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Big Sky

Big Sky’s Locally Owned & Published Newspaper

February 4, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #3

What is SNOTEL? And why you should know how to use it

Featured Artist: Tina DeWeese

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Lone Mountain’s Rock Glacier

montana tourism

Photo by mike martins

explorebigsky.com

Big Sky February 4, 2011 Volume 2, Issue 3 CEO, PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric Ladd

Big Sky Weekly

explorebigsky Southwest Montana's News * Business * Video * Media Network

COO & SENIOR EDITOR Megan Paulson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mike Martins MANAGING EDITOR Emily Stifler GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelsey Dzintars EDITOR Abbie Digel Sales Director Hunter Rothwell Distribution Director Danielle Chamberlain VIDEOGRAPHER Brian Niles CONTRIBUTors Laura Bell, Deb Courson, Kathy Cretella, Caitlynn Florentine, Kaleb Gale, Dave Granger, Sara Hoovler, Katie Middleton, Mauray Miller, Eddy Murphy, Brandon Niles, David Nolt, Nate Opp, Noelle Norloff, Jaquie Rager, Shawn Robertson, Greer Schott, Katie Smith, Leila Zucker, MD

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 the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the opinion 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.

With 2011 underway and the winter season in full swing, we are excited to officially announce the launch of explorebigsky.com – the online component and third tier of the Outlaw Partners media family.

we’ve discovered people need to be able to access information about the region. This website enables visitors to plan amazing trips and stay in touch with the area after they return home.

explorebigsky is a one-stop shop for Southwest Montana news, information and businesses. Daily stories and video components offer a multimedia way to experience stories and business profiles throughout the area.

Current and archived editions of the Big Sky Weekly and Mountain Outlaw magazine are also available on the site.

Equally important is keeping locals engaged and driving local traffic to businesses around the region. Want to check the daily snow report at 13 Montana resorts without going to 13 websites? Check out explorebigsky’s home page for the live feed.

Need a coupon for dinner? Click on restaurants or companies in the Business Directory location offering special deals.

With millions of visitors coming to Southwest Montana every year,

Anyone can be a part of explorebigsky.

From an advertising perspective –

clients in the Weekly and Mountain Outlaw now get twice the value, as each edition is posted online. In return, explorebigsky advertisers receive even more value, as traffic is driven to the site across multiple platforms.

If you have questions on how you or your business can get involved, or if you’d like to learn more about the site, feel free to email me or call the Outlaw Partners office at (406) 995-2055.

Cheers, Megan Paulson, COO megan@theoutlawpartners.com

Paper Distribution Distributed every other Friday in towns across Southwest Montana, including Big Sky, Bozeman, West Yellowstone, Three Forks and Livingston.

CORRECTIONS The Big Sky Weekly runs corrections to errors we’ve printed. Please report them to emily@theoutlawpartners.com OUTLAW PARTNERS & THE BIG SKY WEEKLY P.O. Box 160250 Big Sky, MT 59716 explorebigsky.com (406) 995-2055 media@theoutlawpartners.com © 2011 The Big Sky Weekly Unauthorized reproduction prohibited

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Letter to the Editor Parameters This is a platform for readers to express views and share ways they would like to effect change.

The Weekly will run letters, positive or negative, of 250 words or less that are respectful, ethical, state accurate facts and figures, and are proofread for grammar and content. State your position clearly on one issue, elaborate with supporting evidence, and recommend action for a unique resolution. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Please include: first and last name, address, phone number and title. Send letters to emily@theoutlawpartners.com.

Table of Contents Community…4

Health & Wellness…29

Local News…7

Collage…31

Regional…9

Food & Dining…33

Montana…15

Music Hunter…34

Gallery…17

Events…35

Profile…19

Business Directory…36

Explore…21

Classifieds…39

Outdoors…22

Fun…40

Sports…25

Youth…41

Column…27

Back 40…43

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Big Sky Weekly

community 31st Annual Ophir School Pie Auction Slated for March 12 Save the date and don’t be late for this very important date: The 31st Annual Ophir School Pie Auction is Saturday, March 12 at Buck’s T-4 at 7 p.m.This year’s theme is The Mad Hatter. Come in costume or come as you are to the school’s largest fundraiser of the year. Admission is free for this fun-filled event.

The Pie Auction began as a simple auction of homemade pies to raise money for incidental expenses at Ophir, and is now the number one fund-raising event for the school and provides the bulk of the funding necessary to pay for the ski and swim programs, field trips, classroom supplies, artists in residence and more.

“It is no understatement to say that many of the special programs which make Ophir what it is would not be possible without the funds we raise at the pie auction,” said Auction Chair Kimmi Warga. “We are also taking into account the state of the

Big Sky Fire Department

local and national economy with this year’s event.”

Warga said the organization has been actively cutting corners wherever possible and scrutinizing all funding requests in order to preserve operational funds for all-school programs such as plays, trips, athletics and more.

“Our primary fundraising goal is to pay for the programs which have become core to the Ophir School experience, and to be able to continue to meet the needs of our teachers. We aren’t looking to break any records.” Instead, says Warga, she is looking at this year’s pie auction as an opportunity to bring the Big Sky community together.

The auction promises local entertainment and a casual, non-intimidating atmosphere for community members to enjoy. The pie auction isn’t only a fundraiser. “It is a chance to come together and celebrate what makes Big Sky so great. And that’s the community—with the school as it’s heart.”

CPR Classes are offered by appointment as needed at a nominal charge.

Please call Station 1 at 995-2100 to arrange for a class.

1/22 – 01:25-02:45 – Fire personnel responded to a False Alarm.

1/22 – 16:24-16:40 – Fire personnel responded to a False Alarm at Big Sky Resort.

1/23 – 11:30-11:52 – A woman walked into Big Sky Fire Station 1. Patient received BLS and refused transport.

1/24 – 13:31-17:30 – EMS personnel responded to Moonlight Ski Patrol. Patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 1/24 – 14:30-15:00 – Fire personnel did a service call for unknown smell. No hazardous conditions were found.

And while this event is to raise money for the school’s children, it is an adultonly affair, as alcohol will be available for purchase. Eighth graders are available for hire for babysitting. To hire an eighth-grader, please contact Nettie Breuner at (406) 995-4281 ext 227. To volunteer for the pie auction or make a donation, please contact Kimmi Warga at kimmilh66@aol.com or 995-2943.

MBA Expands Operations, Offers Yurt Dinner private backcountry yurt that overlooks the entire valley and offers excellent star gazing.

“Getting away from everything is what makes the experience so enjoyable,” said Daily.

The cats drop guests off at the yurt, a large, circular, fixed walled tent, 30 feet in diameter. This yurt is a modern variation of ancient shelters used by central Asian travelers in the mountains of Mongolia, Siberia and Russia for centuries. Yurts withstand extreme conditions, are well insulated, and remain efficiently heated in temperatures below -40 degrees F. Montana Backcountry Adventures has been serving Big Sky for over 10 years under the leadership of Kevin Daily, a native Western New Yorker and winter adventure enthusiast.

While originally a snowcat skiing operation, since 2004 MBA has operated on the slopes of Big Sky Resort offering their popular Montana Yurt Dinner, and most recently the Shedhorn Grille, a yurt located just under the Shedhorn lift that serves burgers, brats and beer.

The yurt dinner experience begins when the snowcat picks up guests outside of the Summit Hotel at 6:30. Drink in hand, guests climb atop or inside the enclosed passenger snowcats (named Betsy and Dolly) and enjoy the 20-minute ride to the

Before the candlelit dinner of beef tenderloin or Alaskan salmon, grilled veggies, and mashed potatoes all served family style, guests socialize around the bonfire or race down the torch-lit sledding hill. Desert is a Toblerone chocolate fondue served with fruit and pound cake. MBA does not provide alcohol, but guests may bring their own.

“We get people coming back who bring guests out multiple times during the season,” said Daily. “Folks say this is the best meal they’ve had in Big Sky; it’s simple, honest and truly Montana.” (406) 995-3880 or @skimba.com A.D

1/24 – 16:13-17:38 – EMS personnel responded.

Patient received BLS care and was transported to Big Sky Medical Clinic.

1/25 – 10:38-11:35 – EMS personnel responded.

Patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 1/25 – 11:16-15:00 - EMS personnel responded to Big Sky Medical Clinic. Patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 1/25 – 12:06-15:10 - EMS personnel responded to Big Sky Resort. Patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 1/27 – 06:33-07:30 – Fire and EMS personnel responded to Big Sky Resort. Patient refused care and transport.

1/27 – 08:30-11:30 – Fire and EMS personnel responded to a single vehicle rollover. One patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 1/28 – 09:26-13:00 – A man walked into Big Sky Fire Station 1. Patient received BLS and was transported to BDH. 1/28 – 09:57-10:15 – Fire personnel responded to a False Alarm.

1/28- 12:57-17:25 - EMS personnel responded to Big Sky Ski Patrol. Patient received ALS care and was transported to BDH. 1/28 -17:54-18:54 – EMS personnel responded.

Patient received BLS care and refused transport.

1/28 – 21:33-22:45 – EMS personnel responded.

Patient received BLS care and refused transport.

February is Library Lovers’ Month.

Have you visited your local library recently? This month long celebration of school, public and private libraries is a time for library supporters to “recognize the value of libraries and to work to assure that the Nation’s libraries will continue to serve.” says librarysupport.net.

Celebrated Montana Artists to Show Work at First Annual Big Sky Meadow Village Center Art Walk Join artists and Meadow Village Center businesses on Saturday February 19 from 2-8 p.m. to celebrate the incredible talent of some of Montana’s finest artists.

“This is the first time we have done a Meadow Village Center wide art walk and we hope to make it an annual event. Our goal is to expose Big Sky area guests not only to the artists and their

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work but also to the diverse businesses housed in the Meadow Village Center complex,” said Cathy Gorman of Big Sky Sotheby’s.

at each sponsored business location. Guests are encouraged to purchase a piece of artwork from their favorite artist.

The event is free to the participants and to the public. It will be a self guided walking tour taking guests from one end of the complex to the other. There will be maps available of the Meadow Village Center with a list of artists

Each artist will be sponsored by a different business who will provide space for the artist to exhibit their pieces. The businesses will also serve refreshments to the public. Only resident Montana artists were invited to this event.

Participating Artists: Gary Lynn Roberts Jerry Inman Don Greytak Loren Kovich Ken Mayernik Sarah Capp Tobin Capp Jim Dick Peggy Ring Terry Hall Pat Branting

Whitney Hall Nick Oberling Gary Carter Jacqueline Rieder-Hud Ryan Turner Eric Ross Alan Snell Jeff Brandner Barbara Dillon Ariane Coleman Carol Spielman

community

Big Sky Weekly

Obituary Raymond D. Ryan Raymond D. Ryan died at his home in Big Sky on Sunday, January 16, 2011 after an extended fight with cancer. He was 88 years old.

Raymond Ryan was born to Robert Allen and Elsie Beery Ryan on February 7, 1922. He was the youngest member of a Montana homesteading family. His siblings included Ralph, Louise, Bonnie, and Viola, all of whom preceded him in death. In the early years of the Great Depression, his family moved to Big Timber, Montana from their homestead in the foothills of the Crazy Mountains.

For most of his childhood, Mr. Ryan lived in Big Timber. He attended Sweet Grass County High School, matriculating to the University of Montana in 1941.

While attending U of M, Ray met Eunice Dale Burnett, then of Missoula. They were married on January 17, 1943. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Ryan interrupted his studies to join the U.S. Army and served in Europe with the 104th Infantry Division. The 104th (The Timberwolves) fought in the front lines for 195 consecutive days from Cherbourg, France, through Belgium and Holland, and finally, into central Germany. Ray was part of the liberation of a horrid SS concentration camp and the V-bomb slave labor camp, both near Nordhausen, Germany.

After World War II, Ray returned to Montana, completed his education, received a BA and a law degree from U of M and was admitted to the Montana Bar in 1948. The following year, he earned a Masters in Laws of Taxation at New York University and was admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court.

In 1946 Ray and Dale had the first of their three children: Raymond Brant, born November 12, 1946.

The couple’s two additional children, Brenda Ruth (October 4, 1950), and Ronald Dale (December 5, 1959) were born in Missoula, Montana and Duluth, Minnesota, respectively.

Ray worked for United States Steel Corporation for much of his career, holding financial officer positions with the company in the United States and Venezuela, between 1949 and 1975. In 1975, Mr. Ryan was promoted to Treasurer of the corporation and served in that capacity until he retired December 31, 1982.

In 1984, Mr. Ryan began an entrepreneurial career in insurance as President of The Evergreen Group Inc., a corporate owned life insurance concern first based in New York City followed by a move to Stamford,

Connecticut in 1994. He served in the additional role of Chairman in 1995 and 1996 until the company was sold to Hartford Life. He later founded Evergreen Benefits Inc., 1996-99, and was Chairman of The Money Suite Company in Missoula, Montana, 1999 to present.

Throughout his life, Ray’s passions were his wife, his family, his careers and his native Montana. He loved to fly fish and often returned to Big Timber to wade the Boulder River, where he grew-up fishing. Mr. Ryan was a long-time member of the Big Sky Resort community. He was among the early owners of a vacation home at the resort in 1974 and was a full-time resident from 1996 until his passing.

Ray was an active member of Board of Trustees of U of M. Also, he was member of Phi Sigma Kappa, and Phi Delta Phi. During his career he served on the Board of Junior Achievement, and enjoyed his memberships in the Metropolitan Club in New York, the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh and the Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.

Ray’s wife predeceased him on May 22, 2009. Raymond D. Ryan is survived by his son, Raymond B. Ryan and his wife, Betsy of Darien, CT; his daughter, Brenda R. Ryan, of Denver, CO; and Ronald D. Ryan and his wife, Martha, of Knoxville, TN. He is also survived by grandchildren Reed B. Ryan, and his spouse, Taiga M. Ryan of Frisco, CO; Carrie E. Ryan of Washington, DC; and Rachel Grace, Rebecca Dale, and Roland Rex Ryan of Knoxville, TN. A great granddaughter, Holly Liang, was born to Reed and Taiga on September 8, 2010.

A memorial service for Raymond D. Ryan will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, February 7 at the Big Sky Chapel. Gifts in memory of Ray should be sent to the U of M Foundation, P.O. Box 7159, Missoula, MT 59807-7159.

February 4, 2011 5

Why market your business in the Big Sky Weekly ?

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We are one of the largest regional newspapers in Montana. 6,000 copies of the paper printed each edition!

Over 200 delivery points throughout S/W Montana including Gallatin Field Airport Online access to daily news updates and the newspaper posted on ExploreBigSky.com Quality production and editorial writing about relevant issues Extensive distribution coverage with Big Sky, Moonlight, Spanish Peaks and Yellowstone Club resorts.

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Limited advertising available in each edition - our paper is NOT full of ads.

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No newspaper inserts - first impressions make a difference.

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The newspaper business is alive and well in S/W Montana!

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O U R C L I E N T S S E E R E S U LT S : “I wanted you to know how much I appreciate the profile article and ad you guys did in the current publication of the Weekly! Two years ago, I offered a free introductory Integrative Relaxation class and I only had sparse attendance. This year I had to add a second class to accommodate space requirements. My friends, family and colleagues are happy with the story and love the ad. you guys rock!”

Delilah Price Eakman, RYT® Certified Integrative Relaxation Facilitator

Big Sky Big Sky Big Sky Big Sky’s Locally Owned & Published Newspaper

Call Hunter for advertising opportunities t: 406-995-2055 // m: 406-600-8026 hunter@theoutlawpartners.com

December Newspaper Big Sky’s Locally Owned & Published 10, 2010 Volume 1 // Issue #4

Pray for Snow

aper & Published Newsp December 24, 2010 Sky’s Locally Owned Big Volume 1 // Issue #5

Featured Big Sky Artists

Ariane Ogburn Coleman & Jill Zeidle r

HappyStat Holidays e Ballot Mea

sures

January 7, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #1

The Outlaw Partners How do they affect you? provide marketing grants

Hockey debuts Profile: Lee and y Big Sk inPoole

the future of Moonlight & Brady Dawson Case Raden Big Sky Hobby skate at the new Hockey Arena Photo // Eric Ladd

Boot Fitting Tips Commercial Trucking back on Highway 191 Ski Bum 101 Big Sky welcomes Wounded Warriors

Tips and Tales from Big Sky Snow Sports

Photo by Brian NIles

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media@theoutlawpartners.com

BYEP in 10th year of service to youth

Rider // Mark Davidson Photographer // John Marshall Location // Big Sky

media@theoutlawpartners.com

Local food from l Gallatin Valley Botanica explorebigsky.com

February 4, 2011 6

Big Sky Weekly

local news

Third Annual Billy Poole Memorial Fund/BYEP Event brings together local youth and pro skiers in Big Sky The Billy Poole Memorial Fund and Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP) invite the public to attend their third annual collaboration at Big Sky Resort. On February 5 and 6, professional skiers and snowboarders will join BYEP groups to shred the slopes at Big Sky in memory of ski legend Billy Poole, and in support of BYEP’s adventure-based mentoring programs for local, at-risk youth.

On Friday night at 8 p.m., The Pour House (a popular bar/restaurant in Bozeman) is hosting a fundraising/poster-signing event for the public in support of the Billy Poole Memorial Fund.

Athletes will then partner with BYEP groups to ski and ride on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday afternoon, the pros will assemble at the

base of the resort for a public poster-signing event.

Participating pros include rock stars Scot Schmidt, Julian Carr, Rachael Burks, Jamie Pierre, and Drew Stoecklein, as well as local heroes Ryan Turner, Paul Herberger, Mark Parent, Travis Anderson, Dan Armstrong and Jason Schutz.

To learn more about these empowering organizations, visit: billypooleskifoundation.org and byep.org For specific details on the BPMF/BYEP collaboration, contact Dave Granger at dave@ byep.org or (406) 599-6090.

RSVPs for this year’s collaboration should go to Rachael Burks at rachaelburks@gmail. com or (801) 414-6312.

Zoning and Development in Big Sky

By Emily Stifler In the late 1980s, Big Sky residents began planning zoning and regulations for their community.

In 1996, as a result of a citizen’s initiative, the community adopted the Gallatin/Canyon Big Sky Zoning Regulations, the Capital Improvements Policy (CIP) and the Development Plan. In an application for resort tax funding in 2010, the Big Sky Advisory Committee defined these: -The Plan is the document that embraces the community’s vision for this area.

-The Regulation ‘develops the vision’ by assigning entitlements, setbacks, standards, etc.

-The CIP is intended to provide the infrastructure, be it in services, housing or roads, to support new development and the existing community.

The Committee reviews applications and petitions in the zoning

district that are submitted to the Gallatin County Planning and Zoning Commission or the County Commission and makes written recommendations for approval or denial to the County.

The Committee’s five members are: Mindy C. Nowakowski, Tom Reeves, Bill Simkins, Becky Pape and Steve Johnson. The Gallatin County Planning and Zoning Commission appointed them to these positions, and they volunteer their time.

Currently, the County Planning Department and the Committee are working on a list of comprehensive amendments to the Regulation. In the resort tax application, the Committee wrote that updating the CIP, and subsequently the Plan, were likely the most important aspects of this project, “due to its far reaching benefit to the greater Big Sky Community.” The CIP has not been amended since

The Committee meets the first Monday of every month at 9:30 a.m. in the Big Sky Water and Sewer building. They encourage the public to attend. This month’s meeting will be Monday, February 7. Their agenda will include: 1. Discussion with Tischler-Bise on the Capital Improvements Policy Project

1996, when it was adopted with the Regulation.

In its work, the Committee intends to “address the effects of new development and incorporate measures to mitigate negative effects of development.” They are designing the CIP to “facilitate desired growth by providing for necessary infrastructure and public service needs, while protecting social and environmental qualities that make Big Sky a unique place to live.”

County Planner, Tim Skop, says when the project moves into the formal adoption phase—at the earliest late spring or early summer 2011—the public will then be able to comment on that before it goes forward to the Commission. At that time, public notice and outreach will ramp up and all public comments will be considered prior to adoption.

2. Review and Discussion of Northwestern Energy Text Amendment Application addressing Electric Transmission and Distribution Lines (no formal action will be taken until March) 3. Ongoing Discussion with County Attorney regarding Bed and Breakfasts, Commercial Events, and Short Term Rentals Text Amendment Language

Ophir School Board Update There was a school board meeting on Wednesday, January 26. On the agenda was University of Montana Days at LPHS, where, UM Provost Perry Brown will be at LPHS on Monday Feb 7 to launch the program. This series of five college lectures to LPHS students is part of the ongoing integration with UM, which includes dual-credit for university level classes. Currently mathematics department Head Paul Swenson offers pre-calculus courses which earn LPHS and UM credit— one of only 10 high schools in the state.

The Ophir/LPHS Long Term Strategic Plan was presented for discussion and review.

Highlights include the creation of a School District Balanced Scorecard, Montana Comprehensive Assessment System targets and a focus on academic rigor and excellence in the community.

Also discussed was the possibility of naming rights of the new Performing Arts Center in conjunction with the Warren Miller Freedom Foundation, an organization that educates aspiring youth and adults in the fundamental principles of entrepreneurship.

The Board accepted the resignation of Health Enhancement teacher Steve McInaney for personal reasons. Steve made a valuable contribution to strengthening our ties to become a NOLS affiliated school (National Outdoor Leadership School) The Board recognized Dr. James Eidson and Christian Johnsen for meritorious service on the School Board. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 4 p.m. in the Ophir School/Big Sky Community Library.

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Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

regional

Traveling School/Project WET Collaboration

By Nicole Rosenleaf Ritter In late January, two members of the newest class of The Traveling School (a Bozeman-based study abroad program for high school girls) visited the Project WET Foundation to learn about teaching the Foundation’s water, sanitation and hygiene materials to prepare for the school’s upcoming trip to Latin America. The training is similar to one that occurred last fall for a different semester group, who traveled throughout Africa.

The girls had a wonderful experience with the innovative, hands-on materials. Traveling School Program Coordinator Jennifer Royall described one of their trainings in a Zulu village on the coast of the Indian Ocean this way: The 14 TTS students broke into three groups: one group taught Project WET’s “Handwashing Song”, one taught “Healthy Habits Tag” and the third group demonstrated the Project WET skit on how consuming unclean water can make a person sick. TTS students had not expected to have the entire Primary School’s undivided attention, but when they did, they quickly adapted their plan to divide the 75-85 students

into three stations to teach all the material they had prepared. By the end of the lesson every student understood how waterborne diseases are transmitted, how healthy habits to reduce the spread of disease and how to appropriately wash their hands—all the while, laughing, smiling and enjoying the interactive, experiential learning.

The informal partnership between Project WET and The Traveling School benefits both TTS students and local communities in the places they visit. This round of training would be especially meaningful because it comes ahead of Project WET’s publication (with the support of UN-Habitat) of Spanish-language materials and activities designed specifically for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Project WET has been around since 1984, with the goal of reaching children, parents, educators and communities with water education. Active in all 50 states and in more than 50 countries around the world, Project WET is headquartered in Bozeman.

“Right to Know” Fracking Bill Debated On January 21, in Helena, the Montana Legislature held a debate on company secrets versus the public’s right to know. A hearing was held on a proposal that would require oil and gas companies to provide a list of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”), in the interest of protecting residents and first-responders at accidents near fracking projects.

only be available to emergency personnel in the event of an accident, and to homeowners who might encounter ground or water contamination.

Sharon Sweeney Fee, a Livingston nurse, testified. “We want something available, not unlike what we have available on train cars now, so when anybody needs to know—because there has been an accident—they can look and see what these people have been exposed to.”

“If there’s any release in any of these areas, we need to know. Rural hospitals, rural clinics, really need to have the knowledge to protect themselves and their workers.”

Montana’s bill would help protect company secrets. Information would

“I am free from guilt, blame and sorrow.”

-Integrative Relaxation Participant

By Deb Courson

There has been industry push-back because some companies consider the chemical mix to be proprietary. They don’t want competitors stealing the recipe, which can number hundreds of chemicals. Known ingredients include methanol and formaldehyde. Federally-listed side effects of methanol include nervous and respiratory system problems. Formaldehyde side effects include skin disorders and cancer.

Traveling School Teacher Allegra Fischer acting out a skit (she is a mosquito) as part of a Project WET activity demonstrating the transmission and prevention of Dengue Fever. The activity also covered other diseases that relate to water such as dysentery, cholera and typhoid fever.

INTEGRATIVE RELAXATION

is an ancient form of progressive rest. It is a tool used to alleviate insomnia, fear, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, PTSD and other stress related issues. We will use breath and body awareness to move into deeper and deeper levels of relaxation beyond the dream state to a place of quiet calm. Yet, you are awake and alert and able to follow directions. Integrative Relaxation gives you an opportunity to develop new ways to deal with everyday life situations.

Given the rural nature of oil and gas development, Sweeney Fee says it’s important that small health care facilities be ‘in the know.’

Offering a SECOND series of Integrative Relaxation Classes** Please join us

Wyoming is already phasing in requirements to disclose ingredients.

The Northern Plains Resource Council helped craft Montana’s bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Bob Hawks (D-Bozeman).

Editor’s note: The committee did not take action on the bill after the hearing. Opposition was strong, with state regulators making the case that since there’s never been a big accident in Montana, there’s no need for the law. Involved Senators may amend the bill to address industry concerns that it could delay drilling projects.

Buck’s T-4 Rainbow Room

NEW SERIES!

Thursday evenings starting February 17 through March 24, 2011 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. $75 per person or $125 for couples **These classes will not be offered again this season after this Second Series.

Delilah Price Eakman, RYT® Certified Integrative Relaxation Facilitator Certified Restorative Yoga Trainer To register for this class, or schedule other private classes call Delilah: 406-581-2442 or email delilah2104@gmail.com

February 4, 2011 9

Big Sky Weekly

T H E W E S T M AY B E W I L D , but it’s not uncivilized

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Big Sky Weekly

regional

This January, wolves were observed just north of Gardiner surrounding a herd of elk, testing for weak or injured animals. Each spring, elk and antelope calves are targets for hunting packs. Yet nature provides both species with unique protection.

Elk calves have no scent and, if they remain motionless, are very difficult to detect.

Adult antelope are the second fastest mammals on earth, only behind cheetahs, but antelope can run longer over greater distances at top speed. They have been clocked at over 60mph. An antelope calf can walk with the herd within 30 minutes of birth and run at speeds of up to 45 mph within days.

Checklist: Gardiner Wildlife

By Mauray Miller Big Sky has moose. Gardiner has bison (better known as buffalo)—along with elk, bear, deer, big horn sheep, eagles both bald and golden, wolves, coyotes, and various other two-winged and four-legged creatures. As snow accumulates in the backcountry, animals head for lower ground and easier hunting or browsing.

Yellowstone National Park is a treasure trove of wildlife rarely seen in other states and certainly not in such concentration. The area between Jardine and Gardiner, Montana, and Mammoth, Wyoming has some of the best wildlife viewing in the lower 48. Because massive peaks surround the area, animals funnel into the valleys that have less snow and wind-cleared flats. Ungulates come to graze, and predators follow.

Locals can become quite casual about these wild neighbors. Recently, I showed my son a picture of a bison herd on the Gardiner football field where he’d graduated from high school, and his comment was, “Hey look, they built a new scoreboard.”

This shouldn’t have surprised me, since Gardiner kids spend many hours shoveling elk and bison droppings from the football field before games and track meets.

While working at Yellowstone Park School, I witnessed many wild and unusual sights. During the fall rut, staff walked or drove students home because of raging bull elk ready to charge anything that moved. Teachers were always on the lookout for herds of bison stampeding the playground area. One severe winter, coyotes discovered that backpacks on kids contained snacks and lunches. A few coyotes snuck up behind children walking to school and pulled the packs right off their backs.

Kindergarten through sixth grade classes were postponed one day so students could watch a wolverine pair digging a den at the far end of the sandbox. To see wolverines up close in the wild is rare, so this was a special treat.

Big horn sheep have become more numerous in the past few years and have taken to feeding alongside roadways where plows have scraped back the snow, exposing tidbits of grass. They are also drawn to road salt. These acrobatic animals have amazing footwork. They show off on the steep roadside cliffs between Gardiner and Mammoth. Their sure-footed cloven hooves allow them to perform spectacular leaps up or down seemingly sheer rock.

Massive bald eagles fish the Yellowstone River and scavenge for road kill or winterkill. Golden eagles dwarf the bald eagles in size, and often battle the baldies for their meals. I’ve observed osprey and bald eagles in aerial battles for fishing rights.

In this fight, the bald eagle reigns in size, yet the osprey is superior in speed and agility and often comes away with the fish.

There are many luxuries and conveniences we miss out on living in a rural and isolated area. However, I’ll take the wonderful variety and entertainment of wildlife any day of the week.

Mauray Miller has lived in Yellowstone National Park and the greater Yellowstone area since 1972. She raised a family here, and has worked as a nurse and a greenhouse gardener. She lives in Gardiner, Montana and loves the outdoors.

Editor’s Note: After repeated attempts in late January to push and haze bison in Gardiner back into the Park, officials moved the herd of more than 300 animals to a holding facility and tested them for brucellosis. Because this disease causes abortions, infertility and lowered milk production in livestock and wildlife, wildlife managers and ranchers are concerned about potential contact between bison and cattle. The infected Yellowstone bison will likely be shipped to slaughter.

Morningstar learning center’s

Dance and Wine Tasting at Buck’s T-4

In many bedroom communities to Yellowstone, bears are a seasonal part of the environment. In one night, a grizzly feasted on 60 pounds of drying onions my family was preparing for winter storage, devouring them all and leaving a pungent trail. More recently, Gardiner and Jardine have instituted bear proof garbage cans for households.

Tracker Program helps Montana state biologists with wildlife counts This winter, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks suggests several ways to use online resources to become a more interactive wildlife viewer or a citizen scientist.

- Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ Discover Montana’s Ecosystem learning tool at fwp.mt.gov is full of vivid images and wildlife film clips.

- Citizen scientists who like to observe and report on wildlife can use The Montana Natural Heritage Program’s Tracker at mtnhp.org.

Tracker allows people to log wildlife sightings into the state database.

Biologists use the database to track the distribution and well being of species.

- The Montana online Field Guide (fieldguide.mt.gov) teaches about Montana’s wildlife species and shows reported wildlife sightings summarized in charts and on maps for each species. For example, the pygmy rabbit’s relative density is mapped based on 1,221 individual field observations.

As of early 2011, Montana’s databases contained nearly 850,000 animal observations, compared to 120,000 in 2005—thanks to Tracker and public participation in wildlife viewing.

Saturday April 2, 2011 Auction and Rafflfflle items

Jeni Fleming and band will perform for the event and

Natalie’s Estates Winery will be featuring their fabulous wines

February 4, 2011 11

Big Sky Weekly

word from the resorts Big Sky Big Sky

bigskyresort.com Holy Snowfall, we’ve had some great powder this year! We hope you’ve been out enjoying it on the slopes.

This month, Big Sky is gearing up for our seventh annual Dummy Jump Saturday, February 12. Get creative, wild and silly with us! Design and enter your own dummy to send barreling down the Ambush headwall – dummies will be judged on creativity, amplitude, structure, and destruction upon impact. Festivities will begin at noon in the Mountain Village and Dummies will launch at 3 p.m.

Also on the horizon is the Big Sky Big Grass bluegrass festival. The three-day music extravaganza will run February 18 - 20 and will feature artists and bands from all over the country including Grammy-winner Peter Rowan. The festival lineup also includes Dan Sebranek, Great American Taxi, Two Bit Stringband, Growling Old Men, Random Canyon Growlers, 8 Party Line, The Big Grass Mountain Jam, Emmitt –Nershi Band, Crooked Still, and the Infamous Stringdusters.

The Big Grass festival’s main event is Friday night, February 18, beginning at 6:15 p.m. in the Missouri Ballroom. Crooked Still takes the stage first, followed by Emmitt –Nershi Band. The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band will hop on stage at 9:15 p.m. and keep the bluegrass stomping.

Buy tickets to individual shows ($10$25) or a $55 ticket for access to the entire festival. Food, libations and merchandise will be available.

- Greer Schott

Moonlight Basin Big Sky

moonlightbasin.com Moonlight’s Headwaters is an amazing place. Sometimes it won’t snow for weeks and the skiing will still be really good. The prevailing northwest winds hit the terrain just right to turn the alpine snow fast and smooth, so it feels like you’re skiing on felt. Just wait till it snows this weekend. The lower mountain, too, is in great shape, with its perfect groomers and world-class Zero Gravity terrain park. Moonlight has a big lineup of events in February.

DUMMY

JUMP

SATURDAY, FEB 12

Build a dummy for destruction or just come to watch the carnage as they launch big on the Ambush headwall.

Parade starts at noon at the Summit Clocktower, launching begins at 3pm in the Mountain Village Plaza at Big Sky. Enter your dummy online at bigskyresort.com/events.

Calling all Jibbers! Moonlight is hosting the Volcom Peanut Butter and Rail Jam, an amateur snowboard contest series, on Saturday, February 5. Then on Sunday, February 6, Snowboarder Magazine will bring the Superpass comp tour to Moonlight.

Cool weekly activities at Moonlight include: live music and specials on drinks and apps at the Headwaters Grille, every Saturday, 3:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m., Snowshoe tours on Tuesday mornings, and Search and Rescue Dog demos at 2 p.m. every Saturday at the Madison Lodge.

Conner

losttrail.com

Our local correspondent Ali Havig says the skiing at Lost Trail has been awesome recently. An LT lifer, she mentioned that on a recent Saturday with a foot of new snow, she saw the biggest crowd she’d ever seen at the hill. This Montana pow stash has been found!

Bridger Bowl Bozeman

bridgerbowl.com February 12 will be the eighth annual King and Queen of the Ridge Hike/Ski-a-thon fundraiser to support avalanche education in Southwest Montana.

Collect pledges for one, two or the most ridge hikes you can do in the five hours of competition. 100% of the proceeds go to the Friends of Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. Kids and families are encouraged to hike, too!

Step up for the Bridger Gully Free Ride, February 19. In this judged free-skiing event down the exciting and naturally featured terrain off Bridger’s Ridge, each skier has one run and is judged on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) on degree, difficulty/line, control, aggressiveness, fluidity, form, and technique.

Maverick Mountain Polaris

Don’t miss the LT Ski Patrol Steak Fry on February 19, an annual fundraiser to support Lost Trail’s committed corps of patrollers. $12 gets you a Montana-raised, handbroiled steak dinner and admission to all the other festivities. This year the have the Portland-based band Keegan Smith and the Family providing the musical entertainment! Other great stuff includes a microbrew beer garden, a slopestyle competition, raffle prizes and a moonlight torch run.

Discovery Phillipsburg

skimaverick.com

skidiscovery.com

Maverick is “a classic mountain in the heart of the Pioneer Mountains.” Open Thursday through Sunday, be sure to stop by for a powder Thursday.

The new Silver Chief Lift has been open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday since December 31. Opening weekend had great reviews about the terrain, views and sunshine.

With new snow in the forecast, come check it out for yourself this weekend!

Maverick Mountain continues to ski really well. Mav stacked up close to two feet of new snow in the last half of January, and cold temperatures have cooperated to keep things nice and soft. On Saturday, February 5, join us at the Maverick Lodge for live bluegrass with Bozeman’s Hollerin’ Pine from 4 - 6 p.m. Then head down to the Grasshopper Lodge and Restaurant for live music with Missoula’s Lil’ Smokies.

-David Nolt

12 February 4, 2011

Lost Trail

Big Sky Weekly

Rendezvous Ski Trails

plore the trails in a non-competitive atmosphere.

-Sara Hoovler

rendezvousskitrail.com

Bohart Ranch

West Yellowstone

All trails on the Rendezvous Ski Trails are open and groomed regularly with a classic track and wide skate lane. The Boundary Trail and Riverside Trail are groomed weekly for classic skiing and snowshoeing.

On January 29, the USFS waived trail use fees on the Rendezvous Ski Trails as part of Winter Trails Day. WYSEF board members offered free ski lessons to all interested. Freeheel & Wheel offered complimentary ski rentals on a first come/first served basis. The Forest Service hosted a guided snowshoe walk, leaving the trailhead at 11:30 a.m. If you missed it this year, mark your calendar for next year’s Trails Day. On February 12, come out for Taste of the Trails. Bring your friends to West Yellowstone for a fun and festive ski event. A 5km (3.1 mile) course will take skiers and snowshoers around the Rendezvous Ski Trails. Volunteers will staff four feed stations and offer snacks and beverages to participating skiers.

Skiers can casually stride from spot to spot, revel in the winter landscapes, refuel with friends, and ex-

Bozeman

bohartranchxcski.com On Sunday, February 6, the Big Sky Wind Drinkers will hold a Ski Day and BBQ that is open to the public. Join members of BSWD at 11 a.m. at the Ski Shop for a recreational ski of Bohart trails. Meet at the Trail Shelter in the Meadow at 1 p.m. for a BBQ compliments of the Wind Drinkers. Bohart Season Pass or Trail Fee required.

Look out! Valentine’s day is coming!

On Saturday February 12, Bohart will host the Valentine’s Scramble, an informal and fun ‘race’ for all ages and abilities. You don’t have to be a ski racer to enter, and costumes are encouraged. Event day registration is at 9:00 a.m. Scramble begins at 10:00 a.m. Participation fee of $5 donated to Bohart Ski Education Scholarship Fund.

Sunday February 13 is Bohart Bonus Day. Ski Bohart at reduced prices. $8

Moonride rental & tune Shop New Rossignol & Burton gear

Moonlight Mercantile Essentials, logowear and more

headwaterS grille

Baked goods, hot lunch & Après ski

Adult Trail Fee, $5 Child Trail Fee (7-12, 6 and under free). $8 classic rental for adults, $5 classic rental for children. Put your name in a drawing for a FREE 2012 Season Pass. Warm up at the Trail Shelter.

Lone Mountain Ranch Big Sky

lmranch.com The spectacular snow year, an experienced and generous staff and our ability to offer unparalleled activities and experiences to local and out-of-state guests has made for a phenomenal winter.

Operation SAS Wounded Warriors: We were honored to partner with the Big Sky Community in hosting Wounded Warriors as part of Operation SAS. Our staff and Ranch guests were able to spend time with these amazing individuals and thank them for their service over an outstanding meal in our dining room.

Yellowstone National Park Northwest Corner Ski & Snowshoe Tours: Our Nordic staff has been

taking advantage of the stellar snow conditions with trips to Fawn Pass, Big Horn, and Tele Meadows for some fresh turns. Our experienced naturalist guides have reported sightings of wolves, otters, moose, ermine and elk. Stop by or call the Nordic Shop at 995-4734 for a trail update and to book your full or half day tour.

Ski Joring Lessons: Lone Mountain Ranch’s Sarah Beer, who has worked for two of the most competitive Iditarod dogsled racers in the world, is now teaching Ski Joring to you and your dog. We rent and sell the harnesses for your private one-hour lessons. Stop by or call the Nordic Shop for information at 995-4734.

Dining Room and Saloon: The breakfast and lunch buffet continues to fuel locals for their outdoor expeditions on the 100 km of trails, Bruce Anfinson and Bluebird Sky provide great entertainment in the Saloon and dinner as one guest said is always “unfailingly top quality.” Stop in for breakfast, lunch, après ski entertainment or call 995-2782 to make dinner reservations.

Lastly, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the community, our staff and guests for welcoming Kim and I with open arms.

-Mark Parlett

Moonlight KidS daycare NEW this season - relocated to the Madison Village Base Area

SnowSportS School

Providing one-on-one & group coaching to improve your on-mountain skills

February 4, 2011 13

Big Sky Weekly

ch n u L r o t s a f k a e Br

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14 February 4, 2011

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Formerly Big Sky Exxon on Hwy 191

Big Sky Weekly

montana

January 2011 issue of Delta SKY Magazine

Montana, Big Sky Country Featured in Delta Sky Magazine

By Abbie Digel According to the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce, Big Sky receives over 400 inches of powder every winter, and for the past seven years, despite the economic downturn, Montana has had “one of the fastest growing economies in the United States,” stated Evan Barrett, Chief Business Development Officer for the governor’s office of economic development. Montana has a lot to be proud of, and a recent spread in Delta Airline’s SKY Magazine, showcases the reason behind the 10 million visitors that ventured to the Treasure State in 2009. For Main Street businesses, that number means 10 new customers per Montana resident.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase Montana to the world,” stated Governor Brian Schweitzer at the unveiling of the edition of Sky on January 4 in Helena. “We are thrilled to have partnered with Sky Magazine to bring the magic of Montana to their more than five million readers.”

for entrepreneurship, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In addition, the feature showcases the abundance of wildlife and culture Montana holds, and the worldwide impact MSU and University of Montana both have.

The regional tour, titled “Unspoiled Splendor,” highlights Glacier County, Gold West Country, Russell Country, Yellowstone Country, Missouri River Country and Custer Country, showing restaurants, museums and recreation areas in each region, as well as important cultural and scenic destinations. Yellowstone National Park, Bozeman, Museum of the Rockies, fly-fishing in Livingston, the Gallatin Corridor, Chico Hot Springs and Big Sky are all mentioned.

“The exceptional quality of life here will always be our most attractive featureand secret weapon, stated Barret. “Montana is the best place to call home.”

Sky, a monthly magazine featuring world-wide coverage of music, fashion, sports, television, film, business, politics and popular culture, is located in the seat pocket of every aircraft Delta operates. Delta flies 13,000 people per day and serves more than 160 million customers each year.

The 22 page spread features ads for various areas across the state including Stillwater Mining, the city of Billings, RightNow Technologies, and Whitefish and Glacier County.

Big Sky residents can be excited about the Biggest Skiing in America and Yellowstone Country ads, which showcase beautiful landscape and skiers enveloped in powder.

The content includes Q and A’s with Schweitzer, Tom Brokaw, Bryon Wilson, Jack Horner and Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, as well as a timeline, a state map, a regional tour and profiles of RightNow Technologies, Montana Brewers Association, MSU and University of Montana.

The in-depth articles focus on the state’s economic development, tourism and quality of life. Highlighted is Montana’s determined economy history, based on mining, agriculture and energy. Montana holds plenty of first place spots: our state is the leader in wind-power growth, is the leading producer of certified organic wheat, and is the number one state

Look familiar? 1974 ski tourism advertisment for Montana

February 4, 2011 15

Big Sky Weekly

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For direct questions or sales inquiries, email sales@loneviewridge.com 16 February 4, 2011

February 4, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #3

gallery

Big Sky

“Copper King”

Local Artist Tina Deweese Growing up in a family of artists in Bozeman and in Cottonwood Canyon gave Tina DeWeese a love for simplicity, horses and creative expression. While DeWeese is well known for her wire horses, she also paints, does line drawing, collage, and bronze sculpture. Her work is in her home gallery in Bozeman, in the Gallatin River Gallery in Big Sky, and in Billings, Big Fork, Butte and Helena. At art fairs like Sweet Pea, she sells the wire sculptures, as well as her line of T-shirts.

My parents met at Ohio State and got caught up in the wave of abstract expressionism. They moved to Montana in ’49. My dad taught at MSU for 27 years.

My folks were painters and printmakers and were a major influence in the contemporary art world here in Montana.

As a kid I grew up with art. That’s what our house was about. We drew a lot, and were involved with theater and dance, and played music. My real love was horses.

We got our first horse, Molly, when I was five. She was a really nice horse, kid friendly. We used to ride her triple. My sister Gretchen and I were the horse lovers. My brothers were the skiers. It just happens like that. You have choices. I’ve had horses all my life since.

“Kind of Blue”

foundation to infinite variation of that form. The line is such a direct process, very basic and simple.

couldn’t keep my hands out of it so I started doing bronzes.

I do wire sculpture freehand, using needle nose pliers for the tight knots and bends. It’s all one piece of wire.

I have the figures mapped out in my head.

I’ve worked with batik, and I like to paint, do line drawings and collage and take photographs. To me, it’s all the same process with different materials. I value that diversity of materials and consider flexibility critical to my creativity. Innovation is the key, and that requires a great deal of exploration.

The horse is such a vital form. It has infinite variation. Usually, when I make them, I finish one with the motivation to make another. My horse, Blue, has been my primary model. Most of my horses have that long, lean thoroughbred feel to them.

My mom passed away in 2007, and she left behind a lot of her work and of her collection of other people’s work. We did a major celebration of her life and her work the spring after she died. I’m the one of five kids that was living at the family home, so it was my job to clear out her studio. Now, I’m in a transition back to my own studio, my own work.

I like working with different materials. I’m known for my wire, but it’s not all I do. You can get locked into an identity that’s not necessarily complete.

Once Tom came out here with his wax, I just

As a performing artist, you have to be there, be physically present as a personality. As a visual artist, you can do the work and step aside. I prefer to let my work speak for itself. I’m uncomfortable being in the limelight.

We bought Blue as a retired racehorse when he was four. His feet were really a problem. With the help of a barefoot trimmer, I healed his feet. Now he’s 18 and sound most of the time, though it takes constant vigilance. I’ve never ridden a finer horse. He can go anywhere, and he never runs out of energy.

He’s goofy sometimes, when his adrenaline gets going and he’s wound up.

My younger brother, Josh, is an artist. He got hooked on clay pretty young and took the bull by the horns and ran with it. Now he’s teaching Ceramics at MSU, where my dad taught.

In 1983, I got a degree in Arts and Humanities from Evergreen in Washington. I did independent work in Depth Psychology and was in a program called Life Studies that was designed to help people orient to their life work. At that time for me, it was about care giving. I interviewed people in nursing homes, did restorative care and also did home care. In the two years I was in that program, I returned to my roots as artist.

I stayed in Washington for 10 years. In 1989, I moved back to Montana. A big part of me longed to get back to nature and my horses. I’m glad I did.

Working with a line, specifically with the figure of the horse, is a meditation on a form. It becomes a

“Findlinge 1”

explorebigsky.com

February 4, 2011 17

Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky Weekly

Profile

Ryan Hamilton

Town Center Project Manager

By Emily Stifler “I love it,” Ryan Hamilton, Big Sky Town Center Project Manager, says of his job. His work in this position has taken him beyond development, and that’s both rewarding and challenging.

Hamilton spearheaded building Big Sky’s new hockey rink, created the Big Sky Farmers Market (along with co-worker Wendy Swenson), started the Big Sky Skating and Hockey Association with help from the Board of Directors, and was instrumental in implementing pedestrian crosswalks on Ousel Falls Road and one on Lone Mountain Trail. Currently, he’s working with the Big Sky Community Corporation, as well as several home owners’ associations and resorts, to consider creating a Big Sky Parks and Recreation District.

Hamilton, 38, and a super-fit father of two, met his wife Jill when he was still in high school outside of Cleveland, Ohio. They were on the same bike racing team, and Jill, originally from Bozeman, was working as a pastry chef in Ohio. The day after he graduated high school, Hamilton packed up his Datsun and drove to Bozeman. He had a job at Bangtail bike shop and an apartment both waiting for him. That was 1990. He’s been in Bozeman ever since. In his time off, he hangs with his family and rides bikes: “That’s my thing— road and mountain biking.”

Hamilton graduated from MSU in ’95 with an Earth Science degree in Geography and GIS mapping. He’d worked at bike shops from age 13 until his first child was born in 1997. It was

time to try something else. He used his GIS skills working for a mining engineering company, but was laid off after nine months. His next job, starting in 1999, was for an engineering company with a project in Big Sky. Hamilton worked to create maps for the Big Sky Town Center master plan to submit to the county. In 2000, the Simkins—owners of the Town Center—hired Hamilton directly.

The Town Center team drafted its own zoning, which went through an advisory committee in Big Sky and through the Gallatin County Planning and Zoning Commission for approvals. Hamilton remembers when the Commissioner called for public comment for approvals, no one came up. One Commissioner said: “We’re building a whole town, here. There’s nobody here to oppose it?” The proposal passed. Over the years, there have been over 50 public hearings for various approvals and updates to the Town Center’s plan.

“We could have done anything with that land,” says Hamilton. “It’s flat, and it’s at the crossroads. We figured the best thing we could do for the Big Sky resort community was build a downtown, because we thought Main Street—shopping, hotels, dining and a movie theater—was what Big Sky really lacked.”

While designing the Town Center, they focused on pedestrians by building sidewalks with boulevards, narrower streets as a traffic calming measure, and a pedestrian connection between the commercial core and existing and future residential

“We figured the best thing we could do for the Big Sky resort community was build a downtown, because we thought Main Street—shopping, hotels, dining and a movie theater— was what Big Sky really lacked.” neighborhoods. The development is centered on a plaza on Town Center Avenue, and a “linear park” from Ousel Falls Trail to the heart of the Town Center’s downtown. The project is about 20 percent complete.

“This is a ground-up project,” says Hamilton. After 11 years, I’ve done everything from digging holes in the dirt to test for percolation for a drain field, to working with the engineers to put in water sewer and roads, to reviewing new buildings, to designing and drafting the development manual, to flooding the ice skating rink at 4 a.m. Like the Simkins, my heart and soul is in this, 100 percent.”

Hamilton works in Big Sky as needed.

Otherwise, he bike commutes from his home near Peets Hill in Bozeman to an upstairs office at SimpkinsHallins Lumberyard in Northeast Bozeman. Much of his work in Big Sky is influenced by his home neighborhood. Living next to Linley Park and Bogert Park, he has ski trails, recycling, concerts, the hockey rink and the Farmers’ Market all nearby.

“If you took many of the businesses and restaurants in Big Sky and put them along one Main Street, we’d have a thriving downtown. The shoulder season would be shorter, and our peak season would be better.

More people would come here as a destination getaway. They’d go hiking, fishing, rafting and skiing, and they’d stay longer to shop, watch a movie, go to a nice restaurant and stay at a hotel.”

He says the connection between Bozeman and Big Sky is strong. “In the 70s when Big Sky was being conceived, Bozeman was a cow town with a college, and that was about it. When Chet Huntley announced plans for Big Sky, it got everybody fired up. If you could afford it,

you bought a condo… That was the playground.” He says while now there’s a lot to do in Bozeman, Big Sky’s amenities—the Biggest Skiing in America and great trails like Ousel Falls—keeps the resort town popular with locals and visitors alike.

The two economies are also connected: “A lot of people with wealth in Big Sky spend money in Bozeman, and Big Sky is dependent on Bozeman for the airport and the services.”

Development in Big Sky in the early 2000s—including at the Town Center—“put a lot of people from both communities to work,” he adds.

Living in Bozeman and working in Big Sky can be difficult. “It’s very hard to manage something that’s 50 miles away. The simplest things take forever. If I have to go check a measurement or see how the snowplowing is doing, it’d be easy if it were across the street. But…I need eyes and ears in Big Sky.” Hamilton’s focus now is on parks. His employers, the Simkins, were partners in the land that sold for the Big Sky Community Park at a discount.

They also donated $20,000 for the Spur Road Trail. Recently, Hamilton has attended the proposed Madison Valley Parks and Recreation District meetings, and now he’s working with other groups in Big Sky to remove Big Sky from that District.

He hopes Big Sky can have the opportunity to create its own district in the future, which would help keep park and recreation tax revenue in the community.

He’d like to continue sharing the success of the Town Center with the Big Sky community. “The support that the community has shown has made the experience very rewarding…I think people see that we’re doing positive things in Big Sky.”

February 4, 2011 19

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Big Sky Weekly

explore

What is SNOTEL?

And why you should know how to use it Montana and Wyoming Snotel Sites

By Emily Stifler Because 50-80 percent of the West’s water supply comes as snow, information about seasonal snowpack is key for policy makers, water managers and agricultural industries. Winter snowfall also plays a major role in backcountry recreation and tourism in Montana.

hiking, snowmobiling, skiing, snowshoeing or helicopter access.

In 1935, the Soil Conservation Service (later to become the Natural Resource Conservation Service or the NRCS) created the Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program to conduct snow surveys and develop accurate and reliable water supply forecasts. Today, as part of these forecasts, the NRCS operates over 750 automated snowpack telemetry stations, which collect snowpack and climatic data in remote high-mountain watersheds.

These stations, called SNOTEL sites, operate in 13 Western states, including Alaska. There are over 90 sites in Montana.

An avid backcountry skier, Zukiewicz checks a relevant site every time he goes out, and says it gives him an idea of what kind of weather, snow and avalanche conditions to look out for that day. He says while most recreational users log onto SNOTEL to look at snow depth, the sites offer much more for backcountry users, if you know how to interpret the data.

The program provides stream flow forecasts for over 700 places in the West and has a variety of users: researchers, river and reservoir managers, emergency managers for natural disasters, recreational area managers, power generation companies, farmers, ranchers, avalanche forecasters and winter recreationalists. The data, as well as related reports and forecasts, are available to the public.

To communicate data in near real time, SNOTEL uses meteor burst communications technology, which reflects VHF radio signals at a steep angle off the band of ionized meteors 50 to 75 miles above the earth. The NRCS claims system performance is above 99%. No satellites are involved. The remote sites operate on batteries charged by solar cells, and maintenance requires

“SNOTEL is a great resource for backcountry skiers, ice climbers and general recreationalists,” says Bozeman-based NRCS Hydrologist Lucas Zukiewicz.

“You can tell how fast it’s loading, like if it’s puking several inches an hour, you can tell it’s getting pretty unstable.”

Zukiewicz says accessing the sites online is easy. Go to the Montana SNOTEL website (wcc.nrcs.usda. gov/snotel/Montana/montana), click on the location you want, then click on “daily snow depth data” in the table in the middle of the page.

Basic SNOTEL stations provide the following:

SNOTEL Sites – Blue Snow Course Sites – Red SCAN Sites - Black

16 SNOTEL sites every Southwest Montana skier/rider should know about

By Lucas Zukiewicz Bridger Range: Sacajawea SNOTEL (6550ft)

Central/Southern Bridger Range: low to mid-elevation snow cover

Brackett Creek SNOTEL (7320ft)

Northern Bridger Range

Gallatin/Hyalite Range: Shower Falls SNOTEL (8100ft)

- snow water content - snow depth - all-season precipitation accumulation

Lick Creek SNOTEL (6860ft)

Central Gallatin Range: Hyalite Peak, Blackmore Peak Low-elevation snow cover, Hyalite Canyon

Madison Range: Lone Mountain SNOTEL (8880ft)

- air temperature with daily maximums, minimums and averages.

Carrot Basin SNOTEL (9000ft)

- air temperature

Beaver Creek (7850ft)

- wind speed and direction

Madison Plateau SNOTEL (7750ft) Whiskey Creek SNOTEL (6800ft)

(at Big Sky Resort) Northern Madison Range: Big Sky, Moonlight Basin, Beehive Basin Central Madison Range: Buck Ridge, Taylor Fork Zone Low-elevation snow cover, Madison Range Southern Madison Range: West Yellowstone/Lionshead low-elevation snow cover, West Yellowstone area

Tobacco Root Range:

Want tips from a pro? Zukiewicz is giving a talk about how to best use SNOTEL at REI.

Date: 2/9/2011

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Event Fee: Free Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (MST)

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Albro Lake SNOTEL (8300ft)

Central/Northern Tobacco Roots

Lower Twin SNOTEL (7900ft)

mid-elevation snow cover, Tobacco Root Range

Absaroka/Beartooth Range: White Mill SNOTEL (8700ft)

low to mid-elevation, Cooke City area

Fischer Creek SNOTEL (9100ft)

high elevation, Cooke City area high elevation, Cooke City, south to Yellowstone border Northern Absaroka Range Beartooth Highway/Beartooth Range

Parker Peak SNOTEL (9400ft) Monument Peak SNOTEL (8850ft) Beartooth Lake SNOTEL (9360ft)

February 4, 2011 21

Big Sky Weekly

outdoors

Snowshoeing Discovering Yellowstone in Winter

By Eddy Murphy Some winter adventurers go above the trees, into the big sky, and glide through the powdery paradise of Lone Peak; some painstakingly contemplate the cardiovascular benefits of cross-country skiing on one of the area’s many groomed trails; and some of us delve into the blustery and glittering wilderness on snowshoes.

I’ve spent a lot of time in Yellowstone during the summer, working as a barista. After those seasons ended, I returned home to Tennessee’s bland, rainy winters, sinking into nostalgia when I couldn’t lace up my boots and gawk at mesmerizing vistas whenever I saw fit.

So, when the opportunity arose for me to avoid my mom’s shabby sofa in Tennessee and instead live in Montana year-round, I was elated. I also felt uneasy, because I have never skied. I knew the couple inches of cursed snow that fell in Tennessee every year were nothing compared to what these skies promised. I knew

Montana winter would make everything I knew of that season seem trivial and ridiculous. But I was going to be near the wonderland that stole my heart four summers ago, and I was not about to let some white fluffy stuff deter me from recreating in my new home.

This winter, my first in Big Sky, I’ve spent many subzero mornings trying to extract my two-wheel-drive pickup from Crown Butte Drive’s ditches.

When I first purchased snowshoes, I thought their alloy frames looked awkwardly shaped and odd.

The next weekend, I took my inaugural solo snowshoeing adventure in the Yellowstone backcountry. I drove to the Fawn Pass trailhead in northwestern Yellowstone. My truck was the only vehicle in the lot on the gorgeous, clear and frigid day. A moose drank out of an unfrozen rivulet beyond the pavement, and I translated it as the beginning of a memorable

experience.

I watched the moose as I strapped on the snowshoes I’d blindly invested in, hoping they could carry me to the same kind of fond memories my hiking boots had in summers past.

I sallied on, into the trees, without any idea what to expect. Right away, I noticed the silence. No birds chirping, no brooks babbling, no wind— only the thwack of my snowshoes breaking the surface of new snow.

When I paused to sit under a tree for a snack, I lost my balance and fell into an impossible position in two feet of snow. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to escape.

Then, a slight breeze brought the hoary contours of the earth to life. I stopped in wonder. The sun blazed cold and brilliant behind a transparent cloud. Its strange, slanted light

animated snow skimming the surface into phantasmagoric spirits. The lodgepoles whispered, and Yellowstone became something entirely new to me: a wintry wonderland, not only void of the sound of life, but a place with true solitude. It surely is an amazing thing to have the opportunity to be the only person on earth outside of your front door.

Eddy Murphy is originally from Nashville. He lives in Big Sky and enjoys hiking, fishing and live music.

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Big Sky Weekly

Avalanche Safety: Escape Capture In a 2008 paper presented at the International Snow Science Workshop last fall, Karl Birkeland (USDA Forest Service National Avalanche Center, Bozeman, Montana), Theo Meiners (Alaska Rendezvous Heli Guides, Valdez, Alaska), and Perry Bartelt merged the theory of avalanche dynamics with the experiences of first hand avalanche survivors to suggest the best ways to escape capture in an avalanche.

Meiners has been caught in and escaped from a number of avalanches. His experiences, combined

with other case studies and the current knowledge of avalanche dynamics, formed the basis for their presentation.

Birkeland wrote: “In a 2008 paper, Dale Atkins’ recent comments that swimming may lead to dying in avalanches received wide media coverage, and his article in The Avalanche Review (Atkins, 2007) gave the avalanche community something to chew on. Is the long-established dogma of swimming in avalanches actually wrong? Has the avalanche com-

munity been misleading the public for many years about how to best survive an avalanche?”

He continued: “The best way to survive an avalanche is to not get caught. However, once you are caught, what is the best survival strategy?”

The entire paper is available online at: fsavalanche. org/NAC/techPages/articles/08_ISSW_AvSurvivalStrat.pdf (or just Google “avalanche survival strategies”) E.S.

The following diagram outlines Meiners’ knowledge and experience about how to best escape an avalanche:

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Big Sky Weekly

sports

“Fans don’t care about the revenue sharing television contracts or about ensuring players hold an idealistic image for the league.

Fans care about football.”

By Brandon Niles As the NFL off-season approaches, there’s a feeling of sadness for football fans everywhere. On the bright side, the off-season provides ample opportunities to remain connected to the sport. Free agency, the college draft, high profile trades, and coaching transactions are all a part of the game, and when the flurry of activity occurs each spring, fans feed their relentless optimism for the next season.

This year however, a dark cloud looms over pending off-season activities. The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the players and the owners is set to expire in March, and a new one must be agreed upon in order to continue normal football operations. Without a CBA, trades involving players will not occur. Additionally, free agency won’t begin. No player will be able to go to a new team until a new CBA is established. There will still be a college draft, but the players drafted will not be able to sign contracts to become

members of the team. If a CBA is not reached before the next season, the NFL could even experience a lockout, which would either shorten the 2012 season, or possibly eliminate the season entirely.

Lockouts and strikes are never good for sports. Football is the most popular spectator sport in America, and allowing a strike could jeopardize that. With such heavy costs involved, one would think that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has a new CBA as his top priority right? Maybe, but it certainly hasn’t seemed like it.

The expiring CBA is nothing new.

It’s been common knowledge for the last several years, and it was expected a new CBA would be agreed upon over a year ago. But each time progress was made, something fell apart.

Meanwhile, Goodell has expanded the league’s global presence by playing games in London and Mexico. He has pushed the emergence of the NFL

Network, and enforced blackout rules on locally televised games. Among other things, Goodell has also made an effort to expand the season from 16 to 18 games, a controversial proposal among fans and players alike.

While I’m certain that Goodell can multi-task, his prominent steps in other directions suggest that he hasn’t prioritized a new CBA. Casual fans don’t care if a game is played outside the U.S. or if Direct TV maintains exclusive television rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket package.

Fans just want to know NFL games will continue to exist. They want to paint that picture of optimism every spring and get excited about seeing a new player suit up for a favorite team.

Without the games, all the other things Goodell is working toward simply don’t matter.

To the NFL Players Association, to all the owners, and to the league officials (including Roger Goodell), I ask that you all get together and get

this done. Fans have no sympathy for rich people arguing about divvying up money. Fans don’t care about the revenue sharing television contracts or about ensuring players hold an idealistic image for the league. Fans care about football. The powers that be should hurry and get a new CBA in place. After it’s in place, I’d like if they’d explain why this seemed to be the lowest priority on the commissioner’s to-do list.

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.

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Big Sky Weekly

column

Love in the Park

By Kathy Cretella

J E W EL R Y - A R T - A R T I FA C T S

NATIVE AMERICAN & WESTERN ACCENTS for you and your home

“I can’t believe you didn’t get off of that bus, sit on your suitcase and just cry,” my mother said when she arrived in Gardiner for a visit shortly after I moved there in 1991. My look of disbelief puzzled her. A city girl, my mother did not appreciate the adventure that lay before me. I was a twentysomething Ohio girl, burned and bummed out on love, and had headed to the romance of the West, specifically Yellowstone Park for a summer work stint.

Yellowstone Park. The statistics were amazingly high. Many of the students who conducted the interviews were themselves products of a Yellowstone romance. A sophomore, Shannon Morey, interviewed her grandparents Joseph and Margaret O’Loughlin. The O’Loughlin’s were introduced by a seasonal ranger in 1955 in front of the Canyon General Store. According to Joe, “It was love at first sight.” Margaret waited tables at the Canyon Hotel (now torn down), while Joe worked on a crew to count pine trees. The couple described a favorite date where they drove to Lake Yellowstone at night to watch the grizzlies feed on garbage in an backcountry dump. They’ve now been married for over 50 years.

My husband Mike and I met in Mammoth Hot Springs in early February 1992. Both of us were Park employees: He worked for the National Park Service; I worked for the concessioner of the Park. We met at a “singles” gathering in a residence near Liberty Every morning, I wake up next to the Cap, an old capped thermal feature. I man I met in Yellowstone Park 19 saw the twinkle years ago. Wow, “Breathless from trying to in his eye as pinch me, I catch me, he gulped and think to myself. we drank cappuccinos. We popped the question on the How can I be discovered that so blessed? Our side of the road.” we both were short courtfrom Ohio. ship centered “Ohio is a good place to be from,” he around romantic Park activities like said. The courtship soon began. We’ve hiking, camping and sight seeing. been married 18 years.

Mike originally planned to propose to me on 7 Mile Bridge, halfway Falling in love in the world’s first nabetween Madison and West while we tional park happens more than anyone were training for a triathlon. During a can imagine. Yellowstone is a magical training route, he arrived at the bridge place brimming from cupid’s quiver of and I was nowhere to be found. I’d arrows. Or perhaps the Chinese were left him in the dust. We finally found correct in their assessment of the apheach other after I hit the West gate and rodisiac quality of crushed elk antlers. headed back to Madison on my bike.

Whatever it is, finding true love can Breathless from trying to catch me, he happen in Yellowstone Park. gulped and popped the question on Various people, old and young, work the side of the road. in Yellowstone. Jobs, lifestyles and nature draws the hearts of people from Yellowstone still inspires our love and all over the world to work in the 2.2 romance, and our dates still consist of million acre land piece. Xanterra, the dining, hiking and skiing in the Park. In largest employer in the Park, hires the spring, we watch the buses bring in seasonal workers to serve the public. the new employees who have the same These employees live in an environexpectancy of adventure and romance ment of togetherness from the day in the world’s first national park. they check in for work. They work, live and eat together throughout the Kathy Pagano Cretella, jack of all summer. But once they arrive, are they trades, master of none, likes to vendestined to find love? ture into the Park during her time off.

She has an Ebay store, and she caters, In 2008, a Gardiner High School cleans and substitute teaches on occaEnglish teacher researched couples sion. She also works behind the counter from the area who met, fell in love and of the Gardiner Post Office. married in the surrounding area of

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Big Sky Weekly

28 February 4, 2011

Big Sky Weekly

health & wellness

The Skin You’re In

By Jacquie Rager: OZssage Spa Winter is an important season for skin rejuvenation. We need to replenish our skin from sun damage and dry air. Montana’s winter’s bring harsher conditions, resulting in the break down of collagen and elastin in the skin, which leads to formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

Skin treatments are deeply relaxing, and can be adapted to your comfort level. Your skin is the largest organ in the body. It protects the body, helps regulate temperature and allows us our sense of touch. Detoxification can have profound effects on your health and sense of well-being.

Are facials for me?

Chemical Peels in winter are effective treatments that help to prevent premature aging by rebalancing the skin.

Peels date back to ancient Egypt when Cleopatra used lactic acid, the active ingredient in sour milk, to exfoliate and rejuvenate her skin. Chemical

peels exfoliate the damaged outer layers, improving skin elasticity, hydration, texture and appearance.

Two popular chemical peels are lactic acid and glycolic acid. Lactic acid peels are derived from milk; it easily penetrates your skin and is the most gentle. Glycolic acid peels are formulated from sugar cane and react more rapidly.

What about body wraps?

Hydration is not just for the face.

Body wraps are a great way to condition dryness and prevent uncomfortable, itchy dry skin. Body scrubs use salts and other natural ingredients to exfoliate and detoxify the skin, followed by the use of detoxifying organic materials such as mud or aloe vera to draw toxins from the body and soften skin.

Jacquie Rager is owner of OZssage Spa.

Flew in with the Flu

Clays for facials and body wraps can also help your skin’s needs: Australian Clay Beige: Used to detoxify the body and face, absorbing and removing impurities. It stimulates circulation of the blood and lymph systems, and provides a toned, refreshed and youthful glow. It is suitable for both dry and oily skin types.

Australian Clay Olive Green: Strengthening for all skin types, it is the strongest of all clays for detoxification and is beneficial for use on acne-prone and oily skin.

Minerals in the clay help rebalance oil flow, strengthen the skin, and aid in the repair of scars. It is ideal for body wraps after pregnancy, where cellulite or stretch marks are of concern.

Australian Clay Pastel Pink: Perfect for balancing the most stressed and sensitive of skins, this clay gives a youthful appearance with ultimate hydration and skin firming. Its hydrating properties help to refine delicate lines, moisturize, and improve the overall texture of the skin.

Rhassoul Clay: From Morocco, its most impressive properties in skin improvement are its capacity of absorption due to its high level of ion exchange. Studies show that it is reputed to reduce dryness and flakiness, and improve skin clarity and elasticity. It is rich in magnesium, silica, potassium and calcium.

By Leila Zucker, MD There’s a wonderful opportunity here in Big Sky for senior medical students and residents to spend a month working in the Medical Clinic of Big Sky with Dr. Jeff Daniels. We get to see all sorts of orthopedic injuries (and we get to ski/snowboard), but we also see plenty of people with anything ranging from the common cold to altitude sickness.

The most common diagnosis we made in early January was influenza. Some patients were locals, and others were visitors who had just arrived. What they all had in common was they did not get a flu shot this year. So, rather than writing a glowing review of the snow quality, nonexistent lift lines, and the incredibly friendly and helpful shuttle bus drivers, I’m going to tell you why you should get a flu shot next year.

According to the National Institute of Health, one in five people get the flu each year. While most people will be sick for seven to 10 days and then get better on their own, 36,000 people will die and 200,000 will be hospitalized. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine annual influenza vaccination for everyone over the age of six months. There are a lot of misconceptions about the flu vaccine. I’ll try to dispel a few here: Can you get the flu from the flu shot?

Absolutely not. The virus contained in the shot has been killed and is incapable of causing the flu. However, you can get soreness or redness at the site of the injection for one to two

days, and you are still susceptible to catching other viruses like the common cold. On rare occasions after a flu shot you might have a day or two of low-grade fever and muscle aches, but this is not the flu; it is your immune system making antibodies against the flu.

Can you get flu from the nasal spray flu vaccine? No, you cannot. Although the virus contained in the nasal spray is not killed, it is extremely weakened.

In some people it can cause a few days of cold-like symptoms, but this is uncommon and these effects are much milder and shorter than infection with influenza.

Is it too late to get vaccinated now?

Not necessarily. Seasonal flu typically peaks in January or February, but can be seen as late as May. Next year you should get your vaccination as soon as the vaccine becomes available in the fall. A new vaccine is developed every year to combat new variations of the influenza virus—for example, this year’s vaccine protects against H1N1 and two other flu viruses.

In addition to getting the flu vaccination, don’t forget to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, and cough into the crook of your arm.

If you don’t get the flu, you’ll have more time to enjoy living in beautiful Big Sky, Montana.

Leila Zucker is an Emergency Medicine Resident, George Washington University, District of Columbia.

OK, SO YOU HAVE TO RELEASE YOUR BINDINGS TO CROSS THE STREET. Bozeman Deaconess Pharmacy at Big Sky is practically right on a cross-country ski trail. Just across the street, in fact. Which means you skinny-skis types are just steps (sorry, skating across the asphalt is not recommended) away from filling or refilling a prescription or finding over-the-counter remedies for whatever ails you. Find us across from the Big Sky Chapel.

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Big Sky Weekly

A Weekend at Chico Hot Springs Photos by Mike Martins

February 4, 2011 31

Big Sky Weekly

i k S s é r p A

S R E T R A U

Q D A E H

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food & dining

February 4, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #3

Big Sky

Winter’s the Time to Brush up on Home Canning

By Noelle Orloff Our first real frost this fall was forecast for a night in early October, and it didn’t sound like the temperatures would be too cold; maybe 28 or 30 degrees. I wasn’t willing to give up on the garden yet, so I wrapped my tomato plants in a cozy blanket of row cover fabric, tacked it down with clothespins, and went to sleep. The next morning the tomatoes appeared to be solidly frozen—it was colder than I thought. Upon further inspection, I saw that while the outside tomatoes were green ice cubes, the ones closest to the stem were fine. It was obviously time to pick them, and like many gardeners in Montana each fall, I had boxes of green tomatoes to deal with.

Home canning is a daunting task for beginners, but if you like to work in the kitchen and can follow a recipe carefully, it is fun to learn the process and rewarding to enjoy the end result.

My first canning experience happened when I made a deal with a friend to preserve all the vegetables in his prolific garden in return for half of the spoils. I made a jar lifter and canning rack out of wire coat hangers and selected a horrible pickle recipe—all vinegar, no sugar!

Somehow, I choked down my dilled kohlrabi preserves that winter, and no one contracted botulism. With experience, my canning adventures have become easier and more productive.

The main purpose of home canning is to sterilLike many other hunter-gatherers and gardenize food in an airtight environment so it can be ers, I spent summer and fall looking for serstored at room temperature without becoming viceberry and a breeding huckleberry ground for “ Preserving and storing food (even green patches in the tomatoes) at the peak of its abundance botulism or woods, seekand quality allows you to acquire it relatively other dangering good deals ous food borne cheaply, or for free, and to enjoy it all year.” illnesses. Pickon pickling cucumbers at the les, relishes farmer’s market, and sniffing out the occasional and jams processed in a boiling water bath are unpicked tree full of apples or plums down the the simplest and safest recipes to start with. street. The key to putting all this excess good It is critical to follow directions exactly when food to use is preserving it. Preserving and storcanning food at home, and to use a reputable, ing food (even green tomatoes) at the peak of its current source for recipes such as a university abundance and quality allows you to acquire it Extension service. relatively cheaply, or for free, and to enjoy it all year.

This winter would be a perfect time to explore home food preservation so you are ready to try My favorite preservation technique is canit during our next growing season. The Monning. Though some foods lend themselves to tana State University Extension MontGuides freezing or drying—both of which are simpler can be found on the internet and are useful for and less time-consuming—canning is ideal for finding good, tested canning recipes and learnputting up salsa, relish, jam and other beautiful ing about food safety. and tasty foods. Plus, canned food does not take up valuable freezer space. Last October, green Noelle Orloff is a Graduate Research Assistant tomato relish joined the ranks on my pantry plugging away at Montana State University. Look shelf next to applesauce, plum chutney and out weeds! She likes gardening and skiing, especucumber pickles. cially with her husband Shawn and her mutts.

Two of Noelle’s favorite canning books:

Noelle uses this recipe (from Putting Food By) each fall for green tomatoes. She says it’s delicious on sausages or burgers: Green Tomato Relish (makes about 6 pints) Ingredients 7 1/2 lbs green tomatoes 6 medium onions 3/4 C pickling salt 1T celery seed 1T whole allspice 1T mustard seed 1T whole cloves 1T dry mustard 1T peppercorns 1/2 lemon 2 red peppers 2 1/2 C brown sugar 3 C vinegar (5% acidity) Wash tomatoes and cut off blossom ends, stems and blemishes. Slice thin. Peel onions and slice in thin rings. Sprinkle salt over alternating layers of tomatoes and onions in a large bowl and let stand in a cool place overnight.

Weighting the tomatoes with a heavy plate is helpful. Drain the brine off the tomatoes and onions and rinse them thoroughly in cold water. Drain. Slice the lemon and peppers thinly and remove seeds. Tie all the spices in a double layer of cheesecloth or place in a large tea infuser ball. Add the spice bundle to the vinegar and sugar in a large enameled or stainless steel pot; bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, onions, peppers and lemon. Cook for 30 minutes after the mixture returns to a boil, and stir gently. Be careful, this relish scorches easily.

Remove the spices and pack the relish in hot jars, covering with boiling liquid, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (sea level time—remember to convert for your elevation) and remove jars. Let sit for 24 hours and test seals. Store in a cool, dark place, and enjoy!

“The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving” edited by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine

Putting Food By (Fifth Edition) by Janet Greene, Ruth Hertzberg and Beatrice Vaughan.

explorebigsky.com February 4, 2011 33

Big Sky Weekly

Music Hunter

Kings of Leon, “Come Around Sundown”

by Hunter rothwell Nathan, Caleb and Jared Followill did not grow up in a usual American household. Instead, the Followills spent their childhood traveling through the Deep South in a purple 1988 Oldsmobile while their father, Leon, preached at United Pentecostal churches and tent revivals. Their mother, BettyAnn, home schooled the boys while they were on the road and away from their home in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. When Leon and Betty-Ann divorced in 1997, the boys moved to Nashville.

There, they discovered rock music. Nathan and Caleb embraced the new lifestyle and began writing songs. The brothers signed a record deal with RCA based on their songwriting abilities alone—they had no band and at the time, and they didn’t play any instruments.

Nathan and Caleb recruited their younger brother, Jared, to play bass, and their first cousin, Matthew Followill, to play guitar. The foursome became the Kings of Leon in 1999. The groups’ Southern rock and blues sound didn’t catch on in the U.S., but they found almost immediate success in England and Europe. They were chart toppers in the United Kingdom, and their third album, “Because of the Times,” reached the number one spot on the U.K. charts. The Kings of Leon’s fourth album, “Only By the Night,” finally put them at the number one

spot on the U.S. charts; they sold 6.5 million copies worldwide.

At the end of 2010, the group released “Come Around Sundown” as their fifth studio album. While the Followills stayed true to their Southern rock heritage with this new album, they also continued to add the influence of alternative rock, punk rock and arena rock to their sound. This new album has songs representing all of their different influences. The Southern-spiked “Back Down South” is a nostalgic homecoming for a band that has been around the world and back to their Tennessee home. Funk songs like “Pony Up,” would sound at home as an 80s hit. “Mary” is essentially a doo-wop song, and is very catchy and downright irresistible. “Birthday” is perhaps the most notable song on the album.

When Caleb sings, “We’re gonna come together, we’re gonna celebrate. We’re gonna gather around like it’s your birthday,” it’s hard not to feel that Friday night party spirit creeping in.

unique. It is a challenge not to listen, again and again, to a song like “No Money,” that has a big hook and big riffs—a true crowd pleaser. Whether you have heard the Kings of Leon and liked their sound, or are considering checking them out, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at their diversity and creativity. Listeners will feel comfortable with the laid back personality of this exceptional band.

“Come Around Sundown” has tremendous variety and can be listened to in its entirety on multiple occasions. It has a different sound than Kings of Leon’s multi-platinum “Only By The Night,” proving this is a band that does not rest on past accomplishments and attempts to bring something fresh and

amazing ski-in ski-out properties available for rent this winter.

helping owners of rental properties enjoy a pleasant, hassle-free and rewarding second home ownership since 1999.

East West considers the relationship with our Big Sky and Moonlight Basin homeowners a partnership. We’ll work together to maintain and improve the condition of your Big Sky/ Moonlight property and its rental performance.

e a s t w e s t bi g s k y. c o m | 8 7 7 . 5 1 2 . 9 7 9 4 34 February 4, 2011

EVENTS Big Sky Tailgate Alaska movie premier Choppers Friday, February 4 7-9 p.m. $5 at the door

BPMF/BYEP Collaboration Shred the slopes at Big Sky in memory of ski legend Billy Poole Poster signing at The Pour House February 5, 6 RSVP drewstoecklein@gmail.com (208) 720- 5731

Volcom Peanut Butter & Rail Jam Volcom’s amateur snowboard contest Saturday, February 5 8 - 9 a.m. Registration in Headwaters Grille 9:45 am - 3 pm, Competitor Practice/ Competition on Cupajo volcom.com

Chinese New Year Saturday, February 5 4:30 -7 p.m., Headwaters Grille

CD Release Party with Roster McCabe (Reggae) Half-Moon Saloon Saturday, February 5 9:30 p.m. $5 cover & shuttle from the Moon

Superbowl XLV Drink specials, win a TV Sunday, February 6 4 p.m., Headwaters Grille

Wine Tasting Thursdays at Creighton Block Gallery

Big Sky Weekly Planning an event? Let us know!

Email abbie@theoutlawpartners.com and we’ll spread the word.

Snowboarder Magazine’s Superpass Sunday, February 6 9 -10 a.m., Registration in Headwaters Grille 10:30-2:30 p.m., Competition in Zero Gravity Terrain Park (406) 993-6026 or events@ moonlightbasin.com

Big Sky & MSU Community Education Partnership 21 Excel Tips and Tricks Tuesday, February 12 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Ophir School Distance Education Lab Register with MSU Extended University: eu.montana.edu

Dummy Jump Big Sky Resort February 12 12 p.m.

Mountains and Minds Speaker Series Glaciers on Lone Mountain? Life in ice? You bet!

Friday, February 18 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Big Sky Resort Amphitheatre (in the Huntley Lodge)

Meadow Village Art Walk February 19 2 - 8 p.m.

President’s Weekend Celebration at Town Center February 20 12- 6 p.m.

(406) 570- 2417

February 10, 17 4:30-6:30 p.m.

(406) 993-9400

Bozeman Advanced Avalanche Workshop Field Session Bridger Bowl Saturday, February 5 9 - 4 p.m.

Advanced registration required

Montana’s SNOTEL System Bozeman REI Register Online Wednesday, February 9 6:30 p.m. rei.com/bozeman

Martin Sexton The Emerson Wednesday, February 9 6:30 p.m. vootie.com

The Bozeman Snowball Friday, February 11 9 p.m.

The Eagles Ballroom

“Movies to Move” & Blood Drive Movie & Fundraiser The Emerson February 14 2 p.m.

Billings “Tapping Clean Energy for Rural Montana” Workshop Montana Agricultural Trade Expo MetraPark Billings February 17 (406) 449-0104 akurki@ncat.org

west yellowstone One Hour Avalanche Awareness Holiday Inn Saturday, February 5 7 - 8 p.m.

Free

Winter Snowshoe Program Visitor Information Center February 5, 11,12, 16 1:30 p.m.

Spam Cup #3- Classic Rendezvous Ski Trails February 12 (406) 599-4465 info@rendezvousskitrails.com

Taste of the Trails Rendezvous Ski Trails February 12 2 p.m.

(406) 599-4465 info@rendezvousskitrails.com

gardiner B Bar Ranch Public Ski Days February 5, 13 9 - 4 p.m.

(406) 848- 7729

Cooke city Cooke City Avalanche Workshop February 12 and 13, 2011 Saturday (12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and Sunday (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.), Cooke City Firehall mtavalanche.com/node/5969

Mountain Treats:

Tram Bars Keep you Moving Stop by the Country Market in Big Sky en route to the slopes and pick up a Tram Bar: fuel to curb hunger in the tram or lift line. These palm size treats are made with an organic combination of chocolate, peanut butter, rolled oats, honey, dried fruit and seeds , i.e. a good dose of fats, proteins and carbs to keep riders full and energized.

Kate Schade, the founder of Kate’s Real Food in Jackson Hole, is a ski bum at heart who used to ski off the tram in Jackson all day, then wait

tables in the evenings. On her days off she made her own energy bars which she created to eat and share with friends while waiting in the Tram Line at JH.

strangers were asking me to sell them at retail and Kate’s Real Food was born,” Schade said.

Tram Bars are now designed specifically with getting the most out of a ski day in mind. “I wanted something that tasted really good, used whole, healthy ingredients and gave me the energy I need to ski all day,” Kate said. “It just happened that everyone who tried them loved them, and soon friends and complete

Kate’s Real Food also offers the Grizzly Bar, a similar bar made with dark chocolate, and the Caz. Bar, a blend of similar ingredients with the addition of coconut spice.

A.D.

February 4, 2011 35

Big Sky Weekly

business directory

horse of a different color

Live with the things you Love � PILATES � YOGA � MASSAGE � PERSONAL TRAINING Big Sky Meadow Village Across from the Post Office 406-995-3113 Monday - Saturday: 10-5 Sunday: 11-5

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Business Profile of the Week:

Custom Scr Apparel f een Printed o businesse r events, and other s, teams, projects

Big Sky Sotheby’s International Reality

By Abbie Digel

Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty is entering their 10th year in business, and the brand, team and presence in the community couldn’t be stronger. “When you become a client of ours, you will always be a client of ours,” said Cathy Gorman, co-founder of the booming real estate office with her husband, Tim Cyr. “We’ll always be there and keep in touch. We still do business with the same people we started with in 1992.”

Home

Life

The

Auto

Agency Insurance Division Protecting Your Assets

Call us today at 993 9242 or visit us on the web at www.ins-agency.com

Gorman and Cyr have had a real estate presence in Big Sky for over 30 years, and in 2002 they were chosen by Sotheby’s International Reality--the premier real estate brand that connects the finest real estate with prestigious clientele-over other offices in the area. Sotheby’s became interested in Big Sky when they realized the potential here to buy and sell prime real estate. Representatives interviewed Gorman and Cyr and decided they were a good fit due to their experience, commitment and reputation in the community. There are two offices in Big Sky, in Town Center and Meadow Village, and they are only one of two Sotheby’s locations in Montana.

In order to have an affiliation with the Sotheby’s brand, real estate in an area must have high end properties that appeal to typical Sotheby’s auction house clientele and a certain median property value. “Our position right now is one of incredible strength,” said Gorman, “we are not owned by a developer, or under the thumb of a resort.” Big Sky Sotheby’s success is based on their own individual work ethic, and their knowledge of the area. “You can’t work here unless you

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Big Sky Weekly

are invested in the community. Our kids go the school, we serve on the boards, and we all live here.”

Their affiliation with the brand also contributes to their success. “Sotheby’s is synonymous with discretion, good taste, an appreciation for the finer things in life, and good quality of life. People can come here from New York, Canada, England and recognize the Sotheby’s name.”

Big Sky Sotheby’s sells within all of the resorts equally. Gorman is excited about three new listings in Yellowstone Club: two lots and a Sunrise Ridge condo. The Sotheby’s team is currently promoting the properties, doing open houses and actively soliciting buyers.

“We’re positive about what this year will bring. You get a feeling, the mood out there is good. People are interested again. Our buyers who have been putting off are saying it’s time to do something. We are moving right along.” bigskysothebysreality.com

Tax return preparation Tax planning Payroll Services Bookkeeping Financial Statement preparation Business Consulting Business Valuation

The Club at Spanish Peaks Settlement Cabin

WAYNE NEIL, JR. CPA DOUG NEIL CPA JAKE NEIL CPA

Celebrating 40 years of business serving Montana and the Gallatin Valley!

1184 North 15th Ave. Ste. 1, Bozeman, MT 59715 Phone (406) 587-9239 Fax (406) 586-4737 February 4, 2011 37

schizoid johnny live!

Fri & Sat 28th & 29th

January

Warm-up SpecialS

Pasta Monday

tuesday tune-uP

whisky wednesday

therMal thursday

Tony’s “Little Italy Night” Walleye Fry

Burger & Beer $7 All Day Corral Sirloin Night

oPen daily 11am Lunch & Dinner · Sat & Sun 8am Breakfast 5 miles South of Big Sky - HWY 191, Mile Marker 43 menu online - www.corralbar.com - 406-995-4249

F ull S ervice Big Sky’s G rocery S tore Big Sky’s largest grocery selection • Affordable prices Delivery available - Call us 406-995-4636

Open Daily from 6:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery

38 February 4, 2011

Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky Weekly home of the

10

$

Part Time Massage Therapist.

OZssage Ltd - Please call 9957575 for more details.

Must have Montana State Licence.

For rent Small cabin in Gallatin Canyon.

Available now. 1 person only, NS/ NP, 1st last and deposit. $450/ month. Call 763-4361

For sale

Classifieds!

Steam Ice Dam Removal - Custom Roofing Professionals - Copper, Cor-Ten, Cold-Rolled, Standing Seam, Cedar Shake, Asphalt - Full-Spectrum Roof Inspections, Including Infrared 406.209.3786 www.roofcoop.com SNOWMOBILE RENTALS DELIVERY AVAILABLE www.bigboystoysrentals.com 406-587-4747

In need of a Caretaker or Estate Manager? Former corporate facilities manager with 20 years of home building experience seeking long-term caretaker/estate manager position. I will provide an exceptional level of service and commitment in exchange for housing + salary. Excellent references.

Contact Scott @ 406.451.8510

lost & found Found: Vacuum Cleaner on Ousel Falls View Road. Call (406) 9952055 to claim.

$15 with photo

Each Ad can be up to 4 lines (Maximum of 30 words).

Additional lines are $5 per line, Maximum of 8 words per line.

Email classifieds and/or advertising requests to: media@theoutlawpartners.com (406) 995-2055

Learning how to telemark ski?

These are perfect. Crispi size 24.5 Ladies’ CX.A All-Round telemark boot. $40 OBO email: abbie@theoutlawpartners.com --------------------------FREE to a good home - 1 cats, adult males, can be sold individually or together. Contact Mike at 406-209-4680

SERVICES

2605 Little Coyote Rd. Meadow Village Recently built. 2800 sq ft. 3 BD 3BA plus large loft. 2 car heated garage, finest fixtures and finishes, custom cabinets, beautiful Alder floors, & stacked stone fireplace. Make this a must see. Minutes to golf, world class fly fishing & hiking trails in summer. Out your door, access to cross country trails in winter.

Skiing at Lone Mountain’s Big Sky Resort just up the mountain.

HELP WANTED The Ophir School District in Big Sky, is seeking applications for a highly qualified, energetic, and outdoor-oriented K-12 Health Enhancement Instructor (.7 FTE) effective immediately. Applicants must complete an Ophir School District application, available online at www.ophirschool.org (see Employment). Also send a cover letter of application, professional resume, copies of transcripts, copy of current Montana Educator License, and 3 letters of recommendation or placement file. Position will remain open until filled.

Mail to: Andrea Johnson, Superintendent, Ophir School District #72, P.O. Box 161280, Big Sky, Montana 59716 --------------------------The Ophir School District in Big Sky, is now taking applications for Fall 2011 for the following parttime positions: .5 FTE Gr.7-12 Mathematics Instructor and .5 FTE Communications Technology Instructor. Additional information and application available at the Ophir School Office or at www.ophirschool.org (see Employment). Submit by March 15th, 2011. Mail to: Andrea Johnson, Superintendent, Ophir School District #72, P.O. Box 161280, Big Sky, MT 59716.

FOR SALE BY OWNER

Motivated seller asking $689,000 Possible owner financing.

Call Mike’s cell 239-273-4809 for a showing or go to www.2605LittleCoyote.com for more information and photos.

Buyer agents welcome at 4%

Neighborhood Stabiliza�on Program 3 (NSP3) Montana Department of Commerce

Pilates/Yoga fusion class EVERY Sunday at 9:00 am @ BENTLEY BODIES studio in Big Sky. Increase strength, flexibility & balance. All fitness levels welcome.

WWW.BENTLEYBODIES.NET 406.570.9154

Want to advertise?

Contact Outlaw Partners at (406) 995-2055 or media@theoutlawpartners.com

On October 19, 2010 Congress allocated funding for the third round of the Neighborhood Stabiliza�on Program (NSP3). In Montana, the NSP3 Program will be administered by the Montana Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce an�cipates receiving an award of $5 million in funding.

These funds will be awarded by the MTDOC to eligible en��es to stabilize neighborhoods whose viability has been, and con�nues to be, damaged by the economic effects on proper�es that have been foreclosed upon and abandoned. The funds can also be used to demolish blighted structures or redevelop demolished or vacant proper�es within areas of high need.

Coun�es, ci�es, towns and tribal governments are eligible to apply for the funds in areas of greatest need, as defined by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). To determine if your community is eligible, please contact the MTDOC. Eligible en��es must submit an ‘Intent to Apply’ for NSP3 funds in order to be considered for NSP3 funding. The ‘Intent to Apply’ form and instruc�ons are available on the Montana Department of Commerce website at:

h�p://comdev.mt.gov/NSP/default.mcpx

The completed ‘Intent to Apply’ form is due to the MTDOC on or before February 8, 2011. Eligible en��es must provide a descrip�on of their proposed project and how it meets the NSP3 criteria. For those eligible en��es that submit an ‘Intent to Apply’, a full applica�on and compe��ve process for the NSP3 funds will follow in May 2011.

Applicants who do not submit an ‘Intent to Apply’ form on or before February 8, 2011 will not be eligible to apply for or receive NSP3 funds.

Please contact the Montana Department of Commerce NSP staff or further informa�on at 406.841.2770 or docnsp@mt.gov.

February 4, 2011 39

Big Sky Weekly

fun

People on the street What are you doing for valentine’s day?

Groundhog Day Facts The groundhog or woodchuck (Marmota monax) is a husky, waddling rodent in the squirrel family Sciuridae, order Rodentia.

The groundhog is one of 14 species of marmots (genus Marmota), and is closely related to ground squirrels and gophers.

Groundhogs have red or brown fur, and black or dark brown feet.

They have plump bodies, broad heads, small ears, short tails and legs, and strong claws for digging.

They can climb trees and swim.

Doug McCabe and Irene Henninger Big Sky “Skiing!”

Ted Jones Big Sky “Probably taking my fiancé out to dinner. Maybe at Buck’s or Lone Mountain Ranch.”

Kendra Schwartz Blue Moon Bakery, Big Sky “Go out for sushi at Arata with my husband.”

Josie Bolane The Wrap Shack, Big Sky “Get a babysitter and go to Lotus Pad with my husband. We’ll order ginger martinis.”

Groundhogs gorge all summer to build up fat reserves. They usually weigh 6-13 pounds. One captive animal hit a record 37.4 pounds before going into hibernation.

Phil’s full name is “Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.”

As Phil’s fame spread, newspapers around the world reported his predictions. Legions of fans traveled to Punxsutawney every February. After the 1993 release of the movie Groundhog Day, these crowds grew to the tens of thousands.

Phil’s yearly Groundhog Day predictions are entered into the Congressional Record.

history.com pittsburgh.about.com science.jrank.org

Groundhog Day this year was February 2. Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, meaning spring is on its way early.

After the first frost, groundhogs hibernate in underground burrows and sleep until spring.

Groundhogs’ mating season begins after they emerge from their dens in spring. Females are pregnant for a month, and typically give birth to a litter of about five blind, naked pups. Young groundhogs acquire a downy coat after about two weeks.

Candlemas, a German tradition, was the precursor to Groundhog Day. When German immigrants came to Pennsylvania, they held onto their tradition, but used groundhogs instead of badgers to predict weather.

Groundhog Day is held annually on February 2. Tradition holds if a groundhog sees its shadow that day, there will be six more weeks of winter.

The first official Groundhog Day was celebrated in 1886, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

The local newspaper editor, Clymer Freas, was part of the legendary first Groundhog Day trip to Gobbler’s Knob the following year. He proclaimed Phil, the Punxsutawney Groundhog, was the one and only official weather prognosticating groundhog.

Katie’s Joke Corner What did the momma buffalo say when she dropped her child off at school? bi-son!

40 February 4, 2011

Big Sky Weekly Editor, Abbie Digel, hails from a town just up the road from Punxsutawney.

We knew she was good!

What does a Bison need from the bank to buy a new car?

The Bison gets a Buffa-Loan!

youth

Big Sky Weekly

As part of a language arts assignment, Ophir Fifth grade teacher Dave Neal asks his students to write newsworthy articles for the Big Sky Weekly.

Elk Hazing in the Porcupine Range

By Kaleb Gale It was a cold and wintery January 11th around 11 a.m. behind Canyon Auto Repair Shop and across from the Conoco gas station on the banks of the Gallatin River. There were around twenty to thirty elk peacefully grazing in the deep snow.

The peace was broken by a blue and yellow helicopter coming down from the south end of the canyon toward the north.

My witness saw the helicopter going to the north end of the canyon where the elk were located.

Five to ten minutes later the helicopter came back hazing the heard of elk through the open meadow on to the bench of a mountain side further down the canyon. The elk laid there under a grove of trees exhausted, confused and panicked. The helicopter started going south past the Rams Horn subdivision, where my witness was, then paused because it spotted a black wolf in the trees. They flew over to the wolf and dropped down so low that the snow was blowing everywhere and the wolf had to lie down with fear and panic. The helicopter rose back up and started going back south to where he originally came from. The wolf looked over to where the elk were resting but de-

cided instead to follow the river to Ophir School area and beyond.

The event only lasted a short time, yet the elk had to run through three feet of powdery snow, in a stressful situation while being hazed. The temperature had been very cold for the previous few days and had dropped to around negative 20 that night, which means they probably were struggling to find food which they need to keep up their energy and body heat. That is how elk die or break some bones and become vulnerable to local predators. The elk herd had to run from the Conoco to half a mile past Buck’s T-4 and uphill for about two miles in three feet of snow under pressure.

we keep this up all we are going to have left is scenery.

People can see that on their computers at home. If we keep doing this, our economy will drop even more than it already has. We must leave the animals alone and protect the true Montana.

Kaleb Gale is a fifth grader at Ophir School in Big Sky.

We do not know who was in the helicopter. But why act this way? We all live here in Big Sky, so we know what to do and what not to do to help preserve the habitat that we share with our fellow animals.

The majority of the money that comes to Big Sky comes from tourism; the tourists come for skiing, Yellowstone National Park, fishing and to see wild animals in their natural habitat. We are shooting the buffalo for leaving the park and now we are hazing elk, and if

Big Sky Bunnies

by Katie Middleton Since at least last year in the late summer two (or more) domestic bunnies have been living in the Meadow Center quite comfortably: Staying warm, finding plenty to eat—even in sub zero temperatures. Here’s what the people in the Meadow center think: According to Lynne Anderson, Owner of the Country Market, the bunnies look for warmth everywhere. “I see them trying to get in the sliding doors of the store. They have not succeeded. “ Anderson says: “They got here last year. I think they survive with the heat from the compressors that run the refrigeration in the country market. I have seen them go back there and have seen their footprints.”

Mike Bridges, who works at the Lone Peak Brewery thinks he knows what

they eat. “They eat barley and hops leftover from the brewery. We store them outside in big barrels to cool.

I’ve seen a bunny there eating.”

Another place they get food is from Horse of A Different Color where there is hay for the bunny and a small box to keep them warm.

“I’ve seen a moose and one of the bunnies sharing the hay,” says Katie Alvin, Executive Director of the Jack Creek Preserve which is upstairs.

Al Malinowski, who runs the postoffice and a property development company in the meadow center is curious about the bunnies. “Nobody that I know can tell me where they came from. But I kind of think somebody let them loose and they decided to live here. I’m guessing someone’s been feeding them and that’s why they stick around.”

Veda Barner, who works at Big Sky Properties, says there are two bunnies, one white and one black.

We call the white one Meadow Mary and I called the black one Ed.” Barner thinks the bunnies could be

Vicky Nordal, owner of the Lone Peak Brewery, agrees that the bunnies have been fed. “Both bunnies will come to you. The gray one is friendlier than the brown one, but they will both come in close if they

Ophir Middle School Girls’ Basketball Grades 5-8 2/7 2/8 2/10 2/15 2/17 2/18 2/24 2/25 3/4-3/5

@ Heritage Christian vs. Mt. Ellis @ Ophir @ Monforton vs. St. Mary’s @ Ophir vs. Monforton @ Ophir vs. Paradise Valley @ Ophir vs. Manhattan Christian @ Ophir 7/8 Heritage Christian Tournament St. Mary’s Tournament @ Civic Center

LPHS Boys’ Basketball Games start at 5 p.m.

2/14 District Play In Game TBA LPHS boys are 6 and 1 for the season!

Congrats!

domestic or they could be a crossbreed of a domestic and a wild bunny.

see a bright orange carrot in your hand.”

Katie Alvin says the bunnies are definitely domestic and feeding them isn’t like feeding wild animals. “They are really no different from a stray cat or dog. Everyone wants to take care of them but no one wants to adopt them.”

Most people think the bunnies will survive because they’ve done so well and survived so much already. According to Barner, the biggest problem they face isn’t predators, but cars.

“They run across the parking lots all the time.”

Katie Middleton is a fifth grader at Ophir School in Big Sky.

Rural Montana Schools receive Grants for Tech Upgrades With help from Montana’s U.S. Senators Baucus and Tester, thirteen Montana schools will receive grants to purchase technology used for distance learning.

Winnett, Grass Range, Judith Gap, Skyview, Gardiner, Brockton, Moore, Lavina, Hardin, Thompson Falls, Victor, Troy, Eureka, and Hamilton school

districts will invest in high-tech upgrades for classrooms designated for distance learning.

The schools will use the grants to purchase videoteleconferencing equipment, video cameras, smartboards and broadband access. The hi-tech classrooms will connect students with other school districts and educators

throughout Montana, the United States, and the rest of the world. The schools will receive grants totaling $961,464 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. The amount each school district will receive is yet to be determined.

February 4, 2011 41

O PEN HOUSE

Big Sky Hidden Owners Association, Inc. Invites you to attend the Hidden Village Complex

Monday, February 21, 2011, 4-6 p.m.

Condos for sale in the complex will be open for Buyers to walk through. An information Base Camp will be set up at the Recreation Center, 780 Sunburst Drive. Board Members, management staff, and lenders will be there to answer questions.

Special Features of Hidden Village: • Forested Areas, Natural Landscape & Wildlife • Recreation Facility: Meeting Room, Locker Rooms, Outdoor Pool, Hot Tub and Sauna • Recently Upgraded Road System and Water & Sewer System • HVOA Board of Directors - years of experience • Managed by Ramirez Management Services

We hope to see you there!

Please call Ramirez Management Services for more information:

(406) 995-4128 or hvoa@imt.net

42 February 4, 2011

DR YSDALE M CLE AN W IL LETT PPLP est. 1969

LAW PRACTICE EMPHASIZING: Commercial & Business Law Estate Planning • Trusts Probate • Real Estate • Wills Mediation • Employment Law JAMES A. MCLEAN ANDREW J. WILLETT P: 582-0027 F: 582-0028 2066 STADIUM DRIVE, SUITE 101

Big Sky Weekly

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

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

To find out more about the findings of Florentine’s thesis research on the LPRG, attend her après presentation, “Glaciers on Lone Mountain? Life in ice? You bet!,”at the Huntley Lodge on February 18, 4-5:30 p.m. The presentation is part of the Big Sky Institute’s Mountains and Minds lecture series. This project was made possible by the financial support of Big Sky Resort and the Swenson family. Caitlyn Florentine was supported in her graduate research by a Big Sky Institute fellowship created from these funds.

Life in Ice: Glaciers on Lone Mountain?

By Caitlyn Florentine Alaska. Antarctica. Svalbard. The European Alps. The Andes. These typical glacial settings often bring to mind landscapes characterized by smooth expanses of white, devoid of vegetation, and plentiful in ice.

However, glacial terrain in Southwest Montana – rock-glacier terrain that is - has sharp rocks, abundant evergreens, and a lack of ice. The Beartooth Plateau, the Absaroka, Gallatin, and Madison ranges are home to more than 380 rock glaciers.

Lone Mountain (a.k.a. Lone Peak) alone, located within the Madison range, harbors nearly ten of these rock glaciers on its flanks, one of which underlies a considerable area of Big Sky resort terrain. The Lone Peak rock glacier (LPRG) is one mile in length, originating at the base of the Big Couloir and extending all the way beyond the natural half-pipe off of the green run Mr. K on the lower mountain.

How can Southwest Montana, a mid-latitude, cold but relatively dry

area, be considered a glacial setting?

What is a rock glacier and how can an environment so covered in rocks and trees simultaneously harbor glaciers? Could these “rock glaciers” provide micro-environments suitable for microbial life found in similar glacial environments? In the past two years, since moving to Bozeman in the fall of 2008, I have conducted research on the LPRG: its regional context in Southwest Montana, its internal structure and its role as a microbial habitat.

Glaciers are slow moving rivers of ice. Rock glaciers are slow moving rivers of rock and ice. Scientifically they are described as “talus-mantled geomorphic features that are lobate in shape, bordered by steep margins, and that flow due to the presence of inferred internal ice.” Rock glaciers look like rock tongues or rock streams. They flow down the sides of mountains where rocky material is abundant and ice is present either as a vestige of the past, or a token of the present. Serious debates still remain

as to whether rock glaciers are old ice glaciers buried in rock, or if they are piles of rock frozen together by ice sourced in modern precipitation.

MSU professor of Earth Sciences Mark Skidmore has performed research in typical glacial settings around the world — Antarctica, the Alps, and the Yukon Territories – studying subglacial environments as habitats for microorganisms. He looks at the relationship between microbial life and the presence of rocky material in icy environments.

Rock glaciers contain both rocky material and ice, so it figures they might serve as happy habitats for microbial life much the same way as subglacial environments do in typical glaciers. However, prior to work Dr. Skidmore and I conducted on the LPRG, rock glaciers have previously never been considered for their microbial component.

Advised by Dr. Skidmore, I performed initial analyses on the microbial and geochemical component of

rock glacier ice. Just above the bottom tram station at Big Sky Resort, I excavated ~9 ft of rock glacier debris with the mechanical assistance of a mini-bobcat excavator. This excavation revealed a continuous ice surface, which I sampled via a chain-sawing technique. I took the ice samples back to MSU to be considered for microbiology and geochemistry.

Big Sky Institute graduate Fellow and Montana State University (MSU) graduate student Caitlyn Florentine is from Louisville, Colorado and has a bachelor’s degree in geology from Colorado College. She currently holds a position at MSU as lab manager with the Paleoecology research group. She is also a part-time snowboard instructor at Big Sky Resort Snowsports School, and is working on preparing chapters of her thesis for publication. You can contact her at caitlyn.florentine@gmail.com.

February 4, 2011 43

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