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Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky

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December 2, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #21

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SPECIAL SECTION:

BIG SKY SEARCH & RESCUE

GIFT & GEAR GUIDE

WORD FROM THE RESORTS BUSINESS PROFILE: SEASONAL LOVE.COM

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15th annual Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival

PUBLISHER OF THE BIG SKY WEEKLY

Big Sky Weekly explorebigsky

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15th Annual Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival, Dec. 7-11

2011 BIG SKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR DECEMBER 2, 2011 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 21

On Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., festival goers will convene at the Emerson Cultural Center in Bozeman for multimedia presentations from ice climbing’s greatest characters.

PUBLISHER Eric Ladd COO & SENIOR EDITOR Megan Paulson

“Genesis” will premier Friday night: A celebration of 40 years of ice climbing in Hyalite, the film features Montana legends Pat Callis and Chad Chadwick repeating Callis’s classic route Genesis II, with Bozeman climber Pat Wolfe using vintage gear from the 1971 first ascent.

In the film, Yvon Chouinard discusses inventing the modern ice axe.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mike Martins MANAGING EDITOR Emily Stifler GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelsey Dzintars EDITOR Abbie Digel

Special guest Jeff Lowe will introduce a film on his 1974 first ascent of Bridalveil Falls, near Telluride, Colo. This rare footage documents the ascent that ushered in the era of modern ice climbing. Also, the legendary Henry Barber will share his perspective on how the hardest ice and mixed routes of the 1970s influenced the world.

ASSISTANT EDITOR Taylor Anderson SALES DIRECTOR Frank Jordan DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR Danielle Chamberlain VIDEOGRAPHER Brian Niles VIDEOGRAPHER/DESIGNER Chris Davis ACCOUNT RELATIONS COORDINATOR Kacey Brown OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Katie Morrison CONTRIBUTORS

Torie Bentley, Mike Coil, Erin Bills, Nettie Breuner, Tessa Burnett, Tom Cook, Nick Engelfried, Grady, Allyson Hagen, Lisa Hagen, Alex Hassman, Marcie Hahn-Knoff, Marne Hayes, Teresa Larson, Sam Magro, Erik Morrison, Brandon Niles, Piper Platte, Chris Samuels, Kene Sperry, Brandon Smith

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.

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.

ADVERTISING DEADLINE FOR DECEMBER 16 ISSUE: December 9 CORRECTIONS The Big Sky Weekly runs corrections to errors we’ve printed. Please report them to emily@theoutlawpartners.com © 2011 The Big Sky Weekly Unauthorized reproduction prohibited

2 December 2, 2011

Climbers are flocking from around the U.S. and Canada for the 15th annual Bozeman Ice Fest. Four days of on-ice clinics will be held in Hyalite Canyon, south of Bozeman, including a special ladies day on Friday.

Other guests include Barry Blanchard, one of the most prolific ice and alpine climbers of his generation, and Kitty Calhoun, who’s climbed some of America’s steepest ice.

Whit Magro climbing in Hyalite Canyon. PHOTO BY ARI NOVAK

ture sports phenomenon Will Gadd, and another from Bozeman’s own Max Lowe.

On Saturday evening, local pioneer Kris Erickson will recount the milestone first ascent of Hyalite’s Winter Dance by his mentor the great Alex Lowe, and the first free ascent made with Whit Magro a decade later.

Beer from Big Sky Brewing, and food and drink will be served by the Emerson Grill. Proceeds fund the Hyalite road plowing effort. Don’t miss the enormous gear raffles. Evening tickets on sale at bozemanicefestival.com.

Three videos representing the cutting edge will also premier that night, including one featuring adven-

TABLE OF CONTENTS COMMUNITY...4 LOCAL NEWS...8 WORD FROM THE RESORTS...10 REGIONAL...12 MONTANA...15 PROFILE...17 GALLERY...18 SPORTS...20 OUTDOORS...21 BUSINESS...22 ENVIRONMENT...23 BUSINESS DIRECTORY...24 CLASSIFIEDS...26 HEALTH & WELLNESS...27 EVENTS...28 ENTERTAINMENT...29 FOOD & DINING...31 BACK 40...32 SPECIAL SECTION: GEAR & GIFTS..33

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Big Sky Weekly

COMMUNITY

Big Sky Search and Rescue works for the greater good Group launches backcountry awareness campaign “If [people] get into trouble, we need to make sure they have an opportunity to get taken care of, otherwise it would be a dishonest way to attract visitors to Big Sky.”

BY TAYLOR ANDERSON

BIG SKY WEEKLY ASSISTANT EDITOR

Local outfitter Ed Hake is one of few current residents who grew up in Big Sky. “There is nobody in Big Sky who’s lived here longer than I have,” he said in his snowmobile outfitter building on Highway 191, wife Kathy nodding her head yes.

On a Saturday in mid-November, two hikers snowshoeing to a cabin up Buck Ridge west of Highway 191 became lost.

They were still in cell range, called 911 for help and were rescued before night set in.

“Another two or three hours and they would have really been in trouble,” said Ed Hake, founder of Big Sky Search and Rescue.

The case represented a lucky incident within cell range, a rarity in the area, because most winter cases involve lost skiers and snowmobilers who need help and aren’t within cell range.

Enter Big Sky Search and Rescue.

“Looking for lost parties is a good part of what we do, and occasionally there are injuries thrown in with that as well,” says BSSR member Steve Johnson.

Johnson casually describes the nonprofit group as a trained group of athletes doing what needs to be done in distressed times.

Ed’s seen the area develop, grow and change since his childhood. He’s spent much of his life with friends, outside. With that came the responsibility of taking charge when trouble comes.

That’s why he and a few friends in the area, all outdoorsmen, banded together to assemble a search and rescue in Big Sky, first informally, then, in 1992, as a sanctioned group.

Now, more than 20 years later, the nonprofit SAR group consists of about 20 members, each of them possessing a set of skills qualifying them to participate in rescue work.

“It’s taken a long time, but we’re one of the finest search and rescue organizations in Montana, if not the Northwest,” Hake said.

BSSR operates as a faction of the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department, which has performed more than 800 searches and rescues since 2001.

The crew from Big Sky is one of 11 search and rescue factions within Gallatin County, essentially creating a network of trained professionals able to help.

It’s awarded a part of the county’s annual budget when needed, and received this year $35,000 for a new truck from the 2012 Gallatin County budget.

“We thought, ‘yeah, we could get new sleds or new equipment,’” but why not do something that gives back to the community? Johnson asked.

BSSR can also apply for resort tax money, and has been awarded anywhere between $6,000 and $25,000 annually since 1995, money that has helped build the current search and rescue building. The group has received almost $270,000 in 16 years from the tax board.

Other counties don’t allot as much money for SAR. At about 3,600 square miles Madison County gives its search and rescue team just $5,000, Johnson says. The two teams work together, as lost parties near Big Sky are often over the county border.

“We’ve been fortunate resort tax has helped with what we’ve asked for,” Hake said, later reminiscent about starting the group out of his Canyon Rentals outfitter shop.

A mission to find a missing skier on Lone Mountain last March showed just how big the network of trained volunteers is.

The first day of the search involved ski patrollers from two resorts in town, BSSR, two helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft and dog teams. By the end of the four-month search, BSSR members had spent 300 volunteer days crossing and re-crossing the mountain looking for the body, which they found in late July. In total, the search cost an estimated $30,000, according to some estimates.

The father of the skier asked that funeral attendees make donations to BSSR in lieu of flowers, and the group collected more than $10,000.

BSSR launched a campaign this season to promote backcountry safety, known as Think Risk, Then Reward, in an attempt to reach the target demographic that tends take risks while skiing out of bounds.

“When it comes to emergency services, we’re about taking care of people who are hurt, and we’ll figure out the accounting later,” Johnson said.

Jurisdiction and county lines don’t come into play either, when it comes to SAR missions, he said. It all goes into making up a part of the greater good.

“That’s just the nature of the game. If you’re going to do some good to dig somebody out of the ditch, you’ve got to go right now.”

Aside from working to save lives and sharpen outdoor skills, members are working towards promoting awareness when playing in something unfathomably humbling and powerful.

“Reality TV shows and videos show people doing crazy things in the backcountry and walkin’ away from it,” Hake said. “What they don’t show is they’ve got crews behind them keeping them safe.”

Hake wants his employees and BSSR volunteers to make the right decisions in the backcountry, and all his guides have taken at least Avalanche 1 safety courses.

“I don’t want to be digging any of my guys out, I want them to not be in there,” he said.

Lone Peak Cinema grand opening 120 people packed the house for the grand opening of Lone Peak Cinema on Wednesday, Nov. 23 to watch a showing of "Tower Heist."

PHOTOS BY KENE SPERRY/EYE IN THE SKY PHOTOGRAPHY

4 December 2, 2011

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COMMUNITY Letter: Thanks from the GNAFC The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center and the Friends of the Avalanche Center want to thank to the community for making this year’s Powder Blast Fundraiser Event our most successful ever.

Despite competing with one of the biggest World Series games in decades, we managed to have a banner event this year, raising over $22,000.

We are amazed and thankful for the support of our local and larger community. Thanks also to the tremendous effort from our volunteers and Board.

The great success of this fundraiser and increasing momentum of community involvement means the GNFAC will continue to provide daily avalanche hazard and weather forecasts, as well as

offer more educational opportunities, and upgrade the equipment needed to meet the ever increasing backcountry user market.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any specific suggestions or comments regarding the Friends or the GNFAC’s services and programs. And count on another great event next year the last weekend of October.

Sincerely, Jeannie Wall Board President

Big Sky Weekly

Integrity.

Vision.

Craft.

Doug Chabot GNFAC Director And The Friends of the Avalanche Center Board of Directors

Community “Gemeinschaften” Beer Suds to benefit local charities

BY TAYLOR ANDERSON

BIG SKY WEEKLY ASSISTANT EDITOR

Imbibers in Big Sky buying a pint of Lone Peak’s upcoming American Pale Ale will be doing much more for the community than they might know.

Lone Peak Brewery owners Steve and Vicky Nordahl are coordinating efforts that will generate about 40 cents for each pint (about $1,000 a month) of designated beer sold throughout the next year, a sum that will benefit

groups like the Big Sky Ski Education Foundation and Women in Action.

That means that when you’re sitting there warming up after a chilly day on the hill, you’ll be doing more than pumping your body full of hops and malted barley, you’ll be making a better Gemeinschaften.

The Nordahls hope the campaign will last indefinitely, with new batches released every four to six weeks and distributed throughout local bars.

406-995-2174 To view a video tour of this property visit: continentalconstruction.com/montana explorebigsky.com December 2, 2011 5

Big Sky Weekly

COMMUNITY

BYEP wins $10,000 from Toyota

Bozeman-based nonprofit wins social media contest

BY EMILY STIFLER

BIG SKY WEEKLY MANAGING EDITOR

Bozeman-based nonprofit group Big Sky Youth Empowerment recently received a big PR bump when it won $10,000 from the Toyota Halftime Handoff contest.

Here’s how it happened: In October, a social media marketing group contacted BYEP about participating in an online contest.

BYEP—which introduces at-risk youth from Bozeman, Belgrade and Big Sky to snowboarding, ski-

ing and a rigorous character development program—was up against three other (national) nonprofits in a weeklong voting competition.

By scoring the most votes on the Halftime Handoff Facebook page, BYEP won $10k and a 15 second spot on NBC Sunday night football (aired 11/27, watch at youtube.com/watch?v=tIe38FJRXTo).

The funding is a step in helping the program meet its $600,000 annual budget, said Pete MacFadyen, BYEP’s Founder and Executive Director.

“We’re humbled we were chosen to be part of the competition.

We’re excited and re-energized that our constituency went out and voted for us. It’s a testament to the communities belief and support in our program.”

What’s larger, but also harder to measure, is the PR the campaign generated. There’s been a buzz around BYEP in the week since they won, MacFadyen says, with people in the community talking about the award, and analytics way up.

Become a Snow Sponsor It costs $125 to take each BYEP student snowboarding or skiing 10 times over the winter. New this year, BYEP is inviting community members to sponsor a BYEP kid.

For $125, you put one local atrisk teenager on the snow for the entire winter. In return, you’ll get a full day transferable lift ticket to Big Sky Resort for the winter 20112012. To participate, text “Deep Powder” to (406) 538-0399. Only 100 sponsorships available.

Big Sky Town Hall meeting Dec.7 at the Big Sky Chapel

BY MARNE HAYES

BIG SKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce is hosting its semi-annual Town Hall forum meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 1 p.m. at the Big Sky Chapel.

This meeting will bring together the Chamber, the Big Sky Community Corporation, and the group behind the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center, to report on updates and progress of their respective projects.

The Chamber will report on the Biggest Skiing in America ongoing marketing campaign, as well as the current Branding and Strategic Planning initiative and the Wayfinding project, still both in their initial stages.

The MCHF & WHC group will give an update on the process that currently has Big Sky as one of the top contenders to be the host to this cultural center representing the cowboy and western character of the State of Montana.

The Big Sky Community Corporation will give an update on the formation of the Mountain and Meadow Big Sky Park, Trail, and Recreation District, and give a progress report on the Community Park construction.

Started last year as a way to keep the community informed on a variety of topics, all are welcome to attend.

New radio station hosting coat and boot drive BIG SKY WEEKLY WIRE SERVICES

Bozeman’s newest radio station, Mountain 107.7 FM, is putting on the First Annual Gallatin Valley Coat and Boot Drive.

Friday, December 9th 5:00 Santa arrives in Meadow Village Center on fire truck; Lighting of the tree and Carolers in front of the Blue Ribbon Builders office 5:15-6:30 Letters to Santa and Photos at Outlaw Partners 6:30 Magic Show at First Security Bank 7:00 Town Center Bonfire, S’Mores, ice skating (weather permitting), sleigh rides, etc 8:15 Fireworks - Town Center 9:00 Live Music at Choppers featuring the Cropdusters Throughout the evening there will be artist markets, open houses, raffles, scavenger hunt, sleigh rides, beer tasting (provided by Lone Peak Brewery), and much more!

The drive is encouraging people to donate gently used winter coats and boots through the end of the year.

A kick-off event was held the Friday after Thanksgiving at Bob Wards

BY TERESA LARSON

REI OUTREACH SPECIALIST

The Bozeman REI is accepting donations of new or gently used clean clothing, footwear, and gear to support local nonprofit groups. REI has a drop box permanently located inside the front door of the store, which is located at North 19th and Oak.

Throughout December all donations will go to THRIVE, a nonprofit group that has served thousands of families in the Gallatin Valley for the last 25 years. The

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Coats and boots can be dropped off at Bob Wards off North 19th, or at First Montana Bank at North 19th Avenue and Oak Street through Dec. 31st.

Gallatin Laundry will clean the coats and they will be given to HRDC/ Head Start for distribution to families in need.

Used clothing/footwear drive at REI to benefit Bozeman nonprofits

Every month REI will choose a different nonprofit to receive donations. Each group will provide a wish list according to their specific needs.

6 December 2, 2011

during a live remote broadcast on Mountain 107.7, with another slated for Dec. 2 at First Montana Bank.

THRIVE wish list for donations includes adult winter clothing and snowshoes. If you would like to donate, please be considerate and do not place any dirty, broken, or unwanted items in the box. The recipient nonprofit groups are responsible for taking everything placed in the box, and they would appreciate it if the donated items are those on their wish lists.

Nonprofit groups slated to receive clothing or gear donations in the future include the Craighead Institute, HRDC, Adventurers for Science and Conservation, MOSS, and Working Dogs for Conservation. If your nonprofit group would like to be considered call Teresa at 587-1938.

Big Sky Weekly

COMMUNITY Calling all singers Carolers needed at Big Sky Christmas stroll on Dec. 9 Join local singers for a holiday tradition at the Big Sky Christmas stroll on Friday, Dec. 9.

Carolers will meet in front of Blue Ribbon Builders at 4:30 p.m. and will be ready by 4:45. Santa will arrive at 5 p.m., and carolers will sing as the Christmas tree is lit, for about an hour.

Rehearsals are on Sunday, Dec. 4 and Tuesday, Dec. 6, from 7-8 p.m. at the Big Sky Chapel.

Ophir School’s music teacher, Christian Gutierez, is organizing the group, and says 10 to 15 carolers would be ideal (the more the merrier). Come with your voice, song suggestions and Christmas spirit! For more information contact Gutierez at cgutierez@ophirschool.org. A.D.

Fundraising for “Destination D.C.” in full gear

BY NETTIE BREUNER AND CHRIS SAMUELS BIG SKY WEEKLY CONTRIBUTORS

Ophir School's eighth grade class is headed to Washington D.C. in May 2012. This annual educational trip has been part of the Ophir experience for over a decade. This year, they hope to add an evening Shakespeare performance to their list of activities in D.C. The students prepare for the trip all year long, working to fund most of it.

Donations from Ophir School Council and the Gallatin Canyon Women's Club also help support the trip.

The students raise money through "8th Grade for Hire,” working various jobs in the community such as Town Center events, pet sitting, baby sitting, as ski buddies, snow shoveling and working at private parties. Through another program, "Tips for Trips," students bus tables in area restaurants, which then donate all tips collected that night.

This year, the students are taking orders for Schwann's Frozen Foods, with a percentage of each order donated to the class. To make an order, contact Diane Bartzick at (406) 995-2395 or bartzick@aol.com. Pick up is Dec. 7 at Ophir School.

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December 2, 2011 7

Big Sky Weekly

LOCAL NEWS

A hands-on approach

Big Sky welcomes Dr. Maren Dunn

BY ABBIE DIGEL

BIG SKY WEEKLY EDITOR

After seven years as a frequent visitor, Maren Dunn, D.O., has finally moved to Big Sky. “It’s a dream come true,” she says.

She first came here in 2004 as a fourth year medical student to work with Dr. Jeff Daniels at the Medical Clinic of Big Sky. At that point in her training, Dunn was unsure which path she wanted to take as a physician. But when she drove into Big Sky on a beautiful Memorial Day weekend, she realized this was the type of place she wanted to live.

“Doc Daniels showed me what type of lifestyle I could have as a physician,” Dunn said. She fell in love with the idea of becoming a rural family medicine doctor.

Dr. Dunn will be opening her own private practice, Gallatin Family Medicine, in Big Sky at 18 Meadow Village Dr. across from the post office.

Its projected opening is late December.

GFM will have operating hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Hours will adjust according to the needs of the community. Previously scheduled appointments and same day appointments will also be available.

graduated from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences as a D.O. in 2005. Becoming a D.O. includes the same rigorous training as an M.D., with additional training in Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, or OMT. As opposed to traditional methods where a patient might be given medication or an x-ray, a D.O. like Dunn will use her hands to diagnose and treat medical issues.

Using OMT, a D.O. will move muscles and joints while stretching and adding gentle pressure and resistance to a patient’s body. It’s literally a healing touch.

Dunn said osteopaths “visually and physically address a patient’s stature and muscle imbalances,” not unlike a chiropractor or a massage therapist. Osteopaths look at the structure of the body and help put it in a position to heal itself, she says.

As a rural family medicine physician, Dunn focuses on many areas of health including: pediatrics; women’s health including contraception and prenatal care; treatment for chronic conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and After her college education, Dunn worked three diabetes; preventive medicine such as wellness years in San Diego and New York City in the bioexams and vaccinatech field and as a tions; in-office “I educate patients so they can personal trainer. procedures such as Her hands-on assist in their own healing. It’s not work as a trainer neonatal circumcision, vasectomy enough to simply hand a patient coupled with exand skin lesion perience as a long removal; and osa prescription and send them on distance athlete teopathic manipuhelped Dunn their way.” lation, a hands-on expand her career treatment for into medicine, physical pain and other illnesses. including manipulative treatment.

As a doctor of osteopathic medicine, or a D.O, Dr. Dunn’s approach to healing is similar to that of a M.D. with an added emphasis on treatment of the whole person, not just the complaint at hand.

“Osteopathic medicine includes a personal element. I want to know the patient’s family and social history and what their life is like,” Dunn said.

She says it’s important to understand a person’s lifestyle and how it can affect illness.

“I educate patients so they can assist in their own healing,” Dunn said. “It’s not enough to simply hand a patient a prescription and send them on their way.”

Upon completing medical school, Dunn chose a three-year family medicine residency at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho. Following her residency in 2008, Dunn worked for a year in rural Cascade, Idaho, and two years in rural Prineville, Ore doing family medicine and in-patient hospital work.

her practice and specialists in town. She will provide prenatal care for Big Sky women, who will transition to their obstetrician in Bozeman at the proper time.

She’s also looking to connect with local nonprofit organizations and the Ophir School District in order to offer her assistance where it might be useful within the community.

Dunn is already living out her dream in Big Sky: She’s hit the slopes, and the cross country trails.

She’s looking forward to also attending yoga classes and running with her two dogs.

“I feel so lucky,” Dunn said. “It’s not often that a doctor can live and work in a place they love.”

If you didn’t see her on Thanksgiving at the BSSEF Turkey Trot, stop by Gallatin Family Medicine and say hello.

When Dunn visited friends in Big Sky last spring, she noticed that despite the downturn of the economy, the community had continued to grow and prosper with new restaurants and buildings, as well as growth of the local school.

“I noticed there was a need for someone with my skills,” Dunn said.

Dr. Maren Dunn | 406-995-3111 Dunn received her bachelor’s degree from University of California-Santa Barbara in 1998. She

8 December 2, 2011

Dunn is currently working to connect with medical professionals in Bozeman to bridge between

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info@gallatinfamilymedicine.com

Big Sky Weekly

LOCAL NEWS Spanish Peaks’ liquidation process coming to spotlight

BY TAYLOR ANDERSON

BIG SKY WEEKLY ASSISTANT EDITOR

Many questions have been raised during the first month after Spanish Peaks closed its doors and its parent company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Now under the spotlight is the liquidation process of all the clubs’ assets.

A Wall Street Journal article in November announced the former club for the rich would begin auctioning off the 63 vehicles Spanish Peaks owned when it closed.

The club has just $29,000 in cash, the article reported the bankruptcy trustee as saying. The trustee, it said, cited harsh winters as reasons to ramp up liquidation of the club’s assets as part of the Chapter 7 process.

Early reports of the debt-to-asset ratio listed, at most, a 10–1 ratio, and a list of creditors between 100 and 199.

During the sell off, the club’s water system will be among the assets in question. At a November meeting, the Big Sky Water and Sewer District examined what would happen to the water system, which is overseen by John Olson, one of five

employees remaining at the club.

The board recognized the system is at risk of damage during the winter.

The district bills Spanish Peaks customers but doesn’t run the drinking water system. It does run sewage through a pipe that travels from the club to ponds in the meadow.

The water infrastructure at the club is valued around $8,000,000 and could be sold off at a depreciated price as part of the liquidation process.

It’s unclear, however, if Spanish Peaks would continue running the water sys-

tem until a potential sale of the entire resort, in which case the water could go with it, as well. The club could also choose to sell the water to a private, for-profit company.

Spanish Peaks Holdings II bankruptcy trustee in New Jersey, Charles M. Forman, didn’t return calls to the Big Sky Weekly to answer questions about the liquidation process.

Check explorebigsky.com/chapter7 for updates on the liquidation process. Contact Taylor at Taylor@ theoutlawpartners.com.

Big Sky LIFT takes off, slowly Money waiting for former Spanish Peaks employees

BY TAYLOR ANDERSON

BIG SKY WEEKLY ASSISTANT EDITOR

After about a month of fundraising efforts by the revamped Big Sky LIFT program, which awards money to laid off Spanish Peaks employees, officials are finding applicants slow to come out of the woodwork.

The program, aimed at providing former Spanish Peaks employees with aid this winter, has far more money than applicants have requested.

Grants were given out in midNovember to the first (and only) five applicants, who received a total of $8,300, an average of $1,660.

The Montana Community Foundation out of Helena runs the program, and had collected $65,000 as of Nov. 30, according to Nicole Rush of MTCF. “We haven’t received as many as we’d like but I think we’ll see more” as the holidays near, Rush said.

The program was first started in 2009 to assist employees in the wake of the Yellowstone Club’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, and was resurrected after Spanish Peaks closed and its parent company filed Chapter 7.

“The sentiment I’d like to get across is hopefully we get more people to apply,” said John Haas, one of the coordinators of the program.

Haas said the application process is easy, and that so far, Spanish Peaks members have donated all the money available.

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“There’s this outpour of generosity by the members trying to give out love that was given by the employees in the past,” he said.

The money sits in a bank account, and if the funds aren’t given to Spanish Peaks employees, they would possibly open up to everyone in Big Sky who’s been effected by the bankruptcy or recession in general, Rush said.

“It will definitely be spent in Big Sky in one way or another. That’s its purpose.”

December 2, 2011 9

Big Sky Weekly

WORD FROM THE RESORTS

A family tradition Opening day at Big Sky Resort

BY EMILY STIFLER

BIG SKY WEEKLY MANAGING EDITOR

The first chair on Ramcharger on opening day at Big Sky was packed with locals. So was the chair behind them, which included the 2001 dirtbag king, and a human-sized turkey on skis.

The king was here, he said, because he couldn’t afford to go anywhere else. The smile on his face made it clear there was nowhere else he’d rather be. The turkey just said ‘gobble, gobble.’

In fact, at least three quarters of the first 50 people riding Ramcharger on that warm, cloudy Thanksgiving Day were loyal Big Sky locals. The crowd cheered, looking forward to their first turns of the year on Tippy’s Tumble.

Those not from Big Sky included a posse of MSU kids chomping at the bit, and the Eck brothers from Pennsylvania (although one was spending a month in Bozeman for a medical school elective and the other had been in Darby, Mont. all summer).

10 December 2, 2011

“It’s great to see smiling faces and friends we haven’t seen in six months,” said Mountain Manager Mike Unruh.

The feeling that opening day was an annual reunion was a theme through the hundreds of skiers on the hill that day.

The mountain was alive again.

“It’s a family tradition,” said Tate Niese, referring both to seeing old friends, and to the many families he imagined drove from far away each year to ski over Thanksgiving weekend. “It’s a great way to bring people together.”

“Amazing!” said local ripper Mike Manelin, back for another year and breathless from running up the hill to the lift in excitement.

By 9:45, locals Jesse and Eileen Coil had already taken three runs and were “extremely psyched” to be back on the snow. “The energy today is good, even though the conditions are variable,” Eileen said.

Explorer was also running, with Mr. K groomed and in prime condition. The Swifty 2.0 terrain park was popular, and the zipline ran a party through mid-day.

The snow sports school was up and running, and director Christine Baker was enthusiastic about an expanded beginner area this year, and continued locals programs.

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In total, 4,000 skiers visited Big Sky over opening weekend.

“Even though we had less terrain open than we did at this time last year, this number is right up there for our opening weekend—people are excited to just get out there and start off the season,” said

Greer Schott, the resort’s Public Relations and special events coordinator.

“We’re ready to get more lifts turning as soon as we get more snowfall, and we’ll open as much terrain as we safely can as fast as possible.”

Big Sky Resort will employ 1,000 people this winter, with more than 150 newly hired staff.

Waiting for opening day You’ve already hit up Big Sky Resort, but here are your other favorite resorts’ opening days, just to keep you in the loop.

Moonlight Basin: Dec. 10 Bridger Bowl: Dec. 9 Lone Mountain Ranch: Dec. 14 Rendezvous Ski Trails: Some trails open. Check grooming report.

Discovery Ski Area: Nov. 24 Bohart Ranch Cross Country Ski Center: Dec. 2 Maverick Mountain: Dec. 5 Lost Trail: Dec. 1

Honor roll students ski free at Moonlight

M-BAR-T program is back Moonlight Basin is bringing back its popular M-BAR-T program that helps Montana kids get out skiing and snowboarding. Short for Moonlight Basin Aspirations Reward Team, this program is an incentivebased program that encourages grade improvement by rewarding honor roll students with season passes.

Moonlight Basin feels strongly about continued involvement and participation in the greater region. M-BAR-T is available to students in sixth–12th grade, attending public, private, and home schools in Gallatin, Madison, Beaverhead, Park and Sweet Grass counties. moonlightbasin.com/site/M-BART.html $99 processing fee applies

Support the Gallatin Valley Food Bank Moonlight’s fifth annual Turkey for a Ticket food drive is Dec. 16 On Friday, Dec. 16, Moonlight will hold its fifth annual Turkey for a Ticket food drive at the Madison Village Base Area. Pass holder and corporate donations may also be dropped off at Albertsons in Bozeman from 7:30–11 a.m.

my mountain is

Big Sky Weekly

MOONLIGHT moonlightbasin.com

SEASON PASSES STILL AVAILABLE Buy online Kids 10 & under ski FREE all season

Donations of 20 cans of food or one frozen turkey earns you a free lift ticket valid that day only.

Moonlight Basin or Biggest Skiing in America® season pass holders receive a voucher for a single day lift ticket valid Dec. 16-23, 2011 and January 2-27, 2012.

Employees can team up to make donations on behalf of their business.

These corporate donations earn one lift ticket voucher per 20 pounds of food or one lift ticket voucher per frozen turkey. Minimum donation must equal 80 pounds to receive vouchers.

Maximum donation is 800 pounds (40 tickets).

Denise Wade is Lone Mountain Ranch's new trails/nordic director When Denise Wade arrived in Big Sky in 1985, her plan was to stay for one winter. Instead, one winter turned into an indefinite number of years.

It didn’t take Wade long to fall in love with the snow, mountains, Yellowstone National Park and the tight-knit community. Wade spent a short amount of time in Idaho and Alaska, but she couldn’t escape the attraction of Big Sky and remained here full time after 1993. Wade was an integral part of Lone Mountain Ranch’s Nordic program for many years and has returned to the Ranch to take over the program.

Wade will also manage the trail system Lone Mountain Ranch utilizes for both summer and winter activities. “Her dedication to… exposing people to the outdoors, making a difference in the community, with guests and our crew, and to the success of Lone Mountain Ranch… is extraordinary,” general manager

Mark Parlett said.

Wade has been a member of the Big Sky Resort Volunteer Ski Patrol, owned a restaurant with her husband for 10 years in Big Sky and was an instructor for University of Montana-Dillon Elder Hostel program, which specializes in intergenerational educational adventure trips. She has also enjoyed teaching summer ecology classes and field studies for the University of Montana-Western and introducing people to the wonders of Yellowstone for the past 12 years.

opening for the season - December 10th season pass holders - December 9th

Wade is a Level 3 PSIA certified Nordic instructor and has been involved with the Professional Ski Instructors of America organization for more than 20 years.

“The friendships and relationships established while experiencing the outdoors have enriched my life immeasurably and I am thrilled to be part of Lone Mountain Ranch again as the Nordic and trails director.”

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December 2, 2011 11

Big Sky Weekly

REGIONAL

Avalanches still possible, even likely, with thin snowpack “People are going to start venturing further and deeper in the backcountry in search of [better conditions], because the lower elevations got worked in this warm weather.” That’s where Knoff imagines someone getting into trouble.

BY EMILY STIFLER

BIG SKY WEEKLY MANAGING EDITOR

With La Niña off to a slow start, our mountain snowpack is thin but still skiable. Enough snow to slide on means enough snow to avalanche.

Knoff wanted to drive home the point “that avalanches are highly unpredictable, and that it’s still very possible to trigger slides in the backcountry.”

Like Thanksgiving leftovers in the back of the fridge, the early snow that fell in late October and stuck on high slopes has rotted out, turning to a weak layer of sugary facets near the ground.

So, what happens when it snows?

That weak layer crusted over in some places, and then was buried by mid-November snows. Wind piled heavy slabs atop that in many alpine areas, creating a perfect recipe for avalanches: heavy on top, weak on the bottom.

It all depends on how much, and how quickly that snow comes, says Mark Staples, another GNFAC forecaster.

“If we just get a little bit of snow, the danger won’t go up too much. If we get a lot, it’ll go up more... This is because when a lot of snow accumulates quickly, the snowpack doesn’t have time to adjust to the load. “We tend to see a lot of avalanches anyway, when we get a big, rapid, heavy load, no matter what’s happening in the snowpack,” he added.

Since then, warm temps in late November helped stabilize slopes in places like Bacon Rind, the Lionhead and Beehive Basin. “However, it is still possible to trigger slides in these areas,” according to a Nov. 28 avalanche bulletin from the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center.

In the northern Gallatins and the mountains around Cooke City, both of which had deeper snow, the warmer temps did not affect the weak facets in the same way. Accordingly, these ranges have both seen notable natural avalanche activity.

“If we could just turn on the snow hose and let it come in a few inches every day, that would be ideal,” he said, explaining that a slow steady build-up of snow, combined with mild temperatures, would allow that weak layer near the ground to gain strength over time.

The avalanche center warns that steep, upper elevation slopes, specifically those that have been wind loaded, are particularly dangerous.

And what about La Nina? NOAA’s long-range climate-based forecast calls for slow building this winter. So while we wait, it’s a good time to practice with rescue gear.

“Thinner, early season snowpacks, tend to catch people off guard,” said Eric Knoff, a GNFAC forecaster. “Just because it’s shallow, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily safe.”

This avalanche occurred on Saturday, Nov 26. It was triggered by a snowmobiler who was fortunately able to out run the avalanche. The slope was heavily wind loaded and the avalanche broke three feet deep. A relatively flat area near the left side of the photograph caused the debris to pile up very deeply. Southeast facing slope at 9715 ft. PHOTO: GNFAC

Knoff wanted to remind skiers of the three key rules of backcountry travel: Carry rescue gear;, always watch your partner and never put more than one person on a slope at the same time.

Yellowstone updating Fire Management Plan, public invited to comment BIG SKY WEEKLY STAFF WRITER

Yellowstone National Park is updating its Fire Management Plan to reflect changes in federal fire policy.

The park sees fire as a natural force that shapes and impacts its land, and also has potential to impact visitors, area residents and historic structures. It’s asking the public to help identify issues worthy of consideration.

In a new plan, greater emphasis on fire suppression may be placed in developed areas, then leaving a broad range of strategies to meet fire management objectives across the rest of Yellowstone.

The public scoping process is now open and will run through Dec. 20.

FWP Citizens Advisory Committee meeting

Find additional details on the proposal and an electronic form to submit comments at parkplanning.nps. gov/yell, or write to the Fire Management Plan, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.

Comments will not be accepted over the phone, by fax or e-mail.

Park staff members will host a public meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the Park County Courthouse in Cody, Wyo. The park is considering holding additional public meetings during the planning process.

Montana FWP Region 3 Citizens’ Advisory Committee is meeting in Bozeman on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at the FWP Regional Office (1400 S. 19th Ave.) from 1-7 p.m. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

The committee is comprised of citizen advisors with a variety of interests and backgrounds across Southwest Montana. The CAC meets quarterly to provide input and guidance on natural resource and management issues addressed by FWP. All meetings are open to the public.

The new Environmental Assessment is expected to be available for public review and comment in spring 2012. A final decision and plan should be completed that summer.

Final weekend of general season sees slight harvest increase Southwest MT Check Station Summary 2011 Season Montana’s big game hunting seasons ended Sunday, Nov. 27. State wildlife officials confirmed there are no plans to extend the seasons anywhere in the state. Ken McDonald, chief of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ wildlife bureau added, “If specific population or damage problems emerge, we’ll use management seasons or game damage hunts to address them.”

12 December 2, 2011

Check Station

Hunters

White-tailed deer

Mule Deer

Elk

% Hunters w/ game

Livingston

1463

56

83

123

17.2%

Ruby

0

0

0

0

0.0%

Cameron

2491

24

36

122

7.1%

Gallatin

1122

3

12

37

4.5%

Mill Creek

1057

4

11

29

4.2%

Divide

1332

6

57

61

9.0%

Silver City

3428

38

73

109

6.2%

Totals

10893

128

260

481

7.7%

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YEARS OF LOCAL EXPERTISE

Big Sky Weekly

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December 2, 2011 13

Big Sky Weekly

MONTANA Montana’s workplace injuries and illnesses declined in 2010 State still behind national average MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY

rate of 3.5 in 2010. Employers in Montana reported a total of 15,700 injuries and illnesses with 6,800 of them involving days away from work during 2010 compared with 17,200 injuries and illnesses with 7,600 days away from work cases reported in 2009.

Though the state lags behind the national average, injuries on the job in Montana declined in 2010, according to a survey done by the Department of Labor and Industry Research and Analysis Bureau.

Injuries and illnesses are reported when they result in lost work time, medical treatment other than first aid, loss of consciousness, restriction of work or motion, or require a transfer to another job.

Private industry workplaces in Montana reported 5.0 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 2010—compared to 5.3 in 2009.

Still, Montana was above the national

Montana’s incidence rate of injuries varies by major industry division. The following rates are based on the number of cases per 100 full-time workers:

6.3

1

4.2

education

mining

utilities

manufacturing

3.9

finacne and insurance

6.2

retail

7.1

Chet Huntley featured at Montana Historical Society

Free admission Saturday, Dec. 10

BY TOM COOK

MONTANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

DuPont Award, Peabody Award and two Overseas Press Club Awards.

His iconic face and voice brought the news of the world to television viewers across the nation and to those he always remembered back in his Montana homeland.

In Montana, Huntley was also the developer of Big Sky Resort. The scope and concept of the 11,000 acre yearround resort changed the recreation industry in the state.

“Remembering Montana’s Chet Huntley, Legendary Newscaster, Journalist and Developer of the Big Sky” will be presented all day during the Montana Historical Society’s free admission Second Saturday, Dec. 10. Events will be in the Society’s auditorium, just east of the State Capitol in Helena.

“His voice brought the news of pivotal events of the day to Americans—the Kennedy Assassination, the Civil Rights Movement, the conquest of space and so much more,” Society Special Projects Manager Sue Near said.

“But we should also remember him for changing the face of Montana and its development.”

The gala day is in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Huntley’s birth in Caldwell as the oldest of four children to Northern Pacific telegraph operator Percy and his wife Blanche. He lived at numerous other Montana locations and graduated from Whitehall High School before attending Montana State University.

Documentaries, films, video clips and talks by noted Montana broadcaster Norma Ashby, historian Jon Axline, and the Society’s own Interpretive Historian Ellen Baumler will all be featured, as well as Huntley memorabilia from the Society collection, loaned items from the Museum of the Rockies, and from the personal collection of Ashby.

Huntley is best known for co-anchoring The Huntley-Brinkley Report for 14 years beginning in 1956 on NBC. In addition to eight Emmy Awards, Huntley was awarded the Alfred I.

Door prizes provided by the Helena Credit Union and other sponsors will be offered all day.

Event schedule: 10 a.m. - “Huntley Video Clip Festival” highlighting Huntley’s work and legacy presented by Sue Near.

Noon - “Chet Huntley’s Montana” power point images and audio recordings by Huntley presented in 1959 to the Montana Broadcasters Association.

1 p.m. - “Personal Recollections of Chet Huntley” an interview of Norma Ashby about Huntley produced by Helena Civic TV. 3 p.m. - “Last Chance Gulch” a 1964 film on the history of Helena written by Norma Ashby and narrated by Huntley. Ellen Baumler and Jon Axline will provide additional commentary.

Open burning season over

Open burning season ends statewide on Nov. 30, 2011, and remains closed until March 1, unless specific permission is obtained from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. This includes all of Gallatin County.

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Montana’s regulations limit open burning to the spring and summer when air ventilation is best. During the fall, when ventilation worsens due to inversions and stagnant air conditions, the DEQ operates a monitoring program.

Open burning is generally prohibited in the western portion of the state during the winter. deq.mt.gov

$2.5 million secured for flood-damaged highways Emergency relief comes in wake of historic floods Montana will receive assistance to create jobs and help repair roads and highways damaged by record flooding this summer.

a July letter to Sec. Ray LaHood, Tester asked the department to reimburse state and tribal agencies for emergency flood-related spending.

Sen. Jon Tester asked the U.S. Department of Transportation for financial relief in July after flooding in central and eastern Montana caused widespread damage to roads and bridges. In

In response, the DOT allotted more than $2,500,000 in emergency relief to the Montana DOT for repair or reconstruction of flood-damaged roads and bridges.

Big Sky Weekly

MONTANA MADD gives Montana poor ranking for DUI punishment

Montana helping write next generation federal science standards

MT receives 1 of 5 stars for countermeasures BIG SKY WEEKLY WIRE SERVICES

In connection with the fifth anniversary of its campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, Mothers Against Drunk Driving has unveiled a report that rates the nation and each state on progress implementing drunk driving countermeasures. On a fivestar scale, the nation received an average rating of three stars, while Montana earned a one-star rating.

“This provides an important indicator of where the state stands in its efforts to eliminate drunk driving,” said MADD Montana volunteer Becky Sturdevant.

Montana law establishes enhanced penalties for those who drive drunk with children in the car.

Additional stars would come from requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers, conducting sobriety checkpoints, participating in “no-refusal” activities for those suspected of drunk driving, and taking away licenses of drunk driving offenders.

Launched in 2006, the campaign provides three steps to eliminating drunk driving by supporting police patrol roads, lobbying for an ignition interlocking to require convicted DUI drivers to blow zero before the car starts.

Ignition interlocks, on average, reduce DUI repeates by 67 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The current interlock law in Montana is mandatory for repeat offenders. Similar laws in New Mexico and Arizona helped reduce DUI fatalities in those states by 36 and 46 percent, respectively. 15 other states require ignition interlocks for convicted drunk drivers.

“The idea is not to catch people, it’s to publicize that people need to be aware about not driving impaired.

It’s to say look, ‘We’re really watching this weekend, so don’t do it,” Sturdevant added. “Ideally, we’d have no DUI arrests because nobody would drive under the influence.”

MADD showed updated figures that drunk driving costs the U.S. more than $132 billion annually.

These costs include monetary and quality of life costs to victims of drunk driving, along with costs to both the government and employers.

“It is only appropriate that we shine a light on Montana’s drunk driving problem during the time of year when drunk driving crashes are most prevalent,” Haubenreiser said. “MADD urges residents to be extra vigilant about planning ahead for a safe way home when holiday festivities include alcohol.” madd.org

BY ALLYSON HAGEN

MONTANA OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

Montana is joining 25 other states writing the process of the next generation science standards, a shared effort to define the content and practices students will learn from kindergarten through high school.

American students have lagged internationally in science education. A recent Department of Commerce study shows that over the past 10 years, growth in science, technology, engineering and math jobs was three times greater than in other fields. These jobs are expected to continue growing faster in the next decade.

Partnering with the states are the National Research Council, the National Science Teachers Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Achieve, which is coordinating the work.

The states will guide the standards writing process, gather and deliver feedback from state-level committees and address common issues and challenges. Montana’s committee will have approximately 30 members, including K-12 and post-secondary educators, business and industry representatives, state agencies and nonprofits.

The 26 states involved represent more than 50 percent of the nation’s students. The standards should be completed by the end of 2012.

2012 Winter issue

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December 2, 2011 15

Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

SECTION 2: SOUTHWEST MONTANA’S

December 2, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #21

LIFE // LAND // CULTURE PROFILE

Bozeman nonprofit teaching primitive and life skills MAERA expanding from its base in horse rescue programs

BY ABBIE DIGEL

BIG SKY WEEKLY EDITOR

MAERA (Montana Awareness Education Recreation Association) is an idea that was 11 years in the making, ever since Sasha Hyland rescued her first horse.

Hyland was 19 when she found Kalida, just three years old. Neglected and abused, pregnant, underweight, and burned with hot rod irons, Kalida responded to humans with fear and aggression.

“I was the only one that could get near her,” Hyland said. Kalida was so unhealthy that when she gave birth, the foal had to be put down four days after it was born.

A horse’s brain is dictated by the limbic system, Hyland explained. That means they can feel loss and intense emotion, just like humans.

“It took Kalida awhile to get through the trauma,” Hyland said. Now Kalida is Hyland’s closest friend. She lays down next to Hyland when camping, is a gentle mount for lessons and pack trips, and is a therapy horse.

“She does everything. She re-learned to trust, which most horses can do if given the opportunity.”

Hyland trains horses using natural horsemanship techniques. Her specialty is dealing with severe abuse and neglect, as well as wild horses.

After rescuing horses and for a decade, MAERA expanded in March 2011. Its new educational programming helps people develop a closer connection to the Earth by teaching primitive and survival skills, earth-based sciences, and giving kids and adults hands on experience with the Earth and animals.

The organization also has a healing component, working with troubled youth and individuals in need, and offers the use of its horses and staff for wilderness and equine therapy.

While MAERA currently leases 60 acres in Bozeman and in Gallatin Gateway, Hyland is working with the Big Sky Community Corporation to implement after school programming.

MAERA is open to working with new businesses and individuals, and is looking to expand to other communities, as well.

With Hyland as executive director, the group has volunteer board members, part-time paid field instructors, and contract horse trainers.

MAERA students range from homeschooled to families looking for adventure. Many locals who participate in MAERA classes want to get into the backcountry or learn to ride horses.

The curriculum includes survival essentials, flint knapping, animal movement and tracking, nature awareness, bow making, primitive hunting and traps, wild edible plants, knife throwing, and brain tanning. Classes range from one hour to multi-day backcountry expeditions.

"Did you know there are over 25 ways to make a fire by rubbing sticks together?" Hyland asks. A typical class with MAERA is fun, and 90 percent of the activities are outside.

MAERA has room for 26 rescue horses and is looking for additional space. It also houses goats for cheese and soap making, and Santiago, a llama, watches over the horse pastures.

The horses go through a minimum of 30-days of testing, where Hyland learns their strengths and needs.

There, she decides if she’ll use them in MAERA programming or how to find them the best home possible.

“The horses don't just sit in a pasture. They get used wherever they fit in, whether it’s horsemanship, packing workshops, classes—each horse is put in a role with something that they love to do,” Hyland said.

Interacting with animals creates a natural bond, she added. “It's an immense learning environment.”

Hyland aims to increase her students’ personal awareness and help them learn what the Earth has to offer.

“I love watching connections being

PHOTOS BY MIKE MARTINS

made, like seeing an eight-year-old teach a 50-yearold how to make a primitive fire.”

Hyland believes these skills are missing from our culture, and we need to get kids away from video games and computers.

Her broad skill set comes from both experience and training. She spent years learning natural horsemanship and studying primitive skills, and has degrees in psychiatric nursing, wilderness therapy and eco-psychology. She’s looking into doctorate programs in outdoor experiential education.

Priority now for MAERA is finding a new facility and office space that accommodate all of its programs and house all of its horses. Bozeman, Livingston, Three Forks and Big Sky are all potential spots.

Hyland noted that MAERA’s classes start at around $20, and part of the low cost is attributed to grant money and donations. Both she and others believe in this work: “We want to keep the places we love safe,” Hyland said. “If we can teach people to connect and create a relationship with the Earth through amazing experiences and skills, they will innately protect it.”

For an introduction to MAERA programming, attend a monthly barbeque at one their locations. Contact MAERA at (406) 551 4913, PO Box 6451, Bozeman, MT 59771 or visit montanaawareness.com.

explorebigsky.com

December 2, 2011 17

Big Sky Weekly

GALLERY

Allison McGree Originally from Helena, Allison McGree first moved to Bozeman in 1999 after her sophomore year at Gonzaga University, in Spokane. A sixth generation Montanan, McGree was drawn back every summer to work at the Yellowstone Raft Company.

After graduating with an art degree, she stayed in Spokane as an assistant professor, but after a year missed the mountains and returned to Montana.

McGree worked as a Big Sky ski instructor while earning a teaching certificate from MSU. She has continued to paint and spent three years traveling with the nonprofit Art Mobile of Montana, working in schools, retirement homes, private art studios, and country clubs across the state.

Through an ongoing fellowship with the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management and Education, based in Half Moon Bay, Calif., McGree has worked with other educators to create a free database (Open Educational Resources) for teachers.

That national group focuses on modeling cutting-edge thinking in K-12 education.

Today, the 31-year-old works as an artist in residence in Montana schools, and is working to start a nonprofit, Project MArt (more art), that would promote, facilitate and support individuals of all ages in the healing, exhilarating, and educational experience of art.

In 2012, McGree will be part of the Montana Arts Council’s new Artpreneur program and will start a Masters in Arts Administration and Holistic Nonprofit Management through Prescott College.

Living in Bozeman, she’s now a Bridger convert.

- Emily Stifler

From the artist I’m intrigued by skies and water. I can sit on the porch and just watch the clouds move across a landscape, … or beside a river watching water. Clouds and water are mesmerizing, and difficult to paint.

My grandma is an artist. I used to chase her around, and that was how I got into painting. Now she’s bedridden and can’t use her hands anymore because of her arthritis. For a while I’d put the paintbrush in her hand.

Now she directs me, and I paint for her. Because she’s an artist and she has the eye, her instincts are keen. I have to focus on what she’s thinking instead of what I want to do. Our work is different. She worked in watercolor. I work in oil, and my colors are crazier than hers. She was much more realistic.

I like oil because it doesn’t dry as fast.

It thickens like butter. You can mix colors together and layer them on top of each other. It’s more sculptural.

Gonzaga was really traditional. I painted a lot of still lives, and did [figure] drawing. I learned important skills, but it wasn’t until I could paint what I was interested in that I truly became excited about painting.

The Art Mobile travels the state with a gallery of original Montana artwork boxed up in the back. The Teaching Artist hangs the artwork in schools, cafeterias, libraries, classrooms, in retirement centers, and home-school groups at churches. I’d give a museum docent tour of the gallery and also teach hands-on art lessons. It had so many art supplies and [so much] artwork I could barely fit my own luggage in there.

I met amazing people, artists and teachers. Montana is lucky. There are so many incredible organizations and individuals. The Montana Arts Council was recently awarded a grant where they described Montana as not a series of small places, but instead one big community.

I like getting kids into art. I like their perspective. They’re not inhibited or worried about being right or wrong.

I did a mural in Belgrade with 240 sixth graders [last] year. It was amazing. I had groups of 8-10 kids throughout each day. We were done in four days. They got to paint on a wall, which seems like something they shouldn’t do, so it’s fun.

McGree will have a show in May 2012 at the 406 Brewing Company in Bozeman, and one at Zoot Enterprises April-July.

"Mishra's Mountain"

18 December 2, 2011

explorebigsky.com

Big Sky Weekly

GALLERY

"Enchanted Light"

Montana kids don’t have much art until middle school or high school, outside of the Artists in Residence program, and what classroom teachers have time to do. I go to Butte once a month to be a K-8 artist in residence and I visit the forth grade classrooms at Hawthorne Elementary once a week.

I do lessons with spray paint, wire, everything, paint, pastels, markers, glue, air-dry clay. It’s rapidfire art, but it’s great.

"Thompson River"

"Lone Peak, Big and Bold"

I love painting places. You can paint the same thing 700 times, and it’s always going to be different. I could paint Lone Peak forever.

Each [of my] paintings or series ebbs and flows.

Each has a life of its own. There is usually a time in the painting where I want to rip it, burn it or give it away. Then I turn it against the wall and wait for it, then come back to it with a different perspective, instead of letting agony take over.

My goal was to have 30 new paintings by the time I was 30. I was painting on the eve of my 30th birthday, but I did it.

Art allows us to digest things. To see the world in a different way and problem solve. It’s important to for all of us.

When the energy to make a painting exactly right slowly fades into being easier and less restrictive, a flow takes over [and], it gets more comfortable. It’s like I’m trying to answer a question for a while, and I beat it into the ground, and slowly the question answers itself, and it’s not as difficult to paint.

I think art is connection. You can listen to music or see a painting or a sculpture, and you feel like you understand someone else or yourself more. Or sometimes it bewilders you—allows you to wonder why someone did something and makes you think.

I love painting places. You can paint the same thing 700 times, and it’s always going to be different. I could paint Lone Peak forever.

How do you make yourself as happy and fulfilled as possible? You never know how long you’re going to be around. Art gives you a chance to do that.

"Spring Bridgers"

explorebigsky.com

December 2, 2011 19

Big Sky Weekly

SPORTS Cats, Griz head for playoffs after wild finish

Lone Peak High School 2011-12 fall athletic teams academic and athletic accomplishments

BY TAYLOR ANDERSON

Varsity Volleyball

ESPN snubs, backtracks on decision not to air games on TV BIG SKY WEEKLY ASSISTANT EDITOR

Let the games begin. Montana football is making a strong showing this year in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, and it’s going to be a good one.

The Bobcats suffered a disappointing 42-17 loss to North Dakota State during the first

7 in the FCS heading into the playoffs. Both teams had earned home games in the first round after finishing 7–1 in conference.

That news was clouded when ESPN—the sports media giant that owns the rights to the FCS playoffs—announced it would air the Montana games online only. The move sparked a statewide backlash online and letters from Montana politicians asking ESPN to show the games on TV. ESPN announced late Nov. 29 it would allow fans to buy the game on a pay-per-view ESPN channel for $24.95.

Head coaches of both teams said after the ‘Brawl of the Wild’ that they would rather not see one another during the playoffs (which could happen by the third round if the teams win).

PHOTOS BY MIKE COIL

round of the playoffs last year and look to string together a run to bring the FCS championship back to Bozeman for the first time since 1984.

The Grizzlies are back in the playoffs, having missed the playoffs for the first time in almost two decades last year after finishing 7–4. They won 36-10 over MSU on Nov. 19 in what was essentially a Big Sky Conference championship.

The conference declared UM and MSU cochampions, and the teams finished Nos. 4 and

The Grizzlies’ defense stopped what is known as an explosive Bobcat offense during the rivalry game, while Dan Moore and the UM offense ran for more than 200 yards. The Bobcat players said they wouldn’t be able to diagnose the letdown until they got into the film room.

The teams head into the playoffs poised to keep Montana football in the limelight. The Grizzlies’ first game is against a central Arkansas team, while the Bobcats bring it home against New Hampshire. The Cats could potentially face No. 1 Sam Houston State in the second round.

Team Cumulative GPA = 3.03 Academic All-State Selections: Sarah Baccetto – 3.81 Tehya Braun – 4.08 Gabrielle Gasser – 3.75 Julia Schelle – 3.82 Kaela Schommer – 3.59

Varsity Football Team Cumulative GPA = 3.17 Academic All-State Selections: Griffin House – 3.95 Quinn House – 3.83 Trevor House – 4.04 Winter Madden-Pattison – 3.5 Justin McKillop – 3.94 Ben Michel – 4.0 Micah Robin – 3.95

Anthony (Tony) Savoy – 4.0 James (Tate) Tatom – 4.08 Tommy Tosic – 3.74 Tucker Shea – 4.04 All-Conference Player Selections: Tucker Shea Matt Becker Tommy Tosic All-State Player Selections: Tucker Shea Selected to Class “C” 6-Man Senior All-Star Football Game in June: Matt Becker (Defensive Line/ Offensive Center and Deep Snapper) Tommy Tosic (Free Safety/ Wide Receiver/Kick Returner)

Ophir School Distric athletics schedule Ophir MS Girls’ Basketball Vs. Anderson, Dec. 6, 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Ophir MS Girls’ Basketball vs. Manhattan Christian, Dec. 8, 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Ophir MS Girls’ Basketball 7/8 St. Mary’s Tournament @ St. Mary’s, Dec. 9-10 LPHS Basketball @ MT. Ellis, Dec. 10 LPHS Basketball @ Harrison, Dec. 12 Ophir MS Girls’ Basketball vs. Monforton, Dec. 13, 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

LPHS Basketball @ Ennis, Dec. 16

Former embattled Grizzly Wilson in a bright spot in Miami one of the players able to make things happen on the field.

He had an interception against the Cleveland Browns in the third game of the season, and he has four passes batted down this year, including a big one against the Giants last week, his first NFL start.

BY BRANDON NILES There hasn’t been much to cheer about for the Miami Dolphins this season, a team that looks disenfranchised and will surely be looking for a new coach and a new start at the end of the season.

A bright spot on the team has been the surprising play of rookie Jimmy Wilson, a cornerback from Montana, chosen in the last round of this year’s NFL draft.

Big plays have come at a premium for the Dolphins this year, and Wilson is

20 December 2, 2011

While Wilson has made mistakes and has a lot of developing to do before he becomes a top level NFL player, he’s shown fire on the field and he’s proven that he has the athleticism required to become a productive playmaker in the league.

His first start against the Giants wasn’t a perfect outing, but he filled in admirably for the injured Vontae Davis, and the Dolphins can only hope he continues to learn and develop into a regular starter.

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Wilson has had to overcome a lot of adversity on his way to the NFL.

but the Dolphins took him in the seventh and final round of the draft.

He started 12 games in his first two years as a Montana Grizzly before starting every game in 2006 and playing well enough to earn second team All-Big Sky Conference honors. Prior to the start of his senior season, he was involved in a domestic altercation that left one man dead.

After being drafted, Wilson impressed coaches with his determination and talent throughout the pre-season and he’s continued to impress in the regular season. If he continues to develop and show the kind of passion for the game that he has thus far, his future in the NFL will be promising. As he attempts to reach that potential, his story of redemption will continue to be a journey worth following and his legacy as a Grizzly will always provide a unique perspective of a young man’s path toward fulfilling his ultimate dream.

He was incarcerated for 25 months on murder charges during a long trial in Los Angeles. After the first trial resulted in a hung jury in which eleven out of twelve jurors voted for acquittal, a second jury acquitted him unanimously of all charges.

Wilson was then fought for and won an extra year of NCAA eligibility and returned to the Grizzlies to finish his college career.

After the 2010 season, many teams were hesitant to give him a chance,

Brandon Niles has done online freelance writing about the NFL since 2007. His articles range from NFL news to teamspecific commentary. A Communication Studies graduate student at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Niles is also an avid Miami Dolphins fan, which has led to his becoming an avid Scotch whisky fan over the past decade.

Big Sky Weekly

OUTDOORS

it flew over the river, carrying my wife lying in a coma. Our two kids watched by my side, bemused by the site of a helicopter, not fully comprehending.

The flight medic was convinced that a simple injection of intravenous fluid and glucose would bring Suzy out of what he thought was hyperglycemic shock, and directed the pilot to head for Salt Lake City. If Seth hadn’t been there to explain her symptoms and condition, Suzy would have been mistreated and very likely would have died. The helicopter re-routed back to Grand Junction, the nearest medical facility.

Celebrating life on the Green River

BY ALEX HASSMAN

BIG SKY WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

After driving 10 hours south from Montana, we turned off the highway onto a rambling dirt road that ran across a dry sagebrush wasteland.

The snap orange colors of the scrub oak that dotted the northern hills were gone. We were heading to the put-in of Desolation Canyon on the Green River, Utah. We left Montana as it was transitioning to fall and preparing for winter.

I pulled over on a sand drift along the road to secure the raft, hoping not to repeat what our friend Eric experienced earlier when a dry bag was jettisoned from his boat and then creamed by an 18-wheeler. All contents were recovered, less his daughter’s swimsuit, long underwear and a recent issue of Fancy Dog magazine—a difficult extraction during 5 o’clock rush hour on a four-lane interstate north of Ogden, Utah.

After I bomb-proofed the gear and changed into flip-flops and shorts, my son Kjetil climbed onto to my lap and took the wheel. It’s what we do when we drive the dirt roads leading to trailheads and river put-ins; he drives and we listen to bluegrass or Notorious B.I.G. The temperature rose as we snaked through the vast, rolling dry land.

Oilrigs bobbed up and down in a slow eerie rhythm.

One year ago we made a similar sojourn to the Green River. That trip was a reunion of friends and families for an adventure down a beautiful desert river.

Every river trip is arguably a celebration of life, or possibly a celebration of being away from your life—as in

turning off cell phones and engaging in your surroundings. But this year was different. This was a celebration of life in the truest sense.

Back in the canyon, our group carried on with necessary bravery, maintaining an air of confidence in an attempt to keep scared and puzzled kids entertained and distracted.

like family) and a paramedic. We ultimately chose the latter, which meant Seth had to leave his wife Nikki and their two kids.

On day three of last year’s trip, after With the help of a blue jean-clad river returning from a four-mile run along ranger and his astonished sidekick, a fresh water tributary of the Green, Suzy and Seth headed downstream to my wife Suzy began to complain of meet a helicopter en route from Grand nausea and dizziness. The treatment at Junction, Colo. In what looked like a the time Viking seemed How quickly our lives can take a funeral, simple: Suzy’s turn. Suzy went for an afternoon body was rest, shade and run and by evening was having strapped hydrato a raft seizures and lay in a coma. tion. and With four pushed EMTs, a paramedic and a former ski out into the current. patrol director along, we felt confident in our field diagnosis.

When they met the helicopter, Seth and the flight medic had a showdown By midnight Suzy was in a virtual coma of emergency medical bravado, which and had lost control of all faculties. At won him entrance onto the helicopfirst light, after a night furiously trying ter—something not typically allowed to stabilize and treat her symptoms, we for non-family members. This may go made a satellite phone call to an emerdown as the single most critical event gency room doctor and friend, Dr. Jim. in the eventual saving of Suzy’s life, not He diagnosed Suzy with hyponatremia, excluding Eric’s satellite phone and our and without treatment, he said, this ER doctor on speed dial. would lead to cerebral edema, which was potentially fatal. Her condition was An hour later, we heard the helicopworsening and was irreversible in the ter. It’s hard to describe how I felt as field. She needed to be evacuated.

We received two updates on Suzy’s condition, both of which reported she wasn’t improving, and that complications were starting to present themselves. I cried as we floated down the river, thinking that was the last time I would see my wife alive. I fell asleep that night under the stars with my two kids under each arm.

How quickly our lives can take a turn. Suzy went for an afternoon run and by evening was having seizures and lay in a coma.

By sunrise we made contact with the Grand Junction ICU and heard great news. Suzy had drastically improved and was conscious. The doctors said if we’d waited another half hour, recovery might have been impossible.

On day three of our “do-over” trip, we hiked to petroglyphs along the creek where Suzy had run the year before. After the walk, our daughter chased lizards, and our son dug tunnels in the sand. Suzy climbed onto a paddleboard and headed downstream. We’d closed the circle, made peace with the past. The river asked nothing of us this time, but in return we gave it respect and the celebration of life.

Alex Hassman writes from Big Sky.

Suzy had essentially flushed her body of all necessary salts and minerals, and also had an unknown staph infection. In an attempt to bring balance and retain as many essential minerals as possible, her body had shut down all its borders.

Excess water began to swell up and pool, and with nowhere else to go, it began to swell around Suzy’s brain. The clock was ticking.

More than 40 miles of river lay downstream, including some whitewater.

It was hard to decide whether I would accompany my wife on the helicopter and leave our two young children with friends, or send Seth, a friend (more

Wren, Alex, Suzy and Kjetil

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December 2, 2011 21

BUSINESS

Big Sky Weekly

9.8% 9.0% February 152,635,000 138,093,000 14,542,000 9.5% 8.9% March 153,022,000 138,962,000 14,060,000 9.2% 8.8% April 152,898,000 139,661,000 13,237,000 8.7% 9.0% May 153,449,000 140,028,000 13,421,000 8.7% 9.1% June 154,538,000 140,129,000 14,409,000 9.3% 9.2% July 154,812,000 140,384,000 14,428,000 9.3% 9.1% August 154,344,000 140,335,000 14,008,000 9.1% 9.1% September 154,022,000 140,502,000 13,520,000 8.8

Unemployment rate down for second straight month Montana’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percent for the second straight month, ending at 7.6 percent in October. The U.S. unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percent to 9.0 percent.

“Montana’s economy has seen slight growth in employment, personal income, and gross domestic product,” said Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly. “The recent unemployment declines are encouraging, and I hope that job growth continues through the holiday season.”

Total employment, which includes payroll, self-employed, and agricultural workers, gained about 2,200 jobs over the past year.

Total employment hit a low in December 2009 and has been trending upwards during 2011 after little change in 2010.

Strong private sector growth across most industries has offset job losses in the government sector. The manufacturing industry continues to experience slow job losses, while the construction industry has stabilized with little employment change in the last two quarters. Preliminary employment estimates for October indicate continued job growth of about 1,800 payroll jobs.

10

Prices declined in October, with a 0.1 percent decline in the seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. A decline in the energy index offset small increases in the food index and all items less food and energy index. The index for all items less food and energy (also called core inflation) increased by 0.1 percent.

9 8 7 6

2011 U.S. Unemployment Rate

5

2011 Montana Unemployment Rate

4 3 2 1 0

Gallatin Alpine Sports to host December Business After Hours

TechLink’s Swearingen receives business award

BY MARNE HAYES

MSU NEWS SERVICE

BIG SKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

All Big Sky Chamber of Commerce business members are invited to the December After Hours, hosted by Gallatin Alpine Sports in the West Fork Meadows, on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. This is a great networking opportunity and also a fun way to enjoy the holidays and connect with your Big Sky colleagues and business associates. Grab your co-workers, some business cards and your holiday spirit, and join us as we eat, drink, mingle and meet.

22 December 2, 2011

explorebigsky.com

Will Swearingen, executive director at Montana State University’s TechLink, was honored with the 2011 Economic Leadership Award during the Prospera Business Network’s annual Business Excellence Awards this November.

Prospera Business Network works to support the Gallatin County economy by promoting technology and clean industries.

TechLink, located on the MSU campus, has been working with the Pentagon in transferring technology to the private sector since 1999.

Big Sky Weekly

ENVIRONMENTAL COLUMN

Fracking on the Front

BY NICK ENGELFRIED

BIG SKY WEEKLY OPINION WRITER

From copper mines in Butte— which made Montana the world’s biggest copper producer during the late 19th century—to coal fields in the Powder River Basin, Montana has always been a home for the extractive industries.

The Treasure State has always been a supplier of other people’s needs.

Mining and drilling projects wrest underground minerals from deep beneath the earth’s surface, usually for sale to points of consumption far outside of Montana.

Montana’s mines have fed demand in other states and countries, which either lack deposits of their own, or are unwilling to shoulder the health, safety and environmental impacts of mining and drilling their own lands.

Now Montana may face a new wave of extraction, in the form of oil and gas drilling along the Rocky Mountain Front. Giddy from the recent oil boom in North Dakota,

oil barons are eyeing central Montana. If they find black gold along the Front, Montana will have some tough choices to make about development and resource extraction.

But if the oil boom comes to the Front, it will raise serious questions about the safety of today’s drilling practices. Oil extraction from the Bakken shale has been made possible only by new technological advances, including the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”

Oil companies are already snatching up permits to explore on state and private land along the Rocky Mountain Front. They’re hoping to find that the Bakken shale formation, which is feeding oil development in North Dakota and eastern Montana, extends westward to the eastern flank of the Rockies. Oil speculators say they can drill more cheaply along the Front than in the plains to the east, making the area even more attractive for exploration.

Fracking involves injecting water, sand and synthetic chemicals deep

underground at high pressure, to break up shale rock and release oil and gas trapped inside. Though it’s an effective way to get at gas and oil that would otherwise be impossible to extract, fracking is an exceptionally messy process.

Chemicals used for fracking, as well as methane gas released from underground shale, can leak into nearby groundwater. Ozone emissions from fracking in Wyoming contribute to smog formation, with the result that some rural communities have poorer air quality than Los Angeles. Studies showed earlier this year ozone levels near Wyoming fracking sites were two-thirds higher than what the national Environmental Protection Agency considers safe for health.

Air pollution is only part of the story. In England, where fracking has also taken off, the practice has been linked to earthquakes and increased seismic activity. In Colorado, communities living near fracking operations report they can now light their well water on fire.

Public indignation over river fires

some restaurants do italian food. some do chinese food.

WE DO BIG SKY FOOD

helped spur passage of the Clean Water Act and other federal environmental legislation. At the same time, Montanans, disillusioned by decades of degradation in Butte and other towns, were passing some of the strongest state-level environmental reforms in the nation.

State and federal environmental laws have served Montana well, cleaning up areas that were once toxic wastelands. However, this new technology has introduced new public health challenges, and thanks to a loophole in the 2005 energy bill, fracking operations are exempt from federal clean water protections.

Fracking for gas and oil on the Rocky Mountain Front could bring short-term prosperity to Montana towns—just like the copper mines of Butte did in the late 1800s. But Anaconda’s once-mighty copper empire left us with the Berkley Pit. Similarly, fracking on the Front will surely have long-term consequences which Montanans may later regret.

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December 2, 2011 23

Big Sky Weekly

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New dating website focuses on outdoor, seasonal lifestyles

BY ABBIE DIGEL

BIG SKY WEEKLY EDITOR

• have more energy • increase lean body mass & lose weight

Finding love can be difficult, especially in small towns like Big Sky. Winter is here, and new faces will be swarming the ski areas, bars and restaurants. Among the hustle of racing to the tram, après drinks and busy work schedules, companionship may get lost.

• lower blood pressure • balance blood sugar (it’s diabetic friendly & safe) • enjoy a delicious treat that improves your overall wellness • improve oral and brain health

All diets have a darkside and ours is CHOCOLATE! Contact Victoria @ 406-570-9154 www.waybeyondchocolate.com

Lisa Hagen knows this better than anyone. A seasonal worker by trade and new Big Sky local (she’s lived here for a year and plans to stay), she’s bounced between seasonal positions for the past six years.

Now she’s settled full time in Big Sky as a Moonlight Basin ski patroller and summer raft guide. Hagen knows how difficult it can be to make friends, or even find love within the seasonal sector.

This summer, Hagen launched seasonallove.com, a dating site for those just passing through.

“I know from experience that seasonal workers need a service like this,” Hagen said.

Hagen noticed dating sites like match.com and eharmony.com don’t have categories for “outdoorsy types” and those who move seasonally.

Those sites are great for working professionals who are settled, she says, but not for people who seek jobs at resorts or in adventure-based industries.

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Hagen and her boyfriend found love in Big Sky.

Last winter, Hagen discussed her idea with friends in Big Sky, who encouraged her to take action. She launched seasonallove.com in October 2011. Hagen used a basic dating software platform and specialized it for people with outdoor interests.

Creating an account is easy. Facebook users can use their existing accounts, or create a separate Seasonal Love account. From there, users can post updates, interests and browse possible connections. Eventually, there will also be a Craigslist type of market on the site.

“The site is targeted toward larger [resort] areas like Summit County and Tahoe,” Hagen said, but anyone can create an account.

“I want Seasonal Love to be a place where people can find someone they want to be with for awhile,” Hagen said, not just for people to meet quick “hookups.”

Hagen has found luck herself. She met her boyfriend while working at Spanish Peaks, and they’ve been together for almost a year. seasonallove.com

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD bigskyfuture.com is a unique opportunity to make Big Sky your own. It takes just 15 minutes to take our online survey, but the benefits could last for generations.

Is a New Computer on Your List?

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Big Sky Weekly

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LOST & FOUND Found: pair of telemark skis in Meadow Village. To identify and claim, call 580-4829

SERVICES Victoria Bentley is the Owner and Director of Bentley Bodies, a premiere mind-body-wellness boutique committed to healthy lifestyle choices. Locations are in Big Sky and Bozeman. bentleybodies.net

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

191cm Movement Goliath Skis with Marker bindings, like new - $400 Call Eric 570-0639

100’s of your fellow business owners have either increased or maintained their advertising program in the upcoming directory.

Head Supermojo 105 Powder Ski. Size 171 cm. Great Big Sky ski in good shape but got another pair so have to sell. Bindings included. $200.

Call Danielle 570-4564

Ortovox M2 Avalanche Transceivers 2002/03 model, work great 2 available - $75/ each OBO Women's Head Ski Boots $99 Lightly used, 2010/2011 Color white/gray / Size 23.5 Call Megan 580.0389

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Size 7.5 - 8 Women's used Crispi beginner telemark boots for sale. These babies stuck with me through thick and thin, and they will for you too. Call (814) 598 2344. Pick up in Big Sky.

Big Sky Weekly

HEALTH & WELLNESS A SAD time of year Seasonal Affective Disorder

BY ERIN A. BILLS, MPH

BIG SKY WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

As winter wraps our world in a glittering white blanket of snow, many feel the effects of the seasonal change as they begin to hibernate from their normal lives.

Seasonal affective disorder, or hibernation syndrome, is a type of depression that affects many people who live far north or south of the equator during the winter.

SAD is a result of changes in daylight and alters biochemical processes in our bodies. In Montana, we experience approximately nine hours of light per day during December. These long nights and shorter days limit exposure to sunlight, resulting in a drop in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that contributes to happiness. As serotonin levels drop, people experience mood changes.

simulators mimic natural sunlight, and studies have shown light therapy can be as effective as pharmaceutical treatment.

While it may seem silly, sitting by one of these devices for a prescribed time period helps stimulate serotonin production, regulate melatonin levels and increase vitamin D production, all of which contribute to a happier, healthier life. Light therapy is most effective in the morning. Common doses are about 5,000 lux per day.

Light therapy is one of the most popular and effective treatments for alleviating SAD. Since lack of sunlight is the major cause, exposure to light can help you feel like yourself again.

Full spectrum light boxes and dawn

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There are also many lifestyle remedies to keep SAD symptoms at bay.

Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned—even on vacation.

That’s why Bozeman Deaconess Pharmacy at Big Sky is here for you.

First, make your daily environment sunnier. This is Montana—not Alaska—and we do have sun in December.

Pull back the curtains, spend the morning hours in the sunlight, get outside, and exercise regularly.

We offer a full range of pharmaceutical items including bandages and OTC medicines and creams for aches and pains. And,

Add a regular yoga and/or meditation practice, or Decreased indulge in the exposure to Additional symptoms include: well-documentsunlight also ed benefits of Feelings of hopelessness results in inmassage therapy.

Anxiety creased melaEat a diet high in Loss of energy tonin. SomeOmega-3 fatty A heavy feeling in arms and legs times called acids, which are Social withdrawal “the hormone found in fish Loss of interest in activities once of darkness,” and nuts and enjoyed melatonin is are essential for Appetite changes responsible healthy brain Weight gain for our bodDifficulty concentrating function. And fiies’ circadian nally, make sure rhythms. As you establish a our biological clocks, circadian social support system and socialize rhythms help determine when we’re regularly. awake or asleep, as well as influencing other biological, physiological If the winter blues are affecting you, and behavioral functions. Increased a friend or a family member, rememmelatonin can result in oversleeping ber that seasonal affective disorder is or fatigue, two common symptoms of a form of depression. However, it’s SAD. treatable, and there are many options available to chase away the sympThese symptoms can result in feeltoms. ings of isolation, trouble at work or school, and suicidal thoughts, and So, on the next sunny day try to get may lead to substance abuse. outside, enjoy the scenery and take advantage of one on the many great If you have a family history of seaactivities here in Southwest Monsonal depression, your risk is greater. tana.

Women are more likely to report symptoms, while they’re typically Source: American Academy of Family more severe in men.

Physicians If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms, don’t wait to seek help. A physician or other health care provider can help establish an effective treatment plan.

When the ride down isn’t as smooth as the ride up

Erin A. Bills, MPH, studied arctic health issues in Scandinavia prior to working with the Montana Office of Rural Health/Area Health Education Center at Montana State University.

She lives in Big Sky and is dedicated to improving the health of Montana’s rural populations by developing effective preventive health policy. Follow her blog at projectbagbalm.wordpress. com.

should you have forgotten your medications, we’re happy to assist you in getting what you need to fully enjoy life under the Big Sky. Whether you’re here for the week or a lifetime, we want to help you enjoy a smooth ride— on and off the mountain.

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 explorebigsky.com

December 2, 2011 27

EVENTS BIG SKY

PLANNING AN EVENT? Let us know! Email abbie@theoutlawpartners.com and we’ll spread the word.

BIG SKY RESORT HOTELS OPEN Dec. 8

FRIDAY SKI CONDITIONING CLASS Every Friday until Dec. 16 Ophir School old gym 6 – 7 a.m.

CROPDUSTERS LIVE AT CHOPPERS Dec. 9, 9 p.m.

MONDAY SKI CONDITIONING CLASS Every Monday until Dec. 19 Ophir School old gym 6 – 7 p.m.

MOONLIGHT BASIN SEASON PASS HOLDERS OPENING DAY Dec. 9

$20 DAY – ALL LIFT TICKETS ARE $20 AT BIG SKY RESORT Dec. 2 MOONLIGHT BASIN’S PRAY FOR SNOW PARTY AND RAIL JAM Big Sky Town Center Dec. 2, 5 p.m.

TOWN HALL MEETING Big Sky Chapel Dec. 7, 1 p.m.

Introduction to Avalanches w/ field course Bridger Bowl Dec. 3, 9 a.m.

Avalanche Awareness 406 Brewery Dec. 6, 6 p.m.

BIG SKY SKI EDUCATION FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER Buck’s T-4 Dec. 10, 7 p.m.

MOONLIGHT BASIN OPENING DAY Dec. 10 320 STEAKHOUSE & SALOON WINTER OPENING Sleigh rides also begin 320 Guest Ranch Dec. 10, 4 p.m.

EDUCATOR APPRECIATION WEEKEND AT BIG SKY RESORT Dec. 9 – 11 OPHIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM Dec. 13, 7 p.m.

LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH NORDIC TRAILS AND SLEIGH RIDE DINNERS OPEN Dec. 14

Avalanche Awareness REI, Bozeman Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m.

THE DINING ROOM AT LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH OPENS Dec. 15

Snowmobiler Introduction to Avalanches w/ field course, Livingston Park County Courthouse, Cottonwood Canyon Dec. 7, 8, 10, 7 p.m.

MBA Avalanche 1 Course Bell Lake Yurt Dec. 9-11 (406) 995 3880 for details.

OPHIR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LPHS HOLIDAY PROGRAM Dec. 15, 7 p.m.

TURKEY FOR A TICKET AT MOONLIGHT BASIN Dec. 16

BOZEMAN

Snowmobiler Introduction to Avalanches w/Field Course West Yellowstone Dec. 15,16

28 December 2, 2011

BIG SKY CHRISTMAS STROLL Meadow Village and Big Sky Town Center Dec. 9

PANCAKES WITH SANTA Simkins Hallin showroom at Big Sky Town Center Dec. 10

AVALANCHE COURSES

Tickets include a three-course dinner prepared by the chefs at Buck’s, as well as festive music by the MSU Montanans and a finale by the MSU Chorale.

M-BAR-T PASS SALES Bozeman REI Dec. 3, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

DAN DUBUQUE LIVE AT CHOPPERS Dec. 10, 5-7 p.m.

LPHS BOOSTER CLUB BIG HORN SPAGHETTI EVENING Ophir School gym Dec. 7, 6 – 8 p.m.

The Arts Council of Big Sky is hosting its 15th annual Madrigal Dinner, Monday, Dec. 5, at 5 p.m. in the Buck’s T-4 Lodge Ballroom.

The Arts Council of Big Sky is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing musical and artistic performances to the Big Sky Area. Call 995-2742 for ticketing information or visit bigskyarts.org.

VINYASA FLOW YOGA WITH JILL Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30 – 8 p.m.

Yellow Mountain Center for the Arts

FREE SKIING FOR FREQUENT SKY CARD holders at Big Sky Resort Through Dec. 4

Festive holiday event returns to Buck’s T-4 Dec. 5

The evening begins with a no-host bar at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m., then the ceremonial procession of the Lord and Lady of the Manor and their guests. Olde English customs are the theme throughout the evening. The dinner closes with the audience joining the musicians in singing familiar carols.

YOGA WITH ANNA Mondays 6:30 – 8 p.m.

Tuesdays and Fridays 8:30 – 10 a.m.

Yellow Mountain Center for the Arts

YOGA WITH CALLIE Wednesdays 6:30 – 8 p.m.

Yellow Mountain Center for the Arts

Save the date for annual Madrigal Dinner

VISIT AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH SANTA GALLATIN VALLEY MALL Every day, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS THE ELLEN THEATER Dec. 2 – 23, 7:30 p.m.

explorebigsky.com

FRIENDS OF KGLT’S FIRST MUSIC SWAP GALLATIN COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS Dec. 3 BOZEMAN CHRISTMAS STROLL Dec. 3 BOZEMAN ICE CLIMBING FESTIVAL Dec. 7 – 11 bozemanicefest.com WAXING AND TUNING BASICS Bozeman REI Dec. 8, 6:30 p.m.

CABIN FEVER GUN SHOW Gallatin County Fairgrouds Dec. 9-11, 5 p.m.

SANTA STUMBLE Downtown Bozeman Dec. 10, 7 p.m.

SNOWSHOEING BASICS Bozeman REI Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m.

BOZEMAN SYMPHONY HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE Dec. 13, 4 p.m.

“BEYOND LEADERSHIP: ARE YOU REALLY AN ENGAGING LEADER?” virtual seminar sponsored by Hopa Mountain Dec. 14, 10 a.m.

WEST YELLOWSTONE IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS PLAYMILL THEATER Dec. 2 – 3, 7:30 p.m.

WEST YELLOWSTONE CHRISTMAS STROLL Dec. 15, 5 p.m.

SLED DOG RACES RODEO RUN 2011 Dec. 15 - 17 KIDS AND SNOW EVENT Dec. 15 – 17 Kidsnsnow.org to register

PARADISE VALLEY THE MAX ROCK AND ROLL Chico Hot Springs Resort Dec. 2-3 BETSEY WISE AND BRITT SMITH (FOLK) NORRIS HOT SPRINGS Dec. 3, 7 p.m.

HOLIDAY FARMERS’ MARKET Livingston Civic Center Dec. 3, 9 – 4 p.m.

21ST ANNUAL OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS FAIR Livingston Fairgrounds Dec. 3, 8 – 4 p.m.

HOLIDAY CARD MAKING CLASS AND COOKIE EXCHANGE Mammoth Community Center Dec. 4, 3 p.m.

YELLOWSTONE ASSOCIATION BOOK SALE AND XANTERRA RETAIL’S YEAR END CLOSEOUT SALE Mammoth Hotel Map Room Dec. 6, 9-1 p.m.

VIRGINIA CITY CHRISTMAS STROLL Dec. 10, 3 p.m.

ELI MADDEN AND LUKE FLANSBURG (ACOUSTIC ROCK) Norris Hot Springs Dec. 10, 7 p.m.

NORTH AMERICAN BIATHLON Dec. 10 -11

NUTCRACKER TEA PARTY Livingston Depot Center Dec. 10, 3 p.m.

NATIONAL GUARD BIATHLON CLINIC RENDEZVOUS SKI TRAILS Dec. 14 – 18

BLACK WATER ROCK AND ROLL Chico Hot Springs Resort Dec. 10 – 11

CHRISTMAS FOR THE CRITTERS GRIZZLY AND WOLF DISCOVERY CENTER Dec. 15 – 31

LITTLE JANE (ACOUSTIC COUNTRY) Norris Hot Springs Dec. 11, 7 p.m.

WEST ENTRANCE TO YELLOWSTONE OPENS TO OVER-THE-SNOW TRAVEL Dec. 15

Big Sky Weekly

ENTERTAINMENT

Ten Foot Tall and 80 Proof – Montana Roots Rock Country Playing at Choppers Dec. 17

BY EMILY STIFLER

BIG SKY WEEKLY MANAGING EDITOR

Kris Clone got caught trying to sneak into a Garth Brooks show in East Lansing, Mich., when he was 16.

He’d hopped on the side of a tour bus that was backing underneath the arena. The bus drivers saw him, stopped, and he was escorted out.

At the same arena a few years earlier, Clone and his dad saw Johnny Cash play, and also the Highwaymen.

Those experiences left a mark on Clone, who is now the lead singer of the Bozeman-based country band 10 Foot Tall and 80 Proof. Clone and Josh Heins started the band in 2006, and they’ve since recorded two albums and toured nationally.

“We can play in Wilsall, Mont., to a ranch rodeo crowd, or take that same exact set and play downtown San Francisco,” Clone said. “[People] see us differently even though we play the exact same songs.

Their foot-stomping ‘roots rock country’ music also has jazz, southern rock, blues and bluegrass influences. The band—which consists of

a stand up and electric bass, guitar, keyboard and drums—hired a new lead guitar when Heins left a couple of months ago. 10/80 now plays more than half original material, but still throw occasional Johnny Cash covers into sets.

The band now stays local and plays regular gigs at The Eagles in Bozeman, Stacey’s Old Faithful Bar in Gallatin Gateway, Chico Hot Springs, and also drives to Missoula, Great Falls and Billings.

“Small town Montana is a lot of fun to play in because people are really appreciative to get live music in their little bar in their little town,” Clone said.

When 10 Foot Tall and 80 Proof played at the Longhorn Saloon on Halloween, the rest of the Hebgen Lake community was essentially boarded up. A shuttle ran from downtown West Yellowstone, and people rallied to Hebgen to party down.

The band plans to release their third album by year’s end. With the new lead guitarist, the mood is a little more electric than their previous work.

“I’d say we’re country,” Clone said. “People in San Francisco said we were ‘hicksters.’”

explorebigsky.com

December 2, 2011 29

Big Sky Weekly

bigskytowncenter.com

CHINESE MEDICAL PRACTICE Acupuncture • Herbal Medicine

Specializing in sports injuries • chronic pain migraine headaches • stress management • cold & flu digestive disorders

great turning healing center w w w. g r e a t t u r n in g h e a l i n g . c o m | 8 1 W. K a g y B l v d , B o ze man, MT | 406-922-2745 30 December 2, 2011

explorebigsky.com

Big Sky Weekly

FOOD & DINING

Holiday recipes Time to splurge My grandmother wrote and published two cookbooks back in the ‘70s. She dedicated the first, The Bentley Farm Cookbook, to me as a torch-passing gesture across generations.

This pie recipe, which comes from that book, is my favorite in the whole world. As kids, we begged her to make it. It’s definitely not low-calorie, but is a great dessert to share.

-Torie Bentley

Tickets

$15

Saloon Doors open 9:30 p.m.

Party favors, champagne toast, fire spinner and bonfire

GRAHAM CRACKER LEMON PIE Preheat oven to 325°

CRUST Mix well and press into pie plate: 20 graham cracker squares crushed to crumbs.

(I use large a mortar and pestle, but a rolling pin will also work) 1/4 c butter (1/2 stick), melted 1/4 c sugar

FILLING Mix and pour into graham cracker piecrust: 2 egg yolks, well beaten (set the egg whites aside for the meringue) 1 can condensed milk 1 lemon rind, grated 1/2 c lemon juice

MERINGUE Beat the two remaining egg whites until stiff, gradually adding, while beating, four tablespoons sugar, 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar and a dash of salt. The more sugar is beaten, the less the meringue will weep. Top the pie with meringue. Bake until meringue is lightly browned (10 to 15 minutes). Chill and serve.

Holiday hint: Forget choosing between wine and beer. A 4 oz. glass of bubbly is only 85 calories. That’s about 15 calories less than a 12 oz. bottle of light beer or a 4 oz. glass of wine.

And let’s be honest, the average glass of wine is usually at least twice that size.

The CJB is an energetic and fun Reggae Rock outfit from Salt Lake City, Utah. If you are a fan of artists like Sublime, Slightly Stoopid and Passafire, the Codi Jordan Band will blow you away.

CJB has played the Mandalay in Las Vegas and Sundance Film Festival.

New Year’s Eve Dinner 6-9 p.m. available in the dining room with reservation Located on the banks of the Gallatin River on Hwy 191 Shuttles at 12:30 and 1:30 a.m.

Torie Bentley is owner and director of Bentley Bodies, a premier mind-body wellness boutique committed to healthy lifestyle choices. Locations are in Big Sky and Bozeman. bentleybodies.net

More information: 406-995-2928 or 406-993-9666 explorebigsky.com

December 2, 2011 31

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.

Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?

An avalanche rescue gear primer

BY MARCIE HAHN-KNOFF BIG SKY WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

sparkling powder fill your vision, tugging your attention away. Your friend drops off the ridge, and you watch him start to descend. Two turns later, a crack shoots across the slope, the snow gives way, and your friend is sucked out of sight in a powder cloud.

It’s a beautiful winter day, sunny with a hint of wind. The pristine mountain slopes unfold before you, freshened by an overnight dump of snow. You’ve navigated the throngs of skiers and snowboarders clamoring in the What are Having rescue gear in the lift line, you going to backcountry is worth almost do now? zipped to the nothing without the smarts on top, and Avalanches how to use it. decided to happen. leave the They’re a resort and ski the sidecountry with powerful force of nature that can a friend. be hard to predict. Weather, slope angles, slabs, weak layers and the You exit the gate, glancing at the proper trigger are all part of the skull and crossbones on the sign, puzzle. The best way to avoid them indicating that sidecountry reis to stay out of avalanche-prone ally means backcountry. Fields of terrain.

However, most backcountry recreationists in Montana, including skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, ice climbers and snowshoers, often find themselves in terrain capable of avalanching.

Be prepared with functional rescue gear and know how to use it.

Uninjured survival rates for buried victims plummets from 90 percent at 15 minutes to 50 percent at 30 minutes. As a rescuer you want time on your side, and having proper equipment facilitates a faster rescue.

Three pieces of gear are absolutely essential when entering avalanche terrain: • • •

Avalanche transceiver (a beacon) Shovel with a metal blade Avalanche probe

These give the rescuer a way to find and dig out a buried individual, given that the buried victim is also wearing a functioning transceiver.

With this equipment, plus training and practice, any backcountry user can be an effective rescuer. The ideal, however, is to not get caught in an avalanche to begin with.

Take an avalanche course (or two), check the forecast center’s daily advisory, watch the weather, carefully select terrain based on current hazard, and always watch for bulls eye data (i.e. changes in weather, increasing wind, obvious clues of instability such as recent avalanches, cracking or slope collapsing/whumphing).

Having rescue gear in the backcountry is worth almost nothing without the smarts on how to use it. Practice often. Pull it out regularly to ensure everything works.

Probe cables can erode and break, shovels get bent, transceivers wear out and batteries die.

HOOPLAHULAHOOPS

32 December 2, 2011

explorebigsky.com

Make sure your partners know what they’re doing and their gear is functional. Remember, they’ll be the ones saving your ass if you get caught.

Transceiver (aka beacon) Beacons work by transmitting flux line signals, which are tracked by a beacon turned to receive mode.

Avalanche transceiver technology has become more user friendly in the past 10 years. Many new beacons have digital directional displays and triple antenna technology that direct rescuers quickly to a buried transceiver. Some have systems for dealing more easily with multiple burials.

There are many kinds of beacons out there. The best kind is the one you know how to use well.

Warning: If your transceiver requires an earpiece to function, is not 457khz frequency, or is older than snowboarding, donate it to a museum or use it as a conversation piece, but don’t use it in the backcountry. The frequency on these old beacons tends to drift, and most aren’t compatible with modern rescue gear.

Avalanche probe Once the victim’s transceiver signal is pinpointed, the probe is set up and poked carefully into the snow in a spiral until the victim is struck. The probe is left in the snow to mark the victim and indicate burial depth. Practice setting up your probe. It should take less than 15 seconds.

Shovel with a metal blade Once the victim is located with a probe strike, shoveling becomes priority number one. Shovels should be easy to assemble, and the blade should be large enough to excavate a good chunk of snow on each scoop.

Metal bladed shovels are far superior to plastic ones due to the extremely hard nature of avalanche debris. Plastic shovels can break, particularly in the cold.

Digging in debris is hard work and tiring. Learning and practicing strategic shoveling techniques— which have recently been studied and refined—makes excavation faster and more efficient.

Big Sky Weekly

SPECIAL SECTION:

GIFTS & GEAR

December 2, 2011 Volume 2 // Issue #21

This is a collection of gear reviewed by local experts and gift suggestions from our editors Travel...35 Clothing & Accessories...37 Outdoors...40 Pets...47

West Paw Dog Toys p. 47

Mystery Ranch packs p. 42 Chico Hot Springs package p. 35 PHOTO BY MIKE MARTINS

HattieRex Jewelry p. 37 PHOTO BY TESSA BURNETT

Osprey duffel p. 35 PHOTO BY EMILY STIFLER

Wizbang caps p. 38 PHOTO BY PIPER PLATTE

explorebigsky.com

December 2, 2011 33

Big Sky Weekly

Four Corners Saddlery Western & English Boutique: Fine Tack, Gifts, Housewares & Apparel

Gift cards don’t expire in Montana OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Under Montana state law, gift cards and gift certificates from individual merchants don’t expire.

Join us!

Cowboy Christmas

Saturday, Dec. 17th 9am - 6pm

Holiday Sale

Raffles

Located just south of Four Corners on the way to Big Sky

•

Redeemable for cash when their value falls below $5

Gift cards or certificates usable with multiple merchants/pre-paid credit cards:

Gift cards that can be used with multiple sellers of goods or services (from a Chamber of Commerce or shopping center, or prepaid credit cards) are not considered gift certificates.

•

Good for at least five years

•

If the card expires and there is unspent money, a replacement card must be furnished at no cost

Gift cards or certificates for a single store or merchant:

•

Fees for inactivity can only be levied after 12 months of dormancy and only if such charges are disclosed on the packaging of the card or certificate

•

Never expire, regardless of any date stamped on them

•

No inactivity fees can be levied

Chili Feed

81720 Gallatin Road • Bozeman 406-587-7503

$49 VALUE CARD TRY OUR NEW

a season full of discounts plus the first day of skiing FREE Purchase by 12/16

moonlightbasin.com | (406) 993-6074 34 December 2, 2011

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Big Sky Weekly

GIFT GUIDE: TRAVEL

Retro prints from White Creek Art

Moonlight Basin Value Cards

Looking for a budget-friendly way to enjoy skiing this winter? Try Moonlight Basin’s new Value Card—on sale until Dec. 16. The $49 value card gives you the first day of skiing free, plus discounts all season long at Moonlight. Purchase online at moonlightbasin.com.

Weekend getaway: Chico Hot Springs

BY KATIE MORRISON

Inspired by old-fashioned European travel posters, Bozeman photographer Travis Andersen created an appealing and colorful series of retro-style images for Big Sky, Moonlight Basin, Bridger Bowl and other Western ski areas.

So he made silkscreen style prints that beautifully capture Lone Mountain’s moods and the nature of each ski area. Some of the images are stylizations of Andersen’s photos, and others are based on commissioned paintings.

Andersen studied historic travel posters, which he says were common from the early 1900s to the 1950s, “when skiing was more romantic,” he says.

Additional ski prints include Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Alta and Valdez. In summer, Andersen has vintage fly fishing posters from the Gallatin, Madison, Yellowstone, Snake and Missouri rivers. E.S.

Based on posters from the late ‘40s and early ‘50s, Andersen’s skiers have wooden skis, leather lace-up boots, and white collars underneath ski sweaters. That post-WWII era was the beginning of American ski areas.

“I want them to be accurate to the places that they’re from,” he says.

That’s easy for Sun Valley, which was built in the late ‘30s, but “it’s harder when you talk about Big Sky and Moonlight, because they didn’t exist.”

18x24” posters available at Moonlight Basin, Plum Logo in Big Sky, and at the Old Main Gallery in downtown Bozeman. Larger canvas artwork available at Big Sky Furniture and at whitecreekart.com. $25 for posters

Hot Springs’ Winter Getaway special.

BIG SKY WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

I wouldn’t live in Big Sky if I didn’t love the snow, but usually we need to defrost at some point during the winter.

My favorite local vacation spot is Chico

The healing hot springs and soapstone fireplace are just the beginning of the magic that warms from the soul outward. It continues with the generous and recognizable staff, dinner in a cozy nook of the award winning restaurant with a glass of red wine, and finishes with the orange flambé.

Breakfast and a morning soak make it difficult to leave, but don’t worry—you’ll be back.

Duffel: Osprey Transporter

BY EMILY STIFLER

BIG SKY WEEKLY MANAGING EDITOR

I take this bag everywhere. I have the 95-liter size, which isn’t too big and definitely is not too small.

If Santa’s reading this, Katie would like a Chico Hot Springs gift certificate because she’s really cold and it’s only December.

I’ve taken it on an expedition to northern Canada, to Dallas to visit my grandmother, and left it in the back of the truck in a rainstorm on the way back from B.C. last winter.

It still looks brand new and my stuff even stayed dry.

The packages are available SunThurs, Jan. 3- April 26 (excluding holidays), and include a room with private bath, dinner, and breakfast.

Add massages for $135. chicohotsprings.com $189-$234

The dual end pockets are good for long trips—put your crayons in one side and your makeup in the other.

The top pouch on the lid is where I keep my leatherman and notes from my mom.

explorebigsky.com

The QuikCarry™ harness system lets you carry it like a backpack, which is good for carrying more than one piece of luggage. It disappears into one of the end pockets, when you’re not using it.

The only issue I have with this bag is that when the zip pocket is open, it’s awkward to pick it up by the handle on the lid. Luckily there are handles on the side, so it always works out.

Also available in 75, 60 and 46 L sizes. The 46 is the maximum legal carryon size and fits perfectly in overahead compartments.

Sold at rei.com and backcountrygear. com, or check out Osprey’s dealer locator at ospreypacks.com. $69-$99.

December 2, 2011 35

NOW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Big Sky Weekly

I K S S APRÉ

S R E T R A U Q D

A E H

.49 CENT WINGS & 2 FOR 1 WELL DRINKS AND DRAFTS

December Music Fri. 12/2

during all NFL & College Football games

DJ Bones 9 p.m. (Rail Jam / Pray for Snow Party begins 5 p.m.)

Now offering

Fri. 12/9 The Tyler James Brigade 9 p.m.

NACHOS & QUESADILLAS!

Sat. 12/10 Dan Dubuque 5-7 p.m.

Thurs. 12/15 One Leaf Clover 9 p.m.* *Fireball Whiskey Promo and Snowboard Giveaway

Sat. 12/17 Jeff Belino 5-7 p.m.

10 ft. Tall and 80 Proof Fri. 12/23 Bottom of the Barrel 9 p.m.

Sat. 12/24 Tom Marino 5-7 p.m.

Fri. 12/30 The Boozehounds 9 p.m. ($5 Cover) Sat. 12/31 Eli Madden 5-7 p.m.

“New Year’s Eve Bash” The Tom Cook Band and the Boozehounds 9 p.m. ($10 Cover)* *Patron Snowboard Giveaway at Midnight

Open Mic Every Tuesday Night (Starting Dec. 6)

OPEN DAILY AT 11:30 A.M. LUNCH & DINNER 36 December 2, 2011

HAPPY * HOUR

MONDAY-FRIDAY 4:00-6:00 P.M. *½ price well drinks and pints

LOCATED IN THE BIG SKY TOWN CENTER big sky, montana 406-995-3830

GIFT GUIDE: CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES Handmade Jewelry: HattieRex

Socks: Darn Tough

BY EMILY STIFLER

BIG SKY WEEKLY MANAGING EDITOR

Made in Northfield, Ver., Darn Tough socks have an unconditional lifetime guarantee that you probably won’t ever need.

Give the gift of local and charm to a mother, daughter or pet. HattieRex is an artist-owned business located in Bozeman that creates personalized and custom pet ID tags, jewelry, wine charms, keychains, and other handcrafted metal accessories.

Working in copper, brass, aluminum, and sterling silver, HattieRex creates one-of-a-kind goods at affordable prices to personalize, wear and enjoy.

The pet ID tags are made of oxidized copper. $14-$30.

The wine charms are 3/4” in diameter and made of aluminum. Great for party favors, weddings and gifts. $5 each, bulk discounts available.

The ‘swirly bird’ necklace is in sterling silver and features a name of the customers’ choice. $46 hattierex.com (406) 992-4641

HattieRex products have been featured in CountryLiving, ModernDog, and CityDog magazines, as well as HGTV.com.

HattieRex was an Etsy featured seller in November 2009.

The Montana and Teton necklaces are made of copper and rose gold plated sterling silver/ sterling silver. They’re also available in gold tones. Starting at $38.

Shoe: Sanuk In the ‘70s the world had Birkenstocks. In the ‘00s we got Sanuks.

The U.S. based company has an eco-approach and over 50 styles of easy-going footwear. Sanuks, a comfortable slipper-type shoe with style, are foot friendly and bring and element of style missing from dated footwear choices.

With a variety of colors and patterns and from which to choose, Sanuks are equally equipped for cozy nights in the lodge or for trips

to town. Beware, these are not the best winter shoes as snow sticks to the bottoms like gum, but they are perfect when used as a casual runner or stumbler when pub crawling.

The next morning, wear a pair to a meeting and still look presentable.

Big Sky Weekly

Rick Cabot started the company in 2005 in his family mill with a goal to make the best performance sock possible. For the three decades prior, the family milled hosiery for private label businesses like the Gap, Banana Republic and Eddie Bauer. When many of those customers sent production overseas, Cabot set out on his own.

An outdoorsman with socks in his blood, Cabot had an

eye for comfort, durability and fit.

Testing different yarn weights and combinations, his team created a high-density knit that packed 1441 stitches of fine merino wool per square inch—more than any sock in the industry.

This means cushioning even after a long day walking or skiing, plus serious durability. The soft merino also wicks moisture, keeping feet dry and warm, and isn’t as stinky as nylon or cotton.

New this year to Darn Tough’s ski/ ride line are the over the calf padded cushion sock and the over the calf padded ultra light. The former is a perfect mid-winter sock, and the latter is for high-performance skiers with super-tight boots or for spring touring. A true seamless toe closure in the ultra-light helps eliminate hot spots and blisters.

Available at Livingston Mercantile, Freeheel and Wheel, Schnee’s Boots and Shoes, Montana Trout Fitters, and Shedhorn Sports, or through online retailers like backcountry. com. $14-$25

Put on a few extra pounds this season?

Our publisher Eric Ladd got his hands on a pair of Vagabond Mossy Oak, and hasn’t taken them off since. “After all,” he said, “who doesn’t love camo sandals?” A.D. sanuk.com $60 -$68

Join us at Big Sky’s only full-service workout facility Open 5 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. 7 days a week Day, week and year-long memberships available visit ozssage.com/gym.php for details 32 Market Place, Meadow Village, Big Sky (406) 995-4522 explorebigsky.com December 2, 2011 37

GIFT GUIDE: CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES Patagonia merino wool

Hats: Wizbang

BY EMILY STIFLER

A few years ago, Megan Paulson met an old Tibetan farmer along a remote part of China’s Yangtze River. She was part of an expedition running a high-water descent of the river, and they’d just pulled up to camp.

BIG SKY WEEKLY MANAGING EDITOR

Having lived in long underwear more than 150 days a year for a decade, I figured out what I don’t like. And I finally found what a love.

Since I found Patagonia merino wool last summer—t-shirts, long sleeve shirts and long john bottoms—they’ve been my go-to base layers. I use them while skiing the resort and the backcountry, ice climbing, summer hiking, alpine rock climbing, and chasing my boyfriend around hunting.

They don’t itch, they (hardly) smell, and they’re not restrictive.

They don’t rip, don’t pill and I’ve managed not to shrink them in the dryer. The shirts are long enough to tuck into the pants, and don’t ride up under ski pants or a climbing harness.

Patagonia redesigned its merino collection for fall 2011. The new fabric is more durable and more environmentally friendly than its predecessor, and is constructed from a blend of 80 percent fine chlorine-free Australian merino and 20 percent recycled polyester. This blend gives the fabric high tear strength and helps garments keep their shape during wear and washing.

In keeping with its environmentally responsible focus, Patagonia sources its merino from Australian farmers focusing on progressive breeding programs, sustainable land management and animal welfare. And like all Patagonia base layers, the woolies are recyclable through the Common Threads program.

Available in Big Sky at Grizzly Outfitters and online at patagonia.com. $65-$125

“15 minutes after we docked, the farmer came walking down the hillside by the river carrying a 70-pound bag of yak dung for us [to use for a fire],” Paulson said.

The farmer was worried they might be cold and hungry, and the next day he invited the crew up to his house, which he built from clay and rocks.

He made fresh cream from yak milk, shared yak-butter tea, and the boaters let him look through their binoculars, which he’d never used before.

As with every other day on the 200mile journey, Paulson was wearing her favorite hat—a pretty blue, white and green number from Wizbang.

When she got home Paulson couldn’t find the hat anywhere, and was so bummed she called Liz McRae, owner and founder of Wizbang. At her studio in the Emerson Cultural Center in Bozeman, McRae was able

Big Sky Weekly

to make another identical hat. It still makes Paulson think of her farmer friend, who’d she like to visit some day with a gift of binoculars.

Wizbang hats are made with “love, grit and joie de vivre—just like the women that wear them,” said an apt description from the website.

Paulson now has six Wizbangs, and wears them every month of the year, loving their fun patterns and stretchy lightweight fabric. Check out this year’s collection, which comes with the option of cute brims. E.S. Available at Grizzly Outfitters in Big Sky; Bangtail Bikes and Gerty in Bozeman; Freeheel and Wheel in West Yellowstone; and online at wizbanghats. com. $22-25

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Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

GIFTS & GEAR: OUTDOORS

Backcountry: Black Diamond Compacter poles

The Blaze splitboard binding from Spark R&D

BY ERIK MORRISON

and pre-curved latters that don’t snag while touring.

BIG SKY WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

Things change pretty quickly these days in the snowboard industry. Technology, tricks, and fashion trends are here one moment and gone the next.

You need to have a solid product or be a innovator to survive.

Fortunately Bozman’s Spark R & D offers both: quality splitboard bindings and innovative features/accessories designed for function and fun.

The Blaze is a true backcountry workhorse.

These features may not seem like much, but taken together over a season (over hundreds of hours, thousands of steps, and countless turns) they make all the difference.

e-

I found it extremely comfortable, responsive and lightweight. Its 1,640 gram base plate is low profile. Besides, it gave me one hell of a ride.

This season’s Blaze offered a variety of new performance driven features that I appreciated: custom highbacks with increased response, increased range of forward lean (25 to -5 degrees), redesigned straps to save weight on the way up and increase support while riding,

After a few days on the Blaze, it was apparent that Spark had taken the results from their research and riders’ feedback to heart. The result is one of the most hard charging and progressive splitboard bindings I’ve ever ridden. This one is a must for any serious splitboarder.

Spark bindings are available at GAS in Big Sky,World Boards in Bozeman, and online at sparkrandd.com Erik Morrison is a long time Big Sky local who spends much of his winters exploring the mountains of Southwest Montana.

One of the hottest items in backcountry snowboarding this year, the Compacter poles are part of Black Diamond’s new z-pole series. Made of aluminum and weighing in at 1 lb and 4 oz per pair, they’re lightweight but bomber.

For the hike up, BD’s standard FlickLock closure allows 20 cm of adjustability, and their ergonomic pole grips and straps are adjustable with or without gloves. A low-profile grip lower on the shaft makes sidehilling or steep boot packing more comfortable. An internal tensioner mechanism allows the poles to stiffen and reduces the inevitable lateral wiggle.

They’re so fast to deploy, snowboarders may also find a single Compacter handy for traverses or runouts at the resort. Also great for snowshoers or as an extra travel pair of poles for skiers. E.S. Available in three sizes at Gallatin Alpine Sports and Grizzly Outfitters in Big Sky, at Northern Lights Trading Co. in Bozeman, and online at blackdiamondequipment.com. $119.95

For the ride down, the poles break down into three lengths held together with Kevlar cord, and fold into a neat package that snaps into the basket.

Because these poles have so many parts, make sure to dry them out at night so they don’t ice up.

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Big Sky Weekly

NEVER GO ALONE

GOING OUT OF BOUNDS?

Sharpen your skills, bring the proper safety gear and always bring a partner.

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December 2, 2011 41

Big Sky Weekly

GIFTS & GEAR: OUTDOORS

Avalanche airbag pack: Mystery Ranch Blackjack

BY EMILY STIFLER

your pack. Since larger objects with more surface area float in avalanches and smaller ones sink, you’re more likely to stay on top.

BIG SKY WEEKLY MANAGING EDITOR

Mystery Ranch packs, the 10-year-old descendent of Dana Designs, is known for its big military contracts and bombproof backpacks. The Bozeman business—which employs 70 people and recently created a line of packs for wildfire professionals—keeps growing, even during hard times.

With OSHA considering requiring airbag packs for avalanche professionals, the Blackjack—the only airbag pack made in the U.S.—is particularly relevant.

Aspen, Wolf Creek and other Colorado resorts ordered Blackjacks for their patrols this year.

The Blackjack is spot-on for patrol: The load capacity is significant, but trims down neatly with compression straps; an external shovel pocket fits pro-sized shovel and probe; and a side zipper allows easy access to layers or explosives. With customizable shoulder and waist harnessing, and meant-tobe abused construction, it’s classic Mystery Ranch.

The downside: it ain’t light (nor is is cheap). The whole kit weighs in at 7.8 pounds.

Now it’s made outdoor headlines for a new airbag backpack designed for avalanche professionals, specifically ski patrollers. Designer Kyle Christensen worked with pros to create the trim, 42-liter top-loader that’s got all the bells you want and none of the silly whistles.

The basic premise behind an airbag pack is this: You’re in an avalanche, and you’ve tried everything to escape, but to no avail. You pull a ripcord and a big nylon balloon explodes from the lid of

“The big picture is that airbags work and … everyone should carry them,” says Mystery Ranch’s

Ben Noble. “I’d like to see them become as common as beacons in the next five years.” He cites limited European research over the last decade that put airbag success rates in the 90th percentile.

Mystery Ranch Flat Bag

These come in outrageous colors, are made from random material scraps and cost $5. They’ll hold art supplies, secret documents or lunch. Mine is neon pink, and I hope it will earn me entrance to the Pink Powder Posse, an illustrious and exclusive all-women’s ski backcountry ski team. Get one. E.S.

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Offers cannot be combined and may vary by region. Other restrictions may apply. For WA, OR, ID, MT state dealerships, a documentation service fee in an amount up to $350 may be added to the vehicle. Must take retail delivery from dealer stock by 10/31/2011.

Big Sky Weekly

GIFTS & GEAR: OUTDOORS Climbing Shoe: Scarpa Vapor-V

BY BRANDON SMITH

BIG SKY WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

Now that the snow is finally sticking, it’s time to hit the climbing gym and begin training for next season.

However, your shoes are toast from a long season on the rock, so it’s time to go shopping. If you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for, but you don’t want to sacrifice comfort for performance, check out the Scarpa Vapor-V. New this year, the Vapor-V is a shoe that should excite everyone. The opposing dual Velcro power straps allow quick on and off access, and wrap the foot for a nice snug fit. The suede/Lorica upper is very comfortable and will stretch if sized as a performance fit, as opposed to sizing-up for the all-day outings.

overhanging walls, yet climbs vertical faces and slabs like no other shoe out there. The thicker 4 mm XGrip sole will survive abuse from beginners as they develop footwork and strength, but won’t sacrifice performance for intermediate and advanced climbers. Indoor or out, the Vapor-V climbs everything—sport routes, long traditional routes or bouldering in the gym.

The Vapor-V is a must have shoe for winter season training, and a great holiday gift for any climber. Find it at Northern Lights Trading Co. in Bozeman and scarpa.com. $139.00

Pack: Osprey Mutant 38

BY SAM MAGRO

BIG SKY WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

When one of the Weekly editors asked me to review an Osprey pack, it seemed logical to pick the one I like best: The Mutant 38.

I used this pack all last winter ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon, as well as on two massive mixed climbs in the Alps.

The Mutant is simple, strong and lightweight, with a design that serves exactly what it’s intended for, without any unnecessary frills.

On the schlep to the climb: It carries well even when loaded full with hardware. Its ice-tool-bungee attachment system allows for easy tool loading and removal if you just need a tool for a short step. The hip belts have gear loops that will carry ice tools, carabiners or ice screw carriers.

On route: Once on the climb, the Mutant 38 sleeks down so it’s not in the way. A great compression system, along with reverse hip belt storage, makes accessing your harness easy. The frame system sits low enough that your head doesn’t bump the pack as you look around on route.

With its slightly down-turned last, the Vapor-V toes in on

If the load is too heavy to carry while climbing, there are three rated haul points to pull it up the pitch. The materials are tough enough

that this kind of hauling won’t completely destroy the pack.

A quiver of one: This pack is designed for short alpine climbing adventures or multi-day mountain trips, but would also work for lightweight summer overnighters. “It’s like a quiver of one,” says Osprey’s Gareth Martins. For those looking for more backpacking friendly features, check out Osprey’s Kestrel 38.

Available in Bozeman at Northern Lights Trading Co. $149 Sam Magro is a professional mountain guide and photographer based in Bozeman.

Avalanche Transceiver: BCA Tracker computes transmitter waves from another beacon and relays the info at real-time speed.

The split-second speed increase is enough to make a panicked situation a bit easier. The Tracker 2 still comes with directional arrows on top and reads off meter distances as you run, walk and crawl (signal search, coarse search, fine search) to your buried friend.

A simple thing can save your life.

Although there’s nothing simple inside the Tracker 2 avalanche beacon, its use is easy enough to direct even a beginner to a buried buddy caught in a backcountry avalanche.

The tech heads at BCA took the Tracker 1, the most widely used beacon in the U.S., added a third antenna, and made a good thing better. The extra processor receives and

Of course, buying the beacon that currently boasts a 55 percent hold on the market won’t dig out your pal. BCA offers all the gear you need to prepare for the powers that be in the backcountry. Get yourself a shovel and probe, and enroll in an avalanche safety course, because if you don’t know what to do, you’re buddy’s as good as a cooked mallard.

T.A. Available at Grizzly Outfitters in Big Sky; in Bozeman at Chalet Sports, Round House, Northern Lights Trading Co., Summit Motor Sports, REI and PhD Skis; and online at backcountryaccess.com. $289 to $335

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December 2, 2011 43

Big Sky Weekly

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44 December 2, 2011

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GIFTS & GEAR: OUTDOORS Zippo emergency fire starter kit

Zippo hand warmer

BY ABBIE DIGEL

BIG SKY WEEKLY EDITOR

This classic American company’s newest addition is their outdoor collection. For those who like the nostalgic feel of the old-fashioned Zippo pocket

lighter, the top-selling hand warmer has a sleek design similar to the classic lighters.

The warmer, with tough metal construction will be your best friend when working in an early morning chill, starting your car, snowmobiling, ice climbing, winter fishing, or for warming your hands after a run down Lone Peak. It could also be a helpful addition to an emergency survival kit, which are recommended by the Big Sky Fire Department for households in Big Sky because of its remote location.

The process of setting them up is unique and fun: Fill the bottom half with lighter fluid, light the burner and slip in your pocket for 12 hours of warmth. The price is right at just under 20 bucks, so it’s cheaper than using the packets, and it’s also odorless, a bonus for hunters.

Purchase online at zippo.com or select outdoor retailers. $19.95

A perfect stocking stuffer for a backcountry enthusiast who likes to camp in cold temperatures for long periods of time, Zippo’s emergency fire starter kit doesn’t rely on fuel to get a fire started.

Starting a fire is easy with the water-resistant waxed tinder sticks.

They come in a compact case with a built-in flint wheel for lighting the sticks. Make sure to also purchase a couple of campfire starter cedar pucks, which will start a fire in a cinch, even when wet.

The kit can be used to start four fires, is made from 100 percent recycled materials, and gives off a western red cedar aroma.

Don’t forget to throw these inexpensive tools into your pack and emergency survival kit, as well. You won’t regret it. A.D. Purchase online at zippo.com or at select outdoor retailers. Fire Kit $19.95 Cedar Fire Starter $1.49

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Working long days leaves little daylight for biking or skiing local trails. The solution comes with the A-51 Series from JetLite, a powerful LED system that throws out 700 lumens (standard headlamps give out anywhere between 35-80 lumens) to guide you through the night.

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The overall system may seem bulky at first, said creative director Mike Martins, “But as soon as you strap it onto you handlebars or helmet, the A-51 becomes a seamless extension.”

The battery life of the 7.4v Lithium Ion 4500 has plenty of juice to last for your entire three-hour ride. Martins’s tip: Squeeze every ounce of power from the battery by setting it on low for uphill and high for downhill.

A great gift for the biker in your life, Jetlite also offers various mounting systems, so runners, skiers and hikers can enjoy night adventures. The JetLite A-51 Series is lightweight, customizable and puts out plenty of beam for the fastest riders of the night. jetlites.com $199 A.D.

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December 2, 2011 45

Big Sky Weekly

Rare

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46 December 2, 2011

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Mountain

Big Sky Weekly

GIFT GUIDE: PETS

Dog toy: West Paw Bumi

Dog treat: Brewies

BY GRADY

BIG SKY WEEKLY K9 CONTRIBUTOR

Not going to lie—I’ve never really met a treat I didn’t like. Well...except for that dried pig ear that didn’t sit too well in the ‘ol tummy and the ping-pong ball I ate that I wasn’t supposed to. But that’s when I was a pup. Now I’m a year-and-a-half old, and I love adventure, hunting, sticks, swimming, birds, ski touring, rafting, sticks, fetch, birds, soccer balls, footballs, birds, baseballs, sticks, birds and nordic skiing. Did I mention sticks and birds?

I’ve grown to have an adventurous palette, but when it comes to treats, I know quality when I taste it. Too many places these days sell crap bones that just throw in all the nasty leftovers.

Sure they might seem tasty at the beginning, but they don’t give me the energy I need to get through my day of activities, and the aftertaste... gross.

So, when I heard about these new Brewies—a homemade treat made in Bozeman out of leftover beer hops, I was skeptical. Partly because I had an organic treat before and it tasted like dirt, and partly because I’m not old enough to have beer yet.

To my surprise, my parents let me have some Brewies the other day. I was blown away by the flavor explosion in my mouth. Not to mention the chewy texture. So good. After six of them, they made me quit, but I wanted more.

Once I start it’s hard to stop.

I had so much energy after eating them, and my mom said they’re even good for me—all organic ingredients, olive oil to help my shiny coat, flaxseed oil for regularity and peanut butter!. Best of all, I didn’t even get in trouble for having a beer snack with them.

Brewies are my new favorite treat, and I’m pumped they’re here for ski season.

Après ski will be so fun. Dear Santa, if you’re reading this please fill my stocking with Brewies this year!

16 oz. cups of Brewies Pale Ale treats, Amber Ale treats and stocking stuffers available in Bozeman at Great Harvest, Sola Café, Barkenhowel’s, Dee-O-Gee, Bozeman Dog Co., Heebs, the Co-op and Bozeman Angler, and online at brewiesbiscuits.com. $7.99, $6.99, $2.

Boots doesn’t know that the line over the u in her Būmi is called a macron.

But, she does know how much she loves fighting over the toy with her pal Lefty. A cow dog mutt and a golden retriever, they try their best to tear the bright green, rubbery, s-shaped toy apart. But they can’t do it.

West Paw Design, a 15-year-old Bozeman company, manufactures ecofriendly dog and cat toys, pet beds and dog apparel (sorry, kitties—none for you).

A play on the word boomerang, the Būmi is part of the zogoflex line, the company’s most popular. The toys are made of a top-secret propriety material and have a one-time warrantee. Less than 1 percent are returned, according to Westpaw’s Ryan Buck.

Boots and the Bumi

Westpaw, which employs 47 people, sells pet accessories in Montana, across the U.S. and internationally.

Most of the beds are filled with 100 percent recycled material, and some have organic or recycled fabrics. The zogoflex toys are made of 10 percent recycled content and are themselves recyclable.

Buck says his dogs love West Paw’s newest toy, the Twiz.

While Boots and Lefty can’t put a ding in their Būmi, their owners have an issue with it: Throw it too high in the backyard, and it gets stuck in a tree.

The Būmi comes in two sizes and three colors (blue, green and red)—plus a limited edition red for the holidays. E.S. Available in Bozeman at Dee-OGee, Barkenhowel’s, Bridger Feeds, Ace Owenhouse, Heart of the Valley Humane Society, the Co-op, Rosauers and Sola Café, and in Four Corners at the Bozeman Dog Co. or online at westpawdesign.com. $11.88, $16.06

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Big Sky Weekly

Creighton Block

P R E - H OLIDAY SALE - UP TO 25% OFF Rob Akey Greg Alexander Jim Barrett Diana Brady Lynn Cain

Todd Connor Jerral Derr yberr y Flavia Eckholm Edd Enders Thomas English

Charles Fulcher Mark Gibson Don Grant Mimi Grant Ott Jones

David Lemon Asha MacDonald Mike Patterson Paula Pearl Jacqueline Rieder Hud

Shiela Rieman Daniel San Souci Deb Schmit Laurie Stevens Shirle Wempner

ARTIST PROFILE Todd Connor was born in 1964 and raised in Tulsa, OK. He began painting in pastels and oils at the age of 12. After high school he joined the Navy, where he ser ved as a Navy SEAL in Coronado, CA. After militar y ser vice he toured National Parks and historical sites throughout the West, and determined to return to painting. After 4 years of study divided between landscape and figurative work, he received a BFA in 1997 from the prestigious Ar t Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. He briefly worked as a colorboard painter for Universal Studios in Japan before making the leap to full time painter in 1999.

Todd Connor has met with much success in venues including the CM Russell show and auction in Great Falls, MT and Settlers West Galleries’ annual Great American West show in Tucson, AZ. His influences include Impressionists, Asian calligraphy, and early American Illustrators. His exceptional ability to convey a strong sense of character, as well as a sense of time and place in his ar t, has led to commissions and acquisitions by some of the countr y’s most distinguished ar t collectors.

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