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Big Sky

Exploring life and land from the heart of the Yellowstone Region

June 14-17, 2013 Volume 4 // Issue #12

CrossHarbor wins bid war for Club at Spanish Peaks' assets photo by Joel Haynes

Roller Derby kicks off home bouts in Bozeman resort tax allocations

PBR PReview:

Mutton bustin' Spur Coffee shop opens in Big Sky

+ Beat the heat: summer cocktails

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Big Sky's locally owned and published newspaper

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On the cover: Ava Launcher of the Gallatin Roller Girlz roller derby team jams during last year's "Debutantes' Brawl" photo by Joel Haynes

2011 big sky chamber of commerce

Business of the Year June 14-27, 2013 Volume 4, Issue no. 12 PUBLISHER Eric Ladd

editorial MANAGING EDITOR Emily Stifler senior editor Joseph T. O'Connor staff writer/distribution director Tyler Allen associate editor Maria Wyllie editorial assistant Matt Hudson

creative CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mike Martins

Evening in Yellowstone: A herd of bison moves through the Soda Butte Creek drainage near the confluence with the Lamar River, on June 2. Photo by Emily Stifler.

Mountain Outlaw magazine lassoing our readers The summer 2013 Mountain Outlaw magazine arrived in Big Sky on gear May 31, and since then our distribution effort wineries has surrounded Yelcraig mathewS lowstone Park. From Big YeLLOWsTONe Sky, Bozeman and West Yellowstone; Livingston, A formAtion: Bakken photo eSSay Gardiner and Cooke City; to Jackson, the Teton Valley and Cody, Wyo., the four sides of the park are flush with our latest effort of stories, profiles and photographs from the Greater Yellowstone and beyond. eXPLOrING LIFe, LAND AND CuLTure FrOm THe HeArT OF THe YeLLOWsTONe reGION

Mountain

FREE

summer 2013

Primitive hunter:

SaSha hyland

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelsey Dzintars Design Intern Alex Sidun

SALES and operations COO & SENIOR EDITOR Megan Paulson Operations director Katie Morrison Director of Business Development Yellowstone region EJ Daws

dogS • kidS • car camping • BikeS

Photo by Jake CamPos

VIDEO director Brian Niles

waShington

angler-conServationiSt

adventure & culture in and around the park

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electronic dance muSic in a creScendo explorebigsky.com Mountain

1

The cover photograph depicting primitive hunter Sasha Hyland drawing a handmade bow from atop her horse, Kalida, stops people in their tracks. It draws

people into the stories of Teresa Bruffey searching for her grandmother’s homestead in eastern Montana; a father’s guide to adventuring in the Tetons with his little ones, by Luke M. Lynch; profiles of extreme mountain biker Mike Kinrade and conservation icon Craig Mathews; a photo essay of the Bakken oil formation in North Dakota; and the Outbound Gallery of striking imagery by photographers from around the region.

“I love your magazine,” said Gardiner Cenex cashier Carla Yegge. “People come up to the counter to try and pay for it. They can’t believe that it’s free.”

From the park to the rest of southwest Montana, and to our subscribers around the country and the world, we’ll continue to share this unique place as long as we have the great fortune to live, work and play in the heart of the Greater Yellowstone.

- Tyler Allen

Big Sky Weekly concentrated regional distribution

CONTRIBUTors

Jamie Balke, Briana Bell, Buscrat, Meredith Gardner, Ross Gilbert, Joel Haynes, Hamilton Lynn, Brandon Niles, Chloe Nostrant, Greg Olson, Corrie Francis Parks, Tori Pintar, Connie Sievers, Deb Courson Smith, Katie Smith, Patrick Straub

Est. 35,000 readers/edition

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

The Weekly accepts letters to the editor to give readers a platform to express their views and share ways they would like to effect change.

These should not be Thank You notes. Letters should be 250 words or less, respectful, ethical, state accurate facts and figures, and proofread for grammar and content. We reserve the right to edit letters. Include: first and last name, address, phone number and title.

Submit to: media@theoutlawpartners.com

ADVERTISING DEADLINE For next issue, June 28 June 21, 2013 CORRECTIONS

OUTLAW PARTNERS & THE BIG SKY WEEKLY P.O. Box 160250 Big Sky, MT 59716 explorebigsky.com (406) 995-2055 media@theoutlawpartners.com

The Big Sky Weekly runs corrections to errors we’ve printed. Please report them to media@theoutlawpartners.com © 2013 The Big Sky Weekly Unauthorized reproduction prohibited

Table of Contents Community...4 Local News...6 Regional...12 Montana...14 Gallery...17 Business...18 Business Profile...19 Outlaw News...23 Sports...24 Health..30

Classifieds...31 Events...33 Calendar...35 Entertainment...36 Fishing Column...37 Gear Review...38 Yellowstone...40 Fun...42 Column...43 Back 40...44

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Big Sky Weekly

June 14-27, 2013 3

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4 June 14-27, 2013

community

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Big Sky Weekly

Goode resigns as FOBSE treasurer

By Matt Hudson

looked and feels as far as the demographic,” Goode said.

Big Sky Weekly editorial assistant

BIG SKY – Co-founder and treasurer of Friends of Big Sky Education, Mark Goode, is stepping down after nearly eight years with the local nonprofit.

Goode oversaw the donations that led to the creation of the LPHS football team and the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, which opened in March inside the old gymnasium at the Big Sky School District campus.

FOBSE raised approximately 75 percent of the funds for the center, according to Bough.

Goode, 53, said his business ventures keep him away from Big Sky for weeks at a time, and he simply doesn’t have enough time to handle the daily operations at FOBSE.

“It’s been a good run, and we’ve seen a lot of progress,” Goode said.

A native of Tennessee, Goode arrived in Big Sky in 2001. He came for the winters initially, but it wasn’t long before he switched his driver’s license over to Montana and became a permanent resident.

That progress includes becoming involved in the WMPAC’s day-to-day operations. It now helps to bring events to the center, occasionally handling ticket sales and contracting artists to bring their talents to Big Sky.

Thousands of donations totaling more than $1.5 million have traveled through FOBSE, according to the organization’s president, Loren Bough. He commended Goode on his attention to detail and professionalism while handling the funds.

The treasurer position will grow along with the operations of FOBSE, Bough said. No successor has been named yet, but Goode said his exit will be a smooth one.

“He was a great partner for the entire ride, and we’re sorry to see him go,” Bough said.

For Goode, fulfilling the organization’s original goal of bringing a high school to Big Sky was the highlight of his time with FOBSE. The group was part of the process, gauging public sentiment, garnering support and raising funds.

Goode said that it has been exciting to see the Big Sky community grow since Lone Peak High School opened its doors in 2009. As the high

“I leave it in good hands,” Goode said, “and I know they’ll continue to do good work.”

Though he is stepping down as treasurer of Friends of Big Sky Education, Mark Goode will stay busy. He is the CFO for a North Carolina semiconductor company and runs a real estate company in Big Sky. Photo courtesy of Mark Goode

school rounded out the K-12 district, Big Sky became a place for people to stay and raise families.

“The high school changed the way the community

HAPPY 96 BIRTHDAY GERRY! TH

Goode has worked with start-up companies for 23 years, currently serving as CFO of a semiconductor company based in North Carolina and running a real estate agency with a partner in Big Sky. He plays piano for the Big Sky Christian Fellowship, and serves as its treasurer.

Bozeman Deaconess Health Services presents a

BIG SKY MEDICAL CENTER TOWN HALL at Big Sky Chapel Monday, June 17 7:00 pm–8:30 pm Join Bozeman Deaconess Health Services for a Community Town Hall Forum to present the Big Sky Medical Center Market Study Summary. Leadership of BDHS will be on hand to outline the scope, timeline, plan, and proposal for the facility and answer questions from community members.

The public is invited to attend. The Big Sky Chapel is located at 510 Little Coyote Road.

LOVE YOU GRANDPA! JENNY, BRIAN AND ERIC

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Big Sky Weekly

community

June 14-27, 2013 5

3 Rivers Communications makes donation to Big Sky School District

Dave Gibson, left, and Kevin McWilliams, second from right, of 3 Rivers Communications, present a donation of $15,000 to Matt Bakken, right, and students from his video production class at Lone Peak High School. This year, Bakken’s students have been working on media projects such as commercials, newscasts and sports broadcasts. He said that the class gives students a solid foundation for college-level media production and provides helpful hands-on experience. The donation will be used for new equipment including cameras, lights and software. Gibson, a general manager for 3 Rivers, said he wants to see the class produce content for a local access channel. Photo by Matt HudsoN

Open now through September 2 Showcased at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Space: A Journey to Our Future looks at our past explorations and our future destiny in space. This family friendly exhibit is designed to inspire new generations of discoverers to dream of the possibilities that lie ahead. Touch actual rocks from the Moon and Mars. Explore a future Lunar Base Camp. And experience the present, past and future of space through these and dozens of other interactive displays.

Sponsored by:

To become a member or to donate, visit museumoftherockies.org.

6 June 14-27, 2013

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Big Sky Weekly

Wayfinding signage to be complete by July

By Emily Stifler

President and General Manager.

BIG SKY – Bill Simkins sees the new wayfinding signs going in this summer as an example of a positive upswing in growth around Big Sky.

The signs being installed this summer make up about half the number of permitted signs. “We picked the ones that would have the greatest benefit,” Hamilton said.

Big Sky Weekly Managing Editor

“We finally got some activity and development here in this community,” said Simkins, manager of Simkins Holdings, LLC, the master developer for the Big Sky Town Center, at the Chamber of Commerce’s June 4 groundbreaking ceremony for the signs.

Each panel will explain points of interest and destinations including the resorts, lodging, major Simkins, also a chamber board member roads, the school and and a Big Sky Planning and Zoning the performing arts Advisory Committee board member, center. Two “destinadonated Town Center Project Manager Planning and permitting for Big Sky's new wayfinding signage project took three years to comtion guide signs” – one Ryan Hamilton’s time over the three plete. Here, a group representing those involved in the process break ground in a June 4 cereby the Corral and one years it took to complete planning for mony. From left: Resort Tax Chairman Les Loble, CTA Engineer Matt Stark, Montana Lines President

by Jack Smith Bridge – the project.

Trevor Livesay, Town Center Project Manager Ryan Hamilton and Chamber of Commerce Presiwill welcome visitors dent David O'Connor. Photos by Emily Stifler to Big Sky. These signs Now, with $150,000 in Big Sky Resort will also have a key Tax funding, the contractor, Montana to the green, “To help make Big Sky look the way we “They’re more money up front, but blue and black color-coding want it to look in the future, we needed they don’t use as much power or reused on all the signs, delineatmore of a sense of community and a quire as much maintenance because ing the Meadow, Canyon and sense of place,” O’Connor explained they last a lot longer,” Hamilton Mountain areas of Big Sky, later.

“We felt having a themed prosaid of the Lumec brand lights. “We respectively. gram of signage would help to give the do things right in Big Sky.” The impression to our visitors that they’ve lights will also have quality optics, Resort Tax Board Chairman arrived someplace special.” he said, explaining that this allows Les Loble called the destination for fewer poles. guide signs a way to “siphon In addition to partnering with the off lots of traffic going south.” chamber and RTB, Hamilton worked “The goal was not to light the place with the state and federal departments up, our goal was to illustrate a Montana Lines, which also of transportation, and Gallatin and path,” O’Connor said. “To delineate built the signal light at the Madison counties. that there’s something up that road, intersection of Highway 191 especially in winter, when most of and Lone Mountain Trail Montana Lines began installing the our guests arrive at night.” several years ago, is installing concrete foundations for both the signs five entry roadway lights at that and lighting fixtures within days of Part of the decision to use LED turnoff, funded with $60,000 the groundbreaking. All the infrastruclights, Hamilton said, was also of resort tax money. ture, or “underground” as it’s called a desire to be environmentally in the business, will be complete for conscious. “It’s a good statement to Hamilton and Loble spoke at the lighting, but because the chamber make that we embrace new techRyan Hamilton, Big Sky Town Center Project the groundbreaking ceremony, ordered specialized poles and LED nology. We looked at solar, but it Manager, wields his golden shovel. Hamilton as did Chamber of Commerce was the "vision and force behind making [the lights, they’re taking longer to arrive, is way more expensive and not as wayfinding signage project] happen," accordPresident David O’Connor.

Livesay said. He projected those would consistent. We didn’t feel it was a ing to Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Presibe complete by Aug. 1. good value.” dent David O'Connor.

“Ryan was the vision and force behind making this happen,” Hamilton said the project’s electrical The light poles will also be a place O’Connor said, thanking the resort tax engineer ran a cost-benefit analysis and where the chamber can hang banLines, plans to have the 14 signs of board for its support in the project and advised that the LED technology made ners – two per pole – highlighting phase 1 installed by July 4, accordhelping make Big Sky “a world class the most sense. events and activities. ing to Trevor Livesay, Montana Lines community.”

“It was a marathon project,” Hamilton said during the ceremony.

“Three years, two resort tax cycles, four governing bodies to deal with, many trips to Helena and Virginia City. People like to know that I have 750 files on my computer relative to this project.”

After tackling the project from the beginning, Hamilton will see it through to the end. As the ceremony attendees went inside the visitors center to celebrate, Hamilton was outside cleaning up, wrapping up a tarp, smiling.

Plan for LED light poles and banners

One of the 14 signs of phase 1 to be installed by July 4 Courtesy of CTA Architects

Loble called Hamilton “an amazing spark plug. Every community should be so blessed to have a Ryan Hamilton on their team.”

local news

May 31-June 13, 2013 7

pick your pearls.

Pat Wolfe of Stronghold Fabrications welding the frame for a new boulder in the Big Sky Community Park on June 12. The Big Sky Community Corp. installed a full-size boulder in the park last summer and has contracted Stronghold to build a medium and a smaller boulder this summer. Photo by Hamilton Lynn.

BSCC seeks support through trail map and ball field sponsorship

By Katie Smith

sponsor the Community Park fields and its Big Sky trail map.

BIG SKY – The Big Sky Community Corp. fields and trails are the hub of local summer activities.

“It’s a great opportunity for businesses not only to give back to their community, but also to reach a huge number of people year round,” said Jessie Wiese, BSCC’s executive director.

Big Sky Community Corp.

Last year the nonprofit organization’s Community Park hosted 228 softball games on two brand new fields for 400 rostered players. The park is the site of little league and youth softball games, and is used by Ophir School’s sports teams. The 4th of July event and the Parks and Trails Gala, both hosted at the park, together brought in more than 1,000 people last year.

The Ousel Falls trail, also managed

by BSCC, saw an estimated 15,000 visitors.

To offset the growing cost of programming, BSCC is offering local businesses the opportunity to

Weise estimates that, aside from coed team sports, hundreds of people visit the park daily to walk the Crail Trail, play with their children on the playground, or take advantage of the many other recreational opportunities the park has to offer.

The trail map will be available at the Big Sky Visitor Center, which last year saw an estimated 100 people per day.

For more information, contact Wiese at jessie@bsccmt.org or (406) 995-2112.

Bozeman Deaconess to host public forum in Big Sky

S H E L LY B E R M O N T Unique, handmade jewelry Extensive selection of South Sea & Tahitian pearls Exotic stones, raw diamonds, fine silver and 18-22 karat gold

Hospital to present market study of proposed Big Sky Medical Center BDHS

BIG SKY – Bozeman Deaconess Health Services is hosting a town hall-style public forum on June 17 to present the feasibility study for its proposed Big Sky Medical Center.

The town hall will be held at the Big Sky Chapel (510 Little Coyote Road), from 7-8:30 p.m. Leadership of BDHS will be on hand to outline the scope and timeline for the facility and answer questions from community members.

B I G S K Y, M T | P A C I F I C P A L I S A D E S , C A Private appointments and trunk shows available. shellybermont.com

Big Sky Weekly

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All information given is considered reliable, but because it has been supplied by third parties, we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete, and should not be relied upon as such. These offerings are subject to errors, omissions, and changes including price or withdrawal without notice. All rights reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity. ©2013 LK REAL ESTATE, llc. lkrealestate.com

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Big Sky Weekly

The guests have it 14 Big Sky businesses receive TripAdvisor award

June 14-27, 2013 9

Summer events at 320 Pig roasts: Every Monday from 5-8 p.m. through Sept. 9, check out pulled pork, beer from the Lone Peak Brewery and local music.

Chuck wagon BBQs: Every Wednesday through Sept. 11, take a horseback ride to the Gallatin and eat at the ranch’s chuck wagon. Fireside s’mores finish off the dinner.

Trail rides: Join 320’s horse operations manager Marce Hoffman on horseback rides through Wilson’s Draw and around the local mountain and meadow trails.

Reservations are required for chuck wagon barbeques and trail rides. For more information, visit 320ranch.com.

Last July, Trina and Jimmy Strobel traveled from Indiana to celebrate their marriage at the 320 Ranch with just a few close family members by the Gallatin. Photo by Tori Pintar

By Joseph T. O’Connor Big Sky Weekly Senior Editor

BIG SKY – Visitors to the historic 320 Guest Ranch south of Big Sky voted in May that 320 provides guests a satisfying experience.

The ranch, located on the east side of Highway 191, was awarded TripAdvisor’s 2013 Certificate of Excellence, along with Lone Mountain Ranch and a number of local restaurants and businesses. The global award honors restaurants, hotels and attractions that maintain a score of 4 out of 5, as rated by travelers.

“That’s our report card,” said John Richardson, the ranch’s general manager.

This is the second year in a row that 320 has received the award. “If our customers are telling us we’re passing, that’s a good feeling.”

Approximately 10 percent of businesses listed on TripAdvisor receive this award, according to TripAdvisor public relations specialist Julie Cassetina.

Other Big Sky businesses on the 2013 list were Buck’s T-4 Lodge, The Summit at Big Sky, River Rock Lodge, the Lodge at Big Sky, Geyser Whitewater Expeditions, The Broken Spoke, Olive B’s, Jack Creek Grill, Bugaboo Café, Lone Peak Brewery, Lotus Pad, Cabin Bar and Grill, and Yeti Dogs.

David O’Connor, co-owner of Buck’s T-4 Lodge on Highway 191, which has won the award three years running, is seeing the benefits.

“Almost every day customers come into the hotel and restaurant saying they selected us because of reviews on TripAdvisor,” O’Connor said. “Out of all the websites out there, we consider TripAdvisor the most accurate and most valid. It’s allowed us to really see where we need work.”

Richardson says the awards are good for the entire Big Sky area.

“It shows that as a community, [Big Sky] is taking care of its customers,” he said. “We’re part of the cream that’s rising to the top.”

“Hoof Beats” Represented by

Paula Pearl

Capturing the Spirit of Life

Creighton Block Gallery 33 Lone Peak Drive Big Sky, MT 406.993.9400

406.586.6850 paulapearl.com

While guests frequent 320 in winter for its horse-drawn sleigh rides and annual ski joring competition, summer is the ranch’s busiest season, said Richardson, as he helped employees tighten the corners of a massive tent set up for weddings.

Open to the public since 1898, the 320-acre ranch has 87 rooms in 58 modern log homes, cabins and a mountain chalet. Richardson says while some guest ranches offer all-inclusive packages, 320’s appeal stems from its ability to draw both locals and travelers, allowing them to build their own experience.

“We’re an a la carte guest ranch,” he said. “People can come ride, eat or stay, and our guests only pay for what they use.”

10 June 14-27, 2013

local news

explorebigsky.com

Resort Tax Board allocates nearly $3 million Establishes reserve fund

By Joseph T. O’Connor Big Sky Weekly Senior Editor

BIG SKY – In the Big Sky Chapel’s downstairs room, the site of many meetings in Big Sky, nearly 80 people sat in while the Resort Tax Board on June 12 decided the fate of $3,030,357 in luxury item taxes it collected in the past year.

Months of planning, public discussion in two town hall forums early this year, and a lengthy Q-and-A session in May all led up to the annual resort tax allocations meeting, where RTB members sat at tables facing the residents and local organization leaders.

Opening as the RTB does with a public comment period, 10 concerned attendees voiced support on behalf of particular organizations requesting resort tax funding for 2014 projects. RTB also closes each meeting with public comment; no one approached the podium.

At the conclusion of the two-hour and 15-minute meeting, 18 of the 20 organizations requesting funding received 100 percent of their requests. Morningstar Learning Center was allocated 75 percent of its ask, and the Big Sky Water and Sewer District was denied any funding.

“If nobody moves on it, then there is no action taken on it and there can be no discussion,” said Les Loble, the board’s term-limited chairman who is concluding his second four-year term

and will be replaced in an election this fall. All RTB meetings are public, and Montana law prohibits the volunteer board from discussing resort tax business outside of a public forum.

“I guess I am surprised it wasn’t discussed,” said Ron Edwards, general manager of the Big Sky Water and Sewer District, which had requested $375,000 to acquire land adjacent to its property to buffer its storage pumps. “The one thing I can figure is there’s a buyer ahead of us and they have until June 16 to close, and that puts us behind the allocations meeting on June 12.”

Since 1996, when the state government placed a building moratorium on Big Sky due to sewage issues, the RTB paid $500,000 annually to the Water and Sewer District to repay a bond used to fix those problems. That bond was paid in full this year.

The RTB also allotted $280,176 for a reserve or sinking fund, which the board could use in the event of a local emergency. It was one of the most important things the board accomplished at the meeting, Loble said.

“If we can get a tradition of funding the sinking fund every year, this will be a successful organization,” he said. “[This decision] is very fiscally responsible.”

See next page for tax allocation summary.

Big Sky Weekly

Big Sky Resort Tax Board candidate filing begins June 24

BIG SKY WEEKLY STAFF WRITER

BIGSKY–Thisfall,BigSkyvoterswillhaveachancetovoteonthree ResortTaxBoardseatsupforelection.Candidatefilingbeginsat8a.m. onJune24andclosesat5p.m.onAug.22.

TheResortTaxBoard,consistingoffivemembers,servesona voluntarybasisandoverseesallaspectsofcollection and appropriation of Big Sky’s local 3 percent sales tax. The board meets monthly, reviews applications for funding in May, and appropriates funding in June.

Board members serve a four-year term once elected in November general elections, occurring in odd numbered years. RTB chairman Les Loble is concluding his second four-year term and Ginna Hermann is concluding her first four-year term. Jeff Strickler, who tied with Loren Bough in 2011, and was elected by a board coin toss, must run in November 2013 to be elected to complete the second half of his first four-year term.

Mike Scholz and Jamey Kabisch will complete their first four-year terms in November 2015.

The two-page candidate filing form requires a minimum of five signatures by registered voters who reside in the Big Sky Resort Area District. Candidates may submit the form at the Gallatin County election office in Bozeman and sign in front of the deputy.

If the form is mailed, the candidate’s signature must be notarized.

Per Montana law, candidates must reside in the Big Sky Resort Area District.

For candidate filing forms, a map of the Resort Tax District and additional governing documents, visit resorttax.org.

BIG SKY COMMUNITY CORPORATION

Presents...

The 5th Annual

Fourth of July Celebration!

Big Sky Community Park Thursday, July 4

Registration starts at 8am for all events $10 per event per person

All proceeds to support the Big Sky Community Corporation.

9:15 am - 10 Mile Trail Run 10am to Noon - Kid’s FREE Fly Casting Clinic (Historic Crail Ranch) 10:30 am - 5K Fun Run/Walk ($20 registration fee)

Balanced Care for your Pet

11-11:30 am - Kid’s Tennis (ages 3-10) 11:30 am - Round Robin Tennis Tournament

A fully integrative practice providing holistic care and traditional

12:00 pm - Skate Park Jam

veterinary medicine. Offering acupuncture, herbal consultations

12:30 pm - 1K Kid’s Fun Run

and physical rehabilitation.

1:00 pm - Kid’s Activities (ages 3 & up) 1:00 pm - 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament 1:45 pm - Obstacle Course 3:00 pm - Home Run Derby 4:00 pm - All-Star Softball Game Lunch served from 11am-2pm $5 per person and includes one free raffle ticket! Drawings at 2pm.

DISC GOLF TOURNAMENT: All Day! Registration starts at 8:00 am.

For more information visit www.bsccmt.org

338 Gallatin Park Drive, Bozeman 406-551-2360 www.360petmedical.com

DUNK TANK: On the half-hour from 11am to 2pm For more information, visit www.bsccmt.org or call 406-600-1039

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Big Sky Weekly

June 14-27, 2013 11

Resort Tax allocations for fiscal year 2013/2014 June 12, 2013

RESORT TAX ALLOCATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013/2014

FUNDING SUMMARY TOTAL $$$ FOR NEW & ROLLOVER REQUESTS =

2013 FUNDS

$3,030,357

2013 REQUESTS

$0.00 = TOTAL ROLLOVER REQUESTS $3,392,341.00 = TOTAL NEW REQUESTS $3,392,341.00 = TOTAL REQUESTS (ROLLOVER + NEW)

APPROVED REQUESTS SUMMARY

REMAINING FUNDS

REMAINNING FUNDS AVAILABLE =

$0

APPROVED REQUESTS $0.00 = APPROVED ROLLOVER REQUESTS

$3,030,357.00 = APPROVED NEW REQUESTS $3,030,357.00 = TOTAL APPROVED REQUESTS

ORGANIZATION

NEW AMOUNT REQUESTED

APPROVED FUNDING

PERCENT FUNDED

$100,600

$100,600

100.0%

TOTAL RESORT TAX COLLECTION AVAILABLE FOR FUNDING FY 2013/2014 REQUESTS 1

Arts Council of Big Sky 2013 Music in the Mountains

2

Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Visit Big Sky Destination Mkting & Promo Program Application Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Total >

$450,000 $297,000 $747,000.00

$450,000 $297,000 $747,000

100.0% 100.0% $ 100.0%

3

Big Sky Community Corporation Operating and Maintenance Park Capital Improvements & Trail Construction Parks and Rec Facilities Planning Big Sky Community Corporation Total >

$113,000 $258,000 $50,000 $421,000.00

$113,000 $258,000 $50,000 $421,000

100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

4

Big Sky County Water & Sewer District No. 363 Land Acquisition

$375,000

5

Big Sky Fire Department Ops, Equipment & Vehicle Purchase

$494,000

$494,000

100.0%

6

Big Sky Search and Rescue, Inc. Operations

$15,400

$15,400

100.0%

7

Big Sky Transportation District Skyline Bus Service

$310,000

$310,000

100.0%

8

Blue Water Task Force, Inc. Watershed Group Funding

$82,600

$82,600

100.0%

9

Gallatin County Sheriff's Office Patrol Services

$288,201

$288,201

100.0%

$17,500

$17,500

100.0%

$2,500

$3,400

136.0%

12 Library Library Services

$65,000

$65,000

100.0%

13 Morningstar Learning Center Daycare Tuition Reduction Program

$73,060

$55,000

75.3%

14 Noxious Weeds (Northern Rocky Mountain RC&D) Gallatin/Big Sky Noxious Weed Project

$34,300

$34,300

100.0%

15 Post Office, LLC The Big Sky Post Office

$36,500

$36,500

100.0%

16 Skating and Hockey Association Ice Arena & Programming

$27,680

$27,680

100.0%

$2,000

$2,000

100.0%

$30,000 $20,000 $50,000.00

$30,000 $20,000 $50,000

100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

$250,000.00

$280,176

112.1%

NEW RESORT TAX REQUESTS TOTAL >

$3,392,341.00

$3,030,357

89.3%

ROLLOVER REQUESTS TOTAL >

$0.00

$0

0.0%

TOTAL APPROVED REQUESTS >

$3,392,341.00

$3,030,357

89.3%

APPROVED REQUESTS =

$3,030,357.00

10 Gallatin Valley Snowmobile Association Buck Ridge Trail Grooming 11 Jack Creek Preserve Water Quality Monitoring

17 Trails Recreation and Park District Start-up Operations 20 Women In Action Community & Substance Abuse Counseling Critical Access Hospital Feasibility Study Women In Action Total > OTHER RESORT TAX FUNDING RESORT TAX GENERAL FUND

0.0%

53,515.00

12 June 14-27, 2013

regional

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Big Sky Weekly

Bogert Farmers Market

Now in its 11th year, the Tuesday evening Bogert Farmers Market in Bozeman’s Bogert Park is up and running for the summer. The Gallatin Valley market, which is every Saturday morning at the fairgrounds in Bozeman, starts on June 22. The Big Sky market, in Big Sky’s Town Center, starts July 10 and runs every Wednesday evening through Sept. 4. Photo by Chloe Nostrant

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Big Sky Weekly

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June 14-27, 2013 13

Jack Creek Preserve Foundation expands with new outdoor education center

By Maria Wyllie

Big Sky Weekly Associate Editor

BIG SKY – The Jack Creek Preserve Foundation is gearing up for summer camps and expanded outdoor education opportunities with the completion of its new outdoor education center, located on the 4,600-acre preserve connecting the northern and southern portions of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness.

On Friday, June 7, clear skies welcomed 19 volunteers, who worked diligently on interior projects and the removal of construction debris and waste surrounding the center. The new facility can comfortably sleep 30-35 people, and its classroom has a capacity of 40.

Jackie Kline, an AmeriCorps member who works for JCPF, organized the volunteer clean up day in preparation for Kym’s Kids of San Antonio, a youth group that will be staying there June 23-30.

The space will serve as a teaching facility and the JCPF headquarters.

“In this region, there really isn’t a destination education center where you can stay overnight and be so remote, yet still be 45 minutes from civilization,” said Katie Alvin, JCPF Executive Director.

Calling the building his “crown jewel,” co-chair and president Jon Fossel said JCPF had zero funds when it started construction, but it has raised most of the money needed for completion through a grant from the MJ Murdoch Charitable Trust and donations from a number of local and state groups including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Pope and Young Club, Yellowstone Club Community Foundation, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Foundation, contributions from individual donors, and in-kind donations in the form of architectural design work, professional kitchen appliances and equipment and waived general contractor fees.

“Don’t tell me it can’t be done,” Fossel said.

With a broad vision for youth and outdoor education, Jon and Dorothy Fossel founded JCPF nine years ago and donated the 4,600 acres for administration by the nonprofit.

“The goal is educating as many people as possible with issues relating to outdoors so they walk away with a balanced view,” Fossel said.

Beginning with one kids’ summer camp spanning two days and one night, the organization has grown, now offering a number of youth education camps, outdoors scholarships,

Volunteers cleaning debris at the new Jack Creek Preserve Outdoor Center Photos by Maria Wyllie

hunting opportunities, a water quality monitoring project, and habitat management on the property.

said, adding that it will take almost no time for the facility to be used at maximum capacity, even in winter.

“The diversity of habitat is really great,” Alvin said. “It makes it an awesome outdoors classroom, but in order to explore it fully, you need to be out there for multiple days.”

The center sits near a trailhead for interpretive nature trails and will offer exhibits on conservation, habitat protection, wildlife management, and the role of hunters as conservation-

ists, according to the JCPF website.

Another volunteer clean up day will be held on Saturday, June 22, in preparation for the first camp group. For information on how to get involved, contact Jackie Kline at (406) 995-7550.

A memorandum of mutual understanding created between Montana State University and JCPF will help the nonprofit expand its education to the next level.

Board member Robert Garrott, also a professor of ecology at MSU, says the university has been trying to incorporate an off campus center for field education for at least a decade.

The space will enhance education for university students, which will in turn benefit the preserve by providing increased knowledge of the land, while also training the next generation of natural resource professionals, Garrott says.

“It’s great for JCPF to be able to expand education to the university level,” Garrott said. “And it’s good for MSU, because we can enhance our education and use this preserve as an outdoor lab for research. Hands-on education is hard to come by.”

Despite the university’s proximity to National Forest land, Garrott says the preserve will streamline the process it must follow with the Forest Service, making it much easier to initiate ecological resources.

“The sky is the limit once the education center is embedded in this 4,000-plus-acre preserve,” Garrott

Volunteer Charlie Forrest practicing his debris toss

14 June 14-27, 2013

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Big Sky Weekly

June Montana snowpack ends season below average Low streamflows likely to follow NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

BOZEMAN – The transition into spring across Montana has caused water levels to rise in rivers and streams, and flowers to bloom in the valleys. During the first two weeks of June, significantly above-average temperatures transitioned Montana’s snowpack to an active snowmelt regime at all but the highest elevations, according to snow survey data from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

High daily-average temperatures and above-freezing overnight temperatures were substantial enough to cause above average snowmelt rates across the state, causing most rivers and streams to reach their snowmelt driven peaks during the middle to latter part of the month.

“There may be a few river systems that have yet to see their peak, systems where peaks are typically driven by the high elevation component of snowmelt,” said Brian Domonkos, NRCS water supply specialist.

Based on SNOTEL (snow telemetry) data on June 1, basin average snow water equivalents across the state range from 44 to 64 percent of this year’s maximum. The remaining snowpack will help sustain flows through spring snowmelt and into the summer, Domonkos said.

Heavy precipitation during the second half of May helped some watersheds east of the continental divide improve their water year-to-date precipitation. Most basins across the state continue to be near normal for water year-to-date precipitation, with the Milk Basin having the highest basin average at 132 percent.

River Basin

June-July Forecast % of Average

June-July Forecast % of Last Year Observed

Columbia

89

64

Kootenai

96

53

Flathead

96

63

Upper Clark Fork

68

66

Bitterroot

68

67

Lower Clark Fork

84

64

74

64

Jefferson

48

100

Madison

74

86

Gallatin

96

126

Missouri Mainstem

75

106

Smith-Judith-Musselshell

70

222

Sun-Teton-Marias

94

92

Milk

87

54

St. Mary

108

80

Yellowstone

80

64

Upper Yellowstone

85

93

Lower Yellowstone

75

112

83

78

Missouri

Statewide

NOTE: The 'June-July Forecast % of Average' column above reflects this year’s forecasts as a percent of last year’s observed streamflow, using only those locations with data available for last year.

The basins in the furthest reaches of southwest Montana continue to have the lowest basin water yearto-date averages, with the Jefferson and Madison river basins both at 88 percent. Low snowpack totals in the Jefferson River basin contributed to this low precipitation average, even though the month of May was 97 percent of average for mountain precipitation.

Montana saw a large range in May precipitation – from 48 percent of May average in the Bitterroot River Basin to 112 percent in the Missouri Mainstem River Basin south of Helena. The weather patterns experienced during the last two weeks of May favored the valleys of

central, northeastern and the southern Montana, dropping substantial storm totals during the events.

“The timing of precipitation is critical to the greater water system as this is the time of the year when dam tenders are filling reservoirs, while irrigators begin to draw water,” Domonkos said. “Continued precipitation during the month of June will certainly be welcome starting into the hot summer months and persistent active storm patterns become less frequent.”

Above are the averaged river basin streamflow forecasts for the period June 1 through July 31. These forecasts assume near normal moisture and runoff conditions June through July.

montana

May 31-June 13, 2013 15

Report: Montana summer meal program attendance coming up short

STRINGS

By Deb Courson Smith

UNDER THE

BIG SKY CONNECTION

BIG SKY

HELENA – Fewer Montana families are taking advantage of free summer meals available for their children, as indicated by a new report from the Food Research and Action Center.

JULY

According to the study, 46,000 Montana children get free or reduced-price lunches at school, but fewer than 7,000 receive the free summer meals, and the number receiving summer food has declined by 12 percent over a year.

12 2013

Join us for a Celebration of Success beside the Gallatin River at the

Crystal FitzSimons, director of school and out-of-school-time programs with FRAC, said one of the challenges is making the meal sites convenient for families.

Rainbow Ranch Pavilion

“Transportation is one of the big barriers for programs designed to kids in congregant settings, and it is harder in communities that are rural to get kids to and from summer sites,” she said.

DINNER & CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT Fe at u r i n g me mb e rs o f t h e

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FitzSimons suggested summer activities for kids are potential sites to serve them nutritious meals.

an d ac c l ai me d g u e st ar t i st s

“The programs are not serving all of the kids that they should, and part of the big problem – and this is true in urban, suburban and rural areas – is that there are not enough summer programs for low-income children to keep them safe, engaged and active during the summer months,” she said.

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The report says about half the states saw fewer children receiving summer meals in 2012 compared with 2011, which runs counter to the increased need seen during the school year.

RES ERVAT I ONS REQ U I RED

The USDA has made it a goal this summer to increase the meals served by 5 million nationwide.

www.stringsunderthebigsky.org

Summer food sites in Montana are listed at the Montana Office of Public Instruction’s website at frac.org/pdf/2013_summer_nutrition_report.pdf.

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16 June 14-27, 2013

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Big Sky Weekly

VO LKSWAGEN OF BOZ EM AN

34 MPG

31 MPG

2013 Volkswagen JETTA 2.5L TDI 1 LEFT AT THIS PRICE

HWY**

230 2,500 $ 0 $ 299 $ 2,500 $

0.9%

PER MONTH LEASE/ 39 MONTHS 10,000 MILES/YEAR

Down Payment Security Deposit First Month’s Payment Due at Signing

26 MPG

250

$

for OR 66 Months

Lease details: $230 per month lease for 39 months with $2,500 total* due at signing. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Payment based on MSRP of $22,475. 10,000 miles per year, residual amount $11,678. *Total amount due at signing includes all fees, on approved credit. See Dealer for details. Offer ends June 30th, 2013. VCI pays wst payment up to $500.

2,500 $ 0 $ 250 $ 2,500 $

280 2,500 $ 0 $ 280 $ 2,500 $

V31129 PER MONTH LEASE/ 39 MONTHS 10,000 MILES/YEAR

OR

Down Payment Security Deposit First Month’s Payment Due at Signing

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for 66 Months

Lease details: $250 per month lease for 39 months with $2,500 total* due at signing. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Payment based on MSRP of $26,110. 10,000 miles per year, residual amount $13,577. *Total amount due at signing includes all fees, on approved credit. See Dealer for details. Offer ends June 30th, 2013. VCI pays 1st payment up to $500.

30 MPG

2013 Volkswagen TIGUAN 2.0T S 2 LEFT AT THIS PRICE

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V31030 PER MONTH LEASE/ 39 MONTHS 12,000 MILES/YEAR

Down Payment Security Deposit First Month’s Payment Due at Signing

OR

320

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for 66 Months

Lease details: $280 per month lease for 39 months with $2,500 total* due at signing. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Payment based on MSRP of $27,829. 12,000 miles per year, residual amount $15,584. *Total amount due at signing includes all fees, on approved credit. See Dealer for details. Offer ends June 30th, 2013. VCI pays 1st payment up to $500.

2,500 $ 0 $ 280 $ 2,500 $

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Lease details: $320 per month lease for 39 months with $2,500 total* due at signing. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Payment based on MSRP of $26,972.93. 10,000 miles per year, residual amount $14,891. *Total amount due at signing includes all fees, on approved credit. See Dealer for details. Offer ends June 30th, 2013. VCI pays 1st payment up to $500.

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Big Sky Weekly

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June 14-27, 2013 17

Section 2:

business, health and environment

Volume 4 // Issue No. 12

Montana-made film is on a roll Makes splash at international film festivals

This frame from A Tangled Tale was created by arranging sand in an illuminated lightbox. The short film will be featured at multiple film festivals this month.

Photo by Corrie Francis Parks

BIG SKY – A Tangled Tale is an official selection for this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the most prestigious and longest running animation festival in the world. The short film will also screen at the Hamburg International Short Film Festival, Maui Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Shorts Fest, making June a very busy month for Big Skybased director Corrie Francis Parks.

The film follows two fish hooked beneath the surface of a Montana river. As the two fish struggle, they realize that the very thing they are trying to escape is also what draws them together. The resulting romance is a tangled tale.

Parks, who will be traveling with the film to Europe, was recently awarded a Big Sky Festival Grant by the Montana Film Office to travel and promote the film at the festivals.

“My animation is inspired by the light and colors that surround me, the expansive sky, the mountains, the rivers. I would not be able to stay inside and animate for such long stretches if I didn’t have the outdoors to run to when I needed to recharge.”

Each frame of the film was created with sand on an illuminated lightbox, just as it was done by the

technique’s pioneer, Caroline Leaf.

The sand was captured with a digital camera and then reworked into a new image, adding up to a total of 4,385 individual sand drawings.

“It’s a high consequence form of animation, because there is no way to go back and make corrections.

That forward momentum is what carries me through the long hours under the camera,” Parks said.

Parks next takes each frame and hand tints it in Photoshop, then composites the sequence over several layers of painted backgrounds in After Effects. The result is a multilayered, underwater environment, which is the home to her two lively sandfish.

With its depth of textures and colors, A Tangled Tale has redefined what sand animation can and will look like in the future. The film took two years to make, and was partially funded through a Kickstarter campaign.

Sound design for the watery environment was done by Chicago artist Cole Pierce and the original music was composed by Mark Orton, a founding member of the chamber group Tin Hat and a Sundance Institute Fellow.

Watch a trailer from the film, and more in depth information about sand animation can be found on the film’s website, atangledtalefilm.com.

Find more of Parks’ work at corriefrancis.com.

18 June 14-27, 2013

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Big Sky Weekly

Spur Coffee opens in Ousel and Spur Pizza Spur Coffee is open to help take on the morning grind. General managers Jen Ketteridge and Sara Berkstresser opened Spur Coffee’s doors on June 5 inside Ousel and Spur Pizza. The shop features Bozemanroasted Rockford Coffee and Big Timber’s Tumblewood teas. Baked goods are also available, including chocolate chip and sea salt cookies and blueberry-chocolate-kale muffins.

Spur Coffee operates from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. At 5 p.m., the coffee menus come down and Ousel and Spur Pizza, which celebrated its oneyear anniversary on Sunday, opens for business. Both operations run Wednesday through Sunday until June 24, when they are open all week at 50 Ousel Falls Road in Big Sky’s Town Center. – M.H. Sara Berkstresser and Josh Kone discuss the grind at the new Spur Coffee on opening day, June 5 Photo by Matt Hudson

Architect to open office in Big Sky Architect David C. Fowler is opening an office inside the Market Centre building in Big Sky Town Center. The office will complement two others in Bozeman and Atlanta. A contemporary architect, Fowler has experience in both commercial and residential architecture and is currently working on several projects at all three locations.

Fowler received his Masters of Architecture degree from Clemson University in 1993. He opened up David C. Architecture in Atlanta in 2000 and expanded his business to Bozeman in 2008. He has one finished project in Big Sky. Fowler hopes to open his doors within the coming weeks, but is available to accept projects immediately. – M.H. Find more information at dcfarch.com.

One of Fowler's projects, a modern renovation in Atlanta, Ga. Photo courtesy of david fowler

Big Sky Chamber seeking leadership awards nominations Annual dinner and meeting is June 25 BIG SKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

BIG SKY – The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is requesting nominations for its annual leadership awards, to be presented at the organization’s annual dinner and meeting on June 25 at Big Sky Resort. The four awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that have contributed to the economic, social and cultural fabric of the community.

Excellence in Business Award Honors a business for long-term achievement for the greater benefit of Big Sky Criteria: contribution to economic development; a range of different successes over an extended period of time; involvement in business enterprises that have broad impact and improve the community’s overall success; and contributions to the diversity of a successful multi-dimensional business climate

Business Leadership Award Honors an individual for his or her leadership, accomplishments and volunteerism in support of the Big Sky community Criteria: involvement with the area business community; demonstrated commitment to expanding the economic development programs of the community; and mentorship of others Emerging Entrepreneur Award Honors an individual, group or business that has demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and success in new and creative endeavors in Big Sky Criteria: the unique status of the business, service or concept within the community; whether the nominee is making a first foray into business and/ or bringing a new type of business or service to Big Sky; and the potential for the nominee and/or business to grow into a vibrant and vital part of a diverse, multi-season Big Sky economy

Nonprofit Ally of the Year Award Honors a nonprofit organization that has made significant accomplishments in partnering with the business community Criteria: demonstrated impact on the quality of life in Big Sky; policies that bring the highest level of support to the most members of the community; and an ongoing commitment to enhancing the arts, cultural, performing, recreation or environmental qualities of a world class Big Sky work, live and play experience Chamber members can nominate individuals and businesses that have displayed exemplary service to the economic wellbeing and prosperity of the area. Submit nominations to info@bigskychamber.com by noon on Friday, June 18.

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Big Sky Weekly

business profile

June 14-27, 2013 19

Music, video production studio opens in Big Sky

By Matt Hudson

Big Sky Weekly Editorial Assistant

BIG SKY – The proprietors of Skylab Media House are out to capture the sights and sounds of southwest Montana and beyond, with the opening of a new sound studio and video production suite in Big Sky. Adam Stubbs, 28, and Chris Kamman, 27, have set up shop just off of the Lone Mountain Trail/Highway 191 intersection. They found the space behind the Big Horn Shopping Center a year ago and began retrofitting it for sound and video production.

“I never thought in a million years I’d be doing this in Big Sky, but all the pieces just fell into place and before I knew it we were building this place,” Stubbs said.

Stubbs, who is originally from Chester, Mont., handles the music side of the operation. He holds a degree in audio engineering and production from the Institute of Production and Recording in Minneapolis and worked for three years as a sound engineer in Brooklyn, N.Y., before finding his way back to Montana.

Studio and live sound equipment that he’s collected over the years are stacked in a hallway closet. Custom-made sound panels hang on the walls throughout the control room, band recording room and isolation booth.

Just down the hall is Kamman’s video production suite. His work station sits in the corner, and a green screen hangs from the high ceiling. He plans to finish the room off with a few pieces of art and a large television for clients to view finished products.

Kamman, who hails from Chicago, holds a day job as the multimedia coordinator for Big Sky Resort. He won first place in the 2013 American Advertising Awards digital media category for his winter 20122013 preview video. Stubbs also works outside the studio, providing live sound support for events at the resort.

“Both of us are working full-time, so this was like afternoons and weekends,” Kamman said of the build-

Adam Stubbs, 28, sits at the control console in the sound studio. The area is complete with a band recording room and an isolation booth. Photos by Matt Hudson

ing process. It took nearly a year to complete the space.

In a world where musicians can use powerful consumer-grade electronics to record in basement studios, the duo wants to offer artists a creative environment in Big Sky, as well as expertise. At the far end of their space is a lounge area, complete with couches and a fridge.

A 20-foot tall door slides open to reveal a private yard with the West Fork running alongside.

“The experience of piling in a van, driving somewhere, hunkering down in the studio and getting lost in that – that’s what we’re trying to provide here,” Stubbs said. “The experience of coming to a studio, but it’s not going to break the bank.

This is a step up from the basement.”

ist Brian Stumpf said Stubbs and Kamman were very engaged in the process and created a comfortable working atmosphere.

Stubbs plans to shift to full-time studio work and become an independent live sound contractor soon. Both men say they welcome all types of clients.

“It’s a full-on pro studio,” Stumpf said. “They did a great job.”

Skylab Media House will host a grand opening within a month, Kamman said.

THANK YOU TO OUR CLIENTS FOR 15 YEARS OF SERVICE IN BIG SKY!

Stubbs has recorded albums for two regional bands at the Skylab already. One of those bands, Big Sky rock outfit the Riot Act, recorded 13 tracks at the studio. Lead guitar-

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

Stubbs, left, and Chris Kamman, right, stand in the lounge area of Skylab Media House, a new video and sound production studio in Big Sky.

20 June 14-27, 2013

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Big Sky Weekly

End of a dynasty: CrossHarbor submits highest bid at Spanish Peaks auction After delaying order, judge OKs sale

By Joseph T. O’Connor big sky weekly Senior Editor

BUTTE – It’s been 20 months since The Club at Spanish Peaks had an owner. A Butte bankruptcy judge recently decided that was long enough.

On June 10, U.S. Bankruptcy District Court Judge Ralph Kirscher made a final order approving the sale of the exclusive club’s assets to CrossHarbor Capital Partners, which bid $26.1 million at an auction held June 3 at the U.S. District Court in Butte.

Satterfield Spanish Peaks Acquisition, which won the stalking horse bid for the assets on April 26, was named backup bidder, and would have an opportunity to buy those assets in the event that CrossHarbor doesn’t close the sale.

Ross Richardson, trustee for the bankruptcy case, accepted CrossHarbor’s bid, subject to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement (APA), which were contested by lawyers for the only other bidders at the auction, Satterfield and Spanish Peaks Dynasty. Immediately following the auction, Kirscher delayed a final ruling to consider disagreements about the APA from the opposing bidders, but a week later he approved the sale.

A federal judge in Butte recently approved the sale of The Club at Spanish Peaks to CrossHarbor Capital Partners, which also owns the Yellowstone Club. Spanish Peaks has been in Chapter 7 bankruptcy since October 2011. Seen here, its clubhouse from the golf course. Outlaw Partners photo

“It’s fabulous,” said Eric Ossorio, a homeowner in the 5,300-acre private ski and golf community and broker at Prudential/Ossorio Real Estate.

“I don’t think anyone could have hoped for a better resolution … and we couldn’t ask for a more fair captain than Sam [Byrne].”

lowstone Club, has shied away from media attention over the past few months, but was all the while maneuvering his company into a strategic position during the course of the bankruptcy process. The Club at Spanish Peaks filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2011.

Byrne, co-founder of CrossHarbor and majority owner of the Yel-

At the auction, Byrne sat next to CrossHarbor principal Matt Kidd during the bidding process, stoic and unflinching in a battle of bid paddles.

The day, which many expected to end after a short bidding process, lasted into the early evening.

It began at 9 a.m., when bidders, their lawyers and Spanish Peaks homeowners shuffled into the federal courthouse in Butte for the longawaited auction. James Dolan, who co-founded The Club at Spanish Peaks in 2004, flew in from Pittsburg to represent S.P. Dynasty. Tommy Satterfield occupied the front row during the auction, representing SSPA. Byrne was in from Boston.

At 12:15 p.m., Richardson laid out the ground rules, noting that qualifying bidders had to submit a deposit in the form of a cashier’s check for $2,260,125, or 10 percent of the stalking horse bid. During the auction, no bids could be retracted, and those submitted had to be in $100,000 minimum increments.

The live auction began with Satterfield’s stalking horse bid of $22,050,000, and Kidd immediately raised his paddle, and the bid, to $22,601,250.

The battle alternated leaders between CrossHarbor and Satterfield. Meanwhile, Dynasty tried to combine its bids, offering just over half in cash, plus the balance in the form of a credit bid; the trustee refused Dynasty’s three attempts at this offer.

When the smoke cleared, CrossHarbor was the last bidder standing.

Once Richardson said, “sold,” Byrne smiled at Kidd and shook hands with lawyers and Spanish Peaks homeowners in attendance, who congratulated him.

Dolan, who sat quietly with his two sons and team of lawyers in the second row after the auction, took the stand for S.P. Dynasty near the end of the confirmation hearing. He answered questions about a ground lease for a contentious parcel of property atop Andesite Mountain, on which sits the Pinnacle Restaurant.

Dolan has leased the property for $1,000 per year since Dec. 14, 2007.

The lease, written out for a term of 99 years, has been an issue in the case because former secured lender CitiGroup sold its share to Spanish Peaks Acquisition Partners in 2011, and it’s unclear whether that sale would negate the deal Dolan had with CitiGroup.

CrossHarbor is not expected to close on The Club at Spanish Peaks until sometime in August, Ossorio said, adding that there’s still work to be completed.

Payments to creditors will remain in escrow until cases involving those creditors are finalized, according to Stephan Garden, financial advisor for the trustee Richardson. Litigation could last months, if not longer, he said.

But according to Dolan, the deal is done.

Stepping into the back seat of a black SUV after court adjourned around 6:30 p.m., Dolan nodded in CrossHarbor’s direction. “[Byrne] is the new king of the valley,” Dolan said.

“I wish him luck.”

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Big Sky Weekly

June 14-27, 2013 21

Mountain Mall exterior undergoes $750,000 remodel Summer bookings up at Big Sky, Moonlight

By Emily Stifler

Big Sky Weekly Managing Editor

BIG SKY – Big Sky Resort opened for the 2013 summer season on June 8 to sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 60s. Perfect weather for the upgrades it’s taking on.

The resort is putting $750,000 into the Mountain Mall this summer for phase 1 of a three-part “major facelift to enliven guest experience on the mountain,” according to Public Relations Manager Sheila Chapman, who joined the resort this month and previously worked as Whitefish Mountain Resort’s Sales Manager.

The building was constructed in 1973, and the remodel will allow the resort to use it for another 30-plus years, according to a press release from the resort.

The plan is to keep the core structure intact, while altering the appearance and boosting energy efficiency.

Centre Sky Architecture, a local firm, designed the remodel, which will include “vertical textures and beams… to break up the massive hulk of the eastern and northern fascia of the building,” according to the release.

The general contractor, Bozemanbased RMR Group, began construction in May after the facilities closed for the winter season, and will be working on the project throughout the summer.

Big Sky Resort’s booking numbers are “seating really well” so far, Chapman said. “Last summer was a record year for us, and we’re already pacing 10-15 percent up in our convention bookings.” Individual travelers tend to book a little later in the summer, she noted.

Additionally, the financial group Edward Jones is bringing 150-200 employees per week, for six weeks, as part of an incentive program.

“The idea is for them to go and experience the area,” Chapman said.

“We’re building this community as a place that’s family friendly with a lot of [activities]. That’s what draws the corporate events here… It’s really big for the community.”

Going into its opening weekend, June 15, Moonlight Basin’s summer lodging revenue on the books was pacing 64 percent ahead of the same time last

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completely remodeling the hallways of the Huntley Lodge.

New for Moonlight this year is Camp Moonlight, a nature-based day camp for kids ages 3-15. Held July 29-31, camp is already full for the season. The resort will continue hosting its familyoriented Hike, Bike and BBQ events on Tuesdays starting July 2, as well as its Friday morning yoga on the deck, at the Moonlight Lodge.

Big Sky Resort’s Basecamp – which runs activities like ziplines, Lone Peak Expedition, guided tours, paintball and archery – is also expanding this summer, installing a new, lift-accessed zipline tour, an evening wildlife tour, and cutting new glades in the Shedhorn and Dakota areas.

Back down the road and inside the Mountain Mall, the retail space formerly occupied by Plum Logo has been split into two storefronts, Iconic, an Oakley concept shop, and Lone Peak Logo, which will sell Big Sky/Biggest Skiing in America logowear. Those and other businesses in the mall will remain open during the exterior remodel.

The space formerly occupied by C & P Grocery is undergoing its own remodel with a new operator, Hungry Moose Market & Deli.

Also in the Mountain Village, a Burton Snowboard Shop is this summer moving into the space formerly occupied by the real estate Discovery Center. Additionally, Big Sky is

“What’s going to separate this zipline from the existing ones is you ride a lift to the top,” said Taylor Middleton, Big Sky’s general manager, explaining that to access the triple lines, each 1,000-1,500 feet long, guests must ride the Explorer Lift. “It’s very high-running over canyons, and it connects to the base area twin zipline. It’s going to be longer, higher, faster.”

The Lone Peak Expedition, which totes visitors to the top of Lone Mountain in summer and was new last year, is doubling its capacity this year, Middleton said, noting that Basecamp has added 60 new jobs at the resort since its inception five years ago.

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outlaw news

June 14-27, 2013 23

Digestible Media

By E.J. Daws Outlaw Partners’ Director of Business Development – Yellowstone Region

Galleries bustled, Lee’s Tees was packed and boardwalks creaked.

People were everywhere. I heard groups of Swiss and German tourists marveling at the elk antler arches, and a southern gentleman raving about the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Hotels and lodges were frantically finishing preseason chores as guests arrived.

It’s summertime in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and a good sign of what’s to come here in southwest Montana.

Every visitor served as a microcosm of our daily consumer market, each with needs and wants. With the development of smartphones, tablets and mobile connectivity, their ability to research and make purchasing decisions on the fly has never been easier.

Maybe it was a lodge’s beautiful Instagram photo from last summer that drove tourists to visit remote northwest Wyoming. Maybe it was a mash-up of mountain biking GoPro footage, produced by Jackson Hole Mountain Resort that made them want to ride those same trails. Or was it a stunning advertisement in their favorite magazine that inspired them to save for a trip?

The point is, inspiration for consumers to make a buying decision could come at any point in the marketing and branding chain. The success of campaigns, or simple sales tactics, depends purely on a business’s ability to consistently brand itself across all outlets and inspire the potential consumer to think, “Yes! I want to do THAT!” How do you deliver a consistent message in an age of unprecedented distractions and innumerable media outlets? You stick to your

The Outlaw Partners recently created an informational video for the Headwaters Academy in Bozeman.

values, and tell people why you do it differently, and better than your competition.

One of the most rapidly growing mediums used by companies to reach potential customers is online video.

Estimates show that 8 of 10 Internet users watch online video monthly, and not just sparingly. According to comScore, 181.9 million Americans watched 38.8 billion online videos in April of 2013.

Maybe you create a series of videos focusing on pieces of your business in more detail: Do you have unique people doing unique things? These are stories every company can tell.

Based on the consumption of web-video trends we see, video is an incredibly effective way to tell people what you do, and connect with their emotions.

Outlaw Partners, a marketing company and the publisher of this newspaper, also has a thriving video production department that is one of the fastest growing parts of its business.

If you’re interested in how Outlaw could help with your marketing needs, feel free to contact me at (406) 995-2055 or ej@theoutlawpartners.com. We would love to help.

Considering YouTube is the second most-used search engine (thanks in part to Google’s purchase of the online video source) consumers are increasingly spoonfed content and information.

Does your company have an “About Us” page? Do people actually spend time engaging with that page? Maybe you could deliver your message “About Us” in a two-minute video featuring people and projects, and bring your product to life.

BIG SKY’S ONLY FULL-SERVICE WORKOUT FACILITY Geyser Whitewater's new video created by the Outlaw Partners shows off the different types of river trips guests can enjoy.

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24 June 14-27, 2013

sports

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Big Sky Weekly

It’s ‘bout time

Gallatin Roller Girlz home bout season kicks off June 15 tion that offers fly fishing as therapy for wounded servicemen and women.

On July 13 the Montucky Derby, a Kentucky Derby-themed event, pits the Trauma Queens against the Twisted Sisters. A portion of proceeds from this bout will benefit Bozeman-based radio station, KGLT-FM. The Girlz will host Bismarck-Mandan Bombshellz on Aug. 10, at Summer Shovin’, a 1950s Grease-themed bout, with a portion of proceeds benefitting the Bozeman Senior Center’s Meals on Wheels program.

On Aug. 24, the season culminates with Leather and Laces – a 1980s hairbandthemed bout – where the Girlz will host Helena’s Hel’z Belles. A portion of proceeds will benefit Gallatin Valley Land Trust.

The Gallatin Roller Girlz Photo by Briana Bell

Gallatin Roller Girlz Ten women roll onto the concrete donning quad skates, padding and helmets and settle into formation. The jam countdown begins – three…two…one… and they’re off.

The jammers blast into the scrum from behind, battling their way through the pack. Teammates help their own jammer if they can, and block the opposing

jammer by throwing hip checks and body blocks. Points are awarded after the first lap for each opposing team member they pass.

second home-bout season with four events this summer, held at the Haynes Pavilion at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds.

It’s fast and intense – like playing life size chess while bricks are being thrown at you.

June 15 features S*M*A*S*H, a militarythemed bout and tribute to the men and women fighting for America. The Girlz will be challenging the Deadly Ghosts from Casper, Wyo., and a portion of bout proceeds will benefit Warriors and Quiet Waters, a nonprofit Bozeman founda-

This is flat track roller derby in southwest Montana, and the Gallatin Roller Girlz, are lacing up their skates to kickoff their

This is how Big Sky gets into hot water.

Doors open at 7 p.m., and bouts start at 8 p.m. After-parties to follow. Last season, each of the Girlz bouts sold out, and the league recommends pre-purchasing tickets.

Gallatin Roller Girlz are southwestern Montana’s women’s flat track roller derby league and are a federal 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to the empowerment of individuals through the sport of roller derby. For more information and to buy tickets, visit grgderby.com.

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26 June 14-27, 2013

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Big Sky Weekly

The rise of Chris Davis As I was enjoying a drink, I noticed the fervor surrounding me. People of all ages had their eyes glued to the 35 screens throughout the bar that were mostly showing the Orioles game. I’d only seen this kind of excitement once before in Baltimore, at a pre-game party for the Ravens in 2007.

Such interest in the Orioles is rare, however.

Though they lost in the ninth inning that day, there was obvious optimism in the bar.

By Brandon Niles

Big Sky Weekly Sports Columnist

There’s a buzz in Baltimore right now, as the Orioles are keeping pace in the American League East division and first baseman Chris Davis is leading the charge with 21 home runs through 65 games.

Davis is more than just a slugger. The 27-year-old product from Longview, Texas was also batting .335 as of June 12, second only to Detroit third baseman and seven-time All-Star Miguel Cabrera. Davis has reignited a Baltimore fan base that had been dormant for more than a decade; last season was only the second year since 1998 the team made the playoffs.

I was sitting at David’s 1st and 10 Sports Bar in Baltimore over Memorial Day weekend, and while it was early afternoon, people were already filtering in to watch the Orioles.

on this pace, it will be his first year batting over .300.

Davis is also gaining fame in Baltimore with notable, and sometimes bizarre, feats. He set a major league record this season with 16 RBIs in his first four games, and he became one of only four players to ever start the season with a home run in each of his first four games, joining Nelson Cruz, Mark McGwire and Willie Mays.

Davis is a big part of the heightened interest in the Orioles in Baltimore. Adam Jones and Manny Machado are also playing well, both batting over .300, and closer Jim Johnson is third in the league with 19 saves. However, the vast improvement in his eighth season is quickly making Davis the face of a new era in Oriole baseball.

On the bizarre side, Davis finished a game as the winning pitcher last season against the Red Sox. In a game that lasted 17 innings, the Orioles exhausted their entire bullpen and turned to Davis, who became the first position player to pitch for the Orioles since 1996.

Davis began his career with the Rangers in 2008, posting respectable numbers his first two seasons before a rocky couple of years when he went back and forth to Triple-A. In 2011, he was traded to the Orioles and hit a modest five home runs and batted .266 in Baltimore.

The Orioles are on their way up, and Chris Davis is the catalyst. As a part-time Baltimore fan I’ll be eager to see if they can sneak back into the playoffs, and if they can finally give fans the excitement they’ve been waiting for since Cal Ripken left Camden Yards 12 years ago.

But last season Davis broke out. He hit 33 home runs and appeared in 139 games, both career highs. He batted .270 and finished with 139 hits, more than 40 over his previous best.

He was a big reason why the Orioles made the playoffs last year, and this season he’s showing fans that it wasn’t a fluke. He’s currently on pace for his best season, and if he continues

Brandon Niles has done online freelance writing about sports since 2007, and co-hosts the 2 Guys Podcast. With a Masters in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Niles is also an avid Miami Dolphins fan, which has led to his becoming an avid Scotch whisky fan over the past decade.

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Rugby: Big Sky’s newest sport

By Maria Wyllie Associate Editor

BIG SKY – Big Sky will hold its first ever rugby tournament on Saturday, June 29. Hosted by the Bozeman Cutthroats, teams of seven will play in what is called the “Summer 7’s” before a party at the Broken Spoke later that evening.

Ben Johnson, who has lived in Big Sky for two winters and played rugby throughout his college career at the University of Montana and then with the Missoula Maggots, is partly responsible for bringing the tournament here.

Johnson has been working with the Cutthroats in an attempt to generate interest among Big Sky locals in forming a Big Sky rugby club. His vision is to find enough people to play in the “7’s” this summer and then in “15’s” this fall. Traditionally, Union Rugby is played with 15 players per team, and with this in mind, Johnson’s long-term goal is joining the Montana Rugby Union.

The MRU is an independent union of rugby teams located throughout Montana and Washington, consisting of eight men’s clubs, one women’s club and six master’s clubs and affiliates.

“The social aspect of rugby, especially in Montana, is really important,” Johnson said. “This tournament being here will hopefully be the Big Sky Rugby Club’s first chance to play,” Johnson said.

No experience in football is needed, as Johnson says they are very different sports.

“Success is tied to how well conditioned you are to move around the field as opposed to how well you can tackle,” Johnson said, adding that aggression is still a big part of the game.

Both men and women are welcome to attend the weekly Tuesday practices at the Big Sky Community Park field from 6-8 p.m.

For more information, visit the Big Sky Rugby Club Facebook page, or contact Ben Johnson at benjamin.jay.johnson@gmail. com or (406) 207-2964.

Phone and Internet Discounts Available To CenturyLink Customers The Montana Public Service Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes.

CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $14.73 per month and business services are $30.00 per month. Specic rates will be provided upon request. CenturyLink participates in a government benet program (Lifeline) to make residential telephone service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers are those that meet eligibility standards as dened by the FCC and state commissions. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benets if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless telephone.

A household is dened for the purposes of the Lifeline program as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain Lifeline telephone service can be punished by ne or imprisonment and can be barred from the program.

Lifeline eligible subscribers may also qualify for reliable home high-speed Internet service up to 1.5Mbps for $9.95* per month for the rst 12 months of service. Further details are available at centurylink.com/internetbasics.

If you live in a CenturyLink service area, please call 1-855-954-6546 or visit centurylink. com/lifeline with questions or to request an application for the Lifeline program. *CenturyLink Internet Basics Program – Residential customers only who qualify based on meeting income level or program participation eligibility requirements, and requires remaining eligible for the entire offer period.

First bill will include charges for the rst full month of service billed in advance, prorated charges for service from the date of installation to bill date, and one-time charges and fees described above. Qualifying customers may keep this program for a maximum of 60 months after service activation provided customer still qualies during that time. Listed High-Speed Internet rate of $9.95/mo. applies for rst 12 months of service (after which the rate reverts to $14.95/mo. for the next 48 months of service), and requires a 12-month term agreement. Customer must either lease a modem/router from CenturyLink for an additional monthly charge or independently purchase a modem/router, and a one-time High-Speed Internet activation fee applies. A one-time professional installation charge (if selected by customer) and a one-time shipping and handling fee applies to customer’s modem/router.

General – Services not available everywhere. CenturyLink may change or cancel services or substitute similar services at its sole discretion without notice. Offer, plans, and stated rates are subject to change and may vary by service area. Deposit may be required. Additional restrictions apply. Terms and Conditions – All products and services listed are governed by tariffs, terms of service, or terms and conditions posted at centurylink.com. Taxes, Fees, and Surcharges – Applicable taxes, fees, and surcharges include a carrier Universal Service charge, carrier cost recovery surcharges, state and local fees that vary by area and certain in-state surcharges. Cost recovery fees are not taxes or government-required charges for use. Taxes, fees and surcharges apply based on standard monthly, not promotional, rates.

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Big Sky Weekly

Former BSSD schoolteacher buys Bozeman hockey team

Icedogs to host June 15 open house BOZEMAN ICE DOGS

BOZEMAN – The Bozeman Icedogs’ new management, GM Sports LLC, is inviting hockey fans and the Bozeman community to an open house on Saturday, June 15.

Icedogs new owner Alec Nisbet, who taught at Ophir School for 14 years, and head coach Mark Vichorek will be on hand at the Bozeman Holiday Inn from 4-6 p.m. to greet fans for the 2013/2014 season. The Bozeman Icedogs are a Junior A Tier III pay-toplay hockey club for 16- to 20-year-olds in the America West Hockey League.

“We are looking forward to reconnecting with the community and are honored to have Mark Vichorek, a

1982 entry draft for the Philadelphia Flyers, onboard,” Nisbet said.

Vichoreck played seven years in the NHL with the Hartford Whalers and Los Angeles Kings before retiring in 1993 with more than 550 games on

the ice. After retiring from the NHL, Vichoreck coached for minor league as well as college teams.

Assisting Vichoreck will be Kyle Bailey, a former Icedog who helped lead the team to the 2005-2006 North American Hockey League championship.

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Big Sky Weekly

June 14-27, 2013 29

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Got Noxious Weeds?

We can help!

Now is the 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

30 May 31-June 13, 2013

Hands-on CPR from good Samaritans can be key to saving lives

CPR Training (CC)

By Deb Courson smith

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.

BIG SKY CONNECTION

HELENA – When it comes to a case of sudden cardiac arrest, bystander CPR can double or even triple survival rates.

In the majority of such incidents, no immediate help is available.

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According to CPR educator Kim Harkins, that’s partly because people aren’t certain how to perform CPR, or they may be wary of giving mouthto-mouth. But she explained that the recommended method is now simpler: rapid chest compressions to a disco beat.

“We really encourage people just to compress on the chest, at least two inches, 100 times a minute,” she said, describing the new method. “You can

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do it to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive.”

So it is much easier, which takes away that fear of doing it wrong or having to give breaths.”

Harkins noted that “doing something is always better than doing nothing.”

While cardiac arrest is often considered an issue for the elderly, Harkins says it can happen anywhere, anytime and at any age.

“We see all the time younger people, people who have been participating in activities that suddenly collapse,” she said. “And that is the population often with undiagnosed heart problems or congenital heart problems.”

ti meles s uni que hist oric FLATHEAD LAKE HISTORIC TIMBER was harvested from pristine wildlands surrounding Flathead Lake at 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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Big Sky Weekly

June 14-27, 2013 31

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

for rent Smith River packages Drift boat, belly boats, canoe, ATV and RZR rentals Baby gear too! bigboystoysrentals.com 406-587-4747 bigboystoysrentals.com

for sale Home for Sale - Beautiful location in Big Sky near Town Center, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, high efficiency home; 2009 construction. $425,000.

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help wanted COMPLIANCE AND PROJECT MANAGER: Work hard, laugh hard, play hard ~ come be a part of our most excellent team in beautiful Big Sky! This FT position works directly with BSOA members and their building needs so diplomacy and communication skills are critical, along with property management, architectural, urban planning, or land use background. Responsibilities include Committee, program, and project management, covenant compliance, database management, and an

understanding of architectural design review. Excellent writing skills and computer knowledge is strongly desired. Must be a team player, discreet, detailoriented, organized and have a positive attitude. Competitive wage, DOE. 401k, health insurance, holidays, sick and vacation, with other cool perks are included. For additional information or to send a resume and cover letter please forward inquiries to suzan@bigskyoa.org. See full job description @ bigskymt.org.

Housekeeper wanted for Big Sky home. Cleaning, shopping, some cooking. Approximately 15 hours per week/2 days per week.

Pay is $15.00 per hour depending on experience. Please respond to seyparllc@gmail.com.

Mail to: Jerry House, Superintendent, BSSD #72, P.O. Box 161280, Big Sky, MT 59716.

The Hungry Moose Market and Deli in Big Sky is Hiring PartTime or Full Time Deli & Grocery positions. Kitchen/ baking skills preferred for Deli.

Opening 2nd location summer 2013 at base of Big Sky Resort.

Good pay/Benefits/Year round job security. We look for a friendly smile, initiative, team player,

strong work ethic. Application online: hungrymoose.com or at front counter 406-995-3045 Resort Property Mgmt is now hiring p/t laundry help- approx 20hrs/wkmust be able to work 1 weekend day.

Apply in person at the River Rock Lodge, 88 Big Pine Dr, Big Sky Daily Hot Tub service route. Hourly pay plus mileage pay. Must have clean driving record and proof of current auto insurance. Full time or part time available. Contact 995-7319.

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Big Sky School District 72 will be hiring a route bus driver for the 2013-14 school year. Pay rate-$18/hr. Some custodial work available with this position. For more details, see website @ bssd72.org.

The Big Sky School District is now taking applications for Fall 2013 for the following: .5 FTE Counselor, .5 FTE Title I/Indian Ed teacher, 1.0 FTE K-12 Music teacher, 1.0 FTE 1st Grade teacher.

Additional information and application available at www.bssd72.org (see Employment). Submit by June 15, 2013.

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events

June 14-27, 2013 33

Section 3:

life, land and culture

Volume 4 // Issue No. 12

Ewe won’t want to miss mutton bustin’ at this summer’s PBR

By Tyler Allen

Big Sky Weekly Staff Writer

BIG SKY – The chute bursts open and the animal bounds into the ring, its pounding hooves leaving a wake of dust. A brave rider grips its mount tightly, spurred on by the cheers of the delighted crowd.

This is mutton bustin’, an introduction to the limelight for aspiring bull riders, or kids just looking for a dusty good time. Instead of a 1,800-pound bucking bull, pint-sized riders test their mettle on 140-180 pound sheep, holding on as long as they can. While most kids manage to ride 3-4 seconds, occasionally tenacious busters will stay gripped to the wool after hitting the ground, getting dragged across the ring.

Kids 6 years old and under and weighing less than 60 pounds are eligible to enter. Competitors will be supplied with vests and helmets for protection.

Mutton busters are encouraged to wear boots, long sleeves and jeans. This year’s Big Sky Professional Bull Riding event features two nights of mutton bustin’.

“Some of these kids know exactly what they’re doing,” said Gretchen Fellerhoff-White, who provides the sheep from her ranch in Gallatin Gateway.

“Some of them are tough as nails.”

Fellerhoff-White has raised sheep for their wool for 27 years and been a stock contractor the past couple of years

for Freestone Productions, which is producing the Big Sky PBR. She only brings ewes to the mutton bustin’ events, since they’re gentler than the rams.

Mutton Bustin' at the 2012 PBR Outlaw Partners Photos

“Sheep don’t kick,” she said. “They’re pretty safe animals…they might jump over [a kid] trying to get away.”

The trick to getting the sheep sprinting across the ring from the chute is a lead sheep named Ramona, and an 11-yearold Australian shepherd named Arrow who, Fellerhoff-White says, is the real professional. Arrow will keep the flock in order, while rodeo entertainer Flint Rasmussen will provide plenty of snarky commentary.

“The excitement of the young kids and the camaraderie and support they extend to each other has got to be a highlight for many who watch as well,” said Karen Lum, Director of Sales and Marketing at Moonlight Basin, which is sponsoring the mutton bustin’ for the third year in a row. “They are a symbol of the adventurous spirit of Montanans and rodeo competitors.”

Moonlight will present every participant with a t-shirt and the winning rider with a locally made belt buckle.

Mutton busters can sign up at the Outlaw Partners office or by calling Maria at (406) 995-2055. Slots are limited and are first come, first serve.

Visit our online market to buy vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, grains, and lots more. All from Montana producers who share your commitment to healthy, delicious food.

Online ordering with weekly deliveries to Big Sky. Questions? Email us at: marketdayfoods@gmail.com

34 May 31-June 13, 2013

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rainbowranchbigsky.com • 1.800.937.4132 Five miles south of Big Sky entrance on Hwy 191

events

Interchange: A festival of color

By Maria Wyllie

Big Sky Weekly Associate Editor

bisexual and transgender community.

BOZEMAN – Tate Chamberlin, founder of Chamberlin Productions, is adding a new twist to the music festival circuit with Bozeman’s first annual Interchange festival, June 28-30.

Although Chamberlin says gay rights are the “hot topic right now,” he hopes the festival will annually evolve with society, integrating awareness and giving a voice to innovative topics each year.

Nicknamed “a festival of color,” Interchange was designed as a platform for equality, human rights and changes in human dynamics heading into the future.

Aside from the education panel, this year’s festival will feature a drag show, a parade down Main Street, music at Lindley Park featuring Chiddy Bang, Zion I and David Dalla G, and a Kentucky Derby-style brunch with mimosas and live music at Soroptimist Park.

An education panel held at Montana State University on June 29 will discuss topics ranging from racism and human trafficking to veterans’ rights and interpreting the Bible within the lesbian, gay,

To purchase tickets and view the complete schedule, visit iaminterchange.com.

Freeman Butts art sale and retrospective LIVINGSTON – A retrospective of late Montana artist Freeman Butts (1928-1998) is being held at his former studio in Livingston on 11 th and Lewis Streets from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., June 29-30.

Inspired by landscapes and the nude female body, Butts’ work is primarily figurative. Looseness, fluidity of line, high energy and

speed of execution characterize his art.

In addition to Butts’ oils, acrylics and drawings, his sculptures, pottery and bronzes will be displayed and available, as well as works from other artists.

Visit freemanbutts.com to view pieces for sale.

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calendar

Big Sky Weekly

June 14-27, 2013 35

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

If your event falls between June 28 and July 11, please submit by July 5.

June 15-16:

Patty Griffin w/ Max Gomez Willson Theater, 8 p.m.

Mountain Bike Biathlon Rendezvous Ski Trails, 8 a.m.

Pancake Breakfast Arch Park, 9:30 p.m.

Hillstomp w/Meatskin Jubilee Jug Band and Battle Stations Filling Station, 8 p.m.

SUNDAY, JUNE 23

Tracorum Murray Bar, 9:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 14

David Gans Peach Street Studios, 9 p.m.

Free Fly-Casting Clinic Jacklin’s Fly Shop, 7:30 p.m.

Backburner Pine Creek Café, 7 p.m.

Moonlight Basin opens Limited services available

SUNDAY, JUNE 16

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

TUESDAY, JUNE 18

Doug Stanhope Zebra Cocktail Lounge, 6 p.m.

Knit Knight Send It Home, 7-9 p.m.

Josh Harty Murray Bar, 9 p.m.

Piano by Ian Frye Bridger Brewing, 6 p.m.

Max Hay Wild West Pizzeria, 9 p.m.

WEDNESDSAY, JUNE 19

Free fishing in Mont. For Father’s Day Weekend Montana lakes and rivers

BIG SKY

Historic Crail Ranch Conservators Meeting First Security Bank, 1-4 p.m.

Live Music Ousel & Spur Pizza Co., 9-11 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15 Free Orvis 101 Class LMR Outdoor Shop, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

MONDAY, JUNE 17 Pig Roast 320 Guest Ranch, 5-8 p.m.

Mountain Bike Biathlon Rendezvous Ski Trails, 8 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19 Music & Mussels Bridger Brewing, 5:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20 The Glenn Miller Orchestra The Ellen, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY, JUNE 18

Lucky I Am & David Dalla G Zebra Cocktail Lounge, 8 p.m.

Montana Chamber Summer Banquet Big Sky Resort, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 21

livingston & paradise valley

Shufflebums Pine Creek Café, 7 p.m.

Gardiner NRA Rodeo Jim Duffy Arena, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Summer Cooking Class Chops: Lamb, pork & beef Gourmet Gals, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Don’t Close Your Eyes The Verge, 8 p.m.

Strangeways Murray Bar, 9:30 p.m.

Riverside BBQ & Wagon Ride 320 Guest Ranch, 5-8 p.m.

Jon Wayne & The Payne Zebra Cocktail Lounge, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Bluebird Sky LMR Saloon or Veranda, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Wandering Wild w/Kent Johnson Filling Station, 9 p.m.

Driftwood Grinners Choppers, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, JUNE 23

FRIDAY, JUNE 21

Bozeman Tritons Triathlon East Gallatin Recreation Area, 7 a.m.

Live Music Ousel & Spur Pizza Co., 9-11 p.m.

Cave Singers Filling Station, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

MONDAY, JUNE 24

Free Orvis 101 Class LMR Outdoor Shop, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Water Liars & guests Filling Station, 8 p.m.

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

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

MONDAY, JUNE 24 Pig Roast 320 Guest Ranch, 5-8 p.m.

First Annual Big Sky Mountain Bike Alliance Trail Fundraiser Showing of Where the Trail Ends Lone Peak Cinema, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY, JUNE 25 Big Sky Chamber Dinner & Annual Meeting Big Sky Resort, 5:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26

Ain’t In It For My Health (Levon Helm Documentary) Emerson Cultural Center, 7:30 p.m.

The Dirty Shame, Danny Freund & The Tennessee Two Piece Zebra Cocktail Lounge, 8 p.m.

West yellowstone June 19-22, 26-29 Wild West Yellowstone Rodeo 175 Oldroyd Rd., 8 p.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 14

Bluebird Sky LMR Saloon or Veranda, 8 p.m.

Kennedy & The Assassins Wild West Pizzeria, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Mathias & Friends Choppers, 9 p.m.

bozeman FRIDAY, JUNE 14 Bozeman Art Walk Downtown Bozeman, 6 p.m.

Laura Wilson & Joseph Paxton Visions West Gallery, 6 p.m.

Needle Turn Applique Demonstration and Lesson Send It Home, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., 2-4 p.m.

Mo Hippa Wild West Pizzeria, 9 p.m.

MONDAY, JUNE 17 Needle Turn Applique Demonstration and Lesson Send It Home, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., 6-8 p.m.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

MOTH w/Moose Week Zebra Cocktail Lounge, 8 p.m.

Knit Knight Send It Home, 7-9 p.m.

Don’t Close Your Eyes The Verge, 8 p.m.

Laura Meyer Wild West Pizzeria, 9 p.m.

Tracorum w/ Pigeon Hawk Filling Station, 9 p.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 21

SATURDAY, JUNE 15 The Great Escape and The Dirty Dozen Ellen Theatre, 6 & 9 p.m.

SMASH Roller Derby Bout Gallatin County Fairgrounds, 7 p.m.

Quenby & The WOW Band Wild West Pizzeria, 9 p.m. (and Sat.)

SATURDAY, JUNE 22 Free Photo Class WYED Center, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Wandering Wild Murray Bar, 9:30 p.m. (and Sat.)

FRIDAY, JUNE 21

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19

Truchard Wine Dinner 320 Guest Ranch, 6 p.m.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

Little Jane & The Pistol Whips Pine Creek Café, 7 p.m.

Gardiner Rodeo Dance 2 Bit, 9:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

Ethan Keller Murray Bar, 9 p.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 14

Max Campbell EP Release Party Cactus Records, 6:30 p.m.

Do It Kappa Zebra Cocktail Lounge, 8 p.m.

SUNDAY, JUNE 16

Yellowstone Gardiner Stampede (5k & 10k) Arch Park, 9 a.m.

Kid’s Trout Derby Civic Center, 9 a.m.

Gardiner Rodeo Parade Park Street to HWY 89, 2 p.m.

Tsunami Funk w/Andrew Gromiller Pine Creek Café, 7 p.m.

The Big Sky Band Murray Bar, 9:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26 Chase Murray Bar, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, JUNE 27 Outdoor Bluegrass Jam w/Pete & Rachel Pine Creek Café, 7 p.m.

norris hot springs Music starts at 7 p.m. every Fri., Sat., Sun

Gardiner NRA Rodeo Jim Duffy Arena, 6 p.m.

36 June 14-27, 2013

ENTERTAINMENT

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Big Sky Weekly

Honky tonk with an edge Upcoming Bottom of the Barrel show is June 22

By Emily Stifler

Big Sky Weekly Managing Editor

BIG SKY – Bottom of the Barrel embodies a growing genre of modern cowboy country: honky tonk dance music with an edge.

“A lot of our backgrounds come from heavier, more rocking style of music,” said lead guitarist and vocalist Jeff Bellino, who cites Robert Earl Keen, Waylon Jennings, Hayes Carll, Johnny Cash, Ryan Adams and Led Zeppelin as influences.

“We throw a rowdier spin on it,” said Bellino, also owner of High Country Landscape and Earthworks in Big Sky. “What we do isn’t a lot like the classic country sound. We have more electric guitars, more distortion, more drumming.”

The drummer, Tom Casale, also a Big Sky ski patroller, has a rock background and previously played with the Big Sky group, the Politicians. “He likes to hit the drums pretty hard,” Bellino said. “It all adds to our sound.”

Lead singer and acoustic guitarist Lauren Regnier, whose powerful, bluesy-twang belies her quiet nature, is grocery manager at the Hungry Moose Market and Deli, and started singing at age 13 in her church and school choirs in Illinois.

“I grew up on strong female singers like Wynona [Judd], Lucinda Williams and Patty Loveless,” she says. “I used to sit on the swing set and just sing as loud as I could for hours at a time.”

Jon Parvin, bassist and occasional vocalist, drives a snowplow in winter and landscapes during the summer as his day jobs. With inspiration from the

Grateful Dead, Neil Young and the influential jazz bass player Jaco Pastorius, Parvin’s style is “full of energy, classic country rhythms and a sharp wit,” Bellino says.

Parvin also plays guitar and has a solo career playing Americana folk.

“I like how there’s a lot of walking around on the bass [with country music], and that you can play it anywhere to any age group,” Parvin said.

When the group began playing in Big Sky, they were “begging everyone to let us play,” Bellino recalls. They’ve since gigged at the Eagles Club and Mixers in Bozeman, the Black Bear, Choppers and the Broken Spoke in Big Sky, the Big Sky Resort pond skim, and the Gravel Bar in Ennis.

“They were really entertaining,” recalls Warren Miller Performing Arts Center artistic director John Zirkle of the BOTB show he saw. “Lauren has a beautiful, buttery, sultry voice – sultry in the sense of local, homegrown, mountain rock. It’s pleasantly lyrical, something I might not expect in a bar environment.”

BOTB’s Facebook page describes them as “home-grown dirtbag country with a touch of rock.” They will take center stage during a string of regional shows.

On a Friday afternoon at Lone Peak High School, Matt Bakken’s four Web Design 2 students were working on the website they built for Bottom of the Barrel. Trevor and Quinn House were adding audio files of original music the band had recorded, and Gabrielle Gasser and Griffin House were uploading photos.

“It was a learning experience for us,” Quinn said of the two-month project. “It was our first time making a website for someone. It made it matter more.”

The students had previously used Dreamweaver and learned html and css coding, but this was their first time using Wordpress, which they chose because it would ultimately be easier to turn over the band.

Bottom of the Barrel is, from left to right, Jon Parvin, Lauren Regnier, Tom Casale and Jeff Bellino. PHOTOS BY MEREDITH GARDNER

Summer Schedule June 22 - Broken Spoke, Big Sky July 27 - Big Sky Community Corp. Gala fundraiser, Big Sky Aug. 1 - Broken Spoke, Big Sky, after the professional bull riders tour Aug. 17 - Gravel Bar, Ennis botbmt.com

The group, which has gathered a solid local following, performs covers but also has five originals it plays at most shows.

Bellino and Regnier first started playing together in 2010 at By Word of Mouth’s open mic night.

Although each band member has a regular job, Regnier says they hope to eventually get to the point where BOTB is full time. “That’s the dream.”

“The open mic nights started taking off, getting wild and crazy and really fun,” Regnier recalls.

And things are looking good: This summer, between private events and bar gigs around southwest Montana, the group has three to five shows booked per month.

Soon after, Bellino started playing with Parvin, who at the time had another band, the Stumblin’ Charlies. Casale ended up running open mic in 2011, and the rest is history.

They also hope to record an album in the new local studio, Skylab Media House.

“We seem to really jive when we hit the stage,” Bellino says. “I love the vibe we get from a crowd at a show.”

“None of us are techy at all,” said BOTB lead guitarist Jeff Bellino. “We don’t have the first idea on how to make a website.

Bakken, in his first year teaching at LPHS, asked his students to research and present their ideas to the band before executing the site.

“I wanted to create a business feel where they had to work with a customer and get approval for each step, see if they want something fixed,” Bakken said.

The students also created a YouTube account for BOTB and edited video from the band’s live show at the Big Sky Resort pond skim; linked the new site to the band’s

“We’re continually trying to keep writing more,” Bellino said. “It’s fun to play music that we love that other people have written, but it’s more rewarding to play our own music and to get a great response.”

Facebook page and vice versa; created a Google+ account; edited photos for the site on Photoshop; and linked it to Google Maps, showing viewers how to get to venues where the band is playing.

“We’ll have to spend a day teaching [the band] what to do, how to add posts, links and tour dates,” said Bakken, who plans to continue the program with future classes.

“When we first cooked up this idea, it was almost a joke,” Bellino said. “But having met the kids doing it, they’re doing a great job. What they’re building for us is pretty much exactly what we’re looking for.”

From left: Griffin House, Gabrielle Gasser, Technology Education teacher Matt Bakken (standing), Trevor House and Quinn House. As part of Bakken's Lone Peak High School Web Design 2 class, the sophomores designed a website for the local Big Sky band, Bottom of the Barrel.

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Big Sky Weekly

column: The eddy line

June 14-27, 2013 37

Bank-robbing: Make a trout withdrawl near bankside structure

By Patrick Straub

Big Sky Weekly Fishing Columnist

The next few weeks are a happy time for most area fly shops. Phones are ringing, summer inventory arrives daily, and folks out fishing tend to buy more flies than in high summer. Translation: they tend to lose more flies!

The Gallatin River is priming for the salmon fly hatch, when trout gorge themselves on the river’s largest postrunoff aquatic insect. The salmon fly – aka Pteronarcys californica for those with overly refined pallets – is a giant bug on the minds of any Montana fly fisher for the next several weeks.

Because these insects hatch near bankside structures, it is imperative to fish near the banks. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to change your game entirely, just make a few tweaks here and there.

I can cast 100 feet. Do I need to?

As a young angler, I was obsessed with casting 100 feet of fly line. My brother Carl was a born distance-caster, and his fly would always land a leader’s length beyond mine. So I learned to study the water closer to where I stood, quickly finding that there’s always fish to ply within 40 feet or less from where I waded.

As a guide, it’s always nice to have a “hucker” in the boat, someone who can really air it out, but the folks who

catch the most fish cast 40-50 feet with accuracy and manage their lines diligently. Whether guiding or fishing on my own, I’ll take a precise 40-foot cast over an in-the-ballpark 100-foot cast any day.

Join the buffet line. Follow the food source, and you’ll find more fish.

In morning hours, trout congregate beneath overhanging willows and near bankside structures to catch the migration of stonefly nymphs, which make their way from mid-stream boulders to banks in order to climb ashore and hatch. Later in the day, trout will seek out eddies where the dead or crippled bugs are still swirling around. The old saying, “fish where the fish are” should be modified: “fish where the food is, and the fish will be there.”

Go big or go home (or to your local fly shop). Increase your tippet strength and your fly size.

Trout hang out along the banks to access food but also take refuge there because the banks provide safety from predators and offer a break in the post-runoff currents. Although rocks, trees and other fly-snagging nastiness are ideal for trout, they translate into snags and lost flies. You’re going to lose flies, but you’ll lose fewer if you fish a heavier pound-test tippet.

I rarely fish anything lighter than 2X while pre-hatch nymph fishing. I also ensure my knots are properly tied and

Soon the big salmon flies will be all over the Gallatin…but before they hatch and the fish are eating them off the surface, your angling will need a little adjustment. Photo by Greg Olson

This angler is wading appropriately: during runoff fishing, it is not necessary to wade deep and cast far. And keep in mind, the best fishing often near the banks. Photo by Ross Gilbert

my tippet isn’t old. Now might be a good time to restock your tippet as the stuff deteriorates with age.

As for fly selection, bump up a size or two from what you think is large enough. Salmon and stonefly nymphs are large and in the fast water of the Gallatin you’ll need a fly that sparks a trout’s interest. Hook sizes 2, 4, and 6 are common sellers this time of year.

When you snag a stick, a larger hook tied on a stout tippet stands a better chance of dislodging the stick than breaking off. And the larger hook might mean you land that pig brown trout, even in the heavy currents of runoff.

The next few weeks serve up some of the season’s most exhilarating fishing. Rivers are in postrunoff and large insect hatches are the norm. Your fishing mindset doesn’t need a total overhaul, just a slight tune-up.

Pat Straub is the author of six books, including The Frugal Fly Fisher, Montana On The Fly, and the forthcoming Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Fly Fishing* *but were afraid to ask.

He and his wife own Gallatin River Guides in Big Sky.

38 June 14-27, 2013

gear review

GEAR REVIEW

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Big Sky Weekly

The Weekly staff is an outdoor-loving crew who play hard almost every second we’re not in the office. Some of the gear seen here is brand new, and some of it’s stuff we’ve had for ages – here, we tell you about some of the gadgets, gizmos, gear and garb that make our lives even more fun.

Patagonia hiking and approach shoes

By Emily Stifler

big sky weekly managing editor

I loved my Patagonia Cragmaster sticky rubber approach shoes so much I bought another pair of their shoes, the Drifter A/C, which are low hikers. It’s time I write about this wonderful, blister-free footwear.

Made with climbing shoe rubber, the Cragmasters ($155) are ideal for rock scrambling and easy climbing. A low-profile midsole and nylon injection-molded arch shank are supportive and durable for short to medium length approaches, and the toe-to-toe lacing system provides a precise fit when you need to get vertical.

The Drifters ($130) are an all-terrain shoe: These kicks carried me through approximately 30 miles of massive boulder fields in Argentine Patagonia this winter, kicked their way up and down snowfields with crampons strapped to them (not recommended), and hammered out countless more trail miles, all with heavy packs.

My knees feel better than they have in years, and the shoes are still going.

Patagonia’s website also has an array cute shoes for activities other than hiking and climbing. I might have to do a little more research. patagonia.com

With air mesh/nubuck leather outers and polyester air mesh lining, the Drifters are suited for day hikes or overnight trips.

The Cragmaster’s nubuck waterproof leather More breathable than outers are tough and protective, albeit somethe Cragmasters, what hot for mid-summer. The rubber on the their Vibram Trail soles is very soft – that’s why it’s so sticky – Ecostep outsole so beware it can mark up floors and doesn’t grips well on any Big Sky Hikers – 2013 Season – FINAL do well on snow and ice. However, it does surface, and is cushy remain sticky on wet rock. Like a climbing – a major plus on shoe,Date they’re meant Rating-Hike to be resoled.

Trailhead Length* Climb* Leaders long walks.

June 1

National Trails Day

June 13

A Purple Mountain

4

Comment

Big Sky Community Park Yellowstone NP

N/A

Kickin' it with the Patagonia Drifter A/C on the Madison River. Photo by Emily Stifler

N/A

Steve Johnson (995-4566)

5 miles

1560 ft.

Leslie & Rich Piercy (993-2303)

Taylor Fork – Cache Creek Yellowstone NP Trailhead Bighorn Big Sky Community Brackett Creek Park Yellowstone NP Twin Cabin Creek

6 miles

700 ft.

Chuck Tufts (995-3892)

5 miles

500 ft.

Barbara Blesch (995-2422)

N/A 11 miles

N/A 1790 ft.

Steve (995-4566) JessieJohnson Wiese (993-2112)

5 miles

1560 1200 ft.

Leslie & Rich(995-4768) Piercy (993-2303) Jeff Strickler

Taylor Fork –NP Cache Yellowstone – Creek Specimen Creek Yellowstone Cinnamon NP Bighorn Brackett Creek Yellowstone NP – Bighorn Twin Creek ChiefCabin Joseph Trail

65 miles

700 ft.

512miles miles

500 2000ft.ft.

11 10 miles miles

1790 500 ft.ft.

Chuck Tufts (995-3892) Karen Strickler (995-4768) Carol McGuire (995-7422) Barbara Blesch (539-6660) (995-2422) Steve Johnson Barb Gillespie (995-2160) Jessie Wiese(995-3112) (993-2112) Lance Krieg

Mary Grundman Shuttle required (995-3201) if needed Bozeman - Bridger

54 miles

1200 650 ft.ft.

Yellowstone NP– – Beaver Creek Specimen Creek Potamogeton Park Cinnamon Beehive Basin

59 miles

700 2200ft.ft.

A to Albino B Cinnamon Beehive Basin Lake B Fawn Pass Yellowstone NP – C Bighorn Flower Hike TBA Loop Bighorn C Reflector Trail July for 9 future scheduled Potluck Picnic Community Look hikes in the next issueChief of theJoseph Big SkyPark Weekly.

12 6.6 miles

2000 1360 ft.

Jeff (995-4768) JoanStrickler Mills (995-4554) Nancy Mikeson (995-4164) Karen Strickler (995-4768) Lud Long (995-3931) Carol McGuire (995-7422) Steve Johnson (995-2843) (539-6660) Kim Ranstrom

Trailhead near Hebgen Lake; depart at 8:00 Shuttle required

10 miles TBA miles

500 TBAft. ft.

Lance Krieg (995-3112) Jeff Strickler (995-4768)

Will repeat on July 6

4N/A miles

650 N/A ft.

July 411

912miles miles

2200 2500 ft.

Joan Mills (995-4554) Priscilla Young (995-2629) Nancy Mikeson (995-4164) Lud Long (995-3931) Betsy McFadden (995-2068)

6.6 8.5 miles

1360 2680 ft.

See Potluck Picnic Details Above Trailhead near Hebgen Lake; depart at 8:00

Big Sky Hikers – 2013 Season – FINAL Big Sky Hikers schedule B Deadhorse Creek

Date

C Bighorn

Rating-Hike

June 120

National Trails DayTrail A Bangtail Divide

June 13

A B Purple LemonMountain Drop B Creek C Deadhorse Specimen Creek

June 27 June 20

July 4

C Bighorn to Albino A Cinnamon Lake A DividePass Trail B Bangtail Bighorn Fawn Loop B Drop C Lemon Reflector C Specimen Creek A Avalanche Lake

June 27

A Avalanche Lake Ernest Miller Ridge B Beehive Basin Cinnamon Creek C Flower Hike Swan Creek

B Creek C Cinnamon Gneiss Creek

TBA TBA miles Swan Creek 6 miles Now that you’ve retired, it’s time to reevaluate your Community Park in order N/A Spanishinvestments Creek 13 miles to ensure your assets will be Yellowstone - you throughout 12 Taylor Fork –NP Cache 11 miles working for Bacon Creek Rind your senior years.

Cinnamon 8.5 miles Gneiss Creek 5 miles

C Swan Creek

Swan CreekKoy Hoover, CFP 6 miles ®

A Mirror Lake

Spanish Creek 13 miles hooverk@stifel.com

B Lizard Lake

M. Hertz Taylor Fork –Shawn Cache 11 miles Creek Senior Vice President/Investments hertzs@stifel.com Gneiss Creek 5 miles

July 918

Potluck A MirrorPicnic Lake

July 11

A Miller Ridge B Ernest Lizard Lake

July 18

Beaver CreekNP –Yellowstone Potamogeton Bacon Rind Park Beehive Basin Cinnamon

Length*

C Gneiss Creek

Stifel can help.

Vice President/Investments

(406) 586-1385 | www.hhwealthmanagement.com 875 Harmon Stream Boulevard, Suite 200 | Bozeman, Montana 59718 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com

Climb* Barb Gillespie Leaders (995-2160)

Meet at the Community Park at 9:00 am

Mary Grundman (995-3201) if neededComment Meet at the- Bridger Community Park Bozeman at 9:00 am

Kim Ranstrom George Tallichet (995-2909) GROWING IN(995-2843) BIG SKY FOR 33 YEARS

TBA ft.

612 ft.

Jeff Strickler (995-4768) Will repeat on July 6 Margaret Leeper (995-4146) MON.-SAT. 9-5Johnson AND SUNDAY 10-4 Jeanne (995-4566) N/A Priscilla See Potluck Picnic Details 2300 ft.

Heather Young Walker(995-2629) (995-2765) Depart at 8:00 • Landscape Design + Installation Above Hwy 191 just south of Landscape Maintenance 2500 Betsy McFadden (995-2068) 1600•ft.Full Service Irv Golden (995-7905) the Big Sky stoplight • Award Winning Container Gardens 2680 ft.

George Tallichet (995-2909) 200 ft.

Christl Gump (995-4406) Trailhead near Hebgen Lake NOW OFFERING MAINTENANCE and LANDSCAPE SERVICES 612 ft.

Margaret (995-4146) TOLeeper THE HEBGEN LAKE COMMUNITY Jeanne Johnson (995-4566) 406.995.4818 • san@wildwoodbigsky.com 2300 ft.

Heather Walker (995-2765) Depart at 8:00

WILDWOOD NURSERY

1600 ft.

Irv Golden (995-7905)

200 ft.

Christl Gump (995-4406)

Trailhead near Hebgen Lake

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4

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Big Sky Weekly

June 14-27, 2013 39

Creighton Block BIG SK Y’ S M O ST E X T E N SI V E FINE ART C O L L E C T I O N

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40 June 14-27, 2013

yellowstone

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Big Sky Weekly

NPS gives Yellowstone Park Foundation 2013 America’s Best Idea Grant

YNP receives 2013 “Ticket To Ride” grant from National Park Foundation

BOZEMAN – The Yellowstone Park Foundation, fundraising partner of Yellowstone National Park, has been awarded a 2013 America’s Best Idea Grant. YPF is one of 34 friends groups and national parks to receive a grant this year from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks.

Y.N.P. – The National Park Foundation has selected Yellowstone National Park to receive a 2013 “Ticket to Ride” grant for its Connecting Native American Youth to Yellowstone program.

Last year’s pilot program brought 10 urban teens from Pittsburgh, Pa. to Yellowstone.

This year the program is expanding, and three groups of teens from Cincinnati, Ohio, and Pittsburgh and Brockway, Pa., will visit the park.

“One of the great things about our national parks is that every American can relate to Inspired by these treasured the critically places if given "One of the great things the chance to acclaimed Ken Burns’ docuexperience about our national parks is mentary, The them,” said that every American can National Parks: Jonathan B. America’s Best Jarvis, Director relate to these treasured Idea, the Amerof the National places if given the chance Park Service. ica’s Best Idea program funds “It’s our misto experience them" park activities sion to engage designed to visitors from connect diverse, all backgrounds underserved and under-engaged populain the diverse stories that we tell in our tions throughout the U.S. with the national national parks.” parks in innovative and meaningful ways.

Park Journeys is a collaboration between YPF will use the $15,000 grant to support YPF, the Yellowstone Association and the Park Journeys, a program that brings underPittsburg-based Manchester Bidwell Corserved urban and rural youth to Yellowstone poration’s National Center for Arts and National Park for a five-day experience that Technology, which has inspired affiliated inspires stewardship, leadership and acaCenters of learning, arts, and community demic potential. development in Cincinnati and Brockway.

Yellowstone National Park has more than 14 miles of wooden boardwalks – that’s almost 74,000 feet.

Now in its second year, the NPF program helps students explore the outdoors by providing transportation and program support to national parks around the country.

Funding will help provide bus transportation for most of the 300 students and 65 teachers/chaperones from tribal schools who will participate in Expedition: Yellowstone!, a curriculum-based education program for grades 4-8, or in a ranger-led Yellowstone Field Trip program from May 2013 through April 2014.

The Yellowstone Park Foundation, the park’s primary fundraiser, will support full or partial scholarships for many of the students participating in the program.

Schools partnering with Yellowstone include: St. Francis Indian School from South Dakota; Wyoming Indian Elementary School; Plenty Coups High School, Pryor Middle School, De La Salle Blackfeet School, Hardin Intermediate School, Hardin Middle School, Crow Agency School, and Lame Deer School from Montana.

The program, supported by a grant from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, will help more than 60,000 students experience location-based learning in their local national parks this year.

The boardwalks can last up to 30 years, depending upon conditions like weather exposure, thermal feature influence, and wear and tear by the 100s of 1,000s of visitors that tread over them every day.

Using thermal mapping technologies, park geologists monitor the best areas to place boardwalks that keep visitors safe, but still provide the most up-close and personal experience possible with the thermal feature.

Black Sand Basin’s boardwalk is nearly 22 years old, making it a candidate for repair.

ADA-approved ramps and other features are incorporated when repairs are due.

The Old Faithful boardwalk is made from experimental recycled composite plastic.

Infographic by Alex Sidun

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yellowstone

Big Sky Weekly

June 14-27, 2013 41

Recreational vehicle numbers in the park up 8 percent YELLOWSTONE N.P. – Visitation to the world’s first national park begins to pick up in May as weather improves and interior roads and facilities open to the public. There were 293,250 recreational visitors to Yellowstone in May and a total of 392,222 for the first five months of 2013.

But comparing 2013 recreational visitor figures with 2012 won’t provide an accurate picture of year-to-year changes in park visitation because during summer months the NPS previously used a multiplier of 2.91 persons-per-vehicle. This year, it will use 2.58 personsper-vehicle, based on a survey conducted last year.

All park entrances saw an increase in these vehicle numbers in May 2013 compared to the same month the previous year, with the park’s East and South entrances posting the largest gains.

July is typically the park’s peak visitation month, followed in order by August, June, September and May.

Recreational Autos and RVs

January February March April May

2013

2012

% change

4,135 5,654 5,215 9,777 103,537

4,833 4,908 5,040 10,397 93,236

- 14.44 + 5.20 + 3.47 - 5.96 + 11.05

118,414

+ 8.36

Year-to-date 128,318

Left: Yellowstone's North Entrance in late May. Below: The Lamar Valley in May. Photos by Emily STifler

A better year-to-year comparison of park visitation may be to look at the number of autos and RVs entering the park for recreational purposes. As the data below shows, the total number of visitor vehicles entering the park during the first five months of 2013 was up 8.36 percent, compared to the same period in 2012.

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42 June 14-27, 2013

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Big Sky Weekly

Buscrat's Fables Try to fail

It was July 29, 1878, when I went a fishin’ a little south of Montana to Battle Lake, Wyo. I remember that day in particular cuz there was a total eclipse of the sun. I seen some fellers there from New Jersey what came to Battle Lake to watch the eclipse from the continental divide, and to do some fishin’ as well. One feller separated hisself from the group, looking perty glum.

I meandered over to him and innerduced myself.

“Hi friend,” I said. “Name’s Buscrat”.

He looked up with sad eyes. “Oh, hi,” he said.

“Name’s Tom.” We got to talking and I nudged Tommy to tell me about what was eatin’ at him. He told about a lotta struggles he had trying to make sumpin’

work regarding the subject of electricity. He seemed perty discouraged, cuz he wanted to be the first to succeed but kept failin’ at it.

“Yessir,” I said. “Ain’t nobody been real successful by not tryin’ and failin’ a buncha times first.

The road to success is paved with failure.”

I tried to cheer him up with a story. Since he was discussin’ the subject of electricity, I told him about another feller from Pennsylvania what wanted to be prove sumpin’ about electricity back in 1750.

“I have tried and failed many times trying to make a light bulb stay lit for longer than a few minutes,” Tommy said. “I’ve used cotton and linen thread, wood splints, papers coiled in various ways, all kinds of stuff, but nothing works very long. I don’t want people to remember me as a failure that tried stupid things all the time.”

“There was a feller named Benny,” I said. “He was discouraged about failing, so I gave him a kite I made and encouraged him to relax and have some fun occasionally. I also gave him a key to my cabin in Montana and told him to visit me any time.

Then I told him that while he was at it, mebbe he oughtta try flying the kite in a thunderstorm and hang the key from the kite string and set it in a jar.”

Then I gave Tommy my bamboo fishin’ pole. “I want ya to have this fishin’ pole and remember what we talked about,” I said. “Try to fail. Don’t stop at nuthin til ya’ve failed at it first. Folks will remember ya as a foolish failure only if ya quit.

But I gots a feelin’ you won’t be remembered as a failure.”

“Why should I try that?” Benny asked me. “What if it don’t work?”

Well, a year later I read in the newspaper that Thomas Edison invented a light bulb that would last over 1,200 hours. It was made of a carbonized bamboo filament.

“Problem is folks don’t try stuff out cuz they’re afraid they’re gonna fail,” I said. “I say ‘try to fail’. Worst thing can happen is ya figger a way it won’t work, but ya gots a better chance a succeedin’ if ya try. So try to fail, and just mebbe you’ll just succeed a time er two.”

“I remember the story of Benjamin Franklin,” Tommy said. “Try to fail, huh?”

Yep, some folks are remembered by their successes, but I also like to remember ‘em and admire ‘em fer their many failures that led to their success.

Buscrat’s Fables are simple stories that teach a moral.

Buscrat welcomes you to visit buscratsfables.com for more fables, and welcomes your comments, suggestions and requests.

Big Sky Beats

By Maria Wyllie

Big Sky Weekly Associate Editor Find out what tunes we’re bumping! In “Big Sky Beats,” the Weekly’s staff and guests talk soundtracks for summer activities in the Rockies – anything from training for a marathon to floating down the river with friends.

Covering the blues You may not realize it, but many of the tracks on your iPod are probably covers of old blues songs from musicians including Son House, Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters – leading artists of the Delta and Chicago blues scenes. ck.com enSto ectorOp www.V

These blues songs were an important part of American culture, many of which did not gain popularity in American society until they were reintroduced as cover songs via English rock artists like Cream and The Rolling Stones during the “British Invasion.”

Since then, American and international artists alike have been drawing from the blues for inspiration. Some of the tracks below, like Cream’s cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful” are obvious covers, while others, such as Pretty Light’s “Finally Moving,” featuring an Etta James line, are more subtle examples of the blues sampling in contemporary music.

1. “Spoonful,” Cream 2. “Meet Me In The City,” The Black Keys 3. “Finally Moving,” Pretty Lights 4. “Hellhound on My Trail,” Fleetwood Mac 5. “Good Morning Little School Girl,” The Derek Trucks Band 6. “Death Letter,” The White Stripes 7. “Ramblin’ On My Mind,” Lucinda Williams 8. “All Your Love,” Norah Jones and the Peter Malick Group 9. “Sitting On Top of The World,” Jeff Beck 10. “Bring It On Home,” Led Zeppelin

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Big Sky Weekly

June 14-27, 2013 43

I would give me a puppy

By Jamie Balke

Big Sky Weekly Columnist

I’ve always loved animals. When I was a kid, I brokered a deal with my dad (while my mom was out of earshot) that when my brother turned 5, we would get a dog. And boy, did I hold him to it.

hood. I almost convinced my mom to bring home Annie’s brother as well. She was the runt of the litter, and for the next 15 years, to my mom’s constant chagrin, she ran our house.

Annie was the greatest. She incited dog riots at training class, stayed with me on the

My mom doesn’t share my excitement for pets. I don’t know what happened to the many proposals I subtly slipped under her bedroom door featuring diagrams of my room, indicating where we could fit the animal beds, tanks and cages I hoped to acquire. I suspect she didn’t find them as compelling as I intended.

In Bozeman, there are dogs everywhere, and I can’t help thinking how much I’d like to have one back in my life. I’m lucky to rent a nice apartment from a great company, but there is a strict no-dog policy. Although my guinea pig Joey is a good substitute, I’m not ready to abandon the dog idea. In an effort to weigh the pros and cons, I’ve developed an extensive thought-out list.

Pros: •

Dogs are awesome.

•

It could be Joey the guinea pig’s BFF.

•

I love dogs.

Cons: •

A dog might try to eat Joey.

• I like my apartment and would prefer not move in the near future.

I fixated my interest on pet hermit crabs, a dream that has yet to be realized. As an adult, I find them rather creepy.

I was in third grade when my brother turned 5, and my righteous quest Annie, Jamie Balke’s childhood beagle, was quite possibly the best dog for a dog finally reached fruition. ever. Photo courtesy of Jamie Balke.

Resigned to the deal I made with my dad, my mom researched breeds to find one that would be low maintenance. couch the whole time I had chicken pox and pulled me around the neighborhood on my They decided on a beagle. The day we picked roller blades. I wasn’t there when she died, Annie up was one of the happiest of my childand I’ll never forgive myself.

• In addition to her aversion to dogs, my mom developed an allergy. I like it when my mom visits, and want her to do so as often as possible.

Although getting a dog is probably a notion to table for now, I hope some day in the nottoo-distant future, I might be able to walk down a trail with a dog by my side.

Jamie Balke has been brainstorming dog names, which she believes is normal.

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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.

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

Cocktails under the Big Sky

By Connie Sievers

Big Sky Weekly Contributor

Big Sky can be heavenly in the summertime – beautiful weather, no humidity and spectacular landscapes that you don’t need skis to explore.

Whether biking, hiking or strolling through town, the fresh mountain air makes me crave a clean, crisp summertime cocktail.

This craving may not come as a surprise: I spent every day in 2012 drinking a different cocktail for my blog, Cocktail Connie 366. I learned a lot about cocktails that year, including the fact that you should always keep trying new ones. I

found that most of my favorites were both sweet and sour, and that some cocktails are just perfect for summertime.

Fortunately, Montana has no shortage of great, locally made spirits. Micro distilleries dot the state and seem like a natural fit, but it wasn’t until 2005, when Montana state legislation changed Prohibition-era liquor laws still in existence that micro-distilleries were allowed to produce small batches of alcohol for limited distribution. RoughStock Distillery in Bozeman opened in 2008, becoming Montana’s first legal distillery since Prohibition and the first to open its doors in the state in more than 100 years.

RoughStock makes a smooth, full-flavored rye whiskey, and when used in the Summer Rye cocktail recipe, even those who normally wouldn’t go near a cocktail made of brown liquor will enjoy it.

If a simple vodka drink is more your style, try the Fancy Pants cocktail recipe. The men who make up the Bozeman Cutthroat Rugby Club named it, and you’re going to love it.

Connie L. Sievers is a freelance writer from Willoughby Hills, Ohio, and a frequent visitor to Big Sky. Her cocktail blog contains recipes and reviews of 366 cocktails and can be found at cocktailconnie366.blogspot.com.

THE FANCY PANTS COCKTAIL 1-3 ounces 44 North Mountain Huckleberry Vodka or another huckleberry vodka 1½ oz pink lemonade ¾ oz club soda Start by filling a glass with ice. Add either a lot or a little of the huckleberry vodka, then add pink lemonade and club soda. Stir well and serve with a lemon slice garnish.

The Fancy Pants, a favorite of Bozeman’s only rugby team, is a delicious, refreshing cocktail that would taste great after a vigorous game of football or a day in the mountains. The huckleberry flavor from the vodka is mellowed wonderfully by the lemonade and club soda. If you use regular lemonade, it’s called a Tube Top cocktail around the rugby club, and it’s just as good.

The author spent every day in 2012 drinking a different cocktail for her blog, Cocktail Connie 366. Pictured here is the Summer Rye, which is made with lemon and apple juice, rye whisky, St. Germain and champagne. Photos courtesy of Connie Sievers

SUMMER RYE COCKTAIL 1½ oz Roughstock Straight Rye or another rye whiskey ¾ oz St. Germain 1/4 oz simple syrup 1 oz lemon juice 1 oz apple juice ¾ oz champagne To make a Summer Rye, put all the ingredients – except the champagne – into a cocktail shaker. Add plenty of ice, shake well and strain into a tall glass half-filled with ice. Top it off with the champagne and garnish with a lemon or orange slice.

St. Germain, an elderflower liqueur from France, has a pleasing taste that lends a touch of sweetness. The cocktail also has a strong lemonade flavor, but the whiskey flavor, though tampered by all the other ingredients, isn’t lost. In fact, it’s enhanced. The champagne adds bubbles and a fresh taste.

The Fancy Pants, so named by the Bozeman rugby team, includes huckleberry vodka, pink lemonade and club soda.