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Big Sky

Exploring life, land and culture from the heart of the Yellowstone Region

July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 Volume 3 // Issue No. 15

Big Sky Weekly

Professional Bull Riding tour returns to Big Sky

photo by kene sperry

Gala raises $100,000 for BSCC parks and trails

new backcountry yurt to open in cooke city

Community Rec Center proposed for Big Sky

SAS Honors VEts

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Art Rendezvous is July 30 and Aug 6. at 320 Ranch

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Publisher of the big sky weekly

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2011 big sky chamber of commerce

Business of the Year July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 Volume 3, Issue no. 15 PUBLISHER Eric Ladd COO & SENIOR EDITOR Megan Paulson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mike Martins MANAGING EDITOR Emily Stifler GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelsey Dzintars Distribution Director Danielle Chamberlain Charlie Bolte climbing at Redcliff, south of Big Sky. Photo by Ryan Day Thompson

VIDEO director Brian Niles

Working together

videographer Chris Davis Account relations coordinator Kacey Brown Operations director Katie Morrison WEB Developer/Designer Sean Weas

Talk to just about any businessperson in Big Sky and they’ll tell you something is brewing.

Greg Pack, Moonlight Basin’s long time general manager and new president, said the energy has been high at the resort this summer.

And there are regional ties. For the Gala live auction, Bozeman’s Yellowstone Park Foundation donated a stay at the Silvertip Ranch near Yellowstone, bringing in $6,500 in one fell swoop for the BSCC.

The growing number of events in the area also reflect this. The Big Sky Community Corp. Gala this July, for example, raised more than $100,000 for local parks, trails and outdoor programming—more than double what previous events have ever raised for the group.

editorial assistants Taylor Anderson, Renae Counter Staff Writer Tyler Allen CONTRIBUTors

Dan Armstrong, Chris Bangs, Jamie Balke, Black Betty, Buscrat, Mike Coil, Audrae Coury, Maren Dunn, Kathy House, Brian Hurlbut, Jim Kudrna, Mike Mannelin, Alli Neils-LeMoine, Anna Middleton, Brandon Niles, Kaela Schommer, Theresa Da Silva, Kene Sperry, Ryan Day Thompson, Adrian Valenzuela

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

ADVERTISING DEADLINE For August 10 issuE: August 3, 2012 CORRECTIONS The Big Sky Weekly runs corrections to errors we’ve printed.

Please report them to emily@theoutlawpartners.com

Folks are coming from around the state, region and country for the PBR, which this year includes two days of free concerts open to the community.

“What happened there that night is so powerful,” said the Gala’s co-chair and long time BSCC supporter Eric Ladd, also the publisher of this newspaper.

When Pack says “there’s momentum building in Big Sky,” he’s onto something. E.S.

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2 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

But it doesn’t stop there. Visitors and locals have been working together on other events like the upcoming Country Fair (July 28), the Professional Bull Riding tour (July 31 - Aug. 1), and the Big Sky XC dirt bike race (Aug. 24 – 26).

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Table of Contents Community...4 Local News...8 Regional..10 Opinion...11 Montana...12 Yellowstone...14 Gallery...17 Sports...20

Health...23 Business...24 Outlaw News...28 Business Profile...30 Classifieds...31 Environment...32 Outdoors...33 Gear Reviews...37

Events...38 Entertainment...41 Fun...43 Columns...45 Back 40...48 Special Section: Big Sky PBR...49

Creighton Block

Rob Akey Greg Alexander Jim Barrett Diana Brady Lynn Cain Todd Connor

John DeMott Jerral Derr yberr y Flavia Eckholm Edd Enders Thomas English Mark Gibson

Don Grant Mimi Grant Frank Hagel Ott Jones David Lemon Asha MacDonald

Mike Patterson Paula Pearl Jacqueline Rieder Hud Gar y Lynn Rober ts Daniel San Souci Deb Schmit

Laurie Stevens Dave Swanson Ezra Tucker Shirle Wempner

UPCOMING EVENTS J U LY 2 7 – 3 0

3 DAY SHOW OF TOM DEAN TROUT SCULPTURE Meet Montana Circle of American Masters member Tom Dean and see his remarkable work in wood.

Reception Friday evening July 27, 4:30 - 7:30PM.

AU G 3 – 2 0

TODD CONNOR: CITYSCAPES Opening and ar tist reception Friday Aug 3 4:30 – 7:30PM. Todd Connor, well known for Western historical and landscape painting, shows his range as a painter with a show devoted to urbanscapes.

AU G U S T 3 1

MEET JERRAL DERRYBERRY

DAT E TO B E DETERMINED

UPCOMING

Friday evening reception for well-known Texas ar tist Jerral Derr yberr y. 4 – 7 PM.

W I N E TA S T I N G S EV ERY THURSDAY AT 4 : 3 0 P M

B I G S K Y TOW N C E N T E R

1 1 : 0 0 A M - 7 : 0 0 P M M ONDAY TH RU S ATU RDAY S U N DAY S BY APPOI NTM ENT

p rovi d e d by

2 person show for famed wildlife ar tist Dwayne Har ty and Por traitist/landscape painter Tammy Callens.

the

cave

Spirits & Gifts

406-993-9400

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

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community

Gala raises $100,000 for parks and trails

Photography: Kene Sperry

www.eyeintheskyphoto.com

By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

BIG SKY – If the Big Sky Community Corp. Gala was a good litmus test, then parks and trails have enthusiastic support from the Big Sky community.

Held at the Community Park on July 21, the event was a step up from past fundraisers, said BSCC executive director Jessie Neal. The final numbers hadn’t been tallied at press time, but the Gala raised at least $100,000 in net profit, which was more than double last year’s fundraiser.

Attendance also doubled, Neal said, and the crowd of nearly 200 included many people not previously involved with BSCC. The evening started with a silent auction, cocktails and delicious wines in one of the tents, Neal said.

Attendees perused the park’s new basketball court, softball field and multiuse field, as well as the artificial climbing boulder and a skatepark currently under construction.

When the rain came in, the party moved to a second tent for the live auction and dinner from the Corral Bar and Steakhouse. Gala co-chairs Shelly Bermont and Eric Ladd did the auctioneering.

The highest dollar item that evening was Tom Gerrard’s classic car tour and dinner, which went for $7,000. In a surprise move, Gerrard announced he would match the bid. A stay at Silvertip Ranch, donated by the Yellowstone Park Foundation, came in second, at $6,500.

4 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

The money raised will go toward park improvements and trail expansions, Neal said, adding that the BSCC board makes the final decision on specifics.

“We’ll have a better idea of that in the next couple of weeks.”

Past fundraisers have supported both physical improvements and programming. “There are a lot of obvious things that have been done, but a lot of things that aren’t as noticeable are equally important,” Neal said, noting Camp Big Sky, which sends local kids to camp at no charge, and BSCC subcommittees like the Historic Crail Ranch, disc golf and tennis.

“We’re really a driver of community activity,” Neal said. “More and more people are getting involved. It feels like things are just getting better, [with] more awareness, more donations and an amazing volunteer base.”

Neal also expressed gratitude for the event’s sponsors, which were STOA Management, Outlaw Partners, Lone Peak Brewery, Lohss Construction, Bozeman Audi, Nordic Hot Tub, Big Sky Conoco, Stacy and Eric Ossorio and On Site Management.

Bermont hopes the Gala can become “the big event of the season,” with “total community commitment.”

“Everyone is here because of the parks and trails and how beautiful it is,” Bermont said. “I love the people Big Sky attracts and everything this community has to offer. As someone who loves it, I feel like we should all give back.”

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Big Sky Weekly

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community Big Sky Broadway needs storage for sets, costumes

Community Library news

big sky weekly staff writer

big sky community library

BIG SKY – More than 600 people came to the two sold-out performances of “The Wizard of Oz” this summer, put on by Big Sky Broadway June 22 and 23 at Big Sky Resort.

are lightweight—perfect for easy set changes,” Rowley said. “I don't want to throw them out because we can repaint them each year.” The whole shebang would take up approximately the same amount of room as one car.

This year, the group’s 31 local actors ages 7 – 14 performed with professionallooking sets, built for free by generous local builders.

In the long run, she’d like to have a space to put all theatre-related items, so the community can share them and not have to reinvent them.

"People were completely wowed by the clever staging," said producer Barbara Rowley. " I think it made the kids’ performances that much better."

Young audience members were so excited about “Oz” that Big Sky Broadway is planning for future growth.

Unfortunately, Rowley says, while she now has professionally-built sets, she's got nowhere to store them.

"Parents of young kids said their kids can't wait to be in the show," Rowley said.

“I’m searching for someone with a garage or extra storage space they could share,” Rowley said. The nonprofit theater company operates with thin margins, Rowley said, and renting a storage unit would be a big budgetary hit.

As a result, Rowley and director John Zirkle are launching an all-encompassing theater camp for children entering first through fourth grades next year, called Big Sky Broadway Junior. This camp will also likely make use of the costumes and sets if they can be stored and saved, as will the school.

In total, Big Sky Broadway is looking to store five rotating pillars, half of a house, and two steps connected to a platform (with a trap door for disappearing).

“You always need a house [for theatre shows], and the rotating pillars

If you have a storage space, contact Barbara Rowley at (406) 995-4984 or browley@3rivers.net.

Big Sky Weekly

Used book sale is July 28 at the Country Fair

By Kathy House

BIG SKY – The annual used book sale is one of Friends of the Library’s biggest fundraisers. Books of all genres will be available at this year’s sale, which is Saturday, July 28 from 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Big Sky Country Fair.

Students, parents and community members are invited to join the Community Library for the final summer reading program event, “Dream Big….

Read!” Wednesday, Aug. 1 at 4 p.m., where magician Walt Woolbaugh will once again bring his wonderful world of magic to the library. The program is free and open to the public. You don’t want to miss it!

After 12 years of service to the library, Bill and Roberta Crew are moving on. Roberta has been the volunteer coordinator for the FOL board as well as the coordinator for the Books for

Soldiers program since the launch of the community library. Their dedication and commitment to the library will be greatly missed.

Henrietta Gale comes on in Roberta’s place as a new FOL board member and volunteer coordinator. An active participant in FOL, Gale has been instrumental in updating the library’s website The library has are several new releases available for circulation. Watch for the “new” sticker on all recently acquired books and AV materials.

For more information or to volunteer at the used book sale, visit bigskylibrary. org or call (406) 995-4281 ext. 205.

Library hours: Sunday 1 – 5 p.m.

Monday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (story time 10:30 a.m.)

Tuesday and Wednesday 4 – 8 p.m.

Correction

In the July 13 Weekly we featured the forthcoming book, Images of America: Big Sky, but misspelled one of the coauthor’s last name. We apologize to Dr. Jeff Strickler for the mistake.

GCWC Awards three scholarships for 2012 By audrae coury

gallatin canyon women's club

BIG SKY – The Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club Scholarship Committee has selected three area high school seniors as its 2012 scholarship recipients. The recipients are Grace Anne Ganoom, John Christopher Goode and Mishael Garz, all of whom are Ophir graduates. They’ll be able to use the awards for study in post-secondary education programs for the 2012/13 school year.

Ganoom, daughter of Marla and Mark Ganoom of Big Sky, received a $1,500 scholarship. She

has been accepted at Montana State University where she plans to pursue a degree in Mathematics Education.

Goode, son of J. Mark and Marie Goode of Big Sky, has also been awarded $1,500. This fall he will enter Carnegie Mellon University’s Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Penn. to study engineering.

Because the GCWC scholarship preference is given to families who continue to live in the greater Gallatin Canyon area, Garz, who has been living

and attending high school in Idaho, will receive a $1,000 scholarship. She will use the award for her pre-medical studies at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. Garz is the daughter of Tawnya Garz-Brewer and Tracy Brewer of Ashton, Idaho.

The GCWC Scholarship Fund was started in 1977 to commemorate the club’s 50th anniversary. Since then, 50 students have benefited from the fund in varying amounts. Scholarships are available to graduates of Ophir School.

John Christopher Goode, Mishael Garz and Grace Anne Ganoom

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July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 5

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community

Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky Country Fair is July 28 BIG SKY – The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce is going all out for the Country Fair this year. There will be a poi fire dancer, a live glass blower, an 18-foot tall water slide for all ages, a street artist painting a live mural, cotton candy, and a high heeled race—something the event’s organizer says is rarely ever done outside of New York City.

the Chamber will host a car wash, raising money for middle and high school sports uniforms.

“The goal is to bring more people to the event,” said Robin BrowerMcBride, programs and membership director for the Chamber and the driving force behind the 32nd annual Country Fair. “We’re really trying to do something different.”

And don’t miss a chance to dunk your old (or current boss) in the dunk tank, a fundraiser for the Big Sky Community Corp. that will send prominent community figures into the tank.

Brower-McBride has also set up a mechanical bull, free pony rides and an art gallery where anyone between ages 3 – 18 can submit work to be exhibited. Feeling artsy? Get your face painted or get a henna tattoo.

Instead of just the usual bouncy house, there will be a full-on obstacle course on bouncy house material. There will be stations for kids to make dream catchers, chimes and other crafts.

Grizzly Outfitters will teach fly casting for .25 a cast and a chance to win prizes. The school Booster Club and

“Trailers, bikes, cars— everything from your campers to your bicycle, we’ll wash it,” BrowerMcBride said.

Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, a Bozeman-based nonprofit that’s been wildly successful in its first year, will be there, sign- Last year's Country Fair parade Photos by Kaela Schommer ing outdoor recreationon-site out of a true copper kettle!”

As usual, the event is free. ists up for trips and helping them Brower-McBride said. give back to science. There will also “It’s something we do for the combe a chance to check out live Birds “The bands will rock, with four inmunity,” Brower-McBride said. “I’d of Prey from the Grizzly and Wolf stead of three this year and one local like to see it be successful. We want Discovery Center. favorite who will be plucking their people to believe in it!” E.S. mandolins along the parade route Food vendors will include a “chooarriving via float!” she added. “The choo train BBQ smoker,” a real brick energy will be high!” oven pizza, and popcorn made fresh

New motorcycle event raises money for Special Olympics Montana Tours Yellowstone Park, Beartooth and Chief Joseph highways GREAT FALLS – The first ever Ride For Respect will benefit Special Olympics Montana athletes and families, helping children and adults who have intellectual disabilities.

The scenic ride will begin in Billings on Aug. 22 at 8 a.m. and travel west on I-90 to Livingston, then turn south on US 89 to the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park at Gardiner. From there, the group will cross the northeast corner of Yellowstone and head over the Beartooth Highway to Red Lodge,

ending day one at Rock Creek Resort. Day two will take riders back over the Beartooth Highway and on to the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway, ending in Billings at Alive After 5 and another Special Olympics event called Over The Edge.

To participate in R4R, riders must raise a minimum of $1,000. The event’s hosts, Law Enforcement Torch Run, are encouraging riders to use the First Giving website (firstgiving.com/somt) to create a personal fundraising page. This will allow riders to

share personal stories, accept and track online donations, and make Facebook updates.

Special Olympics Montana empowers children and adults who have intellectual disabilities to train for life through sports. An athlete-centered, familybased and volunteer driven organization, it relies on support from individuals, businesses and service organizations for leadership, planning and preparation, and in-kind and financial gifts. For more information or to register for R4R, visit somt.org.

Memorial mass and tribute for Jimmer Gillispie

By Alli Neils-LeMoine A memorial mass for James C. "Jimmer" Gillispie will be held Saturday, Aug. 11 at 10 a.m. at the Big Sky Chapel in the Meadow Village. Jimmer and his wife Collette owned a bar on the mountain called the Brass Bell and Caboose at the Mountain Village and lived in Big Sky since the early 1970s. The following is a tribute written by Mr. Gillispie's granddaughter.

My grandfather used to wear furry boots. They weren't as much furry as they were hairy—kneelength hairy Ugg-like boots made long before Uggs were invented, made from real animal hair.

He was half man, half big horn sheep, and warm enough for a Montana winter.

He walked through Big Sky like he belonged (he did)—through the lift lines like he'd been skiing there since day one (he did). He parked his car in the same snowy lot they always parked in. They

6 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

hauled their lunch to their lockers, pulled on their ski boots, hit some groomers, lunched on the deck under brilliant Montana winter sunshine that reflected and bounced off of freshly fallen snow, and watched Tippy's, Ambush, Sliver Knife and Mr. K. Lunch was Kettle potato chips, sandwiches, pickles and something out of a small plastic flask.

Grandpa told stories about this place when it only had a handful of lifts—of when they first put in the gondola, of when it was just the condos in the Meadow, of horses, wildness and hot-air balloons… stories of when.

The mountains are still here, the snow still falls on the same lines, the wind still blows across Andesite Mountain, the moose still wander along the creek, but now, the place will always be different somehow: In part because of the condos blocking the

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view of his favorite run, in part because I looked more for the deep and steep than I do for long groomers, and in part because this special place is loaded with more old memories than new ones.

I hope to make new memories, but I will honor and cherish those that I have of this beautiful place where these beautiful people, my grandparents, lived. This is where I learned to ski. It's because of them, what they gave, what they offered, how they loved us, and what they made here, that made part of me. I think it's the part of me that loves these mountains—that loves fresh tracks as much as I do cutting corduroy, the part of me that slows the car for big horn sheep every time (even though they’re on the same corner, every time).

My grandpa wore furry boots. He didn't wear them to my wedding, but he was there and said he wouldn't have missed it for the world.

community

Strings Under the Big Sky big sky weekly staff writer

BIG SKY – “Some Enchanted Evening” was the 11th annual Strings Under the Big Sky event, but it offered up some “firsts.” The evening, sponsored

by Friends of Big Sky Education and held at the Rainbow Ranch, once again featured music by members of the acclaimed Muir String Quartet and Friends.

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sical music and dramatic arts programming, Strings patrons this year contributed $11,000 to “Complete the Vision” for the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center. WMPAC Artistic Director John Zirkle says the funds will help FOBSE pay for the curtains and rigging it plans to buy, which are priced at $32,000.

More than 100 patrons attended the event, the largest crowd ever to attend the dinner and concert. In addition to the first attendance higher than 100, the Muir group introduced another first.

Strings Under the Big Sky featured music by members of Typically the the acclaimed Muir String Quartet and Friends. ensemble performs traditional chamber Strings event coordinators Doug and music, which it did this year during Henrietta Gale report that during the first two sets by Beethoven and the last six years the effort has raised Handel-Halvorsen. But the last set more than $60,000 for arts programfeatured an accordionist, clarinetist and ming. Last year, Strings kicked off double bassist playing klezmer folk the capital campaign for the Warren music, which derives from the Eastern Miller Performing Arts Center.

European Jewish culture.

Strings Planning Committee member and local piano teacher, Klaudia Kosiak, gave high praise to the clarinetist’s dynamics scale and technique. “My world changed within his first few notes!” she said.

The musicians performed beside the Gallatin River, and the river itself, combined with the percussion of the rain on the tent, added unique qualities to the music.

Through this fundraiser that benefits the Big Sky School District’s clas-

Sponsors for the event included Big Sky Sotheby’s, ERA Landmark, Ousel and Spur Pizza (John and Jolene Romney), the Rainbow Ranch, and Friends of Big Sky Education.

Individual sponsors were Doug and Henrietta Gale, Wayne and Marilyn Hill, Lew and Deb McCabe, Jerry and Anne Marie Mistretta, as well as Roger Schwer and Marjie Toepffer.

Updates and plans for next year’s event are available at stringsunderthebigsky.org.

Level 1 water restrictions By renae counter

big sky weekly editorial assistant

BIG SKY – The Big Sky Water and Sewer District is enforcing a Level 1 water restriction for Big Sky. Signs were posted on July 1 around the area to remind residents of the restriction, which is due to water levels in the “fire water reserve” hitting a point of concern.

“Once we put those signs up we saw a significant drop in water use,” said Jim Muscat, operator at Big Sky Water and Sewer.

In the course of one minute, a sprinkler can put out 10 – 15 gallons of water, Muscat said. With 1,440 minutes in a day, that adds up to approximately 15,000 – 20,000 gallons of water if the sprinkler is left running.

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Big Sky is a high-elevation desert, Muscat says, so keeping grass green requires more water and is more difficult than in places with high humidity. Because of this, he encourages landowners to properly landscape their yards with adequate dirt to hold water, and also to plant low-water vegetation.

This restriction is imposed in Big Sky every summer to ensure water conservation.

The Level 1 restriction limits watering to every other day from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Shawna Winter

406-599-4448 aimeegerharter@msn.com

William Feher 406.600.0275

Lynn Milligan 406.581.2848

Lara Hobby Aimee Gerharter Marcie Hahn-Knoff 406.581.4243 406.599.4448 406.599.3530

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local news

Big Sky Weekly

New recreation center proposed in Big Sky By renae counter

big sky weekly editorial assistant

BIG SKY – A group of Big Sky residents is planning to build a new recreation center in the Big Sky Town Center. The idea, they say, is to enhance the area and provide indoor recreation for locals and tourists.

The team, which consists of Michelle Horning, Jamie Daugaard and Andy Dreisbach, have been planning the recreation center over two years.

“We’ve been doing research about other small communities who have these types of recreation centers to see how they fit in the community,” Horning said.

The center would contain facilities for indoor soccer, basketball, teeball, volleyball, cardio, weights and an aquatic center. It would provide a health benefit to the community during the muddy and cold seasons, Daugaard said.

Rendering courtesy of Centre Sky Architecture

After this summer, the adult gym at Ophir School will be closing due to its transformation into the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center. The

school’s new gym will be available for indoor elementary, middle, and high school classes, but there will be little room for indoor adult fitness classes. This brings more need for a community reaction center, the group says.

“When you think of Big Sky you think of outdoor sports, but there are times where you can’t be outside or it isn’t as conducive,” Daugaard said.

They’d like the recreation center’s aquatic area to have water park features for children and families.

There will also be space available for retail shops and restaurants, as well other attractions such as ski or local history museums.

“What we are trying to do is create a stimulus for other urban pioneers to build and develop around the center,” Daugaard said. “We want to fill up the restaurants and retail shops to help people who have already committed to Big Sky—we want something with depth that is healthy for the community and speaks to what Big Sky has to offer.”

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8 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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The group hopes to bring in already established businesses to enhance the facility. An example of this, according to Dreisbach, would be fly fishing casting lessons hosted by a local outfitter in the middle of January, followed by a free wine tasting reception. Indoor rock climbing, spin classes and kayaking are also on the agenda.

Along with being a place for community members, the group hopes that the recreation center will help draw more people to Big Sky, especially those passing by on their way to West Yellowstone.

“Big Sky needs to have a focal point,” Daugaard said. “We are more than just the traffic light by the Conoco.”

After several presentations with Simkins-Hallin, which has developed most of the Town Center, the group has identified a suitable piece of land. The size will depend on “what the community wants to see occur,” Horning said.

The group has already developed a plan and drawing for the recreation center.

“Now, the next point is the feasibility study and getting the community involvement and input through community meetings,” Daugaard said.

The group has set up a survey to guage community interest in the project. The survey is online at surveymonkey.com/s/bigskyccsurvey Ryan Hamilton of Big Sky Town Center is working on the rezoning requirements for the center. A building date and timeline have not been set due to the project’s dependency upon funding and community support.

The group hopes to make the center a nonprofit supported through fundraising, Big Sky Resort Tax, grants and private donations. To keep costs down, the plan is to minimize the energy used to heat and cool the building by using solar hot water systems and wind ventilation.

“Hopefully we can find people and stand on their shoulders and they can lift us up and ultimately build this project,” Daugaard said.

For further information or questions regarding the proposed recreation center, email cms@3rivers.net.

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s s e l e m ti e uni qu c i r o t s i h

Big Sky Weekly

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the turn of the 20th Century. Millions of feet of this lumber sank to the bottom of the Flathead, where the cool water preserved and enhanced the beauty of the wood over the last 100 years. Northwest Management Inc. is salvaging the submerged logs with the aid of scuba divers, giving new life to this uniquely beautiful, brilliant colored timber.

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regional

Big Sky Weekly

Wounded Warriors come to Big Sky Veterans receive standing ovation at Gallatin County Fair

Photo by Theresa Da Silva

Phot0 by Jim Kudrna

By mike coil

big sky weekly contributor

BIG SKY – Operation Never Forgotten, a wounded warriors support group for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, brought a group of 50 vets and 21

SAS organized a wide array of activities for the vets and their families so they could enjoy the beauty and grandeur of Montana in the full flush of summer.

These included whitewater rafting, rock climbing, a tour of Yellowstone National Park, a hike into the backcountry with llamas, horseback riding, fly fishing,

about his book on combat experiences in Iraq. Video messages from Lee Greenwood, Tom Brokaw, J.R. Martinez, John Elway, Taylor Swift, Randy Couture, Sen. John Tester, Dennis Miller and Ted Nugent were presented, and Adele Morgan and Devora provided musical entertainment. A silent auction with items donated by local merchants included a football autographed by John Elway of the Denver Broncos, which sold for $600.

The following day, the veterans attended the Gallatin County Fair and rodeo, where they boarded horse drawn wagons and rode into the arena carrying the American flag for a rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” by Adele Morgan. The Bozeman crowd gave them a standing ovation.

On Sunday evening, the group returned to Bozeman for a dinner sponsored by the American Legion Post of Bozeman. The menu included elk spaghetti and rattlesnake chili. Local snake wrangler Roger Siemens provided the rattlesnake meat. The chili had a unique flavor and was surprisingly good. Siemens presented a program with Dr. Greg Moore, M.D., an ER physician from Dillon, complete with a slide show and a display of live rattlers. Several people who were squeamish about snakes had to leave the room when the live rattlers came out.

Photo by mike coil

spouses and caregivers to Big Sky for a week of activities and meetings, July 19 – July 23. This is the group's second visit to Big Sky. They were previously here for a winter visit in January 2011.

golf, a trip to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, and activities at the Big Sky Resort Base Camp. Most participants took the tram ride to the summit of Lone Mountain.

A national organization, ONF sponsors advertising to generate support and attention for wounded vets and their families, and also the Sports Afield and Stream project (SAS), which runs the activities in Big Sky.

Other veteran support groups contributed to support the activities. Tee It Up For the Troops organized and ran the golf outings. Bob Jacklin of West Yellowstone spent a morning with the vets teaching them to fly cast before they went fishing with guides from Warriors and Quiet Waters on the Yellowstone River.

The SAS group this year included vets suffering from traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress syndrome, double and single amputees, and at least one who was wheelchair bound from his injuries. Another member of the group was blind and participated with her service dog.

10 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

On Friday, July 20, SAS held a banquet for the participants, which included a drawing for guided hunts, a pack trip, a hot air balloon ride and guided fishing.

Comedian Mark Sweeney emceed, and Pulitzer Prize winning author David Phillips spoke to the veterans

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Many of the participants said they were impressed by Montana’s beauty and variety of outdoor recreation. By the end of the week, the group was tired, sunburned and delighted by the Big Sky hospitality and warmth.

Some were already planning to return.

Big Sky Resort provided discounted lodging and gave the group its ballroom facilities as a headquarters for the duration of their stay. Other local businesses supported SAS by helping with travel expenses, food and activity costs. A volunteer committee of vets and community members organized the event and made sure it ran smoothly during the week. Stacie Johnson, a therapist from Denver, donated her time to counsel the vets as needed whenever there was a flashback or meltdown.

SAS is planning future events in the area. For more information, to donate or volunteer, visit operationneverforgotten.org.

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regional

Big Sky Weekly

REI Bozeman Stewardship Grant goes to GVLT

New backcountry cabin near Cooke City to open this fall

BOZEMAN – The REI Bozeman store has granted $10,000 to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust to assist ongoing development of Bozeman’s Main Street to the Mountains trail system.

COOKE CITY – Beartooth Powder Guides began work this summer on what will soon be a new backcountry cabin.

Located near the confluence of Woody and Hayden creeks in a non-motorized use area that is a 2 1/2 mile ski or walk to the southeast of Cooke City, the cabin will sleep up to 12 people and be available for nightly rental this November.

GVLT will use the REI funds for two new trail projects: one to reroute the upper loop of the Triple Tree Trail to reduce soil erosion, improve wildlife habitat, improve user safety, and make the trail easier to maintain, and another to begin construction of trails on land owned by Bozeman Deaconess Hospital east of Highland Boulevard.

GVLT has long worked to help create and expand what is now more than 60 miles of trail in the Main Street to the Mountains trail system around Bozeman. The group’s commitment to the outdoors through its mission of land conservation, stewardship, and creating trails to connect people, communities and the land aligns with the values of REI and its efforts to increase volunteerism in the outdoor, according to a press release from REI. The project will utilize the help of community volunteers.

The grant is the result of a nomination made by the Bozeman REI store.

REI’s annual grants budget represents approximately 3 percent of the previous year's operating profits and is approved by its board of

directors. Last year, the company donated $2 million to conservation nonprofits across the country through its grants program. Since 1976, REI has provided more than $35 million to outdoor and conservation nonprofit organizations.

Previous stewardship grants from the Bozeman REI store funded GVLT’s Westside Boulder Connection project and the construction of artificial climbing boulders in city parks. In addition, REI funded the Montana Conservation Corps to support the Montana Outsiders Youth Service Corps project, which provided opportunities for young people to build trails and improve parks.

The Bozeman REI is situated in a geographically isolated part of the mountain West, says REI’s Outreach Specialist Teresa Larson.

Because of this, she recognizes the advantages of broadening the store’s regional outreach.

“We are all part of the local outdoor community, whether we live and recreate in Bozeman, Big Sky or West Yellowstone,” Larson said.

“With stores in Bozeman and Missoula, we strive to connect with local nonprofits, nearby communities and visitors to the Greater Yellowstone Area alike. We always look at ways to partner with outlying communities to see how we can better support programs to preserve outdoor places.”

Cabin construction

Photo by Ben Zavora

Powder Guides owner Ben Zavora is building the structure almost entirely from standing dead timber he’s harvesting and milling on the property with a chainsaw mill. He’s also using recycled construction materials like metal roofing, windows and a wood burning stove, carrying them to the site by foot.

The cabin is surrounded by extensive outdoor recreation opportunities and will be available for rent year round.

“Enjoy powder skiing and ski touring, cross country skiing and snowshoeing, hiking and wildlife viewing right out the front door!” Zavora said.

Follow the construction of the cabin at Beartooth Powder Guides’ new website: beartoothpowder.com. E.S.

bigskytowncenter.com

Where Big Sky Comes Together

Eagle Mount program set for Bozeman Stampede BOZEMAN – The Bozeman Stampede is hosting a special program this year that will allow youth with cognitive and physical challenges take part in rodeo.

MSU rodeo team members, Northern Rodeo Association contestants, Copper Spring Ranch, and Eagle Mount volunteers will help the Eagle Mount participants in a variety of events that replicate ones used in real-life rodeos.

They include horse riding, seesaw bull and bronc riding, roping, stick horse barrels, goat tail untying and a clown station.

The special rodeo will be held at 2 p.m. Aug. 4 at the Gallatin Fairgrounds in the Anderson Arena. The contestants will receive t-shirts, bandanas and rodeo tickets for the Saturday evening performance.

The Bozeman Stampede also features performances at 7 p.m. on Aug. 3 and 4, with Jacobs Rodeo Company of Great Falls serving as the stock contractor.

For additional information contact Eagle Mount at (406) 586-1781 or visit copperspringranch.com.

Big Sky Town Center is proud to host the

2nd AnnuAl

Big Sky PBR August 1, 2012

The World’s Best Cowboys face off against the Rankest Bulls.

Voted Big Sky’s Event of the Year

Big Sky Weekly

montana Paddling race on Flathead Lake to benefit young adults with cancer Epic Shore to Shore race Aug. 4 raises money for First Descents By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

KALISPELL – A new race on northwest Montana’s Flathead Lake will push sea kayakers and other paddle-sports enthusiasts to challenge themselves while also raising money to support adventure therapy for young adults with cancer.

The inaugural Shore to Shore race, will benefit First Descents, a Denver, Colo.-based nonprofit. The event, held on Aug. 4, will host the 24mile “epic” race for teams or solo paddlers, a 9.5-mile intermediate race and a fun 4.5-mile paddle. Beginning on the south end of Flathead Lake, the racers will crisscross the bays and inlets along the west shore of the lake.

First Descents founder and CEO Brad Ludden, 31, grew up in Kalispell and was a professional whitewater kayaker for 15 years. In that time he became Nike’s first sponsored kayaker, traveled to 40 countries to paddle, and did more than 100 first descents.

Last year, after 11 years with Nike, he switched to Teva.

He started First Descents 12 years ago because his aunt was diagnosed with cancer when he was a young man, and it had “a pretty big impact on me.”

Shortly after that, he started volunteering with his mother for a local pediatric oncology program, every summer taking his kayaks to the camp to teach the kids to paddle.

“I fell in love with it and decided to start my own nonprofit to serve people with cancer through the experience of kayaking,” Brad said. “I chose young adults because my aunt was a young adult and literally had no resources available to her so I recognized a need.”

With programs nationwide, First Descents offers young adult cancer fighters and survivors free outdoor adventures “designed to empower them to climb, paddle and surf beyond their diagnosis, defy their cancer, reclaim their lives and connect with others doing the same,” according to its mission statement.

• See Us at the 320 Ranch • 12 miles south of Big Sky on Hwy 191

BIG SKY ART RENDEZVOUS

Monday Night

JULY 30TH & AUGUST 6TH, 4-9 p.m.

BearFeather Studio - Ken W. Hall - fine art photography BearFeather Studio - Penny Hall - hand sculpted leather Bill Sweney - contemporary western paintings Ed Totten - western landscapes & wildlife paintings/carvings

Professional kayaker Brad Ludden paddling big water.

Photo by Dan Armstrong

“It’s something I’m as passionate about—or even more—than kayaking,” Brad said.

The Kalispell community has been First Descents’ largest supporter and helped it get off its feet, Brad said.

First Descents’ fundraising platform, Team FD, has been growing quickly since Brad started working full time on it last year. Two years ago it raised $120,000, last year $800,000, and this year Brad said it’s aiming for $1.25 million. The Shore to Shore race raised $3,000 the first day it was announced, July 15.

Chuck hopes to have at least 50 participants in the Shore to Shore race, and imagines there will be a mix of serious racers and also groups there to get out and paddle for fun.

According to the Team FD mission, “it’s about each individual picking an activity which represents a challenge to him or her, training for it, setting a fundraising goal and completing that challenge.”

It’s also the same weekend as the wooden boat show in Lakeside, so the lake will be buzzing with festivities, Chuck said.

Brad’s family still lives in Kalispell, and he credits his mother with the idea for the Flathead Lake event and his father Chuck for organizing it.

The Luddens organized past Big Fork Whitewater Festivals and have been paddlers for more than 20 years.

“If you do the epic, it’s the longest flatwater race on fresh water in the country,” Chuck said.

Participants can register on the Epic Shore to Shore website, epicshoretoshore.com, and follow race information on the event Facebook page. Event sponsors include Kalispell Toyota and Hammer Nutrition. firstdescents.org epicshoretoshore.com

Fish’s Antler Art Jim Dick - Big Sky landscape oil paintings Karen Kreek Camp Design - spirited rustic furniture Ott Jones Sculpture - wildlife & sporting bronzes Todd Connor - western, historical & landscape oil paintings Pig Roast Dinner and Live Entertainment $10/person Art show is FREE and open to the public For more info contact Ott Jones at (406) 585-9495

First Descents 2012 surfing program in the Outer Banks, NC. Photo Courtesy of First Descents

montana

McElyea new Montana water rights judge Steps down as Moonlight COO By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

BOZEMAN – Russ McElyea left his position as Moonlight Basin’s chief operating officer and started work as associate judge of the Montana Water Court July 16.

The 2011 Montana Legislature created the associate judge position to help the state’s chief water judge Bruce Loble in assessing water rights and resolving conflicts that the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation cannot.

The new job is “intellectually stimulating,” McElyea said. “It’s interesting approaching these issues for the first time as a judge instead of as an advocate.”

McElyea worked at the ski area for six years in total, first as the attorney, and then as COO and general counsel.

Previously, he practiced water and real estate law in Bozeman and acted as a water rights advocate. He also sat on the board of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle but stepped down before accepting this position to avoid any conflict of interest.

While the court is based in Bozeman, McElyea said the job will likely entail travel all over Montana as cases arise.

Based on the doctrine of prior appropriation—“first in time, first in right”—Montana water rights are based on a mix of old and new, McElyea said, explaining that while many of the cases pertaining to water law are more than a century old, a lot of the statutes he works with are modern.

The history is what makes water law so interesting, he says. “It’s kind of a blend of science and historic practices,

culture, and changing public perceptions about how this resource should be allocated as time passes.”

Since the 1970s, the DNRC has been responsible for many of the programs associated with the uses, development and protection of the state’s water. The water rights court comes into play when the DNRC’s decisions are in question.

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Big Sky Weekly

SEIZED ASSETS

PUBLIC AUCTION JEWELRY AND FINE ART SIEZED BY POLICE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES Property from seized and forfeited assets auction.

Bankruptcies and liquidation of Rolexes, large diamonds, fine art, and jewelry together with general order merchandise which constitutes the majority to be liquidated piece by piece.

ALL ART AND JEWELRY AUTHENTICATED AND CERTIFIED. OVER 2 MILLION DOLLARS!!

The rights are governed within individual watersheds, of which there are dozens around the state, and they apply to many industries including agriculture, mining, recreation and business.

“There’s such a relationship between water and money,” McElyea said.

“There are also relationships between water and recreation, water and spirituality, and water and philosophy.

Ultimately, we all need to drink it to stay alive.”

As Montana’s population grows, domestic water needs will grow alongside it. But, McElyea points out, because “there isn’t really any more water to be had, there will be an increased pressure to identify what water can be made available.” That, he says, isn’t unlike most of the Western U.S. While he’s excited about the new position and admits it's something he’s wanted to do for a long time, McElyea said he’ll miss Moonlight.

“There’s some really wonderful people on that team… I’ll always have strong feelings for the Moonlight area, itself.

The landscape and the skiing and the beauty of that setting—once it gets into your bloodstream you can’t get rid of it.”

9 Ct.Tanzanite W/Diamonds

12 Ct. Diamond Bracelet

Itzak Tarkay

SUNDAY JULY 29 AUCTION-1:00 PM

PREVIEW-12:30 PM

Peter Max

H.C. Pissarro

HOSTED AT:

BUCKS T-4 LODGE Ladies 18K Pearlmaster, Diamonds

BIG SKY, MT 46625 GALLATIN RD. HWY 191

Joan Miro

FROM BOZEMAN AIRPORT PASS THROUGH BELGRADE TO US HWY 191 S FOLLOW SIGNS TO BIG SKY FOR 45 MILES LODGE 1 MILE ON RIGHT AFTER FLASHING YELLOW STOP LIGHT OR CALL (406) 995-4111 FOR DIRECTIONS For information regarding the auction, call (770) 454-9201 during normal business hours.

Marc Chagall

Salvador Dali

Large Diamonds

Tennis Bracelet

Norman Rockwell Ruby Earrings

Diamond Earrings

Rolex Watches

Rolex Watches

Emerald and Diamond Necklace

Armed Security on Site Free Registration/ID Required For more information, please call 770-454-9201

Items pictured subject to prior sale and may not be available at this auction.

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18% Buyers Premium.

Terms: Verified Checks/All Credit Cards.

July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 13

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YELLOWSTONE

Big Sky Weekly

Yellowstone bison range may expand in Gallatin National Forest Environmental review of year-round bison tolerance up for public comment HELENA – Yellowstone bison may eventually inhabit lands adjacent to or near the border of Yellowstone National Park year-round.

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Montana Department of Livestock are jointly conducting an environmental review on a proposal to change the Interagency Bison Management Plan and allow for expanded bison ranges in parts of the Gallatin National Forest.

Under the proposal, the animals would be allowed in the following areas year-round: the Hebgen Basin, the Cabin Creek Recreation and Wildlife Management Unit, the Monument Mountain Unit of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area, the Upper Gallatin River corridor, and the Gardiner Basin (for bull bison).

•

How would the year-round presence of bison affect local livestock operations?

•

How would the year-round presence of bison affect other wildlife and habitat?

•

What is the likelihood that bison will move beyond the proposed boundaries, what are consequences of these movements, and how will they be mitigated?

Public meetings are planned in West Yellowstone (Aug. 20, 6 – 8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn) and Gardiner (Aug. 21, 6 – 8 p.m. at the Gardiner High School Theatre). The public scoping period will end Aug. 24, with a draft EA expected by late October. Public comment on the draft EA is expected to close in late November, with a final

decision on the EA expected by mid-December.

Comments and questions can be directed to: Bison Habitat EA Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks PO Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620 (406) 994-4042 yearroundbison-scoping@mt.gov Bison EA Montana Department of Livestock PO Box 200201 Helena, MT 59620 (406) 444-9431 bison-EA@mt.gov

The agencies released a scoping notice on July 23 intended to solicit public comment regarding the proposal. The agencies want to address the following issues during the environmental assessment and public scoping process: How would the year-round presence of bison affect public safety?

•

What are the effects to private landowners in the vicinity of the year-round bison habitats?

•

Would the year-round presence of bison provide for additional bison hunting opportunities?

•

Would the bison move back into YNP over time without hazing activities?

•

Would there be a measureable change in seasonal bison movements if there was yearround habitat available?

T EN

Y FIFTH AN

Truth & Beauty

N SARY ER IV

TW

•

h

Y SAR

IVER

ANN

BOZEMAN, MONTANA

406.586.1500 JACKSON, WYOMING

307.733.0733

www.onsitemanagement.com 14 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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Architect: Candace Miller Architects

Photography: Gordon Gregory

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YELLOWSTONE

Big Sky Weekly

Free photo and video workshop in Yellowstone National Park YELLOWSTONE – Taking photos of our nation’s natural treasures never gets old. Yellowstone and Grand Teton are particularly photogenic, and visitors this summer can learn a few tricks of the trade for free through a workshop called Photography in the Parks.

Now in its sixth year, Canon’s Photography in the Parks program offers professional instruction in photography and video. The hands-on workshop is taught through a guided walking photo tour, and participants can bring their own equipment or borrow, at no charge.

Canon equipment is available for photographers at every skill level and includes a selection of EOS DSLR cameras and EF lenses, PowerShot point-and-shoot cameras or VIXIA camcorders. Following the tour, participants can print their work on site or download their image collections later from the program’s website.

The workshops in Yellowstone will take place July 23 – 31.

Instructors will lead workshops three times daily at 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Old Faithful Inn. The workshops in Grand Teton National Park will take place Aug. 1 – 2, at 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Teton Village in Jackson, Wyo. Those interested should show up 15 – 30 minutes ahead of time.

Co-hosted by Canon U.S.A and American Park Network, the program will also take place this summer at Rocky Mountain and Acadia national parks. For more information visit facebook.com/ canonUSA or photographyintheparks.com or call (800) 925-2949.

Castle Geyser in Yellowstone (CC)

BURNING and FIREWORKS BAN IN MADISON COUNTY On June 28, 2012, the Board of Madison County Commissioners, in cooperation with the Sheriff/Fire Warden, the Director of Emergency Management, and all Local Fire Chiefs, confirmed an Open Burning Ban, effective June 26, 2012, on private property in Madison County due to extreme fire danger, and initiated a Ban on the use of all Fireworks in Madison County until further notice. Any exceptions to this ban will be considered on a case by case basis and must be approved in writing by the Sheriff/Fire Warden and the local Fire Chief.

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July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 15

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Big Sky Weekly

HELMS

JEFF HELMS

JAMISON

KULESZA

Commercial building for sale in superior location

Ringstone Building • Located across from the Post Office • Total 6,730 square feet • 11 Executive Suites • 73% current occupancy • Shared lobby, conference room, kitchenette and DSL • Entire building is 3 condominiums • $975,000

Current tenant, business for sale $329,000

Jeff Helms

Big Sky Town Center Office M: 406.539.0121 E: jeff@sothebysrealty.com

All information is derived from MLS sources and deemed reliable, however, is not guaranteed. Data is subject to error, omissions, prior sales, price change or withdrawal without notice and approval of purchase by Seller. We urge independent verification of each and every item submitted, to the satisfaction of any prospective purchaser.

16 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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Section 2:

Big Sky Weekly

July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 Volume 3 // Issue No. 15

business, health and environment

gallery

320 Ranch hosts prominent local artists Art Rendezvous events are July 30 and Aug. 6 By emily stifler

Dick, a native of northeastern Montana and now a Bozeman resident, participated in the Rendezvous last year. “I always have good shows here,” he said.

big sky weekly managing editor

GALLATIN CANYON – On Monday evening, July 16, 320 Ranch played host to some of the region’s great artistic talent. The fourth annual Big Sky Art Rendezvous, organized by Bozeman sculptor Ott Jones, drew a stream of visitors to 320’s conference center from the ranch’s weekly Monday night pig roasts.

A painter of iconic scenes, he’s done thousands of plein air field studies, often horse packing into the mountains to paint on location.

Oils of Lone Mountain in winter and summer are lined up alongside Upper Yellowstone Falls, the Gallatin River, Soldier Chapel and teepes from the Fort Peck Indian Reservation where he grew up.

They hobnobbed with the artists, asking questions, gazing at oils, and touching Penny Hall’s hand-sculpted, leather blessing bowls.

“These were a therapy project for me between eye surgeries,” Penny says.

She started making them when doctors diagnosed her as legally blind. “I needed to prove to myself that I wasn't blind.”

"Guardian of the Bear Trap" by Ken Hall

When she donated her first one to a fundraiser and it went for $450, she realized it could help pay for medical expenses. But as Penny was prepping for the Ennis Art show, her retina detached.

While recovering from that surgery, she knew she had to do something new.

“I call them my blessing bowls because I was looking for the worst in life, instead of the good. Now I use them as a container to hold all my blessings, all the good in life.”

At the next table over, Penny’s husband Ken W. Hall has his luminescent landscape photography on exhibit.

Because he prints on archival canvas, it almost looks as though you can walk right into the photographs.

“I’m trying to get them in major cancer hospitals, because I’ve seen physical changes when people look at them,” he says. “It triggers things—spiritual healing. It allows people to go places where they’re consciously uncomfortable.”

The photos are breathtaking landscapes that have been compared to Ansel Adams and Elliot Porter’s work.

Ken recalls an encounter with a woman at the Ennis Farmers Market. “She looked at this one,” he says, pointing to a black and white called “Guardian of the Beartrap” taken just below Ennis Lake. Sunlight shines off the water and fog rises past Ramshead Rock.

“She started shaking,” Ken says. “‘I can feel that painting coming through my body,’ she said. I said, ‘Honey, it’s not a painting.’ She said, ‘I don’t know what it is, but I can feel it coming through my body.’”

The Halls came to Ennis together from Taos, N.M. 12 years ago to visit for two days, and they never left.

“I came over the rise at Norris Hill, and said 'I don't know what’s here, but this is where I’m gonna work,'” Ken said.

Get him talking, and he’ll tell you that he got a business degree from a school in California, worked two years in business, and never went back.

On the opposite side of Penny’s table, in the center of the room, is work from the Bozemanbased sculptor Ott Jones, who organizes the Rendezvous. Some of his bronzes, like the life-sized fly fisherman at the Bozeman airport and the sculpture of Jim Bridger at the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce, have become Bozeman landmarks.

When he returned to Montana, Dick took a janitorial job at night and painted during the day. Then, he and his wife built a cabin at 7,000 feet in the Tobacco Root Mountains where they raised their two daughters.

“There was no power, we’d just sit around the lantern in the evenings, and my wife would read books like Little House on the Prarie [aloud].”

Jones points at some "A day to remember" by Ott Jones of his newest works, sculptures made from While his work was representbarbed wire. “Instead of dealing with mass [like with ed in major national galleries in the past, Dick has cut the bronzes], I’m dealing with space,” he says. back. “I like to keep it hometown, local,” he says.

“There’s a gaggle of artists here,” Ken Hall says, looking around. Indeed—at one end of the room are the husband and wife team of Karen Kreek, whose rustic custom furniture are found in the Pendleton Home Catalogue, and Bill Sweney, who describes his contemporary, abstract paintings as an expression of the “spiritualism of the West.”

“I want to find out: How do you paint the wind?”

Sweney says.

At the other end of the room, classic Western painters Jim Dick and Todd Connor talk quietly.

Next door, the quiet, McAllister-based painter Todd Connor is humbly presiding over some his masterful historic Western oils.

Connor, who is represented by Creighton Block Gallery in Big Sky, participates in the Charlie Russell Museum Auction but rarely shows his work at booth shows like this.

“I’d rather just paint and give my work to galleries,” Connor said. “But Ott called and asked me, and I thought, ‘why not try it?’ Shows like this can pay off.

You can make connections even if you don't sell anything. People can’t find you if you’re not out there.”

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July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 17

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gallery

The urban side of Todd Connor

Opening and artist reception, Aug. 3 BIG SKY – Todd Connor is best known for his Western historical and landscape paintings, but when he visited an artist friend in New York City in 2008, he was inspired to paint ‘urbanscapes,’ as well.

What struck him most about the city was “the buzz, the energy and the contrast between organic and man made.”

Connor has since visited New York three times and San Francisco twice, and has approximately 40 paintings from those trips. Cities, he says, are “like canyons,” in the sense of light and shadow.

Connor is classically trained, and some of his main influences include European and American Impressionists—something that’s evident in this show.

Although he’s already sold two of the urbanscapes, this is the first time Connor will have hung them in a gallery as part of a show. Holding this kind of show in Montana is an experiment, he said, meaning that here, people are often more interested in Western art.

Connor credited Creighton Block gallery owner Colin Matthews for thinking outside the box.

Born in Okahoma, Connor did a stint as a Navy Seal, went to the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., worked at Universal Studios, and finally landed in Montana in 1999.

Today, living in rural McAllister, which is north of Ennis, he says his interest in city scenes represent an alter ego.

Plus, he says, it’s important to try new things. “If I have something different to do, it keeps me fresh for the Western stuff.”

For Matthews, who moved Creighton Block to Big Sky from Virginia City two years ago, “It’s important to represent artists first and foremost, as opposed to being here to make it easy to sell a particular genre of popular Western art to clients.”

This show, Matthews says, shows Connor’s range and his command of impressionist techniques. “It was something I found exciting.” E.S.

"The Bass Player" 30 x 24 Todd Connor’s city scenes will be in Creighton Block Gallery, in the Big Sky Town Center, Aug. 3 – 20. There will be a reception Aug. 3 from 4:30 – 7 p.m.

"San Francisco Nite"

"Waiters in Little Itlay"

18 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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Big Sky Weekly

TRACT 3 & 2 SECTION 5

COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR

• • • •

• • • •

$9,000,000 • #175380 • Call Erin 579-3583 337.5 +/- acres outstanding commercial property unique mountain hideaway spectacular mountain views

NORTH FORK RD, TRACT 2 • • • •

$1,050,000 • #180623 • Call Stacy

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

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

NORTH FORK RD, TRACT 8 CRAIL RANCH TOWNHOME

ARROWHEAD CONDO • • • •

$614,000 • #181216 • Call Tim

condo unit #1659, 3 bd, 4 ba, 1,950 +/- sf ski/in, ski/out, upgraded free standing condo great furniture package, indoor hot tub Spanish Peak views, agent owned

SKYCREST CONDO #1704

LOOKING GLASS RD LOT 63

• • • •

• • • •

$320,000 • Call Don

2 bd, 2 ba, 1604 +/- sf remodeled like new furnished, lower level unit fireplace, indoor hot tub

$1,075,000 • #175582 • Call George

COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR

$225,000 • #181151 • Call Stacy

.25 +/- acre level building lot overlooks golf course great views of the surrounding mountains municipal water, sewer, utilities are adjacent

• • • •

162.4 +/- acres section 5 zoned commercial/residential close to hunting, skiing, hiking great mountain property

PINEWOOD HILLS ESTATE

• • • •

• 20 +/- acres (16 +/- acres zoned community commerical, 4 +/- acres zoned residential • Big Sky water and sewer accessible • West Fork of the Gallatin borders parcel

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TRACT 3 SECTION 5

$4,000,000 • #175378 • Call Erin 579-3583

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$995,000 • #175374 • Call Erin

BEAVER CREEK W, LOT 13 • • • •

$5,000,000 • #182936 • Call Peter

$950,000 • #180527 • Call Stacy

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

2500 LITTLE COYOTE RD • • • •

$495,000 • #183440 • Call Stacy

2 bd, 3 ba, 2403 +/- sf Spanish Peaks Club condo #13 A end unit on the pond upstairs den and downstairs bonus room

• • • •

3 bd, 5 ba, 4,500 +/- sf home 8 +/- acres (2 contiguous lots), pond $50,000 allowance for kitchen upgrade fabulous mountain views

$899,000 • #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

261 HERON DRIVE

$410,000 • #183610 • Call Tripp 579-6978

• • • •

4 bd, 3 ba, 2776 +/- sf close to Hebgen Lake panoramic view of the mountains full daylight basement

BEAR CREEK, LOT #68 • • • •

MADISON COURT # 17

$199,900 • #183893 • Call Don

2.3 +/- acre estate lot adjacent to Bear Creek Spanish Peak Views, trees beautiful home site, well is in

• • • •

$199,000 • #180293 • Call Eric

2 bd, 2 ba, 1,207 +/- sf furnished condo corner unit, spacious kitchen 1 car attached garage close to Big Sky Town Center

NEW PRICE

GALLATIN CANYON CABIN $190,000 • #183761 • Call Lynn 581-4268

• • • •

406 +/- sf 1 +/- acre, picnic area, fire pit 150’ Gallatin River frontage boarders USFS, great access

CEDAR CREEK #50

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

• • • •

$149,900 • #183116 • Call Stacy or Eric 2 bd, 2 ba, 868 +/- sf sold furnished w/ hot tub on deck gas fireplace, lots of storage well cared for unit, view of ski slopes

ANTLER RIDGE LOTS

$99,000 • #156549/#156551 • Call George

• • • •

46 & .5 +/- acres lots wonderful building sites, gorgeous views water and sewer (septic) metered purchase 1 lot or make an offer on both

Stuart Koch, Sales Associate, 406.581.1225

explorebigsky.com

sports

Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky Softball schedule Field 1 - 530pm Field 2 - 530pm

Field 1 - 645pm

Field 2 - 645pm

31-Jul

6v12

12v13

6v14

6-Aug

9v14

2v11

2v12

4v10

7-Aug

5v13

1v14

8v13

3v14

8-Aug

4v12

6v9

13-Aug

3v11

4v13

4v11

3v13

14-Aug

Make up #8

8v9

8v14

5v10

15-Aug

2v13

Make up #7

Look for continued schedule in future issues of the Big Sky Weekly.

By Brandon Niles

National League Team 1 Big Sky Resort Team 2 Country Market Team 3 Scissorbills Team 4 Big Sky Christian Fellowship Team 5 Cab Lizards Team 6 Black Bear Team 7 First Place/Cabin

W/L 0-9 7-0 5-4 1-5 5-5 7-3 5-9

American League Team 8 Lone Pine Huckers Team 9 Eye in the Sky Team 10 Milkies Big Dogs Team 11 Beavers Team 12 Broken Spoke Team 13 Lone Peak Brewery Team 14 Connecticut Softball Club

8-0 10-0 4-4 6-4 2-6 1-5 1-6

Put your home in good hands.

Big sky weekly sports columnist

Comparing Legends Kobe Bryant speaks out Olympic participant and long-time Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant recently made a comment that’s caused a stir in sports media. When comparing the current Olympic basketball team to the 1992 “Dream Team," Bryant said this year’s team could beat them. He wasn’t certain they could win a seven game series, he said, but in one game, they would have a chance.

While obviously a soft statement meant to encourage his teammates and show confidence in his own abilities, Bryant’s remark set off a flurry of media attention. Articles have emerged all over the Internet discussing whether it’s true, and famous members of the 1992 squad laughed it off, showing competitive spirit.

The 1992 squad was the first time NBA players were allowed to participate in the Olympics. The team had 11 hall of fame players on it, including legends such as Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. They easily went undefeated and won the gold medal. While other teams have had similar success in the games since, the 1992 team will forever be known as the original “Dream Team” and is often considered the greatest compilation of sports stars in history.

To some, Bryant’s challenge is sacrilege.

How could a person, for even a moment, question the greatness of these basketball icons?

Offering Full Service Property Management & Home Owners Association Management in Big Sky

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20 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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But in professional sports, new stars are often compared to those of yesteryear, usually coming up short in the eyes of those who wax nostalgic of past triumphs. [A memory of Browns running back Jim Brown dominating the competition couldn’t possibly match up to the prowess of Adrian Peterson today.]

Just as Wilt Chamberlain’s impact on basketball can’t possibly be duplicated by somebody like Dwight Howard.

Eras of sports stars simply cannot be compared. While one can argue the historical impact or innovative techniques that certain players added, it’s difficult to make a compelling argument that players from the past were better than their modern counterparts.

Guys like Chamberlain and Brown were amazing at the time, but they were also bigger and more athletic than the competition.

Sports evolve and so do athletes. Players get bigger, smarter and faster with each decade, and some, like Kevin Durant and Lebron James, now have the speed and size to play nearly any position on the basketball court. The game is at a higher level than it ever was, and that’s the case in all sports.

Even though 1992 may not be as far back as the eras of players like Chamberlain and Brown, the game has changed in 20 years since the original Dream Team ruled the house. For example, in the NBA of today the center position has changed so much that there are very few true centers in the league. Centers today are long and athletic, with the ability to step out and hit 12 – 17 foot jump shots. Gone are the days of the immobile giant manning the position.

Athleticism has become the primary tool needed for players to excel. It’s difficult to imagine the best players in 1992 facing James and Durant and not being frustrated by their insane athleticism.

The 1992 team will always be legendary, and in many ways, it will always be considered the best team of all time.

Guys like Chamberlain and Brown will always be iconic, as will their counterparts from eras past. However, the argument should never be which player is better or which team would win.

The players of the next decade will be better than those of today, and that’s why sports stars can never truly be compared across eras.

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

A lifetime OF SKIING, GOLF AND FAMILY LEGACY

Moonlight Club Founding Memberships Available

$35,000

membership joining fee

ANNUAL SKI PASSES for members, spouses, and immediate family

DISCOUNTS on Moonlight Basin owned retail and dining facilities

PREMIER GOLF MEMBERSHIP with advance tee-time reservations

JACK CREEK ROAD ACCESS to and from the Madison Valley

LEGACY PRIVILEGES with membership transfer to family members

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER EVENTS bringing together member families and the Moonlight Community

Inquire at (406) 993-6012 or membership@moonlightbasin.com

explorebigsky.com

Big Sky Weekly

CHALET 4

AT Y E L L OW S TO N E CLUB

FEATURES

LOCATION IS EVERYTHING

Incredible, Direct Ski-in/Ski-out Access 6,000+ Livable Square Feet with 5 Bedrooms Tu r n k e y P r o p e r t y w i t h B a s e A r e a L o c a t i o n Steps from War ren Miller Lodge J u s t 3 0 m i n u t e s f r o m Ye l l o w s t o n e N P 2,200 Acres of Private Skiing

Enjoy the heart of Yellowstone Club’s Pioneer Mountain CHALET4.COM

22 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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explorebigsky.com

health & wellness

Big Sky Weekly

Ask Dr. Dunn By maren dunn

Certain key risk factors increase the likelihood of having diabetes. These include: being overweight, being older than 45, having an inactive lifestyle, having a family history of diabetes, having a personal history of gestational diabetes, having high blood pressure, having high cholesterol, and having a history of polycystic ovarian syndrome.

big sky weekly contributor

I’m worried I might have diabetes.

What are the symptoms and how is it diagnosed?

Type 2 diabetes, formerly called “lateonset diabetes,” is a major health problem in the U.S. Currently, 8 percent of the population has the illness, while up to 25 percent remains undiagnosed, and these numbers continue to rise. Type 2 diabetes, which results from high blood sugar, can eventually cause problems with eyesight, healing, kidney function, sensation in the extremities and increased risk of heart attack. That’s why it’s important to diagnose the illness as early as possible.

Diagnosis is usually based on physical symptoms and blood test results. Diabetic symptoms can include excessive thirst or hunger, frequent urination, fatigue or weight gain. In type 2 diabetics, these symptoms can go unnoticed due to the relatively slow progression of the disease.

So, screening with blood tests has become the standard for detecting the illness.

In the U.S. Currently,

8 percent of the population has Type 2 diabetes, while up to

25 percent

If you’re at risk or have diabetic symptoms, see your healthcare provider immediately so you can learn how to manage the illness appropriately and delay complications.

remains undiagnosed, and these numbers continue to rise.

The blood tests include a fasting plasma glucose, twohour oral glucose tolerance test or glycated hemoglobin. If any of these are positive for diabetes, a second test will be run to confirm the result. If the tests are abnormal, but not high enough to qualify for diabetes, you’re considered pre-diabetic and can expect to repeat the test in six months.

Maren Dunn, D.O., is owner of Gallatin Family Medicine, a medical clinic in the Big Sky Meadow Village. Have a question? Email her at inquiries@gallatinfamilymedicine.com. gallatinfamilymedicine.com

Join us on the porch this summer baked goods | pizza | $2 pbr | sweet iced tea | fresh lemonade | iced coffee

we deliver 406.995.2305 open 7 days a week 7am-10pm view menu at: bigskybluemoonbakery.com located in westfork plaza mall, Big Sky

explorebigsky.com

July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 23

explorebigsky.com

business Pack is new president of Moonlight Resort moves forward under Lehman MOONLIGHT BASIN – Moonlight Basin’s upper management has seen a restructure this summer, and since June 13 Greg Pack has been the resort’s president and general manager.

reorganization, Lehman hired the Colorado-based property management company the Atira Group to work directly with Pack and other high level managers.

Pack has been Moonlight’s general manager for five years and will continue working in that capacity, as well. Before coming to Montana he worked two years at Intrawest and 14 at Vail Resorts. He has been a Big Sky Chamber of Commerce board member for four years.

Together, they’ve redefined the resort’s budgets and accounting structure, and put together a proposed long-term development plan, Pack said.

Russ McElyea stepped down as Moonlight’s chief operating officer to take a job in Bozeman this July, and his position will not be filled, Pack said.

Other management changes include naming Chris Leonard, longtime technology director, as the new chief financial officer, and hiring Tom Hart as the new hospitality director.

“With them in place, plus John Knapton in mountain operations, Karen Lum in marketing, Mike Wilcynski in golf and Kevin Germain in development, we have all the key players so the transition [with McElyea leaving] has been extremely easy,” Pack said. That core team has been together for years, he added.

In January, an affiliate of Lehman Brothers Holdings officially took ownership of the ski and golf resort after a lengthy, three-way Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As part of the

“Lehman’s been great for us,” Pack said. “They’ve supplied us with funding when we needed to move things forward. When we have infrastructure to take care of, they’re on top of it—building roads, replacing snowmaking electrical lines or adding seating [at the Madison base area]. As far as being an owner with resources, they’ve been there and had that.”

Lehman has taken care to understand Moonlight as an asset and invest in the best places, Pack said.

As for a future sale of the resort—something rumored this spring—Pack said his team has been in conversation with Lehman but no decision has been made.

For now, he says, “The great thing is we have a bunch of talented people still here in all the key positions. I think the energy level up here has been really good, with [both] homeowners and guests. In Big Sky in general, I think there’s some momentum building.”

E.S.

Your local, best store for the resale of quality, lightly used goods

PRICE REDUCTIONS! •

Summer Clothing (Women, Men, Children)

•

Summer Sporting Gear (Golf, Camping, Fishing, Bicycles)

•

Home Furnishings (Kitchen items & Appliances)

•

Artwork, Wall Hangings & Décor Items

•

Electronics, CD’s & DVD’s

Come in to see us!

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

Call: Janine & Dick @ 406-993-9333 Open: 7 days a week, Mon – Sat 10 AM to 6 PM Sun 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

24 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

explorebigsky.com

Big Sky Weekly

Zone text amendment to Town Center allows car and pet wash BIG SKY – A recent zone text amendment to the Town Center now includes car and pet washes to the list of permitted buildings in Town Center. For this amendment, the definition of car wash was modified to include pet wash under the title.

According to Ryan Hamilton, Big Sky Town Center project manager, a car wash is one of the most requested businesses in Big Sky. One individual has expressed interest in building a car wash in Town Center but no official plans have been made on a building or site.

A pet wash would provide an indoor establishment where owners could take their dogs to self-serve wash in an eight-foot by eightfoot stainless steel tub with a collar clip and drying station.

“The pet wash would be something an owner would go use after a day at the river with their dog instead of washing them at home in the tub,” Hamilton said. R.C.

RAINBOW RANCH LODGE -RR Wine AcAdemy

Thursdays through October | 3:30pm | $15 per person Join us Thursday afternoons for interactive wine classes followed by wine and cheese sampling on the deck. Can’t make it in time for the class? Just come for wine and cheese and gorgeous scenery.

WinemAkeR dinneR – RAptoR Ridge WineRy Tuesday, August 7, 2012 | 6:30pm | $100 per person

Featuring winemakers Annie and Scott Shull of Raptor Ridge Winery for a delicious five-course feast expertly paired with their beautiful Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and maybe a surprise or two!

Eye in the Sky Photography

-RR Wine cRush

Wednesday, August 8, 2012 | 6pm – 9pm | $90 per person Featuring multiple tastings with the winemakers from Ken Wright Cellars, Raptor Ridge Winery, Walla Walla Vintners, and wine aficionados from Bottleneck Imports, Vias Imports, and Palm Bay Imports to show more than 50 different wines.

LocALs onLy: Take advantage of this limited time offer for a one-night stay and a bottle of wine starting from $199 per night Sunday through Thursday in September and October when booked by August 17.

Visit rainbowranchbigsky.com and enter promo code “LOCALS” or call 1.800.937.4132 for reservations.

Valid for new bookings Sunday - Thursday September 3 – October 31, 2012 when booked by August 17.

Pre-paid, non-refundable, non-transferrable.

1.800.937.4132 for reservations | RainbowRanchBigSky.com for menus

vintagewinter.com

A collection of Alpine Home Decor and Chalet Style Antiques

Albany Sleigh Coffee Table $1195 (includes curbside delivery)

Vintage Ski Posters $19

collectable ski sets starting at $325

Ski wall sconce $229

Ski Hall Tree $549

three pane ski frame $359

off

15

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use promo code:

Outlaw

explorebigsky.com

JULY 31 & AUGUST 1, 2012

Big Sky Weekly

LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL

BIG SKY FREE LIVE MUSIC TOWN CENTER July 31 PBR Calcutta Morgan Frazier Sponsored By Arts Council of Big Sky

WASTED TOUR 2012

TOWN CENTER BIG SKY, MT

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 1, 2012

Produced By

promiseofthereal.com

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

LOCAL F R E SH Delivery available - have your rental unit stocked upon your arrival! 406-995-4636 Open 7 days a week, 6:30am to 8pm Extended hours 6:30am to 10pm December 15-April 15 and July 1- Labor Day

Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery

26 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

explorebigsky.com

explorebigsky.com

business Foster is new manager of LMR

By TYLER ALLEN

big sky weekly STAFF WRITER

BIG SKY – Bob Foster is now the new general manager at Lone Mountain Ranch, as of late July. Former managers Mark and Kim Parlett oversaw daily operations at the ranch since December 2010, and are now leaving for other jobs.

Foster holds a Master's degree from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and most recently worked as general manager of The Historic Plains Hotel in Cheyenne, Wyo. He also served as the president and CEO of Lost Valley Ranch, in Sedalia, Colo. for 21 years.

“I look forward to integrating 38 years of ranch and hospitality experience with

Lone Mountain Ranch's rich heritage, exceptional accommodations, and unparalleled service,” Foster said.

In other staffing changes, the ranch hired Scottie Burton as its new executive chef this past January, taking over for Bill Baskin. Burton has more than 20 years of culinary experience and said he plans to feature fresh products from local and regional farmers and ranchers.

Burton has training from the New England Culinary Institute and with top chefs at Boston’s l’Espalier restaurant and the Saporitos Florence Club Café. He’s also worked as the chef at the Gallatin Gateway Inn and was the first sommelier at Plonk wine bar in Bozeman.

Rapier Foundation donates $50,000 to area nonprofits

SEIZED ASSETS

PUBLIC AUCTION JEWELRY AND FINE ART SIEZED BY POLICE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES Property from seized and forfeited assets auction.

Bankruptcies and liquidation of Rolexes, large diamonds, fine art, and jewelry together with general order merchandise which constitutes the majority to be liquidated piece by piece.

ALL ART AND JEWELRY AUTHENTICATED AND CERTIFIED. OVER 2 MILLION DOLLARS!!

9 Ct.Tanzanite W/Diamonds

When the Rapier family found out that this year’s event, organized

by Robin Brower-McBride at the Chamber of Commerce, was already benefitting four other local nonprofits, the family decided to use their foundation to amplify that good.

Just a week before the Country Fair, the Rapier Family Foundation gave the Chamber $50,000 to be split between the five organizations: Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, Friends of Hyalite, the Big Sky Community Corp., the Big Sky School District’s Booster Club, and the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce.

The original idea, says BrowerMcBride, was to “cross promote the event. The more people you have benefitting from [it], the more they’re going to promote it.”

She's lined it up so the Chamber will split the profits of the dunk tank with the BSCC, and the cotton candy, snow cones and the car/bike/RV/trailer wash with the Booster Club, plus giving $2.50 of each $10 entry in the high heeled race to ASC and $2.50 to Friends of Hyalite.

Peter Max

Brower-McBride was thrilled when she heard from Kym Rapier.

Ladies 18K Pearlmaster, Diamonds

Itzak Tarkay

PREVIEW-12:30 PM

H.C. Pissarro

HOSTED AT:

BUCKS T-4 LODGE

“For her to give us $50,000 to distribute $10,000 to each—it’s a really big deal,” Brower-McBride said.

Since founding the foundation in 2006 Dr. George and Kym Rapier have donated more than $100 million annually to various causes, including stay-in-school and youth initiatives, animals in need, seniors and children's health programs. The family has a home in Big Sky. E.S.

12 Ct. Diamond Bracelet

SUNDAY JULY 29 AUCTION-1:00 PM

Funds split between ASC, Friends of Hyalite, BSCC, Booster Club, Chamber BIG SKY – The Country Fair may not make much of a profit itself, but this year it’s helping several of the region's charities in a significant way.

Big Sky Weekly

BIG SKY, MT 46625 GALLATIN RD. HWY 191

Joan Miro

FROM BOZEMAN AIRPORT PASS THROUGH BELGRADE TO US HWY 191 S FOLLOW SIGNS TO BIG SKY FOR 45 MILES LODGE 1 MILE ON RIGHT AFTER FLASHING YELLOW STOP LIGHT OR CALL (406) 995-4111 FOR DIRECTIONS For information regarding the auction, call (770) 454-9201 during normal business hours.

Marc Chagall

Salvador Dali

Large Diamonds

Tennis Bracelet

NOW OPEN

Norman Rockwell

Mon.-Sat. 9-5 and Sunday 10-4 • Landscape Design + Installation • Full Service Landscape Maintenance • Award Winning Container Gardens

Ruby Earrings

Diamond Earrings

NOW OFFERING MAINTENANCE and LANDSCAPE SERVICES TO THE HEBGEN LAKE COMMUNITY

406.995.4818 • san@wildwoodbigsky.com

WILDWOOD NURSERY

Hwy 191 just south of the Big Sky stoplight

wildwoodbigsky.com

Growing in Big Sky for 32 years

Rolex Watches

Rolex Watches

Emerald and Diamond Necklace

Armed Security on Site Free Registration/ID Required For more information, please call 770-454-9201

Items pictured subject to prior sale and may not be available at this auction.

explorebigsky.com

18% Buyers Premium.

Terms: Verified Checks/All Credit Cards.

July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 27

explorebigsky.com

outlaw news

Big Sky Weekly

The Outlaw Partners is a fully integrated marketing, consulting, web development, video production and creative media company based in Big Sky. As publisher of the Big Sky Weekly and Mountain Outlaw magazine, we’re using this space to share insight on industry trends and high level creative marketing.

Poster Advertising

Poster advertising has been around for centuries, yet still can be a very effective way to gain attention for your event, business or cause, as it reaches many people at a minimal cost. Poster design is one of the many creative services the Outlaw Partners offer, check out some of our previous designs below.

ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY PRESENTS

NEVER GO ALONE FREE MUSIC CENTER STAGE IN

B I G S K YA R T S . O R G TOWN CENTER PARK

JULY 4 - SEPT 6 PARK OPENS

AT 6PM- MUSIC JULY 4: FREDDY PINK STARTS AT 7PM JULY 12: THE B-SIDE PLAYERS JULY 19: THE BLACK LILLIES JULY 26: NICKI BLUHM AND THE GAMBLERS JULY 31: PBR PRE-PARTY WITH MORGAN FRAZIER AUG 2: THE CLUMSY LOVERS AUG 9: THE ELDERS AUG 16: JOHN REISCHMAN & THE JAYBIRDS AUG 23: MIKE BECK & THE BOHEMIAN SAINTS AUGUST 30: COLD HARD CASH SHOW SEPTEMBER 6: PINKY AND THE FLOYD

AUGUST 10-12 CLASSICAL MUSICAL FESTIVAL Three nights of world-class music

GOING OUT OF BOUNDS?

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

T H I N K R I S K , T H E N R E WA R D BSSAR.ORG // MTAVALANCHE.COM

Ophir School Gymnasium

$250 Registration Fee

Games begin at 6:30pm Monday and Tuesday Games begin at 6:00pm Wednesday and Thursday

All proceeds benefit the parks of the Big Sky Community Corporation

The Big Sky Community Corporation is a 501 (c) (3) not-for profit entity created to promote, acquire, preserve and maintain land, parks, trails and easements for the use of the people of Big Sky Community and general public.

Sat u rday, J u n e 3 0 t h 1 : 0 0 - 5 : 0 0 pm

Big Sky Softball League Presents

come meet the new owners Get insane deals on all the Gear you need test drive the newest rods, reels, waders, and boots eat Free Food

3 rd a n n u a l

Pesca Fies ta +

Grand Opening!

Fresh hot Gear: Any Thursday through the end of the season, buy 1 college lift ticket & get 1 college ticket FREE

saGe one Fly rod winston boron 3X Fly rod simms Felt-soled wadinG boots

Valid for college students under age 24. Each student must show proof of age & a valid college ID. Tickets valid on Thursday of purchase only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

$5 Cover Food & Drink Specials All Night Portion of the night’s proceeds will benefit the Big Sky Community Corporation ’ Community Park project

PataGonia rock GriP wadinG boots and rio GalleGos wader

+

and more!

montanaflyfishing.com • 406-995-2290 Pat Straub; Montana licensed outfitter #7878

Greg Stump’s

LEGEND

Outlaw Partners Present

moonlightbasin.com

SPRING IS HERE

OF AAHHHS

Time for the best season pass deal around!

MARCH 21 DOORS OPEN AT SHOW STARTS AT

6:30 8:00

Friday, December 9th 5:00 Santa arrives in Meadow Village Center on fire truck; Lighting of the tree and Carolers in front of the Blue Ribbon Builders office 5:15-6:30 Letters to Santa and Photos at Outlaw Partners

PM

6:30 Magic Show at First Security Bank

PM

7:00 Town Center Bonfire, S’Mores, ice skating (weather permitting), sleigh rides, etc

at Lone Peak Cinema

8:15 Fireworks - Town Center

APPEARANCES BY GREG STUMP & SCOT SCHMIDT

$15

9:00 Live Music at Choppers featuring the Cropdusters

Moonlight Basin

2012-13 SEASON PASS SALE

$20 at the door

Buy tickets On the world wide web

door prizes

Throughout the evening there will be artist markets, open houses, raffles, scavenger hunt, sleigh rides, beer tasting (provided by Lone Peak Brewery), and much more!

explorebigsky.com

March 17-April 30, 2012

swag best 80’s costume

Ski & ride with your 2012-13 pass for the rest of the season!

ADULTS $499 // JUNIOR + COLLEGE $299 Kids 10 and under always ski FREE Ask about our $50 renewal bonus and PAY IN 2 plan

PART OF PROCEEDS BENEFITING: Big Sky Ski Education Foundation

Warren Miller Performing Arts Center

(406) 993-6074 moonlightbasin.com

“BROOKIE BALLET”

By Loren Kovich

Moonlight Basin

2012-13

ARTWALK

SEASON PASS SALE

Celebrating M O NTA NA A R TI STS! Adam Sc h wan k l Al an Sn el l Cl i ff Rossber g Ch r i sti n a Per r y

D an i el Par ker J er r y In man Jim Dick K ati e L ee

K el sey D z i n tar s L or en K ov i c h M ar y An n Ch er r y M ar c y Ber gman n

M ar y Bl ai n M i tc h Bi l l i s Pat Br an ti n g Ron L ower y

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299

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*

Pay $99 down and ski the rest of this season for FREE!

nt Plans me

2 PAy iN l

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COLLEGE STUDENTS

SAT. JULY 7 12-7PM SUN. JULY 8 12-5PM

Pa y

JULY 7-8, 2012

availab

& MO RE

Get your season pass - (406) 993-6074 *Sale ends April 30. College passes not available online, proof of registration required.

JAMIE PIERRE FAMILY

prayfor snow pa t y rail jam

FUNDRAISER

AT BUCK’S T-4 LODGE, BIG SKY, MONTANA of the proceeds benefit MIN. $10 DONATION 100% the PIERRE FAMILY

DECEMBER

26 7:00 PM

Please contact Doug Timm or Outlaw Partners to donate items for auction.

OR

581-0142 cash donations can be made at Wells Fargo: Jamie Pierre Memorial Fund

SILENT AUCTION

& FOODFROM LOCAL

RESTAURANTS

r

The food will include a “DINE AROUND”

&

offerings to Ullr - Bring yoUr olD skis anD BoarDs to BUrn in the Bonfire

format with food from numerous restaurants in the Big Sky area

enter to win a moonlight Basin s e a s o n pa s s

visit explorebigsky.com for more information

Beer & fooD speCials all night

28 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

m e e t t h e t o y s o l D i e r s t e a m & w at C h 2011/12 “set yoUr sights” ski film

Montucky Cropdusters Live at the Half Moon s a t u r d a y

april

1973 - 2011

Jamie Pierre

photo courtesy of travis andersen // travisandersenphotography.com

live mUsiC By DJ Bones

d e c 2, 2 o 1 1 \ B i g s k y t o w n c e n t e r

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10 p.m. $5 cover Raffle prizes including snowboards

5 p m - pa r t y s ta r t s i n t o w n C e n t e r : B o n f i r e , o f f e r i n g s t o U l l r , D J B o n e s l i v e 6 - 8 p m - r a i l J a m ( f o r m at t B a ) 8 - 9 p m - pa r t y C o n t i n U e s i n C h o p p e r s , t o y s o l D i e r s m o v i e 9 p m - D r a w i n g s f o r m B s e a s o n pa s s , m B s w a g & r o C k s ta r s w a g (mUst Be present to win) 9pm - Close - DJ Bones live in Choppers

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Portion of proceeds benefit big sky community park project

2008

half moon saloon 2 miles south of big sky on the gallatin

outlaw news Outlaw joins Cody and Jackson chambers of commerce

Big Sky chamber also has regional members Outlaw Partners joined the Jackson and Cody, Wyo. chambers of commerce this summer. This allows the Big Sky Weekly and Mountain Outlaw magazine placement in both markets, and also gives Outlaw access to those business communities.

“The idea was to further Outlaw publications’ concentration around Yellowstone National Park,” said Megan Paulson, Outlaw’s chief operating officer.

“With our strong ties to the outdoor community, we wanted to grow the reach of our publications and also spread the word about Big Sky.” The Cody chamber and visitor's center has a few other regional members from Red Lodge and Billings.

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“We get a lot of travelers going into [Yellowstone] and going northward to Montana,” said Elizabeth Stuard from the Cody chamber. The member businesses get added exposure to those travelers, Stuard said.

The Big Sky chamber also has similar types of regional members, including businesses from Helena, Billings, Missoula Livingston, Belgrade, Bozeman, Jackson, Wyo., and Idaho Falls, Idaho.

They join for one of several reasons, said the Big Sky chamber’s membership and programs director Robin Brower-McBride: It opens up networking opportunities, they want to support the community, they see an advertising benefit, or they have clients in Big Sky.

Build your dream and let the memories begin.

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Big Sky Weekly

business profile

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Local home, businesses featured in Timber Home Living By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

BIG SKY – Three local businesses were featured in a Timber Home Living 2012 special edition entitled “Best Homes of the Year,” for Elk Ridge Lodge, a second home built in 2010 in The Club at Spanish Peaks.

The architect was the Big Sky-based Centre Sky Architecture; the builder was Gallatin-Gateway-based Teton Heritage Builders; and the interior designer was Carole Sisson Designs, also of Big Sky.

1st PROOF

retreat showcases rugged elegance ate, and return within five working days for completion of ayour file.perfectly suited to its Montana location,” wrote Janice Brewster in the article. “Creating a home that would fit in but “This lodge-style

stand out goal for Centre Skyas in designing is greatly appreciated in returning this proof even still if the adwasistheapproved is. this project.”

TREE REMOVAL

More than 10 photos, including three full-page spreads, highlighted different features of the 8,068 sq. foot home. The magazine had run a feature on Elk Ridge Lodge earlier in the year, and then featured it in this piece alongside 11 other designs from across the country.

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Approved RC&D log and timber structure. The project exemplifies Centre Sky’s clean design Hazardous Fuels style, heinsaid. urned before publication, Statewide Publishing will not be responsible for any inaccuracies the advertisement.

Reduction Contractor

Designer: LDM

The three businesses work together regularly and make a great team, said Sisson Design’s owner Erica Jennings. With this project in particular, “everybody had a very clear path to what the end goal was.”

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Big Sky Weekly

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services

That meant “an earthy, clean-lined, mountain look,” Jennings said. “It really let the building materials speak volumes. Great stone and great wood and the keep the furniture understated and let it all just shine.”

Teton Heritage Builders, which recently expanded its Gallatin Gatewaybased office, was founded 16 years ago in Jackson, Wyo., and has been here in Montana since 2003.

“The reason that this project turned out so well is because the owners wanted a collaboration right from the get-go,” said Teton Heritage Builders co-founder and CEO Peter Lee. Lee was project manager on this job.

Lee credits that process of working together from the start with allowing the architectural and design creativity, and also fitting the whole project into the owners’ budget.

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

help wanted Choppers is hiring experienced line cooks and servers. Call 995-3830 to schedule an interview.

for sale Southfork home for sale in Big Sky Finished in 2009, 3 bedroom, 2.5/ bath, ~2000 sq ft, open floor plan, very efficient, low heating costs, hardwood floors, outdoor deck. $389,000. Call 406-595-6641

housing wanted Young, professional couple looking for 2 br place to rent or caretaking arrangement in Big Sky or Gallatin Canyon area. Can start lease Sept.

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“By time the drawings were done there were no surprises, so every dollar went toward making that place look like the jewel box they wanted it to be,” Lee said. “It turned out really sharp.”

Home of tHe

Elk Ridge Lodge was also featured in Big Sky Journal’s winter 2011 issue, and in the fall/ winter 2011 issue of Dream Home Showcase.

Fulton/Hertz/Hoover Wealth Management Group 875 Harmon Stream Blvd., Suite 200 Bozeman, Montana 59718 (406) 556-4407 (800) 995-3443 www.fhhwealthmanagment.com

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Email classifieds and/or advertising requests to: media@theoutlawpartners.com

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(It’s the bear market that can throw you off) We are please to support Professional Bull Riders Association

Classifieds!

Member SIPC and NYSE | stifel.com

Big Sky Weekly

environment

Compass found in the nose of trout?

By tyler allen

big sky weekly staff writer

Trout use many senses to find their original spawning grounds, including excellent eyesight and sense of smell. They also use the magnetic fields of the Earth to navigate, and researchers have recently made a discovery as to how that may be possible.

Previous studies showed that some species of fish and migratory birds have tissue containing magnetite, the most magnetic mineral on Earth. Yet until this most recent study—conducted at the Ludwig Maximilian University Munich in Germany and reported online July 9 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences—scientists have not been able to isolate the magnetite in animal tissues.

these cells under a microscope and rotated a magnet around the sample.

Each cell that contained the magnetite rotated around with the magnet and was found to be at the edge of the cell membrane.

The scientists found the magnetism was 10 – 100 times stronger than previously hypothesized, something they thought might allow the fish to detect more detailed information about longitude and latitude, in addition to locating magnetic north.

That could be why fish can travel hundreds of miles from the ocean, through inland waterways, rarely getting lost on their way to ancestral hatching grounds.

Scientists found the magnetism was 10 – 100 times stronger than previously hypothesized

Only 1 in 10,000 cells have magnetite—if they were clustered together they would interfere with each other’s magnetism—which makes them difficult to isolate.

Using cell tissue from the noses of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) the scientists suspended

The next step for researchers is to demonstrate that these are sensory cells, actually passing information to the trout’s brain. They will also test various tissues from migratory birds, which travel thousands of miles during annual migrations, in

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Section 3:

Big Sky Weekly

July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 Volume 3 // Issue No. 15

life, land and culture

Rivers rule

By megan paulson

big sky weekly staff writer

Whether it’s spring, summer or fall, southwest Montana offers an abundance of river fun. Here's a quick guide to exploring notable whitewater in our area.

Yellowstone River With some of the best family-friendly whitewater in the area, the Yellowstone is the longest undammed, free-flowing river in the U.S. and has famous blue ribbon fly fishing. While affected by runoff, it tends to receive more sun and warms more quickly than the Gallatin. Whitewater rafting on the Yellowstone is popular from late May through September.

The Yellowstone has two main whitewater stretches near Yellowstone National Park, one beginning in the town of Gardiner and another just north, in Yankee Jim Canyon alongside Highway 89.

The rapids on the Yellowstone generally run class II – III, and have big, rolling waves and some short, quick drops. At high water, Yankee Jim has strong eddy lines and numerous holes and pour-overs to avoid; watch out for tricky laterals off the narrow canyon that can be dangerous during spring runoff.

Whitewater activities are dangerous, so please raft or kayak at your own risk. Be sure to follow proper safety techniques and always wear a PFD. For current water levels and streamflow information, visit waterdata.usgs. gov/MT/nwis/rt.

Madison River World renowned its fly fishing, the Madison also offers exciting whitewater through Bear Trap Canyon and flatwater on the lower section for leisurely summertime floats.

natural dam created by a 1959 earthquake into a section of class IV – V whitewater not commercially guided and run less frequently by locals.

The section below the Bear Trap running from Warm Springs to Blacks Ford is the most popular non-technical float.

Scenic and remote, the rapids in the Bear Trap vary from Class II – III, to the class IV Kitchen Sink. Many technical maneuvers are required in the Kitchen Sink, so it's best to scout from river right above the rapids to see what you're in for. It takes some work, but rafters or kayakers can also portage this rapid if flows or skill level necessitate.

With origins in Yellowstone National Park at the confluence of the Firehole and Gibbon rivers at Madison Junction, water temperature in the 183-mile Madison is usually warmer than other rivers in the region due to its shallower depth and contributions from the Firehole. Rapids tend to be less affected by runoff, as flows are managed by the Hebgen and Madison dams.

Above the Bear Trap and Ennis Lake, just below Earthquake Lake, the Madison releases from a

Continued on p. 35

Kokatat - Meridian GORE-TEX Dry Suit with Drop Seat The Kokatat Meridian gore-tex dry suit is my go-to piece for rafting on the Gallatin, the Madison's Bear Trap Canyon and early season trips to the Main and Middle Fork in Idaho. Bottom line: It really keeps you dry no matter what the conditions are.

I took a swiftwater rescue course over Memorial Day this year and as luck would have it, the water was 38 degrees, there were strong winds and occasional blizzard conditions. I wore a

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lightweight wool base layer and a synthetic vest beneath the Meridian, and I stayed warm and dry. The best features are the integrated drop seat, reinforced Cordura knee patches, and the diagonal chest zip (which actually makes putting on the full one-piece fairly effortless).

Available in men's and women's colors and sizes. M.P. kokatat.com

July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 33

Big Sky Weekly Squaw Creek TO

B O Z E M A N

Montana Whitewater Hellroaring (II) Storm Castle River Access The Mad Mile (see detailed inset)

1.3 miles of continuous class III to IV rapids. Many rocks create swimmers and during high water become large holes that can flip boats. There is not much calm water throughout the Mad Mile and incidents can create a very dangerous situation. Proceed with caution!

Hilarity Hole (III)

At high water this hole is very dangerous and located after a sharp river bend to the right. Stay left. It has been reported that boats have been stuck in this hole for over an hour until the river level changed.

Lava Lake Straightaway (II)

Long wave train located next to the road.

Bambi & Thumper (II)

Screaming Left (III)

On river left there is a large boulder resembling a face named Chief Joseph Rock. Hug river left corner and stay left.

New Rock (II) Picture Rock (II)

THE MAD MILE Beers From Heaven (II)

In 2003, a Miller High Life truck crashed on the highway, spilling 40,000 cans into the river.

Storm Castle River Access

Magnet Rock (III)

Avoid large rock on river left. Stay river right.

Prudential (III)

Avoid large rock pourover on river right.

Moose Creek

GoGoosh (III)

Davey Jones Locker (III)

Ray’s Bay

Large hole on river right.

Eddy on river right.

Rodeo (III)

Large hole in the center of the river.

House Rock and Bouldergarden (IV)

Super Eddy

House Rock is a giant boulder located in the middle of the river. Go left of House. River left just before House is a large hole called Whacker. After House, you will enter a very shallow, boulder packed section called Bouldergarden.

Calm water before House Rock Rapid.

Two Scoops (III)

Snaggletooth (III) Showstopper and Pinball (II/IV) Old Bridge (III)

Showstopper (II) on river left, Pinball (IV) on river right.

CAUTION - There is a seive on river right. A sieve is where two rocks are lodged very close together; water can pass, but objects cannot.

Portal Creek (III)

Approx. 2 river miles downstream of Green Bridge. Watch out for this one as it comes up fast and has many large boulders throughout. It catches many boaters off-guard. Line is center right or center left.

Entrance Exam (III)

High water straight down the middle. Low water hug right side and right of large boulder.

Sheep Eater Falls (III)

Lava Lake Deer Creek (Green Bridge)

Downstream of Green Bridge.

Large jagged rocks on river left.

Commercial Rafting Company Put-in/Launch Point Rapid 191

Eddy Take out/Exit Point

B I G

Gallatin River

SK Y

M O NTANA

Geyser Whitewater Expeditions TO W E S T Y E L L O W S TO N E

Porcupine Trailhead

The Gallatin River starts from Gallatin Lake in Yellowstone The Gallatin River starts at Gallatin Lake in Yellowstone National Park and runs approx 120 mi north till it converges National Park and runs approximately 120 miles north, where with the Jefferson and Madison river to form the Headwaters it converges with the Jefferson and Madison rivers, to form the of the Missouri. In July of 1805 Meriwether Lewis named the headwaters of the Missouri. In July of 1805, Meriwether Lewis river after Albert Gallatin who was the longest serving U.S. named the river after Albert Gallatin, who was the longest Secretary of the Treasury. Many fisherman know the Gallatin serving U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Many fishermen know as the “blue ribbon” trout stream. As your floating keep an the Gallatin as a blue ribbon trout stream. As you're floating eye out for Big Horn Sheep that range on the cliffs above keep an eye out for Bighorn Sheep ranging on the cliffs above. while enjoying what the Indians called “valley of the flowers.”

explorebigsky.com © 2011 Outlaw Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserverd. Published by Outlaw Partners, a marketing and media company based in Big Sky, Montana. www.theoutlawpartners.com | www.explorebigsky.com * This map is to act as a visual guide. Actual water levels may vary and therefore affect rapid behavior and boating lines. Please raft at your own caution.

outdoors Continued from p. 33

Gallatin River With origins in Yellowstone National Park, this free-flowing river cascades through the Gallatin Canyon and is one of the most exciting and accessible whitewater rapids in the state. Because it’s largely class II – III, the Gallatin provides a great introduction to whitewater.

Review: K9 life jacket and dog bed By black betty

big sky weekly k9 contributor

Black Betty, a Big Sky dog, recently did some gear testing on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho while volunteering with the river rangers. head. The sizing system provided

by RuffWear was perfect. This jacket is a must for all dog activities on or around water.

Numerous put-ins and take-outs along Highway 191 allow boaters the option to choose their whitewater experience. Below Moose Creek Campground in the canyon, the river picks up its gradient and hosts over 20 named rapids like Screaming Left, Thumper and Straightaway. The most technical is House Rock—a class IV rapid requiring precise maneuvering; the "Mad Mile" begins here and includes a mile of fun, continuous rapids below House.

The Gallatin is fed mainly through snowmelt, so more challenging and dangerous conditions exist during runoff in the spring when water temps hover around 38 degrees and the river fills the banks, becoming very turbulent. The water tends to be more friendly and crystal clear in July, August and September.

Most of the rapids can be scouted from the highway, so be sure to check out your line on the drive to the put-in.

Ruffwear K9 Float Coat Finally, a life jacket that works for a dogs who want a combination of safety and performance! The sleek design and efficient buckle system makes for a snug fit that works well in the water and on the shore. The handle on the back makes it easy for people to lift me out of the water without the jacket slipping over my

Ruffwear Flophouse Foam Pad This is a dog bed made for dogs on the go. The pad is not only comfortable but also lightweight and dries quickly if wet. The bottom side of the pad is very durable and holds up to all sorts of ground cover. It’s the perfect pad for dogs who are chasing their owners around the mountains, rivers and road trips. ruffwear.com

Geyser Whitewater By katie morrison

big sky weekly staff writer

Looking for a hassle-free guided river trip instead of planning your own? Look no further than Geyser Whitewater, in Big Sky. Experienced guides handle the logistics, while you relax or get your adrenaline fix—depending on which trip you choose. They’re happy to do some handholding for the newbies, or find fun surf spots or creative routes through the rapids for the adventurous.

While Geyser’s guides take safety seriously, they also enjoy what they do, which makes the entire float entertaining, no matter what the class of rapids is.

Laughter, cheering, and paddle high-fives resonate throughout every raft trip.

Paddling a wave train, pin balling through the Mad Mile, and the showstopper, maneuvering around House Rock, are all enough to get your heart racing on a trip down the lower Gallatin.

If your group would prefer a lighter adventure, try the upper Gallatin or a scenic float instead. The smaller rapids will still keep you focused, and because they’re a little more relaxed, these trips allow you to take in the beauty of the river, an eagle soaring above the trees, a moose hiding in the willows, or a bighorn sheep grazing beside the river.

No matter what you decide, a day spent on the river is a day well spent.

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Gear reviews

Big Sky Weekly

Da Kine Reload 26L camera pack By chris davis

big sky weekly staff writer

In a world where outdoorsmen are feverishly cutting ounces in their pack, I'm the guy trying to find a way to strap my tripod and dolly to the outside of my Dakine Reload bag. If I have to decide between a light pack (read: missing the shot) or a little extra training weight (getting the shot), I'll choose the latter every time.

Since I started using the Reload this winter, it’s exceeded my expectations.

At 26 liters, it has ample carrying space and plenty of protection for a DSLR with extra lenses and a myriad of accessories, or for larger cameras like our Sony F3.

This bag has treated me well in every situation—from hustling through the streets of Nairobi, to straight lining groomers in a futile attempt of catching up to Olympic skier Heather McPhie. I can't wait to see where the bag and I end up next, and what sort of footage it allows me. dakine.com

Sanuk Fault Line sandals By brian niles

big sky weekly staff writer

There’s nothing like finishing a great hike or bike ride and slapping on your old smelly, worn in pair of flip flops that you've grown to know and love. For me, that experience is almost as euphoric as the hike or bike ride itself.

I actually wear sandals so often I wear them down to the point where my heels drag on the pavement and my toes catch every pebble in my way. I have a hard time letting go. When I finally do get new flip flops, it’s a big deal.

I recently put my feet into a brand new pair of Men's Sanuk Fault Line sandals and immediately experi-

enced that same refreshing feeling of a perfectly used and abused set, but without the smell.

The Fault Lines have a soft, comfortable cushion and a forgiving leather strap that’s extremely delightful right out of the gate.

Their sleek dark leather look will not hinder your mojo when you’re walking the strip, putting out the vibe. However, I don’t recommend puddle jumping in them, because the leather soaks up the water.

So, if you’re looking for a durable, stylish, and most importantly, comfortable sandal that carries a great name and reputation like Sanuk, the Fault Line is a perfect choice. sanuk.com

Kit’s Organic fruit and nut bars Simple. Organic. Delicious.

By renae counter

big sky weekly editorial assistant

My cupboard can attest to the fact that peanut butter is one of my favorite foods. Thanks to the idea from a friend, I often spread it over granola bars for added taste or as just another excuse to eat peanut butter.

I’ve often been disappointed with bars that claim to taste like peanut butter, because frankly they don’t. So when the new Kit’s Organic Fruit and Nut Bar Peanut Butter Flavor landed on my desk I was skeptical. And then I ate it,

and it didn’t need extra support from the peanut butter jar. The four ingredients that compose this bar are enough.

Kit Crawford, co-owner of Clif Bar and Co., developed these delicious new bars. They’re certified organic, developed out of Kit’s passion for simple, delicious food. Organic dates and almonds compose the bulk of the bars, which come in four flavors: peanut butter, cashew, berry almond and chocolate almond coconut. All of them are gluten, soy and dairy free and have no artificial ingredients or dyes.

Dates are an excellent source of energy, packed full of fiber and vitamins, so the bars work great as an afternoon pickme-up at work or a recharger after an afternoon of mountain biking. Though slightly on the dry side, they stayed intact and didn’t leave a huge pile of crumbs on my lap. Both flavors I tried,

peanut butter and chocolate almond coconut, stayed true to their title without being overwhelmingly flavorful.

Kit’s Organic Fruit and Nut Bars can be purchased at REI and Rosauers in Bozeman, as well as online at clifbar.com/food/products_kits_organic.

Big Sky Hikers' summer 2012 schedule Date

Rating-Hike

Trailhead

Length

Climb

Leaders

August 2

A Monument Peak

Private Property

12 miles

3,000 ft.

Leslie Piercy (993-2303)

B Lava Lake

Lava Lake

6 miles

1600 ft.

Hilda and Keener Hudson (995-7951)

C Windy Pass

Portal Creek-Windy Pass

4.6 miles

1,260 ft.

Henrietta and Doug Gale (995-7951)

A Emerald Lake

Bozeman

10 miles

1,840 ft.

Nancy Hagen (995-3153)

B Frog Rock

Bozeman

12 miles

2,100 ft.

Arlyn Selting (522-8118)

August 9

August 16

C Bozeman Hike

Bozeman

6 miles

800 ft.

Robyn Faris (763-4230)

A Deer Lake

Deer Creek

9.5 miles

3,200 ft.

Lud Long (995-3931)

B Sheep Lake

Sheep Creek

12 miles

2,600 ft.

George Tallichet (993-2909)

C Mica Creek

Storm Castle

6 miles

800 ft.

Woody Burt (995-2761)

Comment

Trailhead near Raynolds Pass

Look for continued schedule in upcoming issues of the Big Sky Weekly.

explorebigsky.com

July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 37

EVENTS big sky

Town Center Aug. 9, 7 p.m.

Moonlight Basin Mondays thru Aug 27, 9:30 a.m.

Dimension3yoga.com The Art Barn Tuesdays, 8:30 – 10 a.m. annaourusoff@gmail.com (406) 600-7565 Fridays, 6 – 7 a.m.

Old Time Fiddle Music

Historic Crail Ranch Aug. 12, 1 – 3 p.m.

Monday Night Pig Roast

320 Steak House Restaurant Mondays, 5 – 8 p.m.

Big Sky Tennis Associate Weekly Round Robin Social

Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m.

Kimberly Maxwell, (406) 369-3008 kmaxwell@montana.com

Monday Night Bike Rides

Town Center Fire Pit Until July 30, 6 p.m.

Hike, Bike and BBQ

Moonlight Lodge Every Tuesday Evening until Aug. 31 4:30 p.m.

Friday Night Trail Ride & Cookout

Cedar Mountain Corrals at Moonlight Basin Fridays and Saturdays thru Oct. 15, 4 p.m.

The Deadlocks

Town Center Park July 28, 8:30 a.m.

Town Center Park July 31, 7 p.m.

Longview Cabin, private residence at Elkhorn Ranch Aug. 1, 10:30 a.m. biblestudyallsaintsbigsky.com

The Urban Side of Todd Connor

Union Pacific Dining Lodge, West side Aug. 2, 6 p.m.

BBQ Fundraiser for the Library

Smoking Waters Mountain Man Rendezvous

Bogert Park Aug. 4 – 5, 10 a.m.

Live Music: Smooth Money Gesture and Blue Voodoo

GCF Farmers Market

Bozeman Bridger Creek Boys

Bozeman Brewing Co. July 30, 5 p.m.

The Quebe Sisters Band

Ellen Theater July 30, 7:30 p.m.

Lunch on the Lawn: The Longhorns

Bozeman REI Aug. 1, 6:30 – 8 p.m.

GPS Navigation Basics

Bozeman REI Aug. 2, 6:30 – 8 p.m.

Downtown Bozeman Aug. 2, 6:30 p.m.

Town Center Park Aug. 2, 6 p.m.

The Filling Station Aug. 3, 9 p.m.

Big Sky Golf Course Aug. 17, 1 p.m.

Music on Main: Halden Woddord and the Hi-Beams

Music in the Mountains: The Clumsy Lovers

Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night

Booster Club Golf Tournament

Bike Maintenance Basics for Women

Women’s Bible Study followed

by Potluck

Silent Comedy, Strangled Darlings, and Pomengranate

The Filling Station Aug. 4, 9 p.m.

Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture Aug. 1, 11:30 a.m.

Morgan Frazier

Pioneer Town Park Aug. 2 – 5

SLAM Festival

Bogert Park July 31, 5 p.m.

Big Sky Country Fair & Arts Festival

Ellen Theater Aug. 2, 3 and 5, 8 p.m.

Big Sky Resort Golf Course Aug. 12, 3 – 7 p.m.

Live Music: Beau Huston

Live Music Town Center Park July 28, 3:30 p.m.

42nd Annual Yellowstone Rod Run

Heeb’s East Main Grocery Aug. 3, 11 a.m.

Town Center Aug. 12, 3 p.m.

320 Steak House Restaurant Wednesdays, 5:30 – 9 p.m.

Guys and Dolls

Women in Action’s Annual Croquet Tournament

Big Sky Classical Music Festival: Imani Winds

Hayride and Riverside BBQ

38 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

Follow along for the next month at facebook.com/bigskyxc.

Town Center Aug 11, 6 p.m.

Basecamp, Big Sky Resort 6 p.m. daily

Fire Pit Park, Town Center Wednesdays, 5 – 8 p.m.

Camp Big Sky: Dog Days of Summer

Big Sky Classical Music Festival: Enso String Quartet

Evening Expeditions

Big Sky Farmers Market

Boston Brass Town Center Aug. 10, 6 p.m.

Big Sky Community Park Aug. 11, 8:30 a.m.

Early Bird Yoga

4th annual Kenda Big Sky XC presented by KLIM

August 24-25

This year's race will feature some of the country's top amateur and professional off road racers from every major off road racing series.

The starting lineup will include desert specialists, endurocross stars and GNCC competitors and. The Kenda Big Sky XC is off-road racing's premier summer event.

Big Sky Classical Music Festival:

Yoga with Anna

Big Sky Weekly

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

Live Music: The Elders

Yoga on the Deck

Creighton Block Gallery Aug. 3, 4:30 – 7 p.m.

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Volunteer for Red Lodge Creek Trail Camp

Aug 2 – 7 Contact David Kallenbach (406) 425-1944

Gallatin County Fair Grounds Saturdays, 9 a.m.

Free Bike-to-Farm

Leaves from the Leaf & Bean Coffee and Tea Shop Aug. 4, 10 a.m.

Montana Shakespeare in the Park: Hamlet

Lindley Park Aug. 5, 5 p.m.

Rockin’ TJ Ranch Farmers Market

livingston & paradise valley Livingston Farmers Market

Sacajawea Park Wednesdays, 4:30 p.m.

Pine Creek Open Blue Grass Jam

Pine Creek Lodge & Café Aug. 2, 7 p.m.

Reining Horseshow

Anderson’s Arena, Livingston Aug. 2-4, TBA John Conlee concert

Music Ranch Montana Aug. 3, 7:30 p.m.

Live music: Cure for the Common Pine Creek Lodge & Café

Aug. 3, 7 p.m.

Mondays, 5 p.m.

Live music: Russ Nassett & The Revelatos

Bogert Farmers Market

Chico Hot Springs Aug. 3 and 4, 9 p.m.

Bogert Park Tuesdays, 5 p.m.

Lunch on the Lawn: The Bridger Creek Boys

Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture Aug. 8, 11:30 a.m.

Days on the Green

BHS Grad Music Jam Bozeman Public Library Aug. 8, 6 p.m.

Music on Main: Kaneae River

Live music: Prairie Wind Jammer

Pine Creek Lodge & Café Aug. 4, 7 p.m.

Michael D. Band

Chico Hot Springs Saloon Aug. 5, 9 p.m.

John Nemeth

Chico Hot Springs Saloon Aug. 7, 9 p.m.

Shields Valley Pig Wrestling

Downtown Bozeman Aug. 9, 6:30 p.m.

Park County Fairgrounds Aug. 4, 8 p.m.

Garden and Home Tour

Park County Demolition Derby

Various locations Aug. 10 (4 – 8 p.m.) and 11 (9 – 4 p.m.)

west yellowstone

The Dirty Shame

Wild West Yellowstone Rodeo

The Eagles Lodge Aug. 2, 9 p.m.

Rodeo Arena Tuesdays – Saturdays, 8 p.m.

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Aug. 11, 10 a.m.

Livingston Fairgrounds Aug. 5, 1 p.m.

The Mane Event-Fundraiser United in Light

Music Ranch Montana Aug. 10, 5 p.m.

EVENTS Crail Ranch annual bake sale and Colors of Kyrgyzstan Show, July 28

Backpacker magazine brings Get Out More Tour to Bozeman 75-minute seminar. This informative and fun session will cover a range of topics including: backpacking essentials, the latest in gear and apparel, survival skills and trail-tested tips.

Backpacker magazine is bringing its celebrated Get Out More Tour to Bozeman on Aug. 23. The magazine’s renowned ambassadors, Randy and Sheri Propster, will visit Bozeman as part of the eight-month tour, which is stopping at 64 venues in 36 states.

The idea: Inspire tens of thousands of hikers and backpackers to get out and explore the great outdoors.

Participants will have the chance to win outdoor gear and apparel.

Register for this free event at rei.com/ bozeman to reserve a seat. For more information, go to: backpacker.com/getoutmore

The Get Out More team is offering seasoned advice via an in-depth,

Women in Action host seventh annual croquet tournament fundraiser, Aug. 12

BIG SKY – Homemade pies, cakes, cookies, breads and other baked goods go on sale in the main cabin at Historic Crail Ranch Saturday morning, July 28, starting at 9 a.m.

Organized, by Barbara Gillispie and her team, the Crail Ranch Bake Sale is a long-standing Big Sky tradition, says Al Lockwood, chairman of the Historic Crail Ranch Conservators.

“It’s one of our happiest fundraisers,” Lockwood said.

At the same time, former Big Sky resident Paula Halverson Goldman, will return with her trunk show and sale of beautiful rugs and wool-felt clothing from Kyrgyzstan.

Live music: Honkey Tonk Heroes

Chico Hot Springs Saloon Aug. 10-11, 9 p.m.

17th Annual Madison Valley Arts Festival

Peter T’s Park, Ennis Aug. 11, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

River Runs Through It Tournament

Livingston Golf Course Aug. 11 – 12

virginia city The Brewery Follies

H.S. Gilbert Brewery 4 and 8 p.m.

Living History Weekend: Placer Gold

Aug. 4 – 5

Her goods will be on display and for sale until 3 p.m. Halverson Goldman played a key role in the original grassroots community action to save the Crail Ranch during the 1980s.

Historic Crail Ranch is a preserved Montana homestead celebrating 110 years this year. Operated and administered as an educational homestead museum by the Big Sky Community Corp. and the Historic Crail Ranch Conservators, it’s located in the Big Sky Meadow Village on Spotted Elk Road and is open free to the public on weekends from noon to 3 p.m. through August. Details available at crailranch.org.

Second Saturday Farmers Market

Aug. 11, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

norris hot springs music The Missing Parts

July 29, 7 p.m.

Bozo Mojo

Aug. 3, 7 p.m.

The Shamrocks

Aug. 4, 7 p.m.

Tom Catmull

Aug. 5, 7 p.m.

three forks Rockin’ The Rivers music festival

1st Annual Vigilante Music Festival

Train Depot Park Aug. 4, noon Annual Virginia City Art Show

Aug. 10 – 12, 9 a.m.

Aug. 10 – 12 rockintherivers.com

BIG SKY – For its biggest fundraiser of the year, Women in Action will host its croquet tournament from 3 – 7 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Big Sky Golf Course Driving Range.

music by Tumbledown House. Dress is summer whites, khakis and festive whites.

WIA aims to enrich the lives of children and families in the Big Sky community through volunteer activism and fundraising, and assist in providing the community with affordable health, family and educational services.

Funds raised at the event will support WIA’s Community Counseling program, summer and winter camp scholarships, an annual flu clinic, and the new parent liaison program in the Big Sky school system.

To reserve your spot to play, contact WIA at (406) 209-7098 or info@ wiabigsky.org.

Come for hors d’oeuvres, drinks, croquet, a silent auction and live

Got Noxious Weeds?

We can help!

Now is a great time to manage the noxious weeds on your property, and the Gallatin/Big Sky Noxious Weed Committee can help!

We provide free onsite assistance, including identifying weeds on your property & recommending treatment methods.

For assistance, contact Jennifer Mohler at 406‐209‐0905 or bigskyweeds@gmail.com, and visit www.bigskyweeds.org.

Noxious Weed Spotlight: Oxeye Daisy

Oxeye daisy is a perennial, resembling Shasta daisy, that’s common in meadows, roadsides and along trails in Big Sky and the Gallatin Canyon. This aggressive invader can form dense stands that displaces native plants. Because of the plant’s beauty and showiness, conscientious management is often neglected. Unfortunately, some of Montana’s state listed noxious weeds are still offered for sale in wildflower seed mixes. Be on the lookout when purchasing seeds for your garden or landscaping. More photos & information @ www.bigskyweeds.org.

Visit us at our booth at the Big Sky Farmers Market!

Help protect wildlife habitat, water resources, & native plants by controlling noxious weeds!

ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY PRESENTS

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Big Sky Weekly

AUGUST 10-12

FREE MUSIC CENTER STAGE IN

TOWN CENTER PARK MUSIC STARTS AT 6PM NIGHTLY

FRIDAY- WINE TASTING 4-6 PM $20/TICKET, TOWN CENTER PARK

MUSIC/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: ERIC FUNK

SATURDAY - OPEN REHEARSAL WITH ENSO QUARTET 10AM, TALUS ROOM, THE SUMMIT

BOSTON BRASS

SATURDAY - LECTURE WITH ERIC FUNK “ HOW TO ENJOY CLASSICAL MUSIC” 2:30PM, TALUS ROOM, THE SUMMIT

PERFORMANCES BY

Friday, August 10:

Saturday, August 11:

ENSO STRING QUARTET Sunday, August 12:

IMANI WINDS

B I G S K YA R T S . O R G

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

Stay connected • Get involved • Never miss a story

40 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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entertainment

Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky Classical Music Festival is Aug. 10 – 12

Wine tasting, lecture and open rehearsal added to schedule By brian hurlbut

arts council of big sky

BIG SKY – The second annual Big Sky Classical Music Festival is returning for three nights this summer, again bringing a broad spectrum of world-class music to the stage in the Town Center.

Hosted by the Arts Council of Big Sky, the event is Aug 10 – 12, and is free and open to the public. Each night begins at 6 p.m. with an opening ensemble featuring young regional performers.

The world-renowned Boston Brass will kick off the festival Friday, Aug. 10 with a mix of classical, jazz and brass arrangements. This lively ensemble has been together for 26 years, creating a one-of-a-kind, fun musical experience.

The 11th Avenue String Quartet will open the evening.

The following night, on Saturday, Aug. 11, the award-winning Enso String Quartet will bring what the Houston Chronicle called “edge-of-the-seat vitality” to Big Sky. The young, New Yorkbased ensemble was nominated for a Grammy in 2010 for a Best Chamber Music Performance. Performing before the Enso Quartet will be the Bridger

Boston Brass will kick off the festival Friday, Aug. 10

Brass Quintet, a youth ensemble from Bozeman.

The Imani Winds will close the festival on Sunday, Aug. 12. North America's premier wind quintet, the group is also one of the most successful chamber music ensembles in the U.S. Since

1997, the Grammy-nominated group has taken a unique path, carving out a distinct presence with dynamic playing, culturally poignant programming, genre-blurring collaborations and inspirational outreach programs. It’s played at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Disney Hall and Kimmel Center. Opening the show that evening will be the Montana State University Cello Ensemble.

Local composer and educator Eric Funk will again serve as the festival’s music and artistic director. A faculty member at MSU and the 2007 President’s Excellence in Teaching Award recipient, his Montana PBS-TV show “11th & Grant with Eric Funk” has won an Emmy award. During the festival, Funk will give a free lecture, “How to

Enjoy Classical Music,” on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the Talus Room.

Additional events include a wine tasting on Friday, Aug. 10 from 4 – 6 p.m. at the Town Center Park, and an intimate open rehearsal and discussion with the Enso Quartet at 10 a.m. in the Talus Room at the Summit Hotel at Big Sky Resort.

The Big Sky Classical Music Festival is supported by funding from the Big Sky Resort Tax District, the Gilhousen Family Foundation, the Smith Family Foundation and the Yellowstone Club Community Foundation. More information is available at bigskyarts.org.

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July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 41

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Big Sky Weekly

LIVE BLUES, SATURDAY AUGUST 4TH

TYLER JAMES BRIGADE - AUGUST 23

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK AT 11:30 A.M. LUNCH & DINNER

42 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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SAT. 8/30 – THE HURT PROJECT (BLUES FROM BROOKLYN) – 9 PM THURS. 8/9 - DRIFTWOOD GRINNERS - 10PM THURS. 8/16 - MOUNTAIN GRIP - 10PM SAT. 8/18 - MATHIAS AND FRIENDS - 9PM THURS. 8/23 - THE TYLER JAMES BRIGADE - 10PM THURS. 8/30 - BOTTOM OF THE BARREL - 10PM

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

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fun

Big Sky Weekly

Buscrat's Fables

The Bear and the Elk (a fable for parents)

One day back in the early 1900s, I seen a bear and three cubs wanderin’ down the mountain toward the meadow to graze, and also a elk wanderin’ down that same trail with three of her calves to get to that same meadow.

large tree that had fallen across the ravine.

late to react cuz the snake sprung out and bit the last little bear cub.

"Foller me," she said to her cubs, "but make sure you don't look down."

One of the cubs wasn’t payin’ too much attention, and when he heard his mama say sumpin’ about looking down, he looked down. He got scared and lost his balance, and away he fell to the bottom of the ravine.

The mama bear was left in the meadow with none of her bear cubs left.

As they reached the other side of the ravine the mama bear and two cubs came into cougar country. Mama bear told the cubs, "be sure and don't walk slow".

I learnt sumpin’ real innerestin’ about the manner in which they taught their young’uns and the consequences of their methods of teachin’.

The baby bear pulling up the rear wasn’t paying much attention neither, but he heard sumpin’ about walking slow, so he walked along real slow. Just then a cougar came out of the bushes and snatched him away.

First I watched the mama bear with her three cubs. She told them to foller behind her and be careful of the dangers in the woods. As the bears came across a steep ravine, they had to find another way to git to the other side. Mama saw a

When the mama bear and last baby bear got to the meadow, the mama yelled to her last cub "look out fer that snake on yer left!" The bear cub heard her mama sayin’ sumpin’ about looking left, so she looked to the left and saw the snake. By then it was too

Then I noticed the elk and her calves.

She told her three calves to foller her and be careful of the dangers in the woods, and to foller her lead.

As the three calves and mama elk came across the steep ravine, they had to find another way to git to the other side. Mama elk saw the large tree that had fallen across the ravine.

"Foller me," she said to her calves, "and make sure you look up ahead and keep yer eye on the other side." They all looked up and crossed to the other side.

Reaching the other side, the mama and her three calves were in cougar country. "Run along with me as fast as you can," Mama said to her calves.

The calves heard sumpin’ from their ma about runnin’ so they runned real hard ‘til they got outta cougar country.

When the elk got to the meadow, the mama yelled, "Quick! Jump to yer right, and look out fer that snake!" The calves was distracted a little by the fun-lookin’ meadow, so they wasn’t paying too much attention, but they heard “jump” and “right,” so they all reacted quickly and jumped to the right. When the snake sprung out at ‘em, it missed cuz the elk was too far right.

Finally the elk and her calves reached the meadow and foraged on the sweet green grass, safe and happy. They also seen a sad, lonely bear wandering along all by itself.

Seemed kinda innerestin’ how the bear and the elk taught their young’uns the same things in such a different manner, and how them young’uns reacted to the way they was taught.

Buscrat's fables are simple stories that teach a moral. Buscrat welcomes you to visit buscratsfables.com and post your comments regarding the fable.

some restaurants do italian food. some do chinese food.

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Big Sky Weekly

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Toyota of Bozeman INSERT DEALER INFO HERE 877-221-8432 44 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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wanderer at rest

Big Sky Weekly

East Entrance

By Jamie Balke

big sky weekly columnist

Sometimes, when I let myself get wrapped up in the tedious requirements of everyday life, I take living in Montana for granted. Today I was feeling a bit nostalgic and got lost in some old pictures that reminded me of the first time I laid eyes on the West.

After I graduated from middle school in all my awkward glory, my parents planned a road trip to Yellowstone. As we packed up the station wagon and began the drive to the mountains, I had no idea that the trip would change the course of my life.

Wisconsin’s rolling hills and forests gave way to the vast lonely farms of Minnesota, and looking out the window, my mom proclaimed she’d surely lose her mind if ever forced to live in such a place. Don’t worry, we reassured her, it was already too late.

I’ve always been particular about hotels, especially if they don’t meet my expectations on cleanliness. As I looked around the unfolding landscape, noting only the occasional outpost of civilization, I realized we were screwed. We pulled into one of the only motels in the area at nightfall, and I spent the evening crying until my brother agreed to take the rollaway bed, which was stained with urine and what appeared to be blood.

Things could only get better.

Sure enough, the next day found us stopping at Wall Drug where my brother procured a cowboy hat that

Over decades Over 33decades buildinginin building Montana Montana

Photo by Adrian Valenzuela (cc)

smelled like cow. Our hotel near the Badlands was complete with bird-sized moths. But by then it didn’t matter: I was captivated. Topographical and ecological variations are hard to come by in my native Chicago suburbs, and those explorations of the crumbling desert hills were my first taste of real hiking. There was no going back.

We stopped at Mount Rushmore, and then buzzed on to Cody, Wyo. There, fascinated with the idea of cowboys like any proper teenage tourist would be, I asked my parents to take us to the rodeo. However, when I thought they were being mean to the bulls, I begged to leave.

Next we went rafting, and my mom asked the guide if people in the West have lots of guns. When he replied in the affirmative, indicating that people in the West have guns like many parts of a frog are waterproof, my mom desisted in her line of questioning.

The next day we entered Yellowstone by the East Entrance, and it was love at first sight. I soaked up every hike, every animal sighting, and to this day these are some of my most vivid memories.

I remember the bear-shaped soap in our cabin at Canyon Village, the feeling that the trail to get to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was wild and remote, and seeing Old Faithful for the first time from the crowded boardwalk.

Most of all, I remember being overwhelmed by the feeling that we were driving in the wrong direction on the way home.

Jamie Balke moved to Bozeman in the fall of 2009.

She can generally be found behind the cover of a book, meandering down a trail or desperately trying not to kill houseplants.

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Big Sky Weekly

further fetchins Adventures between Montana and Alaska

On playing outside By mike mannelin

big sky weekly columnist

I could hear the train coming for a few minutes. It must have been a mile away. The ground started rumbling under my feet, and I knew it would come into view any second. When it appeared around the corner through the trees, I cringed with excitement.

I’m not sure why, but I always used to do that when I was a boy.

The rusty and dented steel cars flew past, loaded down with steaming piles of iron ore. I counted the cars as they went by.

“14, 15, 16… 78, 79, 80… 123.”

Then it was silent. I raced over to the tracks to pick up pellets of iron ore that had fallen off the train, fresh from the mine.

When my pockets were full, I picked up my bike and ride to my friend’s house. In the backyard we shot slingshots at birds, squirrels and anything else that moved. The marble-shaped ore pellets made perfect ammo.

This was my life as a 10-year-old kid on summer vacation in a small town at the edge of the small world in northern Minnesota.

One lucky afternoon we stumbled across a hatchet and went into the woods, chopping down trees and mapping out trails. We used the trees to build forts, which came in handy when we were hiding from parents, playing army or camping.

Another day, we built a fire using a set of matches my friend found in his parents’ garage. I wasn’t allowed to make fires yet, and when I got home I was in trouble for smelling like smoke.

From my yard we’d scoop up handfuls of smashed and rotting crab apples and throw them at the garage and at other neighborhood kids. The fights often evolved into full-on wars involving all the kids from the block.

At the end of every summer day, our mothers would call us in for dinner, and we’d say goodbye reluctantly.

Not much has changed, although I now spend summers working in

remote Alaska. At 7 a.m. the alarm goes off. The snooze button is hard to find sometimes, but the incessant, horrible sound magically disappears if I just swat my hand in its general direction a few times.

The steep stairs leading from the sleeping mats in the attic to the main cabin are always sketchy, especially in the morning. In the entryway, I sift through a few pairs of identical waders to find my own. My feet find their way into the damp boots, and I pull them up to my chest. I call the dog, grab the gun and head out the door.

The fish have their noses pressed into the gate as if they know that I’m about to open it. One pokes his head upstream, looking for danger, then swims through cautiously. Another follows a little less cautiously. Soon the opening is plugged full of salmon charging upstream to spawn. As they begin to slow down, my clickercounting device is nearing 1,000. I pack up my gear and head back to the cabin to make coffee.

During the day, I wander outside to work on projects around the cabin.

There’s the banya addition. I’m building a new diesel tank stand and a new boat shed. The boats need attention.

And there’s bear destruction to repair on buildings.

By dinner time, when we have our scheduled radio meeting with headquarters, several projects have been finished, some new ones have been started, and we’ve been to the weir to count fish at least four or five more times. By 11 p.m., the sun is ready to set, and I’m heading down to do one last fish count before dark.

As I write, it’s been 26 years since the slingshots and childhood mischief. I still feel the same freedom now that I did when I was chucking crab apples at the neighbor kids. These days, my cabin is like a mansion-fort, I get to make fires in the banya, and once and awhile I chuck a fish at my wife.

Mike Mannelin is a skier with roots in Minnesota, Montana, and Alaska. He gains his inspiration in life by spending time in the mountains with friends.

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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.

Summer skiing on Denali The Messner and a few other nice looking ski runs are above Camp 3, at 14,000 feet. Photos courtesy of Chris Bangs

By chris bangs

the runs, making 5,000 vertical feet look more like 2,000.

big sky weekly contributor

As I stood in Base Camp at 14,000 feet on the continent’s highest peak, potential ski runs loomed above, taunting my imagination.

Denali is a mountain so big its twin summits are three miles apart. Just reaching Base Camp was the hardest approach hike I’ve ever done. It’s also one of the coldest places in the world, and storms move in and wreak havoc for days and weeks at a time.

My climbing partner had gone home after we climbed the West Buttress together this past June. I stayed, hoping to make a ski descent from the summit.

Denali is an intense place. Originally we hoped to climb a couple routes together, maybe the harder Cassin Ridge, ski something super steep and exciting. But the elevation, the cold temps and the miles of slogging uphill with heavy packs took a toll.

The day we reached the summit, my partner began to suffer from altitude sickness, so we turned around and descended quickly.

Now I was camping alone in Base Camp, with about 300 other climbers as my neighbors. The extreme cold and daily snowstorms had left a clean canvas of snow on the upper mountain. The skiing looked great, but I could see a shiny blue armor of ice just beneath the surface of the snow. On slopes steeper than 45 degrees, the ice was plainly visible, and I wondered how dangerous the skiing would be there.

The view from the door of my tent reminded me of mountain photos that captivated me as a kid. I found myself unable to look away from the steep slopes above. The mountain’s size foreshortened the appearance of

48 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

Preparing myself mentally, I went over the necessary steps to pull off a safe ski descent. First I needed to ski adjacent slopes to assess the conditions. Then I needed to pick a route and commit myself to it.

I chose the Rescue Gully as my first warm up run. Visible from Base Camp, it drops from 17,000 to 14,000 feet.

Skiing into the top, I kicked off a few small wind slab avalanches and watched them break free and slide down the mountain. They were about six inches deep and didn’t trigger any additional slides lower in the bowl.

The first couple turns were some of the coolest I’ve ever made. The sensation of skiing something steep on Denali gave me a massive adrenaline surge.

For the next 400 feet I performed “controlled recovery,” a technique used in places so steep that making turns causes one to start sliding out of control. It’s not really skiing as most of us know it. First I sidestepped down a foot or two and cleared away the wind-loaded snow. Then I attempted to make a turn on the hard pack snow under the wind slab. When I started sliding, I dug my edges in as hard as I could and tried to stop. I repeated the process until I reached a place where the slope opened up and the angle subsided.

Once I reached the main bowl, the snow turned to perfect powder, and I linked beautiful turns for more than 1,000 feet. I was careful not to stray into the middle, where crevasses hid under thin snow.

At the bottom, a giant crevasse called a bergschrund stretched across the entire slope. The only way across was to jump over the thing and hope I picked the

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right spot. While airborne, I looked into the gaping hole and down a giant crack with an endless color of blue.

I was relieved when I landed on the other side, safe and still on my skis.

Back at camp I weighed my options. The Messner Couloir looked too dangerous to ski. Thousands of feet of blue ice was showing in and around the snow, and I now knew I wanted nothing to do with it.

The Orient Express was a better option, but I couldn’t see the entire route from camp.

Next, I decided to ski the headwall run on a section of the West Buttress route where the guided parties have ropes fixed to the This photo of Chris Bangs was taken at 17,000 feet, just mountain.

Nervous before the Rescue Gully descent.

Again the about my angle of the slope was terribly steep decision-making, I decided to stop for skiing, but I was excited about the thinking about it for a while. I had look of the run anyway. Here, the snow five days left before my scheduled was only about a foot deep, pasted onto flight off the glacier and my return solid blue ice. If I was to make a descent trip back home. off the summit down the Messner Couloir or the Orient Express, which is what The next morning a series of powI hoped to do, I needed to know how erful snowstorms moved in. High this snow would behave over the ice. winds wracked the mountain, causing avalanches to come down The first turn was a success, so I made hourly. From Base Camp, we could another. Then the tails of my skis hear massive slides rumbling down started sliding out from under me. distant faces, but we couldn’t see Looking down, I saw that the snow was them because clouds obscured the gone, and I was standing directly on the mountain. ice. I held on with my edges and came to a stop, perched like a spider on the wall.

With the snowstorms came a realizaI was shaking, scared. tion that I would not be making a solo ascent of Denali this year, and I Climbers were descending the fixed would not be skiing off the summit. ropes next to me about 100 feet away, A wave of relief washed over me. and we all just stood there for about Climbing mountains is a dangerous five minutes looking at each other. game, and sometimes it’s best to let They must have been as scared as I was, the mountains win. hoping they were not about to watch a man slide to his death. Tucking my tail Chris Bangs lives in Bozeman and is between my legs, I skied over to the the owner of Human-Powered Mounfixed lines and grabbed hold. taineers, Inc.

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Yellowstone Club & Continental Construction Present

July 31 & august 1, 2012

pbr’s best big sky town center cowboys & bulls “It’s going to be a wild ride”

Live music mutton bustin’

Entertainment by

flint rasmussen special big sky pbr

section event of the year 2011 Champion Beau Hill

Thank you to all of our sponsors.

Produced by Outlaw Partners & Freestone Productions

Big Sky Weekly

PBR in Big Sky The gate banged open and the bull, with rider Beau Hill on top, spun onto the packed dirt and circled, kicking. The crowd, 2,000-deep, stood and cheered. Hill had chosen a re-ride, risking his second place finish at the chance for victory.

The counter ticked up from zero to eight, and Hill hopped off, landing on his feet. Arms raised, he turned to see his score: 88. He jumped, hugged and high-fived Flint the Entertainer.

In that ride, Beau Hill won the 2011 Big Sky PBR. Held in the Town Center last August, the inaugural Big Sky PBR won “Event of the Year” from the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce.

It was a beautiful summer evening, with clouds lit up by the sunset, the mountains glowing around the intimate arena.

“There aren’t many places you can go to an event of this caliber and have this kind of scenery,” said Jacey Watson from the Montana

PBR production company, Freestone Productions.

Big Sky’s second annual Professional Bull Riding event is part of the PBR Pro Touring Division, which allows up-and-coming bull riders and those not competing on the elite Built Ford Tough Series to compete in PBR-sanctioned events while earning money to qualify them for the BFTS and the PBR World Finals.

The event is unique, Watson says, especially compared to the ones on the Built Ford Tough Series, which are held inside coliseums or large buildings and host about 15,000 people a night.

“From a production standpoint, it was one of the best shows, if not the best, that we’ve pulled off as a company.”

Outlaw Partners and Freestone are producing the 2012 Big Sky PBR. The Yellowstone Club is title sponsor, and Continental Construction is the presenting sponsor.

Don’t forget your cowboy hat Anyone who wears a cowboy hat to the Big Sky PBR has a chance to win a cash prize.

In an effort to promote and encourage cowboy tradition, the Cummings and the de Shields families are putting up $500 to be split into three cash prizes and raffled off during this year’s PBR. Anyone wearing a cowboy hat at the entrance gate will get a free raffle ticket, and the Cummings 7-yearold granddaughter will pick the winners from—yes, a hat.

The Cummings got the idea from the Calgary Stampede, which is

the largest rodeo in the world, Jan Cummings said.

More Results Selling more real estate than any other firm in Big Sky for the second year running.

During the parade at Calgary, vendors give out coupons to discounted items and giveaways—but only to attendees wearing cowboy hats.

When the Cummings first came to Big Sky in 1989, more people wore cowboy hats, Jan said.

“It’s a recognition of those who came before us,” she said. “The West was won by a certain type of person who was strong and courageous and participated in the outdoors. All of those things are people who love Big Sky.”

Calling all hockey & skating enthusiasts!

The Big Sky PBR will make a modest donation to the BSSHA if 10-15 people will help pick up trash the morning after the PBR. To participate, be at the PBR arena site in the Town Center at 7 a.m. on Thursday Aug. 2 and plan to be there for about an hour. Wear work clothes and bring gloves. RSVP to bigskyice@gmail.com.

Jason Parks, Broker 406.580.4758

Branif Scott, Broker 406.579.9599

Ania Bulis, Broker 406.580.6852

Sandy Revisky, Broker 406.539.6316

Jackie Miller, Broker 406.539.5003

*Based on 2011-2012 information from Gallatin Association of Realtors MLS Data

www.purewestproperties.com | 406.995.4009

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“Sky Ride”

Big Sky Weekly

By emily stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

"I like to tell a story with my work and have it be meaningful"

BIG SKY – The moment of truth is frozen in time. The bull is midbuck, and it looks as though the cowboy is going to make it through this ride, but he’s leaning a bit so it’s hard to be sure.

This is “Sky Ride,” a 14-inch tall bronze sculpture by Big Sky homeowner Sandy Epstein that will be the trophy for the champion of the 2012 Big Sky PBR. “I like to tell a story with my work and have it be meaningful,” Epstein said. “There’s a synergy between this rider and the bull, in that the cowboy is mirroring the movement of the [animal].”

Epstein was inspired to create the sculpture after watching the first ever Big Sky PBR last year. She was inspired, too, by the generosity of those who supported the event.

“I was trying to figure out a way in which I could contribute, too,” she said.

Epstein first started making bronzes in Cody, Wyo. in 1991, where she was mentored by a local sculptor. Back at home in New Jersey, Epstein learned from masters at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League in New York City.

To create “Sky Ride,” Epstein first made a wire skeleton called an armature, and then sculpted with wax atop that. When she was satisfied

with her sculpture, she brought it to Caleco Foundry, which has been casting bronzes for prominent Western artists for three generations.

Using the complex, 3,000-year-old “lost wax process” developed by the Chinese, Caleco created an exact replica of Epstein’s design, pouring 2,100 degree Farenheit molten bronze into a cast.

“Basically, it works very well for very intricate things like bronze artwork,” said Caleco co-manager Matthew Hall.

Epstein, who also recently started painting, draws influence from the art scene in Cody. One of her works, “The Floater,” is in the collection at Cody’s Buffalo Bill Historical Center. She describes it as “a peaceful expression of a foal in utero inspired by seeing an ultrasound of a pregnant mare.”

“I like the actual process of working with clay or wax and using my hands—in a primitive way, really—and having my vision realized in a three-dimensional form. I try to go for realism and authenticity, but also more of an impressionistic style.”

Epstein, together with the event’s lead sponsors, will present “Sky Ride” to the winner at the end of the Big Sky PBR.

Professional bull riding in Montana By renae counter

big sky weekly editorial assistant

Professional Bull Riding is nothing new in Montana.

Billings has hosted a Built Ford Tough PBR touring series event for the past 17 years, making it the most consecutive event since the series began 20 years ago.

The Built Ford Tough PBR series is part of the major league division and hosts the top 35 to 40 riders from around the world as they compete to become World Champion Bull Rider.

Las Vegas in October. The Pro Touring Division events are held throughout the summer, giving fans a chance to get their PBR fix while the Built Ford Tough series is on break. Top riders from that tour can make points toward entry into the championship.

2012 will be Livingston’s third year hosting the Touring Pro Division PBR, and Big Sky’s second. The Touring Pro Division is the PBR’s minor league division. A crowd of 4,000 – 5,000 is expected for the Livingston PBR, which will be Saturday, July 28.

The Built Ford Tough PBR season starts annually Jan. 1 in Madison Square Gardens and runs every weekend through mid-May, before starting again in August. The Championship event is held in

52 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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photos By mike coil

Rider profile: Beau Hill Winner of the 2011 Big Sky PBR, Beau Hill is a Montana native and has been a professional bull rider for 13 years.

This winter, Hill won the Abbotsford, British Columbia PBR Canadian Cup event, and also the 33rd Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals in Great Falls.

A Jack Daniel’s sponsored PBR bull rider and an Outlaw Partners ambassador, Hill turned down college baseball scholarships to ride bulls. He has also competed in the National Finals Rodeo twice, the PBR World Finals four times, and was the National PBR Champion in Canada in 2009.

Hill lives in Columbia Falls, Mont. with his wife Keri and three children. This summer, he’s riding in PBR events in Billings, Missoula, Livingston and Big Sky.

l l i H u Bea OU T L AW A MBASSADOR

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Big Sky Weekly

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Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky PBR Cowboys

Card

Dakota

Beck

Moses Lake,WA

World C

Chad

Besplug

Claresholm, AB

Permit

Shawn

Best II

Omak, WA

Card

Tyler

Bingham

Honeyville, UT

Card

Bonner

Bolton

Odessa, TX

World C

Tanner

Byrne

Prince Albert, SK

Card

Cody

Campbell

Summerville, OR

World Card

Brendon

Clark

Morpeth,NSW Australia

Card

Jarrod

Craig

Hillsboro,TX

World C

Dusty

Ephrom

Kenosee Lake, SK

Card

Josh

Faircloth

Randleman, NC

Card

Cody

Ford

Hermiston OR

Permit

Cole

Hermanson

Mandan, ND

Card

Beau

Hill

West Glasier, MT

Permit

Skyler

Johnson

Stanton, ND

Card

Cody

Johnson

Kaufman, TX

World Card

Ben

Jones

Boyd, TX

Permit

Cody

Kehr

Killdeer, ND

Card

Michael

Lane

Randleman, NC

Card

Stetson

Lawrence

Williston, ND

World C

Kyle

Lozier

150 Mile House, BC

Card

Markus

Mariluch

Elko,NV

Card

Jory

Markiss

Missoula, MT

Card

Cody

Martin

Butler, GA

Card

Cord

McCoy

Tupelo, OK

World C

Ty

Pozzobon

Merritt, BC

Card

Shane

Proctor

Mooresville, NC

World C

Lachlan

Richardson

Gresford, NSW

World C

Aaron

Roy

Yellow Grass, SK

Permit

Cody

Tesch

Los Lunas, NM

World C

Tyler

Thomson

Black Diamond, AB

Card

Matt

Triplett

Lakeside, MT

Card

Chad

VanAmburg

Archdale, NC

Card

Sean

Willingham

Summerville, GA

Card

Stormy

Wing

Dalhart,TX

54 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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Big Sky Weekly

Chad Berger Bucking Bulls here are A few of the top bulls at the Big Sky PBR from the Berger’s operation:

The Berger family has been in the rodeo business for nearly 50 years. When their famous bulls are unloaded from the trailers one ton at a time, they’re continuing a history that makes Montana rodeos special.

Chad, his wife Sarah, and their three kids are all involved in the business today. The family brought bulls to last year’s Big Sky PBR and are returning again this year.

Smackdown

Smackdown

Big, strong and powerful, Smackdown always brings his A-game. Smackdown is a PBR Bucking Bull of the Year contender and has been in the top ranks all season. He has lead many top PBR riders to 90 plus point rides or left them empty handed.

A word from Sarah Berger, Chad’s wife: Chad Berger Bucking Bulls started in 2003, but the history goes back further down the family line.

Chad's dad Joe Berger started raising bucking bulls in the mid ‘60s. Chad's brother, Nevada, and dad still raise and haul top bulls to several events a year.

In eight years of providing bulls to the PBR, our family group has been named PBR Stock Contractor of the Year three times, which is a great honor and a testament that all the hard work is appreciated.

The location is beautiful and the event is top notch!

Yellow Jacket Jr.

Yellow Jacket Jr.

This bull is a brother of three-time PBR Bucking Bull of the Year, Little Yellow Jacket, and is a great bucker in his own right.

Chad is also a cattle buyer by trade and the family runs a 1000-head feedlot on an 80-acre ranch south of Mandan, N.D. We enjoy rural life in the country and the ability to have the bulls so close at hand.

We have 200 bulls on the farm, as well as plenty more cattle. Chad goes to all the events of course, and I go when I’m able.

Our daughter Lacey, who is 30, works full time for us, and is in charge of the breeding program as well as the day-to-day of animal care. John, who’s 28, helps when he can with bull riding events and flanking duties. Sadie, 20, is going to be a junior in college and is in charge of merchandising and also helps with marketing and ranch work.

Bring It

Bring It is a little bull with a lot of heart. He is a great bull to lead a bull rider to winning and is a bull that won’t give up.

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July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 55

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Big Sky Weekly

The Entertainer: Flint Rasmussen Flint Rasmussen did his first rodeo clowning gig on a dare at age 19. It was a natural fit.

During high school in Choteau, he’d played football and basketball and ran track, but was also into music and drama.

“I loved being in front of crowds, whether for sports or entertaining," Rasmussen says.

Rasmussen worked as a clown at small rodeos around Montana all through college, and then went to work as a teacher in Havre for two years while still working rodeos in the summer. When he started getting more and more calls to do rodeo work, he knew he’d have to quit teaching if he wanted to pursue it.

“You start at the very bottom, like anything else,” he recalls.

But Rasmussen’s no small potato anymore. He started doing bigger rodeos in 1996, and pretty soon he was traveling from California to Oregon to Cheyenne, Wyo. Exclusively a PBR entertainer for the past seven years, Rasmussen does all of the Built Ford Tough Series events and contracts a few other PBR sanctioned events, including the one in Big Sky. His job in the arena is to work with the bull fighters, who he says are really the life savers.

“Really, I just have to entertain the crowd, but part of the job is being really aware of what’s going on out there and knowing the sport in and out.”

The entertainer’s job is also to educate the crowd, Rasmussen said. “There is that demographic

of people who haven’t seen what we’re doing, so you almost have to entertain and educate a little bit at the same time, which can be fun.”

For example: If a rider is bucked off, Rasmussen may explain how it happened. If someone gets a certain score the crowd thinks it’s too low, he might explain why.

Last year’s Big Sky event was different from other PBR events, he says.

“Even for a guy from Montana, that’s a unique place to be. I go up skiing once a year there, so it’s fun to see things without snow on them.

The riders from out of state, from down south, they love to come up here. It’s a cool evening, it’s just a great spot.”

E.S.

James and Luke Ramirez photos By anna middleton, big sky weekly contributor

The Ramirez family has lived in Big Sky for two generations.

James and Luke Ramirez, 13 and 10, have been taking care of horses and riding since they could walk.

From March to October, when the brothers aren’t in school or playing basketball, the family is on the road headed to a rodeo. The boys compete in various classic events— James at the junior high level in team and calf roping, goat tying,

56 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

barrel racing, flag race, ribbon roping and bulldogging, and Luke, in the junior league, in goat tying, barrel racing, breakaway roping and team roping.

“To us it’s about them having fun participating in rodeo, we don’t put pressure on the kids to win. If they rodeo because they love it they will win.” said their mother Kristen.

This year, his first at the junior high level, James ended up missing Nationals by 6/10th of a second in goat tying and was ninth in the state in calf roping. Luke was in seventh in the state his age group at mid-season.

For them, rodeo is more than just horsemanship. The rodeo associations they belong to hold them accountable for their actions and choices. Cowboy attire must be worn at all times during competition weekends.

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“It is who we are, it is a way of life not just a sport,” their father Ed said.

James and Luke will have a booth at the Big Sky PBR to sell raffle tickets to raise money for the Montana High School Rodeo Association. The kids are required to sell at least 30 raffle tickets to compete in state. However, the kid who sells the most raffle tickets each year receives a scholarship for their future education.

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Big Sky Weekly

It's youth vs. ewe in all out war

By Renae Counter, Big Sky Weekly Editorial Assistant This year’s Mutton Busting will host 15 of Big Sky’s toughest riders.

Mutton Busting, which has been a part of Western rodeos since the 1980s, involves kids clinging to the backs of sheep during intermission, competing for the eight seconds and title of Mutton Busting Champion. In Big Sky, PBR

official judges will judge the event, awarding the children on performance and time.

“It’s pure excitement for the kids,” said Michelle Frederick, event and program manager and marketing coordinator at Moonlight Basin, which is sponsoring the Mutton Busting for the second year in a row.

“They get to be in the middle of the arena, in the dirt where the bull riders were just competing,” Frederick said. “For

some, it’s the highlight of their summer.”

Each participant will receive a prize, and the champion will take home a custom belt buckle.

Participants must be between ages 4 and 6 and weigh less than 60 pounds. A Gallatin Valley farm, Ewe Hoo, will provide the sheep. The children will be armored in a helmet and protective vest provided by the event producers.

Mutton youth 58 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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vs

ewe

explorebigsky.com Eli Gale

geno ditullio

Age: 4

Weight: 42 lbs

Experience:

Eli has ridden a horse once, for a minute, with Peggy (Ring) in the driveway

Favorite activity:

Dirt bikes and peddle bikes

Favorite superhero: You should know:

Big Sky Weekly

Age: 4

Weight: 40 lbs

Experience:

Geno has ridden a horse and likes to ride around in the pen and rode a sheep at last year’s PBR event

Robin

Favorite activity:

Going off jumps on his bike

He’s good at making things, and he really like to go outside.

Favorite superhero:

Spiderman

You should know:

He has a pet goat named Hank

lucy stratford

joseph Gale Age: 5

Weight: 45 lbs

Age: 5

Weight: 41 lbs.

Experience:

Lucy has been riding horses for 2 yrs.

Favorite activity:

Skiing and playing with her cat Dililah

Swimming, playing angry birds, buying stuff

Favorite superhero:

Catwoman

Favorite superhero:

Aquaman

You should know:

You should know:

He will be sad to go to school (kindergarten) in 10 weeks, then he'll be happy to play with friends in the afternoons

Lucy took a pass on this event last year, but feels like she is older now and ready for the challenge! She hopes her friend Fin Macrae will join her next year

Experience:

Joseph has ridden a horse once, for two minutes with Peggy (Ring) on the driveway

Favorite activity:

ryken daugaard

drew ditullio Age: 6 Experience:

Weight: 52 lbs Drew has ridden a horse on trails with her dad and also rode a sheep at least year’s PBR event

Age: 7

Weight: 51 lbs.

Experience:

He has ridden a sheep once before

Favorite activity:

Wave running at Hebgen Lake and biking

Favorite activity:

Horseback riding

Favorite superhero:

Batman

Favorite superhero:

Green Lantern

She just learned to waterski and tube behind the family’s boat

You should know:

He likes to draw houses with his dad

busting You should know:

Jace hill Age: 6

Haley Hodge

Weight: N/A

Age: 5

Weight: 40 lbs

Experience:

Jace has been riding sheep since he was 3 years old

Experience:

Haley has been riding horses for two years

Favorite activity:

snowboarding in the winter and gopher hunting in the summer

Favorite activity:

Skiing, playing, swimming in the river and riding her bike

Favorite superhero:

His dad, Beau Hill

Favorite superhero:

Tom and Jerry

You should know:

He has ridden sheep in Las Vegas at the national sheep riding finals!

You should know:

She jumped off the Green Bridge this summer

Jory Hill Age: 5

tana brennan Weight: N/A

Age: 4

Weight: N/A

Experience:

Jory has only ridden a sheep once but rides his horse Gus every day

Experience:

Tana rode a sheep once and has ridden a horse four times

Favorite activity:

Jumping on the trampoline, riding on his brother’s back, pretending he’s a bull rider

Favorite activity:

Riding horses

Favorite superhero:

Her brother, Caleb

You should know:

She loves animals but not roosters or chickens

Favorite superhero:

Spiderman

You should know:

His favorite song is 'Paradise City' by Guns n’ Roses

caleb brennan

cody hodge Age: 7

Weight: 50 lbs

Age: 3

Weight: N/A

Experience:

Cody has been riding horses since he was 5

Experience:

Favorite activity:

Skiing, hunting, swimming in the river and baseball

Caleb rode a bull really fast for three minutes

Favorite activity:

Playing and swinging high

Favorite superhero:

Spiderman and Buzz Lightyear

Favorite superhero:

His Daddy

You should know:

He skied Headwaters and Challenger this season

You should know:

He likes to go up into the mountains in a green tractor to give water to the cows.

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July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 59

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Big Sky Weekly

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• Iconic views of Lone Peak, Pioneer and Yellow Mountains • Surrounded by 40 acres of deeded open space and trails • Southern exposure and energy efficiency in Sweetgrass Hills

HALF MOON SALOON & RESTAURANT : $2,300,000 $1,850,000 • Turn-key operational business with liquor, gambling, and catering licenses • Community commercial zoning allows for lots of potential • 3 deeded acres between Gallatin River and Highway 191 • Favorite hangout among locals, residents, and tourists

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Bobtail Horse Rd Rd ote oy le C Litt

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To bozeman To yellowstone

ousel falls rd south fork rd

Halfmoon Saloon

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DON’T FORGET TO GRAB A COWBELL FROM RYAN AND TALLIE AT THE BIG SKY PBR

We have access to opportunities at Yellowstone Club, The Club at Spanish Peaks, Meadow & Mountain Villages, Moonlight Basin and the Canyon

bigskysothebysrealty.com

Tallie Jamison 406.600.8081

Ryan Kulesza 406.539.4666

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Big Sky Weekly

Lukas Nelson, third from left, and his band Promise of the Real

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real Fresh off their second studio album release and appearance on David Letterman, Lukas Nelson and his band Promise of the Real, are the headliners at the second annual Big Sky PBR. Nelson was featured in last winter's Mountain Outlaw magazine, which is published in Big Sky. The one-time music school dropout and three others in the group—Anthony LoGerfo, Tato Melgar and Corey McCormick—have spent the last year touring and recording a new album that dropped on April 3.

The Ventura, California-based band mixes hard rock and roll influences with Lukas’s Texas roots to create a unique sound that has been quick to pick up momentum in the music world. The new album, Wasted, was produced by Bob Weir, formerly of the Grateful Dead.

Music starts playing at the stage outside the arena seating immediately after riding concludes on Aug. 1.

Greatness in his jeans

By Taylor Anderson, Big Sky Weekly Editorial Assistant

Lukas sat in the back room of the tour bus, reached up toward the TV, and turned on a game of Skate 3 on Playstation.

About a year ago, Lukas Nelson and his band rolled into in Victor, Idaho, and parked their tour bus at the home of ski filmmaker Greg Stump for what Stump would later call Rock and Roll Summer Camp.

One can only speculate what that camp entailed exactly, but it culminated in a free show at Music on Main where the band would rock into the night and cut an encore short due to lightning in the area.

It was truly a sight.

That morning, after bolting to town for an interview with Lukas, son of famed country star Willie Nelson, I had tucked away in my bag the local paper from over the hill in Jackson Hole.

“Greatness in his genes,” the headline read. The story

detailed mostly Willie’s life with splashes of how his son would be playing a free show in the park. Talks echoed in bars that day of Willie and his kid bussing around the same area.

Willie was playing two shows just north in Montana, one in Missoula and one in Billings, with about a day to break free and join his son’s band on stage to surprise everyone in attendance.

That, of course, didn’t happen. What did happen, about five minutes before show time, was that Lukas picked up that same paper. “Greatness in his genes,” he read aloud, then looked down at his denim pants. “Well, I thought these jeans made me look good,” he said.

Indeed. After another quick interview in the final minutes leading to show time,

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The rest of the band on stage already, Lukas sat staring at the screen. He talked about his guitars, about facial hair, and about the excitement before playing a show in front of thousands of people.

He had earlier played two new songs on his acoustic that would appear on the band’s newest album Wasted.

He wrote them just days earlier, yet today they appear, lyrics and chords virtually unchanged. First, he played “Frame of Mind,” then “I Won’t Fail Her”.

"I have all that I want, and I give all I can, a drink and a smile, and a ghost of a man," he sang, his Texas drawl peaking through in his lyrics and songwriting style.

No time left, and about 10 minutes late to join the stage, Lukas stood up and turned off the switch on his video game, walked out the bus, and turned on another switch on stage.

July 27-Aug. 9, 2012 61

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Big Sky Weekly

Rising country music star performing free concert in Big Sky Morgan Frazier playing at PBR arena stage July 31, 8:00 p.m.

Fresh off appearances at the 2012 CMA Music Festival and the ACM Awards show, Morgan Frazier is a young country music sensation poised to become a fixture on the national scene. And she’s playing a free show in Big Sky on July 31 starting at 8 p.m. as a kickoff to the PBR.

Frazier is amid her first nationwide tour that has her sharing the stage with such country music stars as Sara Evans, Chris Young and Billy Currington. She’s also appearing at some of the biggest country festivals, including Watershed, Oregon Jamboree and Country Thunder.

Now signed with Curb Records, Frazier wrote her first song, "Gates Of Heaven," at age 7. It was a fitting title for a young girl whose first audience was her church congregation.

With a background in singing Gospel music, a passion for country music, and

a smile that can capture a room, Frazier, now 18, has made a name for herself and is one of Music Row's rising stars.

At 9 years old, Frazier recorded her first CD in her hometown of Breckenridge, Texas. Believing in her talent, her family ordered 1,000 copies and hit the road, traveling the South and Southwest for the next two years. Frazier says she’s visited nearly every small town between Texas and Georgia, selling and singing in each. They sold more than 30,000 copies.

On her 13th birthday, Morgan performed at a songwriters showcase in the Hotel Preston, near the Nashville Airport. Her future manager, John Northrup of Northrup Entertainment, was in the audience. Two years later, Northrup helped Frazier transition to Nashville, and within a year she’d earned a recording contract with Curb and negotiated a songwriting deal alongside that.

Since then she’s been co-writing with many of Nashville's best including Dean Dillon, Randy Boudreaux, Keith Anderson, Doug Johnson and John Scott Sherrill.

"It made me who I am,” she says. “It gave me a lot of opportunities.”

"I love songwriting. I wrote my first song when I was seven and I've kind of been addicted to it ever since."

- morgan frazier

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Morgan Frazier 62 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

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Andy and Jacey Watson: PBR power couple

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Big Sky Weekly

2012 will be the seventh year the PBR tour will come through southwest Montana thanks in large part to Andy and Jacey Watson, Montana’s bull riding power couple. Andy Watson was a PBR photographer for 18 years before the two started Freestone Productions, a PBR production company based near Three Forks.

Freestone, which coordinates and produces PBR events here and in Idaho, is one of three companies the Watsons run, all exclusively involved with the PBR. They also manage Bull Stock Media and Watson Rodeo Photos, which capture and manage PBR imagery. While Andy is on the road as the sole action photographer for PBR, Jacey manages their stock of nearly a million photos. Their photography has expanded, and the public now has access to images of their favorite riders.

“We want to bring the best of bull riding to southwest Montana,” Jacey said. For the PBR, which hosts events in locations across the country, “It’s fun to find the towns that embrace Western culture,” Jacey said.

In Montana, “It’s all about quality versus quantity,” Andy said. “It’s a lot of heart and effort.”

Producers Outlaw Partners While Freestone is in charge of the event logistics surrounding the bulls, cowboys and arena, Outlaw Partners, a marketing and media firm based in Big Sky, has organized the rest of the details including promotion, ticketing, sponsors, entertainment, lodging, vendors and volunteers.

Outlaw CEO Eric Ladd fell in love with PBR eight years ago, and decided, after getting Continental Construction’s Jim Murphy hooked as well, that Big Sky needed its own event. The two dove in and created the inaugural Big Sky PBR, which became known as the event of the year.

“Big Sky was ripe for an event like this,” Ladd said. Not only would it be fun and boost community morale, but it would help fulfill his vision to bring people, awareness and business to the Big Sky community.

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thank you to our sponsors TITLE SPONSOR: Yellowstone Club PRESENTING SPONSOR: Continental Construction EVENT PRODUCTION: Outlaw Partners Freestone Productions CHARITABLE SPONSORS: YCCF Yellowstone Park Foundation BSCC Big Sky Fire Department BIG SCREEN SPONSOR: Black Bull MUTTON BUSTING SPONSOR: Moonlight Basin BARREL SPONSOR: Fay Ranches LODGING SPONSOR: Big Sky Resort EXIT GATE SPONSOR: Lone View Ridge

64 July 27-Aug. 9, 2012

CHUTE GATE SPONSORS: Fay Ranches Haas Construction STOA Management Jack Daniels Centre Sky Architecture Ressler Toyota of Bozeman PROGRAM & GOLDEN BUCKLE TICKET SPONSOR: Jeff Helms VIP ARENA BANNER SPONSORS: Fulton, Hertz, Hoover Wealth Management / Stifel Nicholas Bill Earls Savantage ARENA BANNER SPONSORS: Bucks T4 Olive Bs Big Sky Western Hammond Big Sky Sothebys Blue Ribbon Builders Nordic Hot Tub Simkins Hallin Ousel & Spur

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First Security Bank Geyser Whitewater Buscrat Lone Peak Cinema GOLDEN BUCKLE TENT SPONSORS: Natalie’s Estate Winery Lone Peak Brewery Wrap Shack BSCC Grizzly Outfitters YCCF Continental Construction Outlaw Partners Creighton Block Yellowstone Park Foundation Half Moon Saloon VENDOR VILLAGE: Half Moon Saloon Scissorbills Choppers Broken Spoke Burger Bar Gourmet Gals Lone Peak Brewery Wrap Shack Ressler Toyota of Bozeman

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Big Sky Weekly

Moonlight Basin Delaware North Willow Boutique Big Horn Boutique Gallatin River Gallery Stone Legends OTHER SPONSORS: Lone Pine Builders Ryan Kulesza & Tallie Jamison 320 Guest Ranch Sam Byrne The Signature Group - Branif Scott, Ania Bulis, Jason Parks Arts Council of Big Sky Jan and Jim Cummings Big Sky Town Center Mountain Sky Electric Titan Rentals Big Sky Build Montana Office of Tourism Big Sky Convention & Visitors Bureau

THANK YOU FANS, FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE Big Sky PBR!