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January 13, 2012 Volume 3 // Issue #1

New biathalon range in west yellowstone

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January 13, 2012 1

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On the Cover:

Happy 30th

2011 big sky chamber of commerce

Business of the Year January 13, 2012 Volume 3, Issue 1

Gateway to a special place

PUBLISHER Eric Ladd

In early January, I attended a Big Sky community branding and marketing meeting hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. While there, Katie Grimm passed me a business card with a photo of a historic portal/arch that, long ago, marked the gateway to a very special place—the mouth of the Gallatin Canyon leading to Yellowstone National Park.

COO & SENIOR EDITOR Megan Paulson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mike Martins MANAGING EDITOR Emily Stifler GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelsey Dzintars EDITOR Abbie Digel Assistant Editor Taylor Anderson Distribution Director Danielle Chamberlain VIDEO director Brian Niles videographer Chris Davis Account relations coordinator Kacey Brown Operations director Katie Morrison WEB Programmer/Designer Sean Weas CONTRIBUTors

Josh Allen, Erin Bills, Daniel Bullock, Jamie Daugaard, Alex Diekmann, Nick Engelfried, Felicia Ennis, Ryan Hamilton, Sharlyn Izurieta, Rich Jehle, Cindy Kittredge, Jamie Kujawa, Max Lowe, Mike Mannelin, Erik Morrison, Brandon Niles, David Nolt, Mark Parlett, Greer Schott, Anna Schwaber

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 January 27 issuE: January 20, 2012 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 January 13, 2012

Katrina Howe of the Maine Winter Sports Center placed 2nd in the Senior Women's division of the Sprint Biathlon in West Yellowstone on Dec. 10.

Congratulations to the Lone Peak Lookout from the Big Sky Weekly, for completing 30 years in the newspaper business. Currently owned by Pioneer Press, the Lookout is one of Big Sky's local newspapers, and was founded by Kevin Kelleher in 1982.

photo courtesy of the Historic Crail Ranch archives

I knew I needed more information on that portal.

Creek using massive redwood logs. The notable size and scale of the portal must have spoken to passing travelers.

The Chamber is working with CTA Architects/Engineers, a firm out of Bozeman, to design and permit a series of community wayfinding signs and a gateway entry monument for Big Sky. Having knowledge of that historic portal would be useful—not necessarily so we could re-create what once was, but to gain a deeper appreciation for the perspective those early residents had for the place where we live and that so many come to visit in all seasons.

The Big Sky Chamber is working toward building that sense of passage into another special place: the entrance to the Big Sky community. We are hoping that a new gateway entry monument will help visitors find Big Sky and also serve to further define the community’s brand. It will encourage travelers on U.S. 191 to make the turn and explore what lies beyond. Thanks to the Chamber and the Big Sky Resort Tax for their vision in leading the community in this way.

I asked Dr. Jeff Strickler if he knew anything about it, because he and Dr. Anne Marie Mistretta are researching the history of the area for a new book. He promptly emailed me the late 1920s era photo of the Gallatin Gateway Arch built by the Milwaukee Railroad near Spanish

Table of Contents A year in review...4 Community...7 Op-ed...9 Local News...10 Regional...13 Montana...14 Health & Wellness...17 Real Estate...20 Business...21 Business Profile...22 Classifieds...24 Environmental Column...27 Sustainable Living...28 Food and Dining...33 Gallery...34 Sports...37 Outdoors...39 Column...45 Back 40...47 Best of Big Sky...49 Fun...51 EVENTS...53 Word from the Resorts...54

Ryan Hamilton Big Sky Town Center

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Big Sky Weekly

Shabbatski is Jan. 21

The Jewish holy day, combined with … skiing! By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

Shalom’s Rabbi Ed Stafman and lay cantor, Josh Burnim.

BIG SKY–Of all the Jewish holidays, the weekly Shabbat, or Sabbath, is considered the most important.

“It almost sounds Yiddish,” Stafman joked about the clever name.

It starts every Friday night, at sunset, and ends Saturday night. Shabbat, or the day of rest, is a festive time to be with friends and family, rest, pray, read and rejuvenate.

Shabbatski includes a Friday night service, a Shabbat dinner, and Torah study on Saturday morning from 9-10 a.m. “We’ll be done in time to hit the slopes,” Stafman said. Last year, they marked the end of Shabbat with a small Havdalah service around the fire pit park in the Town Center, on Saturday evening.

“The nature of the Jewish community in Montana is we’re spread out. We Robert Ulhmann, Rabbi Ed and Mar Robin on wanted to reach Shabbatski 2011. out to where our people are,” Stafman said. Shabbat has three main rituals: lighting the Sabbath candles, saying Kiddush over wine, and reciting HaMotzi over challah bread. For the last few years, the Jewish community in Southwest Montana has put their own special twist on Shabbat: Shabbatski. On Jan. 21, the congregation from Beth Shalom in Bozeman will come to Big Sky for Shabbat services. And to ski. This is one of two Shabbat services each year at the Big Sky Chapel led by Beth

Approximately 120 families from Bozeman, Big Sky, Ennis, Livingston and Helena belong to the Beth Shalom congregation. Plus, Stafman said, the congregation has a lot of skiers, so this was a good excuse for them to come out to Big Sky. “It’s sort of a win-win for everybody.” All are welcome at the service. bethshalombozeman.org

Lone Peak Brewery’s Community Beer program raises $1,000 in its first month By abbie digel

big sky weekly editor

Cheers to Lone Peak Brewery for raising over $1,000 in funds as a result of its Community Beer Program, which started Dec. 10. At press time, Steve Nordahl, owner the brewery, hadn’t reached a definite number, but had just over $1,000, and counting. “As long as we have interest from the participating bars, we hope to keep [this fundraiser] going perpetually,” Nordahl said. \ Nordahl’s next batch of community beer, an amber ale, will be available on tap at Lone Peak Brewery, Lone Mountain Ranch, the Corral, the Yellowstone Club and Buck’s T-4.

4 January 13, 2012

About $.40 from every pint purchased goes to three different local organizations: Big Sky Ski Education Foundation, Women in Action and the Big Sky Community Corporation. In winter, a good portion of the funds will go to BSSEF, and in summer the same will go for BSCC. WIA will receive about the same year round, Nordahl said. The goal of the program is for eight to 10 participating bars to raise about $1,500 per month, totaling in $18,000 for the entire year.

Big Sky Skating and Hockey Association board members/Zamboni drivers Ryan Blechta and Griffin Kilby pose with Stanley Cup champion Marty Pavelich at the second annual Pavelich Cup Invititational. Team Blechta-14 Team Kilby-13 F/OT Photo by Taylor Anderson

Community fund grants to encourage buying local big sky weekly staff writer

Bozeman-Bozeman-based outdoor store Northern Lights Trading Co. is launching a new charitable giving arm, the Northern Lights Community Fund. The fund aims to demonstrate the direct effects of local spending. It has committed donating $1,000 each month to conservation and human-interest organizations that help make Montana a great place to live and recreate. Encouraged by the Go Local movement and a sense of community, Northern Lights owner Mike Garcia sees this as a chance to give back, and also to show how

Northern Lights has donated to local nonprofits for decades and is approached for donations daily, according to its marketing manager Matt Parsons. Organizations slated to receive donations include Gallatin Valley Land Trust, Heart of the Valley, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Friends of Hyalite, Bridger Ski Foundation and the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. northernlightstrading.com

Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame’s Circle the Wagons event Deadline extended for hall of fame nominations big sky weekly staff writer

All are welcome at Circle the Wagons, the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center’s annual dinner and benefit auction. The event is Feb. 3-4 at Bozeman’s Best Western Plus GranTree Inn. The weekend will kick off at the cowboy social on Friday night. A Saturday luncheon will mark the first time living inductees of the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame will be honored. At the annual meeting on Saturday afternoon, the organization’s leadership will be elected, and governance items will be addressed. Current MCHF and WHC members can vote. The main Saturday night event will host a benefit dinner and silent and live auction of Western themed items.

Since the brewery, Bronkens Distribution, and the bars all sell and distribute the beer at a slight discount, there is no extra cost for the patrons.

The year since then has been “transformative” for the group, said MCHF and WHC President DuWayne Wilson. Now “excitement for the project has never been higher.”

“If we can get a couple more bars on board, we should be able to raise $1,500 a month by the end of January,” Nordahl said.

Wilson and his board are working to determine the future building site for its headquarters, and have narrowed its selection to Big Sky, Livingston,

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supporting businesses like Northern Lights strengthens the local economy.

Madison County, Big Timber, Miles City and Wolf Point. Also in hall of fame news, the deadline for the 2012 nominations for induction into the hall of fame has been extended to Feb. 24. Potential inductees include anyone who made a mark in Montana between 1880 and 1980, no matter the year of death or closure. Nominees can be men, women, ranches, stage coach lines, animals or hotels— anyone or anything that has impacted Montana’s western heritage. Past inductees have included historical figures such as Sitting Bull, Evelyn Cameron, the N Bar N Ranch, Charles M. Russell, Plenty Coups, Granville Stuart, Nelson Story, the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, Alice Greenough, the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Fannie Sperry Steele, Frank Bird Linderman and the Vigilantes of Montana. One living inductee and two legacy (non-living) inductees will be chosen from votes cast by the organization’s Trustees and announced in June 2012. Circle the Wagons event registration deadline is Jan. 27. For more information or details about nominations, visit montanacowboyfame.com, call (406) 653-3800, or email cstensland@montanacowboyfame.com.

community BSCC teaming up with Rotary to fundraise for climbing boulders

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By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

BIG SKY–There’s good news on the Big Sky Community Park front. The local Rotary club has decided to put all of its fundraising efforts this year toward building an artificial climbing boulder in the new community park, located in the Big Sky Meadow. The club is a group of about 20 local business owners and professionals who give to local and international causes because “it’s the right thing to do,” said Big Sky Rotary member Dale Palmer. In the past, the club has helped support local projects like the Meadow Village bus shelter, the annual Christmas tree giving project, emergency call boxes in Gallatin Canyon, Eagle Mount and blood drives. Internationally, it’s given to water wells in Honduras and Zambia, disaster relief projects for the 2004 tsunami and the Haiti earthquake, and educational programs for women in Egypt. Big Sky’s mountain town atmosphere is a perfect spot for the boulders, said Koy Hoover, a Rotary club member and Big Sky resident. Because it’s part of the international Rotary organization, Big Sky’s club can apply for grants for its projects. Some of these grants match funds raised, dollarfor-dollar, and some even better that, Palmer said. The club is hoping its annual Gold Auction Fundraiser, on Jan. 28, could raise as much as $20,000. With the matching funds, they could turn that into $40,000, which is enough to fund a boulder. “Anytime there’s matching funds, it tends to make projects happen,” Hoover said.

At the annual Gold Auction Fundraiser, the Rotary raffles off $2,500 worth of gold. Everyone who buys a ticket gets put in the drawing. Out of 100 tickets (each is for two people), somebody’s going to go home with the gold. In the past, these events have raised up to $60,000. Jessie Neal, the BSCC’s executive director, expressed gratitude that the Rotary is helping finish the park. “We are lucky to have an organization like the Rotary right here in town," she said, adding that the boulders will be a resource for the entire community: “Adults will find them challenging and easily accessible, and children will have fun learning climbing skills in a safe environment.” The park, which is run by the Big Sky Community Corp., also received state funding this year through a tourism infrastructure investment program grant. That money could go toward landscaping, the skate park, a concession stand or the climbing boulders.

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4 acres on Cinnabar run at Moonlight with huge views of Spanish Peaks range.

To donate goods or services for the Rotary Gold Auction on Jan. 28 at Buck’s T-4, contact Rotary Club President Christine MacDonald at cmacdonald@bigskybank.com.

Letter: Big Sky Community Health Survey Women in Action is conducting a Big Sky Community Health Survey from Jan. 9 to Feb. 10. The purpose is to learn more about the health and quality of life in the Big Sky Community. WIA is a Big Sky nonprofit whose mission is to enrich the lives of children and families in the community. Through volunteer activism and fundraising, we aim to help provide our underserved rural area with access to affordable health, family and educational services. It’s critical to include as many people as possible, so we gain a complete picture of the area’s health needs. The survey results will help to identify our most pressing community health problems and ultimately seek solu-

tions that address those problems where possible. The survey is anonymous and takes 15 minutes to complete. All Big Sky residents over age 18 can participate. Participants can enter a drawing to win one of two $250 gas cards. The survey is available electronically at wiabigsky.org, and in print at the Big Sky Library, Big Sky Resort human resource dept., Ophir School/ LPHS, Big Sky post office and at local banks. Thank you for your time and support in this important effort. Feel free to contact me at info@wiabigsky.org or (406) 209-7098. - Lisa Beczkiewicz, WIA Director

HELMS JAMISON KULESZA

Helms, Jamison & Kulesza JEFF HELMS Broker

TA LLIE JA MISON Associate

RYAN KULE SZA Broker

4 0 6 . 9 9 5 . 2 2 4 4 • B IG SK YSI R . C OM All statistics included in summary derived from Gallatin County MLS on December 12, 2011. This material is based upon information which we consider reliable, but because it has been supplied by third parties, we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete, and it should not be relied upon as such. This offering is subject to errors, omissions and changes including price or withdrawal without notice. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Ofﬁce in Independently Owned and Operated. If your property is listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully.

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local news

Chamber defines Big Sky's brand By ryan hamilton big sky town center

Vision. Craft.

Big Sky Weekly

BIG SKY–The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce has been working with an agency, AD Creative Group, to define Big Sky’s brand by developing a logo, tag line and a three-year marketing plan for the community. The resorts in Big Sky have marketed themselves for many years, but the community needed to develop these tools as an umbrella for the community as a whole. A Jan. 4 meeting was the jumping-off point where the agency’s research was shared with a wider group of stakeholders and the overall vision for the future marketing plan was discussed. “It’s an exciting time for the Big Sky community, for the resorts, and for the Chamber,” Chamber board member Bill Simkins said. “We had an honest, spirited discussion about the future of Big Sky and that felt refreshing. We’re working on building a consensus on how we should best position the commu-

nity going forward.” The Chamber has made strides this year in leading or supporting some big projects, including the design and permitting for a gateway entry monument and community wayfinding signage project; funding for the Big Sky PBR; a speed limit study on U.S. 191; the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center; the Biggest Skiing in America winter campaign; the formation of the Park Districts to control park and trail resources; a familiarization tour with a dozen well-connected travel journalists last summer; and support with securing the direct flight to New York. Currently, the Chamber is searching for a new Executive Director. On Jan. 4 chamber members met the two top candidates for ED at Big Sky Resort. The Chamber board will announce its decision by the end of the month. Chamber projects are funded by membership investments, Big Sky Resort Tax and the Big Sky Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

Ophir School District proposing name, curriculum changes Public meetings set for Jan. 16, 20 and 23 The Ophir School District has had its name for nearly a century, but that may soon change.

public preference, House said. The schools would keep their current names.

The district is proposing changing its name to the Big Sky School District, and also making the Lone Peak High School curriculum more rigorous.

Changes to the high school curriculum could require students to complete more credits before graduating. Currently, LPHS students must complete 22 credits, but that number could increase to anywhere from 25 to 32, House said.

It will host three community forums to gather public input on these topics. District superintendent Jerry House, school board member Barbara Rowley and teacher Tony Beardsley will present at the public meetings. The purpose of the meetings will be to gather input regarding: •

406-995-2174 To view a video tour of this property visit: continentalconstruction.com/montana 6 January 13, 2012 explorebigsky.com

Big Sky’s geography, and how a district name change from Ophir School District to Big Sky School District would help or hinder education and/or business

•

Class offerings and how an increase would benefit students

•

The value of an LPHS diploma with increased credits and a capstone project

The name change will not cost the district, and is just a matter of

The state requires students to complete 20 credits to graduate high school. “We’re looking at the rigors of the curriculum we’re offering to make sure kids are ready for the global world,” he said. “It’s an effort to make our students better prepared.” This change would come with a cost, because the school would have to pay for additional teacher hours. “I believe… that as a community school, any time you’re doing or suggesting major changes you need public input,” House said. The meetings are on Mondays in January, from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m: Jan. 16 – Big Sky Community Library Jan. 23 – Big Sky Chapel Jan. 30 – Town Center Theater E.S.

local news Groups meet to discuss collective community calendar By Taylor Anderson

big sky weekly assistant editor

big Sky-Several businesses in the Big Sky area are creating a community calendar that will collect and display all events in town for locals and visitors. A main driver: Jackson Hole. The tourist and ski town on the other end of Yellowstone National Park was referenced numerous times at a meeting in which representatives from about 10 local businesses—including Moonlight Basin and Big Sky Resort—discussed ideas for a collective calendar. Several attendees said Jackson Hole is harnessing community calendars and apps already, and that they have set the bar for how businesses market themselves today. The general consensus is Big Sky needs to display its events in a single location, rather than having visitors check the websites of various businesses in town to see what’s going on.

There was also discussion about an app that would let people check via GPS tracking which event was happening near their current location.

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The same idea was proposed four or five years ago, but lost steam as groups quarreled over who would control the calendar. It was decided at the meeting that the Chamber of Commerce would run this site if it comes to fruition. Robin Brewer-McBride, the chamber’s membership director, was nominated at the meeting to become the committee’s new chairman. She said it would take eight weeks to build a calendar from scratch, or hardly any time to use an existing format. The group now will check with website programmers to see if the proposed formats would work with existing formatting on the sites. The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 2 at 8:30 a.m. in the Big Sky Water and Sewer District office in the Meadow Village and is open to the public.

WMPAC receives $125,000 The Yellowstone Club Community Foundation recently donated $125,000 to the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center. The Friends of Big Sky Education, the group behind the fundraising efforts for the center, has so far raised $750,000 in total funds, making headway to its $1 million goal. "We continue to receive checks from community members for purchases of seats in the facility," said Loren Bough, president of FOBSE. Information and booklets about how to sponsor a seat will be available at Lone Peak High School home basketball games. -A.D.

Tax board discusses charitable exemptions, exported goods By Taylor Anderson

big sky weekly assistant editor

BIG SKY – In its second meeting with three newly elected board members, the Big Sky tax board met on Jan. 11. The main topic was a discussion about what should be exempt from the 3 percent resort tax. “When a merchant donates something to the Rotary Club, and I buy it, it’s a transaction” and therefore would be taxable, board chairman Les Loble suggested. Board attorney Mona Jamison countered with another hypothetical from an opinion written in 2003: If the local Rotary hosts a bake sale to benefit the club, that wouldn’t be taxable. At issue behind the debate was if nonprofits are the only potential beneficiaries to resort tax funding, why doesn’t the board collect taxes on their sales? “It’s a donation to an organization, it’s not a sale, it’s a donation,” Ginna Hermann said. “A raffle, a silent auction is a donation.” Mike Scholz, co-owner of Buck’s T-4, gave three examples of charitable

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events he thought shouldn’t be taxed. “The Jamie Pierre fundraiser, people whose houses have burned down and need help, and cancer patients in need. We shouldn’t tax those, it’s a barter gift.” The group agreed. Loble also brought up a situation that arose through recent audits of resort tax-paying businesses in Big Sky. He said one business declared exemptions on items bought in Big Sky but shipped out of district. “That’s wrong,” Jamison said. “And I can’t believe that’s been going on for so long.” HELMS

The board agreed any transaction made in a Big Sky tax district storefront will be taxed, even if it’s shipped out of the district. Also at the meeting, citizens involved with the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce presented a six-page document on the importance of the tax board’s support of marketing and events in Big Sky. The four members were Ryan Hamilton, Robin Brower-McBride, Eric Ladd and Brandon Bang. taylor@theoutlawpartners.com

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Helms, Jamison & Kulesza JEFF HELMS Broker

TA LLIE JA MISON Associate

RYAN KULE SZA Broker

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regional

Big Sky Weekly

West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation revamps biathlon course Try a new sport, or combine two of your favorites at Try it Day, Jan. 28 By abbie digel

big sky weekly editor

WEST YELLOWSTONE – It’s the most challenging sport you’ll ever do. And the most fun, says Marc Sheppard of Altius Handcrafted Firearms in West Yellowstone. Altius, Sheppard’s shop, is the only biathlon specialty shop in the world. Sheppard himself is a World Championship athlete and head of the biathlon component of West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation. Biathlon has been part of West Yellowstone’s culture for about 30 years, says Dan Cantrell, program director of WYSEF. This has included hosting regional competitions, Olympic training events and the 1964 Olympic trails.

Because the course in West is located on the Rendezvous Ski Trails, it falls under the jurisdiction of both WSYEF and the Forest Service. The National Guard runs most other biathlon ranges in North America.

WYSEF has already hosted two significant biathlon events in December: the North American Cup, and the National Guard biathlon program. In mid-March, WYSEF will host the U.S. Biathlon Association Winter Nationals.

Biathlon is a year-round sport that combines any two activities. It’s most commonly known as a combination of cross country skiing and rifle shooting. The course in West also offers summer biathlon, and in event last June, participants biked or ran to the rifle range.

Currently, the range is free and open to the public. Participants must have a .22 caliber long rifle with standard velocity and soft lead bullets, and must comply with biathlon safety rules.

Anybody that’s interested in trying a new sport, particularly somebody that has experience with shooting, should try biathlon, Sheppard said.

Check in with Sheppard at his shop on 125 Madison Ave. in West to get lined up before heading out, at no charge. Or, join other newcomers to the sport on Jan. 28 for a clinic hosted by Sheppard and WYSEF in conjunction with Rendezvous Trails’ Free Ski day. Altiusguns.com (406) 646-9222

“It’s a unique sport that requires two diametrically opposing skill sets.”

This year the course received its largest renovation yet, bringing it up to the international standard for competition ranges, Sheppard said. The renovation began in the spring 2010 and was completed for the current winter season. Changes include new, stable platforms for the targets, and a retaining wall that makes a clearly defined place for the shooting area. The targets were replaced with new ones designed and built in Belgrade. A new steel support structure and roof system now protects the targets from the elements. The renovation was a combined effort from grant donations, volunteers, and a working in partnership between WYSEF and the Forest Service. “Our range is the newest, best and most accessible range in the Rockies,” Sheppard added. Photo provided by Altius Handcrafted Firearms

Big Sky continues process to expand park district By Katie Morrison

Big Sky Weekly Contributor

Madison County property owners received a letter the week of Jan. 9, describing the proposed expansion of the Big Sky Mountain Trails, Recreation and Parks Special District. The Madison County Commission approved the Resolution of Intent to expand the district in September 2011, and is conducting the mailer to act consistently with Gallatin County, which created a similar district this past summer. An interlocal agreement between the two counties will allow the Big Sky districts to be administered by one

8 January 13, 2012

board and one budget, serving the greater Big Sky area. If passed, the cooperative districts will not have taxing authority. The intention is for them to be self-funded and work together with the Big Sky Community Corporation and other recreational entities to diversify funding opportunities. The hearing for the final resolution of the district and interlocal agreement will be held Jan. 31 in Virginia City at 2 p.m. All questions should be directed to the County Commissioners’ Office at (406) 843-4277.

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Yellowstone seeks public comment on progress report to UNESCO World Heritage Committee YELLOWSTONE–The National Park Service is looking for public comment on a draft report on progress made addressing threats to Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone was designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1978. The World Heritage Committee placed Yellowstone on its ‘world heritage in danger’ list in 1995. This is the sixth report to the committee on the conditions of the park since it was removed from the list in 2003. It includes plans and actions under-

way that specifically seek to redress the 1995 threats and dangers. The report follows a visit this past summer from the director of the World Heritage Centre and a representative of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, where they observed the state of the park's resources and progress in addressing conservation challenges. The draft progress report is available online for public review and comment between Jan. 3 – 20, at: parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome. cfm?projectID=39938.

regional 1,406 acres of Madison Valley ranchland permanently protected By Alex Diekmann Trust For Public Land

ENNIS – The Trust for Public Land, the Montana Land Reliance and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have worked together to protect 1,406 acres of Madison Valley ranchland from development. The protection came through conservation easements, which permit landowners to keep their land but restrict it from being subdivided for development. It means the permanent protection of grazing land and wildlife habitat. The conserved land is on the east side of Highway 287, about 10 miles south of Ennis, near Cameron. It’s owned by brothers John and Joseph Gecho and is almost completely surrounded by existing Montana Land Reliance conservation easements and public land belonging to the state. “Selling these conservation easements to TPL and MLR allows me and my family the opportunity to keep this land as productive agricultural land,” John Gecho said. “We didn’t want to see our ranch turn into yet another subdivision.” The easements are part of a larger strategy that TPL and MLR are pursuing to protect the Madison Valley’s agricultural heritage and the wildlife values. This purchase fills another

critical gap in the conservation puzzle and will go a long way in ensuring that the valley’s extraordinary habitat and scenic values remain unchanged.

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This is the ninth time that TPL and MLR have partnered in the Madison Valley. To date, more than 150,000 acres – roughly half of the private land in the valley – have been permanently conserved, making this one of the largest in the West. The Montana Land Reliance holds easements on more than 110,000 acres in the Madison Valley. The easements were bought using funds from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, with matching funds from MLR and TPL’s Madison Valley Land Acquisition Fund. That latter fund was created three years ago to conserve working lands throughout the valley. The easements are being held by MLR for long-term monitoring and enforcement. The Madison Valley and the surrounding mountains are considered one of the most ecologically intact corners of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, providing habitat for grizzly and black bear, elk, moose, gray wolf, pronghorn antelope, and even the elusive wolverine and Canada lynx.

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Skyline busses get a new look big sky weekly wire services

The Skyline bus system celebrated its five-year anniversary this January. With that, its busses got a facelift. New ‘wraps’, a creation of Big Sky Resort, highlight summer and winter activities available at the resort. The wrap is a symbol of the partnership between the resort and the Big Sky Transportation District. Both organizations are dedicated to helping decrease traffic congestion on Highway 191 and providing access to the Big Sky area.

Skyline busses operate five to seven days a week depending on the season. Several routes run throughout Big Sky, and the Link Express runs between Big Sky and Bozeman. In fiscal year 2011, Skyline gave 78,844 rides in Big Sky and 39,506 rides between Bozeman and Big Sky. Ridership in fiscal year 2012 is up 29 percent from the previous year. In the long term, Skyline is considering adding a connection between Big Sky and West Yellowstone.

HELMS

Yellowstone visitation tops three million Visitation to Yellowstone National Park in 2011 topped the three million mark for the fifth straight year. In 2011, 3,394,321 people visited the park. This was the second highest visitation year on record, and was down 6.8 percent from the record 3,640,184 people who visited the park the previous year. More than a quarter of these visitors came in July. December visitation was down 5.0 percent compared to year ago levels, with 16,509 visitors recorded in 2011, compared to 17,386 in 2010. The last time the park recorded fewer than three million annual recreational visits was in 2006.

JAMISON KULESZA

Helms, Jamison & Kulesza JEFF HELMS Broker

TA LLIE JA MISON Associate

RYAN KULE SZA Broker

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Big Sky Weekly

Enhancing our water resources Missouri Headwaters Partnership connects watershed groups from around Southwest Montana

Big Hole River Courtesy of Big Hole Watershed Committee

Bug Dance courtesy of Blue Water Task Force

Winter at Headwaters State Park courtesy Sharlyn Izurieta

John La Randeau, courtesy John LaRandeau, Army Corps of Engineers

By Sharlyn Izurieta

big sky weekly contributor

The mighty Missouri River conjures images of Lewis and Clark’s expedition, beautiful landscapes, and the history of the area through which it flows. The river is a lifeline for agriculture, industry, tourism and recreation, just as it was during the early days of the Montana Territory before settlement of the lands west of the Mississippi. The Missouri River’s source is high in the Centennial Mountains along the Continental Divide

in Southwest Montana. Lewis and Clark, on their famous trek to the Pacific in the early 1800s, followed the Missouri River to where they believed the source was located: a spring near Lemhi Pass. Then in the 1890s, Jacob V. Brower, a historian, naturalist and explorer, sought the true source of the Missouri: a tributary spring bubbling up from the ground in a location that is the farthest upstream, along water miles, from where the Missouri ends. Using this premise, Brower followed the longest of the three headwater rivers,

the Jefferson, to locate the source up Hell Roaring Canyon near the Idaho boarder in the Centennial Mountains. The source, called Brower’s Spring, is approximately 100 miles from the spring Lewis and Clark found near Lemhi Pass. The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation’s Headwaters Chapter verified the river’s source in 1995. In a presentation to the Centennial Valley Association in 2011, John LaRandeau, from the Army Corps of Engineers, corroborated this finding. A copper plate left by Brower and area ranchers in the mid-1890s marks Brower’s Spring, as does a modern cairn left by the LCTHF members. From that source, the stream flows 298.3 miles. Along the way it merges with the Red Rock River, the Beaverhead, the Big Hole and then the Jefferson, where it arrives in Three Forks and Headwaters State Park. It finally merges with the Madison and the Gallatin, the “official” start of the Missouri River. The river’s length is 2,619 miles from its source at Hell Roaring Creek and 2,321 miles from Three Forks, Mont., to where it joins the Mississippi near St. Louis. The entire Missouri River basin has a drainage area of 529,350 square miles, including about 9,700 square miles in Canada. The headwaters of the Missouri River are extremely important, not only for the communities and residents living in Southwest Montana, but for every landowner and community downstream. Nine local watershed groups are working to conserve and enhance the water resources in the headwaters region. Together these groups make up the Missouri Headwaters Partnership. Their common goal is to

Missouri River Basin

courtesy John LaRandeau, Army Corps of Engineers

10 January 13, 2012

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regional The Missouri Headwaters Partnership’s purpose is to create a regional collaborative organization that promotes economic and ecologic sustainability by supporting the natural resource integrity, water quality, water quantity, and economic and ecologic values of the landscapes and communities of the Missouri River headwaters basin. Residents of Southwest Montana have the opportunity to help protect our local watersheds and help our neighbors downstream. There are many ways to contribute and protect these resources. To learn how, visit the websites of the nine Missouri Headwaters Partners. Each local watershed group will have information about projects, annual and public meetings, volunteer opportunities, or how to donate. Working together enhances our local water resources and improves the mighty Missouri. The Beaverhead Watershed Committee Contact: Katie Tackett, Coordinator 201 N. Parkview, Dillon, MT 59725 k_tackett@bresnan.net www.beaverheadwatershed.org (406) 988-0191 The Big Hole Watershed Committee Contact: Kevin Brown, Executive Director PO Box 21, Divide, Montana 59727 kbrown@bhwc.org www.bhwc.org (406) 370-7230 and (406)-960-4855 The Centennial Valley Association Contact: Louise Bruce, Field Representative 215 E. Helena St., Dillon, MT 59725 vlbruce@centennialvalley.org centennialvalley.org/default.aspx (406) 660-0310 The Greater Gallatin Watershed Council Contact: Sierra Harris, Coordinator PO Box 751 Bozeman, MT 59771-0751 info@greatergallatin.org greatergallatin.org (406) 551-0804

enhance our water resources. The MHP’s intent is to provide information, education, create a dialog with residents and partners, to support individual local watershed groups and basin-wide projects. Each group has identified priorities and projects based on the needs of each sub-watershed, and also recognizing their stewardship responsibilities to downstream neighbors. The partnership began in 2001 with a meeting between the Big Hole Watershed Committee, the Jefferson River Watershed Council and the Beaverhead Watershed Committee. The groups realized the importance of working together, sharing ideas, and providing an avenue for

Blue Water Task Force Contact: Kristin Gardner, Executive Director PO Box 160513, Big Sky, MT 59716 bluewatertaskforce@gmail.com bluewatertaskforce.org/index.php (406) 993-2519

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Big Sky Weekly

Extraordinary Ski-in Ski-Out Properties.

Saddle Ridge Q1 $595,000

The Jefferson River Watershed Council Ted Dodge, Watershed Coordinator C/O P.O. Box 585, Pony, MT 59747 ted.dodge516@gmail.com jeffersonriverwc.org/index.html (406) 579-3762 The Lower Jefferson Watershed Council Bob Sims, Coordinator 1554 N. Hwy 69 , Boulder, MT 59632 sims@ixi.net (406) 287-5117 Madison Watershed Partnership Sunni Heikes-Knapton, Coordinator PO Box 1178, Ennis, MT 59729 mwc@3rivers.net madisoncd.org/mwp (406) 682-3181 The Ruby Watershed Council Rebecca Mayfield Ramsey, Coordinator PO Box 295 , Sheridan, MT 59749 rubywatershed@gmail.com rvcd.org (406) 842-5741 x106 - office Other regional and statewide watershed groups: Montana Watershed Coordination Council PO Box 17106, Missoula, MT 59808 info@mtwatersheds.org www.mtwatershed.org (406) 244-4420 Missouri River Conservation District Council Contact: Laurie Riley, Coordinator 1601 2nd Ave. N., Suite 601, Great Falls, MT 59401 mrcdc@missouririvercouncil.info www.missouririvercouncil.info/ (406) 454-0056

VIEW VIDEO at bigskysir.com

3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. Walking distance to Moonlight Lodge. Oﬀered turn-key.

residents to look at the region from a watershed perspective. After the initial meeting, the Ruby Watershed Council joined the partnership, and by 2006 there were eight members. The Centennial Valley Association joined the partnership in 2011. Each November, the MHP hosts an annual meeting and potluck, inviting partners and residents of the nine sub-watersheds. This is an opportunity for the public to meet watershed group coordinators, board members and other people living in the region. Notable speakers present on important issues that affect all watersheds in Southwest Montana.

References:“The True Utmost Reaches of the Missouri.” Donald F. Nell and Anthony Demetriades. Montana Outdoors Magazine. 2005. Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System Master Water Control Manual for the Missouri River Basin. A US Army Corps of Engineers report. 2006.

HELMS JAMISON KULESZA

Helms, Jamison & Kulesza JEFF HELMS Broker

TA LLIE JA MISON Associate

RYAN KULE SZA Broker

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regional

Big Sky Weekly

Yellowstone Club builds houses, strengthens local economy

Courtesy of the Yellowstone Club

By Taylor Anderson

through the worst economic recession since the Great Depression.

year working at a Community Supported Agriculture farm.

Yellowstone Club-Contractors at the club up the hill in Madison County were busy last year. Thirteen houses busy, according to Yellowstone Club vice president of sales Bill Collins.

According to Collins, it feels that they’re well on the way to recovery after the recession, and are helping the area rebound, as well.

“In the last six months, since May, 13 homes have been completed,” Collins said.

Local builders are in the middle of nine other resi-

Last month, the 28-year-old Arkansas native began working as a laborer on a 15,000-square-foot home in the Yellowstone Club with Teton Heritage Builders. He enjoys the job and said it’s fulfilling his needs right now.

big sky weekly assistant editor

Another 27 homes will be reviewed for approval within the next six months, he said. Money on housing projects like these creates a trickledown effect that starts with local designers and architects, moves to contractors and their employees, and then to lumberyards, raw material suppliers and local craftsmen. It’s a long chain of economic activity that makes its way around the region when new members join, buy and build.

“Those are Montana workers and Montana businesses that are selling goods and services and labor to build those homes. That's good for the Montana economy" - Gov. Brian Schweitzer

And while houses have also been going up elsewhere around the region, the rate of development hasn’t picked up nearly as quickly as in the club. The flurry of building comes after two years of tumultuous nationwide housing markets that didn’t miss the Big Sky area or the Yellowstone Club. The recent boom also follows the first two years the club has been under new ownership that's been rebranding a once-tarnished name, while working

dential housing projects, four of which are slated for completion within the first weeks of 2012. Home projects like these pump money into the Madison and Gallatin county economies by adding hundreds (at times as much as 1,000) of jobs, buying materials for sites from local lumberyards, and providing a sizable piece of the Madison County tax budget annually. Andy “Cotton” Sarjahani lives in Bozeman and finished a graduate assistantship at Montana State last

13 homes constructed since may 2011 12 January 13, 2012

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“As long as I can pay the bills and as long as I’m continuing to learn or there’s the opportunity to learn, I’ll stay there as long as they need me,” Sarjahani said. "He represents one of the hundreds of labor workers assembling the homes within the Yellowstone Club". Tom Simkins, president of Simkins-Hallin Lumber Co. in Bozeman, said that when the area took a drastic dip from the construction boom of the early 2000s, his company suffered with it. The company works exclusively with contractors, including numerous builders at the club. Three years after the growth rate began to lag in Gallatin and Madison counties, Simkins says he’s sending more building material through the canyon. “Just the number of loads we take up there, I haven’t broken it down for the Yellowstone Club, but we’re going up there more all the time,” Simkins said.

27 homes will be reviewed for approval over the next 6 months

regional The 13 houses constructed there last year averaged 7,500 square feet, said Mike Ducuennois, vice president of development at the club. The average general construction cost of each was $500 per square foot.

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Big Sky Weekly

this story. “After framing, and when you’re roughing in for plumbing and air and installing windows and siding, you could easily have 25 people on that project.” And while club homeowners pay property taxes in Madison County,

“We’re adding amenities to compete not only in this market, but for when we come out of this market. We’re investing in the future, versus hanging on for dear life.” -Bill Collins, Yellowstone Club vice president of sales Ducuennois estimates that string of projects net $45 million in distributed proceeds, goods, services and taxes throughout the area.

many of the workers come from Big Sky and Bozeman, due to the proximity and lack of access to Madison County.

That kind of impact resonates well with the governor.

Even with difficulties surrounding the ownership transfer in 2009, the club’s impact on the area made it integral to keeping things moving during the recession.

“Those are Montana workers and Montana businesses that are selling goods and services and labor to build those homes. That's good for the Montana economy,” Gov. Brian Schweitzer said in an interview with the Big Sky Weekly. “Tourism and second home ownership is a big driver in Montana. I’m glad that the Yellowstone Club got their finances figured out.” From real estate agents, to masons, landscapers, builders, electricians and plumbers, an estimated 75 people were put to work on each of the 13 homes. If that number is applied to 2011 home numbers, 975 jobs were created. “Currently I’ve got one, four, five, six…go to nine, nine employees right now,” said Jim Murphy, owner of Continental Construction, which builds at the club. “That’s carpenters, cabinet makers, masons and administrative help.” Murphy continued work at the club throughout the bankruptcy and ownership transfer. He said the effects don’t stop with his employees, but percolate throughout the community as workers spend their wages. “Those guys are turning around and spending money in the area too, there’s a big uptick in activity,” he said. “During the concrete stage there’s six or seven,” said an architect who wanted to remain anonymous for

During peak months—summer and winter—the club employs 560 people. Nearly 200 of those are full time employees. It was registered by Montana as a Class 7 employer in the latest count in June, meaning it can put up to 499 people to work. It has previously been registered a Class 8 employer, creating up to 999 jobs during peak months. Together with Big Sky Resort, the Yellowstone Club is the top employer in Madison County. The two resorts are within the top 100 employers in the state. “In turn, we take that responsibility very seriously,” Collins said.

A cycle of changes Since the economic downturn, the club has tried to address trend changes in building styles head on. Homes and buildings that were built five or six years ago displayed an air of opulence that also garnered waste. And although the homes and amenities being built at the YC are still large, they’re 30 to 40 percent smaller than those that went up in its early building stage, Collins said.

$45 million est. net amount in distributed proceeds, goods, services and taxes throughout the area

Continental Construction built this chalet in the Yellowstone Club in the last year.

The current owners see themselves as stewards of the land, and keep in mind the 900,000-acre Lee Metcalf Wilderness surrounding them, he added. They’ve encouraged implementation of green building techniques, and some owners have installed geothermal heating and cooling pump systems. THB Energy Solutions is working on several of these projects at the club, which can save up to 500 percent efficiency versus propane, said THB’s Parker Thompson. The club has also moved to lessen its pattern of propane waste by keeping fewer driveways, porches and swimming pools heated on its grounds.The club would need to continue this new boom if it were to come close to reaching the hundreds of added houses it would take to reach capacity.

“We’ve been selling quite a bit of land, and that land is ultimately built upon,” Collins said. That cycle could continue until there is the potential for 864 front doors within the 13,600 acres the Yellowstone Club is allowed to develop. Since its new owners took over in December 2009, the Yellowstone Club has made about $300 million in sales, and increased by 50 members, Collins said. Those sales include land, new houses and existing homes. “We’re adding amenities to compete not only in this market, but for when we come out of this market,” Collins said. “We’re investing in the future, versus hanging on for dear life.”

975 jobs created during the past year from the construction of new homes explorebigsky.com

January 13, 2012 13

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montana

Big Sky Weekly

Montana’s snowpack, at 80% of average, leads northwest Alaska, Arizona and New Mexico all above average By Taylor Anderson

big sky weekly assistant editor

After six weeks of skiing in western Montana, we’ve noticed a pretty interesting winter weather cycle that has frustrated some locals and confused would-be visitors to the point of rescheduling trips. Early-season forecasts have been contrasted to this point, and last year's to-date averages are far above current snowpacks this winter. Arizona and Alaska lead the snowpack with snowfall at 132 and 127 150

120

Montana’s Snotel sites reported an 80 percent average as of Jan. 10, making it No. 4 in the west for snowfall this year,. “Maverick got 20 inches out of last week’s storm and opened on Dec. 31 with just over three feet of cold smoke at the summit. Shredding ensued,” said David Nolt, a local skier at Maverick Mountain, in the Pioneer Mountains northwest of Dillon.

In its late fall forecast, NOAA called for a second consecutive La Niña weather pattern. When this Snowpack (as River Basins % of average) pattern lasts for All of Montana: 108% of average in 2011, two years, the rule 80% of average in 2012 of thumb for forecasters is that the 125 second year will 116 112 114 be less severe than 109 109 103 the first, which has 96 happened. 90

Typically, warmer temperatures in the 60 62 southern Pacific 50 Ocean mean wetter winter weather 30 for much of the western U.S., but so far Idaho, Colorado, California, 0 Utah, Oregon and January 2012 January 2011 Nevada are each reporting less than 70 percent of percent, respectively. New Mexico their 30-year average of snow for is at No. 3 with 120 percent of its this time of year. 30-year average, according to data gathered from the Weekly Snotel Idaho has 62 percent; Colorado has Snowpack and Precipitation Report 71 percent; California is driest at released by the Natural Resources 16 percent; Nevada has 24 percent; Conservation Service on Jan. 3. Oregon has 38 percent; and Utah has 63 percent. Yellowstone

Bridger

Hyalite

Gallatin

Madison

Beaverhead

Jefferson

Powder skiing at Moonlight Basin December 31, 2011. Photo by Daniel Bullock

The NOAA predicted a 50 percent chance of “above normal total rain and snowfall” for all of Montana, most of Wyoming, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. The northern halves of California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado had a one-third chance of receiving precipitation that was above average. Forecasters at NOAA called for a 33 to 50 percent chance that most of New Mexico and Arizona would receive “well below average” amounts of rain and snow.

The resorts in Alaska that currently have the largest snowpack in the U.S.—Eagle Crest and Alyeska—had an equal chance for snowpack this season that reached average. Montana resorts are still hopeful that more snow will head east from the Pacific Coast, but all are happy with what they’ve received so far. Moonlight Basin in Big Sky has a 37-inch base and three-fourths of its runs are open. Big Sky Resort has a 33- to 51-inch base and has opened 85 percent of its terrain to skiers.

Deal of the month

sorts) when they book with Big Sky Central Reservations. Buddies of Epic Pass holders also get a discount.

Combined, Moonlight and Big Sky have nearly 5,000 acres open. Because many other parts of the country aren’t as lucky, our friendly resorts have extended deals to entice skiers and boarders to visit Big Sky.

Moonlight’s deal is sweet, too: Show a current season pass from any resort in the nation and get a $49 lift ticket any day in January.

Big Sky’s January deal offers free skiing to anyone with a 20112012 Epic Pass (the pass for several Colorado and California re-

More at bigskyresort.com/epic and moonlightbasin.com/site/ whats_new

Candidate filing for 2012 statewide elections open HELENA – The 2012 federal election cycle kicked off Jan. 12 with candidate filing in Montana, and Secretary of State Linda McCulloch is working to ensure Montanans are prepared. "Voting and running for public office are important fundamental rights we share as citizens of this great state," Secretary McCulloch said. "Don't

14 January 13, 2012

miss the opportunity to make a difference in your community." Filing runs from Jan. 12 – March 12. Candidates may file electronically via the Secretary of State's online candidate filing service, in person at the Secretary of State's office, by mail, or by fax. Montanans vote in person or by absentee ballot for the statewide 2012

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primary and general elections. Voters can also take advantage of the late registration period, which runs from 29 days before the election until the close of polls on Election Day.

tion information can be found in the State of Montana Voter Guide, which is available for download at sos.mt.gov/MontanaVoterGuide. pdf.

Additional information about candidate filing, including filing fees and forms, is available on the Secretary of State's website at sos. mt.gov/Elections. Additional elec-

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Montana will hold the statewide primary nominating election on June 5. The statewide federal general election will be Nov. 6.

montana

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Big Sky Weekly

Office of Surface Mining may join BLM Meetings with stakeholders scheduled for Billings, nationwide WASHINGTON – The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement and the Bureau of Land Management will hold a series of meetings around the country soliciting input on the proposed consolidation of OSM within BLM. The outreach is part of an effort directed by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to gather input on the proposal to combine both bureaus and “continue Interior’s efforts to improve government.” The Secretary’s plan is to not move forward without full coordination and input of employees, members of Congress, states, tribes, industry, representatives of communities affected by coal production and other interested parties. These nine meetings will include discussions on how best to maintain OSM’s status as an independent bureau with regulatory responsibilities under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, while exploring ways to integrate some administrative functions of both entities.

A meeting will be held in Billings on Jan. 23 at the BLM Montana State Office from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. The Directors of OSM and BLM and other Interior officials are to report by Feb. 15 on the consultations. Public comments will also be accepted at doi.gov/bureaus/blmosm/consolidation.cfm. The mission of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is to ensure that coal mining activities are conducted in a manner that doesn’t harm citizens or the environment, land is restored to beneficial use after mining, and mitigates the effects of past mining by reclaiming abandoned coal mines. The BLM manages more than 245 million acres in 12 western states— more than any other federal agency. With a budget of about $1 billion, the BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation grants $450,000 to support improving graduation rates Graduation Matters Montana initiative gaining momentum office of public instruction

HELENA – On Jan. 11, the Montana Office of Public Instruction received $450,000 from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. The money will be used over three years to support a statewide network of efforts to increase the number of Montana high school graduates, and prepare them for college and careers in the Montana workforce.

15 new Graduation Matters communities each year for three years. As many as 45 new communities will be added over the three-year timeframe and will be awarded up to $10,000 to replicate successful

"Every student we are able to keep from dropping out or who is inspired to continue their education benefits not only that individual, but the entire state."

"The Washington Foundation's investment in Montana's students is going to pay off for years to come,” said Superintendent Denise Juneau. “Every student we are able to keep from dropping out or who is inspired to continue their education benefits not only that individual, but the entire state." This donation will allow the Office of Public Instruction to start the Graduation Matters Montana Challenge Fund, assisting 10 to

dropout prevention strategies. "Developing Graduation Matters programs sends a message to our children that we care about them and their future. This is the core of [our] mission," said Mike Halligan, executive director of the Foundation. Juneau aims to cut Montana's dropout rate in half by 2014. Current communities involved in Graduation Matters: Billings, Bozeman, Belgrade, Butte, Great Falls, Hamilton, Helena, Kalispell, Livingston, Missoula and Townsend.

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January 13, 2012 15

Feb 4

Jan 26 -28

Jan 26 -29

Jan 4 - Feb 8 Feb 29 - Apr 4

UPCOMING EVENTS MOONLIGHT Ladies Workshops Six-week, womens’ specific ski program to elevate all-mountain skills January 4 - February 8 (in session, pro-rated spaces still available) February 29 - April 4 - reservations available

SUBARU FREESKIING World Tour Qualifier

Come out and watch some of the best skiers in the world compete in the Headwaters terrain. Resort-wide specials all weekend! January 26-29 More details: freeskiingworldtour.com/

MOONLIGHT BASIN Avalanche One Course Three-day course based on American Avalanche Association guidelines - combination of classroom & backcountry sessions; highlights: identify and travel in avalanche terrain, classify basic snow types, perform snow stability tests, recognize weather, human and terrain factors, companion rescue January 26-28 *Space limited; pre-register by January 24 by calling (406) 993-6016

VOLCOM Peanut Butter & Rail Jam

Volcom’s amateur snowboard contest series - free event, first come first serve basis, for snowboarders only. Tons of free prizes and PB&J sandwiches! February 4 Signup day of the event at Madison Village Base Area or pre-register beginning January 21

APRÈS SKI Music

A perfect end to a perfect day - live music, spirits and appetizers at the Headwaters Grille Every Saturday, 3:30pm-5:30pm, Madison Village Base Area

Jan 14 - Eli Madden | Jan 21 - Kevin Fabozzi Jan 28 - Jeff Belino | Feb 4 - Kent Johnson

my mountain is

MOONLIGHT

Show ANY current season pass and ski for $49 thru Jan 31 More info & registration: events@moonlightbasin.com * 993-6016

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Section 2:

health // business // environmen t

Big Sky Weekly

January 13, 2012 Volume 3 // Issue #1

health & wellness Taking an inventory of your social health may also be part of a medical visit. Social health is a key component of overall health. Your doctor may ask if you’re married, divorced, employed or unemployed. Do you smoke? If so, how often? He or she might also ask what you enjoy doing, or if you’re experiencing stress. Do you use alcohol or drugs? These questions are not meant to be invasive—instead, they’re meant to find out more about you and the environment you live in. Health is not just a series of physical symptoms.

To get the most from medical appointments, patients must take an active role and get involved in their own healthcare.

Getting the most from your next medical visit

Being well prepared to answer these questions may leave additional time to further clarify any points you may want to spend additional time on. Remember, you are responsible for your individual health. Taking an active role in your own healthcare may be the best practice in achieving your New Year’s resolution.

Erin A. Bills, MPH, works 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. Follow her blog at projectbagbalm.wordpress.com.

By Erin A. Bills, MPH

big sky weekly contributor

With the arrival of the New Year, many make a resolution to live a happy, healthier and a more active lifestyle. Part of this resolution should include making an annual appointment with your primary care physician or other medical provider. Taking full advantage of the limited time in your appointment will help improve the doctor-patient relationship and ultimately lead to better care. To get the most from medical appointments, patients must take an active role and get involved in their own healthcare. Medical appointments can be both stressful and sometimes intimidating; however, coming prepared to provide information and ask questions will make the process more beneficial. There are several things you can do to improve your visit before the actual appointment. To start, write down all medications and dosages you’re currently taking. This list should include any prescriptions, over-the-counter medications or supplements. It’s also a good idea to jot down any questions or concerns, to help ensure they’re addressed. In order to properly address health issues, or those that you may be trying to prevent, your medical provider needs to gather information about your health. Since the time spent with your provider is limited, you should prioritize your questions. If at any time during your visit you feel confused, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification or additional information. The only stupid questions are those that aren’t asked. Basic example questions might include: What’s causing my symptoms? Will I need additional testing? Do I need to see a specialist? Are there alternative care options? Is a generic form of the medication prescribed available? Is there anything I should avoid doing? Is there anything I should try to do more frequently? What lifestyle changes I can make to help prevent future health problems? There are also questions you can expect your doctor to ask you, in order to gain a snapshot of your health. Being prepared to answer these can improve the quality of that snapshot. Typically, your doctor will want to know the onset, duration, severity, exacerbating, or relieving features of symptoms. Knowing when you first experienced symptoms, how long they last, the severity, what seems to make them worse, and what seems to alleviate them is helpful during the diagnosis process or in developing a preventive health plan.

When the ride down isn’t as smooth as the ride up WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned—even on vacation. That’s why Bozeman Deaconess Pharmacy at Big Sky is here for you. We offer a full range of pharmaceutical items including bandages and OTC medicines and creams for aches and pains. And,

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.

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Whether you’re here for the week or a lifetime, we want to help you enjoy a smooth ride— on and off the mountain.

January 13, 2012 17

LOT 488ACRES LOT 488 | 1.77

THE ULTIMATE

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WITHIN YELLOWSTONE CLUB

Only seconds to 8,000 acres of powder, glades and chutes. Let the memories begin.

Panoramic View from Lot 488

loneviewridge.com

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Architecture

Big Sky Weekly

The Roman Black Gate or otherwise known as The Porta Nigra

Europe, part 3: Trier story and photos By jamie daugaard centre sky architecture

On a recent trip to Europe, I visited the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and Italy. In this article, here, I’d like to discuss the architecture of the town of Trier, Germany, which exemplifies the Roman Architecture and flows into the Baroque.

My next article will be on Teresio, Italy. After visiting Koln, I stayed in Germany and traveled to Trier. Sometimes referred to as the second Rome, or Rome of the north, Trier is in western Germany, close to Luxembourg. The city is located in a major river valley named the Moselle. Its 2,000th birthday was in 1984. Many of the structures in Trier were rebuilt after World

War II. The Romans founded Trier in the First Century AD and it became a trading center and eventually a Roman capital after the Roman Empire divided. It was the seat for at least eight Roman emperors and was the capital of the Roman Northern Territories of the Western Roman Empire for over 400 years. Today, the city still has Roman ruins that include baths, an amphitheatre, a hippodrome (structure for chariot races), fortified walls and gates and a large imperial palace. As I walked Trier, it became obvious that this city had a great amount of architectural history of various intertwined styles and eras. I started my tour at the Black Gate. The Romans put four of these gates in place to defend the city. The Black Gate is the only one to have survived. It wasn’t originally black, but as time passed, the stone changed color through an oxidation aging process. The gate was constructed in the second century, and its sandstone was cut with bronze saws. No mortar was used, and instead it was held together with only limited steel and molten lead. Some of the stone blocks weigh six tons, equaling 12,000 pounds. I couldn’t imagine what the builders did to place them.

Trier Cathedral

Next, I visited the Roman palace and imperial baths. Only the foundations, sub grade tunnels, chambers and several walls remained. The size and scale of most of the walls, and the amount of brick and stone material was impressive. I’d anticipated seeing castles in Europe, but hadn’t imagined a Roman structure would be the first one. Continued on p. 20

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January 13, 2012 19

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Architecture Continued from p. 19

The Romans also constructed a basilica, which had an internal heating system in the walls and the floors similar in theoretical application to what we use today. This structure was integrated into the Trier Palace, which was built in the Rococo style’s more flamboyant color system and movement. The two compositions together create an interesting and unique combination. The economic and engineering effort put towards religious structures in Trier was monumental— something I saw many times in the Old World. The church was very prominent in historic Europe and even today. They create an anchor to the plazas or squares they’re part of, and a vertical “inspiring” focal point in these public spaces. I stayed in the city several days and walked through the main market often. Trier’s deep history had created many architectural styles in the buildings surrounding the market. These ranged from Tudor style, with its plaster and timber, to the ornamented Baroque style. Most

of the structures and towers rose four to six stories, were built with different materials, alignments and colors, and capped with steeply pitched slate roofs. The feeling derived from many of these squares was history, detail, richness, massiveness and human scale. It was like a burst of sugar to the senses. Trier’s Roman monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter, and Church of our Lady are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. whc.unesco.org

CENTRE SKY ARCHITECTURE LTD

Jamie Daugaard, principal of Centre Sky Architecture, received his BArch and M-Arch from Montana State University. Sustainability is deeply rooted in his work, which is mostly located in mountain regions with offices in Denver, Colo., and Big Sky, Mont. Contact him at jamie@centresky.com or (406) 995-7572. For more images of this European trip, visit facebook.com/ centresky.com centresky.com

Trier Cathedral

Basilica of Constantine & Maxentius (the brick portion) Palace of Trier (the pink portion)

Trier Cathedral

Did you just get a new Computer? If you received a new computer this year, you may find that your old dial-up connection just can’t deliver everything your new computer can. Want to watch YouTube? Download music? Stream movies? If you want your new computer to work as advertised, now’s the time to upgrade to 3 Rivers High Speed Internet—sign up today, speed up your connection and save! $39.95 per month for 12 months!* Save $120!

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* With 3 Rivers telephone service. New customers only. 12 months commitment required. After 12 months, cost is $49.95 per month. Speeds are not guaranteed. Not available in all areas. Call for details and qualification.

20 January 13, 2012

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Big Sky Weekly

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Classifieds

LEGAL NOTICE

for rent

help wanted

RENTALS Snowmobiles, Side by Side/Trax, Snowshoes, Baby Gear bigboystoysrentals.com 406.587.4747

The Hungry Moose Market and Deli : Our busy Big Sky business would like to add a couple more staff members for the 2012 winter season and beyond. We are open 365 days a year from 6:30am until 10pm every day. Your Year round position at "The Moose" has lots of possibilites including starting part-time. Longterm benefits include health insurance, recreation benefits, vacation time and pay. Applications online at: www. hungrymoose.com e-mail: moose@ hungrymoose.com 406-995-3045

-------------------------------------------------

Office Space - Executive Office suites available in amazing building in Meadow Village, Big Sky - $300 to $500/mth depending on terms and office size. Each office has private door, shared conference rooms, shared kitchen space. Terms Negotiable. Call Eric 570-0639

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

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

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406.587.3114 Mon-Sat / 8am-3pm

22 January 13, 2012

Big Sky Weekly

4 blks S. of 4corners on Hwy 191 between Big Sky & the airport

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NOTICE OF PASSAGE OF RESOLUTION OF INTENTION TO CREATE THE BIG SKY MOUNTAIN TRAILS, RECREATION, AND PARKS SPECIAL DISTRICT PURSUANT TO MONTANA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 7-11-1001 ET SEQ. AND ADMINISTERTED BY INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO MONTANA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 7-11-101 ET SEQ,TO EXPAND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE EXISTING PARK DISTRICT CREATED BY RESOLUTION 16-88, STRIP THE PARK DISTRICT OF ITS EXISTING TAXING AUTHORITY, AND ENTER INTO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH GALLATIN COUNTY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS PARK DISTRICT AND A CONTIGUOUS PARK DISTRICT LOCATED IN GALLATIN COUNTY. Notice is hereby given that on September 6, 2011, the Board of Commissioners of Madison County, Montana, adopted Resolution No. 30-2011, which is a resolution of intention to create the Big Sky Mountain Trails, Recreation, and Parks Special District. Such resolutions are on file with the County Clerk and Recorder and include a general description of the territory included in the Big Sky Mountain Trails, Recreation, and Parks, District. It is intended that two park districts in Gallatin County and Madison County will be self-funding and will not have taxing authority. No taxes will be assessed to the district at this time; and any future tax would require additional notice and a resolution for assessment. Any owner of property lying within the boundaries of the proposed district may appear before the board and show cause why the district should not be created at a public hearing that will be held at 2:00 p.m. on January 31, 2012, in the Commissioners’ Conference Room of the Broadway Annex, 205 N. Broadway, in Virginia City, Montana, or may send or email a written objection to the creation of the district at any time before the date of said hearing. Written objections shall be mailed or submitted to: Madison County Commissioners, P.O. Box 278, Virginia City, MT 59755, or can be emailed to madco@madison.mt.gov. Please contact the County Commissioners’ office at (406) 843-4277 with any further questions.

Public Notice of Basic Telephone Service Available from 3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc. 3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc. is designated as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier by meeting guidelines of the Federal Communications Commission and the Montana Public Service Commission. We have been offering quality reliable telephone service since 1953 and realize basic service is a fundamental aspect of everyday life. Basic service from 3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative Inc. includes: o Single party service o Touch-tone service o Voice grade access to the public switched network o Access to emergency services (including 911/E911) o Access to operator services, interexchange carriers, and directory assistance o Extended area service (toll free calling from all 3 Rivers’ exchanges to any other 3 Rivers’ exchange, with the exception of Conrad, Great Falls, Helena, Shelby) 3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative Inc. is proud to offer basic service to all customers in our serving territory. Our monthly rates for residential and business basic services are listed below. Low-income individuals may be eligible for Lifeline and Link-up telephone assistance programs, which provide discounts from these basic rates. Also available to Lifeline customers is toll blocking free of charge which lets customers block outgoing long distance calls. Individuals may subscribe to only one lifeline subsidy. If you have questions, or would like to become a customer of 3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc, please contact us at 467-2535 from any 3 Rivers exchange listed below, 1-800-796-4567, www.3rivers.net or visit our business office at 202 5th Street South in Fairfield. Basic Monthly Rates: Augusta, Browning, Carter, Dupuyer, East Conrad, Fairfield, Fort Shaw, Geyser, Pendroy, Power, Raynesford, Stockett, Ennis, Harrison, Big Sky, Choteau, Valier, Belt, Neihart, Brady, Highwood, Virginia City, Melrose, Sheridan, Twin Bridges, and Lima Residential …………………$ 22.00 Business…………….………$ 27.00

Located in the Big Horn Center, north of signal light, at corner of Hwy 191 & Lone Mtn Trail, across from Bugaboo Café - Big Sky

The only Consignment Store in Big Sky!

Your local, best store for the resale of quality, lightly used: • Home Furnishings / kitchen items & appliances • Furniture for all rooms / lamps, etc. • Artwork, wall hangings, décor items • Clothing (winter): women’s, men’s & children’s • Sports gear & sports clothing • Electronics + CDs, Videos & DVDs • and much, much more...!

Come see what we have for you! Open: Tues – Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sun, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Closed on Mondays Call: Janine & Dick @ 406-993-9333

explorebigsky.com Southwest Montana’s News · Business · Video · Media Network

Stay connected • Get involved • Never miss a story

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January 13, 2012 23

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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

D YOUR • N I F •

PERFECT PROPERTY BIG SKY • YELLOWSTONE CLUB • MOONLIGHT BASIN • THE CLUB AT SPANISH PEAKS • SKI, GOLF AND FISHING PROPERTIES

Eric & Stacy Ossorio With 19 years of local expertise, Eric and Stacy Ossorio are committed real estate professionals. They have an exceptional insight into the Big Sky market and are informed and savvy about every development in the area. While working with them they will share with you their expertise to help you make the best real estate choice for your family and lifestyle.

Eric Ossorio, Broker - 406.539.9553 Stacy Ossorio, Broker - 406.539.8553 eric.ossorio@prumt.com stacy.ossorio@prumt.com ossoriorealestategroup.com

24 January 13, 2012

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Real Estate Group

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business Harker Design hosting January 2012 Big Sky Business After Hours Big sky weeklky staff writer

Did you know that Harker Design has the largest design studio in the state of Montana? Based in Big Sky’s West Fork Meadow, this interior design firm is hosting the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce January business after hours event, Thursday, Jan. 19, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. “With the finest resources in home furnishings, decorative accessories and residential and commercial interior design services, Harker Design is one of Big Sky best kept secrets,” wrote the Chamber’s Robin Brower-McBride in a release about the event. She also pointed out that Harker has a firm in nearby Jackson, Wyo. Brower-McBride encourages all chamber members and others eager to network to join interior designer Susie Tetta and the Chamber for this fun networking event. There will be Mexican-themed appetizers will be served, as well as sangria and beer, and a raffle to win a luxurious home furnishing piece. Grab your co-workers, some business cards and your networking spirit, and join the Chamber to eat, drink, mingle and introduce new contacts into the Big Sky business circles.

Complete Line of Western & English Tack, Gifts, Housewares & Apparel

Gersemi Winter Apparel Boulet Boots Serretelli Hats Rock N Roll Cowgirl Jeans Rebecca Ray Designs Miller Ranch Wear for Men & more Four Corners Saddlery Located just south of Four Corners on the way to Big Sky

81720 Gallatin Road • Bozeman 406-587-7503

OZssage Spa Therapeutic Massage & Spa Big Sky’s Boutique Spa has it all. From treatment massage to spa days, from special occasions, to massage in your home. Vist our website for our full menu of massage & spa services.

Featured Massage Treatment Self Heating Marina Mud

New CEO at Bozeman Deaconess big sky weekly staff writer

BOZEMAN—As of 2012, Bozeman Deaconess Health Services has named Stan Moser its new chief executive officer. Moser first joined the hospital in 2010 as chief administrative officer. Moser is looking to collaborate with the Bozeman medical community to further the hospital’s mission of improving community health and quality of life. “Healthcare reform will create unique challenges in the next few

years ahead,” Moser said, adding that he intends to meet those challenges head-on, using past accomplishments as a springboard toward superior, cost-effective service.

During your massage self-heating seaweed mud is applied along your spine, detoxifying and re-mineralizing the body. This unique mud gently warm ups, champagne bubbles soothe the nerves and muscles providing instant relaxation. 60 min/ $110

75 min/$135

90 min $155

Moser has 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He has worked in financial and risk management in Billings, New York, California and Washington. Moser has replaced John Nordwick, who held the position of CEO/president of Bozeman Deaconess since 1995 and retired at the end of 2011.

OZssage Spa: 32 Market Place, Meadow Village Ph 406.995.7575

www.ozssage.com

Open 7 days 9.30am - 9.00pm January 13, 2012 25 explorebigsky.com

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some restaurants do italian food. some do chinese food.

WE DO BIG SKY FOOD

Big Sky Weekly

we deliver 4069952305 serving breakfast lunch & dinner view menu at: explorebigsky.com/blue-moon-bakery

special offer Albany Sleigh Coffee Table

$1150 includes curbside delivery

off

any items at

VintageWinter.com

use promo code:

Outlaw

vintagewinter.com 26 January 13, 2012

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A collection of Alpine Home

Decor and Chalet Style Antiques

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business

Big Sky Weekly

Artreprenuership business program now available for visual artists By Cindy Kittredge

recent learning excursion to the Western Design Conference in Jackson, Wyo.

Montana Arts Council

HELENA – The Montana Arts Council's Montana Artrepreneurship Program is now open to artists in 10 parts of the state.

Funded by LINC (a foundation that builds infrastructure for artists nationwide) and a grant from the USDA, the arts council is also guiding 10 past participants toward becoming MAP certified coaches. This group includes DG House, an artist who will establish an artrepreneurship group based in Bozeman for artists from nearby areas such as Ennis, Three Forks and Livingston.

Founded in 2008, MAP helps visual artists develop a sustainable business in art by learning more about entrepreneurship and developing a framework for their business. Participants commit to eight to ten months of instruction and workshops that help them create 35 business tools and then move forward to MarketReady Certification. Tools include creating marketing materials, setting pricing, developing displays for shows and building a business plan. There are also mentorship and internship opportunities.

F O R

MANAGEMENT, INC.

www.consulting-forester s.com

Flathead Lake Historic Timber A chance to own a unique and beautiful piece of Montana histor y

This program is specifically for visual artists, and artists need to have developed a body of work and have computer skills. The groups are small to ensure artists receive the full benefits of the program. More information and applications available on the MAC website at arts. mt.gov or email elkittredge@dishmail. net. The signup period closes Feb. 1.

MAP participants can also qualify for market-expansion opportunities like a

O P E N

NORTHWEST

T H E

W I N T E R

Recovered histor ic wester n larch & ponderosa pine

A STYLE THAT CAN’T BE DUPLICATED Northwest Management Inc. is salvaging century-old submerged logs from Flathead Lake with the aid of scuba divers. Numerous logs date back to the early 1500’s. These logs, steeped in the history of western Montana, are uniquely beautiful with brilliant coloring and have been customed milled into flooring, paneling and rough cut lumber to be used as bar tops, mantles and doors.

CASUAL

FineDining

IN A WARM MONTANA ATMOSPHERE

Superb Cuisine Using Local and Regional Ingredients for a Unique Flair in Rocky Mountain Dining Hand Cut Steaks, Wild Game, Trout, Seafood, Hearty Skiier Lunches, Game Burgers, Chili, Soup

Location:

Completely unique, histor ical lumber from Flathead Lake

Big Sky’s Mountain Village ~ Arrowhead Chalet Mall ~ 3rd Floor

Call 406-995-4244 for Reservations & Information

Lunch 11:30-3:00 Apres Ski 3:00-5:00 Dinner 5:30-10:00 Seven Days A Week

w w w. c a b i n b a r a n d g r i l l . c o m

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January 13, 2012 27

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business Profile

Big Sky Weekly

Shredding and the spa By abbie digel

I’d booked 50-minute Swiss massages in the couples’ room. Before starting our treatment, the masseuses asked what areas of our bodies had been bothering us.

big sky weekly editor

I had the best day last Saturday. A friend was in town, and I wanted to show her what Big Sky had to offer. She told me she couldn't wait to get exercise on the ski slopes and breathe in the clean mountain air, but most of all, she wanted to relax. We woke Saturday morning and did some laps under Swifty, carving the corduroy until it was time for our appointments at Big Sky’s new Solace Spa. Solace is just past the bronze bear sculpture in the Huntley Lodge. It’s a refreshing space that immediately transforms the bustling atmosphere of the mountain mall and village to one of calm. We checked in with the friendly front desk staff, and headed to the locker room. We changed into comfy terrycloth spa robes and slippers and waited for our masseuse in the relaxation room, a parlor-type space with chaise lounges and soft velvet blankets. A display of fresh strawberries and redpepper infused water sat on a candle lit ledge, and the room gave a warm glow. I closed my eyes and immediately drifted off, dreaming of nothing.

28 January 13, 2012

My friend and I had fun chatting with each other and the masseuses in the warm and dimly lit room. Since its grand opening at the start of this season, Solace has hired eight new employees and transformed Big Sky Resort’s old spa into a 3,000 square foot space with seven treatment rooms, locker rooms, expanded spa product lines, and full salon services including hair and nails. They’d been booked solid over the holidays, but have plenty of talented staff to cover the amount of people who signed up for spa treatments. Call ahead at least three days in advance for appointments. The Swedish and deep tissue massages have been most popular, said Rachel Flannigan, Solace’s receptionist manager. Other favorites are the cinnamon vanilla

explorebigsky.com

brown sugar scrub, which is good for sensitive skin. The masseuse worked on my scalp and the back of my neck, and then paused on my forearms. “Do you work at a computer?” she asked. She kneaded her thumbs into my arm, loosening up muscles I never knew needed attention or were even there. The 50 minutes ended with the masseuses placing hot towels on our

feet, squeezing our heels and pressing on each toenail. It was pure bliss for someone who spends a lot of time in ski boots two sizes too small. On our way out, I booked a hair appointment. At $35, the price is right, and I figured I could pop in the salon after another day of skiing. I might even get a pedicure, to treat my tired feet. Visit bigskyresort.com/acitvities/ spa for a full list of treatments, including an adjusting to altitude massage, Big Sky facials and mud wraps.

Big Sky Weekly

Creighton Block

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

ARTI ST PR O FI LE 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.

Todd Connor “Protector” 36” x 24”

B IG S K Y TOWN C E N T E R

1 0 : 3 0 A M - 6 : 3 0 P M TU ES DAY TH RU S U NDAY M O N DAY S BY APPOI NTM ENT

4 0 6- 9 9 3 - 9 4 0 0

C REI G H TO NBL O C KG A L L E RY. C O M

Ar twork also displayed at Outlaw Par tners and Lone Mountain Ranch Dining Room

www.PruMT.com 406.995.4060 • 800.995.4060 Big Sky Town Center • 55 Lone Peak Drive • Suite 3 Prudential Montana Real Estate is your statewide real estate company with 12 offices to serve you in the communities of Big Sky, Bozeman, Dillon, Ennis, Sheridan, Twin Bridges, Hamilton, Florence, Missoula, Seeley Lake & Polson.

PRice ReducTiON

beaVer creek weSt • • • •

$1,725,000 • #157935 • call don

4 bd, 6 ba, 4,001 +/- sf custom home furnished, deck on three sides 20 +/- acres, trout pond, stream tremendous views of the Spanish Peaks

North fork rd, tract 2

North fork rd, tract 8

PiNewood hiLLS eState

• • • •

$1,400,000• #180623 • call Stacy

20 acres Triple Triangle Ranch extraordinary views and nordic ski trail access desirable, private enclave contiguous to North Fork Tract 8

$1,100,000 • #180527 • call Stacy

20 acres Triple Triangle Ranch hiking and ski trails to lot desirable, private enclave contiguous to tract 2 to create 40 acres

$1,075,000 • #175582 • call George

3 bd, 5 ba, 4,500 +/- sf home 8 +/- acres (2 contiguous lots), pond beautiful natural landscaping, mature trees fabulous location w/great mtn views

NeW LiSTiNg

craiL raNch towNhome

Powder ridGe cabiN

• • • •

$990,000 • #180839 • call George

4 bd, 4 ba, 3,500 +/- sf furnished with over $124,000 furniture next to flowing creek with outstanding views heated 2 car attached garage

$795,000 • #176798 • call Stacy

4 bd, 3 ba, 2,577 +/- sf, furnished ski-in/ski-out to White Otter lift numerous upgrades, river rock fireplace see virtual tour: ossoriorealestategroup.com

LoSt traiLS Lot #6 $775,000 • #179325. • call Stacy

• • • •

20 +/- acres, 8 lot subdivision Spanish Peaks views, sunny lot 3 miles to Big Sky Ski and Summer resort fabulous location with outstanding views

uNdeR cONTRacT

beaVer creek w, Lot 13 • • • •

$695,000 • #176399 • call don

20 +/- acres, spectacular views located on gentle slope, private driveway ideal for a new home, well is drilled convenient to all of Big Sky

mooSe ridGe rd uNit a • • • •

• • • •

3 bd, 3 ba, 2,054 +/- sf gourmet kitchen, knotty alder cabinets gas rock fireplace, furnishings negotiable deck, 1 car attached garage

2,790 +/- sf free standing condo ski-in/ski-out timber framed home backing up to running creek/open space furnished with outdoor hot tub

caScade Lot 69b

aLPeNGLow coNdo 18c $396,000 • #174888 • call eric or Stacy

$649,000 • #181010 • call anne

• • • •

$299,000 • #174621 • call Stacy

premier mountin enclave Spanish Peak views close to Thunder Wolf lift Big Sky sewer and water

355 Low doG road • • • •

$759,000 • #180986 • call marc

4 bd, 3.5 ba, 3136 +/- sf, 1+ acre lot fresh paint, wood floor at the base of Wardance ski run nestled in the trees at Mountain Village

NeW LiSTiNg

GaLLatiN hiGhLaNdS • • • •

$575,000 • #180951 • call Stacy

20 acre tract w/gorgeous mtn views price includes Locati Home plans south facing, old growth fir trees compelling price and offering

raiNbow trout ruN • • • •

$479,000 • #176526 • call Stacy

3 bd, 2.5 ba, 2365+/- sf, custom finishes bonus room above 2 car attached garage massive wood burning stone fireplace hot tub, flagstone patio with fire pit

aNtLer ridGe, Lot 149

LookiNG GLaSS rd Lot 63

• • • •

$269,000 • #161824 • call don

.35 +/- acre lot, Lone Mtn. views exceptional building site, southern exposure community water system between Mountain and Meadow Villages

$225,000 • #181151 • call Stacy

.28 +/- acre beautiful lot mountain views looking over golf course located just minutes from new Town center community water and sewer adjacent to property

uNdeR cONTRacT

caStLe rock tract • • • •

$195,000 • #155585 • call don

1.84 +/- acres close river build home, B&B, or guest cabin great views of castle Rock electricity, Natural gas available

ramShorN, Lot 4 • • • •

$189,500 • #180395 • call don

nice level building lot all season easy access great views of Porcupine creek electricity and phone to lot

Don Pilotte, Broker, GRI, RRS, SFR, 406.580.0155 Eric Ossorio, Broker, 406.539.9553 Stacy Ossorio, Broker, 406.539.8553 Debbie Applebaum, Sales Associate, 406.570.7474

aNtLer ridGe LotS

$105,000 • #156549/#156551 • call George

• • • •

.46 +/- acres lots wonderful building sites, gorgeous views water & sewer (septic) metered purchase 1 lot or make an offer on both

1350 hiLL coNdo • • • •

$36,000 • #179795 • call eric

1 bd, 1 ba, 440 +/- sf top floor unit overlooks lake great condition very nice upgrades, short sale

Toni Delzer, Sales Associate, 406.570.3195 Anne MacKenzie, Sales Associate, 406.223.1095 Peter MacKenzie, Sales Associate, 406.223.1195 Mark Dobrenski, Sales Associate, 406.599.2175 George Hagar, Sales Associate, 406.580.2248 Marc Lauermann, Sales Assoc., ABR, SFR, 406.581.8242

explorebigsky.com

environmental column

The Judith Wind Gap Farm project with the Big Snowy Mountains in the background

By Nick Engelfried

Big Sky Weekly Environmental Columnist

When the Judith Gap Energy Center began producing wind energy on a commercial scale in 2006, it marked the beginning of a new chapter in Montana’s energy history. Composed of 90 wind turbines, each more than 250 feet high, the Judith Gap project was the first major wind installation connected to the grid in Montana. Today, Judith Gap has a generating capacity of 135 megawatts. This electricity is sold to NorthWestern Energy—the company that services two-thirds of Montana’s grid. In addition to producing clean, renewable energy, the wind farm has proven an asset for the local economy.

revenue, this time in the form of taxes paid to the state. The Judith Gap farm is on a mix of private and state lands, and there is potential for wind development on state lands throughout Montana. Judith Gap has been surpassed in size by NaturEner’s threephase project near Shelby. The 106.5-megawatt Glacier Wind 1 project began operation in 2008, followed by the slightly smaller Glacier Wind 2 in 2009. The third phase of NaturEner’s wind investment in Montana, the 189-megawatt Rim Rock project, is slated to begin operation by the end of this year. All three wind farms are located on private lands in Glacier and Toole counties.

Judith Gap, a town of less than 200, has benefitted from construction and maintenance jobs brought in by the wind farm, as well as increased tourism. Wind farms on private lands also generate earnings for landowners who lease to energy companies. An attractive thing about wind is it never runs out; so unlike land devoted to coal, oil or gas exploration, lands leased to wind farms can in theory continue turning a profit indefinitely.

A few other small commercial wind farms are also up and running in Montana, with other projects in various stages of development. Wind now produces more than 3 percent of Montana’s total electricity mix—not bad for an industry that was nonexistent only seven years ago. Still, wind has a long way to go before it catches up with coal and hydropower, which produce the vast majority of Montana’s energy.

Like wind farms on private land, projects on state school trust lands can serve as a long-term source of

Montana has plenty of wind to go around; in fact, it’s rated one of the top five U.S. states in terms of wind

Big Sky Weekly

Photo by Emily Stifler

To be successful, wind developers will need to prove they are taking local environmental concerns into account. generation potential. But at present, wind titans like Texas, Iowa and California dwarf our state’s wind industry.

migration paths; but because less is known about bat behavior, impacts on these flying mammals may be overlooked.

It’s not surprising that these highly populated states, with their larger energy demand, would outstrip Montana in wind generation. But at the end of 2010, even Wyoming produced more than three times the wind energy than Montana.

To be successful, wind developers will need to prove they are taking local environmental concerns into account. This means avoiding areas where development has the most impact on wildlife and sensitive ecosystems. It also means keeping nearby residents informed about potential wind development through an open and transparent public process, and working to create local jobs.

One issue is that, even among environmentalists, not everyone agrees all Montana wind projects are good. Though wind is a clean energy source that reduces reliance on other fossil fuels, individual projects may damage the local environment. Opponents of a wind project near Livingston argue turbines will harm golden eagles and other sensitive wildlife. Conservation groups were also concerned when a 2007 study showed Judith Gap turbines were unexpectedly killing hundreds of bats. It turned out the wind farm was located in the path of a bat migration route. Today wind developers are careful to avoid major bird

The question lies in how future developers will rise to meet these challenges. However when harnessed responsibly, wind can produce clean, renewable energy while generating revenue for Montana landowners or schools. Montana has much to gain by finding the best way to use wind. Nick Engelfried is a freelance writer on environmental and energy issues. He is currently working on a Master's in environmental writing at the University of Montana.

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January 13, 2012 31

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Big Sky Weekly

AT M O O N L I G H T L O D G E

M O N TA N A F I N E D I N I N G Open 11 am - 10 pm daily Dinner reservations recommended: (406) 995-7777

JACK CREEK BAR

Open 11 am-close AprĂŠs at Moonlight Lodge - Full menu of beer, wine, alcohol & appetizer selections

moonlightbasin.com 32 January 13, 2012

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Section 3:

Big Sky Weekly

January 13, 2012 Volume 3 // Issue #1

life // land //culture nonprofit

New Bozeman nonprofit works for social change in Pakistan and Morocco Iqra Fund brings health, education and scholarships to rural communities By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

In Arabic, Iqra means read. It’s the first word of the Koran, and it has great power in the Muslim world. When Genevieve Chabot was working as international program manager for the Bozemanbased Central Asia Institute in 2007, she visited Azad Kashmir, Pakistan in the aftermath of an earthquake that killed 80,000. One of the first people she met was a 13-year-old girl named Iqra. The girl’s siblings and mother, a teacher, had all died when the earthquake collapsed their school. Iqra was outside when it hit, and she and her father were the family’s only survivors. Iqra’s father told Genevieve that he and his wife named their daughter because they knew she was going to be the change the community needed. Her education was the way to create that change. “He believed in that. He wanted to see her be able to go to school and come back and serve the community in whatever way she was meant to,” Genevieve said.

During her primary schooling, Iqra was a dedicated student. She dreamed of becoming a doctor for her community. When Genevieve started CAI’s scholarship program a year later, Iqra was one of its first recipients. In a larger sense, the word Iqra means “everyone should have this education,” Genevieve says. “Everyone should be literate.” Genevieve and her husband Doug Chabot have committed much of their lives to Pakistan beyond the three years they worked for CAI. Through Montana State University, Genevieve completed her doctorate in Education, Curriculum and Instruction, focusing on international development, girls’ education, community development and rural school development in Pakistan and Afghanistan. She’s also an adjunct professor at MSU, teaching and developing courses in social justice and international development in remote mountainous countries. Doug, a Forest Service avalanche forecaster in Bozeman, has taken six climbing expeditions into the Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush of Pakistan and Afghanistan. His expeditions hired local cooks, porters and liaison officers, and Doug found they were kind, generous people. And it became evident to him they needed help. “Here we were in these stunning valleys with huge peaks, yet the population was destitute,” he said. “They have no agriculture, money or education, and they’re far from cities…Like anyone in the world, they wanted a better life for their kids.” The Chabots saw that in school, kids learn to read, write and do math, but they also learn basic things like hygiene.

First grade girls in Pakistan

The red X marks the Hushe Valley, one of the places where Iqra Fund is currently working.

Learning to wash your hands and not go to the bathroom in the water supply might seem basic, Doug says, but people have to learn them somewhere. Basic literacy and math skills allow adult women to coordinate business deals in the market, read signs to find the medical clinic, read information on how to better care for crops and livestock, and help children with schoolwork. Plus, an educated mother is more apt to have her kids go to school. “So many women want to know how to read and write their names,” Genevieve said. “So much pride comes with [that].”

When the Chabots left CAI in 2010, they didn’t want to leave behind the work. So, they founded the Iqra Fund in summer 2011. Incorporated as a nonprofit this August, it works with local associations in northern Pakistan and northern Morocco. “The initiatives were what we felt strongly about, not the bricks and mortar,” Genevieve said of their previous work building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although building schools was positive, it was expensive. And when communities lacked health care workers or

teachers who spoke the local dialect, the buildings sat empty. “I look at a school that costs $80,000 to build, and think about the impact that money could have in programs,” Genevieve says. In northern Pakistan, a scholarship to send a girl to high school is less than $1,000 a year. Rural midwife training, plus birthing kits, costs the same. In light of this, Iqra Fund invests in three areas of focus: •

Community health, through health workshops and training traditional midwives

•

Community education, through tutoring programs for school children, adult literacy, math and vocational training, and providing community libraries with resources

•

Scholarships

These were the most effective way the Chabots saw to invest in social change, to lower infant and maternal mortality, and to increase opportunity for women and girls. “That’s what they’re going to pass on to the next generation,” Genevieve said. Continued on p. 34

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January 13, 2012 33

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nonprofit The two regions where Iqra Fund works are on separate continents, have different cultures and languages, and are more than 2,000 miles apart. But they have parallels. They’re both home to tribal communities that are culturally, socially and geographically isolated from the rest of the nation. They also have high infant and maternal mortality rates, and almost no literacy. And, Iqra Fund is already connected with local associations in both countries. To accomplish sustainable long-term development, you need to invest in the leadership, Genevieve said. That way, it can oversee and continue to invest in the community.

Altas has the capability to implement these programs, Erickson said, because it’s been on the ground for almost six years. “We already have the local contacts, the relationship with government agencies, and the trust of local people.” “What Iqra is able to provide for [us] is their expertise in creating the programming in both the health and education programs,” Erickson said. “It’s perfect for us. We don't have to reinvent the wheel on stuff they already know how to do.” Funding and coordinating a midwife training in a Berber tribal area there this spring will be Iqra’s first project. It’s also committed to provide 10 scholarships for middle and high school girls there.

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Also in Morocco this spring, Iqra Fund will work with an MSU service learning program that Erickson developed and has been directing since 2009. Genevieve will be the 2012 faculty member bringing community health, nursing, pre-medical and education students to volunteer with health workshops and tutoring programs. In Pakistan, Iqra Fund is working with a community group called the Hushe Welfare Development Organization. That group services the Hushe Valley, which is the gateway into the Karakorum Mountains, home to the world famous peak, K2. The area has no electricity and very few schools. On a trip there this January, Genevieve will work with the association to identify the number of girls applying for scholarships for Pakistan in the coming year. She imagines it will likely be around 10.

In Morocco, Iqra Fund has partnered with the Atlas Cultural Foundation, which is run by Cloe Erickson, a Montanan who splits her time between Livingston and Morocco. By partnering with Atlas and its local partners, Iqra can get programs in gear right away.

Ophir School Gymnasium

Through these connections, Iqra Fund has the capacity to reach 15,000 people in Morocco, and 11,000 in Pakistan. But it’ll need help paying for it. The goal is to raise $250,000 in 2012. So far, help has come from local donors, friends and colleagues around the country. Plus, Genevieve has family members working in venture capital and at Google who’ve offered support. This fall, the Chabots worked in the U.S. to build Iqra into a “solid organization with a strong board of directors and a high level of transparency.” Now they’re growing relationships and programs in the field. Genevieve plans to spend six months each year in Pakistan and Morocco. Doug will work three to four.

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Traditional midwife and women for Morocco training

“It works well to develop close relationships with the communities to know how to best serve them,” said Genevieve, who will be in Pakistan when this story goes to print. She said she’s thrilled to reconnect with friends she made during her tenure with CAI. “I’m excited to see them, to help them solve problems, and provide them with resources that change their lives. It’s not [like] I’m going in and fixing things for them. We truly are friends.”

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Overall BSSEF Women’s Results Saturday: 2: Alexa Coyle 6: Kuka Holder 13: Valerie Hetherington 15: Kodi Boersma 16: Heidi Wills 19: Riley Becker 21: Mackenzie Winters 22: Maci St Cyr 26: Madison Winters 32: Kassidy Boersma 37: Annika Eriksson 40: Mazie Schreiner 43: Franci St. Cyr 44: Megan Robbins 45: Nehalen Manka 47: Laken Trebesch 53: Raley Warga DNF: Reece Bell DNF: Madison Rager Overall BSSEF Men’s Results Saturday: 5: Kyle Wills 6: Wessley Robbins 15: Harrison Schreiner 17: Beck Trebesch 32: Sam Johnson 33: Ben McCabe 37: Reid Warga 38: Charlie Lerch

41: Cody Clack 43: Will Hodgson 50: Nolan Robbins 51: Alex Rager 52: Caleb Unger DNF: Joe Olson DNF: Cole Patterson DQ: Luke Kirchmayr Overall BSSEF Women’s Results Sunday: 6: Kuka Holder 7: Alexa Coyle 10: Valerie Hetherington 14: Maci St Cyr 15: Reece Bell 16: Heidi Wills 17: Kodi Boersma 21 Mackenzie Winters 22: Madison Winters 39: Nehalem Manka 41: Madison Rager 44: Laken Trebesch 46: Franci St Cyr 47: Annika Erkisson 52: Kassidy Boersma 54: Mazie Schreiner 55: Raley Warga DNF: Riley Becker Overall BSSEF Men’s Results Sunday: 2: Kyle Wills 4: Wesley Robbins 14: Beck Trebesch 18: Joe Olson 21: Cole Patterson 23: Sam Johnson 28: Ben McCabe 30: Alex Rager 31: Will Hodgson 35: Charlie Lerch 40: Reid Warga DNF: Harry Schreiner DQ: Luke Kirchmayr DQ: Caleb Unger

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By brandon niles

big sky weekly sports writer

Game of Kings The Sacramento Kings are one of the young and exciting teams in the NBA right now.

team off to a 2–3 start to the season, the Kings unexpectedly fired coach Westphal.

The team has Tyreke Evans, a potent scorer with the ability to develop into a star. Paired with Evans in the backcourt is rookie Jimmer Fredette, an excellent shooter in his first season out of BYU.

Only the Kings’ management knows for sure if personality issues involving Cousins led to the firing of Westphal, but I’d be surprised if it wasn’t the biggest factor. The Kings are hoping that Cousins can be a superstar for their team.

Additionally, the Kings have DeMarcus Cousins, an enigmatic yet tremendously talented force in the frontcourt. Marcus Thornton, J.J. Hickson and John Salmons round out this talented team. The Kings have been banking on these young players, under head coach Paul Westphal, to carry them back to the playoffs and into basketball relevance. The Western Conference is experiencing a power shift as the rosters of the Lakers, Spurs and Mavericks are aging rapidly. This shift should provide an opening for a young team like the Kings to take the reigns and contend for the Western Conference title. Despite this potential, something seems amiss in Sacramento, as the Kings look inconsistent so far this season. The team struggles with typical problems that come with inexperience including turnovers, missed assignments and similar breakdowns. But they’ve also suffered from tremendous internal conflict. Only a few games into the season, word leaked out that Cousins had requested to be traded from the team. There were multiple conflicts between Cousins and Westphal last season, as well. Additionally, bench altercations between Cousins and the Kentucky coaching staff were common scenes while he was in college. These issues contributed to his being selected fifth in the draft last year, despite being widely considered a top prospect. After the trade request, Cousins was forced to sit out a game. Shortly after, Cousins denied the reports of his trade request. Days later, with the

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However, I question this course of action. Everything we’ve seen so far from Cousins indicates that he lacks the maturity to step into NBA greatness. Evans is far from the most reliable player, and these two fiery talents are supposed to be the future for the Kings. My solution is to trade them both and try to get as much in return as possible. This won’t be a popular opinion, but you can’t turn a young team driven by immaturity into a consistent winner. While these two players will light up the stat sheets from time to time and occasionally look brilliant, they will ultimately hinder the progress of the franchise and create headaches in the process. Players with these types of problems often thrive in an environment where they can learn from veteran stars under the guidance of a well-respected and long tenured coach. Conversely, they tend to foster an environment of undisciplined behavior on and off the court on teams which ask too much of them early on. While Evans is not nearly the head case that Cousins appears to be, it may be best to move on, before the Kings are too far into their future. Otherwise, I fear that the other pieces they have in place may suffer from the negative environment brewing in Sacramento. Brandon Niles has done online freelance writing about professional sports since 2007. His articles range from NFL news to team-specific commentary. A Communication Studies graduate student at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Niles is also an avid Miami Dolphins fan, which has led to his becoming an avid Scotch whisky fan over the past decade.

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Big Sky Weekly

The avalanche that killed the snowmobiler on Dec. 31, 2011 happened on Henderson Mountain outside of Cooke City. He triggered the slide in the largest bowl pictured here.

Tragic consequences

Cooke City’s New Year’s avalanche fatalities story and photos by emily stifler big sky weekly managing editor

At 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, I was holed up with three friends in a dark corner of the Miner’s Saloon, in Cooke City. We were sipping whiskey and Bud Lights, and playing bad pool. We’d rolled into town from Bozeman that evening, at the tail end of a storm that dumped three feet of heavy snow atop a weak base. That afternoon, as the storm lifted, the ridge top winds had blown more than 50 mph. After a few rounds of pool, two guys from Great Falls put their quarters down on our table, challenging Pat and me to the next game. One of the Great Falls boys broke, sinking two solids. “Did you hear about the guy that died up on Henderson Mountain today?” one of them, Matt, asked, looking at us. We shook our heads. “Yeah, a guy from eastern Montana,” he said. “They dug him out in 12 minutes, but he died of trauma.” Matt described a massive slide on a wind-loaded slope in Fisher Creek, near Lulu Pass, a popular place above town for snowmobiling. We’d been planning to ski tour in that area the next day.

I was a long time falling asleep, thinking about the fatalities, and about the team of searchers still out that night.

Similar tragic accidents occur almost every year in Cooke City and around the region. Huddled in a deep, narrow mountain valley at 7,651 feet, Cooke is four miles from the northeastern corner of Yellowstone National Park. Originally built around gold mines, the town of about 100 is at the base of the Beartooth Highway and is a major tourist stop in summer. It has no cell service, and is at least an hour and a half from the nearest hospital. In winter, when the Beartooth Highway isn’t plowed, Cooke is literally the end of the road. Since the ‘90s, it’s been a destination for off-trail snowmobilers from Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin. They outnumber backcountry skiers nearly 20-to-1, and the snowmobile club grooms trails to Lulu and Daisy passes, several miles out of town. Ten and 11,000-foot mountains rise directly above town, and the backcountry skiing and snowboarding opportunities are basically unlimited, says Jay Schiffer-

decker from the Silvertip Mountain Center in nearby Silvergate. But this comes with inherent danger. The big, open terrain that characterizes the mountains around Cooke is serious avalanche country. Plus, the area attracts backcountry enthusiasts of all abilities. “We get a lot of people here who haven’t been off the highway, or off a flat trail. Maybe they’ve been to a resort,” said Jeff Ohlinger, co-owner of the Elkhorn Lodge. “This ain’t a resort. It’s rugged here.” By 8 a.m., snowmobiles were roaring around Main Street. I walked to the Bearclaw Bakery and ordered espresso and breakfast sandwiches on homemade biscuits to go. In the Exxon, while Nick rented a snowmobile, I read the avalanche report and found out the missing skier, a Bozeman man, had also been buried in a slide and killed. Avalanche activity had been widespread across the region. A handwritten note in red marker hung near the cash register, warning that the avalanche danger was high.

They finished us off quickly on the pool table, and I headed to the bar for another round. There, I overheard a conversation about a cross-country skier missing above town. Several members of the local search and rescue team were out looking for him. We hung out for another hour, watching the Great Falls guys get quickly beat by a couple of sharks from North Dakota. We sat talking about snow and avalanches, then just talking. By the time the karaoke started up, we’d lost steam. Before midnight, we piled into our room across the street at the Elkhorn Lodge and laid around watching Kenny Chesney on TV.

38 January 13, 2012

This photo, taken Jan. 2, shows a natural avalanche north of Lulu Pass, of Cooke City. Avalanche activity, both natural and human triggered, was widespread throughout Southwest Montana that weekend.

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outdoors Susan Jack manages the Exxon and has been a Cooke resident for more than 20 years. Her partner Rick Sommers has been here his whole life; he owns the Exxon, which also rents snowmobile equipment. Rick and their son Lucas were part of the search and eventual body recovery the night before, which took place several miles up Hayden Creek, east of town. “People have to use their judgment,” Susan said. “This is a wonderful place to snowmobile and ski… [But] when the avalanche danger is as high as it is now and was yesterday, you’ve really got to take a look at the big picture around you. That’s basic.”

Main St. Cooke City

She credits the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center with making avalanche information available to everyone, and says many businesses in Cooke are pitching in. Most post the advisory and talk to people every morning before they go out for the day.

After digging another pit and finding surprisingly stable conditions on lower elevation, less-steep slopes, we skied a few short laps in the trees. We snuck through tree alleys and mellow meadows, making turns in the kind of creamy powder that you want to spend the rest of your life skiing. After seeing that avalanche, I couldn’t stop thinking about mortality, and about being in the mountains. It’s a place many of us go to seek personal satisfaction—in recreation, solitude or camaraderie.

Bearclaw Bob’s Sells and rents avalanche gear In Cooke, next to the Super 8. (406) 838-2040

The two victims were killed doing drastically different activities. One was high marking a wind loaded alpine slope with his snowmobile, something that puts massive force on a fragile snowpack. The other was ski touring up an easy trail in the mountains when he walked beneath an avalanche path and triggered it from below. If there’s a message in the aftermath of these tragedies, it shouldn’t be ‘Don’t go to Cooke.’ Instead, it’s about knowing when to be conservative: “There are good days, and there are bad days,” said Doug Chabot, director of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. Last year, he noted, the snowpack there was exceptionally safe, overall. But over New Year’s weekend this year, the avalanche danger peaked more than it had in a long time.

At 10 a.m. we fired up the machines and headed out of town, Pat and I tandem on his snowmobile, and Nick and Carly rode a Ski-Doo.

“Right now and probably for a little bit longer, we’ve got higher avalanche danger. This year, because of the lack of snow in November, the snow structure is really bad. We’re going to pay the price on that for a while because it built all that loose sugary snow at the ground.”

“You just have to stick to slopes that are less than 30 degrees,” Chabot said. “You can have a blast, but you’ve got to be super diligent to pull that off.”

We skinned up a low-angle slope through trees, dug a pit, and stopped to practice with our beacons on a flat bench.

This also means accurately assessing if you’re on or underneath avalanche terrain; carrying an inclinometer and measuring every slope angle; and being aware of the consequences of even a small avalanche—all things our group did that day in Fisher Creek.

Nearby, we could see where a large avalanche had come down Henderson Mountain’s wind-hammered northeast face the day before. Even in the flat light, the debris pile was obvious. A five-foot crown line loomed 800 feet near the ridgeline. Curious, we skinned up a treed rib between two of the avalanches and stopped in a safe spot overlooking the larger, easternmost one. Six hundred feet above us, a shallow crown line contoured across the sub-alpine runnels for 500 feet. Another 400 feet above that was another, deeper crown. Two hundred feet below, a broken tree and a massive hole marked the spot where the snowmobiler was dug out. We stood quietly, blown away by the destructive power.

Cooke City Search and Rescue, EMS Cooke City will host a hog roast the weekend of March 10. The event will include live music, an auction and karaoke. All proceeds benefit the local volunteer SAR and EMS teams.

Upcoming avalanche courses There are many avalanche courses available in Southwest Montana this winter. They range from one-hour awareness to in-depth courses for intermediate/expert backcountry users. The GNFAC courses are cheap and easy to take. The level one and two classes are more involved, and designed for people who are serious about spending time in avalanche terrain. For more details and a list of classes in February and March, visit mtavalanche. com/education. Jan. 14, 5 – 6 p.m. One-hour avalanche awareness Cooke City Community Center

But as we discovered, you can still travel safely in the backcountry, even during a high danger cycle.

The sky was gray, and a light wind blew snow across ridges 2,000 feet above us. An avalanche about 40 feet wide had ripped out in a north-facing gully above us, running 500 feet. In the next gully was a pair of ski tracks.

For avalanche gear and rentals in Cooke City and Silvergate: Silvertip Mountain Center Sells and rents avalanche equipment In Silvergate, four miles from Cooke (800) 863-0807

Everyone in town is affected when something like this happens, said Lisa Ohlinger, co-owner of the Elkhorn Lodge. “Either you or your family are part of the search team, or the person who was killed was staying at your business.”

The first four miles up Fisher Creek toward Lulu Pass were on a flat trail nowhere near avalanche terrain. We stopped near a dilapidated mining cabin, just before the trail crossed under several slide paths.

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Jan. 17, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. 20/20 Hindsight - lessons from recent accidents Montana Import Group, 31910 E. Frontage Rd, Bozeman Jan. 17, 7 – 8 p.m. One-hour avalanche awareness MSU-Western Swysgood Technology Center, Dillon

But all of this isn’t necessary just to stay alive in avalanche terrain. Instead, the basic avalanche education is the number one thing people should get before they even get gear. “It’s not about understanding the stability tests, or about the subtleties of reading terrain,” Chabot says. “The basics are what keep us alive a lot of the time— recognizing signs of instability like whumphing, shooting cracks, or seeing other avalanches. Education opens peoples’ eyes so they look at the mountains differently.” Emily Stifler worked as an avalanche professional for five winters before she became editor of this publication in 2010. She has been backcountry skiing for more than a decade.

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January 13, 2012 39

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Gear review

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Julbo Revolution goggles with Zebra lens By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

I am a chameleon. When I ski in the sun, I don’t have to squint. When the shadows fall over the mountain, I can still see, even with my goggles on. That’s because the Zebra lenses in my Julbo Revolution goggles are photo chromatic. They respond and block 49 to 93 percent of UV light in around 20 seconds, temperature dependent. Julbo manufactures its lenses out of NXT, a derivative of Tyvex originally designed for use in military helicopter windshields and riot shields. “So, it’s actually a ballistic material, but we don’t encourage people to shoot each other on the ski slope,” said Nick Yardley, the head of Julbo USA. NXT has higher optical quality and scratch resistance than polycarbonate, the material from which most goggles are made, Yardley said. And since the photosensitive chemical is trapped inside the NXT, it can’t scratch or wear off. Based in France’s Jura Mountains, Julbo has been making sunglasses since 1888 and is known for its high end lenses and mountaineering optics. Its ski

goggles have been around for several years, but it wasn’t until recently that the company brought on Glen Plake and poured some serious effort into that line. It worked. I’ve been wearing the Revolutions in the backcountry, and they’ve never fogged, even while skinning. Their medium fit is comfortable on my narrow face. The extension strap makes them helmet compatible, and the silicone lining is good for making it not fall off my helmet.

My friends keep telling me they’re sitting crooked on my face. But they don’t feel crooked. So I’m wondering if it’s just my face. Anyway, the Revolutions are comfortable, lightweight, bomber and even look cool. And they’re just one in a line of technical photo chromatic goggles that should meet the needs of any skier in the country, Yardley said. Nice work, Julbo. You’ve arrived in the ski industry. julbousa.com $160

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Serendipity in Punta Arenas, Chile by Felicia Ennis

Big Sky Weekly Contributor

I never really understood what it meant when people said they’re set in their ways. Until recently. I started feeling comfortable in my house, on my street, in my neighborhood and in my state. It surfaced as a reluctance to buy a plane ticket. I noticed it as I questioned the practicality of foreign travel in a slow economy. It lingered in the simplicity of home. And then, I got a really big itch. Hives! There is a person inside of me who loves travel, foreign languages, the serendipity of meeting new people, and ultimately coming home again. She bowled into me, reminding me I have work to do and that work requires me to travel, and that it will certainly be worth it. While traveling in Chile for work this past November, I made a connection that will forever encourage me to pack my bags and head out into the unknown, even alone. This connection reminded me of the fascinating world beyond my house, my street and my town. A day after flying into Santiago, Chile’s capital, I flew further south to Punta Arenas, the southernmost city in South America. This dynamic wind-blown city is a launch pad for adventure and a staging ground for cutting edge scientific exploration and expeditions to Antarctica. I went to visit friends and co-workers who live in Punta Arenas several months a year, using it as a base to access Antarctica. To my delight, just hours after arriving I was drinking a schop, a draft beer, with five accomplished Antarctic scientists and guides. I struck up a conversation with Chris, a soft-spoken British engineer and the program manager of a project studying an Antarctic sub-glacial lake. He told me about his work, and I was intrigued. Lake Ellsworth, a liquid lake beneath 3.2 kilometers of ice, has been cut off from our biosphere for hundreds of thousands of years,

Top: Lake Ellsworth drilling site with Ellsworth Mountains in background photo courtesy of the British Bottom: Punta Arenas city photo by Felicia Ennis

Antarctic Survey

possibly even millions. Chris was about to fly 70 tons of specialized equipment to Antarctica, for a 2012 project to extract a water sample from the lake. The study will look for life forms in the water and clues to past climates in the lakebed sediments. One of the most exciting and ambitious explorations of our time, Chris said it has potential to find new life forms, or life forms that have ceased to exist in our world.

.com We provide expert travel consultation, custom itneraries, budget options, local guides, and bookings all over the world 406.223.2595 • t r avel @ b el l at reks . com

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As I listened to Chris describe this work, my three-week trip to Chile seemed worthwhile. As owner of a boutique travel

business, my work requires me to explore the world and to connect with people, and then to share those connections. Here, I was witness to enormous opportunity, and felt romanced by the possibilities it opened. Having left my comfortable neighborhood, I found intrigue in the foreign and frozen. Before the beer was gone I learned that he was working closely with a similar scientific program based at Montana State University and plans to visit Bozeman in April. It sent chills down my spine to be so far from home and at the same time right at home.

Felicia Ennis owns Bella Treks, an international travel business. She draws from her own travel experiences to create unique custom itineraries. bellatreks.com To learn more about the Lake Ellsworth project, visit ellsworth.org.uk.

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entertainment

The Infamous String Dusters

Big Sky Weekly

Photo by Anna Schwaber

The Infamous String Dusters By max lowe

How have you all grown since then?

When I first sampled the acclaimed album “Fork in the road” by The Infamous String Dusters, it was immediately evident why bluegrass enthusiasts across the country declare love for this Nashville quintet.

TB: From my perspective, some bands are from the start amazing and can continue doing what they started doing and remain successful. Since we started playing together, we have been continually changing and evolving our style. Each member has equal input in the creative process, so as each of us evolves our personal technique, the collective style of the entire band changes. We are, in many ways, an entirely different ensemble from when we began playing together.

big sky weekly contributor

With a full spectrum of songs from slow, soulful bluegrass ballads to ripping instrumental folk tunes, the band thoroughly put together the various talents and influences of each of its members. In doing so, they created something great. Rumor has it, their shows are a figurative hurricane of plucking, strumming and picking madness that somehow strikes a chord with most onlookers’ folk-fired heart strings.

Where do the group’s influences lie?

Currently, the band consists of Travis Brooke (standup bass), Andy Hall (dobro), Andy Falco (guitar), Chris Pandolfi (banjo) and Jeremy Garrett (fiddle). They’ve toured together for five years and produced four albums.

TB: Oh man, all over the place. Two of the guys played in rock bands; two of us attended the Berklee College of Music. I grew up playing jazz, bluegrass and modern pop, so all of those genres have influenced my style. We have band members who have played with Yonder Mountain String Band and The String Cheese Incident, so each of us have very uniquely honed but different musical styles.

Q+A

What makes The Infamous String Dusters unique musically and otherwise?

How did the Infamous String Dusters come into being?

TB: In many bands, one or two of the members do a majority of the writing, but with us, everyone has equal input in writing and in creative molding of the band’s image. We also all share equal stage presence, with no person holding the spotlight. We don’t have a single target audience, so we try and make our shows available to people who might want to be dancing and getting energetic with the music, and to families who might just want to sit and listen.

Travis Brooke: We all met over a long period of time playing together in different bands and becoming acquainted through friends and other music lovers. I began my musical career in Boston, but we were all moving back and forth through Boston, New York and Nashville. We officially started playing as a band and released our first album “Fork in the Road,” in 2007.

The Infamous String Dusters will play two shows in Bozeman at the Filling Station on January 27 and 28 with local bluegrass groups, Flat Cheddar and Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers. Tickets are available at Cactus Records in downtown Bozeman.

What are your favorite venues you've played? The largest? TB: Our favorite venues are probably the ones where the mood is the most organic. Rock clubs, large concert halls and roadhouses are great because they set the scene for the audience to feel the most comfortable. The largest venue we have played was Red Rocks, when we played with Yonder Mountain String Band, but we have also played some festivals such as Outside Lands and the Big Sky Blue Grass Festival, which are super energetic and fun. We love playing at huge venues and having sold out houses of thousands, but we still really enjoy playing small intimate shows like the one at the Filling Station in Bozeman. How often have you played in Montana, and what are your thoughts on Big Sky country? TB: We have played at the Big Sky Bluegrass Festival several times, and [also] shows in Bozeman at different venues. I like Montana. It reminds me a lot of Colorado in the late ‘70s when it still had that rugged western feel to it. I fear that once Montana gets discovered more than it has already, it may lose that eclectic and rustic draw.

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Big Sky Weekly

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The Church of Powder Day Saints Mike's new t-shirt

Home/Condo Prices Headed Up

by mike mannelin

big sky weekly columnist

I got a shirt with Jesus on it for Christmas. Underneath His face, white letters read "The Church of Powder Day Saints." I fell asleep wearing the shirt last night, and I had a dream about a sermon. "Brethren of the Powder Day, we gather together to enrich our lives and to become closer to the powder snow,” the prophet said. “Our relationship with the deep is one of humble reverence and faith. With fat, rockered skis, we embrace these wide open bowls and gladed tree runs, lifting our spirits, knowing that this is where we belong." He began leading the congregation through some of the deepest snow we'd ever skied. Snow hit our smiling faces, stealing breathing space from the densely saturated air. With a flick of our ski tips, we were guided by intuition and gravity. When we reached the bottom, a universal understanding filled our heads. We spent the next moments in silence, on the way back up. At the top of the mountain, the prophet spoke again. "Follow me, and I will show you the path to the white room. Take a breath as you start your turn, descending deep, past your knees, thighs, and waist. You're in up to your chest, moving through the snow. It billows past your face and over your head.” “Leave your worries behind, and give in to gravity. Turn, don't turn, it doesn't matter. This is why we’re here. This is how we respectfully show our devotion. This is the freedom that releases our souls from the troubles of the world."

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I opened my eyes and found myself drooling on the floor with a copy of Powder magazine just out of reach. You know how you can open your eyes, but still be dreaming? The feeling that you're in a good dream and you want to go back? I closed my eyes again, and the butterflies in my stomach gave me the feeling of letting go of everything, free falling, moving back into my dream with a grasp of exactly who I am. As we returned to the bottom, the prophet wrapped up the sermon with an invitation. "My fellow Powder Saints, do not take for granted the depths of snow we have been given. Do not take for granted the fellowship of close friends with whom we have been privileged to share the powder. Please, join me in thankfully celebrating victory on every blessed powder day." The next morning I woke up still wearing my ski pants. Or, perhaps feeling moved by the snow falling from the sky, I had put them on in my sleep.

KARE N DAVI D S Associate (406) 580-5700 Karen@RiversToPeaks.com

JOHN B AUC HMA N Associate (406) 570-1920 JohnB01@aol.com

On the chairlift ride up the mountain, giant white flakes piled up on my lap. In the midst of the falling snow, I heard the echo of the prophet’s message. My head felt clear as the truth presented itself a little more with each inch—just as I had dreamed it. Mike Mannelin has been skiing Big Sky with friends for 15 winters. He is a guide for Alaska Heliskiing and spends his summers in a remote cabin with his wife, dog and some friendly brown bears.

Information from sources deemed reliable, but not guaranteed by Rivers to Peaks. Prices subject to change without notice. Independent investigation is recommended”.

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Big Sky Weekly

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

Big Sky Weekly

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.

Big Sky Youth Empowerment Project By BYEP Crux participant

Bozeman High School 11th grader

I’m one of the many kids in Big Sky Youth Empowerment that hasn’t had a decent or stable home life. Ever since I’ve been able to pour milk into a cereal bowl, I’ve been taking care of myself. When I was little I couldn’t keep track of how many times we moved. Whether it was me being handed off by my mom to my grandparents or moving to places I could never call home, it was awful. For a long time, my mom dealt with bad drug addictions. I never really understood what was going on with her until I was 13. My mom confessed to me that she was using meth. She knew I was immensely affected. I faced a lot of challenges because I always felt alone, angry and ashamed of what life was for me. My focus in school lacked majorly, and I rarely asked for help from anyone. The only things that had meaning for me were my dad and volleyball.

The Crux brings a lot of fundamental skills to the table that kids our age need.

Then, last year, I was introduced to Big Sky Youth Empowerment’s Approach Program by one of my friends. At first, I was shy with my mentors and the other five kids in my group because BYEP was a whole new experience. Then I began to open up. Every Wednesday, we did workshops that were based on things like trust, teamwork, and basic skills. My group started to bond as the season went on. On Sundays, we went to shred at Big Sky Resort, which is something I had never done before. It was amazing.

The three mentors (Mike, Stephanie and Brooke) were a big part of BYEP for me. They were the people that helped shape my thoughts about who I want to be; I finally felt like I wasn’t being ignored and that my thoughts and ideas mattered. I felt more at peace with myself because I began to understand that my mom’s problems weren’t my fault. The Approach provided a positive environment for me. After I finished the Approach,

I knew I wanted to be in the Crux program. So I applied, got interviewed and was accepted after sophomore year. The Crux provides the same basic structure as the Approach, but it helps older teens (juniors and seniors) prepare for the future. I’m stoked to be a part of the Crux because it encourages us to finish high school, which is now really important to me. We’ve learned a lot so far, like how to get into college, find a job, and learn what we want to do with our lives in the future.

Photos courtesy of byep

The Crux brings a lot of fundamental skills to the table that kids our age need. BYEP’s programs have the power to turn kids’ problems into life opportunities. I’m so thankful that BYEP has become a part of my life.

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Big Sky Weekly

Mou n t a in

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Section 4:

Big Sky Weekly

January 13, 2012 Volume 3 // Issue #1

dining//ski areas//events food & dining

Amuse-bouche à la Lone Mountain Ranch Meet LMR’s new chef and indulge in ‘mouth-amusing’ fare By abbie digel

big sky weekly editor

With a new chef and new infrastructure in the kitchen, the Lone Mountain Ranch dining room and saloon have a fresh face, as well as a new menu. The ranch has long been known for its popular sleigh ride dinners, where guests ride a draft horse-drawn sleigh and eat prime rib and other homemade Montana fare in a woodsy cabin. For diners not up for braving the cold, it also offers fine dining from chef Bill Baskin in its main lodge, or for a more low-key affair, the saloon. A short walk from the gear shop, the dining lodge has a rustic cabin feel, with a warm fire and a bison mount keeping watch. The ranch’s top-notch hospitality is put to the test with its foodie-inspired menu. Servers guide guests through selections like parmesan budino (a savory, cheesy custard, topped with arugula and balsamic glaze), and amuse-bouche, a bite-sized meant to whet the palate, selected by chef Baskin. Meaning ‘mouth-amuser’ in French, the amusebouche is usually paired with a fine wine; one night it could be a dainty rye bread topped with beet crisp, horseradish and smoked steelhead roe or perhaps fried cheese curd with smoked apple butter and upland cress. Don’t overlook the soups on the starter menu, which are made and poured at the table. Ask for the cauliflower soup; a bowl of pureed cauli-

The author with Chef Baskin in the Lone Mountain Ranch dining room

flower, green apple, golden raisins and capers, finished with curried brown butter.

appreciation to have “someone of his caliber on the team.”

Baskin first learned to cook at Lone Mountain Ranch in the late nineties under previous owner Bill Schapp. Baskin met his wife there, and they took off traveling around the country. , where he worked under Dallas chef and restaurant franchiser Stephan Pyles. Most recently, he opened his own contemporary American restaurant, in Minneapolis.

Because guests at the ranch usually stay for a week, Baskin changes the menu daily, depending on which ingredients are available. In mid- January, citrus was all over the menu.

Baskin returned to Big Sky this fall. “My wife and I couldn’t get Montana off the brain.” And now with more than a decade of culinary experience under his belt, Baskin has created an irresistible menu.

Sous Chef Jonathan de Wolf prepares Madison Valley trout table side.

Photo by abbie digel

Sous chef Jonathan de Wolf, fresh from San Francisco, is also “a huge contributor to the menu,” Baskin said, expressing

“A lot of people say they’ve never seen a chef use citrus before, but I use it with braises, cures, and desserts,” Baskin said. Try the Madison Valley trout, caught near Virginia City with a citrus fennel cure. It’s served with grilled, roasted potatoes and black truffle vinaigrette. The palate-cleansing orange with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with olive oil is also a standout. Other citrus treats include a blood orange crème brûlée with tarragon, pomegranate and chocolate hazelnut daquois, and warm apple tarte tatin with buttermilk ice cream. The dining room and saloon has four sous chefs, five cooks, and a trained wait staff, all of whom specialize in hospitality. Add this to an everchanging menu that guarantees creative freshness, and you create a gourmet Big Sky experience. Call (406) 995-2782 for reservations in the dining room or saloon, and for weekly specials. Full bar available. lonemountainranch.com

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Big Sky Weekly

BIG SKY ’S FULL SERVICE GROCERY STORE Hand- cut meats • Fresh baked goods • Gourmet items • Beer & wine

LOCAL FRESH Delivery available - have your home stocked upon your arrival! 406-995-4636 Open 7 days a week Extended hours December 15-April 15, 6:30am-10pm Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery

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fun

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Big Sky Weekly

Dog toy review: The Twiz By josh allen

big sky weekly contributor

The new ‘Twiz’ dog toy from West Paw Design is a combination of fetch-toy, tug-toy and hide-the-treat toy. Twist its handles together and throw it like a football for maximum flight, or untwist to hide dog treats inside the treat pocket.

Josh and Holly Allen own and operate Dee-O-Gee in Bozeman. They’ve been helping Montanans take care of their pets naturally since 2008. The Twiz is available at their storefront at 8th & Main in Bozeman or online at Dee-OGee.com.

A popular trick is to put canned dog food or peanut butter in the treat pocket and freeze. Your dog will have a ball trying to get at the frozen goodness inside! Because it’s made of West Paw’s durable, buoyant Zogoflex material, you can use the Twiz in almost any environment. If it ends up soiled after an exhaustive outdoor play session (or if your dog can't get the all of frozen food from the treat pocket and you don't want to touch it), you can run it through the dishwasher on the top rack to clean. Durability? The Twiz is 100 percent guaranteed, even for the toughest chewers. We've been selling it at DeeO-Gee (in Bozeman, a town full of big dogs) since it came out last fall and haven’t had any returns.

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Big Sky Weekly

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on tour

Big Sky Weekly

volunteers are there to ski and keep that mountain open. We know it’ll snow and they’ll open.”

Montana Sweet 16 16 ski areas in 16 days

By day 10 they’d driven 2,400 miles, their stoke was still growing, and their legs were still running strong. “It’s been so much fun to ski a day, get in the car and drive to the next hill,” Birkenbuel said. “We’re addicted to it right now.” Red Lodge, Showdown, Bear Paw, Teton Pass, Turner Mountain, Whitefish Mountain, Lookout Pass and Montana Snowbowl were all new spots for Birkenbuel. And although 2011 ended on a rocky note, 2012 has been easy, he said. “Skiing is what I do because I love it. I’m here for a reason, and I have to share that energy with everyone. This is the biggest opportunity of my life.”

Cory taking in the views from the Summit at for the first time

By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

MONTANA – When Cory Birkenbuel woke up on Nov. 27 his porch was on fire. He grabbed a couple of things and ran. The entire house burned, and Birkenbuel lost almost everything he owned, but was unharmed. He could have been devastated, but the 33-year-old Dillon native looked at the bright side instead. “I gained so much through that with love and support from the Dillon community. And I had [the Montana Sweet 16] project to look forward to, so I had to keep going.” Birkenbuel’s senior project at University of Montana-Western’s business administration school was to ski all of Montana’s 16 ski areas in 16 days, i.e. Montana Sweet 16. So, he took off for Big Sky on Jan. 1 with Kevin Hilton, an MSU film student and a childhood ski friend from Maverick Mountain. On day two, he skied the North Summit Snowfield with Moonlight Basin’s Erik Morrison.

Photo by Erik Morrison

“That was a challenge for me,” Birkenbuel said. “It pushed me as a skier, mentally and physically. It made me a better person.” The boys got into their first powder, at Whitefish Mountain Resort. The dry weather the previous nine days didn’t stop them from having fun.

the area didn’t have enough snow to open yet. But Team Sweet 16 hiked and skied it anyways. The Chippewa Cree’s love of skiing was impressive, Birkenbuel said. “Those people have passion like no other. It’s really cool that a bunch of

They’ve been filming the tour, and plan to launch a website promoting Montana ski areas this summer. After all, the ultimate goal is to inspire others. “I hope I make people jealous. I want them to say, ‘Hey, I wanna go do this. I’ve gotta go skiing.”

“Everywhere we go people are welcoming. Everything has been positive.” As they traveled, they spread the word about their mission via Facebook, gaining hundreds of followers quickly. When they arrived at Bear Paw, on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation on Jan. 7,

Shredding the groomers at Moonlight Basin

Photo by Erik Morrison

Snowboarders gather to “Smash Life” in memory of lost loved one

Ninety-eight snowboarders stood in the bright sun on a hill at Big Sky Resort on Friday, Jan. 6 to remember the life of Aaron Robinson, who passed away last year while snowboarding in Chile. The air filled with hoots and whoops for each rider as organizers sent riders one by one down the starting ramp and into the banked slalom course. Contributions from the $15 sign-up fee and the screening of A-Rob’s movie Manifest go to the Whitefish-based Robinson family’s charity, the Plant-A-Seed Foundation, created in A-Rob’s memory to benefit underprivileged Montana riders. Riders Todd Kirby and Sarris McComb went on to win the event on Friday. The event heads to Alpental in Washington on Jan. 21. Shane Stalling, who organized the event at Big Sky, said he hopes to turn Smash Life into an annual event. T.W. Photo by Chris Davis

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word from the resorts

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Big Sky Weekly

Moonlight Basin Big Sky Somebody has to be first. The first person in the lift line, first on the ridge, first tracks or first hit. On the first Tuesday of 2012, that someone was not me. Seven hours deep into my media binge, I’d been clicking, watching, reading, writing, importing, editing and dreaming … about everything snow. Such is the life of a SMD (Social Media Dude). Out my window the Spanish Peaks beamed in the afternoon sun. Fluffy Super Mario stratus clouds were forming above Beehive Peak. The icicles adorning my windowsill were starting to percolate and come alive. Time to unplug and go shred. Suited and booted; I headed out to make a quick Headwaters lap before closing. Maybe I could be lucky enough to be last. I spent most of December was chasing powder on Iron Horse and making Summit laps, and hadn’t been in the Headwaters yet this season. Honestly, I was skeptical about conditions. There hadn't been a lot of intel about this area, and minimal traffic. It could be good... or it could be coral reef. Riding Lone Peak is always an adventure. I met up with Pat Gannon at the access gate. He was doing some recon for the Freeski World Tour qualifier later this month and said Three Forks was skiing pretty well. I was still skeptical but inspired by his attitude. Besides, Pat wouldn't be doing another hike if it truly sucked. The snow around the Hillary Step was firm but smooth. The wind had buffed it to perfection. I looked over at the entrance of Third Fork, then followed it to the constriction and the valley below.

Pat Gannon and Erick Morrison on top of Third Fork

Pat was right. This was going to be good! A quick gear check, some billygoating, and we were in. I watched as Pat dropped and arced fast fluid turns out of sight. I stood there a few moments, taking in the views of the Spanish Peaks, enjoying the silence and feeling thankful. I rocked back and forth, testing my edges, and feeling the snow underfoot. Staring down the barrel of Third Fork, I visualized my line, then jumped into my first turn to test the waters. The snow was chalky and grippy. My edge held solid as I drove through the

courtesy of Erik Morrison

turn. I released into the next turn, and another, and another. It was fast, firm and rippable all the way to the valley floor. Twenty minutes later we were atop the ridgeline again, hiking toward Three Forks. Over the radio I heard patrol dispatch's announcement. Headwaters hiking gate was now closed. I looked over at Pat and smiled. Everyone wants to be first, but sometimes it’s good to be last. -Erik Morrison

Big Sky Resort Big Sky

Discovery Ski Area Phillipsburg It snowed at Discovery, too! Disco now has its Granite and Limelight backside chairlifts open, and is slowly approaching 100 percent of its terrain, said the vice president and operations manager Ciche Pitcher.

Snow: Big Sky Resort is now up to 3,381 open acres. Check out the smooth, wind-buffed cream off the Lone Peak Tram.

He imagined the West Bowl terrain off Limelight would open soon, and said conditions in the East Bowl have been really nice.

Events: Get ready for SnoBar. Party at a bar made completely of ice and snow on Jan. 14 and Jan. 21 for the Jamie Pierre SnoBar benefitting the Pierre family. 21+, $5 cover.

The Silver Chief chair, a recent addition that accesses terrain closer to Phillipsburg, will probably be the last thing to open since it’s at lower elevation, Pitcher said. The terrain park is really popping right now, Pitcher said. They’ve got seven jumps and seven box and jib features. “It’s the best our park’s ever been, no question.” Discovery has some serious deals coming up for college students. The spring semester pass sale is coming up, and a Jan. 22 deal offering $19 lift tickets for anyone enrolled in a secondary institution. If you go, don’t miss the legendary baked goods. Everything is homemade from scratch by baker Kathy Hollatz. And they have heritage. “The recipes are so old, some of them originated before the ski area,” Pitcher said. If you’re not in the mood for sweets, try a pasty by head chef is Mike Sauer. Yum. E.S.

54 January 13, 2012

What’s new: With the best conditions and most open acres in the Rockies, Big Sky Resort has extended free skiing to Colorado and California ski passholders when they book with Big Sky Central Reservations through January. Visit bigskyresort.com/epic for details.

Maverick Torchlight Parade on New Year's Eve

Maverick Mountain Polaris Maverick’s base is set. Now its loyal locals are just waiting for the rest of the snow to fall. Mav will be open an extra day on Monday, Jan. 16, to we celebrate the culmination of local Dillon skier Cory Birkenbuel's "Montana's Sweet 16" tour. Come one, come all! -David Nolt

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Big Sky recently introduced Big Sky Replay, a smart phone app that tracks days, runs and vertical feet skied at Big Sky Resort, as well as stats like speed, calories burned and air time. Users can view their ski progress on a map of Lone Peak, as well as share and compare stats with friends. The free application is now available for download on iPhone and Android. - Greer Schott

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word from the resorts

Big Sky Weekly

Bridger Bowl Bozeman The 2011/2012 holiday weeks were slower than previous years at Bridger, but fresh snow over New Year’s and January events have kept the enthusiasm where it should be. Ten inches of new snow allowed the patrol to open more terrain, and all lifts except Schlashman’s are running. On Saturday, Jan. 7, the mountain hosted Northern Division alpine races on the main course off the Bridger lift. “We’ve had people up on top of the Ridge, said Doug Wales, the head of Bridger’s sales and marketing department. He recommends using caution anywhere off groomed trails. Although recent snowfall had 15 percent moisture content, which made good base snow, there’s still only two feet of base and many obstacles lie beneath that. Bridger Bowl’s 57th Birthday Extravaganza comes up on Jan. 13. Come on out for free birthday cake, $15 lift tickets for carpools of three or more, and discounted gear rental and lesson rates. “We’re lucky to be where we’re at,” Wales said about his comparative research from resorts around the country. Hopefully the snow dances happening around Bozeman will work, preferably sooner rather than later. - Jamie Kujawa

Lone Mountain Ranch Big Sky Though we’ve had a slow start to our snow season and are still hoping for the predicted La Niña pattern, this isn’t the most challenging snow year for the ranch. For November/December we hit 94 percent of our average 10-year snowfall, and it’s hard to beat the trail conditions for skate and classic skiing. Ninety-nine percent of our trails are open, and the reroute on Far East is completed. Andesite is being groomed as an in-and-out trail due to an easement issue and we hope to have the full loop open in the near future. Women’s clinics are in full swing, with classic clinics on Wednesdays and skate clinics on Thursdays (both from 10 a.m. to noon). These will continue through the second week of February. Yellowstone tours and backcountry tours are still available, as are daily group lessons (10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.) and private lessons (9 a.m and 1 p.m.). Chef Baskin and his team are now offering weekly Wednesday night food pairing dinners through the end of the season. Trail buffets are every Friday (noon to 1:30 p.m.) at a new trailside location by the fire pit and in front of the Saloon. Whether you are looking for a quick bite to eat on your way up the trails or rewarding yourself for finishing Walkin’ Jim’s Way, don’t miss out on the all-you-can-eat buffet. Stop by for Sunday brunch (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) through the rest of the season to enjoy a full buffet. The Saloon continues to offer live music with Bruce Anfinson on Friday and Saturday evenings (4:30 to 6 p.m.) and Blue Bird Sky on Thursdays (8 - 9:30 p.m.) Burgers, small plate specials, local brews and other beverages are available to accompany the music. - Mark Parlett

Lost Trail Powder Mountain Darby Lost Trail, much like the rest of Montana, has slowed its snow accumulation in the past few weeks. Still, the resort had received 90 inches of snow as of mid-January, 45 of those settling as a base. Three of five lifts are open and the snow should be returning shortly. Again, Lost Trail is open Thursdays through Sundays, which means the snow lasts without getting skied out. T.W.

Rendezvous Ski Trails West Yellowstone Rendezvous is hosting the Junior National Qualifiers for cross country ski racers the weekend of Jan. 14 and 15. About 150-200 kids between ages 8 and 22 will come from across the Rockies, said Dan Cantrell, director of the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation. Saturday will be freestyle sprints, and Sunday will be distance classic races. Come watch top racers compete for a spot on the Junior National Team. You can even meet Junior Olympians at Saturday night’s 5 p.m. meet and greet and s'mores bonfire at the rink on 101 Faithful Street, across from Westmart Do-It Center, one block west of Yellowstone Avenue. Also coming up is Rendezvous’ free ski day, on Jan. 28, which is held in conjunction with (but not on the same day as) Winter Trails Day. “A lot of people come out of the woodwork to ski Rendezvous that day,” said Cantrell. “We’re looking forward to it.” The Forest Service waives the trail fee at Rendezvous and WYSEF board members provide free one-hour ski lessons. Also, the F.S. will offer free guided snowshoe walks and tours. Lessons and walks both meet at the trailhead at 10 a.m. and noon. Also on that day Altius Firearms in West will offer a ‘try biathlon’ day. Anyone can show up between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the biathlon range. Rifles and ammo provided. Demo ski and snowshoe gear will also be available through Freeheel and Wheel in West, free of charge that day. It’s first come first serve, and supplies are limited, so get there early. E.S.

Chief Joseph Wisdom The nordic trails at Chief Joseph Pass are in great shape. With the fresh two feet of snow that fell over New Year’s, cold nighttime temps, and regular grooming, things are looking good for this trail system on the Continental Divide. On weekends, volunteers will keep the fire going in the Gordon Reese cabin a half-mile from the parking lot.

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January 13, 2012 55

EVENTS big sky

Yoga with Anna Yellow Mountain Center for the Arts Every Tuesday 8:30 – 10 a.m. Every Friday 8:30 – 10 a.m. Open Mic Night at Choppers Every Tuesday Yoga with Jill Yellow Mountain Center for the Arts Every Tuesday 6:30 - 8 p.m. Drawing and Acrylic Painting Class Ophir School Every Tuesday thru Feb 14. 6 – 8 p.m.

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Planning an event? Let us know! Email abbie@theoutlawpartners.com and we’ll spread the word.

Sunday Brunch Lone Mountain Ranch Sunday thru March 31 The Dirty Shame live at Choppers Jan. 15, 9 p.m. Prime Rib Monday 320 Steakhouse and Saloon Every Monday thru March 31 Ophir School District Community forums Big Sky Chapel Jan. 16, 6:30 – 7: 30 p.m.

The Greater Gallatin Watershed Council’s annual meeting

Reflections on water: Personal connections to water and conservation BOZEMAN–All are welcome at the Greater Gallatin Watershed Council’s Annual Meeting at the Bozeman Holiday Inn on Jan. 26, at 5:30 p.m. This free event includes noteworthy Montanans Alan Kesselheim, Sue Higgins and Stan Bradshaw, who will share their thoughts on the theme: Reflections on Water: Personal Connections to Water and Conservation.

Shuffleboard night Lone Peak Brewery Every Wednesday

Family Night with Moonlight Madison Village Base Area Jan. 19, 5 – 8 p.m.

Yoga with Callie Yellow Mountain Center for the Arts Every Wednesday 6:30 – 8 p.m.

BIG farewell party for Marne Hayes The Corral Jan. 20, 5:30 p.m.

Alan Kesselheim is the author of 11 books and hundreds of magazine stories including; Going Inside, The Wilderness Paddler's Handbook, Threading the Currents and Water and Sky. An outdoor adventurer, teacher and father, Kesselheim lives with his family in Bozeman. He will read excerpts from his forthcoming book: Let Them Paddle: Coming of Age on the Water.

Ballroom Dancing Ophir School Every Wednesday thru Feb. 8

Tumbledown House live at Choppers Jan. 20

Sue Higgins, Managing Director of The Tributary Fund, has a 30-year career in water resources

Women’s Classic Ski Clinic Lone Mountain Ranch Every Wednesday thru Feb. 8

Tom Marino Live at Choppers Jan. 21, 5 – 7 p.m.

Wednesday Pre Fixe Tastings Lone Mountain Ranch Thru March 31 6 – 8 p.m. All ages learn to play hockey clinic Big Sky Town Center Ice Rink Every Wednesday thru Feb. 15 4:30 – 6 p.m. Women’s skate ski clinic Lone Mountain Ranch Every Thursday thru Feb. 9 Get started on guitar Every Thursday thru Feb. 2 Ophir School 7 p.m.

Big Sky Community Library Jan. 23, 6:30 – 7 : 30 p.m.

Northern Division YSL SL Ski Race Big Sky Resort Jan. 21 – 22 Yellowstone Business Partnership Sustainablility workshop First Security Bank Boardroom Jan. 25, 10 – 2 p.m. 5th Annual BSCC Dodgeball Tournament Jan. 24- 26 Call BSCC to sign up Moonlight Basin Avalanche One Course Jan. 26 – 28 Subaru Freeskiing World Tour Qualifier Moonlight Basin Jan. 26 – 29

Trail side lunch buffet Lone Mountain Ranch Every Friday thru March 13 Cropdusters CD release party Choppers Jan 13., 9 p.m.

Bozeman

Jeff Belino live at Choppers Jan. 14, 5 – 7 p.m.

I ski with the Moose! Bridger Bowl Jan. 14, 9 a.m.

Bottom of the Barrel live Broken Spoke Jan. 14, 9:30 p.m.

Cross country skiing basics Bozeman REI Jan. 18, 6:30 p.m.

SnoBall and SnoBar Big Sky Resort Jan. 14, 21 Event on 21st benefits the Jamie Pierre memorial fund

Winter Camping Basics Bozeman REI Jan. 19, 6:30 p.m.

Contemplative prayer group practice Studio at Lone Peak Physical Therapy building Sundays thru April 15 5 – 6 p.m.

56 January 13, 2012

Big Sky Weekly

Banff Mountain Film Festival Willson Auditorium Jan. 20 - 21, 7 p.m. Members-only used gear sale Bozeman REI Jan. 21, 10 a.m. Winter Farmers’ Market The Emerson Jan. 21, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

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Have a Heart Event for Reach Emerson Feb 4, 6:30pm

west yellowstone Free Admission to Yellowstone Jan. 14 – 15 Yellowstone Evening Programs Visitor Information Center Every Sat., 7 p.m. Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center Every Sunday, 7 p.m. Kids n Snow Event West Yellowstone Ice Rink Jan. 14 - 15 5:30 – 9 p.m. Junior Olympic Qualifying Races Jan. 14- 15 Rendezvous Trails Free Ski Day Jan. 28 “Try It” Biathlon Jan. 28 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

paradise valley Comstock Lode- Classic Rock Chico Hot Springs Jan. 13- 14 Ten Foot Tall & 80 ProofHonky Tonk Pine Creek Café Jan. 14, 7 p.m. Eyes on Skies- Folk/pop Norris Hot Springs Jan. 14 Tom Catmull Norris Hot Springs Jan. 15

management and facilitation, and a life-long attraction to all things water. She’ll share stories about people’s relationship to water in Montana and internationally. Stan Bradshaw is counsel for the Montana Water Project of Trout Unlimited, where he primarily leases water for instream use. Bradshaw has spent the last 35 years in issues of water quality, water use, and stream access. He will speak of his efforts to protect, as well as play, fish and canoe in Montana. GGWC will host a silent auction with hors d’ouevres and refreshments. The meeting includes a summary of the organization’s 2011 activities, current and new board member introductions, and a discussion of the Total Maximum Daily Loads process by Christian Schmidt of the Montana Dept. of Environmental Quality.

Joe Moss Band-Chicago Blues Chico Hot Springs Jan. 18, 8 p.m. Joe Brooks Trout Unlimited Meeting Elks Basement- Livingston Jan. 19, 6:30 p.m. Shea Stewart- Country Blues Norris Hot Springs Jan. 20 Shelley Besler & Andrew Doolittle Pine Creek Café Jan. 20, 7 p.m. Bad Betty- Blues Pine Creek Café Jan. 21, 7 p.m. Free Radicals- Acoustic Blues Norris Hot Springs Jan. 21 DownTime – Rock, funk Chico Hot Springs Jan 20 – 21 Emmy Sue and the TallboysBluegrass Norris Hot Springs Jan. 22 Western Sustainability Exchange 7th Annual Commerce Day Best Western Yellowstone Inn Jan. 23, 8:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m. Author reading by Alston Chase Pine Creek Café Jan. 25, 7 p.m. Network Live event Warm Stone Fireplace & Design, Jan 26, 5:30 – 7 p.m.