Big Sky
Big Sky’s Locally Owned & Published Newspaper
May 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #9
Geothermal Energy in Montana
Pipestone road trip: Mount Everest Emergency Room
Restaurant & retail Guide
big sky’s best goggle tans media@theoutlawpartners.com
Photo by mike coil
explore the Montana Desert
Big Sky
Big Sky Weekly
May 2011 Volume 2, Issue 9 CEO, PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric Ladd COO & SENIOR EDITOR Megan Paulson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mike Martins MANAGING EDITOR Emily Stifler GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelsey Dzintars EDITOR Abbie Digel
A young and steezy competitor in the annual Pond Skim event at Big Sky Resort
Sales Director Hunter Rothwell
See more photos on pg. 42 and at explorebigsky.com
Distribution Director Danielle Chamberlain VIDEOGRAPHER Brian Niles CONTRIBUTors Tyler Allen, Taylor Anderson, Mary Bonar, Jolene Clark, Loretta Domaszewski, Abigail Hogan, Kim TheilmanIbes, Sharlyn Gunderson-Izurieta, Tom Kingsbury, Andrea Johnson, Jamey Kabisch, Brandon Niles, Rachel Roth, Ethan Strauser, Austin Trayser, Ennion Williams
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.
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
Hello and welcome to Big Sky! We’re just finishing a record setting winter of snowfall, and through our community’s efforts and the loyalty of regional and national visitors, we’ve not only recovered our skier numbers, but expanded.
favorite stories from this edition, which will give you a taste of life and culture here in Montana:
We are excited the APEC event is taking place during Big Sky’s traditional off-season and wanted to let both visitors and locals know there are plenty of restaurants and shops open throughout May, as well as exciting options for outdoor adventure, and historic and cultural exploration.
- Article about Google analytics/SEO from Outlaw’s Creative Director, Mike Martins, in our Business section.
For those who haven’t met us yet, the Big Sky Weekly is produced by the Outlaw Partners – a full-service marketing, consulting, video production and media company – based here in Big Sky. We work with clients around the world to build brands and make an impact, and cover everything from sales, marketing, real estate development and product enhancements to websites, email campaigns, adventure travel videos and promotional film.
- Outdoor adventure feature in the nearby Pipestone desert.
- Profile of Bozeman’s Dr. Luanne Freer, who founded the emergency medical clinic at Everest basecamp.
- Gallery feature about an art exhibit at the Bozeman public library—a collaboration between local artist Loretta Domaszewski and the Greater Gallatin Water Coalition.
- A look into the developing industry of geothermal energy. - Don’t miss the Outlaw’s survival guide to spring in Big Sky! Which restaurants are open? What to do when the ski area is closed?
With the Big Sky Weekly, Mountain Outlaw magazine, and explorebigsky.com, we are proud to cover the range of print news, in-depth reporting, and human-interest stories from this region. We hope you enjoy them, too.
For further info, visit explorebigsky.com or theoutlawpartners.com. We hope you enjoy your time in Montana!
This special spring issue of the Weekly will be on the stands for the month of May, taking us through to our first summer edition, on June 3. Here are a few of my
Best, Megan Paulson Outlaw Partners COO
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. 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...27
Big Sky…6
Youth…31
Local News…7
Restaurant & Retail Guide...32
Regional…11 Montana…14 Explore...15 Profile…17 Spring Survival Guide...19 Business...20 Classifieds...25
2 May 2011
explorebigsky.com
Gallery...34 Outdoors...36 Events…38 Sports...39 Music Hunter…41 Fun...43 Back 40...44
Big Sky Weekly
P
erhaps it’s time to let your body wander along with your mind. Let us introduce you to one of our unique properties. Live Life Wide Open
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Marilyn Walsh Broker 406.580.4242
Ski-In Ski-Out Properties
The Club at Spanish Peaks
Jason Parks Broker 406.580.4758
Sandy Revisky Broker, CRS, GRI 406.539.6316
Yellowstone Club
Branif Scott Broker 406.579.9599
Vacant Land
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Ania Bulis Broker 406.580.6852
Jackie Miller Managing Broker 406.539.5003
PureWest Properties.com | info@PureWest Properties.com | 406-995-4009 explorebigsky.com
community
Skyline bus system schedule changes for shoulder season, offers special APEC transportation
OFF-SEASON SCHEDULE
APRIL 25 - JUNE 17 SEPT 12 - NOV 23
BUSES OPERATE MONDAY - FRIDAY
LOCAL BUSES OPERATE ON DEMAND
CALL FOR RIDES MONDAY - FRIDAY To schedule a bus ride please call Skyline at 406.995.6287 by 4pm the day before the ride is needed.
MAY 5 - MAY 22 SCHEDULE During this time a special conference schedule will be in place. Please see the APEC Schedule on our website for more information. Rides will be fare free during the conference.
Skyline bus system shoulder season bus schedule will run on weekdays, April 25June 17. This service offers on-demand response service for rides around Big Sky, and two round trips per day on the Link Express between Bozeman and Big Sky. Schedules are available at skylinebus.com and in print at transfer points and participating businesses.
Skyline will also operate a special schedule from May 5–22 to help accommodate the transportation needs of the APEC conference. The service will feature two roundtrips per day on the Link Express between Big Sky and Bozeman and two Canyon-Mountain routes for rides around Big Sky. The service will be fare-free during this time. Details at skylinebus.com.
Big Sky local demand response service is available during the off-season from Apr 25 to Jun 17 and Sept 12 to Nov 23. • The bus operates Monday through Friday with the first available pick-up at 8:30 am and the last drop off at 5:30 pm. • To schedule a bus ride please contact Skyline at 406.995.6287 by 4:00 pm the day before the ride is needed. • Rides to be scheduled for Monday must be called in by 4:00 pm on the previous Friday.
OFF-SEASON OPERATES APRIL 25 - JUNE 17 & SEPTEMBER 12 - NOVEMBER 23
OFF-SEASON ROUTES BUSES OPERATE MONDAY - FRIDAY
Walmart - Depart MSU (7th & Grant) Gallatin Valley Mall (Parking Lot) Casey’s Corner (Exxon) 4 Corners Buffalo Jump (Gallatin Gateway) Buck’s T-4 Whitewater Inn Conoco Meadow Village Center Town Center Mountain Village Center Black Bear & Mountain Lodge Lake Condos Mountain Village Center Moonlight Basin (Lodge)
Link 1 6:45 a 7:00 a 7:10 a 7:20 a 7:30 a --w 8:05 a 8:10 a 8:26 a 8:30 a 8:32 a 8:35 a w
Link 2 3:05 p 3:20 p 3:30 p 3:40 p 3:50 p --w 4:25 p 4:30 p -4:46 p 4:48 p 4:50 p w
BIG SKY TO BOZEMAN
Bus passes are available in Bozeman at Chalet Sports, the Round House, Bob Ward & Son’s, Gallatin Valley Mall (Mall Office), Joe’s Parkway Market, and Town & Country Foods (near the MSU Campus). Passes are also available at Casey’s Corner (Exxon) in Four Corners, and in Big Sky at the Country Market, Hungry Moose Market & Deli, Big Sky Owners Association office in the Meadow Village, Big Sky Resort’s Basecamp, and at Moonlight Basin.
LOCAL BUSES OPERATE ON DEMAND
BOZEMAN TO BIG SKY
While the Skyline service in Big Sky will remain fare-free, a fare will still be charged on the Link Express, the service between Big Sky and Bozeman. With a bus pass, the fare is $2 per roundtrip, and the cash fare is $5 per roundtrip.
OFF-SEASON ROUTES
Moonlight Basin (Lodge) Mountain Village Center Lake Condos Black Bear & Mountain Lodge Town Center Meadow Village Center Conoco Buck’s T-4 Whitewater Inn Buffalo Jump (Gallatin Gateway) Casey’s Corner (Exxon) 4 Corners MSU (7th & Grant) Gallatin Valley Mall (Parking Lot) Walmart - Arrive
Link 1 dr 9:10 a 9:12 a 9:14 a 9:30 a 9:35 a w w w w 10:10 a w 10:20 a w 10:30 a w 10:40 a w 10:55 a
Link 2 dr 5:10 p 5:12 p 5:14 p 5:30 p 5:35 p w w w w 6:10 p w 6:20 p w 6:30 p w 6:40 p w 6:55 p
OFF-SEASON OPERATES APR 25 - JUN 17 & SEP 12 - NOV 23 • BIG SKY & BOZEMAN w - designates a “whistle stop” - the bus will not stop unless requested by a passenger. Buses will not leave earlier than scheduled times. dr - designates a “demand response” service - to shedule a ride please call Skyline by 4pm the day before the ride is needed 406.995.6287.
4 May 2011
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Obituary Jim Kanzler James Harrell Kanzler passed away outside his home near Wilson, WY, on April 18, 2011. Born April 22, 1948, in Spokane, Wash., to Harrell “Hal” and Jean Kanzler, Jim spent his childhood in Columbia Falls and Butte, where he graduated high school. Jim attended MSU in Bozeman for two years. He was selfeducated and versed in multiple subjects. Jim joined Bridger Ski Patrol in 1968. From 1972-1978, he was Big Sky Ski Resort’s first Ski Patrol Director. After patrolling at Jackson Hole from 1978-1986, he was an avalanche forecaster for the Bridger-Teton national forest until 1997. From ’99 until his passing, he worked for Jackson’s IT department. Jim began climbing with his father and brother during grade school, and went onto become a bold and influential rock climber and alpinist, well known in Montana and Wyoming. He did impressive first ascents in Glacier Park, the Beartooth Mountains and Canadian Rockies; expeditions to Alaska and China; and was a mountain guide in the Tetons for 22 years.
Integrity. Vision. Craft.
Nicknamed “Rathole,” Jim carried the weight of a dark family history. His father committed suicide in 1967, and an avalanche killed his brother in 1969, on his way to bury their father’s gun in Glacier National Park. Jim’s death was by suicide. He is survived by his mother, Jean of Manhattan; his son, Jamie (Jennifer) of Park City, Utah; and two grandchildren, James Dylan, 7, and Jacqueline, 2. Friends and family are organizing a memorial service for early summer; a Facebook page has been created to remember him.
Be Part of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Big Sky
406-995-2174
continentalconstruction.com/montana
By Jolene Clark In life, there are few things more rewarding than making a positive impact on the lives of young people. Whether you are a parent and want to put your experience to use, if you’re looking to gain experience with czhildren, or just want to do something fun, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County in Big Sky is a great place to start. The Gallatin County agency was founded in 1973 by a dedicated group of County residents. The Big Sky branch was created in 2000 and has served more than 173 children. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a proven prevention program that provides children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-on-one relationships that change their lives for the better. Big Brothers Big Sisters matches children (Littles) five through 15 with adult (Bigs) mentors. Our Bigs are asked to commit to spending one to two hours per week with their Little for 18 months. The program has tremendous impacts on the lives of both our children and volunteers. We are dedicated to providing opportunities to enjoy the magic that comes from making a new friend. In Big Sky, our goal is to double the number of Big Sky children served in active match relationships from our current seven matches. We are in need of volunteers in order to keep pace with
the needs of our children and families, and this will require a record number of volunteers. By becoming involved, you can truly influence the life of a child, and you will both be forever changed by the experience. One of the ways we raise funds for the local branch is the upcoming 10th Annual Big Brothers Big Sister Celebrity Golf Tournament beginning Sunday, July 10, with a Celebrity Draw Cocktail Party followed by the tournament on July 11 at the Big Sky Golf Course. All proceeds from the Celebrity Golf Tournament go toward matching children in Gallatin County. This year, we’ll be making significant changes to the tournament to get our matches more involved with the celebrities and events. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County in Big Sky brings effective and life-changing relationships to many children. To find information about our programs and services, how to become a volunteer, how to enroll a child, and information about upcoming events and activities contact Jolene Clark at (406) 855-6544 or jolene. clark@bbbs-gc.org. If you’re interested in donating to the Celebrity Golf Tournament’s live or silent auction, sponsoring, or playing in the tournament, please visit bigbrothersbigsisters.org for more information.
R E C E N T P ROJ E C T Chalet 504 at Yellowstone Club explorebigsky.com
May 2011 5
Big Sky
Due to demand, Town Center Business grant extended until June 15 Outlaw Partners and Big Sky Town Center’s private sector grant, the Big Sky Town Center Business Stimulus Grant, is currently accepting applications. This landmark grant will provide the winning business with a lease on an unfinished space in the Town Center, and marketing for one year. As of April 28, there were four business ideas submitted and the interview process has started. Due to demand, the application deadline has been extended to June 15. Phil Rotherham and Bill Simkins (both of the Town Center and developers of The Marketplace building where the space is located) and Eric Ladd (CEO of Outlaw Partners, LLC, a consulting and marketing firm in Big Sky) want to see the business operational by end of the summer this year, and successful in the long term. “We are very excited about the applications thus far, everything from amazing gallery ideas to green energy,” said Eric Ladd. “We are looking forward to choosing a business and helping them get open soon.”
“I know there are a lot of entrepreneurial people in our community who have great ideas and just need a little help to get started,” said Bill Simkins. “Our offer of a year’s free rent and free media coverage could make all the difference.” The winner will receive the commercial space provided by the Town Center and Outlaw will provide an entire years worth of brand marketing and consulting - a combined package value that could exceed $150,000. The chosen tenant will be responsible for all improvements and additional build out. The location is Unit 201 in The Marketplace - a second story space that looks toward Lone Mountain and is centrally located within the Town Center. It encases tall windows, offering a bright, naturally lit space that will be easy to finish. “The space overlooks Fire Pit Park and the events that take place there, and it has great visibility and signage opportunities from the Spur Road and Ousel Falls Road,” said Simkins.
This grant was inspired from a similar program implemented in Fargo, ND that proved successful. This unique, private sector grant program “is a stimulus opportunity to incentivize a new business opportunity in Big Sky,” said Ladd. “Bill and Phil are great partners in this cutting edge method of helping out while also looking to make a positive impact in turning our local economy around.” Ladd hopes this program will inspire developers in other communities to do the same thing. The committee encourages anyone in Southwest Montana and the Western Rockies to apply who has either a business idea or is an existing business that wants to relocate to Big Sky Town Center. Applicants must meet these criteria: • Will the business be successful? Sustainable? • Is this a service that Big Sky needs? • Is it something new or improved for the Big Sky region?
• Who is behind the venture? The application process is divided into three parts. The applicant will fill out a questionnaire explaining their business concept and why they deserve the grant. Once reviewed, the finalists will be announced and each business will be required to submit a comprehensive business proposal that should include financial projections of concept. Each finalist will present a ‘pitch’ on their business to the committee and explain why they should receive the grant. The winner will be announced in July at a Town Center reception. “We are committed to help build a brand for whatever business is chosen and to really stand behind it,” said Ladd. “When Outlaw Partners opened, our entire team vowed to be an integral part of our community and this is another example of our continued commitment to giving back.”
• Is there a long term vision and viability of business plan?
BIG SKY. BIG WET. BIG FUN! Big Sky Softball Update OPEN DAILY WHITEWATER RAFTING KAYAK TRIPS ZIPLINE PACKAGES HORSEBACK RIDING CLIMBING BIKE RENTALS 1 mile south of the entrance to Big Sky on Hwy 191, next to Buck’s T-4 hotel 800-914-9031 • whitewater@raftmontana.com • raftmontana.com
6 May 2011
explorebigsky.com
With summer just around the corner that means one thing for Big Sky... softball! This year there are some slight changes for the schedule, as the league will be getting two new fields at the Big Sky Community Park. Currently, fields are still under construction. Weather depending, the fields are slated to be completed in June. The current plan for the Big Sky Softball League season is that games will start in mid-July and will conclude with a league-wide tournament in late August. A meeting to discuss the softball league, games, sign-ups, and other details is scheduled for June 1 at the Outlaw Office building (in the Meadow Village Center), in the second floor conference room, at 5:30 p.m. Questions regarding the league can be directed to eric@theoutlawpartners.com. Visit the league’s website for updates – bigskysoftball.com
Big Sky Weekly
Big Sky
See you at the movies, Big Sky! Scott Fisher and Sally Patrick, ski instructors at Big Sky Resort for the past four years, are excited to announce the construction of Lone Peak Cinema, opening this Thanksgiving. Work began at the end of April on a new building in the Town Center that will be home to Lone Peak Cinema and additional retail spaces.
ty. We’re very proud that they chose the Town Center as their home.” Lone Peak Cinema will not only show movies seven days a week, but the theater will host special events and live performances. Lone Peak Cinema is donating time each month to Big Sky Arts Council, the Big Sky Institute and Ophir School.
“There is a big need in this town for more entertainment. We want to provide a place to fill some of these community needs and a place where all members of the community are welcome to enjoy a night out in town,” said Fisher and Patrick. Added Ryan Hamilton: “ The cinema will serve as a very important anchor for the
Town Center and the Big Sky community.” Big Sky is a unique and special small community, and Lone Peak Cinema hopes for community support and involvement in bringing entertainment to residents and visitors.
Big Sky’s first and only Movie Theater will have two screens showing premier Hollywood films. The theater will have a large lobby with full concessions and seating in the theaters for more than 230 people. “I congratulate Sally and Scott, and John [Romney, building developer] for their hard work and foresight in putting this project together,” said Bill Simkins. “It will certainly be a great addition to the amenity package for the entire Big Sky communi-
Letter to the Editor Important local school funding goes before the voters on May 3 On May 3rd, registered voters in the Ophir School District have the opportunity to make important decisions about the future of Big Sky education. Three candidates are vying for one School Board Trustee position. On April 28 at 5 p.m. the district is hosting a Meet the Candidates Forum following a regular School Board meeting at 3 p.m. Also on the ballot are two levies that the Ophir School District is requesting for the 2011-2012 school year. We want to be sure that taxpayers understand the use of the funds that the Board requests and the impact on taxpayers. The General Fund levy would enable the Ophir School District to meet its current operational obligations for the 2011-2012 school year. Montana law sets both minimum and maximum spending limits for the general fund budgets of K-12 schools. The spending limits are calculated using legislatively determined funding components. The minimum budget for the District comes from a combination of state and local dollars. The funding for the portion of a District’s budget between the minimum and maximum comes primarily from local property taxes. The voters of the District must approve any increase in dollars needed for that portion of the general fund budget over the minimum. The District is requesting authorization to impose an increase in local taxes to support the general fund maximum
budget in the amount of $45,824.79 which is approximately 1.92 mills. As the Montana Legislature heads into the final days of the 2011 session, school districts are being advised to plan for a budget shortfall. Even with a 1 percent increase, which is still yet undecided, state funding for schools actually declines this year because the starting point is lower than the current-year funding. State funding covers nearly half the money for public schools in Montana; the remainder comes from local property taxes and federal money. A second levy requested by the Ophir School Board is a Building Reserve Levy. This levy is a one-time request to authorize the district to impose a building reserve in the amount of $195,000 for one year (approximately 8.34 mills) for the purpose of parking lot improvements and grounds maintenance equipment purchases. The district’s enrollment continues to increase as the high school moves into its third year. Next year’s projected enrollment is 221 which is a 9% increase over the current enrollment. Increased use of the District’s facility for school and community events has heightened the need for visitor and participant parking. The additional events will bring numerous people to our community. For example, next year will be the first for high school football as well as both subvarsity and
varsity basketball. Congestion on the road entering the school as well as the area surrounding the athletic facility is a safety concern that grows each year. Another area that the Building Reserve Levy will address is the need for additional grounds maintenance equipment. The district has deferred purchasing additional equipment as the building expanded; however the current equipment is over 25 years old and needs to be replaced. Funds from the local levies will stay in Big Sky. Taxpayers will pay approximately $2.70 per month for both levies for a total of $32.49 annually on a home with a taxable market value of $200,000 (to determine your taxable market value, please examine your tax bill.) As the Board develops its annual budget, it keeps in mind the requirements to provide a quality education for the students along with the current economy and the taxpayers ‘ability to pay. The projected budget for next year even with the additional funds from the two levies is still a conservative budget. We are often asked the following questions in regards to school levies: Why aren’t property taxes enough? Education funding in Montana is equalized; all the state educational property taxes collected are distributed to schools across the state according to Montana school funding formulas. The local levy offers
district taxpayers a chance to support their local schools with a levy which stays in the district. Given the level of the state’s funding to education, all Montana school districts find it necessary to supplement their school budgets with additional levies. What will happen to the school district if the General Fund Levy or Building Reserve levy doesn’t pass? The failure of the General Fund Levy will almost certainly require the elimination or reduction of staff and programs simply because 85 percent of the school budget is allocated to salaries. A balanced school budget is required by law. Without the passage of the building reserve levy, the current parking situation at Ophir/ LPHS will continue to be both too small and dangerous for pedestrians and vehicles. Isn’t there another way to fund school budgets without raising taxes? The Ophir District actively seeks federal/state/local grants and private donation funding whenever possible. Many grants are not available to the District because the percentage of families falling below the poverty line is less than 20 percent. Andrea Johnson Ophir School District Superintendent Ophir School District #72 (406) 995-4281 ext. 201
explorebigsky.com
May 2011 7
Big Sky Weekly
Welcome APEC Delegates, Press & World Travelers We take great pride in using our expertise, resources, and global connections to unite extraordinary places with the extraordinary buyers who will cherish them as we do.
Featured Property
Fly-Fishing Retreat $1.5M A riverside home like this cannot be built again: the proximity to the river is calming and unparalleled. Hidden in a veritable wildlife habitat at the west end of the Meadow Village, this distinctive home has a library, lofted lounge, and a detached 2 car garage with brand new first-class guest quarters. Fresh paint inside & out, remodeled kitchen & master bath, along with new light fixtures, tile, and counter tops. Ceiling to floor windows in all the main rooms capture natural light and and views of the West Gallatin River. • 3396 Square Feet • 2.34 Acres • 4 Bedrooms, 4 Baths • 2-Car Detached Garage • Stone Patio Overlooks River Frontage
Montana YO U R HOM E I S I N
8 May 2011
explorebigsky.com
W E K N OW B IG SK Y RYAN KULESZA Broker
JEF F HE L M S Broker
TA L L I E JA M I S ON Associate
Big Sky Weekly
Illustrating local relative values from a sampling of our listing portfolio
We have access to all listings in Big Sky. Call us today to schedule a property tour
406.995.2244 $1M - $1.5M
$200k & under
Invest ment opp or tu n it y w a l k i ng dist ance to sk i l i f t s
C om merci a l bui lding in Tow n C enter $1.5M - $2M
$200k - $800k
E xp ansive mou nt ai ns v i e w s overlo ok ing sk i sl op e s
Phe nomena l sk i access to b ot h sk i are as $2M & over
$800k - $1M
Luxur y C ondo i n Bi g Sky B as e Are a
Su n r is e R idge condo in Yel l ow stone C lub
Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty 123 Lone Peak Drive, Suite 5 Big Sky Town Center adjacent to the Hungry Moose Market www.bigskysir.com info@bigskysir.com tel 406.995.2244 explorebigsky.com
May 2011 9
Big Sky Weekly
Big Sky
Non-Taxing Big Sky Parks, Trails, and Recreation District Holds Public Meeting By Katie Morrison Approximately 20 people attended a public meeting on the proposed non-taxing Big Sky Parks, Trails, and Recreation District. At the meeting a group of Big Sky stakeholders shared with the public the process they’ve been pursuing to create the district, answered questions, and asked for the public’s support when the proposal goes before both the Madison and Gallatin County Commissions for approval in the near future. The proposed district boundaries include most Big Sky properties, except those whose access is by Highway 191. The group is proposing to create two districts: 1. The Big Sky Mountain Parks, Trails, and Recreation District, in the Madison County side of Big Sky (using the Big Sky Resort Area District and the County line as its boundary). 2. The Big Sky Meadow Parks, Trails, and Recreation District, in a portion of the Gallatin County side of Big Sky (using the Big Sky Resort Area District boundary, the County line, and property lines as its boundary). The group will ask each County Commission to pass an interlocal agreement, so the districts would function with one board of directors. The end goal is for the meadow and mountain district to work together
as one. With cooperation from each County Commission, creation of the districts can be accomplished administratively (without a vote of the electorate). This is, in large part, because the districts would be nontaxing. The districts could apply for grant moneys from sources aimed at enhancing parks, trails and recreation in Big Sky. This effort comes on the heels of an unsuccessful attempt by a group of Madison Valley residents to create a taxing Madison Valley Park and Recreation District that would have taxed many Big Sky/Madison County properties to help fund park and recreation improvements and programs in the Madison Valley. A few of the potential benefits of the proposed Big Sky Parks, Trails, and Recreation District are: · Allows Big Sky to maintain control of parks, trails, and recreation in our community · Additional sources of funding for parks, trails, and recreational development and maintenance due to governmental standing (a County Park District) · Foundation for a comprehensive parks, trails, and recreation system in Big Sky
· Greater depth of options to insure parks, trails, and recreational facilities due to governmental standing · Brings community together for one common cause The Big Sky Parks, Trails, and Recreation Districts are being proposed now, in order to establish district boundaries precluding future efforts to include Big Sky in a larger district. If the Big Sky community doesn’t take this step now, others will and any tax money will likely be invested outside of the immediate Big Sky community. Future steps include submitting draft resolutions and an interlocal
agreement to both Madison County and Gallatin County Commissions. After public meetings, and final approval of the resolutions and interlocal agreement, the Big Sky Mountain/Meadow Parks, Trails, and Recreation Districts will be established. The initial board will likely be appointed by the County Commissions, with a goal of moving to a publicly elected board as soon as practical. Their first task will be to establish bylaws for the new district. If you would like more information, or to express your support to the County Commissioners, contact Katie Morrison of the Big Sky Community Corporation at (406) 993-2112, or katie@bsccmt.org.
TIMELINE: Past Park District Efforts 1997 3-square mile Big Sky Park District passes by vote of 16-4 in the Big Sky/Madison County area. The district was never activated, has never levied assessments, but still exists.
Proposed Big Sky Parks District is defeated Big Sky voters in Gallatin County.
1998
2003 A proposed Gallatin County/Big Sky Park District effort is tabled by Gallatin County Commission due to lack of consensus in Big Sky community.
April 2011 Big Sky stakeholder group presents outline to create non-taxing Big Sky Park, Trails, and Recreation District to Madison and Gallatin County Commissions and Gallatin County Board of Park Commissioners. Held public meeting to share information about the process, describe need, answer questions, and receive input about the proposed non-taxing Big Sky Parks, Trails, and Recreation District that would include most Big Sky properties except those properties accessed from Highway 191.
10 May 2011
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky learns of Madison Valley Park and Recreation District (MVPRD) efforts.
Nov. 2010
Dec. 2010 Madison County Commission passes a resolution to allow MVPRD to be added as a referendum on the May 2011 ballot.
Big Sky stakeholders organize and research process to create non-taxing Big Sky Parks, Trails, and Recreation District. Presents intent to create district at the Chamber of Commerce Community Forum.
Mar. 2011
Big Sky stakeholders request amendment to resolution to remove the Big Sky area from proposed MVPRD.
Jan. 2011 Feb. 2011 Madison County Commission rescinds MVPRD resolution and offers to support a new Big Sky Park District.
Big Sky Weekly
regional
Community Supported Agriculture connects farmers, food, consumers By Emily Stifler I opened the box of vegetables and pulled out more than a week’s worth of hearty greens, peas, grapefruit, lemons, sweet onions, bergamot and rosemary. A pack of fresh eggs was tucked alongside the produce. I was spending the summer in the high country of Yosemite National Park, California, and if I’d not subscribed to a CSA I may have contracted scurvy. Instead, boxes of delicious seasonal fruits and veggies were delivered all season.
Advantages for farmers: •
Spend time marketing the food early in the year, before long work days begin
•
Receive payment early in the season, helping cash flow
•
Get to know the people who eat the food they grow
Advantages for consumers: The concept of community-supported agriculture (CSA) was born in the 1960s, concurrently but separately, in Europe and Japan. In response to food safety issues and urbanization of agricultural land, groups of consumers and farmers partnered to fund ecologically and socially healthy agriculture. The idea came to the U.S. in the mid ‘80s, and now there are more than 4000 CSA’s across the country, and six in the Bozeman area.
•
Eat fresh food, with flavor and vitamin benefits
•
Experience new vegetables and new ways of cooking
•
Get to visit the farm
•
Kids like food from “their” farm
•
Develop a relationship with the farmer and learn how food is grown
Gallatin Valley Botanical describes how a CSA works: A farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.
According to localharvest.org, “It’s a simple enough idea, but its impact has been profound. Tens of thousands of families have joined CSAs… They add that what takes CSAs “beyond the usual commercial transaction… is the notion of shared risk.”
In this kind of farming operation, growers and consumers share the risks and rewards of food production. Because it is so local, it’s perhaps one of the most environmentally conscious ways to eat.
Gallatin Valley Botanical owns up to this: “Each year can bring new weather challenges [in Montana]: Frosts come any month of the year, and it can snow, rain, and hail as Mother Nature sees fit.” They are growing a community around their farm, with these shared benefits and risks inherent:
“By taking part in our CSA, you are sharing in our seasons, in our disappointments, and in our bounty. To help ensure that our season is bountiful, we have three greenhouses and row cover for season extension, use varieties that are well adapted for our short season, variable climate, plant a wide variety of crops, and have the experience to back it up.” Each of their 18 weekly summer and 10 weekly winter boxes has a newsletter with recipes, will generously feed a family of four, and includes a complementary selection of produce including salad greens, cooking greens, an herb, an allium, root crops, and seasonal vegetables. They also have a work share agreement that offers members a discount for field work. Make sure to sign up soon, as of April 29, three of the local farms that provide CSAs are already sold out of shares. If this concept of shared risk is not for you, there is always the farmers’ market. gallatinvalleybotanical.com townesharvest.montana.edu montanacsa.com/main localharvest.org/csa Some of the local farms offering CSAs: Field Day Farms- (Bozeman) Three Hearts Farm- (Bozeman) Three Fiddles Farm-(Bozeman) Towne’s Harvest Farm- (MSU) Cloud 9 Farm- (Wilsall) Montana CSA- (Whitehall) Gallatin Valley Botanical
Music of Cuba:
Grammy Nominated Group to Perform in Bozeman The Cuban government forbade its citizens to listen to American radio when the members of Tiempo Libre were growing up in Cuba. It still does. But, like teenagers everywhere, that which was forbidden was what the members of Tiempo Libre most desired. The Cuban teenagers fashioned antennas out of salvaged aluminum foil and clothes hangers and climbed up on their rooftops at night to tune into Miami airwaves. Today, ten years after forming the first all-Cuban timba group in the U.S., earning three Grammy nominations, and performing on NPR, at The Hollywood Bowl, at Jazz at Lincoln Center, as well as TV’s The Tonight Show and Dancing with the Stars, Tiempo Libre’s musicians are living the American dream. The three-time Grammy nominated Cuban music group Tiempo Libre is coming to Bozeman to perform and throw a Cuban musical party on Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ellen Theatre (17 West Main Street, Bozeman, Montana 59715). Tickets are $20 and are available by visiting the ellentheatre.com or calling (406) 585-5885. tiempolibremusic.com See explorebigsky.com for more info on Tiempo Libre.
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May 2011 11
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Gallatin Chapter of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation - 21 years of
Conserving Elk and Wild Places The Gallatin Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) will celebrate 21 years of member supported conservation efforts at their annual banquet on May 21. RMEF member contributions have forever conserved more than 66,500 acres for elk and other wildlife in Gallatin, Madison, Broadwater and Park Counties. In addition, habitat has been improved on another 212,417 acres and more than 25,000 acres have been made available for public hunting in just Gallatin and Park Counties. Nationally, RMEF’s 178,000 members have protected and enhanced more than 5.9 million acres for all wildlife—an area equivalent to a swath three miles wide along the Continental Divide from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. RMEF was founded by four hunters from Troy, Montana in 1984. Bob Gibson, a long time RMEF–Gallatin Chapter volunteer and retired Gallatin National Forest Supervisor said, “as Forest Supervisor for the Gallatin back in the 1980s, I [worked] with the Elk Foundation to protect a tremendous bunch of winter ranges for the Northern Yellowstone elk herd. I can assure you that no group has done more for wildlife in this area than the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.“ M. David Allen, President and CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, explained the groups’ position on wolves to the Rocky Mountain Defenders of Wildlife
and the Western Wildlife Conservancy: “No one is promoting annihilation of wolves, so let’s stop pretending such exists. However, there is a need for sensible balance, and current wolf numbers have long since crossed over the tipping point.” Chapter banquets, like the Gallatin Chapter’s to be held at the MSU Student Union Saturday May 21, raise funds for wildlife land conservation and elk habitat. Last year, Montana chapter banquets provided more than $1.1 million in funding for projects in Beaverhead, Broadwater, Flathead, Lewis and Clark, Madison, Meagher, Missoula, Park, Powder River, Powell and Rosebud Counties. Since 1984, more than 688 projects with a combined value of $124.5 million have been funded in Montana. These projects impact more than 693,000 acres in Montana and are selected by RMEF volunteers and staff, plus partnering organizations like the Bureau of Land Management, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, the Forest Service and other agencies and organizations. “We’re proud to be one of the top RMEF chapters not just in Montana, but in the country,”Gibson said. “There’s no more classic elk country than the Big Sky, and Bozeman is the Elk Capital of it all—let’s keep it that way!” Ticket information is available from Becky Arbuckle (406) 285-3819 or email tfemt@aol.com.
“American Idol” bronze sculpture on display at the Creighton Gallery in the Big Sky Town Center
See explorebigsky.com for FAQ’s and candidate info
House Sitters at Large
Kevin and Alicia Shea will take care of your house, your pets—and maybe even become your good friends By Emily Stifler Kevin and Alicia Shea have an unusual way of traveling and getting to know an area: they housesit. This summer, the semi-retired couple is leaving their home outside of Boston on June 15, and planning to spend the summer between Jackson, Sun Valley, Bozeman and Missoula. “We started doing this about three years ago,” Kevin says. “It’s a great way to make new friends and have an experience.” His amiable manner is bolstered by an undeniable Massachusetts accent. Last summer when they sat in Sun Valley, the symphony was in town and attended for several nights. In Jackson, they took care of a famous dog – Pukka, who is Merle’s successor (of the book Merle’s Door). Pukka, has his own book now, and when they took him for a walk they’d end up with all the neighborhood dogs in tow. “We’re climbers, skiers and bicyclists, so we like everything about his area,” Kevin says. “The fishing, the open skies.” They first visited Montana in 1976 when he worked as an engineer in Butte and Anaconda doing magneto hydrodyamics—trying to figure how to burn coal efficiently. “We went to the St. Patty’s Day parade in Butte, which was totally cool.” Kevin says the most memorable house sitting gigs are the dangerous ones. During one in Southern New Hampshire, the biggest ice storm in New England history hit. “At around 3 o’clock in the morning we heard cracking, and the power went out. The next morning, the place was littered with branches, and there was ice on everything. We were there with two dogs and a cat, two miles down a dirt road in the country. We knew we wouldn’t get power back quickly.” They drained the pipes, called the homeowners, and then took the pets back to their house two hours away until the owners returned. The Sheas still work part time from their laptops and even carry folding desks on their travels. The only thing they require is high speed internet. kevinandaliciashea.com
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May 2011 13
montana
State of the Rivers – the Gallatin, Madison and Upper Yellowstone By Taylor Anderson This year’s heavy winter snowfall and wet spring coated the high peaks with lavish snow. Chilly, early spring weather may indicate a long runoff until the higher temperatures of summer hit. This will give Montana’s rivers a nice spring flush—benefitting their ecosystems with the cleaner river bottoms and new habitat that come with higher flows. GALLATIN RIVER Locals sometimes take the drive along Highway 191 from Bozeman to Big Sky through the Gallatin River Canyon for granted. For miles, high peaks hover over its narrow valley, clear to Wyoming, paralleled by the path of the winding Gallatin River. The area saw an abundance of snowfall this winter, and the Gallatin River Basin gathered 26 percent more precipitation than the 30-year average, 43 percent higher than the same time in 2010. In mid-April the Gallatin was discharging at 309 cubic feet per second, down from its 368 cfs average, and received a late two feet of snow. According to Mike Vaughn, a Madison and Gallatin area fisheries biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, trout flourish at the higher stretches of the Gallatin, but numbers are biggest in the Canyon. The higher stretches of the Gallatin have, “something on the order of 2,000 fish per mile that are greater than six inches,” Vaughn said. “Down in the Canyon it’s even higher, we run about 5,000 fish per mile. Mostly rainbows.” They’re not hogs, averaging about eight to 14”. The cold water isn’t ideal for trout movement or growth. Warmer temperatures bring more bugs, and the Gallatin streams generally have lots of bugs during the late spring, Vaughn said. The fourth-highest Gallatin river crest in history occurred in February 1996, when 10.18’ of water in the river overwhelmed banks, fit for around six or seven feet before flooding. The Gallatin can get very low at stretches during the late, dry summer months, and prolonged runoff is preferred. Higher waters recycle riverbed sediments. Although toxic sediments don’t plague these rivers like they do water near mines and dams like the Clark Fork, (the Milltown Dam Reservoir contained 6.6 million cubic yards of sediment before being declared a Superfund Site), the Gallatin benefits when water washes silt and other fine sediments downstream. When peak spring runoff will hit is anyone’s guess. The average date for the Gallatin before runoff tapers is June 6, at 5,193 cubic feet per second, but the earliest peak spring runoff date was in May of 1934. Peak runoff has come as late as the fourth of July, in 1975, so pinpointing this year’s date is nearly impossible. UPPER YELLOWSTONE RIVER From Gardiner, this river’s enormous power winds north through treacherous mountain terrain until it reaches Livingston, where it turns and heads eastward.
14 May 2011
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The Gallatin River Photo by Austin Trayser austintrayserphotography.blogspot.com
The Upper Yellowstone River Basin received 123 percent of the 30-year average precipitation through April, and the river flowed at 1,910 cfs, well above a 1,429 cfs average for April, but hardly comparing to the 30,000 cfs flows that pounded the region east of Livingston in 1996 and 1997. Water will wash from icy peaks when temperatures warm in Southwest Montana, and river channels that have been parched for years may be quenched. Channels fill and create new places for younger fish to live and grow, away from bigger predators in the main channel. The Upper Yellowstone’s relatively enormous size means the riverbed isn’t made of the fine sediment seen in the Gallatin. The limestone rocks and gravel bars are shuffled around and dispersed downstream, and pieces of driftwood and petrified wood scatter its rocky banks. Trout numbers on the river are steady, and the population last year from Yellowstone Park to Livingston was an estimated 218 brown trout per mile, 525 rainbow trout and 296 Yellowstone cutthroat trout, according to Scott Opitz, the Upper Yellowstone Fisheries
Biologist with Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Opitz said his stretch of water stays fairly cool because of the Park’s high elevations. The river has been closed to anglers only once in his seven years with the service—in 2007, due to warm water. Trout are temperamental about temperature change. If the river is too cold, they don’t eat. When the rivers are big, the fish tend to hunker down at the bottom of the cool streams and rest. Most fish are caught when it’s warmer, but this can be dangerous for fish health, and guides shy away from fishing warmer streams. Big water also causes erosion that benefits fish. It digs deep holes that provide some cooler water during late summer months when rivers slow down and have lost spring water. The Yellowstone’s gravel limestone rocks are oxygenated and sent downstream, where they land at shallower stretches to create habitat in fast-moving waters. The lifelike interplay between the flowing river and its inhabitants is always changing. “The system is made to move around a bit,” Vaughn said. Continued on pg. 15
montana
Spring Fishing Report Rivers on the rise, lakes thawing By Ennion Williams Spring fishing this year has been great, if you don’t mind wintery conditions. Some anticipated hatches have stalled due to the cold, but there have been some good blue winged olive hatches, which will continue into May as the weather warms up.
anglers can sight fish from the bank and look for rising fish during a midge hatch. Keep in contact with Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone for up-to-date information on this area.
By early May, the caddis will have started on the Yellowstone and Lower Madison. With a good amount of low level snow this year, runoff may start quickly once the weather breaks. If this is the case, there is still fishing on the Madison River, both above and below Ennis Lake. By the middle of May, the Madison, Gallatin and Yellowstone will all start running high.
Traveling down the Madison, Ennis Lake is the next spot of interest. Easily accessed from the Madison Valley, Ennis Lake has similar hatches to Hebgen and is a shallow lake with good-sized Rainbow and Brown trout. It will get muddy once the runoff has started, so get there as soon as the ice melts.
But as the rivers start to rise, the lakes start to thaw. As ice-out occurs, large trout that have been living under the ice all winter are free to chase after a streamer or look up for bugs hatching on the surface. When the ice recedes from the lakeshore, the fish move into the shallows in search of food. All the lakes in the Madison and Missouri River drainages are worthy of attention, and most will also have lake midge hatches, which can provide excellent dry fly fishing. Hebgen Lake, near West Yellowstone, will provide some of the best dry fly fishing in the state during May. With easy access along the north shore,
Contiued from pg.14 MADISON RIVER The Upper Madison meanders a shallow 60 miles of riffled river from the western boundaries of Yellowstone National Park through Hebgen and Quake lakes, then heads north through a beautiful agricultural stretch near Ennis. Its Lower Madison counterpart starts in Ennis Lake and quickly makes its way through narrow canyons toward its final destination in Three Forks, where it meets the mighty Missouri. Differing from the Gallatin and Upper Yellowstone, the Madison is controlled and monitored by manmade dams. There are good and bad aspects to having a controlled flow, Vaughn said. The Hebgen Lake dam assures high flows year round, but the river doesn’t benefit from the high flowing runoffs that clean rivers in early summer. In mid-April, the upper reaches of the Madison were running at 1,000
The Missouri River drainage has a series of four lakes starting with Toston Lake and ending with Holter Lake. All of these have excellent angling opportunities as the ice melts. If you are looking for large trout, walking their shorelines during May will not disappoint. Canyon Ferry is the largest of these, and in addition to trout, it has walleye and perch. Montana Troutfitters in Bozeman is an excellent resource for this area.
find some productive river fishing through the month of May. The official fishing season will open the third Saturday in May—the 21st this year. With this opening, many of the tributaries to the rivers open and can provide some excellent early season opportunities. In addition, rivers under dams like the Madison, the Missouri, the Beaverhead and the Bighorn will provide more opportunities.
Just because the major rivers are running high and off color, with a little investigation an angler can usually
Local information is the best way to plan your angling adventure. I predict the Gallatin will be fishing by June 28, and the Yellowstone by July 10—but
cfs, and had 12 percent more than average total precipitation. The Madison below Ennis Lake was right around the average of 1,560 cfs. Both stretches of the Madison have held steady numbers of fish since recovering from a whirling disease breakout that devastated trout populations for much of the 1990s. Upper Madison fish numbers are around 2,500 rainbows per mile and 2,000 brown trout per mile. Lower Madison levels are about 1,500 rainbows and 1,000 brown. “We may not have the numbers we had before whirling disease,” Vaughn said, “but the numbers are now fairly strong.” Bob Merryman is in his 21st year of guiding with Gallatin River Guides in Big Sky. He said a high quantity of water doesn’t always indicate a healthy stream, and that the right
the weather will determine the actual timing. Yellowstone National Park will open on Memorial Day weekend and will provide excellent early fishing on the Firehole, when the rest of the rivers are still high. Don’t let the high water scare you off, because there’s always a place to cast your line to hungry trout in Montana. Ennion Williams is a professional Fishing Guide and Outfitter in Big Sky. He can be reached at (406) 5797094 or at ennion3@yahoo.com.
Percent above 30 year average precipitation
26%
Gallatin River Basin
upper yellowston River basin
123%
12%
upper madison River basin
0
30
60
90
water and air temperature make happy fish. Merryman said anglers should be careful to know their impact on fish populations during late summer, during high temperature days. The warmer waters of the Lower Madison can be a stressful habitat for trout,
120
150
and catching them during warm water situations often times means hurting the fish. “If they’re doing catch and release (on warmer days), they should probably just keep them because they’ll probably kill them anyways,” he said.
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May 2011 15
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May 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #9
Big Sky
Photo by Kim Theilman-Ibes
Photo courtesy of Luanne Freer
Profile
Luanne at her home in Bozeman
Luanne Freer, MD By Kim Theilman-Ibes Each spring, Luanne Freer’s commute to work takes on epic proportions as she navigates three continents, a vast cultural divide and a dramatic rise in elevation totaling 13,000’—over 8500’ gained by trekking through the roadless Khumbu region of Nepal. The circuitous route takes Dr. Freer from her comfortable home in Bozeman, Montana to an austere, no-frills nomadic life at the edge of a tent city most refer to as Mount Everest’s base camp. Several weeks after departing Bozeman, Dr. Freer settles into her home away from home, an emergency medical facility set upon an inhospitable rock and ice-filled landscape nesting around 17,600.’ Dr. Freer and her volunteer staff of doctors are among the first to arrive and the last to leave Everest base camp each year, working from a white tent adorned with a red cross the first week of April through the end of May.
photo Courtesy of Luanne Freer
Dr. Freer founded Everest Base Camp Clinic (EBC) under the auspices of the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA, a non-profit NGO) in 2003 during Everest’s 50th anniversary climbing season. It’s the world’s highest altitude emergency clinic, and Freer’s work here
has made her one of the world’s foremost experts in high altitude medicine. In a busy year, 500 people attempt to summit Mount Everest, and more than 10,000 people trek to base camp. EBC assists the well prepared and elite of the climbing community, the sometimes unprepared less-practiced outdoorsmen, and the local Sherpa and Nepali population who account for half of her 400-500 patients each year. The Sherpa people, a tiny society of approximately 8,000, are as important to the country of Nepal they are integral to the climbing and trekking community. They provide lodging on the multiday trek to base camp, porters and yaks to carry gear, guides up the mountain and the highly skilled “Icefall Doctors” that prepare the treacherous Khumbu Glacier for safe passage. Many Sherpa and Nepali believe they are impervious to illness resulting from high altitude exposure. The heavy loads they carry up the mountain, combined with this belief, put them at a higher risk for HAPE (high altitude pulmonary edema) or other high altitude related sicknesses.
The clinic uses the funds provided by guiding organizations, climbers, and trekkers to finance free and low cost healthcare for the Sherpa and Nepali population. Any profit from clinic supports other HRA clinics. Through a twist of fate, Dr. Freer first visited Nepal in 1999. She initially spent a week volunteering at a HRA clinic, where her medical group treated over 600 Nepalese in just five days. The following year, Dr. Freer returned for a three month medical stint, this time working at a clinic at 14,000’ in the Khumbu region of Nepal. During this visit Dr. Freer made the famous trek to Everest’s base camp, where she encountered a large population suffering from a variety of high altitude illnesses without a doctor in site. From this experience, the Everest Base Camp Medical Clinic was born. “It was a last minute decision that’s changed my life,” says Dr. Freer. “I fell in love with the Sherpa people. [They] reorient me to what’s important... I had to find a way to keep coming back to make them a permanent part of my life.” During her stay at George Washington University’s emergency residency program, a faculty advisor told her it wasn’t enough to be good at what you do. To get up every morning, she
needed more than good. That meant marrying her profession with her passion—being outdoors, camping, climbing and canyoneering. With this advice, Dr. Freer headed west upon graduating, and landed a job with Yellowstone National Park’s medical clinics. At that time, the backbone of knowledge in wilderness medicine was small, but growing. Dr. Freer found dealing with patients in extreme situations both educational and exciting, and in Yellowstone it meant dealing with altitude. As founder of the EBC clinic, the Medical Director for Yellowstone National Park, past-president and current board member of the Wilderness Medical Society, and a volunteer physician in Nepal for the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA), Freer, a doctor since 1992, is uniquely qualified in the practice of extreme-emergency outdoor medicine. Before and during her tenure with the EBC clinic, she has been part of several studies on high-altitude health related issues. Outdoor medicine is more than a profession—it’s her passion. In the Everest Base Camp medical clinic, Dr. Freer found more than reason enough to get up every morning. More about Dr. Luanne Freer’s findings is on her website everester.org.
Photo by Eric Johnsen
Founder and Director of Mount Everest’s Emergency Room
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May 2011 17
Big Sky Weekly
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BigSky SkyWeekly Weekly Big
SPring Survival to Southwest Guide Montana Spring may seem like the off-season in Big Sky and in Southwest Montana – the ski resorts are shut down, yet sometimes it continues to snow. But really, it’s the best time of year. On sunny days, you can walk on dry trails, rock climb or mountain bike – or hike into the backcountry and ski beautiful and remote peaks. Visit a historic ghost town or sit in one of 10 natural hot springs. Go rafting or canoeing. Fish in the Madison Valley or on the Yellowstone River. Walk your dog, go to Museum of the Rockies or visit a craft brewery. Buy a cowboy hat at Bozeman Hat Company, in Gallatin Gateway, then wear it to Stacey’s Old Faithful Bar and Steakhouse, or head south to West Yellowstone, where you can check out the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, and visit our country’s first national park during the quiet season.
Once the Beartooth Highway is open in mid-May, skiers flock to the 10,947’ pass northeast of Yellowstone that has been called “the most beautiful drive in America.” Looking for trip resources in Southwest Montana? Check out explorebigsky.com. Also, these companies are great for helping plan a trip: Phasmid Rentals, Bella Treks, Geyser Whitewater, Enterprise Rentals, Gallatin River Guides, East West Resorts, Resort Property Management, 320 Ranch, Rainbow Ranch and Lone Mountain Ranch.
Here are some of the Outlaw Partners’ personal picks for spring activities:
A Big Sky local’s survival guide to staying in town: 1. Put the muddy footprints across your floor to use as a massive ‘board’ for playing Twister. 2. Make a drawing with watersoluble markers or pencils on thick paper. Place it outside and watch it turn into an impressionistic watercolor. 3. Make tiny boats and sail them down your driveway or in your backyard.
Eric
Emily
Off season in Montana is awesome. You will have the area to yourself, but you have to be prepared. For me, the perfect spring day starts at Bugaboo Cafe for breakfast, followed by rafting the Gallatin. Then I celebrate with a Corral burger and a Netflix!
I love camping and rock climbing at the Montana Desert, near Pipestone, and am excited about an upcoming Smith River trip—I’m learning to fly fish. I hope we get good weather and don’t tip the boat!
Megan
It’s time to hit the road. I’ll drive to Yosemite National Park and spend a few days in John Muir’s cathedral. Then, on to Las Vegas to earn some gas money and remember why I don’t live in a big city. I’ll head to Grand Canyon for dinner at the El Tovar and to look at the big ditch again, and then through the Navaho Nation to Monument Valley and Valley of the Gods. Last stop is mountain biking in Moab.
In the spring we like to take the camper and raft over to Headwaters State Park, near Three Forks. Camping, rafting and fishing on the Missouri, and hiking around Lewis and Clark’s expedition path is fun, and also a perfect way to prep for summer.
Abbie I can’t wait to head to Stacey’s on a Friday night, sport my new boots, and dance with some cowboys! I also plan to pump up the tires on my mountain bike and check out the trails.
Mike I like going to Chico Hot springs. Now is also a great time to get in some early mountain biking, because there aren’t a lot of people out. I like some of the trails in Three Forks, and it’s usually dry out there.
Hunter
Kelsey Norris Hot Springs is a great place to go for a soak in the off-season, and doesn’t require a muddy hike. On weekends, the poolside live music is pretty sweet, as well as local, organic food from the grill and a tasty Montana brew. Afterwards, sometimes I’ll bundle up and set up camp with friends along the nearby Madison River.
4. Rip photos out of ski magazines and put them on the dartboard. Ready, aim, fire. 5. Cover your windows with photos of the beach. Wear flip-flops and drink margaritas while wearing your down jacket. 6. Deny reality: Put a blanket on your back porch and lay out in the sun. When you get too cold or wet, come inside and pretend you just went swimming. 7. Create a lowest fare watch on every travel search engine for sunny destinations. 8. Celebrate low skin cancer risk. 9. Make fresh lemonade. Heat it up and drink it warm if necessary. 10. Make tropical snow sculptures of palm trees and beach balls.
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May 2011 19
Big Sky Weekly
business
Is your website working? The importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) By Mike MArtins, Outlaw Partners Creative director
SEO is the marketing powerhouse behind your website. If you aren’t implementing it,
then you’re not realizing the true potential behind your number one sales tool.
There’s not a simple answer to rank your page at the top of search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo. It’s a complex system that involves both computerized algorythms, structured connection analysis and sometimes, although on rare occasions, human intervention. As a website owner, you also have to understand that SEO is a neverending process, just like other traditional forms of marketing. That said, SEO can be generally categorized into five different aspects to make it easier to comprehend: keyword research, site development, onpage seo, link building and analytics.
42%
search engine users click the first link
15 23
Carefully developing each of these categories can drive your site to the top of any search engine and dramatically increase sales of your product. There’s no better tool on the internet than to take control of your content in order to meet your customer halfway.
Keyword Research Keyword research is the art of developing the list of words or phrases that lead users to your website.
site development It’s important to create new and interesting content that is relevant to the user of the site. Through site development, you can control everything from the content of your pages to the way it’s programmed. Using good SEO techniques in these areas will contribute to your search engine rank.
on-page seo On-page SEO is considered to be the traditional form of optimization. Through simple programming, you can define your content to the search
google visits in 2010 (Ranked #2 behind Facebook - 2.8B) 20 May 2011
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analytics In order to understand how your website is being received, you need to know who is looking at it. Analytics give you real time information about who your traffic is, where it’s coming from and how viewers are getting there. This data provides a road map to your SEO and will provide the answer of where to go next. For more information on how to build an SEO plan that works for you, contact Outlaw Partners at (406)995-2055 or visit theoutlawpartners.com.
$ top 5 retail search 1. Craigslist 2. Ebay 3. Walmart 4. Amazon 5. Target
terms 3.62% 2.30% 0.74% 0.70% 0.39%
16.4 b
14
10
yahoo
bing
09
% of market share
BING
US search queries in 2010
others
online revenue is generated from websites in the top three positions
2.7billion
Link building is the single most important factor in determining your page’s rank. You can build trust and value to your site by acquiring links from outside sources. What others say about you always means more than what you say about yourself.
The top 10 page ranked position receive 78% more traffic than 11 - 20
62
65%
LINK BUILDING
01 - 10
67
what users do after the first page of search • 62% Refine their search • 23% Go to the second page • 15% Quit
engines, providing easy to understand information so they can find, crawl and index your pages.
FASTEST GROWING SEARCH ENGINE SITE (Gained 1.1% market share in 2010)
up
3%
93% use search engines to find websites
business
First Security Bank warns consumers: Fake check scams can leave you owing money By Jamey Kabisch Fake check scams have become more prevalent as online auction sites and classified ads have gained popularity. We want to educate customers and the community by exposing the scam and offering tips to avoid becoming a victim. There are many variations of the fake check scam, but the common thread is a stranger proposing to send the victim a check and have the victim wire money in return. The stranger may be someone offering to buy something you advertised for sale, pay you to work at home, or give you an advance on a sweepstakes you won. In one local example, a woman had a horse for sale. She received an articulate email asking more questions about the horse. After she replied, the prospective buyer sent another asked if she would accept a check to cover
the purchase price, vet check, and shipping costs (since they weren’t sure how much it would cost, of course) – and then return any remaining funds back to the “buyer.” It was tempting to believe someone was so eager to buy. But, regardless of how the contact is initiated or how well written the request, the bottom line is this: if someone wants to pay you by check but wants you to give money back, it’s a scam. Today’s technology enables crooks to create checks and money orders that look so real it’s often difficult for experts to determine they are fake. Since federal law mandates that banks must make deposited funds available quickly, a customer may be able to withdraw money on a fake check, even if it is a forged cashier’s check or money order. The check depositor is responsible for the funds, and
the bounced check is returned to the bank and debited from the customer’s account. To avoid becoming a victim, remember:
•
If a stranger wants to pay you for something, insist on a cashier’s check for the exact amount, preferably from a local bank or one with a branch in your area.
•
There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you money to ask you to give money back.
For more details about how fake check scams work and how to avoid them, visit fakechecks.org.
•
If you are uncertain a check is good, ask your bank about check processing options before accepting payment.
Jamey Kabisch is Branch President at First Security Bank in Big Sky. The friendly staff at First Security is available to answer any banking questions. (406) 993-3350
SERVICES OFFERED: UPS, FedEx, USPS, packing, packing materials and boxes, copying, faxing, scanning, office supplies, envelopes, shipping supplies, gift wrap and supplies, greeting cards, postcards, private mailboxes, mail forwarding service, peanuts and bubble wrap recycling 3091 Big Pine Drive Unit 6-2, Big Sky (next to Gallatin Alpine Sports & Big Sky Chamber of Commerce) PHONE: 406.995.7884 FAX: 406.995.7885 EMAIL: bsbsmt@yahoo.com
T H E W E S T M AY B E W I L D , but it’s not uncivilized JEWELRY - ART - ARTIFACT S
NATIVE AMERICAN & WESTERN ACCENTS f o r you and your home COUPLES GETAWAY DINE AND STAY PACKAGE
$125 per person (minimum package is 2 people)
Price includes: - Riverside Room - 4 Course Dinner - $30 Wine Credit - Continental Breakfast *limited space available, reservations required
RAINBOW RANCH RESTAURANT Dining Room Hours: Open 5:30-9:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat. May 11-14 and May 18-21 Reopen for Summer Dinner Service Wed.-Sat. beginning June
I N T H E M O U N TA I N M A L L B I G S K Y, M O N TA N A
406-995-3210
800.937.4132 • 406.995.4132 • Five miles south of Big Sky entrance on Hwy 191 Reservations recommended • rainbowranchbigsky.com
explorebigsky.com
May 2011 21
Big Sky Weekly
business directory Tax return preparation Tax planning Payroll Services Bookkeeping Financial Statement preparation Business Consulting Business Valuation
BIG BURRITOS. BIG TASTE. SMALL PRICES.
TACOS • WRAPS • BOWLS KIDS MENU • BEER • MARGS EVERYTHING MADE FRESH EVERY DAY!
DINE IN • TAKE OUT • WEROLLEMFAT.COM
WINTER HOURS START DECEMBER 6 OPEN DAILY 11-8
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FAC S ON
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LOCATED IN THE WESTFORK PLAZA NEXT TO MILKIES. CALL AHEAD 995-3099!
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
FOR SALE BY OWNER
Business Profile of the Week Gallatin Riverguides by hunter Rothwell Since 1984, Gallatin Riverguides, owned and operated by the French Family, has earned the reputation as one of Montana’s premier fly fishing guide services and outfitters for anglers of all experience levels. On any given day, you can count on running into owner Betsey French in the shop, which is located on the Gallatin River in Big Sky. In the fall of 1990, when the Frenches moved their shop to their current facility (less than a mile south of the Big Sky turnoff), they added a very unique upgrade. “The Ultimate Classroom,” as the locals know it, is a private casting pond right behind the fly shop with beautiful views of the river and mountains. The helpful and knowledgeable guides put on casting clinics and manufacturers like SAGE host fly fishing schools for all ages. Ask Betsey where they take clients on fishing adventures, and it’s a role call of the best destinations: “We guide daily excursions to the [beautiful and exciting] Yellowstone National Park, the magnificent Madison River, and the blue ribbon waters of the Yellowstone, Missouri, Gallatin, Bighole and Beaverhead rivers.” And whether you’re on a float trip through Paradise Valley or wading in the Gallatin Canyon, Betsey and her expert guides will make sure you’re catching fish. These men and women are encyclopedias of fly fishing.
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.
Gallatin Riverguides is stocked to the gills with the world’s top fly fishing gear from a large variety of the most respected manufacturers in the business. In addition, Betsey features the work of regional artists—fishing themed decor, resort ware and exquisite jewelry for lovers of the lifestyle. Gallatin River-
horse of a different color
Live with the things you Love
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%
Big Sky Meadow Village Across from the Post Office 406-995-3113 Monday - Saturday: 10-5 Sunday: 11-5
Big Sky Weekly
Photo by Austin Trayser
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
guides is big on supporting Montana made products, evidenced in the gear and equipment they carry, as well as by highlighting Montana artists. Gallatin Riverguides has something special to offer anglers of all ages. Supporting the interest and education of the next generation who will inherit the sport is a priority. Age 10 and under fly fishing clinics are offered at the casting pond throughout the season. And for the ladies, Betsey annually hosts women’s-only float trips. This year, there will be ladies trips with Betsey on June 30 and August 2. Gallatin Riverguides is a special place where Montana guests and locals alike can earn the fishing experience of a lifetime. For many, fly fishing is not just a hobby but a way of life. The Annual Pesca Fiesta is July 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Join Gallatin Riverguides for a fun day in the sun, along with reps from Sage Flyrods, Simms Fishing Products, R.L. Winston, Ross Reels, Galvan and Action Optics. Tents will be set up, the BBQ will be smokin’ and the coolers will be stocked with ice and refreshments. This a great opportunity to learn about the new 2011 products, learn new casting techniques, and hang out with other people who love to fly fish.
explorebigsky.com
May 2011 23
Big Sky Weekly
some restaurants do italian food. some do chinese food.
WE DO BIG SKY FOOD
we deliver 4069952305 24 May 2011
explorebigsky.com
serving breakfast lunch & dinner
Big Sky Weekly
Big Sky Weekly home of the
10
$
Classifieds!
$15 with photo
Each Ad can be up to 4 lines (Maximum of 30 words).
help wanted Delzer Diversified, Inc.
Snow business looking for shovelers and equipment operators for immediate openings. Following required: Valid License, Vehicle, Winter Apparel, Texting Capabilities, Drug Testing. Pay weekly. Work in Big Sky/ Private Club. Contact Bob at 406-581-4331. Delzer Diversified.
recreational rentals RENTALS AVAILABLE Drift boats, RZR side by side, ATV\’s, Rafts, Jet Skis, RV\’s, Baby Gear and More bigboystoysrentals.com 406-487-4747
For rent
media@theoutlawpartners.com (406) 995-2055
Office Spaces across from the Post Office. Professional Image. AC with shared conference room and kitchenette. Value priced flat fee with no extra charges. Call Debbie at 581-5785.
SERVICES Need a housesitter/caretaker this summer? For details see www. kevinandaliciashea.com ------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------Big Sky Condo Rental, 2bd/1 ba condo on golf course south facing new wood burning stove/pool/hot tub/$800/mth for year lease. Call Kene at 406.581.2544
For sale Ski Doo’s FOR SALE 1 06 550 GTX 2 seat paddle track $3400 1 06 550 fan cooled $3000 1 07 800 Summit $4500 low miles 1 07 Yamaha Phazer $4700 4 stroke bigboystoysrentals.com call-406587-4747
Lost
Additional lines are $5 per line, Maximum of 8 words per line. Email classifieds and/or advertising requests to:
Office space in the Jefferson Building in West Fork Meadows Great space with reception area and 3 seperate rooms. $500.00 per month. For more information call 406-580-5191
LOST! Silver Medallion in the shape of an eagle. It is about the size of a quarter. It has super high sentimental value to the ten year old owner! It could be anywhere in Big Sky. REWARD! 995.3377 Thank you!
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
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&
Big Sky’s Locally Owned & Published Newspaper
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EXPLORING LIFE & LAND IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA
$75 for 1 year subscription to the Big Sky Weekly and Mountain Outlaw Magazine Credit Cards accepted for subscriptions call or email us today 406-995-2055; media@theoutlawpartners.com explorebigsky.com
May 2011 25
help2recognize
TM
Merrill Lynch is extremely proud of Scott L. Brown for being recognized on Barron’s “Top 1,000 Advisors” ranking. Our Financial Advisors demonstrate every day how a one-on-one relationship, knowledge, insight and one of the broadest platforms in the industry can impact clients’ lives. Congratulations from all of us at Merrill Lynch.
The Brown Spiker Group Scott L. Brown, CFP®, CRPC®, CIMA® Senior Vice President – Investments Associate Resident Director Portfolio Manager PIA Program (800) 362-7801 Merrill Lynch 801 West Main Street, Suite 3C Bozeman, MT 59715 http://fa.ml.com/brownspikergroupmt
Source: Barron’s “America’s Top Advisors: State-by-State,” February 21, 2011. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Financial advisor criteria: minimum seven years of financial services experience and employment at current firm for at least one year. Numerous quantitative and qualitative measures determine the financial advisor rankings. The bull symbol, help2recognize and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management are registered trademarks or trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. Merrill Lynch Wealth Management makes available products and services offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, a registered broker-dealer and member SIPC, and other subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation. Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured
Are Not Bank Guaranteed
© 2011 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. 232704 ARC6P636-02-11
26 May 2011
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May Lose Value
Code 439804PM-0311
Big Sky Weekly
health & wellness How do you know if you may have a collapsed lung? Signs and symptoms include difficulty breathing, feeling short of breath, having a rapid heart rate, chest pain or tightness, and getting tired easily.
4 1 R E A S O NS TO VISIT B OZEMAN D EACONESS P H A R M A C Y AT B IG SKY.
What is a pneumothorax? By Mary Bonar, MD Pneumothorax, also known as a collapsed lung, is a serious, oftentimes life-threatening medical problem. A pneumothorax is a collection of air in the space around the lungs. The buildup of air puts pressure on the lung so it cannot expand as much as it normally does when you take a breath. One can get a collapsed lung from chest trauma, including a knife or gunshot wound, from certain medical procedures, or from rib fractures, which is what commonly happens in Big Sky. A collapsed lung can also occur spontaneously where a small area in the lung is filled with air, that is called a bleb, ruptures and the air leaks into the space around the lung. Risk factors of a pneumothorax include smoking marijuana or cigarettes, high altitude activities, flying, and medical problems such as COPD, asthma, and tuberculosis. How do you know if you may have a collapsed lung? Signs and symptoms include difficulty breathing, feeling short of breath, having a rapid heart rate, chest pain or tightness, and getting tired easily. The chest pain is usually worse when taking a deep breath or coughing. Frequently, it is difficult to breathe and you feel as though you are working harder to breathe. You should seek medical attention if you have any of these symptoms. How do you diagnose a collapsed lung? When you see your doctor, he or she will ask you many questions and then check your oxygen saturation. Frequently, your oxygen saturation is lower when you have a col-
lapsed lung. Also, they will do a chest x-ray to look at the lung borders and see if there is air outside of the lung and inside the chest wall. Frequently, inspiration and expiration x-rays are needed to view any abnormality. Using a stethoscope to listen to the lungs, the lung will sound decreased on the side of the affected, collapsed lung. Finally, many people are breathing faster than normal. The treatment of a pneumothorax depends on the size. If it is small, many times, oxygen and rest are all that are needed with close follow up and repeat x-rays. If the collapsed lung is large, it will require a chest tube and admission to the hospital. A chest tube is placed in between ribs and goes into your chest to help re-inflate the lungs. Usually, chest tubes are left in place for 1-4 days depending on the severity.
Fill a prescription. Refill a prescription. Shop for over-the-counter remedies for head colds, heartburn, and whatever else ails you. Quickly. Conveniently. Right here in Big Sky at Meadow Village Center across from the Big Sky Chapel.
Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 am-6:00 pm; Closed 2:00-2:30 pm for lunch Meadow Village Center | 36 Center Ln, Suite 2 406-993-9390 | www.bozemandeaconess.org/pharmacy
Bozeman’s premier studio offering the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM ®
Many times, if people have multiple broken ribs, they are at a higher risk of having a collapsed lung. If one is not seen initially on a chest x-ray, it is usually advised to have a repeat chest x-ray in 24 hours for follow up and/or go to the closest ER if you experience any worsening of symptoms including shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and feeling as though your heart is beating fast. Having a collapsed lung can be really complicated. Knowing the risk factors, signs and symptoms, and seeking medical attention quickly may save you or your loved ones life some day. Mary Bonar, MD, is finishing her residency in Emergency Medicine at Penn State University. She spent a great month of April in Big Sky.
GYROTONIC ® training is a series of circular and fluid exercises that works the entire body through muscular, skeletal, and cardiovascular stimulation Erin Groth, Certified GYROTONIC ® Instructor, Owner currentmovementstudio.com Call or e-mail to schedule an appointment T: (406) 579-5642 currentmovementstudio@gmail.com GYROTONIC ® and GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM ® are registered trademarks of Gyrotonic Sales Corp and are used with their permission
explorebigsky.com
May 2011 27
Big Sky Weekly
Purify ionize AlkAlize VitAlize energize liVing WAter tAstes Pure And refreshing
Offering Living Water with the revolutionary Direct Disk Ionization Technology for drinking water
Yellowstone living water store 47250 Gallatin Road Unit 1 (South of the Exxon) Big Sky, Montana
YellowstoneLivingWater.com
Sleek, stainless steel, easily installs to your existing faucet For a healthy body, healthy home and healthy life
Or drop in for a drink at our new store! For more information call:
faith 406.581.0616 Also other natural organic alternatives for Big Sky Homes Environmental Purity
Big Sky Weekly
health & wellness
The Skinny on Fat: Part I of the series Practical Nutrition The basics of fat and its role in our meals and lives By Rachel Roth There is much mystery surrounding fat. Does eating fat make us fat? Why are some fats considered good for you? Should we be trying to eliminate fat from out diet altogether? The first, most important thing to understand is that when doctors and scientists use the word “fat” in a nutritional context, it is different from a lay person’s use of the word.
of storage cells that hold on to any food that we ate but did not burn with exercise. These adipose cells are relatively large, and packed full of sugar and lipids. When we gain weight, it is because we put more sugar and lipids into our adipose cells, making them fatter. When we lose weight, it’s because we take those things out of the adipose cells, and they shrink (allowing us to fit back into those old pants).
In science, fat is the term for a certain chemical structure. Anything with that general structure, though they may vary in their details, is called a fat, or “lipid.” An analogy would be that we can all identify a car on the road as a “car,” because they are similarly structured, though the cars may vary from each other in their details. This will become important soon. But to be clear, I’ll use the term “lipid” for this certain chemical structure.
Now that we know that, we can understand why we need lipids in our diet. Many things our body requires have a lipid, or fatty, structure: hormones for example, estrogen and testosterone, are made of lipids, and are certain vitamins like vitamin D. Additionally, they are important in signalling our body to feel full and satiated from a meal; one gets hungry quickly again when there is no fat in the meal. Lipids are necessary for life.
The fat on our bodies that we are forever trying to lose is actually termed “adipose” in scientific lingo. Adipose tissue is made up
Where are these lipids found? In any fatty food – from non-skim milk to meat and fish to the oils we cook with and the butter on our bread. So
rejoice that these fats in your food are not evil. If we do not eat too much, and our body uses all the lipids that we eat to create these substances (hormones, vitamins, etc), they are never sent into storage in the adipose, and do not contribute to making us fat. Remember: weight is only gained when something is eaten and not burned up by the body, and in turn put into storage in the adipose. So why are doctors so down on fat? Well, not all lipids are created equal. This comes back to there being slight differences between lipids, as between cars. Some lipids are “cleanburning,” meaning that they are used completely by the body with no leftovers. These are “good fats,” such as the oft-praised omega-3’s, and are found most abundantly in fish and fish oil. Such lipids are strong chemical protectors of the body against heart disease, cancer, and many other ills. Other fats that are good are “unsaturated,” but these exist in oils such as olive oil, and are much better for the body.
Unfortunately most of our fat intake comes from “bad fats” – saturated fats like those in milk, meat, and sweets. These are like cars which pollute; the byproducts of breaking them down leave behind junk in our blood vessels, the build-up of which leads to heart attacks, strokes, and poorer health overall. The take-away is that lipids are needed for life, and should not (nor can you realistically) cut them out of your diet completely. The trick is not to pollute the body with bad fats, but to choose good ones. Substitute olive oil for canola oils, chicken for beef, and skim or one percent milk for whole milk. And include lots of fish in your diet. Fats are not the enemy – they just need to be understood and used smartly in moderation to optimize your health. Rachel Roth will be going into a Family Practice residency in Seattle, starting in July.
Northwest Management,Inc.can assist you in:
• Protecting your trees • Protecting your home • Enhancing your forested property for wildlife Northwest Management, Inc. (NMI), a full
Our Services Include:
service natural resource consulting firm, plans and implements projects designed to maintain forest health and reduce wildfire hazard.
Our professional forestry staff are experts at mitigating impacts associated with mountain pine beetle and western spruce budworm infestations. We will develop a site-specific plan for your property that protects scenic and wildlife habitat values. Contact us today for a consultation
Jim Cancroft NMI Senior Forester (406) 544-8489 nwimanage@montana.com P. O. Box 598 Big Sky, MT 59716
www.consulting-foresters.com
• Forest health assessment • Forest mangement planning • Aerial spraying for control of Western Spruce Budworm • Individual tree spraying for Mountain Pine Beetle protection • Bulk discount sales of Verbenone packets for Mountain Pine Beetle protection • Wildfire hazard reduction projects • Timber harvest planning and administration • Trail and forest road construction and maintenance
explorebigsky.com
May 2011 29
Big Sky Weekly
COMING SOON Lone Peak Cinema Building featuring Big Sky’s first “feature film” movie theater located in the Big Sky Town Center
NOW LEASING GROUND FLOOR AND UPPER FLOOR SPACE - AVAILABLE NOV. 2011 Units from 450 to 2,100 sf
INTERIOR PAINTING We bring quality and value to the simplest jobs as well as some of the most demanding projects.
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE & NEW CONSTRUCTION We excel at exterior painting, staining, and log home renovation.
10+
superior painting services
YEARS OF LOCAL EXPERTISE
For more information, contact TNG Development, John Romney, 314-359-5450
There are a lot of important details invloved in painting and finishing a home, and we love sweating the details! 406-580-0331 | email: cboyd@montanapaintinc.com Check out www.montanapaintinc.com for all the juicy details! 30 May 2011
explorebigsky.com
youth As part of a language arts assignment, 5th grade teacher Dave Neal asked his students to write newsworthy articles for the Big Sky Weekly. Once a month, 5th graders will contribute to the Weekly with pertinent information to our Big Sky community.
potholes: A Big Sky Spring Menace By Abigail Hogan It’s a beautiful spring day in Big Sky; the animals are waking up and coming out. You take a deep breath of fresh air as you get in the car to take your kids to soccer practice. As you’re driving you see a hole, and it’s is too late and you hit the thing that keeps coming back and terrorizing mankind: the pothole. Potholes are caused when water seeps into cracks in the road. On cold nights that water freezes and expands causing the cement to weaken. When cars and trucks drive over the spot where the water got in, the asphalt eventually collapses and makes a hole in the road. Road maintenance crews have two different ways to repair potholes. These repairs are similar to a dentist using either a temporary or permanent filling for cavities. During the winter, potholes get what is called a cold winter mix. This is a temporary filling made of soft asphalt poured into potholes after they are cleared of debris. A layer of gravel may be added for strength and firmness, but the potholes are expected to reappear by spring.
Fine Art, Jewelry, Handcrafts & Furnishings Big Sky Town Center 11:30 AM - 6:30 PM Tuesday - Sunday Wine Tasting 4:30 - 6:30 Thursdays
Fine Art, Jewelry, 406Handcrafts - 993 - 9400 & Furnishings Big Sky Town Center Open every day, 12 - 6:30 p.m. Wine Tasting 4:30 - 6:30 Thursdays 406-995-9400
A more permanent filling for potholes is called a hot summer mix. This is combination of road grade asphalt and aggregate. This mix is designed to last for years, but it can only be applied during dry, warm weather. When road crews use a hot summer mix to repair potholes, they often create a detour for traffic around the worksite and spend more time preparing the road surface for the patch. The finished layer of new asphalt is usually packed down to match the level of the road, making it nearly invisible. How can individuals repair a pothole? Pick up a kit at True Value hardware store or go online and Google how to fix a pothole. You can find step by step instructions on how to fix the pothole. Also, if you see a pothole in the road, you can call a road maintenance worker and tell them where the pothole is so they can fix it.
“the thing that keeps coming back and terrorizing mankind: the pothole” explorebigsky.com
May 2011 31
Big Sky Weekly
Name
Type
Description
Phone
Location
Hours
Buck's T-4
American
Steaks, Seafood, Wild Game, Pub Sandwiches
406-995-4111
Gallatin Road
5:00-9:00 p.m. 7 days a week
Huntley Dining Room
American
406-995-5000
Big Sky Resort
6 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Chet’s Bar and Grill
American
406-995-5000
Big Sky Resort
11 a.m.-12 a.m., Bar open till close
Huntley/Village Center
American
406-995-5000
Big Sky Resort
6 a.m.-12 a.m.
Andiamo Italian Grille
Italian
Pastas, Seafood, Italian fare
406-995-5000
Big Sky Resort
11 a.m.-10 p.m., Bar open till close
Whiskey Jack’s
Pub food
Sandwiches, Salads, Appetizers, 406-995-5000 Pub food
Big Sky Resort
11 a.m.-10 p.m., Bar open till close
Starbucks Coffee
Coffee
Coffee, pastries
Big Sky Resort
6 a.m.-6 p.m.
406-995-5000
Peaks
American
MT fare, Seafood, Steaks, Pasta
406-995-5000
Big Sky Resort
Breakfast 6 a.m.-10:30 a.m., lunch 11am-2p.m., dinner 5:30-10 p.m.
Carabiner Lounge
American
Sandwiches, lighter fare
406-995-5000
Big Sky Resort
11a.m.-12 a.m., Bar open till close
406-995-5000
Big Sky Resort
6 a.m.-12 a.m.
Summit Room Service The Corral Bar & Steakhouse
American
Steaks, Seafood, Pasta
406-995-4249
Gallatin Road
Breakfast 8 a.m.-noon, lunch 10 a.m.-4p.m., Dinner 4-10 p.m. M-F. Sat/Sun lunch 10-4, dinner 4-10 p.m.
Half Moon Saloon
BBQ, steaks
Barbeque, Steaks, Burgers
406-993-9666
Gallatin Road
Dinner, 5:30-9:30 p.m., 7 days a week
The Wrap Shack
Mexican
Wraps, Mexican, counterservice
406-995-3099
Meadow
11a.m.-8 p.m. 7 days a week
Scissorbills Saloon
American
Pub food, sandwiches, appetizers
406-995-4933
Mountain
Lunch, dinner, 7 days a week
Hungry Moose Market & Deli
Deli counter, groceries
Sandwiches, deli foods, breakfast, groceries
406-995-3045
Meadow (Town Center)
Deli open 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m., B, L, D. Groceries also available for delivery every day
La Luna
Mexican, American
Mexican entrees
406-995-3280
Meadow
Mon-Fri 11-3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Sat. until 10 p.m..
By Word of Mouth
Bistro fare
Steaks, Seafood, Pasta, Sushi
406-995-2992
Meadow
Dinner, 5-10 p.m., 7 days a week
The Cabin Bar & Grill
American
Wild game, steaks, seafood
406-995-4244
Mountain
11:30-2:30 lunch, 6:00-9:30 dinner
Choppers Grub & Pub
American
Sandwiches, salads, pasta, appetizers
406-995-3830
Meadow (Town Center)
Open 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., lunch, dinner
The Timbers Restaurant
American
Wild Game, Seafood, MT steaks
406-995-7777
Moonlight Basin
Dinner, 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. 7 days a week
Cinnamon Lodge & Adventures
Mexican
Mexican entrees
406-995-4253
Gallatin Road
Dinner, 4:00-9:00 p.m.
The Bugaboo Café
American
Breakfast, Lunch, sandwiches
406-995-3350
Gallatin Road
Breakfast, lunch, 7:30 a.m.-4p.m., 7 days a week
Lone Peak Brewery
Local brews, lunch fare
lunch fare, sandwiches, appetizers
406-995-3939
Meadow
11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. 7 days a week
MR Hummers
American
Steaks, Seafood, pasta
406-995-4543
Mountain
Lunch, Dinner
Rainbow Ranch Lodge
American
wild game, steaks, seafood
406-995-4132
Gallatin Road
Dinner, 5-10 p.m. May 11-21, except 15-16
Trailhead Pizza
Pizza
Pizza to go; specialty or made to order
406-995-7175
Meadow
Open, delivering May 4-22, 5-9 p.m.
Blue Moon Bakery
pastries, sandwiches, soup, salad
406-995-2305
Meadow
Open 7a.m.-9 p.m., 7 days a week
C&P Grocery
groceries, convenience items
406-995-2739
Mountain
10 a.m.-9 p.m. May 11-21
Lotus Pad
Thai
Traditional Thai Cuisine
406-995-2728
Meadow
Open Wed-Sun. Dinner, reservations requested
China Café
Chinese
Traditional Chinese Cuisine
406-995-4488
Meadow (Town Center)
Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Dinner, 4:30-9:00 p.m.
Yeti Dogs
Americanhot dogs
406-995-3971
Mountain
Lunch 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
320 Guest Ranch
American
406-995-4283
Gallatin Road
Open for special functions only during this time
Name
Description
Phone
Location
Hours
Big Horn Boutique
Ladies' & Men's apparel, jewelry, accessories
406-995-2230
Meadow (Town Center)
11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Big Sky Sports
Outdoor apparel
406-995-5840
Big Sky Resort
Open daily
The Cave Spirits & Gifts
Liquor store, gifts, accessories
406-995-4343
Meadow (Town Center)
11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, closed Sun/Mon
Dragonfly Interiors
Relics, antiques, vintage accessories
406-993-9690
Meadow (Town Center)
10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
East Slope Outdoors
Outdoor gear
406-995-4369
Gallatin Road
Open daily
Gallatin Alpine Sports
Outdoor gear, apparel, bike rentals
406-995-2313
Meadow
Open daily, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Gallatin River Gallery
Art, photography, jewelry, sculpture
406-995-2909
Meadow
11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily or by appointment
Gallatin Riverguides
outdoor apparel, fishing outfitters
406-995-2290
Gallatin Road
9 a.m.-5 p.m., Closed Sundays
Grizzly Outfitters
outdoor apparel, bike rentals
406-995-2939
Meadow (Town Center ) 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Closed Sundays
Horse of a Different Color
Eclectic gifts, home accessories, MT gifts
406-995-3113
Meadow
10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
JP Woolies
Clothing, jewelry, gifts
406-995-4542
Mountain Village
Open daily
Mountain View Mercantile
Hardware, retail, household/office needs
406-995-4500
Gallatin Road
7 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends
Paparazzi Fur & Leather
fur, leather apparel
406-995-4705
Big Sky Resort
Open daily
Plum Logo
gifts, t-shirts, home accessories
406-995-4141
Big Sky Resort
Open daily
Willow Boutique
clothing, gifts, jewelry
406-995-4557
Meadow
10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Charsam Gallery
Art, photography
406-995-2022
Meadow (Town Center)
10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Creighton Block Gallery
Art, photography, sculpture
406-993-9400
Meadow (Town Center)
11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. daily, closed Mondays
Provisions & Outfitters
Montana gifts, apparel, souvenirs
406-995-8008
Big Sky Resort
Open daily
Made in Big Sky, MT
Artist's co-op, collection of hand made artistries
406-995-4300
Meadow
12 noon-6 p.m.
Ryan Turner Photography
Local photographer
406-580-5997
Gallatin Road
by appointment only (will be displayed at the Resort)
“Frozen Waterway”
32 May 2011
explorebigsky.com
May 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #9
Big Sky
The Outlaw Partners and Big Sky Chamber of Commerce hosted the Business After Hours get-together at Choppers Grub and Pub
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May 2011 33
gallery
Big Sky Weekly
“Spring Fog”
Poetic Water Reflections Exhibit at the Bozeman Public Library By Sharlyn Gunderson-Izurieta Local artist, Loretta Domaszewski, known for her nature inspired landscape paintings and murals highlighting the Gallatin Valley, is the Bozeman Public Library’s Exhibiting Artist in the Atrium Gallery for May and June, 2011. The exhibit and accompanying workshops will emphasize waterscapes in the Gallatin watershed.
“Poetic Water Reflections,” an exhibit of oil paintings and Haiku Poems is the culmination of a partnership with the Greater Gallatin Watershed Council (GGWC). Ms. Domaszewski has been working with the GGWC to learn about streams, lakes, rivers, and the extensive ditch system in the Gallatin watershed. This collaboration inspired her to paint a series highlighting the water resources and the influence of how residents play, view and utilize those resources. Ms. Domaszewski’s artistic goal is to “enlighten the viewer, stop them in their tracks, touch one or more of their senses, take them somewhere else for a moment.” She is motivated by the fluid approach of movement in nature and how it is applied in multiple layers of rich transparent colors and textures, creating beautiful subtle transitions. According to Julia Becker, Director/Professor at the University of Great Falls, “Loretta is able to work with the paint to actually create light. She has such a deep connection to the earth as a living body. They physicality of it, the shape and curves, the way light travels through water, the arc of a valley, the form and movement of the land, the patterns of a current. She speaks a universal language.” To compliment the Poetic Water Reflections Exhibit, Ms. Domaszewski is offering a series of workshops and lectures for children and adults, in collaboration with GGWC. These workshops are sponsored by the Bozeman Public Library Foundation’s Artist-in- Residence Program, which will start April 30, and continue throughout May and June.
34 May 2011
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The first workshops, one for children and one for adults, are titled, “Water Runs Through It: Immerse Yourself in Water Patterns, Streams and Rivers.” Karin Boyd, GGWC Board of Director, and a Geomorphologist, will provide information about river formation and moving water patterns in riverscapes. This will be a catalyst for painting watercolors inspired by water patterns and sounds. Each river panel will be part of a mural displayed at the library. The second workshop will be a walking tour of the creek at Bogert Park with Gary Weiner, Director of the Rivers and Trails Program from the National Park Service, and will cover information about the Bozeman Creek Enhancement Project. A third workshop will highlight rain gardens in the Gallatin watershed. Sharlyn Izurieta, Coordinator for the GGWC, will collaborate with Ms. Domaszewski to provide the community with information about rain gardens and the variety of native plants used to improve water health in our local streams, rivers and lakes. Students will create expressive watercolor paintings of local rain gardens and native plants. The public is invited to the opening reception, sponsored by the Library foundation, May 6, 5:30-7 p.m. in the Atrium Gallery at the Bozeman Pubic Library, 626 E. Main Street. Loretta Domaszewski will highlight her oil painting process in the gallery and at the library creek, during the May and June exhibition. Each session will allow the public to explore the subject of moving water through the artists’ personal interpretation.
“Reflective Water”
“Loretta is able to work with the paint to actually create light. She has such a deep connection to the earth as a living body. They physicality of it, the shape and curves, the way light travels through water, the arc of a valley, the form and movement of the land, the patterns of a current. She speaks a universal language.”
Ms. Domaszewski will donate a percentage of all Poetic Water Reflections sales to the Bozeman Library Foundation and the GGWC to help the non-profit protect and enhance water resources in the Gallatin watershed.
A Benefit for the Greater Gallatin Watershed Council - Bozeman Public Library Foundation Promoting Conservation & Enhancment of our Water Resources
A graduate of Tufts University, the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts, and Brandeis University, Ms. Domaszewski formerly taught at Bozeman High School, Nantucket Island School of Design and the Artsn and Beall Park Art Center. Her work has been exhibited in Boston, Nantucket, New York City, San Francisco, Connecticut, New Mexico and Montana. She is known locally for her nature inspired oil paintings, murals, and artist in residencies in Montana public schools. She teaches private weekly classes and workshops for children and adults at her Loretta Fine Art Studio in the Emerson Cultural Center, the summer HIKE. BIKE. ART. CAMP, at Bozeman Lodge and Hillcrest Assisted Senior Living Facilities, the Bozeman Cancer Support Community, and at REACH for the developmentally disabled community.
Poetic Water Reflections
The Greater Gallatin Watershed Coalition’s mission is to “promote conservation and enhancement of our water resources while supporting the traditions of community, agriculture and recreation.” Sharlyn Gunderson-Izurieta is the Watershed Coordinator. lorettafineart.com bozemanlibrary.org greatergallatin.org
An Exhibition of Oil Paintings Celebrating Water by
Loretta Domaszewski May-June, 2011 Atrium Gallery, Bozeman Public Library Opening Reception May 6th, 2011 - 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Watercolor Workshops & Lectures with the Artist Water Runs Through It: Immerse yourself in Water Patterns, Streams and Rivers April 30th & May 11th with Karin Boyd GGWC Board of Director
Explore the Bozeman Creek Enhancmenet Project
Rain Gardens: A Water Color Painting Workshop
May 7
June 20th
with Gary Weiner, Director Rivers & Trail Program, National Park Service
with Sharlyn Izurieta GGWC Coordinator & Students from STReaM
Artist in Residence Workshops Sponsored by the Bozeman Public Library Foundation Free and open to the public, please call 582-2426 to register. Original Artwork, numbered prints and other items will be available for sale.
“Higher Ground”
www.LorettaFineArts.com
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May 2011 35
Big Sky Weekly
outdoors November through May, a hearty crew of Montanans spend weekends recreating in the desert at Pipestone, Montana, just east of the continental divide. Motor sports, target practice, mountain biking, rock climbing, and camping are a few popular activities. Part BLM land and part Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the high desert of pinon and juniper forests stay relatively warm and dry year round. From this area north of I-90, views toward the northwest side of the Tobacco Root Range and 10,551’ Hollowtop Mountain show an impressive 6000’ of relief from Whitehall and the Jefferson River Valley. Looking southwest, beyond the freeway, north-facing alpine cirques in the snow-covered Highland Mountains are equally stunning. E.S. Here are two stories from this year’s Pipestone season, straight from the horses’ mouth:
Montana XC A Montana off road dirt biking race series with something for everyone By Jamey KabiscH | photos by ethan strauser
Round One: Pipestone More than 210 motorcycle racers arrived at the Pipestone OHV Area from all parts of the region the weekend of April 16-17, 2011. There were five races over two days, and off road racers from age six to 74. Most racers were from Montana, with adjacent states making up roughly 30 percent of the field. The 50cc class of four-eight-yearolds featured three Big Sky residents, Flynn Kabisch, Kyan Smit and Mazie Schreiner. This group of riders rode on an established
half-mile trail through the woods, making as many laps as possible in a 35-minute race. The kids wore ear-to-ear grins and were exhausted when the checkered flag dropped after intense racing. The youth and novice classes took to the trail later on Saturday, attacking a six-mile lap. The youth race consisted of five separate classes, and the riders rallied as many laps as they could muster within the hour limit for the race.
Big Sky’s Suzanne Schreiner being chased by a fellow competitor in the Women’s class
The number of riders that participated Sunday were more numerous than the Saturday events, as these were intermediate and expert races. The course layout changed and included more difficult single track sections for this race. The Intermediate Class, or B Class, raced for two hours Sunday morning and was plagued with bottlenecked areas as riders struggled to make it through the difficult course. The leaders during the Intermediate race were able to clock
in five laps, which was roughly 50 miles. The Expert riders tackled the course for 2 1/2 hours, and the leaders lap times were astonishing compared to the previous race. Cameron Weaver, Open A rider and Bozeman resident, cut four minutes off of the best Intermediate rider’s lap times. Only Weaver and Michael Slawson of Bozeman were able to make it around the course seven times in the allotted 2 1/2 hours. Cameron Weaver was crowned champion of the first round of Montana XC Series and the Pipestone XC. Full results and a race schedule can be found at montanaxc.com.
Big Sky Youth Finishers include: 50 cc 3rd Mazie Schreiner 5th Kyan Smit 9th Flynn Kabisch
65 cc 2nd Harrison Schreiner
85 cc 2nd Bridger Babcock 3rd Charlie Johnson
Ken Birgfeld of Big Sky racing in the Men’s novice class ethanstrauserphotography.smugmug.com
36 May 2011
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Big Sky Weekly
Climbing in the Montana Desert By Tom Kingsbury
The smell of burning sage was strong. Mixed with long-dead juniper, the branches snapped and popped in my fire, smoking and melting a ring in the light snow. In the distance, the Tobacco Root Mountains peeked out beneath a shroud of clouds. I warmed my hands a moment longer, then hopped to the bouldering pad, trying to keep my climbing shoes dry from the moist, mid-winter ground.
frequented by few. A couple years later, I started climbing at Whiskey Gulch, south of I-90. Without a guidebook, prior knowledge, or a bouldering pad, I walked among the rocks, fully immersed in the bounty of beautiful boulders. Visions of the difficult movements appeared in my mind as I attempted to pantomime the short but difficult climbs and studied their chalked holds.
I looked up at the boulder problem I’d been trying for the past hour, and visualized the sequence of moves. I pulled onto the starting holds, then reached to the tops of two small black cobble features, crimping my fingers around them. I cranked up, locked my grip there, then quickly hiked my feet up to the first good foot hold.
Cresting the eastern ridges one January morning, I looked north toward the Spire and Pipestone rocks, and the other scattered domes of the Batholith. I knew I needed to check out other dry winter areas, and began what has become an obsession with exploring, mapping and climbing in the Batholith.
Like many boulders here, the features on this problem were few and far between. Often, there are barely enough to climb the boulder. I stretched right and palmed the last feature on the upper slab. A couple of confident friction moves off the cobbles, and I was at the top. From there, I could see another cluster of boulders, just a few moments walk away… waiting in the sun. Bouldering during the winter (or even spring) in Montana may seem far-fetched or strange, but for a growing group of enthusiasts, basking in the winter sun and climbing on warm granite is a reprieve from the winter doldrums. The high mountain desert of the Pipestone/Homestake Pass area is an hour’s drive west of Bozeman. Part of the Boulder Batholith, a granite area 75 miles long by about 25 miles wide, the low elevations on the east side are protected from precipitation by a storm shadow for the bulk of the winter. Moisture from the west hits Butte and the Continental Divide and pushes north into the Elkhorn Mountains, or south into the Highlands and Tobacco Roots. Some days you can boulder in the sun and watch the storms in the distance. I became entranced with the Boulder Batholith in 2002, when I did some of my very first rock climbs there. I was taken by the immense amount of stone and the quiet forests, and began exploring areas
lished areas throughout the Homestake Pass/ Pipestone area, with upwards of 1200 boulder problems. Many of them are just a stone’s throw off a road. Guidebooks and further information are found at montanabouldering.com Find a full mini-guide and photo gallery at explorebigsky.com
Although Butte Tech students have climbed at one of these low elevation areas, known as ‘the Desert’, since the late 1970s (or perhaps earlier), they recorded little of their activities, and details and specifics of climbs are scarce. Located just off I-90’s Pipestone exit, the Desert is just 2.2 miles up Delmoe Lake Road, immediately after the old Northern Pacific rail-line. With easy access and dry winter conditions, it’s a prime spot for cold-season climbing in Montana. Today, the Desert has seen a revival. It has over 125 established problems of all difficulties, a new guidebook, and regular weekend visitors. Beyond the main Desert, an exploratory spirit has reemerged in the Boulder Batholith. There are now more than 40 estab-
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May 2011 37
EVENTS big sky APEC Conference Big Sky Resort apec2011usa.org
Big Sky Weekly Planning an event? Let us know! Email abbie@theoutlawpartners.com and we’ll spread the word.
West yellowstone Donkey Basketball
High Altitude Gardening with Lori Henrich Ophir School Tech Lab Wednesdays in May 7 - 8 p.m. 995- 4281 x. 200
West Yellowstone Booster Club 7 p.m. (406) 646- 7617
Bozeman TRX Consumer Clinic
Ophir and LPHS Spring Musical
Northern Lights Trading Company May 4 6 p.m.
May 12
Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club Annual Spring Breakfast
Wilderness First Aid Wilderness Medicine Institute
Bale of Hay Saloon
REI May 7-8 9 a.m.
Opening Party May 13 4 p.m.(406) 600 - 1199
Blooming Rose Music Festival
Brewery Follies: Opening Night
The Emerson May 13 5:30 p.m.
May 27 4 p.m. breweryfollies.net
Volunteer Monitoring Program
Living History Weekend: The Gold Discovery
Gallatin Stream Teams REI May 12 6:30 p.m.
Montana Heritage Commission May 27 - 30 (406) 843 5247
Bike to Work Week! May 12 - 21
La Luna Restaurant 10 a.m. RSVP by May 20, $18 includes gratuity 993-2020 or 995-3222
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
The History of the Gallatin Canyon presented by Julie Grimm Soldier’s Chapel The Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club June 8 1 p.m.
Tiempo Libre Cuban Music Ellen Theater May 5 7:30 p.m.
Gallatin Chapter Annual Banquet May 21 (406) 285-3819
Virginia city
The History of Ice Cream VC Creamery 2 p.m.
gardiner 32 Annual Park to Paradise Triathlon Carbella Fishing Access May 14 (406) 848-7941
This is how Big Sky gets into hot water.
Nordic Hot Tub We service what we sell!
Spa sales to fit your budget Pool and spa care after the sale Custom maintenance plans
Spa covers and custom lifts Lots of accessories for your spa Special orders available
www.BigSkyHotTubs.com (406) 995-4892 • NordicHotTub@aol.com 47520 Gallatin Rd. • Big Sky, MT 59716
38 May 2011
Want an amazing true ski-in/ski-out rental property for your ski vacation?
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Call 888.898.4938 Visit us online eastwestbigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
sports
By Brandon Niles
NBA DRAFT PREVIEW NBA fans everywhere are clamoring to watch the exciting playoff games that have followed an exciting season. But what about the fans of teams that didn’t make the playoffs? Other than a little spring cleaning, these fans all have their eyes on June 23rd for the NBA draft. This year, the draft is considered to be a weak one with few top-level
prospects. In fact, with UNC standout Harrison Barnes electing to return to school for another year, there are only two players that I think have allstar potential. Let’s take a look at five of the top prospects and evaluate what kind of impact they can have on whichever team drafts them.
The Second Option
The Blue Chip
Enes Kanter, C, Kentucky This big prospect from Turkey will be a force on the inside playing support minutes for a team that needs help defensively. Kanter is a tough player with a solid post game and enough length to become an effective shot blocker. Kanter is also an underrated shooter and a good passer.
Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke – Irving comes with injury issues, as he missed much of his only college season with a toe injury. However, Irving is an explosive athlete who brings an upbeat tempo to any team. He combines acute scoring with excellent court vision and seems to make his teammates better. He’s the best player in this draft and his impact should be felt immediately.
Derrick Williams, SF, Arizona Williams is the second best option in this draft and fittingly, he looks like an excellent second option on an NBA team. He won’t carry an NBA franchise, but he can be a valuable secondary scorer, supplying efficiency and effort. No one will outwork Williams on the floor, and he’s arguably the safest pick in the draft.
The Role Players The quality of the players after the top two drops considerably, but here are three guys that could become legitimate contributors.
Kemba Walker, PG, Connecticut Walker will be drafted too early based on the success of Connecticut this year. He’s an undersized point guard with a tendency to be a ball hog. For teams needing a starter, he
won’t distribute enough to make him worth a high pick. However, for teams needing energy off the bench, Walker has the speed and explosiveness to make a difference. Walker should still become a contributor in the NBA, even if it’s not as a consistent starter. Alec Burks, SG, Colorado Burks struggles with inconsistent shooting and he seems disinterested off the ball. However, he’s very effective at creating his own shot and is aggressive in attacking the basket. He’ll fit well with teams looking for scoring and could turn into a contributor on the offensive end. Like Kanter and Walker, the all-star game isn’t where I see Burks ending up, but he has the tools and ability to become a solid rotational player on a good NBA team. In a weak draft, that might be all you can hope for after the top two players are gone. Brandon Niles has done online freelance writing since 2007. 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. He’d love to visit Montana one day.
THE WEST MAY BE WILD, but it’s not uncivilized
RAINBOW RANCH RESTAURANT
Dining Room Hours: Open 5:30-9:30 p.m. Wed. - Sat. May 11-14 and May 18-21 Reopen for Summer Dinner Service Wed. - Sat. beginning June 8 8 0 0 . 9 3 7 . 4 1 3 2 • 4 0 6 . 9 9 5 . 4 1 3 2 • F ive m i l e s s o u t h o f B i g S ky e n t r a n c e o n H w y 1 9 1 Reservations recommended • rainbowranchb i g s ky. c o m explorebigsky.com
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40 May 2011
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Big Sky Weekly
Music Hunter
Foo Fighters: Wasting Light By Hunter Rothwell Dave Grohl, the lead singer, rhythm guitarist and founder of the Foo Fighters, is one of the hardestworking musicians in popular music today. Since the death of Kurt Cobain in 1994, which put an arrow through the heart of the legendary band Nirvana (Grohl was the drummer) Grohl has not stopped touring and recording. Soon after Nirvana, he sat and played the drum kit for shows with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, however he declined Petty’s invitation to join the band permanently. Instead, Grohl booked studio time and went to work recording 15 new demo tracks on which he plays every instrument [with the exception of one song] and takes over the lead vocalist role. While shopping the potential album around to record companies, Grohl recruited members from two alternative bands, the Germs and Sunny Day Real Estate, to form the original Foo Fighters lineup. It was never his intention to be considered a solo artist. In July 1995 the demos, now polished with professional mixing treatment, were released as the Foo Fighters selftitled debut album. The history of Grohl’s post-Nirvana career thus far has been highlighted by the Foo Fighters’ tremendous success. Three of their first six albums won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album, and all six received a nomination for the coveted award. However, when the Foo Fighters are not working, Grohl does not take time to rest. Since becoming a musician, he has played in 30 different bands. These included Hall of Fame inductees like Paul
McCartney and David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, Slash, Tenacious D, and many others— Grohl has not discriminated. In 2001, he played drums on the Queens of the Stone Age [QOTSA] album, “Songs for the Deaf,” which was the band’s breakout album. Although Grohl once again moved on to other projects, he did achieve a great rock milestone during his brief career with QOTSA. On November 23, 2002, he became the first artist to remain #1 on the “Wasting Light” is an onslaught of blistering guitar Modern Rock Charts with three different bands. Nirvana’s riffs and powerful vocals drawing from Grohl’s “You Know Your Right” was many styles.” replaced by the Foo Fighters “All My Life” and finally since 1997’s “The Colour and the heavy drug user and his friends finally QOTSA grabbed the #1 spot Shape.” The new album is a reunion had an intervention. Kurt gave in and with “No One Knows.” Dave Grohl for Dave Grohl and Butch Vig, who went to rehab, but within a week he cemented his place among rock and produced Nirvana’s 1991 major label had climbed the wall of the facility and roll royalty. debut, “Nevermind.” “Wasting Light” escaped on a plane back to Seattle. Kurt is an onslaught of blistering guitar riffs Cobain was back on heroin and by the As the 2000s wore on, Grohl’s sucand powerful vocals drawing from next week, dead at age 27 from a self cess continued with the Foo FightGrohl’s many styles, with a little bit inflicted shotgun wound. ers and extracurricular ventures of each of those 30 bands that molded such as 2004’s ‘metal project,’ “Prohis superior talent. Songs like “White Although we lost Cobain, Nirvana, and bot.” Another successful project Limo,” “Rope,” “Arlandra,” “Dear their potential, we can thank the rock was 2009’s self-titled debut album Rosemary” and “Bridge Burning,” are gods Dave Grohl is still working over“Them Crooked Vultures,” for hard edged rock music for the masses. time, paving the way for rock music in which he teamed up with QOTSA the 21st century. front man Josh Homme and Led There is one exception, “I Should Have Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. Known.” This track features Grohl’s Grohl was back on the skins for this former bandmate, Krist Novoselic, The Foo Fighters will be effort, which became a rock classic. the bassist for Nirvana. This song is at the Adams Center in a posthumous letter to Kurt Cobain. Missoula, MT on May 26, April 2011 saw the release of Dave With emotional lyrics like, “Look and at the Gorge AmGrohl’s most recent accomplishment, at the shape you’re in/I should have the Foo Fighters’ seventh album phitheater in Gorge, WA known/But I jumped right in”, and “Wasting Light.” From start to finon May 27 for the Sas“Didn’t hear your warning/Damn my ish, this is one of the Foo Fighters’ quatch! Music Festival. heart gone deaf”, it is very clear. As finest and most consistent albums many music fans know, Cobain was a
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May 2011 41
Big Sky Weekly
Big Sky Resort Pond Skim See the full gallery at explorebigsky.com
42 May 2011
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Big Sky Weekly
fun
G ggle TANS
SPF anyone? We collected some of the best tanlines from the ‘10-11 Winter season.
Winner!
For outstanding color and definition
Seasonal Evolution of the goggle tan:
Tan: A google tan is when you sit in front of your computer too much wearing ski goggles, watching ski movies...YouTubing Greg Stump, dreaming of the tram line...
explorebigsky.com
May 2011 43
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.
Taking Fossil Fuels out of the Equation: Geothermal Heating is Grounded By Tyler Allen With the future cost of purchasing fossil fuels for heat uncertain, and the cost to the environment by burning them quite certain, many people in Southwest Montana are looking for alternative sources to heat their homes. One of these alternatives is geothermal heating. The EPA considers geothermal heat pumps, also known as ground source heat pumps, to be the most energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sound heating systems. How do they work? Because the earth’s surface is such an effective solar collector, the upper 10 feet of the ground maintains a relatively stable temperature between 45 and 70 degrees F. Geothermal pumps take advantage of this in two ways. In winter they heat a building by extracting this warmth from the ground. In summer, they cool a home by sinking its warm air back into the Earth.
“The unused heat in this system Electric heaters or heating systems that burn fossil fuels can never exceed 100 can be used to heat the buildpercent efficiency, while geothermal ing’s water, cutting hot water systems are 300-400 percent efficient; essentially, for every unit of electricity costs by ” Three years ago, a client came to Peter Lee, owner they use, they produce three or four units of Teton Heritage Builders, with a request to of heat. While the initial investment may install geothermal heat in a new home. After that be more expensive than a conventional to find the pipes frozen and the radiant floor a skating project was completed, Lee had other clients apsystem, geothermal heat can pay for rink could make for an unhappy vacation. proach him about geothermal. In 2010, he started itself within 3-6 years because it can save up to Energy Solutions to “become an advocate of this 70 percent in heating costs annually. In addition, Retrofit installation tends to be more expensive than in technology.” The company now has four projects the unused heat in this system can be used to heat new construction—where cost ranges from $8-15 per operational and three others contracted in Souththe building’s water, cutting hot water costs by square foot—because you have to work around what west Montana. 30-60 percent. Additionally, conventional heatis already there, including trees, cable, gas pipes and ing systems typically last 13-15 years, whereas a landscaping. Instead of using a Horizontal Loop system Conventional heating systems need to burn some geothermal pump has a life expectancy of 20-25 that involves digging trenches 6-8’ deep and 100-300’ type of fuel source to create heat, while geotheryears, and the pipes will last around 50. long, existing homes will often require a Vertical Loop mal systems collect heat and distribute it. Fluid system. Holes are drilled 100-400’ deep, depending on is circulated through a ‘loop system’ of highPropane currently makes up about 90 percent the heat load required by the building. density polyethylene pipes buried in the ground. of the heating in the Big Sky area, and consisWhile underground, the fluid is heated. Then it tent delivery can be a challenge. A client came While the cost of propane, natural gas, and electricity returns to the home to be compressed by the heat to Energy Solutions when the propane company (which is predominantly produced by coal-fired plants pump and released into the building. didn’t come to fill his tank and his house froze. in Montana) is likely to increase in the future, the heat While this can be a captured from the Earth in a geothermal system will minor inconvenience to “Geothermal heat can pay for remain free. And since the federal government is cura year-round resident, itself within 3-6 years because it rently offering a 30 percent tax incentive on renewable some homeowners in energy projects until 2016, there is no better time to can save up to in heating costs this mountain commuconsider geothermal as a viable option to heat your nity are gone for weeks annually.” home. thbes.com or months at a time. Arriving for Christmas 44 April 15, 2011
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30-60%