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Life and land from the heart of the Yellowstone Region

Explore Big Sky

Big Sky

Nov. 26-Dec. 12, 2013 Volume 4 // Issue #24

LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH SOLD

Gift & Gear Guide 'CAT/GRIZ 2013 WMPAC announces winter lineup

Big Sky Resort's operations plan

Ski area opens Thanksgiving Day

New grocery store breaks ground in Big Sky Town Center

BOZEMAN HIGH, ENNIS STATE CHAMPS

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On the Cover: Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) poses with his wife, Melodee Hanes, during the ‘Cats-Griz game on Nov. 23. Montana State University honored Baucus’ years of public service that day, presenting him with a No. 40 Bobcats jersey. In April, Baucus announced he would not seek a seventh term in office. PHOTO BY ERIC LADD

NOV. 27-DEC. 12, 2013 VOLUME 4, ISSUE NO. 24 Owned and published in Big Sky, Montana

PUBLISHER Eric Ladd

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Emily Stifler Wolfe SENIOR EDITOR Joseph T. O’Connor DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR/ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tyler Allen

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CONTRIBUTORS Jaime Balke, Annie Barber, Rick Bass, Sheila Chapman, Mike Coil, Moira Dow, Soby Haarmon, Brian Hurlbut, Erik Morrison, Ryan Newhouse, Brandon Niles, Pete Owens, Erik Petersen, Greg Ruff, Yogesh Simpson, Katie Smith, Patrick Straub, Jessie Weise, PJ Wirchansky

EDITORIAL POLICY Outlaw Partners LLC is the sole owner of the Explore Big Sky. EBS reserves the right to edit all submitted material. Printed material reflects the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the opinion of Outlaw Partners or its editors. EBS will not publish anything discriminatory or in basoso Id taste.

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Letters to the editor allow EBS readers to express views and share how they would like to effect change. These are not Thank You notes. Letters should be 250 words or less, respectful, ethical, accurate, and proofread for grammar and content.

We reserve the right to edit letters. Include: full name, address, phone number and title. Submit to media@theoutlawpartners.com.

CORRECTIONS Please report errors to media@theoutlawpartners.com.

OUTLAW PARTNERS & EXPLORE BIG SKY P.O. Box 160250, Big Sky, MT 59716 (406) 995-2055 • media@theoutlawpartners.com © 2013 Explore Big Sky Unauthorized reproduction prohibited

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 3

4 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: NEWS Community.............................................5 Local News..............................................6 Regional................................................11 Montana...............................................13 SECTION 2: SPORTS, HEALTH AND BUSINESS Sports................................................17 Health................................................21 Business...................................22 Outlaw News.........................................26 Classifieds.........................................27 Bull Market............................................28 SECTION 3: LIFE, LAND & CULTURE Entertainment...............................29 Outdoors..........................................31 Events.............................................34 Calendar..............................................35 Fun....................................................37 Column............................................38 Back 40..................................................39 SPECIAL SECTION Gift & Gear Guide...................................41

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FEATURES:

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LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH SOLD

41

8

Big Sky Resort's operations plan Ski area opens Thanksgiving Day

17 19

10

Bozeman High, Ennis State Champs

NEW GROCERY STORE BREAKS GROUND IN BIG SKY TOWN CENTER

29

CAT/GRIZ 2013

WMPAC announces winter lineup

RE: “How did this place get missed?”

Due to high response numbers sparked by EBS Senior Editor Joseph T. O’Connor’s article “How did this place get missed?” (Explore Big Sky, Nov. 15), about construction and development in Big Sky, we’ve chosen to look deeper into these issues.

EBS will follow O’Connor’s story with two more, as part of a series covering these subjects and their impact on the community, beginning Dec. 27. If you wish to comment for these articles, or have information about housing and development concerns in Big Sky, please contact O’Connor at joe@theoutlawpartners.com or (406) 995-2055.

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From my point of view

Technology through the years

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 5

Eight teachers receive Boyne’s Excellence in Education Award BIG SKY RESORT

BY SOBY HAARMAN LPHS SOPHOMORE

Soby Haarman’s column, “From my point of view,” alternates with BSSD Supt. Jerry House’s “School House news” for publication in EBS. Both offer a unique point of view on education and the Big Sky School District.

I’ve attended school in Big Sky since preschool, and have had the privilege of watching the school grow in more ways than one. In particular, it’s been enjoyable to witness our technology program expand over the years.

When we got the new tech lab in 2009, it was, in my fifth-grade opinion, the coolest thing ever. Being in middle school, we had the option to choose our own electives, and I decided to take a film production class.

In that course, we learned the basics before going into the world with a project rubric, a camera and a pocket full of dreams. Although the class piqued my initial interest in film production, I knew there were a number of videography techniques I was missing.

During middle school I also took a software class, where we learned how to use the program by completing various tasks. That about sums up my experiences with the old technology program.

When I received my class schedule as a high school freshman, I was confused when I saw a class called

AutoCAD I. Never having heard of AutoCAD, curiosity filled my mind as I walked into the tech lab and sat down at a computer.

That semester I was introduced to the world of 2D modeling. I started off modeling simple things – the most challenging objects ever to me at the time – and eventually learned how to create floor plans for buildings. I was very interested in the software and signed up for AutoCAD II in the second semester.

3D modeling was difficult, to say the least. I don’t know how the tech teacher, Mr. Bakken, kept his patience when we asked him for help every two minutes. However, my final project – the complete modeling and animation of a mechanical tiger – was something I’m still proud of to this day. Now we have a 3D printer, which allows students to print off the models they created in AutoCAD! I’m also enrolled in TV/Film Production this year. So far, it’s much different than the film class I took in middle school. First we learn the skills, and then we’re assigned projects to utilize them. I’m learning much more about film production, thanks to the growth of the technology program at our school, and am excited to see it grow as I continue through my high school years.

Show me the dough Internet baking celebrity teaching in Big Sky

BY BARBARA ROWLEY Bread-baking sensation Mark Sinclair will teach a class on Dec.12 from 6-9 p.m. in Big Sky at the Ophir School kitchen, adjacent to the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center.

The class, which is offered through the Big Sky School District’s Adult Education Department, will teach participants how to make the rich French bread, viennoiserie brioche.

Sinclair will teach participants how to mix, shape and bake several variations of the bread, and will send class goers home with a packet of dry ingredients and a recipe to start baking up brioche on their own. And don’t worry about forgetting what you’ve learned: Sinclair has already posted several videos on brioche-making to YouTube for students to reference in their home kitchen.

Sinclair recently moved to the Bozeman area after having run a successful bakery in Kalispell for five years. He sold his hard-crusted breads and French pastries from his moveable bakery this summer at the Big Sky Farmer’s Market and now delivers his baked goods on Fridays at no extra cost to homes in Big Sky. A former elementary and middle school teacher, Sinclair blends his teaching and baking skills seamlessly: His videos on bread baking have been sold worldwide and his YouTube tutorials on bread shaping and baking have garnered upwards of 100,000 views.

To register, email Mark Sinclair at sinclairsbakery@gmail.com. To order bread for Friday home delivery, call him by Wednesday at (406) 253-4207.

Seven Ophir and Lone Peak High School teachers and one Anderson School teacher are the 2013 recipients of the Boyne Excellence in Education Award. Each teacher will receive a 2013-2014 Big Sky Resort, Biggest Skiing in America pass for his or her hard work “above and beyond” in hours spent tutoring and working with children in the core academic disciplines of language arts, science and math.

The Ophir and LPHS award recipients are Lacey Cook, Brittany Ellis, Erika Frounfelker, Jeremy Harder, Jolene Hagness, Dave Neal and Paul Swenson. Steph Lourie is the Anderson School recipient. Each of these teachers met the core requirements of helping kids for 40 hours or more outside of school hours, with demonstrable improvement in at least one child’s scores or grades.

“The goal of the Boyne Exceptional Educator Award is to help improve student academic performance,” said Taylor Middleton, the resort’s general manager. “By encouraging innovation and focusing on improving student outcomes, we’re creating incentives for those teachers who are successful.”

The Boyne Excellence in Education award goes to as many teachers as qualify in the Big Sky School District, and up to three teachers in the Anderson district.

In addition to recognizing excellence and dedication in teaching, for the 36th year in a row, Big Sky Resort will donate season passes to all local K-8 students. High school students and teachers will also receive day passes for Friday ski days. The goal is to help students learn to ski, and with this teacher reward program, to support them in learning academically, as well.

Paving a pathway to D.C. BIG SKY – The gravel pathway worn into the sagebrush, leading from the Ophir School parking lot to the football field, is getting a makeover courtesy of this year’s eighth grade class and community donors.

The eighth graders have decided on a new fundraiser, “Bricks R Us,” which can honor community members or businesses, while raising cash for their annual trip to Washington D.C. This year’s grade class needs to raise approximately $60,000.

“We were looking for something that kids can do that would benefit the school, and that would ultimately be a sustainable fundraiser going forward for other eighth grade classes,” said Suzanne Schreiner, mother of a student and the one spearheading the project. “These bricks and the need for the path seemed like the perfect opportunity.”

The students are selling commemoratively engraved 4-by-8-inch and

8-by-8-inch bricks. Approximately 80 percent of proceeds will go toward the D.C. class trip in early May. The bricks allow purchasers to honor students, alumni, teachers, mentors, coaches and community volunteers by name, and students are also selling bricks to organizations that can add their custom logo.

“The students will see their fill of monuments honoring national heroes in D.C.,” Schreiner said. “It seems particularly fitting that we are offering a way they can honor more local heroes as a way to see these monuments.”

Students will be selling the bricks in Big Sky until March 1, 2014 and will help lay the pathway next spring. To purchase a brick, contact Suzanne Schreiner at (406) 5704935, or suzanne@bigskyrealestate.

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6 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

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Hooligans release debut album VOOTIE PRODUCTIONS BOZEMAN – This fall, the Hooligans released its debut album Beggars and Thieves. It was recorded over a couple of weeks in the fall of 2012 at Yellowstone House, an 1870’s log home on the banks of the Yellowstone River.

Grammy-award winning studio.

Beggars and Thieves comfortably and seamlessly straddles several genres of music from rock to blues, reggae to

Produced by Little Feat founder/keyboardist Bill Payne and Tom Garnsey, the nine-song recording features original material, as well as a few carefully chosen covers from RichThe Hooligans ard Thompson and Natalie Merchant, Rich Robiscoe – bass guitar and a reworking of the Appalachian Tom Garnsey – guitar/vocals folk ballad, “Katy Cruel.”

Betsy Wise – vocals

Ron Craighead – drums/vocals Bob Britten – electric guitar/vocals Of special significance is “7th DaughTom Murphy – mandolin/vocals ter,” one of 17 songs co-written by Bill Bill Payne – keyboardist/vocalist Payne and legendary Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter this past year.

Payne’s contribution to the recording as the producer/keyboardist/singer and co-writer is folk and Americana, all significant. He brings over 40 years of performance, filtered through decades production and recording skills to the table, and of live performance to they are evident in Beggars and Thieves. create a rootsy sound unique to the Hooligans.

The record also features guest spots from Tim O’Brien on fiddle, New Orleans’ own Spencer Genre-bending flexibilBohren on lap steel, Jimmy Lange on keyboards, regity has provided countgae great Pato Banton on vocals and Alison Garnsey less opportunities for on backing vocals. the Hooligans to share the stage with some of America’s finest: The Band, The album’s tracks were recorded and engineered Burning Spear, The Wailers, Michael Franti, Rodney

by Bozeman resident and Grammy Award winning Crowell, String Cheese Incident, Widespread Panic, artist Cornell “Doc” Wiley, who has worked with Alabama Shakes, and Hot Tuna, among many others.

U2, Prince, and Whitney Houston. Mastering for Beggars and Thieves was completed by Gavin LursHear the Hooligans play tracks from the new record, sen of Lurssen Mastering, a world-renowned multi as well as old favorites, at the Outlaw Partners’

Mountain Outlaw magazine release party at El Patron in Big Sky on Friday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m. No cover.

Beggars and Thieves is available locally at Cactus Records in Bozeman, Rockin’ Rudys in Missoula and online at hooligansmontana.com, iTunes, and amazon.com.

Lone Mountain Ranch sells to southern California company BIG SKY – Makar Properties, a Newport Beach, Calif.-based real estate company, announced on Nov. 26 its purchase of Lone Mountain Ranch from Lehman Brothers Holdings.

The full-service dude ranch and cross-country ski resort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and had been owned by Lehman Brothers since 2009.

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“We are simply honored for the opportunity to add Lone Mountain Ranch to our portfolio of properties,” said Paul Makarechian, CEO

of Makar Properties. “The Ranch is rich with heritage, shared experiences and stunning natural beauty … we are committed to continuing this tradition of creating cherished memories with impeccable and personal service for our guests.”

Makar owns and operates – among other properties – the Korakia Pensione Hotel in Palm Springs and is planning to reopen in 2014 Hotel Goleta, a destination surf lodge in Santa Barbara, Calif., according to a press release announcing the purchase of LMR. – J.T.O.

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8 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

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Mountain ops preps for historic season

Big Sky and former Moonlight tackle Lone Mountain side by side

L-R: Big Sky Resort Mountain Operations Manager and Director, Mike Unruh and John Knapton; ski patrollers Noah Ronczkowski and Katie Ferris; lift operations manager Ross Smethurst; the enduring Lone Mountain EXPLORE BIG SKY PHOTOS

BY EMILY WOLFE

EXPLORE BIG SKY MANAGING EDITOR

BIG SKY RESORT – On Tuesday Nov. 19, nine days before the first chairlift would load public skiers, Jake Porter was working at the bottom of Sacagawea Camp in the Club at Spanish Peaks, trying to get a booster pump and a Techno Alpen M18 snow gun into working order.

The guns on the once private resort’s slopes had been idle for three years, and when Porter first turned this particular one on, black pond water spewed out. The resort’s Snowmaking and Grooming Operations Manager, eventually got it going and that morning was checking to be sure the well wasn’t frozen.

With Big Sky Resort now managing operations across nine square miles – made up of the terrain formerly owned by the Club at Spanish Peaks and Moonlight Basin, plus Big Sky – Porter has a lot on his plate. The snowmaking department is at 36 personnel this year – up from 20 last year. Also, the Spanish Peaks and Moonlight systems are new to him.

“We had to find where all the hydrants and pumps were, and how they worked,” said Porter, who’s been with the resort 15 years. “Now we’re training the rest of the crew and getting them familiar with all that, so when we do have [cold] temps they can fire it up and be ready for opening.”

Porter isn’t alone in the on-theground learning process that is the operations side of the merger, and those in upper management said they’ve done everything possible to put the strongest team on the ground.

“The goal is to take the best of both and make it all better,” said Mountain Operations Director Mike Unruh, who’s been at Big Sky since 2007.

Sharing an office with Porter is Ross Smethurst, formerly head of lift operations at Moonlight Basin and now Big Sky’s lift operations manager.

“There is a lot to learn right now,” Smethurst said, sitting in his office.

“With combining all three of these ski operations, we’re just trying to figure out how it all works together.

It’s definitely a larger scale – going from seven chair lifts to 33 chairlifts, from 36 employees to 135.”

Upstairs, Mountain Operations Manager John Knapton walks inside to Unruh’s office. Knapton, who worked at Big Sky before Moonlight Basin first opened, was Moonlight’s first ski patrol director and its mountain manager until the merger.

He’s just been out somewhere on the mountain’s 5,750 acres –he won’t say where – looking into future expansion. With the merger, he joined Unruh in a key leadership role.

In his new role, Knapton oversees snowmaking and grooming, vehicle maintenance, roads and base operations. Unruh is in charge of ski patrol, lift operations and maintenance, and parks.

“This is two-thirds more terrain from a grooming standpoint, two-thirds more equipment to maintain, twothirds more parking,” Knapton said, comparing it to his responsibilities at Moonlight Basin.

These integrations have filtered down the chain of command. In lift operations, for example, there are six supervisors – three from the Big Sky crew, and three from Moonlight.

Almost 90 strong this year, the professional ski patrol is now one of the largest in the country. Jim Humphries, who’s been with the Big Sky patrol 19 years, will be assistant director in charge of Lone Peak-south, and Dave Benes, who worked at Moonlight for eight years as a supervisor, is now a second assistant director and in charge of Lone Peak-north, or the historic Moonlight terrain, plus Challenger.

Benes interviewed for the position, he said, to “represent the staff of Moonlight and all the hard work we put in.

To see the whole thing carried forward effectively was the motivation behind it.”

During their two-week training, he was feeling positive.

“It’s a cool dynamic to have [these] two hills that have a lot to gain from each other… Seeing everybody in the locker room after the refresher days and the way the two staff complement each other to become one big staff is really, really cool… you can’t help but be excited.”

Changes on and off the hill On Thanksgiving, Big Sky Resort’s traditional first day, the resort opens for skiing in the area around the Big Sky Mountain Village.

ton. “It’s less formal, fun and eventbased, [with] things like the Subaru Freeride World Tour and the Turkey for a Ticket [food drive]. We’ve made sure that we’ve retained as many of these events as we could.”

“The goal is to give people the terrain that we can,” Unruh said. “We’re not known for holding back on terrain. If we can get the Bowl [or Challenger] we’ll do it. Minimum is Swift Current and Explorer.”

The goal, Middleton said, “is to not take anything away from Moonlight, to not reduce that experience.”

Next will be the Iron Horse area on the Moonlight side, opening Dec. 6. The following day, Unruh said, they’ll open everything possible on the north side.

“The brand for our community is BigSky Resort. The brand of Moonlight Basin Resort as a freestanding resort goes way. But the brand of Moonlight Basin as a village, and as part of the Big Sky community is very important, and that’s here to stay.”

As for the expansion plans Knapton was investigating, news of this will come later – and not this year, he says.

“Right now we’re focused on operations.”

But guests will see a few changes, namely new glades in the Shedhorn and Explorer areas; a more substantial park next to the Explorer Lift replacing the small-feature area; better grooming due to the purchase of a piece of machinery called a renovator; and new electronic signs showing lift and run status at a number of lifts.

Trail names and signage will remain the same this year, but the on-hill trail maps will no longer say Moonlight Basin Resort.

Off the hill, the Mountain Mall has been renovated, and the Free Skier Parking Lot will be maintained differently this year to increase capacity and ease. Taking a cue from Moonlight – and using a grater acquired from Moonlight – orange flagging and posts will delineate parking instead of snow berms, which will help prevent the major mud ruts of the past.

Additionally, Big Sky now plans to ask employees to park further away – as Moonlight did previously – and to start running employee shuttles at 6:15.

The Moonlight vibe and brand Moonlight Basin Resort is gone, but no one wants to see its essence disappear.

“There’s a certain emotional connection to Moonlight that comes from the people and the employees,” said Big Sky General Manager Taylor Middle-

On trail maps it remains the “Moonlight Area.”

The whole thing, he said, is a work in progress. “We don’t have all the answers to it, but these are the plans that we have for winter operations.”

The new Big Sky This merger is a rare opportunity, and Middleton knows it.

“You read a lot of stories about people screwing up integration. Myself and the Big Sky leadership team decided early on what our vision was for this integration. We articulate it specifically as ‘the most successful integration of neighboring competitive ski resorts that the ski industry has ever seen, as measured by guest satisfaction, employee satisfaction and owner satisfaction.’”

Also important, he said, is the fact that the Biggest Skiing in America brand is now secure.

For Smethurst and many other long time locals and employees, that’s a good thing.

“We’ve all been here for the same reasons: Because we love the mountain, plain and simple. Lone Mountain’s not changing,” Smethurst said.

“Coming from Moonlight, our hands have been tied for a long time. It’s nice now working for a company that’s been in the ski industry for 60 years, not a bank in New York City… The sky’s the limit now.”

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 9

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Full-scale grocery store planned for Big Sky Town Center

BY JOSEPH T. O’CONNOR EXPLORE BIG SKY SENIOR EDITOR

BIG SKY – Add another business to Big Sky’s growing Town Center.

Groundbreaking plans are set for Roxy’s Market, a 17,000-square-foot grocery store to be built at the intersection of Huntley Drive and Lone Mountain Trail in Big Sky. The store will offer fresh produce, fish, meat and cheese from local sources and around the world, according to co-owners Roxy and Mike Lawler. As of press time, Mike expressed hopes that Bozemanbased project contractor Rotherham Construction would break ground by Nov. 26.

The Lawlers, who recently secured housing in Big Sky, opened their first Roxy’s in Aspen, Colo., in 2009.

With that store established, they were looking to expand.

“Big Sky hit a really high note with us,” Roxy said. “It’s a great, young, well-thought-out and up-and-coming [place]. A magical, real mountain community [with] a lot of cachet is hard to find, [so it’s] great to be part of the development of Big Sky.” The couple has been working on negotiations to build in Town Center

for approximately two years, Roxy said, and now with the financial market seeing signs of recovery, their dream is turning into reality.

With other construction and infrastructure projects in the works in Town Center, including a medical facility, Roxy says the grocery store will provide an essential service for Big Sky. “The timing has ended up being perfect,” she said. “I think the grocery store will be the cohesive glue to pull this community together.”

There are two City Market stores (part of the Kroger supermarket chain) in Aspen and a Whole Foods Market in Basalt, Colo., about 20 miles north. Mike says Roxy’s Market is used to the competition and has been studying prices in Gallatin County grocery stores.

“We’re going to be pretty darn competitive,” he said. “We looked at some of the supermarkets in Bozeman and were surprised to see many prices were higher than Aspen.”

There are two other grocery stores in Big Sky – the Country Market and the Hungry Moose Market and Deli.

No one knows how these stores will be affected, but Roxy doesn’t see a

Roxie’s Market “barn scheme” design elevation, or flat drawing of the façade.

The plans call for the 17,000 square-foot grocery store to include a pharmacy and an outdoor dining area. ELEVATION BY SCOTT BECHTLE

problem. “It’s a completely different animal from those two,” she said.

“Everyone has a niche, and people will [visit] both those locations. We want to fill in the missing pieces so people don’t have to go to Bozeman.”

Town Center Project Manager Ryan Hamilton sees the addition as another step forward for the community.

“This is something we’ve been working on and talking about at countless meetings over the years, and it’s moving forward and we’re extremely excited,” he said. “It’s a good step in

the evolution of Big Sky as a place for year-round residents. It will lead to a lot more jobs and will keep a lot more money in Big Sky.” The Lawlers plan to hire between 12-25 employees to run the store, depending on whom they can attract, Roxy said. “We’ll flex as we need to as seasons demand, [but] we’re looking for strong professional players who are interested in a career.”

Owners of the Country Market and Hungry Moose, respectively, declined to comment for this story.

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HGA Architects and Engineers to design Big Sky Medical Center BOZEMAN – Bozeman Deaconess Health Services has selected HGA Architects and Engineers to plan and design the new Big Sky Medical Center to be constructed in Big Sky Town Center.

HGA is an integrated architecture, engineering and planning firm with a specialty practice in healthcare design.

“HGA has designed more than 35 critical access hospitals throughout the United States,” said Hal Henderson, AIA, vice president and principal-in-charge with HGA. “The Big Sky Medical Center project is ideally suited to HGA’s firm-wide expertise and experience as we collaborate with Bozeman Deaconess Health Services to achieve their goals for exemplary patient care in a state-of-the-art healthcare facility.”

Henderson has more than 30 years’ experience working with major regional and national healthcare providers, where he focuses on healthcare design and planning.

“We want this facility to be energy efficient, appropriate for the landscape, and one that will enhance the medical experience for residents and visitors of Big Sky and the surrounding area,” said Kevin Pitzer, President and CEO of BDHS. Planning and design work with the Big Sky Medical Center project development team has been underway since October. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held on Sept. 30, 2013, and construction is targeted to begin in late spring of 2014. For updates, visit bigskymedicalcenter.com.

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 11

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• Getting a Clean Energy Project Off the Ground

HELENA – Businesses and landowners attending the 2014 Harvesting Clean Energy Conference will learn strategies for maximizing local job creation and economic benefits that can come from developing clean energy resources later.

The conference will bring in leading clean energy experts and practitioners to talk about what’s involved in creating successful cleanenergy projects that can cut a farm’s energy costs and produce power or feedstocks to market. Among those projects are biofuels and biodigesters as well as a variety of energy-efficiency technologies and wind, microhydro, geothermal and solar power systems.

The annual Harvesting Clean Energy Conference is held each year in a different city in Oregon, Washington, Idaho or Montana.

The February conference will be the 13th in the series. It is being organized and presented by the National Center for Appropriate Technology, which is headquartered in Butte.

• Risk and Rural Resiliency: How climate change is affecting rural business, agriculture, forestry and outdoor recreation • Alternative Niche Markets: The downstream opportunities The conference will draw participants from a diverse range of fields: farmers, ranchers and other rural land owners; agricultural organizations and food processors; rural utilities, lenders, economic development leaders and elected officials; local, state, federal and tribal agencies; and clean-energy firms, consultants and supporters.

It will be a source of technical and financial resources and a chance to meet potential project partners.

NCAT is a private nonprofit organization that works to foster and promote sustainable technologies and systems, especially for the benefit of economically disadvantaged individuals and communities.

Helping people by championing small-scale, local and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities and protect natural resources.

Each day, the conference will feature programs based on five “tracks”: • The Big Picture: Economic and environmental realities of clean energy • Innovations and the Future of Clean Energy

Find more information or register at harvestcleanenergy.org/events/conference.html

NOW IS THE TIME TO LIST YOUR PROPERTY FOR SALE 46% decrease in property inventory levels since 2009 ACTIVE LISTINGS

700 525 350

SOLD UNITS

175 0 2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

L&K HAS BUYERS LOOKING FOR: • • • •

Single Family home in Moonlight Basin Lot in Spanish Peaks Ski in Ski out property in Big Sky Mountain Village Moderately priced condo in Big Sky Meadow Village

Derived from information provided by Gallatin Assoc. of REALTORS/SW Montana MLS. Compiled from miscellaneous sources. Neither the Association, listing brokers, agents nor subagents are responsible for its accuracy.

For more information or private showings contact: Real Estate Brokerage, Consulting & Development P R O PRyan E R TKulesza I E S – 406-539-4666 or 4 0G 6 -L 9 9O 5 - 2B4 A 0 4 L• L K R E A L E S T A T E . C O M Eric Ladd – 406-570-0639

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12 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

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Explore Big Sky

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 13

Interest in Montana wolf harvest is up

BY TYLER ALLEN

EXPLORE BIG SKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR

From the start of wolf hunting season on Sept. 15 through the third week of November, 86 wolves have been harvested in Montana. And the sale of wolf hunting licenses is out-pacing last year’s numbers, spurred in part by the interest from out-of-staters. As of Nov. 22 this season, 1,954 non-resident licenses had been sold compared to last year’s total of 247. Montana’s wolf hunting season is Sept. 15 to March 15 and licenses go on sale March 1 each year.

The non-resident fee last season was $350 until Feb. 13, when the state legislature lowered the price tag to $50, “to encourage more participation,” said Ron Aasheim, Department Spokesman for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. “[The cost] was seen as a barrier, which it was apparently.”

Prompting the legislature to lower the fee was a cooperative effort between Montana FWP, stock growers, landowning communities and both wolf and game hunters, Aasheim said.

Montanans are expressing more interest in wolf hunting, as well. A resident wolf license is $19 and last season a total of 17,331 were sold. As of the third week in November, 20,248 had been issued, according to Aasheim.

Hunters must purchase a license for each wolf they shoot and must wait 24 hours after they’re issued.

Trappers may harvest their limit with one $20 fur-bearers license and may harvest as soon as they complete a trapper certification course.

Koby Holland hoists a 75 pound female wolf shot in the Big Hole Valley during Montana’s first wolf hunting season, 2009. Holland, who’s since harvested other wolves, says they’re very hard to hunt and he’s always scouting and glassing open hillsides near and around elk herds, listening for wolf howls. “The older ones get old for a reason. [They’re] very, very smart animal[s].” PHOTO COURTESY OF KOBY HOLLAND

Trapping season begins Dec. 15 and a maximum of five wolves may be taken by any licensed individual, either by hunting, trapping or a combination of both.

Wolf trapping in Montana began last season after FWP, “took a pretty measured approach in the first couple of years,” said Abby Nelson, a Montana FWP wolf specialist. The state sold 26

percent more fur-bearer trapping licenses last year than in 2011 when wolf trapping was still illegal.

The FWP counted 625 wolves in the state at the end of 2012, which is a minimum estimate, according to Nelson, as they don’t model the data.

Results of the 2013 count will be released in March 2014.

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MONTANA

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Montana Red Cross asks public to give help and hope this holiday season AMERICAN RED CROSS OF MONTANA

BOZEMAN – As the holidays draw near, Montana Red Cross is asking people to give help and hope to those in need.

“Make the holiday season truly meaningful by lending a hand to people who need your help,” said Rod Kopp, CEO of Montana Red Cross. “Your support can help a victim of disaster, someone who needs blood, a member of the Armed Forces far from home.”

There are many ways to support the American Red Cross: Support disaster relief Every nine minutes the Red Cross responds to a disaster somewhere in the U.S. A financial donation can help the nearly 70,000 Americans who turn to the Red Cross every year for disaster assistance, big and small, as well as those the organization helps internationally.

Volunteer One of the greatest gifts someone can give is the gift of time by becoming a volunteer. Visit the redcross.org/montana to learn how.

Remember our service members, veterans and their families Many members of the military will be

separated from their loved ones during the holidays this year. To lift their spirits, the public can send thank you cards to members of the Armed Forces through the Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Please send cards to the following address by Dec. 6: Holiday Mail for Heroes P.O. Box 5456 Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456 Donate blood As many as 44,000 blood donations are needed every day across the country to meet the needs of hospital patients.

A blood donation to the Red Cross can save up to three lives.

Buy a tax-deductable gift that makes a difference You can purchase a variety of symbolic gifts at redcross.org/montana, in the name of people on the Montana Red Cross gift list. Shoppers can buy things like infant care kits for babies in emergency shelters, comfort kits for wounded warriors, or water containers used when natural disasters disrupt a community’s water supply overseas.

For more information, visit redcross.org/montana or follow the Red Cross on Twitter at @MontanaRedCross.

Tester to United Airlines: ‘Affordable air travel will grow Montana’s economy’ OFFICE OF SEN. JON TESTER

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Jon Tester on Nov. 13 met with United Airlines executives to push them to expand access to affordable air service in Montana.

Tester told the United representatives that expanding affordable air service will increase economic development in the Big Sky state, help businesses grow and hire new workers. Tester said he regularly hears from constituents about the need for more affordable flight options.

“Affordable air travel will connect Montana businesses with markets around the

world and grow our state’s economy,” the Senator said. “United provides reliable service to thousands of Montana travelers, and they continue to look for new ways to expand travel to and from the Big Sky state.”

United Airlines is Montana’s second-largest air service provider, and Delta is No. 1.

The Kauffman Foundation recently reported that Montana has the highest rate of new business start-ups in the nation.

Expanded air travel is also expected to increase business growth and strengthen Montana’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry.

Bullock and BNSF announce $20,000 donation to Montana Honor Flight OFFICE OF GOV. STEVE BULLOCK

BOZEMAN – Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and BNSF Railway Foundation announced a $20,000 donation to the Montana Honor Flight at the Brawl of the Wild football game on Nov. 23 in Bozeman. The donation will be used to fly Montana veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit their memorials.

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The donation was presented prior to kickoff of the 113th Brawl of the Wild in Bozeman. The Honor Flight Committee was also named Volunteers of the Game by the Governor’s Office of Community Service.

The Big Sky Honor Flight recognizes American veterans for their sacrifices

and achievements by flying them to D.C. to see their memorials at no cost.

Top priority is given to World War II and terminally ill veterans from all wars.

To date, the Big Sky Honor Flight has made seven trips, bringing approximately 600 Montana veterans to view the memorials and pay their respects to their fellow soldiers and America’s fallen heroes.

The BNSF Railway Foundation supports efforts to improve the general welfare and quality of life in communities served by BNSF. The foundation has contributed more than $3.5 million to charities throughout Montana since 2005.

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 17

Explore Big Sky

Section 2:

Bozeman and Ennis take home state championships p. 19

BUSINESS, HEALTH & SPORTS

K2 new line of ski boots p. 22 Getting in ski shape p. 21

Griz stop ‘Cats in 113th meeting MSU lets top-ranked season slip away

BOZEMAN – The energy was palpable during the clash of Montana’s archrivals, and Bobcat stadium was bursting at the seams with a record crowd of 21,527.

scampering for 57 yards on the ground.

He was 17-of-33 in the air and was sacked four times. Running back Cody Kirk carried the ball 11 times for 49 yards.

On that clear, cold November day in Bozeman, the Montana State University Bobcats fell to the University of Montana Grizzlies, 14-28, sealing a once promising season as they dropped their third game in a row. Last season, the Bobcats team finished with an 11-2 record and in August 2013 was ranked second in The Sports Network’s Football Championship Subdivision.

The Grizzly offense amassed only 19 yards on their first five possessions, but quarterback Jordan Johnson ended with 250 yards passing, completing 23 of 35 with a touchdown.

The score was 7-7 at halftime, but ultimately mistakes and an ineffective offensive effort cost the ‘Cats a postseason berth.

MSU quarterback DeNarius McGhee ended the day with just 160 yards passing while

PHOTOS BY ERIC LADD

Among the fans in the crowd were Gov. Steve Bullock, Sen. Max Baucus and senatorial candidates Rep. Steve Daines and current Lt. Gov. John Walsh.

The Bobcats are losing McGhee, Kirk, receiver Tanner Bleskin and defensive end Brad Daley, but are looking forward to finding their groove again next season.

– J.T.O.

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SPORTS

Explore Big Sky

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 19

Perfect and perfect

Bozeman and Ennis football take home state championships STORY AND PHOTOS

BY MIKE COIL

their 2009 championship run, but prior to that, the team hadn’t won a state championship since 1917.

In a magnificent end to the high school football season, two of Big Sky’s neighbors finished perfect seasons by winning state football championships in their respective classes. On Nov. 22, a bitterly cold Friday night, the Bozeman Hawks (13-0) took the AA state championship, beating Kalispell Glacier 24-14. The following day, the Ennis Mustangs (12-0) won the Class C-8 championship by defeating the previously undefeated Wibaux Mustangs in an old-fashioned championship shootout, 68-56.

Ennis hadn’t been to the championship game since 1983, which they lost. In 1982, they won the Class C state championship by beating Wibaux 38-28. This game was a rematch of the last time the two schools met for the title. Honorary captains from the 1982 teams were present in Ennis for the game.

EXPLORE BIG SKY CONTRIBUTOR

Bozeman, playing in its third championship game in four years, erased the heartbreak of last season’s loss to Butte in the championship game on a Butte field goal as time expired. The Hawks this year were also perfect in

The Hawks scored three times in the second quarter with pass plays to their senior receivers Wyatt David and Bill Dissly and a run by Cordell Appel. The half time score was 21-7, and it looked like the Hawks might roll over Kalispell, but both teams were cold in the third quarter and no one was able to score.

Kalispell scored a touchdown in the fourth, and the Hawks added a field goal to seal the win. Kalispell was driving late in the fourth and was poised to score when Bozeman intercepted and pandemonium ensued. They ran out the clock, and the celebration began.

Bozeman’s all star running back Hunter Gappmeyer was used sparingly, as he is still recovering

Above: Hunter Gappmeyer gets his state championship. Below: Appel finds running room.

from a cracked collar bone. Kalispell’s only loss during the regular season was to the Hawks in September.

Left: Chad Johnerson runs into the daylight. Right: The Mustangs with the State Championship trophy.

In Ennis, the eight-man format allowed for big plays and lots of scoring by both teams, who between them put 124 points on the scoreboard. In the middle of the fourth quarter, Wibaux drew within four points, but Ennis scored and added two on the conversion to build a 12-point lead. Just like the Bozeman game, Ennis intercepted Wibaux late in the fourth to seal the win and the standing-room-only crowd went wild.

Ennis was sparked by its junior quarterback Walker McKittrick and running back Roy Moen, aka Superman, who made several big plays including three touchdowns and played linebacker on defense. The Wibaux fans drove 483 miles to get to the game but turned out in good numbers to cheer their team.

20 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

SPORTS

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 20 explorebigsky.com Explore Big Sky

Anthony Davis is an emerging superstar

BY BRANDON NILES

EXPLORE BIG SKY SPORTS COLUMNIST

I’ve seen enough. The New Orleans Pelicans’ number one overall pick of 2012, Anthony Davis, has clearly arrived. Only ten or so games into the 20132014 NBA season and I’m convinced that Davis is a superstar.

The second year forward/center out of the University of Kentucky, has taken the league by storm this season, averaging more than 20 points, 11 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game. Those numbers put him in elite company, ranking him 16th, 6th and 2nd in the NBA, respectively.

Davis performed well last year, but looked like a rookie. He struggled with injuries and averaged 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. This season, he’s starting to look like one of the best players in the league.

What makes Davis truly unique is his ball handling and shooting. He was a 6-foot-3-inch guard at the beginning of his junior year in high school before a 7-inch growth spurt turned him into a frontcourt player.

He now combines the talents of a big man with the skill set of a guard.

While his success has not yet translated into wins for the Pelicans – who are near the bottom of the Western Conference standings – his emergence as a phenomenal two-way player is encouraging for New Orleans fans who saw their last superstar, point guard Chris Paul, traded to the Clippers just two seasons ago. The emergence of the 20-year-old Davis has brought excitement back to basketball fans in the Big Easy.

Davis has also been lights out from the free-throw line, shooting better than 85 percent and making the act I know it’s early. Frontcourt of fouling him near the basplayers typically take a while to ket a poor option for teams become elite and he’s going to trying to contain him. That’s have to stay healthy to remain in the difference between the discussion as one of the top Davis and other top big men players in the game. But Davis is like Blake Griffin of the Los playing as well as anyone right Angeles Clippers and the now and I consider him second Houston Rockets’ Dwight in the league at his position only Anthony Davis in March 2013 Howard. When games get to Kevin Love of the Minnesota close, opposing defenses just Timberwolves. foul players like Griffin and Howard, forcing them Davis looks like a young Tim Duncan of the San to the free throw line where they don’t excel. That Antonio Spurs, effortlessly gliding across the floor strategy will only benefit the Pelicans as Davis burwith great defensive instincts and a sweet 15-foot ies free throws. jump shot. It seems only a matter of time before his If you haven’t had the opportunity to watch the production starts getting his team wins, especially Pelicans yet, I urge you to tune in. There’s no other if All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday – acquired from word besides “superstar” to describe what Anthony the 76ers during the offseason – returns to the form Davis is doing on the court this season. he showed a year ago in Philadelphia.

Why Big Sky?

“While I was growing up on the prairies of Eastern Montana, we loved to head west to explore the mountainous areas of our state.

When we relocated to Bozeman in 1981, we discovered the wonders of Big Sky and Yellowstone National Park in our own backyard. I stand in awe every day that I live only minutes away from world class skiing, fishing, natural wonders and many other recreational opportunities. Big Sky is a unique place that captures the hearts of those who visit, many of whom find themselves returning to stay a lifetime.” - Robyn Erlenbush

Today’s Market Knowledge Stop by our office at 36 Center Lane in the Meadow Village Center to talk with our associates about your Big Sky dream!

Contact us to recieve our monthly e-Newsletter and stay current on what’s happening in the Bozeman, Big Sky & Livingston real estate market.

Robyn Erlenbush

Tina Barton

Mitch Furr

Katie Haley Grimm

CRB, Broker/Owner 406-556-5052

GRI, Broker 406-580-9392

Broker 406-580-0620

CRS, Broker 406-580-3444

Maggie Biggerstaff

Daniel Delzer

Ron Seher

Ron Tabaczka

CRS, GRI, RSPS, Broker 406-580-6244

Sales Associate 406-580-3363

Broker 406-580-4326

Sales Associate 406-570-8105

Kirk Dige Broker 406-580-547

Katie Gill

Office Manager 406-995-3444

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HEALTH

Explore Big Sky

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 21

Getting in ski shape with the Ridge Athletic Club

BY ANNIE BARBER RIDGE PERSONAL TRAINER

1

The ski resorts are calling. Are you ready? Skis, check. Pass, check.

Boots, check. Lower body? Hmm… Here are some ways to increase your lower body strength and cardiovascular endurance in preparation for your winter sport of choice. There’s nothing like dominating a fresh day of powder with strong legs and lungs.

2

Interval training on the bike, treadmill or outside terrain: Interval training is important for your cardiovascular system. This involves short high-intensity work periods ranging from 10 seconds to a minute, followed by recovery time. Repeat these intervals back-to-back for 10-30 minutes. For example: Work 30 seconds 30 seconds 1 minute

Rest 1 minute Repeat 10 times 30 seconds Repeat 15 times 4 minutes Repeat 5 times

On a scale from 1-10, 10 being an effort you can only sustain for 10 seconds and 1 being relaxed on your couch, your effort should be between 9 and 10. Interval training should be done 2-3 times per week.

3

Incorporate the following lower body exercises into your weekly routine two or three days a week:

1. Wall sit: With your back up against a wall, bend your knees at a 90-degree angle and place your feet shoulder width apart with your arms by your side. Assume this position for at least one minute, challenging yourself up to 2-3 minutes. This exercise positions your joints in their proper place, while strengthening your quadriceps and hamstrings in an isometric position.

2. Clock lunges: Lunges are a solid overall lower-body exercise. For clock lunges, start with a forward lunge, follow with a side lunge, and end with a reverse lunge. This counts as one. Repeat with both legs for a total of 15 lunges or five sets per side. Make sure your knee does not extend beyond your ankle. Lunges challenge your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and hips, and they engage your core. To make this exercise more challenging, add weights.

3. Step-ups: Step-ups are one of the best lower body exercises. You will need a sturdy bench or step. Focus on the leg doing the stepping up; don’t use your leg that’s on the ground to propel you to the step. With this exercise, you’re targeting your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and stabilizer muscles. Aim for three sets of 10 per side and add weight or a higher step for a challenge.

4

4. Speed skaters: Speed skaters – or lateral bounds – will help with agility and balance, as well as leg and core strength. Start balanced on one foot and jump laterally, landing softly on the other foot. The focus here is on distance and speed. Repeat three rounds of 20 skaters. *Before engaging in a new exercise program, consult a physician.

Annie Barber is a personal trainer at the Ridge Athletic Club who enjoys challenging herself and clients with dynamic, bodyweight workout routines. Train your inner athlete!

PHOTOS BY KRISTA PANCICH

22 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

BUSINESS

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K2 unveils new collection of all-mountain and freeride ski boots K2 SKIS

SEATTLE – Since 1962, K2 Skis has been developing and manufacturing products to meet the diverse needs of all-mountain skiers. Building from the ground up and applying the brand’s legacy and dedication from more than five decades of skiing experience, the company this fall unveiled a brand new ski boot collection, specifically designed for all-mountain and freeride performance.

Developed to complement K2’s all-mountain and freeride ski lines, the new boot line is subdivided into two collections: all-mountain lines for both men and women, and a freeride offering for men.

The boots debuted in Denver last January at the Ski Industries

Association trade show and are on shelves this fall.

All-mountain performance boots K2 has taken a fine-tuned approach in its all-mountain boots, aiming to optimize the natural forces of skiing with a new E3 (Energy Efficiency Engineering) Philosophy.

The innovative system absorbs external energy from diverse terrain and snow conditions, while transmitting internal energy from the skier in the form of precise power and pressure.

The E3 Philosophy is made possible by the synergy of three features: • Energy Interlock - A rivet-free technology that integrates the cuff and shell.

Producing a smoother and

K2 SpYne 130 LV Ski Boots

more efficient load transfer, the Energy Interlock delivers a natural flex with dynamic performance.

• PowerFuse SpYne - A rear co-injected “Y”-shaped design enhances the Energy Interlock by providing fore/aft flex efficiency and lateral stiffness, for sustained performance and responsiveness in all conditions.

• K2 Fit Logix – Delivering performance, comfort and a customized fit, Fit Logix includes the combination of a diverse last offering (97mm, 100mm and 102mm), a navicular punch built into the mold to alleviate pressure during ankle flexion, and a collection of Intuition liners providing a blend of comfort and performance. The molded/lasted liners feature Intuition foam and a power collar, as well as a Moldable Asymmetric Tongue for maximized power transfer and energy absorption.

The All-Mountain collection comprises three men’s and three women’s-specific boots: the men’s SpYne 130, which delivers a 130 flex index and is offered in both a 97 and 100 mm last; the SpYne 110 and 90 options, which offer softer flexes and correlating levels of features; And the SpYre 110, 100 and 80, which make up the colorful female-specific All-Mountain collection, and feature the same innovative, all-mountain technologies as the men’s line but with

a 15 percent lower cuff height, and a women’s-specific last.

Freeride boots Using the All-Mountain boot design as a platform, K2 has also built freeridespecific boots.

The goal with this line is to maximize uphill capabilities without compromising downhill performance. K2 accomplished this with its patent-pending Synchro Interlock design, which allows the user to synchronize the release of the inner wedge and Interlock for free-flexing walk performance. A synchronized lock of the system engages the Interlock for ski mode, delivering downhill allmountain boot performance, maintaining 100 percent of the flex index.

K2’s Freeride boot collection includes the Pinnacle 130 and 110. Starting from the inside out, the PrecisionFit and LuxFit Intuition liners are enhanced with Tour Flex Notches for range of motion and fit while touring. The Integrated Tech Fittings embedded into the shell provide durability and accommodation for all modern DIN-alpine and Tech binding systems, without having to change the outsoles.

The boots have a three-buckle design and the extra-wide K2 PowerBuckle for quick adjustments in and out of walk mode.

Big Sky, Montana is one of the most beautiful places to live, work and play.

At Prudential Montana Real Estate I have a team supporting me so I can focus on what’s important, my clients.

There’s a reason I’ve been here for over 17 years. I love it here!

Don Pilotte Managing Broker

An independently owned and operated broker member of BRER Affiliates, Inc.

PRUMT.COM | 406.995.4060 | 55 LONE PEAK DRIVE | BIG SKY TOWN CENTER

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GLOBAL

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 23

P RO P E RT I E S

L I ST E D P R O P E RT I E S AT YE L LO W STONE CLU B

19 COPPER COURT (LOTS 36A & 37A AT YELLOWSTONE CLUB) 12.54 acres, 2 cabins, barn and pond $10,900,000

RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT - YELLOWSTONE CLUB LOT 325 7 bedrooms, 13,349sq/ft, ski access $13,000,000

WESTFORK CAMP AT YELLOWSTONE CLUB 17 acres, 6 buildings, 4 cabins, 3 ponds $18,000,000

17 TRAVERTINE AT YELLOWSTONE CLUB 6 bedrooms, 3.75 bathrooms, 6,000 sq/ft, 3.15 acres $3,800,000

LOT 326 AT YELLOWSTONE CLUB 3.24 acres, Commanding views of Lone, Cedar, and Pioneer Mountains $2,800,000

Ladd, Kulesza & Company

For more information or private showings contact:

Real Estate Brokerage, Consulting & Development

406-995-2404

L K R E A L E S TAT E . C O M

Ryan Kulesza & Eric Ladd

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. Š2013 LK REAL ESTATE, llc. lkrealestate.com | *Membership is required

24 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

BUSINESS

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Explore Big Sky

The Other Yellowstone Ecosystem

Evolving Ecosystems and the opportunities they create Just as natural resource-based bio-ecosystems operate in a complex natural balance, business ecosystems require deliberate, conscious management and shepherding of their resources to thrive.

BY GREG RUFF WHITE SPACE STRATEGY

If we could create totally closed natural ecosystems and isolate them from outside influences, then they would, in theory, reach a natural balance and continue that way indefinitely.

However, a closed ecosystem is impossible in a global world, where everything and everyone is mobile. We’ve seen accelerating effects of migration from noxious weeds to new species of predatory fish crowding out other species on our natural ecosystems for decades. This phenomenon is as old as the postulated human migration from Asia to America 20,000 years ago across the Bering land bridge.

Business ecosystems experience the same kind of challenges when new business species – new technologies, processes or business models – are introduced into the ecosystem. Some businesses

successfully coexist, some thrive as the new entrant causes the market to grow, and some go extinct when they fail to adapt.

The participants in business ecosystems can make conscious choices about how to develop strategies and tactics to coexist with newly introduced business species. They can make the choice to compete head to head, to expand the market beyond the new competition’s focus, to adapt to the new model, to find a niche and reinforce their position there, or even to move to or create a new market.

When Home Depot and Lowes entered the Bozeman business ecosystem, some established local businesses chose to adapt to the new business model and ultimately added additional value to the market.

One, Kenyon Noble, built a new “warehouse store” location to provide a selection and pricing to match the competition. With Kenyon’s history and reputation for service, it was able to compete and actually increase the size of the market. Another, Owenhouse Ace Hardware, added a second location for convenience and larger selection, and maintained their high-service reputation.

There are also larger-scale examples. When the iPad was announced, another company called KNO was already designing a folding, book-like

tablet for education. Recognizing it couldn’t compete with Apple’s brand and hardware, KNO quickly shifted to developing its software and content (the key element of education sales) to run on the iPad, and is now the leader for K-12 educational and textbook iPad software.

In each case, by carefully understanding the markets and the impact of new entrants, these companies were able to devise specialized strategies to compete with the new species, offer unique, differentiating value, and at the same time expand the market.

The key here is to understand how to adapt and grow the ecosystem by offering new value in the form(s) most important to the customers. That new value can be as simple as location, convenience, selection, service, brand and relationships. The most important tenet, however, is to operate as an ecosystem, not a war zone.

Greg Ruff has consulted to Fortune 500 companies and startup businesses on management, market and growth strategies since 1987. He first visited Big Sky in 1993 and recently relocated here. In this column, he writes about how business- and bio-ecosystems can mutually benefit from creative thinking.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 25

Gadanke.com owner gives TEDx talk

BY MARIA WYLLIE

EXPLORE BIG SKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR

LIVINGSTON – Gadanke.com owner Katie Clemons is a selfproclaimed “story catcher.” She’s helped women around the world find meaning in their lives through journal prompts encouraging them to share their stories.

for me is connect me with a lot of people who have realized they were kind of like my grandmother and didn’t realize their story mattered.”

Originally from Butte, Clemons was back home in 2007 for her grandmother’s 90th birthday. NPR’s StoryCorps was in town, looking to collect interesting stories from local residents, so Clemons and her grandThe popularmother ity of these “When we share our hopped handmade aboard the successes and our journals, recordwhich comweaknesses, the power ing bus. bine journal Clemons of story is incredible… and scrapcreated a book eleyour life and your story is series of ments, landed prompts worthy of celebrating.”

Clemons as for her a speaker for granda TEDx event in Minot, N.D., in mother, but unfortunately, she September. couldn’t remember any stories from her past that the prompts beckoned.

In Clemons’ speech, titled “Story Matters: Empowering Our CommuIt was then that Clemons realized nity and Lives Through Shared Narhow important journaling is for rative,” she explains the importance recording and celebrating one’s life. of sharing stories and how gadanke. com came to be.

Clemons created her first prompt journal while living in Berlin, Ger“TEDx events are a fascinating way many, with her husband. She was for people to share ideas,” Clemtaking German classes full time and ons said. “One thing that it’s done realized a lot more people shared

the same dilemma as her grandmother. The writing prompts given to the class were key to helping people open up.

Thus she created her blog “Gadanke,” which means “idea” in German. Soon the blog developed into the online journal store it is today.

unlocking the extraordinary in your life, Clemons noted in her speech.

“When we share our successes and our weaknesses, the power of story is incredible…your life and your story is worthy of celebrating,” she said to the hundred-plus audience.

Gadanke.com’s most popular journal is the “She Journal,” which invites the writer to explore herself and find selflove.

“My initial goal was to start helping women,” said Clemons, who now lives in Livingston. “I think it was because I often Gadanke.com owner Katie Cemons However, alsee the average woman as though the site began with the goal of empowering having low self-esteem, and it was really prevalent in my class where women, Gadanke journals are used by both genders. women were coming from places like Israel and Pakistan [where] Clemons’ TEDx talk further delves women aren’t [seen] as equals with men.” into the significance of storytelling and can be viewed on YouTube or via the gadanke.com homepage.

Gadanke journals are designed to get at the heart of who you are,

26 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

OUTLAW NEWS

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Do consumers trust you?

BY E.J. DAWS OUTLAW PARTNERS DIRECTOR OF SALES

Consumer trust is on the rise in various forms of advertising.

Long gone are the days of the outlandish claims of health benefits in smoking (“More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette”) or that the Ford Pinto would be worth more in 20 years.

Advertising today is more about consistency and messaging clarity, which has consumers gaining trust in ads as a resource for buying decisions, as opposed to feeling like they’re being “duped.”

In a recent Neilson Report poll asking 29,000 consumers about their preferences and trustlevels in various forms of ad messaging, most categories saw a boost in credibility compared with 2007 results. Word of mouth still reigns as the most trusted form (84 percent), but print advertising jumped from 56 to 60 percent.

Interestingly, 67 percent of people found informational articles on a business as a good resource on that brand or product.

As business owners continue to look for different ways to introduce people to their brand, sending out press releases and purchasing advertorials can be effective options, as well as a change of pace from traditional advertising.

Information and stories can be powerful marketing tools, while breaking down advertising barriers to potential clients.

branded websites as a very trustworthy source to gather information on the product or company.

The best websites are well-designed, and dyBusinesses and organizations send press releases namic in performance (meaning one can easily to EBS editors daily. The navigate on desktops, more complete they are – laptops, touchscreens, Advertising today is more detailed, clearly written smartphones, or tablets). about consistency and and with a good news They also contain value hook – the more likely messaging clarity, which messaging, and clear-cut our editors are to pick differentiators to the has consumers gaining them up. marketplace and other trust in ads as a resource competition by using Its big brother, the adimagery and video. for buying decisions, as vertorial, allows you to take your messaging to a In this world where opposed to feeling like deeper level, and provide businesses and marketthey’re being “duped.” more information to a ers are pulled in many potential buyer alongdirections, perceptions side a subject or story he around advertising will or she finds interesting. You can find these in our continue to evolve, and each year consumers’ Outlaw publications under the header, “special trust in the messaging they’re being presented advertising section.” with increases.

Traditional advertising is often meant to be shocking or eye-catching. An advertorial, on the other hand, is in keeping with the rest of the publication’s flow and does not interrupt the viewers’ enjoyment of engaging with the editorial layout.

Both the market and the consumers’ preference of marketing style are driving this evolution: Instead of “Look at our shiny new object,” successful advertising says, “This is how our product realistically fits into your everyday life.”

Seemingly counterintuitive are the Neilson results of consumer perception of a company’s website. Seven out of 10 people surveyed look at

Looking for new ways to market your product? Contact E.J. Daws at the Outlaw Partners: (406) 995-2055.

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Indulge in a cozy holiday season escape in your warm and toasty guestroom and enjoy treats that include house-made holiday cookies prepared by Pastry Chef Liz Michaelis, and hand-crafted chocolates. Revitalize with us during this busy time of the year.

Package includes: • One night stay • Decoy Pinot Noir • La Chatelaine Chocolates • House-made holiday cookies For reservations please call (800) 937-4132 Offer is valid for stays through December 18, 2013. Rates starting from $165 per night.

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Experience our world class seasonal Montana ranch-to-table cuisine when The Restaurant re-opens on Thursday, December 19.

We’ll be open daily through January 5, 2014. rainbowranchbigsky.com • 1.800.937.4132 Five miles south of Big Sky entrance on Hwy 191

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HELP WANTED Big Sky School Dist. 72 is hiring a bus driver/facilities assistant. Pay$18/hr.-bus, $14/hr.-F.A. during probation, $14.50/hr. after probation. Full time, year round, with full benefits. For details and application see website @ bssd72.org.

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Obsolete Equipment Sale Big Sky School District #72 is selling obsolete equipment. A copy of the list of obsolete property is available at Big Sky School District office at 45465 Gallatin Road, Gallatin Gateway, MT, Telephone 9954281 ext. 200, or at www.bssd72. org. Any taxpayer of the district may appeal this resolution prior to December 5, 2013 in the manner specified in MCA 20-6-604.

Big Sky School Dist.72 is hiring a full time/year around custodian.

Full benefits. For details and application see website @bssd72.org.

River Rock Lodge Accepting applications for midnight to 8 a.m. Front Desk position.

Great for night owls and mountain enthusiasts. Please send resume to pam@rpmbigsky.com or call Pam at 9954455.

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 27

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For an appointment or further information, contact the local Department of Revenue office.

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 29

Explore Big Sky

Section 3:

Bozeman Ice Climbing Fest p. 31

Word from the Resorts p. 33

LIFE, LAND AND CULTURE

Cold Smoke film tour p. 34

Warren Miller Performing Arts Center announces debut season lineup Zirkle is making a bold statement.

The Moth Mainstage – True Stories told live, is one of the featured acts this debut season. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MOTH

BY EMILY WOLFE

The goal, Zirkle said in an email, is to “present great art to inspire our audiences to go out and create in their own lives. It’s not just about entertainment; neither is it about trying too hard to push Art with a big ‘A.’ ...

[By] bringing in national and international professional performing artists, we hope to build on a sense of place… [and] get us thinking more about our

EXPLORE BIG SKY MANAGING EDITOR

shared story as human beings.”

BIG SKY – The James Sewell Ballet is not the Nutcracker.

He selected all of the season’s acts with equal cognizance, and with “a nod to artistic freedom,” as he wrote in the 2013/14 season program.

Its new “Outerborough” collaboration with violin virtuoso Todd Reynolds debuted in New York October, and opens the inaugural season at Big Sky’s Warren Miller Performing Arts Center with a contemporary ballet choreographed to Reynold’s music.

During the performance, Reynolds plays on stage with the dancers – nine men and women – improvising according to what he sees on stage.

“While it’s choreographed by James [Sewell, the director], set in stone in a certain way, the energy from night to night is not,” Reynolds says. “That energy is very fluid between the dancers and myself.”

Based on songs from Reynolds’ album Outerborough (2011), each movement in the ballet is 4-8 minutes, and each contrasts starkly with the next.

WMPAC Artistic Director John Zirkle says although this performance will likely be different than anything the Big Sky audience has seen, it will also be accessible.

“It’s movement based,” Zirkle said. “If you come here to snowboard, you come here to interact with gravity, and that’s the connection between dancers and skiers and snowboarders.”

As for defining the music – that’s perhaps more difficult. While Reynolds is trained classically, he draws equally from “rap, pop, rock and roll, country, jazz, everything,” he says. “My music is closer to pop than anything else.”

By opening the season with this edgy, contemporary, yet fun – and sometimes funny – ballet,

“We will see movement that defies gravity with the James Sewell Ballet; improv comedy that will leave us exhausted from laughter with The Second City; stories that captivate and enthrall us from The Moth Mainstage,” Zirkle continued. “Mark Applebaum, a featured TED speaker, will show us how he pushes the boundaries of creativity in a fight against artistic ennui.

David Mason and Tami Haaland, the Colorado and Montana Poet Laureates, will demonstrate how less is more when using words to change an entire society’s perspective, and Antonii Baryshevskyi, just 25 years old, will show us how to make a piano sweat – in a good way.”

Zirkle is particularly excited about the “Big Sky Commission,” in which nationally-recognized composer Philip Aaberg, a Montanan, wrote an entirely new piece of music dedicated to WMPAC. Accompanying Aaberg on that program are musicians Mike Reynolds and Angella Ahn. “I believe that it is the responsibility of a performing arts center not only to celebrate artists as performers, but also to encourage them as creators.

We are celebrating what it means to be ‘Made in Montana,’ and how that manifests itself within new artistic vision and works.”

Zirkle wants patrons to see the acts as a “single product that runs through the entire ski season, as opposed to a seemingly random string of events. This is a single idea, nine events put together like chapters in a book that form a cohesive whole that should come off as one event.”

One of those chapters, The Moth, is sure to sell out quickly.

Since its launch in 1997, the acclaimed nonprofit has presented thousands of stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide, according to its website.

“It is a celebration of both the raconteur, who breathes fire into true tales of ordinary life, and the storytelling novice, who has lived through something extraordinary and yearns to share it.” Called “New York’s hottest and hippest literary ticket” by the Wall Street Journal, The Moth Mainstage will hit Big Sky in Feburary.

Senior Producer Maggie Cino says that outside of Denver, this will be the only place The Moth has performed in the Rocky Mountains.

“We’ve ended up with a lot of shows on the East Coast tending into the central time zone, and all up and down the Western Coast, but getting out into smaller communities [like Big Sky], is something we’re interested in and is a passion of mine, because some of the most interesting stories are found in those places,” Cino said.

The Moth lineup for the WMPAC show isn’t dialed in yet, but one thing’s become clear, Cino said: “There is an embarrassment of possibilities up there.”

Cino, who plans to spend a few days skiing while she’s here, said they’ll likely bring some outside talent, as well as seek out locals. The show also finds presenters through its pitch line, which is open to the public (find it at themoth.org/tell-a-story).

“If any of your readers want to call the pitch line, we want to let them know about it,” she said.

What they’re seeking, Cino said, is interesting stories and new perspectives, as well as a balance of presenters “that shows a range of human experience.”

“So much of it is about the presenter, their unique point of view, and their willingness… to stand up and say this is what happened to me, and it didn’t really go so great, but I did make it out the other side in the end. To show something about themselves that is vulnerable and puts us in touch with the feeling that we’re not alone.”

WMPAC 2013/2014 winter season lineup Dec. 28 - James Sewell Ballet: Leaving gravity at the door Jan. 11 - The Second City: 50 years of funny Jan. 25 - The Portland Cello Project: Genre Crossing Cellists Feb. 15 - The Moth Mainstage: True stories told live Feb. 20 - The Brubeck Brothers Quartet: Celebrating an American Icon March 1 - Antonii Baryshevskyi: Setting the keys on fire March 9 - David Mason & Tami Haaland with Martha Scanlan: Poetry slam and poet laureate double-header March 19 - The Big Sky Commission: Made in Montana March 29 - Mark Applebaum: On the Frontiers of Music Find more information at warrenmillerpac.org.

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OUTDOORS

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 31

Bozeman Ice Climbing fest draws hundreds to town Arc’teryx Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival schedule WEDNESDAY, DEC. 11 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Public demo gear checkout, Emerson Ballroom After party: Mystery Ranch Backpacks, 1750 Evergreen Dr. THURSDAY, DEC. 12 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Public demo gear checkout 7:45-8 p.m.: Presentation by Doug Chabot, Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center Director, Emerson theater 8-9 p.m.: Presentation by Ines Papert, Emerson theater Post-show: Raffle! Proceeds to benefit Friends of Hyalite After party: Downtown Bozeman FRIDAY, DEC. 13

PHOTO BY EMILY WOLFE

BY EMILY WOLFE

demonstration” sport at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in February.

BOZEMAN – Five minutes before online registration opened for the 17th annual Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival clinics on Oct. 1, the server crashed because so many people were trying to sign up at once.

With both difficulty and speed events, the Bozeman competition last year drew top athletes from the U.S., Canada and France. This year, climbers are coming from Japan, Russia, Slovakia, Korea, Italy, Germany, France, the U.K., Switzerland and Canada to compete, Josephson said, using it as a warm up for the World Cup circuit in Europe, which starts after the New Year.

EXPLORE BIG SKY MANAGING EDITOR

“[Our] Web guy said the only time he’d experienced a crash like this was for a Miss America pageant bikini photo shoot,” says festival organizer Joe Josephson – or Jojo as he’s known to friends.

The clinic instructors and evening presenters at this year’s festival are some of the biggest in ice climbing: Will Gadd, Dave McLeod and Ines Pappert, to name a few.

Bandwidth upgraded, the system was back online the following day, and the most of the clinics were full by day’s end.

Because the Gallatin National Forest only allows 60 clinic participants per day to climb in Hyalite Canyon, south of Bozeman, the festival has had to focus on growing its in-town offerings in recent years. And grown it has.

Since its inception in 1996 with 15 participants total, the festival now draws upwards of 2,000 people to town over four days. Set for Dec. 11-15 this year, it is now hosting a climbing demo at the Urban Base Camp on the lawn at the Emerson Cultural Center, as well as the only North American ice climbing competition sanctioned by the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation: the U.I.A.A Open North American Championships on Dec. 14-15.

Unlike ice climbing in Hyalite, where climbers literally ascend frozen waterfalls, this competition – like others worldwide – will be held on a structure built of steel, wood and plastic specifically for the event.

This type of competition is popular in Russia, South Korea and parts of Europe, and it will be a “cultural

Also new for 2013 is a two-day rescue clinic, with instructors Renny Jackson, who has been at the forefront of North American mountain rescue for three decades, Chris Erickson, a climbing ranger in Denali Park, and Steve Mock, Director of the Khumbu Climbing Center in Nepal.

The festival plays a part in downtown tourism, says Ellie Staley of the Downtown Bozeman Association.

“Whether it’s a cross-country race at Bohart or a big event at Bridger or Big Sky, I would put Bozeman Ice Fest in that category of important winter events to the community,” Staley said. “They certainly spark tourism and are a big part of why we get the tourism… It’s not about spending dollars necessarily, it’s about creating a bond with the area.”

Among out-of-town participants from the 2012 festival, 49 percent said they would return at least once to Bozeman that same season to ice climb, and 25 percent would return to Bozeman more than twice, according to survey results provided by Josephson.

The festival’s mission is to promote the sport of ice climbing to people of all ages and abilities, educate ice climbers about skills and techniques, and introduce cutting-edge clothing and equipment. All proceeds go directly toward Friends of Hyalite, a nonprofit organization that supports winter access into Hyalite Canyon and helps the Forest Service and Gallatin County fund the plowing of the road.

6:30-7:30 p.m.: Public demo gear checkout 7:45-8 p.m.: 6th Annual Guy Lacelle Hyalite Service Award, Emerson theater 8-9 p.m.: Presentation by Dave McLeod, Emerson theater Post-show: Raffle! Proceeds to benefit Friends of Hyalite After party: Downtown Bozeman SATURDAY, DEC. 14 8 a.m.-4 p.m.: U.I.A.A. Open North American Championship Lead difficulty preliminary heats, free and open to public spectators, Emerson lawn 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Ice technique classes, gear demos, food, vendors at Urban Base Camp, Emerson Lawn 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Public demo gear checkout, Emerson Ballroom 7-10 p.m.: U.I.A.A. Open North American Championship Lead Difficulty Finals. Free and open to the public, Emerson lawn After Party: Cure for the Common, Emerson Ballroom, free admission, cash bar SUNDAY, DEC. 15 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Ice technique classes, gear demos, food, and vendors at Urban Base Camp, Emerson lawn 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: U.I.A.A. Open North American Championship Speed Category. Free and open to the public, Emerson lawn 5-6:30 p.m.: Aprés-climb party and appetizers from the Emerson Grill.

Free to the public, Emerson lobby 7-9 p.m.: Wrap party and raffle, including dinner (penne and meatballs from Emerson grill), Emerson Ballroom 9 p.m.: Special VIP chooses the winner of the one-of-a-kind Black Diamond stoke raffle See who shows up naked and leaves an ice climber!

Find a complete schedule at bozemanicefest.com, including details for clinic participants.

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Explore Big Sky

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 33

Word from the Resorts Rendezvous Ski Trails Yellowstone Ski Festival

Bohart Ranch New skijoring lessons this year

BY MOIRA DOW

BY KATIE SMITH

WEST YELLOWSTONE SKI EDUCATION FOUNDATION DIRECTOR

With all the recent snow, the Rendezvous Ski Trails are covered and the skiing is looking good. The trails have already been groomed a couple times, and the weather forecast looks promising.

The 2013 Yellowstone Ski Festival, held over Thanksgiving, is offering Nordic clinics, lasting from one to five days. There are five different races at this year’s ski festival, including the inaugural NNF/WYSEF Masters Race. Online registration is open.

There will also be an array of indoor activities including wax clinics, movies, classes and presentations. Don’t miss the keynote presentation by Olympian Dan Simoneu and the Greater Yellowstone’s only Nordic skiwear fashion show.

It’s time for first tracks! Whether that means just you and the corduroy, your first time on skis this season, or your first time on skis period, you’re invited to take them at the Yellowstone Ski Festival.

Lone Mountain Ranch

Fat Bikes now allowed on Town Center trails

LONE PEAK PR

Bohart Ranch Cross Country Ski Center, located 16 miles up Bridger Canyon, opens to the public for the season on Nov. 29. All are welcome to enjoy 30 kilometers of immaculately groomed terrain and beautiful Family fun at Bohart Ranch. PHOTO BY ERIK PETERSEN, mountain vistas.

COURTESY OF BOHART RANCH.

In addition to regular ski lessons and skills clinics, the ski school will offer custom clinics for groups of four or more who want to learn a specific skill or can’t make scheduled classes. New this year Bohart will offer skijoring lessons for skiers and their dogs with dog trainer Josh Sponsler from Good Dog Dog Training.

New to Nordic? Give it a try during the Subaru of Bozeman Skinny Ski Festival Jan. 5. Bohart is also hosting the Bobcat Christmas Pole on Dec. 14, a low-key fundraiser for the MSU Nordic team.

BY PJ WIRCHANSKY

LMR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND SALES

Beginning its 36th winter season in the Big Sky community, Lone Mountain Ranch offers an immense variety of wintertime activities and entertainment.

LMR opens its ski and snowshoe trails, sleighride dinners and outdoor shop for the winter season on Dec. 6. The dining Lone Mountain Ranch holiday season, 2012. room will be open the following PHOTO BY AUDREY HALL, COURTESY OF LONE Friday, Dec. 13, open to the public MOUNTAIN RANCH for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

New this year, LMR will offer daytime sleighrides Wednesdays through Sundays. The Town Center trails will also allow fat-tire bikes, allowing riders with snow bikes with four-inch tires or wider and tire pressure under 10 pounds. No regular bikes will be allowed, and a trail pass will be required.

Everyone is invited to the ranch’s open house on Sunday, Dec. 15, from 5-7 p.m. Complimentary appetizers and two beverages will be provided, with a suggested $5 donation of non-perishables to the Big Sky Community Food Bank. Come help us kick off a great season.

Big Sky Resort Better together

BY SHEILA CHAPMAN BIG SKY RESORT PR MANAGER

On Thanksgiving Day, Big Sky Resort launches its first season as one resort combined with Moonlight Basin and Spirit Mountain, bringing 5,750 acres under one lift ticket. The resort will open as much terrain as Mother Nature and the snowmaking crew can muster together.

The Moonlight terrain and Madison Base area will open for the season on Dec. 7, and the Spanish Peaks area of Spirit Mountain will open Dec. 13.

Don’t miss $20 day on Dec. 6! That same day, Moonlight Unlimited and Midweek pass holders can go directly to the lifts currently open. Dec. 7-8, all Moonlight Unlimited pass holders and Big Sky Gold, Silver and Bronze pass holders will have access to all the open terrain of Big Sky Resort, including the Moonlight area.

Bridger Bowl Let it snow Bridger Bowl will start spinning all its nine chairs on Dec. 6, six days before the projected opening date of Dec. 12. The early-season snowfall had built a 35-inch base by EBS press time on Nov. 22.

New for this season are two triple chairs – both equipped with loading carpets – accessing the Alpine area of the mountain and making it friendlier for beginners and intermediates. Also, Bridger pass holders are now part of the Powder Alliance, which entitles them to two free days of skiing at 11 other resorts around the West.

Stay tuned to bridgerbowl.com, because if conditions allow, word from the resort is it may open the weekend after Thanksgiving. – T.A.

A skier drops into Bridger’s North Bowl in late November before the lifts were open. PHOTO BY YOGESH SIMPSON

34 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

EVENTS

explorebigsky.com

Explore Big Sky

Cold Smoke film tour drops into Big Sky Dec. 7

BY TYLER ALLEN

EXPLORE BIG SKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR

BIG SKY – The Cold Smoke Awards winter film tour lands at Lone Peak Cinema Dec. 7 at 6 p.m., featuring nine short films, giveaways, and beats by a live DJ after the movies end and the house lights go up.

“It’s a great venue,” said Brad Van Wert, co-founder of Cold Smoke Awards. “It’s the last day of frequent skier week and maybe [it’ll] bring up some Bozeman people too.” Van Wert said he’s excited to be working with Big Sky Resort – which will be giving away two-for-one lift tickets at each tour stop this season – and is encouraging Bozeman filmgoers to make a weekend of skiing at Big Sky out of it.

All of the raffle ticket proceeds from this show and the Nov. 21 Cat’s Paw stop in Bozeman will be donated to David Poole, a paraplegic athlete hoping to compete in the Sochi Winter Olympics.

“This is a great way to come together and celebrate the amazing community that is the winter culture,” Van Wert said.

Cold Smoke is also engaging winter enthusiasts on its website, offering them opportunity to cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award announced at the Cold Smoke Awards on Jan. 18 at the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture in Bozeman. Every vote cast enters the participant in a contest to win a two-day Canadian cat skiing trip at Powder Mountain, B.C. and a $1,000 cash prize for travel there.

Axel Peterson introducing his film Progression In Regression PHOTO COURTESY OF COLD SMOKE AWARDS

This year marks the 10th season of the Cold Smoke Awards, fourth year of the mountain film tour and second year for online voting. The Lone Peak Cinema event will feature films from all over the world including Shades of Winter – Austrian filmmaker Sandra Lahnsteiner’s look at the best female skiers in the world – as well as local flavor such as Bridger Brigade’s Progression in Regression. In addition, two previously unreleased episodes of Salomon Freeski TV will light up Big Sky’s big screen, Van Wert said.

Inaugural International Women’s Ski Day Skis, snow and girls. If those aren’t three of your favorite things, you can stop reading right now.

The brainchild of Whitefish native Alyssa Clark, K2 Skis’ U.S. Marketing Coordinator, International Women’s Ski Day is about getting the gals out skiing. Set for Dec. 14, the idea is to “amp up the stoke level for the year [early] and go out with a bang,” Clark said.

Based in Seattle, Wash., K2 has been a pioneer in the realm of women’s specific skis. Clark came up with the idea for IWSD last spring, and says she basically wanted to create a grassroots approach to get women out on snow.

The K2 Ski Alliance has teamed up with She Jumps, Ramp Skis, Crystal Mountain in Washington, Christy Sports in Beaver Creek, Colo., and a number of its ambassadors and other individuals to host events. Anyone can jump on board, said Clark, who’s also K2’s Women’s Team Manager.

“It’s an open invite for anyone, anywhere in the world. Say you just moved to Jackson Hole for the winter and don’t know anyone – it’s fun to be able to see what’s going

on in your region and link up with [different folks].”

Already, independent events are set for Whitefish, Jackson, Japan, Scandinavia, Canada and the Northeast, and Clark wants chicas worldwide to create their own local events through an interactive Google Map at k2skis.com/womens-ski-day.

To create an event, she says, enter your information, write down what you’re doing for the day and where to meet up, and it automatically generates a pin on the map – no email address or phone number required.

“We’re encouraging ladies to take a lesson if they’d like to, go touring if they’re into backside skiing, or into the park if they’re park skiers. If you’re in Atlanta, Ga., and don’t have snow, you can have your girlfriends over and watch ski movies or meet for après and have hot cocoa. Make this your own.”

This year the tour also makes appearances at the Pink Garter Theater in Jackson, Wyo.; the Alta Arts Center in Alta, Utah; and The Millenium Place in Whistler, B.C. Find more information at coldsmokeawards.com.

GNFAC Avalanche Education Classes Date

Time

Class

12/2

7 p.m.

1 hr Avalanche Awarenss @ Northern Lights Trading Co.

12/4

7 p.m.

MSU Introduction to Avalanches w/ Field Course, Bozeman

12/5

7 p.m.

MSU Introduction to Avalanches w/ Field Course, Bozeman

12/7

9 a.m.

MSU Introduction to Avalanches w/ Field Course, Bozeman

12/11

6:30 p.m.

1hr Avalanche Awareness @ REI, Bozeman

7 p.m.

1 hr Avalanche Awarenss for Snowmobilers

12/12

7 p.m.

1 hr Awareness Choteau/Teton Pass

12/13

6 p.m.

1 hr Avalanche Awareness Great Falls

12/14

10:30 a.m. Free Avalanche Tranceiver Workshop Bridger Bowl

12/19 12/20-22

The flagship events at Crystal and Beaver Creek will include an element of fundraising to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Vail’s Shaw Cancer Center.

– E.W.

“This crop [of films] is looking like the most unique, inspiring yet.”

12/21

5 p.m.

1 hr Avalanche Awareness - Thunderstruck Premier

12 p.m.

Snowmobiler Introduction to Avalanches w/ Field Course, West Yellowstone Level 1 at Bell Lake Yurt

10:30 a.m. Free Avalanche Tranceiver workshop Bridger Bowl

For more information and continued season schedule, visit mtavalanche.com/education

explorebigsky.com

CALENDAR

Explore Big Sky

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 35

PLANNING AN EVENT? LET US KNOW! EMAIL MARIA@THEOUTLAWPARTNERS.COM, AND WE’LL SPREAD THE WORD. Wednesday, Nov. 27 – Thursday, Dec. 12 *If your event falls between Dec. 13 and Dec. 26, please submit it by Wed., Dec. 4

BIG SKY WEDNESDAY, NOV. 27 Matchstrick Productions’ McConkey Lone Peak Cinema, 6 & 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 27 Lige Williamson Bridger Brewing, 8 p.m.

Cure for the Common & The Kitchen Dwellers Filling Station, 9 p.m.

Fluorescent Brown Colonel Black’s, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 7 Christmas Stroll Downtown Bozeman

Ladies Night w/DJ Bones Zebra Cocktail Lounge, 9 p.m.

McConkey After Party Live music by The Riot Act Lone Peak Cinema, 10 p.m .

THURSDAY, NOV. 28 Bob’s Holiday Office Party The Verge, 8 p.m. (and Fri.)

Awareness Wednesday Santosha, 7:30 p.m.

Live DJ Pour House, 10 p.m.

THURSDAY, NOV. 28 Turkey Trot 5K & Kids Fun Run Firepit Park, 8 a.m.

Opening Day Big Sky Resort, 9 a.m.

FRIDAY, NOV. 29 Tom Marino Ousel & Spur, 9 p.m.

Ullr Fest DJ 5 Star, Rampage & Chrome w/special guest Brandon Joy Black Bear, 9 p.m.

Driftwood Grinners Gallatin Riverhouse SATURDAY, NOV. 30 Small Business Saturday

SATURDAY, NOV. 30 Small Business Saturday Downtown Bozeman, free parking

SUNDAY, DEC. 8 White Christmas Ellen Theatre, 3 p.m.

Bert & Charlie’s Christmas Carol The Verge, 2 p.m.

MONDAY, DEC. 9 Improv on the Verge The Verge, 7 p.m.

Yellowstone Ballet Company The Nutcracker The Emerson, 4 p.m.

Gobble Wobble My Musik Lives Here Filling Station, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, DEC. 1 Scottish Jam 406 Brewing, 3 p.m.

TUESDAY, DEC. 3 Inequality For All The Emerson, 7 p.m.

Gamelan Concert Balinese Percussion Ensemble Reynolds Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, DEC. 6 $20 Day Big Sky Resort, 9 a.m.

Ari O Jewelry Studio & Ryan Turner Photography Holiday Sale and Opening Big Horn Center, HWY 191, 6-8 p.m.

Outlaw Magazine Release Party Live music by the Hooligans El Patron, 6 p.m.

John Parvin Ousel & Spur, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, DEC. 7 Moonlight Area Terrain Opens Cold Smoke Awards DJ after party and prizes Lone Peak Cinema, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4 University Choir & Band Concert Reynolds Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

The Beartooths Northern Lights Trading, 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, DEC. 5 Bozeman Film Festival The Spectacular Now The Emerson, 7:30 p.m.

A Very Kostas Christmas Peach Street Studios, 8 p.m.

‘Merican Chemicals Tour The Complex, 8 p.m.

Bob’s Holiday Office Party The Verge, 8 p.m.

Jeff Crosby & The Refugees Gallatin Riverhouse, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, DEC. 12 Show Me The Dough Cooking Class w/Mark Sinclair LPHS Kitchen, 6-9 p.m.

Bret Mosley Filling Station, 9 p.m.

FRIDAY, DEC. 6 Special Consensus Pilgrim Church, 8 p.m.

SLAM Winter Showcase Rocky Mountain Rug Gallery, 3-8 p.m.

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THURSDAY, DEC. 12 White Christmas Ellen Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

WEST YELLOWSTONE

Loren Walker Madsen & The Hustlers Filling Station, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY, DEC. 5 17th Annual Madrigal Dinner Buck’s T -4 Lodge, 5 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 11 Christmas Brasstacular Part 2 Reynolds Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Live DJ Pour House, 10 p.m.

Bridger Creek Boys Colonel Black’s, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY, DEC. 3 Burton Demo Day Big Sky Resort, 12 p.m.

Cookie Decorating and Meet the Artist event The Emerson Grille, 1-4 p.m.

Madrigal Dinner SUB Ballrooms, MSU, 6:30 p.m. (and Sun.)

MONDAY, DEC. 2 Improv on the Verge The Verge, 7 p.m.

Stumpy Guitar Show Après Music Scissorbills, 3:30 p.m.

SLAM Winter Showcase Rocky Mountain Rug Gallery, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Rankin Award Ceremony Museum of the Rockies, 6:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, NOV. 29 Calista Singley Wild Joe’s, 7 p.m.

Thanksgiving Day Specials The Corral, 8 a.m.

The Booze Hounds Choppers, 9 p.m.

White Christmas Ellen Theatre, 7:30 p.m. (and Sat.)

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WEDNESDAY, NOV. 27 Yellowstone Ski Festival Rendezvous Ski Trails (thru Nov. 30) FRIDAY, NOV. 29 S’mores at the Trailhead Rendezvous Ski Trailhead Building, 4 p.m.

SATURDAY, NOV. 30 Kids’ N’ Snow Weekend Rendezvous Ski Trailhead Building, 4 p.m.

FRIDAY, DEC. 6 Running Bear Craft Fair Running Bear Pancake House SATURDAY, DEC. 7 Running Bear Craft Fair Running Bear Pancake House THURSDAY, DEC. 12 Christmas Stroll & Parade of Lights

LIVINGSTON & PARADISE VALLEY WEDNESDAY, NOV. 27 Meesh and Her Big Johnson Murray Bar, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, NOV. 28 Community Thanksgiving Dinner Elks Lodge, 12:30 p.m.

Strangeways Murray Bar, 9:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, NOV. 29 The Dirty Shame Murray Bar, 9:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, NOV. 30 The Grangers Pine Creek Café, 7 p.m.

Wandering Wild Murray Bar, 9:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, DEC. 3 Lorin Walker Madsen Murray Bar, 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4 Jeff Crosby Murray Bar, 9 p.m.

THURSDAY, DEC. 5 StrangeWays Murray Bar, 9 p.m.

FRIDAY, DEC. 6 Annual Elks Xmas Auction Elks Lodge, 6 p.m.

Moustache Bandits Murray Bar, 9:30 p.m.

36 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

EVENTS

explorebigsky.com

Explore Big Sky

Hot pants and cold beer – Femme FatAle roller derby-inspired brew at 406 Kickoff party is Dec. 4 GALLATIN ROLLER GIRLZ

moving away from open enrollment at the start of the year and will run Fresh Meat Camps (i.e. new skater) twice yearly. Swing on down to the party to get the full rundown on the new program.

Roller derby and beer: each is excellent in its own right, and they’re even better when they work together.

For the second year in a row, 406 Brewing Company owner and brewmaster Matt Muth has created a roller-derby inspired, limited-edition craft brew in support of the Gallatin Roller Girlz, the greater Bozeman and Big Sky areas’ roller derby league.

Having shaken its showboat beginnings and emerged as a legitimate contact sport, roller derby it’s currently the fastest growing women’s sport in the U.S.

Femme FatAle, a Biere de Garde Fat Ale, will be on tap starting in early December at 406. The beer is big and bold, following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Amber Waves of Pain. Femme FatAle is a strong pale ale, traditionally brewed in the NordPas-de-Calais region of France.

Brewed as a double batch, Femme FatAle will be available in the tasting room and for growler refills until it’s tapped out. Gallatin Roller Girlz will stock a selection of Femme FatAle and Amber Waves of Pain merchandise at 406, in time for the holidays and a portion of beer sales and all

merchandise sales will directly support the league.

The Femme FatAle kickoff party will take place at the 406 Brewing Company tasting room at 101 East Oak in Bozeman on Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 6-8 p.m. The Girlz

This is how Big Sky gets into hot water.

will announce their 2014 bout schedule during the party and will be on hand to answer questions about roller derby and how to get involved.

Due to derby’s growing popularity in the Gallatin Valley, the Girlz are

Bucket O’Beer - $10

Tailgate Specials:

Shot Specials - $3

Sloppies - $5 (2 for $8)

Pancake - Jameson, Buttershots & OJ House Infused Specialty Shot

Drink Specials - $5

We service what we sell!

Spa sales to fit your budget Pool and spa care after the sale Custom maintenance plans

Spa covers and custom lifts Lots of accessories for your spa Special orders available

Find more information at grgderby. com or Facebook/gallatinrollergirlz.

L L A B T FOO S L A I C SPE Mix and Match 5 Domestics: Coors, Coors Light, Bud, Bud Light, Rainier, PBR, Miller Lite

Nordic Hot Tub

The Gallatin Roller Girlz was founded in 2010 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization run entirely through volunteer efforts and community support. Its core mission is the empowerment of individuals through the sport of roller derby. The league welcomes women ages 18 and older as team skaters and both men and women 18 and older for skating and nonskating referee and official positions.

Beermosa Mimosa Bloody Mary or Bloody Caesar Margarita

Kick off Burger - $10 1/2 lb. Bacon Cheese Burger served with Fries and a Beer

Homemade Sloppy Joes served with Potato Chips

The Full Monte - $30 Nachos, 12 Wings, and a Bucket O’Beer

LIVE MUSIC BY THE BOOZE HOUNDS DEC. 12 - 9PM. NO COVER.

www.BigSkyHotTubs.com

OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY 11:30AM SUNDAY - 11AM FOR FOOTBALL

(406) 995-4892 • NordicHotTub@aol.com

LOCATED IN THE BIG SKY TOWN CENTER

47520 Gallatin Rd. • Big Sky, MT 59716

big sky, montana 406-995-3830

explorebigsky.com

FUN

Explore Big Sky

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 37

powder playlist

BY MARIA WYLLIE

EXPLORE BIG SKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Find out what tunes we’re bumping! In “Powder Playlist,” Explore Big Sky staff and guests suggest a soundtrack for a day on the mountain, and guests have a chance to share what they listen to when they shred. range, Williams stays true to his own groovy sound that has fans dancing in no time.

Keller Williams’ latest musical endeavor is Funk. It’s a 10-track live album featuring Williams alongside R&B and funk band, More Than a k.com Little. It’s not his go-torOgenre, enStocbut ecto p .V w w then again, it wkind of is. Williams is known for his genre exploration – nothing is off the table.

Funk features originals (my favorite is “B.I.T.C.H.”) as well as covers like Rick James’ “Mary Jane” and Grateful Dead’s “West L.A. Fadeaway.” You’d think placing these songs alongside one another might be jarring, but it’s not. Instead, it shows Williams’ innovative approach to funkifying long jams.

Just to show how broad his sound is, we’ve compiled a list of tracks from Williams’ various albums and side projects (powder hounds, check out “Freshies”). However, despite his

1. “B.I.T.C.H,” Keller Williams with More Than a Little on Funk 2. “Positive,” Keller Williams on Bass 3. “Another Brick in the Wall,” Keller & The Keels on Grass 4. “Callalloo and Red Snapper,” Keller Williams with The String Cheese Incident on Breathe 5. “Freaker By The Speaker,” Keller Williams onLaugh 6. “Freshies,” Keller Williams with Moseley, Droll & Sipe on Live 7. “Ninja of Love” (feat. Michael Franti), Keller Williams on Dream 8. “Dance of the Freek,” Keller Williams onStage 9. “Inhale to the Chief,” Keller Williams on Buzz 10. “Lost,” Keller Williams on Odd

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FALL SCHEDULE SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

10-11:15 am Adult Ballet (Only through Nov.)

9-10:30 am All Levels Yoga

7-8 am Yoga

7:45-8:15 am Zumba Toning 9-10:15 am All Levels Yoga 5:30-6:45 pm All Levels Yoga 7:30-8:30 pm Awareness Wednesday (12/11)

7-8 am Vinyasa Flow Level I-II

8:15-9:15 am Zumba

8:15-9:15 am Pilates

9:30-11 am All Levels Yoga

9:00-10:30 am Vinyasa Flow Level I-II

5-6pm Yin Yoga

6-7 pm Zumba 7:30-8:15 pm Meditation (By Donation)

8:15-9:15 am Pilates 9:30-10:45 am All Levels Yoga 6:30-8:00 pm All Levels Yoga

9:30-10:45 am All Levels Yoga 6:30-8 pm All Levels Yoga

6-7:30 pm The Practice (1st and 3rd Friday of the month)

38 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

COLUMN: WANDERER AT REST

explorebigsky.com

Explore Big Sky

Finn

BY JAMIE BALKE

EXPLORE BIG SKY COLUMNIST

As I mentioned in my last column, I came home from a volunteer appre-

and gentle, which led me to believe that he wouldn’t eat my guinea pig Joey. He’s also observant, intelligent and quite a dapper fellow.

jump. We discovered this while trying to coax him into the car to drive him home from the shelter. Luckily, John was able to hoist Finn into the vehicle.

On the way home I also learned Finn considers himself a lap dog. During the course of the ride, he somehow managed to squirm from the back seat, into my lap in the driver’s seat.

Every time we drove even slightly uphill, his weight pressed against my chest, making it difficult for me to breathe.

Upon arriving home, the first order of business was to introduce Finn to Joey. Mildly terrified, I picked my four-year-old, approximately twopound guinea pig up out of his cage, and sat with him on the couch. My brother sat with Finn on the floor, arm around his beefy shoulders, just in case Finn’s proximity to an animal of prey left him unduly curious.

Finn, the mighty lap dog. PHOTO BY JAMIE BALKE

ciation event at Heart of the Valley Animal shelter last week with an 80-pound boxer mix. At the shelter he was called Chugalug, but my roommates and I renamed him Finn, and he is the coolest of the cool.

Finn felt like a fitting name for a gentle soul.

My brother John and I immediately fell in love with Finn. He’s friendly

One of the first interesting facts we learned about Finn is that he doesn’t

For all of his admirable qualities, our first week with Finn has been a series of learning experiences.

guinea pig. I choose to believe it was a greeting, and not a taste. Once, I witnessed a Joey/Finn nose bump.

The first weekend, we discovered Finn suffers from separation anxiety.

Unable to sleep unless he was touching me or one of my roommates, and frantic when I wasn’t in eyesight, Finn’s extreme stress level was palpable. After my boyfriend Aaron spent a night sleeping on the floor next to Finn so the dog could get some rest, we did some research online. Within a week of implementing some of the recommendations – such as acting perfectly calm when leaving or coming home, and waiting behind a closed door for progressively longer periods of time – he seems to be doing much better.

Finn gave John a look that seemed to say, “Your decision to restrain me is beneath my dignity as a gentleman,” and then quietly walked over to Joey for a sniff.

I was a bit of a wanderer until my move to Bozeman in 2009, so it wasn’t a realistic option to get a dog before then. In a way, Finn represents the stability that I hoped for when I decided to make this place my home. As we get to know him and his idiosyncrasies, I hope he feels the same sense of belonging.

Now a week into the Finn/Joey experiment, and thus far it’s going well. Finn occasionally sticks his nose into Joey’s cage to visit, and once licked the unsuspecting

While Jamie Balke wrote this column, Finn the lap dog tried to climb/pull himself onto her bed.

Ultimately, Balke ended up sitting on the floor next him.

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explorebigsky.com

Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 39

Explore Big Sky

For Explore Big Sky, 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”

The magical Madrigal Dinner

BY BRIAN HURLBUT

ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY

There’s a special feeling in the air during the first week of December in Big Sky, when the air is crisp with winter’s bite and the snow starts to pile up around town. You can feel the tangible tingle of the forthcoming holiday season in your bones.

For me, this time of year is a mixture of nostalgia and excitement. As I get older, I think back to the hectic holiday times spent with family members – some of them long gone – and savor the memories.

And now that I’m a father of two young children, I look forward to seeing their priceless expressions on Christmas morning.

The Madrigal Dinner captures all these holiday season feelings and wraps them up into a beautiful package of delicious food, great friends and amazing music, making it a tradition I look forward to every year.

procession, the wassail bowl and holiday toast, the boar’s head procession and the flaming pudding dessert. The musical program differs each year, but at every Madrigal Dinner singers serenade the tables, and the evening always ends with the entire hall singing familiar carols.

Kirk Aamot, Director of Choral Activities and an Associate Professor of Music at MSU, conducts the Chorale. The ensemalso has featured wines available by the bottle, hand picked to complement the dinner.

It’s hard to believe, but this year marks the 17th time the Madrigal Dinner will be performed in Big Sky. Produced by the Montana State University School of Music, the event itself has been running for 48 years in Bozeman. In Big Sky, it’s held at Buck’s T-4, and sponsored by the Arts Council of Big Sky. With 175 attendees, the event sells out every year.

At Buck’s, patrons gather at about 5 p.m., entering the bar area to enjoy a glass of wine and conversation. After an hour, everyone is ushered into the Montana Room, where the lighting sets the mood and a brass quintet plays softly in the corner. The tables are exquisitely decorated with linens, candles and pine boughs. Once everyone is seated, the evening begins.

Transporting guests to a Renaissance feast, the event interprets the historical celebration of the Christmas season. Members of the MSU choral groups dress up like knaves and wenches, complete with a Lord, Lady and members of the Royal Court. Madrigal dinner traditions performed throughout the evening include the ceremonial

Each time I attend the Madrigal, I’m amazed by the entire event. I love talking with people I’ve not met before, being part of the jovial, celebratory mood, and listening to the talented young singers. At the night’s end, when the lights come on and everyone is ready to go home, you can tell there is magic in the air.

ble tours regularly around Montana, and every three years it travels internationally to countries including the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Hungary, France, Spain, Switzerland and Italy.

Since the event is held at Buck’s, the food is anything but medieval, and every year chef Chuck Schommer and his staff serve up something delicious. This year, the three-course meal includes a beet salad, pesto roasted chicken breast, and a baked plum spice cake for dessert. The restaurant

Simply Simply Simply Delicious.

Delicious.

Delicious.

SimplySimply Delicious.Delicious.

Award Winning Outdoor Dining Voted Best in Bozeman Catering and Special Events Dinner Monday-Saturday 5pm-Close Brunch Sunday 9am-1pm At the corner of Grand & Olive, Bozeman Phone: (406) 586-5247 www.emersongrill.com

Award Winning Outdoor Dining Voted Best in Bozeman Catering and Special Events

Award Award Winning Award Winning Winning Outdoor Outdoor Outdoor Dining Dining Dining

Dinner Monday - Saturday 5pm - Close Voted Voted Best Voted Best in Best Bozeman in Bozeman in Bozeman Brunch Sunday 9am-1pm Award Winning Outdoor Dining Catering Catering Catering andand Special and Special Special Events Events Events At the corner of Grand & Olive, Bozeman

Voted Best in Bozeman

If you live in Big Sky and haven’t been to the Madrigal Dinner, you’re missing an event that truly captures the holiday spirit. I’ll even go so far to say it gives me the warm fuzzies, which is good because a long, cold winter looms ahead, and I might not feel that warmth again until June.

This year’s Madrigal Dinner takes place on Thursday, Dec. 5, at Buck’s T-4. Tickets can be reserved in advance only by calling the Arts Council of Big Sky at (406) 995-2742.

40 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

HEADER

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DEBUT SEASON SCHEDULE 12.28 JAMES SEWELL BALLET 01.11 SECOND CITY 01.25 PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT 02.15 THE MOTH MAINSTAGE 02.20 BRUBECK BROTHERS QUARTET 03.01 ANTONII BARYSHEVSKYI 03.09 DAVID MASON, TAMI HAALAND, AND THE POETS’ CONGRESS WITH MARTHA SCANLAN 03.19 THE BIG SKY COMMISSION, FEATURING PHILIP AABERG, ANGELLA AHN, AND MIKE REYNOLDS 03.29 MARK APPLEBAUM

BUY TICKETS AT WARRENMILLERPAC.ORG

Explore Big Sky

Tech 42 winter sports 44 road trip 46 clothing & accessories 48 reading 50 health & beauty 51

42 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

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gift and gear guide

Explore Big Sky

tech

Magellan eXplorist GC GPS

The Magellan eXplorist GC was the first GPS released that’s 100 percent dedicated to geocaching. At under $150, it’s a great entry-level unit for first-time and hobby-level geocachers.

What is Geocaching?

Geocaching is real-world treasure hunting using GPS-enabled devices.

Participants seek out geocaches (containers) that have a logbook to sign and sometimes trinkets to trade. Some of the smallest are no larger than a fingernail. Montana has more than 7,000 geocaches!

Key features of the eXplorist GC • IPX-7 Waterproof Case. Can withstand immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

• 2.2-inch LCD display. Weighs 5.1 ounces.

• 18 hours of battery life with 2 AA batteries (included).

• 700 MB internal memory holds 10,000 geocaches (comes pre-loaded with 1,000).

• High Sensitivity GPS, WAAS/ EGNOS-enabled, allowing for 3-5 meter accuracy.

• Can upload geocaches individually from geocaching.com or with GPX files (“Pocket Queries”).

Notes: Before using the eXplorist GC in the field or uploading geocaches, update its software through magellangps.com. The update fixes several glitches and changes the interface to a grid layout, which is much easier to navigate than the pictured wheel layout.

The Magellan eXplorist GC was easy enough for my 6-year-old to use, and when I tested it side-byside with another GPS brand, it performed very well.

One difficulty with this unit is the lack of an internal compass. This means a user must be in motion for the compass and directional arrow to point correctly.

Like walking and chewing gum, not everyone can do it well. It can also take

several minutes to acquire a satellite signal; however, when the signal locks, it holds it well.

This is an affordable way to get into geocaching. – Ryan Newhouse (aka “TroutGuy78”) $149 magellangps.com PHOTOS BY RYAN NEWHOUSE

STM Velo laptop bag My laptop bag essentially functions as my office, whether I’m commuting to Big Sky, Jackson or downtown Bozeman. The STM Velo holds everything I need, but isn’t bulky.

It has distinct storage spots for all our 21st century devices, each lined with fleece to keep the various gadgets safe. The laptop compartment is easy to access and lined with foam. No wonder STM’s tagline is “Protecting Your Digital Cargo.”

PHOTO BY BRIAN NILES

Pelican S130 sport elite laptop/camera divider pack Pelican has long been known in the photography/video arena and the military world for rock solid, watertight protective cases. The company has not compromised anything in this foray into backpacks.

I put the Pelican S130 backpack to the test on a recent three-week work trip in sub-Saharan Africa, and found it durable and comfortable.

Equipped with a watertight, medium-sized laptop case and a camera/lens compartment separated with dividers and protected by a rigid front plate, the S130 is ideal for photographers venturing outside the studio. The ripstop nylon and sealed zippers kept out dust and rain, the small top load compartment still fits a light jacket, and the lumbar pads were well ventilated for hot hikes.

More serious photographers will need a larger camera compartment; however, for the photo enthusiast, this is a quality, robust mobile studio and that was exactly what I needed on this trip. – Brian Niles Starting at $193 pelican.com

I’m amazed at how much volume the Velo holds, and how the padded straps keep it comfortable while on the move.

There is an optional waist strap for bike commuters, as well as two gusseted water bottle or coffee mug side pockets. – E.J. Daws $109 stmbags.com

PHOTO BY EJ DAWS

Hercules Outdoor BTP04 Bluetooth Portable Speaker The only problem with this Bluetooth-enabled wireless speaker is deciding whose device will bump their music in the office on a given day. It’s dust and sand proof, water resistant and it plays crisp beats inside or on the go. With a 14-hour battery life, this speaker can provide your soundtrack for all-day adventures, as well as the après around the campfire. The specs: the BTP04 has two active wideband drivers and one passive bass-amplifying driver for audio clarity. The output connector cable allows for streaming music from your mobile device through a stereo system via Bluetooth. A ¼-inch screw thread makes it possible to mount on a tripod or other support system, and the USB charging cable lets you charge the speaker with your computer or other handy device. – Tyler Allen $99.99 amazon.com

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 43

Ultimate: Steinway Lyngdorf – Model D Speakers Each speaker consists of 15 mid-range drivers, and eight AMT tweeters in an eightfoot tall, 16-inch-wide stack. The end product has a minimalist finish with piano-black sides and 24k gold accents.

One might say Steinway’s Model D speakers are the sound of perfection.

A pioneer in audio innovation, Steinway & Sons has built some of the world’s finest concert pianos for more than 150 years.

When the company teamed with highend audio leader Peter Lyngdorf to create home audio mastery, the final product brought Lyngdorf’s three decades of experience to a crescendo.

Having gone through exhaustive technology development and testing, the Model D’s can reproduce the exact sound quality and depth of the Model D Concert Piano. Subtle nuances in the music are reproduced through proprietary innovations, giving the listener a rich depth of sound.

The technology doesn’t stop there: Steinway also implements RoomPerfect technology, with advanced

For aficionados who cherish the depth and quality of concert-hall sound, this is as close to the real thing as you can get from the comforts of your living room. A Steinway Lyngdorf setup is for true audio connoisseurs and it brings sound to life.

adaptation techniques on install. For a consumer, this means perfecting the sound quality based on the room the speakers are placed in – as opposed to adjusting the room for the sound. The result is well-rounded sound space, and complete coverage no matter where you’re sitting.

Between the speaker setup, amps, woofers and processors, expect crystal sounds from this top-level equipment. As a top dealer in the Rocky Mountain region, Studio AV/ VIA, with offices in Bozeman and Jackson, Wyo. are your starting point for install. – E.J. Daws $250,000 steinwaylyngdorf.com

B I G S KY ’ S F U L L S E RV I C E G R O C E RY S T O R E

H a n d- cu t me a ts • Fre sh baked goods • Go u rme t i te ms • Beer & wine

L O C AL FRESH

Big Sky Christmas Stroll DECEMBER 13, 5:30-9P.M.

MEADOW VILLAGE AND BIG SKY TOWN CENTER

Events, Entertainment & Holiday Cheer! for more information visit bigskytowncenter.com

Delivery available - have your rental unit stocked upon your arrival! 406-995-4636 Open 7 days a week, 6:30am to 8pm Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery

44 Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013

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Explore Big Sky

winter sports

Ultimate: Faction Agent 100 Skis, 179 cm I remember my first day of skiing: Riding between by dad’s legs at age 5, struggling to make it up the rope tow at Hoodoo Ski Bowl, in Oregon.

From this framework my father built grew an obsession I’ve carried for the past 30 years. For me, skiing is not just the sport. It’s early mornings, the smell of melted ski wax, the constant monitoring of weather, and the chit chat with friends at the top of a run before dropping in.

This is why Faction’s mission resonates with me: “Skis are more than just pieces of wood, steel and fiberglass, they are tools of escape, and a medium for personal expression.”

Faction Skis Collective is made up of individuals sharing similar values, and their products are a great representation of their love for the sport.

The Agent 100 was built with backcountry skiers in mind – for those who want a light ski to climb, and a rigid ski to descend. The balsa wood core on my 179s made them feel agile and snappy

Check out our video review at explorebigsky.com/gear-faction-agent-100.

on the skin up and on steep switchbacks.

tail (122mm). Plus, the Agents have enough rigidity for when I want to open it up.

With a tip width of 132 mm and a slight rocker, they can blow through crud. On the packed snow, I found the tail of the ski to be extremely responsive, creating rebound between each turn. Because I have a racing background, I could appreciate the camber underfoot (102mm at the waist) and straight

As my annual Thanksgiving morning sunrise hike/ski neared, I’ve been looking forward to escaping with friends and enjoying a sunrise with a hot cup of coffee before descending into the morning light. It’s the little things that matter. -Brian Niles $899 factionskis.com

Outdoor Research Transcendent Hoody The lightest down jacket I’ve owned, the Transcendent is super compactable and also water resistant. It’s a great outer layer for an alpine decent, but in the trees, you should wear a shell over it: Think about tree skiing like barreling down a slope with pointy sticks coming at you. You want more than feathers for protection. – Pete Owens $198.95 outdoorresearch.com

Erik Morrison snowboarding Gallatin Peak

Dye Bjorn Leines Signature CLK Goggle The name Bjorn Leines carries weight in snowboarding. From the infamous Forum 8, to Chad’s Gap and beyond, BJ has left his mark. When I saw his signature on a pair of Dye goggles, it caught my attention.

The CLK’s stylish spherical shape allows exceptional peripheral views, letting me keep an eye on my line and sluff. From storm skiing to spring corn, the super milled-out frame and quality optics kept me focused on fun, not fog.

After a season I now see why the CLK bears BJ’s name. They, too, are technical, stylie, and last the test of time. - E-Mo $250 dyesnow.com

Ruffwear Polar Trex bark’n boots

BY OSCAR

I love my Ruffwear Polar Trex Bark’n Boots. I was a little apprehensive at first, but after long hikes in the snow, my feet stay warm because of the insulation, so now I’m sold. I can run really fast on the snow and ice with the Vibram soles. It took me a couple of times to get used to them but PHOTO BY JOE PAULET once I started to wear them, I really liked them. The reinforced gaiter cuff keeps them snug, and protects my legs and feet from hard edges. $89.95 ruffwear.com

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The North Face Torpedo Jacket The Torpedo jacket does what it says: It’s lean and mean, efficiently cutting through wind and water.

This is a go-to piece for endurance training year-round in the Northern Rockies.

Now as the days are shorter, the bright color and reflectivity are added safety features for an after work run, while the lightweight breathable fabric allows for ease of movement. A midweight layer underneath this athletic fitting jacket is all that’s needed for a skate ski or fast-paced snowshoe, and the well-placed pockets are great for bringing energy bars or water on a longer training day. – K.M. $99 thenorthface.com

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 45

Ultimate:

Burton Custom X Burton’s hardest charging board, the X has a snappy yet stable core, competition-grade base, and 45° Carbon Highlights Hi-Voltage – Burton’s high-response fiberglass formula that’s lighter and sleeker than ever.

Advocating powerful turns and poppy precision, the camber distributes weight evenly over the entire length of the board for continuous edge control from tip to tail.

Tapered thickness reduces swing weight for easier mobility, and the patent-pending Squeezebox improves pop and performance through the balance of thicker, more powerful core sections with thinner, more flexible sections. Rider energy is transferred outward from beneath the feet, energizing the tip and tail while making the board snappier, more stable, and easier to manipulate.

Set up with the Channel binding mounting system, the X offers the fastest, easiest way to mount your board with the most stance options possible, and is compatible with all major binding companies.

Demo the X through the “ride before you buy” program at Big Sky’s new Burton store. Available in 152cm, 156cm, 158cm, 160cm, 164cm, 159W, 162W, 164W $649 burton.com

PHOTO BY ERIK MORRISON

10 % O F

F

Creighton Block

BIG S KY’S MOS T E XTE NS IVE FINE ART COLLE CTION

Fine Ar t available at Amazon.com, search Creighton Block in Collectibles & Fine Ar t

CREIGHTONBLOCKGALLERY.COM | (406) 993-9400

L o c a t e d i n t h e B i g S k y Tow n C e n t e r o n t h e c o r n e r o f L o n e Pe a k D r i ve

Bronze: Greg Woodard “Ghost Rider” Kevin Red Star “Buffalo Tipi,” Acr ylic on Canvas, 48x60

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road trip

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Dakine Mens Benny Jacket An all-around mid-layer insulated flannel, the Benny is great for working outdoors in the Montana shoulder seasons. This versatile layer can be worn as a stylish button up, or as a warming liner for when dipping temps require a little extra twill. The Micro-Fill feels light and airy, but gives just the right amount of warmth. This “prevent-the-sweat” technology will keep you comfortable during workouts or chillouts. Find your inner lumberjack every time you reach for your jacket. – Mike Martins $135 dakine.com

Eco Vessel Boulder Triple Insulated water bottle This insulated water bottle is astonishingly good at keeping drinks hot, or cold. Forget it in the car all day and night, and you’ll still have hot coffee – or ice cubes still frozen after an entire day in the sun. I’ll be sure to take this on my road trips this winter and if Eco Vessel starts making outerwear, I’ll wear it.

– Joe Paulet $26.95 ecovessel.com

Helinox Ultralight Table Weighing 604 grams – that’s just 1.3 pounds to those of us not on the metric system yet – and with a surface roughly 24 by 16 inches, this table lets you bring some comforts of home on the trail – or the road. With two recessed cup holders, it’s perfect for tailgating at the campground, and the mesh surface makes clean up easy if you spill your beverage or Cup ‘o Noodles. The shock cord poles take a little work to get into place, but create a strong, stable surface as the keystone for your outdoor kitchen.

– T.A. $89.95 bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Helinox/helinoxtable

Dakine Coalman 32L The Coalman 32L backpack gets old-timey style points. It looks like the pack your grandfather stuffed with rations, whiskey and cigarettes during World War II. I’m not as tough as your grandpa, so without a waist belt or shoulder yolk, I wouldn’t hike with it – save for an afternoon amble – but it’s perfect for a weekend getaway. It housed my laptop, camera and a few changes of clothes while on location at Bumbershoot music festival in Seattle over Labor Day weekend, and I felt right at home amongst the hipsters.

-T.A. $100 dakine.com

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 47

Ultimate:

Outside Van Uncle Eddy in the movie Christmas Vacation said it best.

“Clark, this here is an RV!” Outside Van makes the most functional, versatile and durable gear garage on wheels. Each rig is custom built for its owner, accommodating everything from bikes, skis and snowmobiles, to queen-size beds, built-in microwaves, solar panels and hot water showers.

Based in Hood River, Ore., company owner Erik Ekman has assembled a team of van gurus who pride themselves on building the most functional vans on the planet.

Built in the shell of a Mercedes Sprinter Van, which boast 20 mpg diesel engines, this van is the perfect gift for anyone who wants to hit the road in style, while having the functionality of an RV small enough to park in a downtown Seattle parking space.

Look out Airstream, there’s a new sheriff in town. – Eric Ladd Outside Vans start at $50,000 and have a three-month waiting list. outsidevan.com

Left: The vans can be customized for almost any outdoor sport Photo courtesy of Outside Van Right: Outside Van Founder Erik Ekman prepares for a downwind paddle on the Columbia River. PHOTO BY BRIAN NILES

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Explore Big Sky

clothing & accessories 1.

1. Horny Toad Men’s Chambertin Overshirt 2.

Each Horny Toad garment comes with a tag that reads, “If you don’t get a compliment within three wearings, send it back.” I got a compliment within the first three hours of wearing the Chambertin Overshirt, from Dave Edwards, manager of Gallatin River Guides in Big Sky. It can be a shirt or a light jacket, depending on the temps or occasion and I wouldn’t send it back if they paid me. - T. A. $125 hornytoad.com

2.Horny Toad Mens Brewster Jacket 3.

Since I put the Brewster on at the end of October, it’s gone with me absolutely everywhere outside the home or office. The organic cotton canvas exterior and fleece-lined interior are just right when the mercury’s not quite below zero, and as a bonus will set you apart from the down-donned masses. – T.A. $145 hornytoad.com

3. Horny Toad Women’s Monterosa Hooded Jacket I have to admit, I have an addiction. It’s hoodies (also breakfast burritos, but we don’t have to talk about that now). I can wear two hoods, four or six at a time, just piling them up atop each other. But I cannot go without a noggin insulator. If I had to have only one hoody in my life, Horny Toad’s Monterosa would certainly be in the running. With wool outside, soft-brushed poly inside, a stand-up scallop collar, a flattering cut and sleek snaps, it puts me in a happy place wherever I’m cruising. -Emily Wolfe $135 hornytoad.com

Shelly Bermont custom jewelry Jeweler Shelly Bermont believes if you love a piece of jewelry, you should be able to wear it to a black tie dinner, or with jeans.

She started 25 years ago, taking apart her own formal pieces and re-setting them so they were more casual. Now, Bermont loves to make custom pieces meant to flatter each person’s bone structure and coloring, and she’ll also re-tool older pieces.

Her work is simple, classic and gorgeous – meant to stand the test of time.

Ari O Belt Buckles Add some tasteful bling to your everyday wardrobe with handmade belt buckles individually designed and crafted by Big Sky jeweler Ariane Coleman. These wearable pieces of art are organically abstract, using layers of metal to create depth and complex designs that draw you in. No two buckles are alike, so you won’t have to worry about your friends copying your stylish find. – M.W. $400 ariojewelry.com

Ibex woolies 150 Boxer briefs Wearing plastic or “poly pro” boxers is pretty much as bad as it sounds, so until now I always relied on the comfort of cotton. Ibex wool is soft and non-abrasive on the skin, so with the added benefit of staying dry all day, I can now leave all the cotton at home. If wool was good enough for Shackleton, it’s good enough for me. –P.O. $50 shop.ibex.com

Bermont might set diamonds into a handhammered fine sterling bracelet with a matte gold cap, or transform formal pearl earrings into a custom leather lariat. Her signature line specializes in raw diamonds, large South Sea and Tahitian pearls, and 18 and 22 carat gold. – E.W. Bermont sells wholesale in Montana, and she’ll wrap and deliver. Call her for a private appointment – (406) 5484477, or find her at shellybermont.com.

Starting at $750

Smartwool Women’s PhD Smartloft Divide Full Zip This warm but compact jacket keeps the core warm without adding bulk. It can be used as a layer and is warm, fits me perfectly, and has convenient front pockets and a front zip pocket, as well.

Thumb holes make it even cozier.

- Jessie Wiese $200 smartwool.com

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Nov. 27-Dec. 12, 2013 49

Lowa Cloud GTX I’m such a fan of Lowa’s more badass boots, especially their winter hunting boots, that I didn’t see how its expansion into making regular shoes could be a good thing. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

As the name suggests, they’re light, but only up top, where they’re made of split leather; the all-important base is way solid, especially at the back, in the vulnerable heel area.

It sounds a little silly, but they kind of compel me to walk or run when I’m wearing them. I think it’s the combination of comfort and protection/strength/sturdiness, which also makes them great for mountain biking. The lower part of your foot feels encased, as if in a boot, yet the upper part is all running shoe.

The only caveat I have about these shoes is they’re a tad toasty in summer. But for winter, spring and – best of all – fall, they’re perfect. – Rick Bass $170 lowaboots.com

Heat Holder Socks

Don’t want to throw down for a pair of slippers nobody except your roommate’s going to see?

You don’t have to with Heat Holder Socks. They are the warmest thermal socks ever and have just enough cushion for moseying about the house.

They are my go-to after a long day of work and keep my toes nice and toasty when I want to go outside and play in the snow. – M.W. $15.99 usa.heatholders.com

Patagonia Activist Shoes When you blur the line between work and play, you need clothing that screams versatility. Patagonia’s Activist Shoe covers your bases, and does it with a sharp look. Lightweight (7.6 oz) and easy to pack, these shoes suit me just fine with jeans and hold up fine in Rocky Mountain weather. Their bright laces and ripstop nylon (water resistant) outer layer give them an edgy style, but the clean design and solid colors keep them office worthy (just in case you need to please both sides). In true Patagonia style, the Activist’s soles are made from recycled rubber, so you have Mother Nature’s nod of approval, as well. Available in both men’s and women’s styles and sizes. –E.D. $85 patagonia.com

Ultimate:

Calleen Cordero Sela ankle boots The Sela ankle boots embody a sense of everyday luxury from the ground up. Handcrafted in California using supple leather for the upper, wood for the heel and subtle decorative accents, they have a down-to-earth look with an elegant feel.

Designer Calleen Cordero’s business philosophy is to bring the Old World art of artisan footwear, accessories and handbags to the U.S. That sentiment is visible in the details of the boots, from the quality of materials and craftsmanship to the aesthetic appeal.

Seemingly ethereal, their lightness is misleading with their equivalent sturdiness. The artistic look allows versatility in attire, pairing equally well with faded blue jeans or an Angora wool pencil skirt.

Most notable is their comfort, even with a 3.5” heel, making all other boots seem clunky in comparison. – Katie Morrison $699 available at Big Sky Life

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gift and gear guide

reading

National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps

Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness National Geographic is synonymous with adventure, and its Trails Illustrated maps in the Yellowstone region will illuminate a lifetime’s worth right in our backyard.

Try the waterproof, tear resistant Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness maps (split up into east and west), and delve into nearly a million acres of wild, rugged high terrain straddling the MontanaWyoming border. Trace the 50-foot contour lines along peaks and passes, and lose yourself among magical place names like Silver Run Plateau, Lake of the Winds and Sky Top Glacier.

Proceeds help support the National Geographic Society’s mission to increase global understanding through conservation, exploration, research and education. – Emily Wolfe $11.95 natgeomaps.com

Book Review:

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Fly Fishing Lyon’s Press, 2013There is plenty of fly-fishing beta out there. But, like deciding the appropriate fly for the conditions, how do you determine which piece of angling literature to read?

In his new book, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Fly Fishing, author and fishing guide Patrick Straub writes that much of the way this information is presented these days “…is as dry as a Wyoming dirt road in August.”

Straub’s book is anything but dry. The read is fun and accessible, and contains interviews with some of Montana’s top fly-fishing experts, including Craig Matthews, Drew Miller and Steve Summerhill. Everything… is designed more like a guide than a cover-to-cover read and Straub encourages readers “…to skip around and read what peaks your interest first…”

From efficient backcasts to effective drifting, fly selection and fly-tying techniques, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Fly Fishing is just that. Izaak Walton would be proud. – J.T.O. Bonus: Don’t miss the Fly Fisher’s Reading List at the end of the book, which includes some classic reads. $16.95 Available at Gallatin River Guides, Straub’s fly shop located south of Big Sky on Highway 191; or online at bigskyflyshop.com or amazon.com.

Book Review: The Moth Paperback

The Last Ride of Caleb O’Toole

Edited by Catherine Burns Hyperion Press, 2013

, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2013Eric Pierpoint has been gracing screen and stage for more than 30 years as a Hollywood character actor.

One of his first loves was the West – fueled in part by his family’s heritage as part of the pioneer migration along the Oregon Trail. This love inspired his new children’s debut novel, The Last Ride of Caleb O’Toole.

In its first printed work, celebrated storytelling phenomenon The Moth presents 50 soul-bearing stories selected from an archive of more than 10,000. Inspired by friends telling stories on a porch, The Moth was born in small-town Georgia, garnered a cult following in New York City, and then rose to national acclaim with its podcast and Peabody Award-winning weekly public radio show The Moth Radio Hour.

Stories include writer Malcolm Gladwell’s wedding toast gone horribly awry; rapper Darryl “DMC” McDaniels’ obsession with a Sarah McLachlan song; poker champion Annie Duke’s $2 million hand; and A. E. Hotchner’s death-defying stint in a bullring . . . with his friend Ernest Hemingway. Read about the panic of former Clinton Press Secretary Joe Lockhart when he misses Air Force One after a night of drinking in Moscow, and Dr. George Lombardi’s fight to save Mother Teresa’s life.

“You’ll laugh, and you’ll probably cry,” said one reviewer. “Easy to read, as most stories are not more than a few pages. $15.99 themothbook.org

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The novel blends compelling history, gripping adventure, and a hero determined to do right by his family, whatever the cost, during an unforgettable chase up the Oregon Trail.

Caleb O’Toole and his two sisters are left orphaned after a cholera outbreak in their hometown of Great Bend, Kansas. Attempting to fulfill their mother’s dying wish, they strike out on a one-horse wagon to travel the treacherous road along the Oregon Trail to the Montana Territory to live with their aunt in the rugged Bitterroot Mountains.

After witnessing a crime by the infamous Blackstone Gang, the O’Toole kids have no choice but to brave the dangers of the trail, trying to stay one step ahead of murderous outlaws, and safety is 1,300 miles away, past the dust-choked deserts, monstrous tornadoes and ravenous wolves of the Oregon Trail.

This book is written for youth ages 9-12. – Eric Pierpoint

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health & beauty Gaiam Hot/Cold Trigger Point Massage Ball

While I’ve always sworn by my foam roller to release tension in my back and legs, Gaiam’s Trigger Point massage ball accesses the sore muscle in areas difficult to reach with the roller. Place the 6-inch textured, water-filled rubber ball in hot water or the freezer for added temperature therapy. It also came with a guide of six exercises to relax your entire body. After a day on the slopes, this is an easy, inexpensive option to work out the kinks. – Kelsey Dzintars $14.98 gaiam.com

Gaiam Sol Sticky Grip Yoga Mat

As the pace of life rushes toward the year’s end, we’d all probably like to be a little more grounded. The Sol Sticky Grip yoga mat provides just that, with solid footing on 5mm of non-latex cushion. The opposing sides have different textures, balancing the need for extra grip or additional stability in a yin-yang sort of way. The mat is a gentle reminder to honor your soul during stressful times, providing a little extra stickiness in order to hold on or a little extra structure to maintain balance. –K.M. $49.95 gaiam.com

Red Flower body lotion, Indian Jasmine

The North Face Hyper-Track Guide

Trail runners have come a long way, and leading the pack is The North Face Hyper-Track Guide running shoe. This hybrid design excels on both trail and road runs.

Red Flower’s animal friendly, environmentally kind, madein-the-USA Indian Jasmine body lotion is rejuvenation for the body and mind. The organic botanical formula is made from things you can pronounce, like shea butter and safflower seed oil. It protects and nourishes the skin, promoting cell regeneration. The sultry aroma of Jasmine, which is picked at first dawn after the flower blossoms under the moonlight, also has aromatherapy qualities including relief of stress and anxiety. – K.M. $26 available at Big Sky Life

Ultimate: Solace Spa wellness packages

The seamless upper keeps feet from chafing and mesh throughout allows for breathability and keeps the weight down. But it feels solid on-trail, thanks to abrasion-resistant “pods” and TNF’s cradle-guide, dual-density midsole. This technology also corrects overpronation, or flat feet, promoting a natural stride.

At nine ounces, this isn’t the lightest trail shoe on the market, but TNF ultramarathon athlete Mike Foote says he wouldn’t trade it in. “[The weight] is in the sweet spot for ultrarunners who like a lighter-weight shoe but still need some substance, some protection underneath their feet.”

I couldn’t agree more. – J.T.O. $120 thenorthface.com

Big Sky Resort’s Solace Spa Wellness Studio offers daily slope-side yoga, Zumba, ballet fitness and cardio conditioning, as well as Thai Yoga new for this winter. This technique relieves tight muscles and balances the body using a system of massage and assisted stretching developed in Thailand. The bodywork is performed on the floor with comfortable clothing worn.

cral and neuromuscular techniques that increases circulation and minimizes altitude induced headaches.

Another treatment geared toward skiers is the Après Ski Fusion Massage.

This 75-minute treatment combines hot and cold stone therapy, deep tissue massage and aromatherapy.

Solace Sampler: 25-minute Swedish massage, 25-minute mini-facial and Alpine Express manicure and pedicure. $160

Looking to relieve altitude symptoms?

Try the Altitude Adjustment Therapy massage, a blend of Swedish, craniosa-

Looking for a gift idea? The Wellness Studio passes, or even better, get your loved one a Spa Club membership, which includes complimentary Wellness Studio passes, Solace Spa discounts and valet parking.

Mountain Bliss: 30-minute body scrub, 50-minute body wrap, 50-minute massage, 50-minute facial and choice of Solace signature manicure or pedicure. $395

Four generations O F T RU E FA M I LY FA R M I N G .

W I N E M A K I N G B Y C E L E B R I T Y C U LT W I N E M A K E R H e i d i B a r r e t t O F S C R E A M I N G E A G L E FA M E 1 0 0 % E S TAT E G R O W N C A B E R N E T A N D Z I N FA N D E L 2010 Cabernet recently rated 95 POINTS

by Wine Enthusiast

LAMBORN FAMILY VINEYARDS Howell Mountain, Napa Valley

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS, TASTE THE DIFFERENCE AT WWW.LAMB ORN.COM Order your wine for the holidays direct from President of Winer y Operations, Brian L amborn - brian@lamborn.com