through Crail Ranch or at the
BSCC booth at the Country Fair or the Big Sky
Farmers Market. All proceeds will go to the Crail
Ranch.
July 13, 2012 33

34 July 13, 2012
Food & dininG
explorebigsky.com
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
new rainier Cherry dishes at rainbow ranch Lodge
story and Photo
by renae Counter
big sky weekly editorial assistant
BIG SKY – Children run barefoot in the lawn
above the Gallatin River. Inside, parties of guests
are being treated to appetizers and drinks. The
dining room fills with couples and families enjoying
fine dining in Montana.
Summer is in session, and Rainier Cherries have
made it to The Restaurant at Rainbow Ranch
Lodge.
The logistics of sending fresh fruit to 50 states
nationwide caused a delay in the cherry shipment,
which arrived at Rainbow Ranch on July
6 instead of July 1, setting back the feature date.
But now the bushel is in and ripe for the picking.
June 10 marked the cherry feature kick off, with
Executive Chef Matthew Fritz’s appetizer Duck
Confit with Rainier Cherry Marmalade, Grilled
Radicchio with Balsamic Glaze.
Chef Fritz created the dish out of a previous
autumn entrée that featured apples.
“Poultry and fruit work well together,” Fritz said.
“The cherries make the dish fresh and great for
summer time.”
The wild breed duck is slow cooked over a course
of days, giving it a rich flavor. Paired with the
sweetness of Rainier Cherries and tartness of
grilled radicchio, this dish captures the entire
taste palate.
Rainier cherries are known for their light color
and tart taste. Atop
the duck, they come in
perfect sized marmalade
chunks, filling the
dish with unique fruit
flavor.
Though succulent, the
Duck Confit is just
a starter to Rainbow
Ranch’s other delicious
summer options. Cuts
of elk and bison have
been favorites this
summer. The trout,
which comes from the
hatchery in Ennis, is
stuffed with crab and
served to look like
sushi rolls.
Your local, best store for the resale
of quality, lightly used goods
PRICE REDUCTIONS!
• Summer Clothing
(Women, Men, Children)
• Summer Sporting Gear
(Golf, Camping, Fishing, Bicycles)
• Home Furnishings
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• Artwork, Wall Hangings & Décor Items
• Electronics, CD’s & DVD’s
Come in to see us!
Located in the Big Horn Center, across from Bugaboo
Café, at corner of Hwy 191 & Lone Mtn Trail to Big Sky
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Open: 7 days a week, Mon – Sat 10 AM to 6 PM
Sun 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
With enough cherries
to supply the month,
Chef Fritz and his staff are planning to prepare
other cherry dishes, as well.
“The idea is to offer a new dish every week,” Fritz
said. “We can use the new cherry dish as a way
to entice people to come down once a week and
sample it.”
Sweet treats such as cherry pastries and a cherry
sorbet are currently being tested in the kitchen.
“Events like this are really fun for the kitchen
because its keeps us inspired and creating,” Fritz
said.
new options for lunch in Big sky
Several Big Sky restaurants are open for lunch this summer for the first time ever.
lotus Pad
Sit in the shade outside on the deck and sip minty Green Dragons as the summer
breeze blows past. Some dinner items are offered on the lunch menu,
like lemongrass beef and tamarind salmon, but some are available only at
lunch—try the grilled short ribs and papaya salad or the Panang curry. Drink
pitchers and beer buckets are killer. Lunch is 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
First Place Pub
At last, First Place Pub is open for lunch. The Cuban sliders and tuna tacos
are both popular, and the veal Parmesan rivals the burger for size. Choose
from several different salads or a lunch special. Lunch is 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Gourmet Gals
While the gals have been open for lunch in the past, they recently expanded
their menu. Six flavors of all natural gelato are available every day with toppings
like huckleberry, homemade granola and bacon. They’re also added a
delivery service on weekdays. Lunch is 11 – 3 p.m.
olive B’s
Big Sky’s newest bistro offers an assortment of lunch items and a full bar.
Try the crispy calamari salad, the BLT or Olive B’s famous grilled cheese. The
lamb burger, Ruben sandwich and ribs are also popular. Patio seating has a
view of Lone Mountain. Lunch is 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
ousel and spur Pizza Co.
Enjoy a variety of lunch items and a full bar at Big Sky’s newest restaurant.
Try the meatball sandwich and or one of the day’s selections of pizza by the
slice, which is only offered during lunch hours. The newly finished outside
patio makes for the perfect summer lunch, picnic tables and all. Lunch is 11
a.m . – 2:30 p.m.

To Big Sky Resort
& Moonlight Basin
N
HELMS
JAMISON
KULESZA
Big Sky Deals of the Moment
yellowstone club
gatehouse
spanish peaks
club house
settlement trail
spanish peaks
gatehouse
antler
ridge
64
Deer Run
south fork rd
DEER RUN O2 : $289,000
• Best priced unit in the development
• 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2125 square feet
• Features granite, hardwood oors, vaulted ceilings, and
an outdoor hot tub
• MLS #182530
ANTLER RIDGE 147 : $99,000
• Only lot in Big Sky with Lone Peak Views priced
under $100,000
• Building site will capture views in all directions
• Best land buy this summer
• MLS #184712
Little Coyote Rd
ousel falls rd
We have access to opportunities at Yellowstone Club, e Club at Spanish
Peaks, Meadow & Mountain Villages, Moonlight Basin and the Canyon
Tallie Jamison
406.600.8081
64
Lone Mountain Trail
To bozeman
To yellowstone
bigskysothebysrealty.com
Ryan Kulesza
406.539.4666

36 July 13, 2012
outdoors
Mountain biking on Lone Mountain
by renae Counter
big sky weekly editorial assistant
BIG SKY – Alongside my long love for
skiing, I believe I may be able to find a
place for mountain biking.
For my first time ever riding the trails,
I went with a group of friends to the
lift-accessed trails on Lone Mountain
last week. Pedaling across dirt and rock
with fields of green was a much different
mountain experience than skiing
through fields of snow, but it was a
great way to enjoy this hot Montana
summer.
Though I lost the training wheels some
time ago, my proficiency on a bicycle
isn’t the highest. My personal bike, a
little, bright red Gary Fisher, has seen
more pavement than dirt. And as for
downhill, rocky trails—those are been
way out of my bike’s league. So, when
I arrived at Different Spokes Bike Shop
and was equipped with a 40-pound,
full suspension Norco Bomber, I was
intimidated. The sheer weight of it, and
the fact that the tires were as thick as
my arm, reinforced that I was in for an
adventure.
Armored in knee, shin and elbow pads,
gloves and a full-face helmet that made
me feel like Darth Vader, I was prepared
to take on the mountain.
Makenzie Brosious, of Different
Spokes Bike Shop, accompanied me.
Brosious has been an avid mountain
biker for almost two years, and with
experience racing triathlon and road
bikes, so I was reassured by her knowledge
and ability.
We began on the road just right from
the top of the Swift Current chairlift.
With plenty of room and minimal loose
rocks, it was a good
starting point to get
use to the beast of
a bike. I was able to
play around with
the full suspension,
bouncing the
bike and plowing over large rocks
rather than swerving around them.
With the basics in hand, it was time
to take on the trails. Pulling up to
a patch of trees, we were greeted
by a blue sign marking Cairns Way.
Mountain biking trail systems are
rated the same way as ski trails, so
I knew I was in for an intermediate
route.
“Just remember to keep your knees
bent and elbows wide,” Brosious said
before directing her bike in the trail
and disappearing in the trees.
2 Years Complimentary Maintenance:
• Oil & Filter Change • Tire Rotation • 19-point Inspection
24/7 Roadside Assistance:
• Tire Change • Lockout Protection • Towing
ToyotaCare covers normal factory scheduled service. Plan is 2 years or 25k miles, whichever comes first. The new Toyota vehicle cannot be part of a rental or commercial
fleet or a livery or taxi vehicle. Other restrictions may apply. See local participating Toyota dealer for coverage and details.
explorebigsky.com
buy lift tickets to ride swift
Current in basecamp,
the different spokes bike
shop or big sky sports.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Peace of Mind
Toyota of Bozeman
877-221-8432
Knees bent, hands forward—that’s a
lot like skiing, I thought while slowly
inching my front wheel toward the
trailhead.
Once I got going, I found it was a
game of staying balanced, knowing
how to turn and keeping the bike
underneath me in control. As the
morning progressed, I realized how
much it resembled skiing, minus the
snow: Your shoulders
do the turning while
you look at where you
want to go; shifting
your weight is a must
to stay on your center
of gravity; and a relaxed
upper body is ideal.
Weaving through close-knit trees, I
kept my hands close to the brakes. I
stayed focused, directing my attention
to my balance.
Exiting the first patch of trees, I
found Brosious waiting on the road.
Below us was Montana wilderness
at its finest— colorful wildflowers
stippled a green field, back-dropped
by the Gallatin Range and our famous
blue bird sky.
After a quick recap, Brosious led the
way to the next entrance.
INSERT DEALER INFO HERE
Unlike the first trail, which was
mostly grass and dirt, this one was
covered in loose rocks. Tight switchbacks
slowed me to a crawl, as I tired
to ride the berms (the walls of dirt
surrounding the trail), as Brosious
had suggested. The second trail was
much more difficult, a black diamond
in my opinion, but I left with only
one minor incident involving the
bike, a tree and me.
Because Big Sky Resort offers liftserved
mountain biking trails ranging
from beginner to advanced, it’s
a great place to learn to ride or test
your skills. Both mountain and cross
country bikes, as well as full protection
gear, can be rented from Different
Spokes Bike Shop, which is open
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
The chairlift runs from 9:30 a.m. –
3:30 p.m. daily, weather permitting.
There are also cross country trails
for those who enjoy the burn of an
uphill ride.
It only took a morning of mountain
biking for me to get hooked. I’ve already
begun planning when the next
adventure will be, as well as scoping
the internet for bike deals. The forecast
for this summer is a stellar one,
and I’m excited to get out and enjoy it.

BSCC Board
Barb Rooney
Steve Johnson
Lyndsey Owens
Jim Jones
Leslie Piercy
Trever McSpadden
Al Malinowski
Tom Owen
Sponsors
STOA Management
Outlaw Partners
Lone Peak Brewery
Nordic Hot Tubs
Lohss Construction
Stacy and Eric Ossorio
Executive Director
Jessie Neal
Events Committee
Shelly Bermont
Eric Ladd
Krista Mach
Kim Reeves
Barb Rooney
Kristen Kern
Ennion Williams
Jeanne Johnson
Barbara Kaufman
Connie Lunt
Betsey McFadden
Contact Jessie Neal for more information
993.2112 jessie@bsccmt.org

sacajawea
38 July 13, 2012
outdoors
'3 peaks, 3 days'
livingston Peak, elephant head and sacagawea Peak
story and Photos
by FeliCia ennis
bella treks
To celebrate summer in Montana, I gathered together
friends for the second year of what I like to call
‘3 peaks, 3 days.’ During the adventure, we hiked
to the top of three mountains in three consecutive
days. This year the peaks—Livingston Peak, Elephant
Head and Sacagawea Peak—were just a short
drive from my home in Livingston.
For me, the highlights were being with friends and
having great conversations, seeing fields of wildflowers,
cooling off in a mountain stream, eating
wildflowers and tasting their sweetness, skiing in
my tennis shoes down a snow patch on Elephant
Head, and sipping a cool beverage back at the truck.
Here are the stats, in case you want to give it a try:
Livingston Peak – 9,314 feet
The trail ascends through shady, forested terrain,
and in and out of the Suce Creek drainage. Livingston
Peak is home to wildflowers, falcons, moose and
a bear or two. The hike takes about five hours round
trip.
mileage: Five miles one way
Getting there: Heading east out of Livingston,
take Park Street to Swingely Road. Right before the
Big sky hikers' summer 2012 schedule
explorebigsky.com
pavement ends go right at forest service sign for Livingston
Peak. The road after that is bumpy, winding
and rocky, but was in better shape than I expected and
took me about 30 minutes.
did you know? According to peakery.com, Livingston
Peak is the 406th highest mountain in Montana
and the 5,347th highest in the U.S.
elephant head – 9,423 feet
The best part about hiking to the base of Elephant
Head is the drive down Mission Creek to the trailhead.
The scenery is stunning; however, the final quarter
mile is narrow and bumpy—not recommended for low
or really wide vehicles. The other best part of hiking
up Elephant Head is the swimming hole. Small, deep,
refreshing.
My friend Mike thought the peak was not only our
destination, but also “the source of our world that
day.” He must have had fun!
mileage: Five miles one way
Getting there: Heading east out of Livingston, take
Park Street to Swingely Road, go right on Bruffey
Lane, and a right on the narrow road to the 63 Ranch,
through two gates. Road ends at trailhead.
did you know?According to peakery.com Elephant
Head is the 359th highest mountain in Montana and
the 5,067th highest in the U.S.
explorebigsky.com
date rating-hike trailhead length Climb leaders Comment
July 19 a Pika Point taylor Fork-wapiti Creek 12 miles 2,400 ft. rich Piercy (993-2303)
Big Sky Weekly
b deer lake deer Creek 9.4 miles 2,720 ft. Jeff and karen strickler
(995-4768)
C Gallatin riverside trail 35 mPh bridge 4 miles 500 ft. Gina macdonald (995-7172) long pants suggested - nettles on trail
July 26 a monument Peak Private Property 12 miles 3,000 ft. leslie Piercy (993-2303)
b lava lake lava lake 6 miles 1,600 ft. hilda and keener hudson
(995-7442)
C windy Pass Portal Creek-windy Pass 4.6 miles 1,260 ft. henrietta and doug Gale
(995-7951)
rough road to trailhead
august 2 a monument Peak Private Property 12 miles 3,000 ft. leslie Piercy (993-2303)
b lava lake lava lake 6 miles 1600 ft. hilda and keener hudson
(995-7951)
C windy Pass Portal Creek-windy Pass 4.6 miles 1,260 ft. henrietta and doug Gale
(995-7951)
Look for continued schedule in upcoming issues of the Big Sky Weekly.
sacajawea Peak – 9,665 feet
The hike from Fairy Lake to the summit of Sacagawea
follows a short, steep and superb trail through stunning
alpine terrain. I saw blue bells, thimbleberries,
sunflowers, bear grass, violets, gentian, all in bloom.
Be prepared for wind on the summit, and beware the
washboards on the dirt access dirt road.
mileage: 2.2 miles one way
Getting there: From downtown Bozeman’s Main
Street, take North Rouse Ave., which turns into Bridger
Canyon Drive (MT 86). Roughly 21 miles north on
86, go left onto Fairy Lake Road, which dead-ends at
bathrooms and the Sacajawea trailhead.
did you know? Sacajawea peak is 2,000 vertical feet
above the lake.
Felicia Ennis was born and raised in Montana. She is
owner and founder of Bella Treks, an adventure travel
company specializing in development of once in a lifetime
trips all over the world, including Patagonia, Antarctica
and Montana. Call (406) 223-2595 or email travel@
bellatreks.com to set up a complimentary 30-minute
“Dream Destination” consult. bellatreks.com
bear Grass

outdoors
trail Creek Cabin
by ersin oZer
big sky weekly contributor
The covered front deck on the Trail
Creek Cabin is the best spot I’ve played
cards all year.
Friends and I backpacked the two
miles into the Forest Service cabin last
weekend, which sits in the northern
Gallatin Range, southeast of Bozeman.
As we relaxed on the deck on Saturday
evening, taking in the views of the surrounding
Gallatin and Absaroka mountain
ranges, elk and deer traversed the
large meadow below us.
The cabin sits where the Bozeman
Ranger District built its first ranger
station in 1906. The current building
replaced that structure in 1924, and
originally acted as a guard station to
house forest service rangers and crews
traveling the mining route between
Bear Canyon and Paradise Valley.
Gear reviews
Set at 6,223 feet, the one-room cabin is
used today as a four-season base camp
for hikers, mountain bikers, hunters,
skiers and fishermen. It has four beds,
a wood-burning stove, an outdoor fire
pit, a livestock corral, propane lanterns,
splitting mauls, shovels and plenty of
firewood.
Getting there:
Take the Trail Creek exit off of I-90,
east of Bozeman. Drive eight miles
south on Trail Creek Road, turn onto
Newman Road, and drive one mile to
the trailhead. The two-mile hike is mellow,
but you can also access the cabin
with an ATV or with snowmobiles in
the winter.
Booking:
We booked the Trail Creek Cabin
through recreation.gov for $35 a night.
That site has more information on Trail
Creek and other forest service cabins,
including availability, locations and
access.
ruffwear Palisades dog pack
story and Photo
by Chris davis
big sky weekly staff writer
I've taken my dog Gunner out on several
hikes with his new Ruff Wear Palisades pack
this spring and summer and have had plenty
of trail time to decide if it was worth weighing
him down with his own water, food,
waste bags and tennis ball, or if it's more effective
for me to just throw them in my own
day pack.
Gunner is an extremely energetic working
dog, and he gets anxious if I don't give him
some sort of task to accomplish. Considering
his desire to please me, I never felt bad for
assigning him to carrying his own things. In
fact, he seems to wear the pack with pride.
Not too long into our first hike I had to fill up
one of his waste bags, and being in a "pack it
in, pack it out" situation, it was only appropriate
for him to carry his own waste bag out.
With a little bit of tinkering, the Palisades’
adjustable straps make it easy to get an exact
fit, and there are endless sizing options. Gunner
seemed comfortable while he was wearing
it on the trail, although the extra weight made
it harder for him to navigate steeps and narrows,
which he quickly adjusted to. Perhaps
most of all I appreciated how effortlessly the
bag unclips from the harness, making it easy
Gunner cruises the trails in big sky
to relieve him of the weight if he wants to
play or if we find ourselves in a technical spot
during a hike.
The only downside of the pack is that the
supplied one-liter water flasks have push/pull
lids, which were a bit leaky. ruffwear.com
explorebigsky.com
I'm relatively new to Montana, and in my time
here I’ve met surprisingly few true "locals."
This is due, I think, to the fact that the true
locals spend their free time far out in the
mountains and only emerge during ski season.
I’m in true awe of many Montanans’ desire to
put their bodies to the test. I can identify with
that desire, and it's the number one reason why
I moved here. Even when I was a flatlander I
was pushing how far I could bike and run at
every possible opportunity.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Big Sky, Montana
5 miles South of Big Sky - HWY 191, Mile Marker 43
menu online - www.corralbar.com - 406-995-4249
Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner
Drink • Dine • Den
hammer gel
by Chris davis
big sky weekly staff writer
In 2010, as I was preparing for my first fixed-gear century cycling ride,
my brother recommended only two things to me before he wrote me
off as being an idiot for attempting 100 miles without breaks or the
(novel) ability to stop pedaling. Those two things were Hammer Gel and
BodyGlide.
Since that time I carry only a few things in my bike’s saddlebag: two
tubes, the necessary tools, and a sufficient number of servings of Hammer
Gel. I've tried other gels, but I don't intend on straying from Hammer
again. You won't feel like a super human when you use it; you'll feel
like yourself, without cramps and with a clear head.
In fact, I look forward to the suggested one to two servings an hour during
extended bike rides—a shot of flavor does quite a bit for me to get
excited and refocused.
They're made with high-quality and effective ingredients, taste really
delicious, and are made in Montana, where people really get after it hard.
Hammer Gel is available in nine flavors. My favorite flavor is probably
apple cinnamon, because try as I might, I can't get too far away from my
apple-growing flatland roots. hammernutrition.com
July 13, 2012 39

Big sky
yoga on the DeCk
Moonlight Basin
Mondays thru Aug 27, 9:30 a.m.
Dimension3yoga.com
yoga With anna
The Art Barn
Tuesdays, 8:30 – 10 a.m.
earLy BirD yoga
annaourusoff@gmail.com
(406) 600-7565
Fridays, 6 – 7 a.m.
eVening eXPeDitions
Basecamp, Big Sky Resort
6 p.m. daily
MonDay night Pig roast
320 Steak House Restaurant
Mondays, 5 – 8 p.m.
hayriDe anD riVersiDe BBQ
320 Steak House Restaurant
Wednesdays, 5:30 – 9 p.m.
MonDay night Bike riDes
Town Center Fire Pit
Until July 30, 6 p.m.
friDay night traiL riDe & Cookout
Cedar Mountain Corrals at
Moonlight Basin
Friday and Saturday thru Oct. 15, 4 p.m.
Big sky resort BreWfest
Big Sky Resort
July 14, 5 p.m.
Big Brothers Big sisters CeLeBrity
goLf tournaMent
Big Sky Golf Course, Summit Hotel
Cocktail party and silent auction –
7 p.m., July 15
Golf tournament – 1 p.m., July 16
Big sky art renDezVous
320 Ranch
July 16, 4-9 p.m.
Big sky fooD festiVaL
Buck’s T-4
July 17, 5 p.m.
grizzLy outfitters anD Lone Peak
CineMa eVent
Big Sky Town Center
July 18, 5 p.m.
Big sky farMers Market
Big Sky Town Center
July 18, 5 p.m.
BLaCk LiLLies
Big Sky Town Center
July 19, 7 p.m.
LiVe MusiC: in WaLks BuD
Choppers
July 19, 10 p.m.
Big air in Big sky
Choppers
July 20, 6 p.m.
40 July 13, 2012
events
4th annuaL CinnaMon fest
Cinnamon Lodge
July 21, 5 p.m.-2a.m.
Big sky CoMMunity CorP. Parks
anD traiLs gaLa
Big Sky Community Park
July 21, 6 p.m.
oPeration neVer forgotten
Big Sky Resort
July 20, 5:30 p.m.
froM graCe to reD shoe Courage
Ruby’s Convention Center
July 24, noon – 4:30 p.m.
gaLLatin Canyon WoMen’s CLuB
Home of Marge DeShields
July 25, 1 p.m.
Wet n’ WiLD
Big Sky's Mountain Village plaza turns
into a Wet 'n' Wild water world
Big Sky Mountain Village
July 25, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
LiVe MusiC: rising Lion
Choppers
July 25, 9 p.m.
free CoMMunity aPPreCiation BBQ
First Security Bank
July 26, 11:30a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
LiVe MusiC: niCki BLuhM anD the
graMBLers
Big Sky Town Center
July 26, 7 p.m.
LiVe MusiC: the BoozehounDs
Choppers
July 26 – 27, noon
iDiots oLyMPiCs
Cinnamon Lodge
July 27
BozeMan
WiLD West WeDnesDays
Living History Farm – Museum of the
Rockies
Wednesdays until Aug. 15, 1 – 3 p.m.
Dinosaur DisCoVery
Museum of the Rockies
Fridays until Aug. 17, 1 – 3 p.m.
gaLLatin VaLLey BaCk Country
horseMan 25th annuaL Poker riDe
Bridger Bowl
July 14, 8 a.m.
the BriDger strings
Emerson Center for the Arts and
Culture
July 15, 11:30 a.m.
gaLLatin County farMers Market
Gallatin County Fairgrounds
Saturdays, 10 a.m.
LiVe MusiC: BriDger Creek Boys
Bozeman Brewing Co.
July 16 and 23, 5 p.m.
LiVe MusiC: hJortsBery, BaD Betty
Bozeman Public Library
July 16, 7 p.m.
art Crossing reCePtion
Bozeman Public Library
July 16, 6 p.m.
explorebigsky.com
BaCkPaCking BasiCs
Bozeman REI
July 16, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
roCkin’ tJ ranCh farMers Market
Mondays thru Sept. 24, 5 p.m.
BozeMan frisBee
MSU Intramural Fields
Mondays, 6 p.m.
Bogert farMers Market
Bogert Park
Tuesdays, 5 – 8 p.m.
Poet Luke WarM Water
Elk River Books
July 17, 7 p.m.
Monroe Crossing
Pilgrim UCC
July 17, 7 p.m.
West PaW Design 1st annuaL
"keePing it green" eVent
Gallatin Valley Regional Park.
July 17, 4:30 p.m.
“Be Who you is” PhotograPhs By
thoMas Lee
Bozeman REI
July 18, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
LunCh on the LaWn-the hooLigans
Emerson Center for the Arts and
Culture
July 18, 11:30 a.m.
Bike MaintenanCe BasiCs
Bozeman REI
July 19, 6:30- 8 p.m.
MusiC on Main: Cure for the
CoMMon
Downtown Bozeman
July 19, 6:30 p.m.
gaLLatin County fair
Gallatin County Fairgrounds
July 19 – 22, 10 a.m.
Don’t CLose your eyes
Equinox Theatre
July 20 – 21, 8 p.m.
guys anD DoLLs
Ellen Theatre
July 20, 8 p.m.
5th annuaL riDe to the fair
July 20
gallepmt@yahoo.com to register
useD gear saLe
Bozeman REI
July 21, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.
here is hoW, BozeMan!
Bella Park
July 21, 10 a.m.
BanD Perry
MetraPark
July 22, 9 p.m.
the Best in the West
Gallatin County Fairgrounds
July 22, 8 a.m.
LiVe MusiC: CharLie Parr
Filling Station
July 23
explorebigsky.com
PLanning an eVent? Let us know! email media@theoutlawpartners.com and we’ll spread the word.
Big Sky Weekly
LunCh on the LaWn – BLue VooDoo
Emerson Center for the Arts and
Culture
July 25, 11:30 a.m.
MaP anD CoMPass BasiCs
Bozeman REI
July 25, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Bears anD BaCkCountry: What
you neeD to knoW
Bozeman REI
July 26, 6:30- 8p.m.
MusiC on Main: PoLeCat
Downtown Bozeman
July 26, 6:30 p.m.
historiC tour of BozeMan
Museum of the Rockies
July 26, 10 a.m.
harMony Market
Holiday Inn
July 26, 4 p.m.
West yeLLoWstone
WiLD West yeLLoWstone roDeo
Rodeo Arena
Tuesdays – Saturdays, 8 p.m.
Prarie DeViL iron
Wild West Pizzeria & Saloon
July 19, noon
farMageDDon 2012 MusiC festiVaL
West Yellowstone
July 20 – 22, 10 a.m.
koLe MouLton & LnLy rD
Wild West Pizzeria & Saloon
July 21, noon
fish CaMP Boys
Wild West Pizzeria & Saloon
July 26, Noon
LiVingston &
ParaDise VaLLey
LiVe MusiC: fossiLs
Pine Creek Lodge and Café
July 14, 8 p.m.
LiVe MusiC: Big CaBoose & the souL
Penetrators
Chico Hot Springs
July 14, 9:30 p.m.
LiVe MusiC: ashLey BuChart
Chico Hot Springs
July 15, 9 p.m.
MoVie night raiLroaD siLent fiLMs
Livingston Depot
July 17, 7 p.m.
LiVingston farMers Market
Sacajawea Park
July 18, 4:30 p.m.
Pine Creek oPen BLue grass JaM
Pine Creek Lodge and Café
July 19 and 26, 7 p.m.
tWo story ranCh
Pine Creek Lodge and Café
July 20, 8 p.m.

PaM tiLLis ConCert
Music Ranch Montana, Livingston
July 20, 7:30 p.m.
CoWBoy Poetry night
Bear Creek School House
July 21, 5 p.m.
WrangLer teaM roPing
Livingston Fairgrounds
July 20 – 21
soniC BooM
Two Bit Saloon, Gardiner
July 20, 10:30 p.m.
gaLLatin County ranCh roDeo
Livingston Fairgrounds
July 21, 6 p.m.
eLk tournaMent
Livingston Golf Course
July 21 – 22
events
Big sky food festival a summer staple
BIG SKY – When Mike Scholz and
Devon White created a new summer
event for Big Sky in 1997 they decided
it should showcase the creative talents
of local chefs. The Big Sky Food Festival
was born, drawing 100 people to the
first annual event.
Scholz with his partners David
O'Connor and Chuck Schommer at
Buck's T-4 Lodge, hosted the festival
every year since. White, owner at the
Corral, continues to be a driving force
behind the event, rallying enthusiasm
among his regular clientele and consistently
occupying the top popularity
spot each year.
Today the Big Sky Food Festival draws
1,400 – 1,600 people. Many travelers
plan visits to Big Sky around it, and
food and wine enthusiasts from across
southwest Montana make it a mandatory
summer event.
The event is held outside on the lawn
at Buck’s, and live music provides a
festive backdrop. Most local restaurants
participate, as do as representatives
from American wineries and
local breweries. Each establishment
sets up a booth, offering small plates
costing $2 – 4. Guests can choose
from more than 70 menu items and 40
wines.
red ants Pants Festival
white sulphur springs
July 26-29, 3 p.m.
willow Creek art walk
willow Creek Galleries
July 20, 5 p.m.
eXit 288
Chico Hot Springs Saloon
July 20 – 21, 9 p.m.
suMMerfest in the Park
Livingston
July 20 – 22
Photos by tori Pintar
Each year, O’Connor says, participating
chefs use the opportunity to “have fun
with the foods and styles they use every
day in their own establishments.”
Previous menus have featured fun twists
on traditional fair food like “homemade
wild game corn dogs,” “chicken fried
Rocky Mountain oysters,” “wild boar
barbecue sandwiches,” “ostrich satay”
and “antelope ‘White Castle’ burgers.”
There have also been some astoundingly
good classic dishes, O’Connor said,
naming “grilled bison with wild mushrooms,”
“Indian flatbread with curried
pheasant” and “lacquered Muscovy
duck spring rolls with wasabi-whipped
potatoes and sweet red chili.”
This year’s Food Festival is Tuesday,
July 17 at Big Sky’s Buck’s T-4 Lodge.
The hours are from 5 – 9 p.m. Parking is
limited, so carpooling is encouraged.
Big oLae anD BroWn
Pine Creek Lodge and Café
July 21, 8 p.m.
MeMories of ConWay
Music Ranch Montana, Livingston
July 26, 7:30 p.m.
Virginia City
the BreWery foLLies
H.S. Gilbert Brewery
4 and 8 p.m.
seConD saturDay farMers Market
July 14
11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
LiVing history WeekenD: CaPture
of steVe MarshLanD
July 14 – 15
PauL Boruff
Elling House
July 21, 7 p.m.
Dog & grog
Bale of Hay Saloon
July 20 – 21, 9 p.m.
norris hot
sPrings MusiC
terry hiLL
July 14, 7 p.m.
Danny freunD
July 15, 7 p.m.
Dan DuBuQue
July 20, 7 p.m.
eDis With Mark sChLenz
July 21, 7 p.m.
WHERE BIGGEST SKIING IN
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loneviewridge.com

42 July 13, 2012
5TH ANNUAL
BIG AIR
IN
BIG SKY
PRESENTED BY CHOPPERS
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explorebigsky.com
explorebigsky.com
JULY 20
T W E N T Y T W E L V E
6:00 PM
• FREE TO PUBLIC
• LIVE MUSIC
• BBQ
Big Sky Weekly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
B I G S K Y T O W N C E N T E R
Also
Freestyle Motor Cross show in
front of Choppers Grub & Pub in
Big Sky, MT - watch
FMX PRO RACER,
KEITH SAYERS take
on jumps, tricks and stunts at
this thrilling event.
Fun for families and
people of all ages.
Live music and
festivities
following the show
at Choppers!
RISING LION
July 25
Sponsored by

entertainment
Wilco and
Blitzen trapper
at Big sky Brewery,
Missoula, June 28
Photos by maX lowe
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly

44 July 13, 2012
entertainment
BIG SKY – The Black Lillies, an awardwinning
Americana band from Nashville,
will play at Town Center Park on
Thursday, July 19 as part of the Arts
Council of Big Sky Summer Concert
Series.
“Earthy and gritty, their songs speak
of pain, love, revenge and revelry with
such spirit that they seem to be carved
out of the planks of an abandoned backwoods
cabin,” wrote Relix magazine
about the Black Lillies.
Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist
Cruz Contreras founded the group in
2008, and it now also includes electric
guitar and pedal steel whiz Tom Pryor
and drummer Jamie Cook, both formerly
of the everybodyfields, as well
as bassist Robert Richards and vocalist
Trisha Gene Brady. They play a mix of
country, roots, rock and blues, straight
from Appalachia.
In April 2009, the Black Lillies released
Whiskey Angel, their debut recording.
Recorded live in Cruz’s living room, it
appeared on “Best of 2009" lists across
the country and won the Independent
Music Award for Best Album, Americana.
The group’s current album, 100
Miles of Wreckage, has also been nominated
for awards and spent more than
five months on the Americana radio
Top 40 charts.
Performance highlights include playing
Bonnaroo Music and Arts, Pickathon,
CMA Festival and Fan Fair, Americana
Music Festival; appearing on National
Public Radio’s Mountain Stage; and
four separate PBS concert specials. The
band played its first show on the Grand
Ole Opry in June 2011 and has played
there nine times since.
The following week, on July 26, ACBS
will bring the refreshing, soulful
sounds of Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers
to town. Nicki came to Big Sky
last summer with her husband’s band,
the Mother Hips, and she’s excited to
return with own group this year.
Listen to her vintage-tinged brand of
rocking country, and you’ll understand
why this is a breakout year for Nicki.
explorebigsky.com
Her music is like an enchanting friend
you've known for a short while but
feels like you've known forever.
Her story began at a New Year's Eve
party, when she sang an impromptu
blues song that caught the attention of
musician/producer Tim Bluhm (The
Mother Hips). With his encouragement
she began to write songs and
perform; and they soon recorded her
debut album Toby's Song (2008), which
appeared on Jambase's top 10 albums
of the year. They married shortly after
and formed her band with childhood
friend and guitar player, Deren Ney.
With the addition of Steve Adams on
bass (ALO), Dave Mulligan on rhythm
guitar and drummer Mike Curry, the
band has continued to grown.
Nicki has since shared the stage with
Chris Robinson, Susan Tedeschi and
Derek Trucks, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh,
Steve Kimock, Jackie Greene, Pegi
Young and Josh Ritter.
Since her sophomore album, Driftwood
(2011), Nicki has become the “it girl” of
the San Francisco music scene, perform-
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
aCBs summer concert series brings Black Lillies, nicki Bluhm
Free shows in big sky town Center July 19 and 26
by brian hurlbut
arts council of big sky
we deliver
some restaurants
do italian food.
some do chinese food.
WE DO
BIG SKY
FOOD
4069952305
serving breakfast
lunch & dinner
ing with her band, the Gramblers, as a
duo with her husband, and as a guest
artist with other revered performers.
Driftwood’s sound ranges from the AM
magic of Linda Ronstadt, to the charming
duets of Johnny and June Cash, to
smokey Memphis soul.
Nicki’s warm, strong voice and striking
presence have undeniable appeal, confirmed
by her sensational performances
and rousing reception from music lovers
at every show. She and her band are
gaining traction with their Van Session
recordings on YouTube, in which they
perform a cover song while driving in
their tour van. Their version of “I Can’t
Go For That” by Hall and Oates has
almost a million and a half views.
All of this summer’s concerts are free
and take place in Town Center Park on
Ousel Falls Road in Big Sky. The park
opens at 6 p.m., and music typically
starts at 7 p.m. Food and beverages
from local vendors will be available. All
ages are welcome—but please no glass
containers or pets. Parking available.
For more information and to hear songs
from the artists, visit bigskyarts.org.

Fun
explorebigsky.com
Buscrat's fables: the contrast between wilbur and vern
While traveling the other day I seen
a couple houses out in the country.
Although they was very different in
looks, it didn’t seem too strange ‘til
I met the two brothers that lived in
‘em.
On the right side of the road was a
two-story yeller and white house
with a wraparound porch. It was
adorned with colorful flowers and
surrounded by fresh cut grass and
shady weepin’ willer trees. Behind
the house were an abundance of trees.
A rainbow arced over the house, from
one end of the property to the other.
On the other side of the road, directly
across from the yeller house, was an
identical two-story house that was
not so well kept. This one was gray
and decrepit, its paint faded and peeling.
Weeds surrounded it, and the
trees had no leaves on their branches.
What caused such a contrast? Maybe
one brother was rich and the other
brother was poor, or maybe one was
ambitious and the othern was lazy. Did
one brother just have the pride to take
care of his place while the othern gave
no never mind?
Well, I discovered it was none of them
thoughts when I met Vern and Wilbur.
Matter of fact it was the durndest thing
I ever seen.
“Good afternoon fellers,” I said. “Nice
day ain’t it?”
“I thank the good Lord for days like
this,” Vern said.
“I don’t know,” Wilbur said. “We
never have enough good days like this.
Besides sunny days like this make the
weeds grow. I’ve got enough weeds.”
Right then I noticed another color
stretch across the rainbow over the
yeller house. A dark cloud mustered
up over the gray one, thundering and
raining.
Just then one of the neighbors walked
up and gave each of the brothers a
huckleberry pie.
“I’m surprised you even brought me
one,” Wilbur said. “You always bring
Vern twice as much stuff, and he always
gets the better ones. But thanks
anyway.”
“You can choose which pie you’d like
first then, Mr. Hinkle,” she said.
Wilbur reached out and took one of
the pies.
Vern took the other pie, and said,
“Oh, I love huckleberry pie. Thank
you for taking the time to make these.
You make the best pies in the world,
Mrs. Carter.”
Mrs. Carter’s eyes grew and her smile
widened twice’t as wide. “Why,
thank you, Vern. If you’d like I’ll
bring you some ice cream to go with
it.”
“Don’t go out of your way,” Vern
said. “But if you happen to come by,
I’d love some of your homemade ice
cream. I been telling folks it’s the best
in the county.”
Mrs. Carter turned around and happily
sauntered away.
Wilbur’s pie sunk in a little and
turned dark on the edges like it was
burnt. Vern’s smelled delicious, a
specimen of a perfect pie.
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While we was all admiring Vern’s pie
the constable drove up.
“Just letting you know that there has
been some vandalism in these parts, so
be on the lookout,” he said.
“It’s about time you looked for the
vandals,” Wilbur said. “They smashed
my pumpkins on my porch.”
“I’ll give you a few more pumpkins,
Wilbur,” Vern said. Then he turned to
the constable. “I appreciate you keeping
our town safe, Constable. Thank you
for the good work.”
“No problem, Vern,” the constable said.
“You know, I’ve got some extra fencing
material if you’d like it for your garden
to keep the rabbits out.”
“That’s quite neighborly of ya, Constable.
I’ll gladly accept,” Vern said.
Right then the last pumpkin at the gray
house rolled off the porch and exploded
as it hit the ground. The pumpkin
patch at the yeller house grew double
the pumpkins while we was a standing
there.
Buscrat's fables are simple stories that
teach a moral. Buscrat welcomes you to
visit buscratsfables.com and post your
comments regarding the fable.
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Further FetChins
adventures between montana and alaska
swat. swat. run!
by mike mannelin
big sky weekly columnist
He landed with the precision of a fighter pilot, braving
the gusty winds. The air was full of the flying
little black dots. I can’t say how they do it in these
conditions without running into each other. Once
he safely found the best spot to insert the needle, he
did so without hesitation. I hit him before he even
knew it was coming, squashing the gigantic mosquito
the second I felt him bite.
It’s July, and the bugs are bad in Alaska. By bad,
I mean I’m in the middle of their favorite habitat
and they know it. My mouth stays closed when I
breathe, and if I’m walking with the wind, I run.
The swarms take about one second to encapsulate
my head. And they all party together: mosquitoes,
gnats, no-see-um’s, you name it. If it’s small and it
bites, it’s probably flying circles around my head.
As a human in an animal’s world, I’m a part of the
food chain, and I do believe I’m a delicacy. It seems
human flesh is rare in this part of remote Alaska,
and it’s got to be easier pickin’s than the bears or the
caribou.
I swat with my hands, and still they swarm between
swats. I had started carrying a head net in my pocket
for just such a windless occasion, but I can’t bring
myself to wear it.
“I just gotta get used to it.” I say to myself. “They’re
not biting.”
46 July 13, 2012 explorebigsky.com
Swat. Swat. Run!
Running is the only escape. I can outrun the bugs
if I pick up the pace to a fast jog. If I turn and head
into the wind, they don’t stand a chance.
Mouth closed. Hood up. Swat. Swat. Run!
They outnumbered me by a million to one, and they
were winning. I couldn’t stop for 2 seconds to tie
my shoe. There they were, the same swarm that was
around my head a quarter mile ago. How did they
follow me? I thought I ditched them. Should I put
on the head net?
Swat. Swat. Run!
I could only run into the wind for so long before I
had to turn around and head back.
Swat.
Swat.
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Run faster. I could only run so fast. It was no use. I
stopped and walked, breathing through my teeth so
I wouldn’t inhale or swallow any more bugs than I
had to.
I cut the grass around the cabin a couple days before,
hoping it would send all the little ones out and
about with the wind. It only seemed to make matters
worse. They were everywhere. The only cure is
winter, freezing temps, snow, or more wind.
Swat! Swat! Run!
I figured by the time their big hatch was over and
they were on their way elsewhere, I would be well
trained to run a marathon. I even came up with a
solution for those training plateaus some runners
had been complaining about. Perhaps I should box
up the bugs and send them to trainers around the
world. I think I may be on to something.
Swat! Swat! Run!
Mike Mannelin is a skier with roots in Minnesota,
Montana, and Alaska. He gains his inspiration in life
by spending time in the mountains with friends.
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47520 Gallatin Rd. • Big Sky, MT 59716

wanderer at rest
the great outdoors, etc.
by Jamie balke
big sky weekly columnist
Having been a major wimp and not
gone camping for a couple of years,
I knew it was time to get back in the
tent. My brother is a raft guide on the
Gallatin River, and I decided to meet
him after work on Monday and sort
out finding a campsite then.
I stopped by the Forest Service office
in Bozeman that morning for maps
and advice about fire restrictions and
campgrounds, then headed home
to dig through my closet in search
of my long mislaid equipment. We
were going car camping, so I packed a
French press, heavy camp chairs and
a Therm-a-Rest. Since our evening
would start late, I decided to pick up a
prepared meal from the Co-op on the
way out of town.
Clearly, we would not be roughing it.
I also bought a relatively inexpensive
bundle of wood from the grocery
store, which—as if designed for forgetful
people like me—conveniently
came with kindling and matches.
I met up with my brother around
7:30, and he immediately presented a
map drawn by one of his co-workers
that showed the way to an “awesome
campsite.” To get there, we’d have
to make several turns onto Forest
Service roads that weren’t labeled and
a possible stream crossing.
It was relatively late in the evening,
so I showed him an established
campground on one of the maps I’d
picked up that morning. Plus, I said,
because of fire restrictions, we could
only have a fire at a Forest Service
campground. He acquiesced, and we
caravanned over to Spire Rock.
The spot we picked was in a beautifully
forested area with enough of a
break in the canopy to see the rock
formations for which the campground
is named. Our site was far enough
from the neighboring ones, and right
next to Storm Castle Creek.
As the sun was setting, I re-learned
how to set up my tent. My brother
worked on building a fire in the ring,
and I described to him how I’d spilled
food on my pants earlier in the day
and was convinced I was going to be
disemboweled by a bear. Perhaps I
should have changed my clothes if I
was so worried. As usual, my imagination
was totally overactive.
We plopped down in the comfy camp
chairs by the fire and tucked into a
meal of salads, berries and brownies.
My brother had spent all day on the
river and ravenously attacked a bag of
bagels, roasting them on a stick over
the fire. He explained interesting
and useful information about building
campfires, and I taught him that
in Girl Scouts I learned if the smoke
blows in your direction, you should
yell “fuzzy bunnies.”
After extinguishing the campfire,
I crawled into my tent. My brother
slept under the stars. Curled up in
my sleeping bag, I tried to convince
myself that my tent was a bear shield.
Finally, the sound of the creek lulled
me to sleep.
In the morning I visited the outhouse,
which was covered in moss. It
looked like something you might find
in the Shire. There, I was confronted
by the lowest toilet that I’ve ever
encountered—apparently designed
by and for hobbits.
Later, after a breakfast of apricot
juice, coffee and bagels, we hung out
at the campsite as the sun reclaimed
the sky. In addition to being a great
re-acquaintance with camping, the
trip was a good reminder of the
incredible recreational opportunities
in this area.
Jamie Balke moved to Bozeman in
the fall of 2009. She can generally be
found behind the cover of a book, meandering
down a trail or desperately
trying not to kill houseplants.

A change in perspective can be refreshing.
Stand on top of a mountain on a clear,
bluebird day, and take in the view from
every direction. It might seem cliché,
but it’s true: Mountains give you new
perspective. And besides, they’re one
of the main reasons I love it here.
Lone Mountain is the peak I see every
morning as I take my dog for a walk. It’s
what I see every evening on my drive
home from work. When I turn the
corner at the Conoco station, it’s there,
welcoming me back to Big Sky. You
might think it would be easy for me to
take this mountain for granted, but instead,
it has the opposite effect, pulling
me closer each day.
I recently had the fortune of standing
atop this beautiful peak, and remem-
noun: wild or rough terrain
adjacent to a developed area
origin: shortened form of
“back 40 acres”
bered all over
again how
different the
perspective of
looking at the
mountain is
from being on
its summit.
A long time
skier and Big
Sky resident,
I’ve been on
top of Lone
Mountain
many times
during the
winter. There
is the first trip
up the tram each season, riding in a car
of giddy locals who all race to sign out
for the Big Couloir or North Summit
Snowfield. There’s the excitement
of arriving on top with a handful of
friends, preparing to ski down on a
two-foot powder day in the middle of
March. Even the adventure of following
the ropeline down when the top of
the peak is veiled in clouds and snow
is blowing into my face to find a few
untouched turns is a reward.
These interactions with the mountain
are all special to me, but the peak in the
summer is another experience.
There’s a saying that people move to Big
Sky for the winter but stay because of
the summer. The day I rode up the tram
was perfect: 75 degrees, sunny, with a
slight breeze.
My husband and I sat on the Swift
Current chair in shorts and tennis
shoes, with long-sleeved shirts, water
and sunscreen in a backpack. Mountain
bikers tore down trails below us, and
hikers meandered through the woods.
When we unloaded at the mid-mountain
station, a truck with safari seating
was waiting for our group.
After a short drive, full of its own beautiful
scenery, we arrived at the tram
station and piled in for the trip to the
top. It felt strangely spacious compared
to the winter ride I was accustomed to,
with everyone having a view looking
outward as the guide pointed out the
mountains around us.
The real perspective change came at the
top, however.
The world seemed to slow down as I
looked at our little town below. From
11,166 feet, you can’t see movement
in the valleys, just a quiet landscape of
smaller moauntains, green meadows
and teal mountain lakes colored by
glacial sediment.
As the valley stood still, the mountaintop
came alive. White butterflies fluttered
by me. A ladybug warmed itself
explorebigsky.com
For the big sky weekly, the back 40 is a resource: a
place where we can delve into subjects and ask experts
to share their knowledge. topics include regional
history, profiles of local artists and musicians, snow and
avalanche education, how-to pieces for traditional or
outdoor skills, and science.
a local’s look at the Lone Peak expedition
by katie morrison
big sky weekly staff writer
Got Noxious Weeds?
We can help!
Noxious Weed Spotlight: Hoary Alyssum
Hoary alyssum, commonly called whitetop, is an annual,
biennial, or perennial in the mustard family and can grow
up to three feet tall. It’s proven to be highly invasive, as
it’s particularly adapted to dry conditions. All parts of the
plant are covered with short, star-shaped hairs that give
the plant a silver-grayish appearance. You can find it
almost everywhere; along roads, trails, gravelly stream
banks, in lawns, vacant lots, and overgrazed pastures. It’s
toxic to horses, and remains toxic in cured hay.
More photos & information @ www.bigskyweeds.org.
Photo by Chad Jones
Now is a great time to manage the noxious weeds on
your property, and the Gallatin/Big Sky Noxious Weed
Committee can help!
We provide free onsite assistance, including
identifying weeds on your property & recommending
treatment methods.
For assistance, contact Jennifer Mohler at
406‐209‐0905 or bigskyweeds@gmail.com,
and visit www.bigskyweeds.org.
Visit us at our booth at the Big Sky Farmers Market!
Help protect wildlife habitat, water resources,
& native plants by controlling noxious weeds!
big sky weekly
on a piece of shale. The cool breeze felt
refreshing as it chilled my legs. I picked
up a handful of snow, and it melted into
my hands.
Every direction I looked was a world
unto itself, everywhere, contrasts.
The Tetons were just visible at the edge
of the southern horizon, while the
Sphinx, almost unrecognizable without
its winter coat of snow, felt close
enough to touch.
Bright green meadows at the base of
Cedar Mountain stood out against
the drying yellowish grass in the
neighboring Madison Valley. A slight
pinkish hue from the fires burning to
the Northwest gave the midday sky a
sunset-like look.
I became more aware of myself—of my
heart beating slowly and my breathing
as it deepened. A sense of calm came
over me, and I wanted to stay there all
day.
I realized that in all of the times I’d
been on top of the peak before, I hadn’t
really ever taken it all in. I’d been
focused instead on my route to the bottom,
even if I took a quick look around
while waiting for my time slot on the
Snowfield or as I skied toward the Yeti
Traverse.
When it came time to go back down, I
didn’t want to leave. Our group loaded
back on the tram and quietly rode back
to the lower tram station. As the others
went back to the truck bound for the
base area, we decided to hike instead.
We just weren’t quite ready to join the
world below.
For more information or to make a reservation,
visit bigskyresort.com