Explore Big Sky - June 1 to 14, 2023

June 1-14, 2023

Volume 14, Issue No. 11

Owned and published in Big Sky, Montana

PUBLISHER

Eric Ladd | eric@theoutlawpartners.com

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR

Jason Bacaj | jason@theoutlawpartners.com

STAFF WRITER

Jack Reaney | jack@theoutlawpartners.com

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT

Leslie Kilgore | leslie@theoutlawpartners.com

CREATIVE

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Trista Hillman | trista@theoutlawpartners.com

SALES AND OPERATIONS

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Megan Paulson | megan@theoutlawpartners.com

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Treston Wold | treston@theoutlawpartners.com

VP DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Hiller Higman | hiller@theoutlawpartners.com

MEDIA AND EVENTS DIRECTOR

Ersin Ozer | ersin@theoutlawpartners.com

CONTENT PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Mira Brody | mira@theoutlawpartners.com

MARKETING COORDINATOR

Tucker Harris | tucker@theoutlawpartners.com

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT

Sara Sipe | sara@theoutlawpartners.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LEAD

Patrick Mahoney | patrick@theoutlawpartners.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Rich Addicks, Daniel Bierschwale, Paul Bussi, Jacob W. Frank, Justin Franz, Marne Hayes, Rachel Hergett, Benjamin Alva Polley, Ryan Strother, Paul Swenson

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAPS OFF TO LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL’S LARGEST-EVER GRADUATING CLASS

The Big Sky School District graduated 28 seniors on May 28, celebrating its farewell to Lone Peak High School’s largest-ever class. They were accepted to more than 60 colleges and universities. Athletes from the Class of 2023 will be remembered for their leadership in the school’s final year of Class C competition.

REAL ESTATE TRENDS: BOZEMAN AND BIG SKY POST-COVID

Properties in Bozeman and Big Sky have been a hot commodity since COVID-19 brought remote workers from major cities to smaller, amenity-rich hubs like Bozeman and destinations like Big Sky. With the pandemic in the rearview, EBS spoke with real estate agents to find out whether the market’s growth is sustainable for Bozeman and Big Sky as the world returns to “normal.”

U.S. HIGHWAY 191: FATAL WRECKS, PROGRESS TOWARD WILDLIFE CROSSINGS

During a four-day span in late May, two motorists died in crashes on U.S. Highway 191 between Big Sky and Bozeman. The high-speed, high-traffic stretch of road continues to make headlines, after an uptick of wildlife-vehicle collisions this past fall. However, state and federal programs might help fund the construction of wildlife crossings, which could improve landscape connectivity and reduce one of the road’s driving hazards.

LPHS BIG HORN GOLF FINISHES ONE STROKE SHY OF CLASS C TITLE

ON THE COVER:

As 28 Lone Peak High School seniors tossed their caps in celebration of a bright future, the promise of tomorrow did not outshine their lifetimes of memories and friendships. Families and classmates reflected on years spent learning and growing in Big Sky, as the Class of 2023 represented the largest group of graduating Big Horns in school history. PHOTO BY PAUL BUSSI

EDITORIAL POLICIES

EDITORIAL POLICY

Outlaw Partners, LLC is the sole owner of 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 bad taste.

EBS welcomes obituaries written by family members or from funeral homes. To place an obituary, please submit 500 words or less to media@theoutlawpartners.com.

The Lone Peak High School spring season was highlighted by the golf team’s trip to state, an opportunity which they rode just one stroke shy of a Class C state title. Freshman Cate Leydig shot the lowest combined score in Class C, earning her an impressive individual win. Lone Peak’s track and field, tennis and baseball teams also wrapped up strong seasons, despite a long winter which led to weeks of indoor practices.

PLUS: MONTANA-BASED FLY-FISHING FILM TO PREMIERE IN BOZEMAN

“Mending the Line” will premiere in Bozeman on June 8. The feature film, shot largely between Livingston, Bozeman and on the Gallatin River, explores the healing nature of fly-fishing through the eyes of two U.S. veterans. One, played by Brian Cox, served in Vietnam and shares his passion with a wounded Marine returning from Afghanistan, played by Sinqua Walls. The film was written by a Bozeman resident and directed by an avid angler from the Catskill Mountains in New York.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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 and will not publish individual grievances about specific businesses or letters that are abusive, malicious or potentially libelous. Include: full name, address, phone number and title. Submit to media@outlaw.partners.

ADVERTISING DEADLINE

For the June 15th, 2023 issue: June 7, 2023

CORRECTIONS

Please report errors to media@outlaw.partners.

OUTLAW PARTNERS & EXPLORE BIG SKY

P.O. Box 160250, Big Sky, MT 59716 (406) 995-2055 • media@theoutlawpartners.com

© 2023 Explore Big Sky unauthorized reproduction prohibited

In honor of Memorial Day, EBS would like to honor and extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who served and lost their lives protecting our freedoms. Completed in 1955, The Soldiers Chapel, pictured here, was originally conceived and financed by Nelson Story III to honor his son and other members of the 163rd Infantry Regiment. The cemetery is the final resting place of many members of the regiment and Big Sky locals.

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED IS DEEMED RELIABLE BUT IS NOT GUARANTEED AND SHOULD BE INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED. INFORMATION AND DEPICTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, PRIOR SALES, PRICE CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. NO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY HAS JUDGED THE MERITS OR VALUE, IF ANY, OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ADVERTISEMENT OR ANY REAL ESTATE DESCRIBED OR DEPICTED HEREIN. THIS MATERIAL SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL IN ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE PRIOR REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED OR WHERE SUCH AN OFFER WOULD BE PROHIBITED, AND THIS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH ANOTHER REAL

LOCAL NEWS IN BRIEF

MONTANA FIREFIGHTERS JOIN BATTLE AGAINST CANADIAN WILDFIRES

MONTANA PUBLIC RADIO

Montana firefighters have joined others from around the U.S. in helping Canadian fire crews battle 100 active fires in Alberta.

The National Interagency Coordination Center is sending more firefighting resources to assist Canadian crews that have been fighting active and out-ofcontrol wildfires for weeks.

The coordination center fulfilled Canada’s first request for support in mid-May, including two Montana hotshot crews.

It’s now sending 85 firefighters and incident managers, some from Montana, as well as more firefighting equipment. There are over 600 U.S. personnel and firefighting resources now assigned to fires in Alberta.

Smoke from the fires has blanketed most of Montana and North Dakota. Many communities have experienced unhealthy levels of smoke, but some have reached hazardous air quality.

MONTANA INFLUENCERS FILE LAWSUIT ON STATE TIKTOK BAN IN FEDERAL COURT

DAILY MONTANAN STAFF

How is Montana’s newly enacted TikTok ban illegal?

Lawyers for five popular TikTok users in the Treasure State have counted the ways, and they’ve told a federal judge that there are at least six legal problems with the first-of-its-kind ban which is scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024 unless otherwise stopped.

Lawyers for Samantha Alario, Heather DiRocco, Carly Ann Goddard, Alice Held and Dale Stout have sued the State of Montana for passing Senate Bill 419 which not only bans the popular social media app, owned by the Chinese corporation ByteDance, but also puts in harsh financial penalties for “entities” that violate the law, like mobile app stores and possibly internet service providers. Language in the new law says that TikTok users are not subject to the penalties, which includes as much as $10,000 for each separate violation.

CSA TO BRING VEGETABLES TO BIG SKY, BOZEMAN

EBS STAFF

Starting June 7 and lasting 18 weeks through early October, Chance Farm in Bozeman will distribute full- and half-share boxes to registered shareholders. A full share costs $648 and packs eight to 12 vegetables, and a half share costs $398 with four to seven veggies.

Every Wednesday, BASE will host a vegetable pickup station in Big Sky. Bozeman residents can pick up their shares at Red Tractor Pizza, Root Cellar Foods in Belgrade, or direct at the farm off Gooch Hill Road. For an extra fee, Chance Farm will also deliver to Bozeman-area homes. This is its first CSA.

Niederer said the Bozeman farmers markets have become so popular that finding local vegetables can be a hit-or-miss endeavor. Participating in the CSA is a stable way to buy local.

“[Vegetables] are not being shipped from California or wherever they’re coming from,” she said. “And it keeps our dollars inside the community.”

JUDGE ALLOWS MONTANA YOUTH CLIMATE CHANGE LAWSUIT TO PROCEED TO TRIAL

EBS STAFF

A Lewis and Clark County District Court judge denied the state’s request for summary judgment in the Montana youth climate change lawsuit, meaning the case is effectively guaranteed to proceed to the trial scheduled to start June 12 in Helena.

Judge Kathy Seeley wrote in her Tuesday order in the Held et al v. State of Montana et al case that the state “did not establish any undisputed facts” that would lead her to grant summary judgment in the case, as the state had requested earlier this month. Further, she wrote that the issues involving Montanans’ right to a clean and healthful environment and whether the state is violating their constitutional rights “will be determined after trial.”

“Whether climate change and the [Montana Environmental Policy Act] Limitation impact youth disproportionately is a material fact to be proven at trial,” Seeley wrote in her order.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK INVESTIGATING BISON CALF INCIDENT, DEATH

DAILY MONTANAN STAFF

Yellowstone National Park law enforcement officers are asking the public for information about an incident that occurred on the evening of May 20, between an unidentified man and a newborn bison calf in the park’s northeast corner.

The man intentionally disturbed the calf, which resulted in the death of the calf.

A white male in his 40s or 50s, wearing a blue shirt and black pants, approached a newborn bison calf in Lamar Valley that had been separated from its mother when the herd crossed the Lamar River. As the calf struggled, the man pushed the calf up from the river and onto the roadway.

Visitors later observed the calf walk up to and follow cars and people. The calf was later killed by park staff because it was abandoned by the herd and causing a hazardous situation by approaching cars and people along the roadway.

HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR PUBLIC FUNDS SPENT?

Since 1992, the Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD) has awarded over $106 million to fund priority programs and projects throughout Big Sky. Part of this investment strategy includes funding nonprofit project requests. Public feedback is important to help guide the Board in making these strategic community investments.

This year’s nonprofit funding proposals total 52 projects sponsored by 20 organizations requesting $11,044,535.

Join us for the allocation meetings where the funding is finalized. Attend in person at BASE or virtually via Zoom. You can listen in as the Board reviews the projects, or step up and make your voice heard through public comment.

Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

5 JUNE MONDAY 6 JUNE TUESDAY

5:30 PM

Projects Reviewed: Arts & Education Economic Development Housing Public Works

5:30 PM

Projects Reviewed: Health & Safety Recreation & Conservation

8 JUNE THURSDAY

5:30 PM

Final award decisions for all impact areas

For more information visit: ResortTax.org/Allocations

*Please note that all comments will be entered into the public record and will be publicly available.

LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL CELEBRATES LARGEST-EVER GRADUATING CLASS

EBS STAFF

Sunday saw Lone Peak High School send off its largest-ever graduating class, as 28 seniors received their diplomas and turn their eyes toward the future.

The seniors are an accomplished bunch, having been accepted to more than 60 colleges and universities nationwide. Big Sky School District Superintendent Dustin Shipman

said it’s a real testament to Big Sky’s teachers and community.

“I’m just thrilled that our students from a small rural school in Montana are getting accepted to some of these really great universities across the U.S.,” Shipman told EBS.

Middle and High School Principal Marlo Mitchem said she’s proud of what Lone Peak’s seniors have accomplished. She credits the school’s

International Baccalaureate program, which sets Lone Peak students apart from other applicants, as well as the range of sports and extracurricular activities in which LPHS students are engaged.

“Our students have a well-rounded and balanced program at Lone Peak High School; admissions officers recognize this,” Mitchem wrote in a statement to EBS. “We are excited for all our soon-to-be graduates as they

begin the next chapter of their lives, and it has been a privilege working with them!”

Mitchem wrote that Lone Peak’s 2023 valedictorian, Jessica Bough, was accepted to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Vanderbilt.

This graduating class was the largest in Lone Peak’s history, with one more student than 2021’s graduating class (27).

Lindsey Blackburn Rio Salado Community College

Jessica Bough Stanford University

Orrin Coleman University of Washington, Seattle

Madeline Cone Middlebury College

Emily Graham Kutztown University

Augustus Hammond San Diego State University

Elizabeth Henslee Marymount Manhattan College

Cody Hodge Entrepreneur

Avery Dickerson University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Pierce Farr Baylor University

Stacey Fletcher Gallatin College

Owen Gitchell Colorado Mesa University

Myla Hoover Montana State University

Haley Houghteling Montana State University

Felix Jacobs Northwestern University

Katherine King Texas Christian University

Malin Nilsson Katedralsholan, Sweden

Chloe Nogaret University of California, Berkeley

Max Romney University of Notre Dame

Ben Saad Mount St. Mary's University

Katrina Lang University of Michigan

Skylar Manka University of Colorado, Boulder

Colter Marino Trinity College

Winn Stewart University of Colorado, Boulder

Elia Turner University of Montana

George Valera Gallatin College

Josie Wilcynski Gonzaga University

Cameron Moore Gallatin College

OF BIG SKY EDUCATION ANNOUNCES LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL

CLASS

REAL ESTATE TRENDS: BOZEMAN AND BIG SKY STAYING STRONG POST-COVID

BUYERS AND SELLERS FACING A ‘WESTERN STANDOFF’ IN BOZEMAN, BIG SKY APPROACHING EQUILIBRIUM

BY JACK REANEY

It’s no 2021 or 2022, but so far, 2023 is Bozeman’s third-highest grossing year for single-family home sales.

In other words, Bozeman’s real estate market appears to have pulled through COVID stronger than before.

As interest rates have made homeowners reluctant to sell, Bozeman faces a low inventory of single-family homes for sale. Since the beginning of April, homes listed are averaging just 11 days on the market before they sell for over 98% of asking price—the April median was $866,085 across 54 sales—according to data from Multiple Listing Service, provided to EBS by Outlaw Realty.

Outlaw Realty is affiliated with Outlaw Partners, the publisher of Explore Big Sky.

Bozeman condos and townhomes aren’t too different. They’re selling in seven days, at above asking price with a median of $500,000 across 28 sales in April.

EJ Daws is a fourth generation Bozemanite, and has been a broker with Outlaw Realty for nearly eight years. He told EBS the decade

following the Great Recession has been extreme, either booming or stagnant. Especially since COVID, people relocating to southwest Montana have kept supply low, he said, and the relationship between price growth and population has looked like a “hockey stick curve.”

The median single-family home price in Bozeman has more than doubled since 2017, according to the Gallatin Association of Realtors’ 2023 Gallatin Valley Housing Report.

“The word is definitely out on this part of the country,” Daws said. “It’s easy to get [here] and people enjoy the lifestyle.”

From his perspective, many transactions now face “an old Western standoff between buyers and sellers.”

As buyers see for-sale inventory increasing, they’re waiting for sellers to budge on pricing, Daws explained. But sellers recognize they might not need to compromise.

“Sellers are sometimes reluctant to trade the [lower] interest rate they have right now for a 6.5% interest rate which may not allow them to buy something the same or better [staying in this local market],” he said.

He pointed out that for Bozeman condos and townhomes, 46% of April 2023 transactions have been done with cash or tax-deferred 1031 exchange—those loan-free buyers may not be as concerned about interest rates, so there’s no lack of demand in the market.

Mike Magrans, chief investment officer at Outlaw Real Estate Partners—the development-focused affiliate of Outlaw Realty—agreed with Daws’ reasoning that high interest rates are limiting market inventory. But Magrans suggested another reason homes aren’t selling:

“It could be that people are happy here,” he offered. “They moved here, maybe from California, New York, Chicago—and they love it.”

Magrans spoke with EBS after flying back from Toronto, where he attended a real estate conference with the Urban Land Institute, filled with thousands of developers from across the globe. There, Magrans was peppered with questions from industry cohorts curious about Bozeman: the airport, university, infrastructure investments and sustainability of Bozeman’s real estate momentum

Downtown Bozeman in the summer. ADOBE STOCK PHOTO

“I will tell you that Montana is still a very attractive and exciting, interesting place for people to invest in and develop,” Magrans said. “It’s definitely on the map now, nationally. I left [Toronto] feeling like we’re going to continue seeing a lot of growth… The rest of the world has got their eyes on us.”

The permanence of a ‘COVID crush’

Aside from interest rate pressure and low inventory, Magrans sees two main trends keeping prices high in the Bozeman market.

“The largest trend impacting our market is that hybrid work and remote work are continuing to make Bozeman a very attractive place to live,” Magrans said. “Particularly for fully remote people who can work anywhere, they want access to the outdoors and the quality of life Bozeman is known for.”

That said, he believes Bozeman’s remoteworking population gained during COVID is sustainable, and that future population growth will be sustainable too, as people flock to the Gallatin Valley and decide to stay.

Magrans said the strong market isn’t surprising, and he’s been happy to see the amount of capital being spent on infrastructure in Bozeman—about a billion dollars in the next decade, he estimates— which is helping the city keep up with population growth.

“It should allow for a sustainable amount of growth over the next 20 years, in which the population should double,” he said. He sees Bozeman growing up to match Bend, Oregon and Boise, Idaho—much larger outdoor-oriented cities which experienced growth spurts in the late 1990s, per census data.

“Another [trend] is leisure travel is extremely strong,” Magrans added. “Even though international [travel is] opening up, people are traveling to Montana. They want to see the sights and experience the Montana lifestyle.”

This winter, Time Magazine listed Bozeman as one of the 50 “World’s Greatest Places” and called it an up and coming “Rocky Mountain hub” that used to be “a skip-over town for Yellowstone country.”

“The amount of advertising and PR dollars that’s being spent on Bozeman will only drive more growth, more visitation… [More] interest, eyeballs and buyers of real estate,” Magrans said.

The TV series “Yellowstone,” popular since 2018, has also played a huge role in putting Montana and Bozeman on the map—“Yellowstone” has taken local blame for culture shifts and soaring housing prices, but also received credit for bringing hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs into the state economy, through production spending, tourism and other industries, according to a University of Montana study.

Daws said he’s seen some interesting twists and turns in Bozeman with boom cycles and the recent “COVID crush.”

Now, as both prices and pending sales are increasing before a typical faster-paced summer, Daws said fair-priced estates are going fast, often with multiple offers being made all at once.

“You can’t wait,” he said. “You have to act with urgency. Because there is value to getting in first. I tell my buyers, have everything ready, so we can move quick.”

As for land transactions, there’s a stark dropoff between land prices within Bozeman proper and beyond—Daws said the current timeline for building homes is keeping most buyers uninterested in “raw ground” mostly found beyond city limits.

“Construction and labor cost is still relevant—it’s not as crazy as it was during COVID, but it’s expensive,” Daws suggested.

The Gallatin Association of Realtors’ 2023 Gallatin Valley Housing Report shows that the sale price of newly built single-family homes, condos and townhomes have roughly doubled since 2019.

He added that land anywhere in the Gallatin Valley is expensive, and with the added costs of design and construction, many buyers can get better value by purchasing an existing home.

“But it also comes down to patience—people don’t want to wait 18 months [to move here],” Daws said.

Big Sky finding balance

In Big Sky, recent MLS data shows a slower pace. But “slow” might understate a market where single-family home prices are hovering near $3 million—that’s excluding luxury properties within Big Sky’s private clubs: Yellowstone, Spanish Peaks and Moonlight.

Unlike Bozeman, homes are sitting on the market for weeks. In April, only two singlefamily homes sold, after sitting on the market for an average of 69 days. Home prices aren’t wavering from peak highs, but the condo and townhome market is shifting toward buyers, according to an Outlaw Realty report.

Five condos sold in April for a median price of $875,000, after averaging more than four months on the market, according to MLS data included in that report.

Michael Pitcairn, a broker with Outlaw Realty for five years, told EBS that Big Sky home buyers are becoming more patient.

“The frenzy to jump into a property quickly—that frenzy is over. We’re just finding more discerning buyers. I’d say pricing across the board has dropped about 10-15% [in Big Sky]… and we’re seeing sellers that are more willing to negotiate,” Pitcairn said.

He was careful not to describe the Big Sky market as buyer-oriented but countered that it’s really just approaching equilibrium after a few wild years. That means a fair buying and selling process, he added.

“I think it’s an exciting time for buyers to get in the market,” he said. “You have time to make educated buying decisions, and you don’t have to rush through the process. You get adequate time to complete necessary due diligence on properties.”

He also observed that shoulder seasons are feeling shorter every year as secondhomeowners decide to spend more time in Big Sky. He said most transactions in this market deal with second homes, a key difference from Bozeman.

Pitcairn acknowledged that housing is a challenge for many folks who live and work in Big Sky.

“I’m excited by the new workforce developments that are [being] built to help create housing in Big Sky for the everyday person,” Pitcairn said.

Recent in-house workforce housing construction by Lone Mountain Land Company and Big Sky Resort, and publicprivate construction partnerships and programs led by the Big Sky Community Housing Trust are moving the needle to enable affordable renting and deed-restricted workforce ownership in Big Sky’s high-priced market. Big Sky faces a space constraint, too: just three land parcels sold between February and April, ranging in price-per-acre from $360,691 to $2.7 million.

The GAR’s 2023 report states in its conclusion that as housing affordability deteriorates in the Gallatin Valley—and Big Sky, to the extreme—“the challenge in Gallatin County is especially daunting.

“Yet it is important to note that the strong economic growth that has pressured housing markets also brings resources to help address the issues that strong growth produces,” the report states, adding that economic decay could be a worse alternative—albeit with lower priced real estate.

Some truth to that statement can be seen in Big Sky: strong business performance, steady Resort Tax collection on luxury goods, and a dose of philanthropy are enabling construction of workforce housing on land which could likely host more profitable units. The payoff will be a more sustainable workforce and year-round community in Big Sky as the seasonal destination expects continued growth in population and notoriety.

These real estate market snapshots reflect a clear trend: moving beyond the immediate impacts of COVID, people want to live and own property in Gallatin County. And even with historic interest rates, sale prices show that enough are willing and able to pay top dollar.

WASTEWATER RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITY SEES CONTINUED DELAYS

BSOA AND BSCWSD NEAR AGREEMENT; RIVER IMPAIRMENT MAY CAUSE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—The Big Sky Owners Association’s Little Coyote Pond recovery project is expected to move forward, perhaps faster than the Big Sky County Water and Sewer District’s new Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, which remains mired in supply chain frustration.

An update to water negotiations between the BSOA and BSCWSD, and further delays to Big Sky’s massive investment in water infrastructure were among topics discussed at the BSCWSD board meeting on Monday, May 15. The other main discussion topic was the Gallatin River’s EPA-confirmed impairment listing, which may hamper the nascent Gallatin Canyon County Water and Sewer District—despite that project’s aim to benefit river health.

Early in the meeting, district board chair Brian Wheeler praised board member Mike DuCuennois.

“You’re the man. You broke the logjam,” Wheeler declared, referencing the BSOA negotiations that morning.

DuCuennois, hours after pinch-hitting for Dick Fast on the district’s BSOA pond subcommittee, gave a summary of their Monday morning meeting with the BSOA board.

For several years, the BSOA has been pursuing water rights from—and held a memorandum of understanding with—the district to renovate the Little Coyote Pond and restore the West Fork of the Gallatin River.

In recent months, the district has identified a parcel of land owned by NorthWestern Energy on which they hope to build a million-gallon tank for community water storage. But the district would require the BSOA to expand an access easement along Crazy Horse Road and permit a small amount of land in order to build the tank.

Negotiations were terminated and revived just in the past two months, with the BSOA proposing to revert to an eight-year-old memorandum of understanding signed by both parties before BSCWSD had interest in building a water tank—the MOU suggested a cash exchange of “fair market value for the water [rights] conveyed” by the district, according to a May 12 BSOA newsletter.

The newsletter stated that the BSOA executive director tried to pay BSCWSD $15,000 for the Little Coyote Pond fishery water rights to prevent further delays. But on May 9, the district returned the $15,000 check and asked that the May 15 meeting continue as planned.

At the May 15 meeting, an agreement was reached contingent on the water and sewer district purchasing that land from NorthWestern Energy—board member Al Malinowski announced that land had been appraised at $60,000, much less than the board had budgeted for.

DuCuennois summarized: “So there’s been some confusion [on] everybody’s part of what we needed, what

they needed, and this [makes] everybody happy, from the meeting we had today.”

One minor disagreement lingered, regarding the future of the 250,000-gallon tank near the proposed upgrade site, built in 1970. The district is hesitant to deconstruct any water storage resources, but Clay Lorinsky, BSOA board vice chair, told the board it must be deconstructed if it’s taken offline.

“I think that’s appropriate and necessary from our side,” Lorinsky said. DuCuennois suggested that if the tank is out of service for four years, it will be deconstructed.

“I think after [the BSOA board] vote happens on Friday unless some nuance comes up, we should be able to modify the existing agreement that we all worked on for so long, to fit these terms and have something on our table fairly quick,” DuCuennois said.

DuCuennois told EBS the recent progress wouldn’t have happened without collaboration between the BSOA and the district.

“All meeting together this morning was a huge benefit to working together and getting it done,” DuCuennois told EBS.

The district continues to extend the timeline for the Big Sky Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, which was originally expected to finish construction on March 7, 2024.

After initial delays, electrical equipment shortages have furthered that final completion to Oct. 18, 2024. Big Sky is in a long line behind other frustrated projects, waiting for components which will power the network of controls for monitoring and operating the plant.

“There’s potential the building and all the site cleanup will be done, and we’ll be waiting for the electrical equipment so we can run the plant,” district General Manager Ron Edwards said.

As a result of this delay, irrigators including golf courses will have to wait another summer (through 2024) to use the new plant’s highly treated water. In addition, the RiverView apartment complex which recently broke ground had reached a water and sewer agreement conditional on the new plant’s activation. Given the significant delay, RiverView might finish construction before the WRRF, and Edwards said that would be another problem to solve.

Scott Buecker, senior project engineer on the WRRF, spoke to the EBS about the delay. He said it’s not worth pursuing a lawsuit against Systems Integrated, the company handling electricals, because courts aren’t supporting claims for liquidated damages—projects are delayed all over the country, but courts are siding with contractors who claim it’s an “act of God” out of their control.

“Well, it’s unprecedented, let me say that first,” Buecker told EBS. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Industry’s never seen anything like this, so we’re in uncharted territory.”

He acknowledged it’s frustrating for homeowners and district officials.

“But there’s nothing we can do, our hands are tied,” Buecker said. “We can push on Systems Integrated, but they’ve got dozens of other projects around the country pushing as well.”

Some good news around the WRRF did come out of the board meeting: a new storage tank on the east end of the treatment ponds will allow the district to bypass storage ponds during low-flow periods, likely offseason.

That will allow planned pond drainages in which the district can repair any damaged lining without affecting overall water treatment. Edwards called it “new territory” which will benefit the district.

Gallatin River’s impairment could complicate water and sewer improvement

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently approved the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s decision to list the Gallatin River as impaired after nutrient pollution in the river led to five consecutive years of toxic algal blooms.

As a result, scientists will monitor water quality sampling sites on the river for the next three years in an effort to figure out where the pollutants are coming from. After that, a total maximum daily load of nutrients allowed to enter the river will be set—TMDL is commonly called a “pollution diet.”

The study, which Buecker, Edwards and other officials agreed could take up to six years, might prevent development in the Gallatin Canyon—even “nutrient offsetting” development, like the Gallatin Canyon County Water and Sewer District which is working to bring outdated septic systems onto a central network, carrying wastewater by a pipeline to the new WRRF where it would be treated to a much higher standard than most riverside systems currently do.

The board suggested a joint meeting with the Montana DEQ, and both local water and sewer districts, to understand the implications of the three- to six-year impairment study.

If developers are unable to build homes in the canyon for six years, the entire water and sewer project would lose much of its incentive—the canyon water and sewer district is an initiative led in part by canyon developers.

“I don’t see it as helpful to getting stuff done in the canyon,” Edwards told EBS. “I think it hits the pause button on everything down there… I think it makes new developments in the canyon difficult. It makes working towards solutions in the canyon difficult.

Electric slide

Construction on the wastewater resource recovery facility is keeping pace—except for "unprecedented" electrical delays sweeping the industry.

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

Algal blooms affect fishery health and recreation, contributing to the impairment ruling.

PHOTO BY RICH ADDICKS

NEW BIG SKY SUMMER CAMP TO PROVIDE EIGHT WEEKS OF CHILD CARE

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WORK TOWARD AFFORDABLE, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY CHILD CARE IN BIG SKY

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—Beginning June 18 and running for eight weeks, the Big Sky kidsLINK Summer Camp program will provide activities and care for children in Big Sky.

The summer program will care for 35 preschool-aged children—4- and 5-year-olds entering kindergarten— per week, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuition costs $200 per week, per child, with some scholarships available. Registration opened on May 25.

The program requires commitment on a weekly basis, but does not require parents to sign up for the entire summer. Each week will have a theme and age-appropriate learning activities including literacy preparedness.

A recent survey by Big Sky Child Care Task Force showed that more than 40 Big Sky families with 4- and 5-year-old children will need help caring for their kids this summer. After receiving requests from businesses and families, the Greater Gallatin United Way stepped up to create a solution, according to a May 22 GGUW press release.

“Our job is to take action,” stated Kim Hall, GGUW president and CEO. “We mobilize resources, convene and collaborate to provide solutions. We are pleased

to have had quick response from area agencies and funding partners to make this program a reality.”

The release states that the program was created “in just days,” as Big Sky organizations stepped in to help.

The Big Sky School District donated space, and to help launch the program and keep tuition low, Lone Mountain Land Company, Spanish Peaks Community Foundation and Yellowstone Club Community Foundation came together to prioritize funds, the release states.

“This is Big Sky at its best,” stated Hannah Richardson, executive director of SPCF. “Our ability to come together to address community needs has always been a strength. We are grateful for this partnership with United Way to support our local, working families with an affordable childcare summer program. We believe this is just the beginning of the Big Sky Child Task Force’s ability to leverage existing partnerships and programs to create more child care options for Big Sky parents.”

BSSD Superintendent Dustin Shipman wrote a statement to EBS: “We are thrilled to be able to partner with Greater Gallatin United Way to offer this programming for the Big Sky community. The trustees were unanimous in their support of whatever the program needs.”

Hall called it “remarkable collaboration” in an email alongside the release, and told EBS in a phone call that affordable child care need is “critical” in Big Sky.

Mariel Butan, executive director of Morningstar Learning Center, is keenly aware of the need for quality, affordable care. She wrote in statement to EBS that she’s grateful for United Way for making the program happen.

“Last year, MLC was the only provider offering enrollment throughout the summer for these children, and the demand was far beyond what we could accommodate. This year, we still have a waitlist for children three and under, but kidsLINK Big Sky is helping to close a huge gap in summer care in our community.”

Ruthi Solari, director of community impact for the YCCF, also wrote a statement to EBS:

“Working families are the heartbeat of Big Sky’s community. This program, which builds on the successful launch of BSSD’s 4K school year program, will provide affordable, accessible early-learning education during the summer and will help Big Sky to be more livable year-round for families. Childcare is an essential part of a healthy economy and YCCF

TWO FATAL CRASHES ON U.S. HIGHWAY 191

EBS STAFF

GALLATIN GATEWAY—A fatal collision occurred on U.S. Highway 191 in Gallatin Gateway on Tuesday, May 16.

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department received a call at 6:23 p.m. regarding a multivehicle accident with a passenger ejection near mile marker 71. Due to significant force of collision and ejection, one passenger died at the scene of the crash, according to Sgt. Dan Haydon, with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

The deceased was identified as 29-year-old Bozeman resident Deivin Roney Soto Baires. The investigation of the crash is ongoing by the sheriff’s office, Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Motor Carrier Services.

According to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Jacob Patton, three vehicles were involved.

Vehicle one was a small passenger car with five total occupants driving northbound. The

driver lost control in the rain, and the vehicle began to hydroplane and spin, eventually contacting a second vehicle, a mid-size SUV, before making rear-to-front impact with a third vehicle, a large dump truck.

Occupants of the SUV and dump truck were uninjured, but four passengers from the smaller vehicle were transported to the hospital with minor injuries, and released Tuesday night, Patton said.

The fifth passenger, Soto Baires, was not wearing a seatbelt, he said.

The section of highway, near the mouth of the Gallatin Canyon to Big Sky, was closed for three and a half hours. Montana Department of Transportation set up a detour down Mill Street and south through Gallatin Gateway on secondary roads.

Mile marker 71 is located near a stretch of two-lane traffic in the northbound direction. It is unclear whether that passing zone played a role in the multi-vehicle crash, as the event remains under investigation.

Be a river hero.

Motorcyclist dies in Gallatin Canyon

Four days later, a 27-year-old died in a motorcycle accident on U.S. Highway 191 near the Greek Creek Campground in Gallatin Canyon.

The solo rider was traveling north through Gallatin Canyon around 7:45 p.m. on Saturday evening on a Kawasaki motorcycle when the rider failed to negotiate a corner, according to a Montana Highway Patrol report.

The bike crossed the center line and collided with the guardrail before the rider came to a stop in the southbound lane, and the bike in the ditch off the northbound lane. The MHP report states that the rider was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

The rider was pronounced dead during transport to the hospital, the report states. The Gallatin County Coroners Office declined to comment on the incident.

Since 1973, American Rivers has been the leading conservation organization working to protect and restore our nation’s rivers and streams.

Today, our rivers face more threats than ever due to harmful development and climate change. That’s why we’ve committed to protecting 1 million river miles by 2030. We’re getting started by working to pass the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act to permanently protect 20 of our state’s most cherished rivers, including the Gallatin and Madison.

Help us protect the rivers you love.

GALLATIN RIVER, MONTANA PAT CLAYTON

PEAK SKIS SHOWROOM

THERE’S MONEY FOR WILDLIFE CROSSINGS, BUT WILL SOMEONE BUILD ONE BY GALLATIN CANYON?

BY RYAN STROTHER EBS CONTRIBUTOR

When asked if Gallatin County is aware of the problem of wildlife collisions on U.S. Highway 191, County Commissioner Jennifer Boyer is emphatic: “Yes, definitely. For sure. That's an easy yes.”

The stretch of highway that connects Big Sky with Bozeman saw a spike in elk-vehicle collisions last fall, and collisions in the corridor remain a hot issue for several local, state and federal agencies. Wildlife-vehicle collisions and ecological fragmentation is a major problem in Montana and around the country, and two new sources of funding designated to address those problems could make wildlife crossing structures in the Gallatin Canyon a step closer to reality.

On April 3 of this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a pilot program intended to improve habitat connectivity and reduce vehicle-wildlife collisions. The Wildlife Crossings Program designates a total of $350 million over five years to projects that increase the safety of roads and improve ecosystem connectivity.

Funding is also available through the Montana Wildlife & Transportation Partnership. The MWTP is accepting proposals for stand-alone projects that reduce wildlife-vehicle conflicts and increase opportunities for wildlife to cross Montana’s roads safely.

A study of 191 nearly complete

A major next step for solving the crossing problem in Gallatin Canyon is The Center for Large Landscapes (CLLC) and the Western Transportation Institute’s assessment of the stretch of 191 between West Yellowstone and Four Corners. The study was initially estimated to be completed in early 2023, but remains in the review process with partners, who are providing input and data—all of which will be useful for potential funding applications.

There’s no shortage of organizations providing input: The Montana Department of Transportation, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, Yellowstone National Park, Gallatin County, and the Federal Highway Administration are all pitching in to detail the extent of risks to drivers and ecosystem fragmentation imposed by the highway.

Liz Fairbank is a road ecologist with CLLC and is working on the study. She frames landscape connectivity as “the safety net of nature.”

“Animals need to be able to move to meet daily, seasonal lifetime needs, and also to respond to all kinds of changing environmental conditions, whether that's climate change, fire, drought or disease,” Fairbank said.

The benefits of restoring ecological connectivity on highways with crossing

structures go far beyond just reducing wildlife collisions. While collisions pose serious risk to drivers and reduce wildlife numbers, populations that are prevented from attempting to cross roads at all might forever stay on one side of a highway, reducing genetic diversity and creating islands of non-interbreeding populations of the same species.

“If they're confined to these kind little islands of areas, whether that's protected areas or otherwise, then they're less able to respond to those pressures and they're less likely to be healthy and stable in the long term,” Fairbank said.

The report is unlikely to be ready with enough time for an application to the first round of funding in the Wildlife Crossings Program, which closes Aug. 1, 2023, or the current application cycle for the Montana Wildlife & Transportation Partnership–but funding opportunities remain in subsequent rounds of both programs and the report will certainly be useful to any entity applying for state or federal funding.

With lots up in the air, one reliable certainty to solving this issue, Fairbank says, is time.

“Anything that happens on 191 is going to be a multi-year project. [A wildlife crossing project] needs a lot of different agencies, different people to come together to coalesce around a specific site and a specific project. And that's going to take time,” Fairbank said.

A cow elk attempts to cross a road. ADOBE STOCK

No clear champion for a crossing… yet

The list of potential project leaders and applicants for funding is a long alphabet-soup of stakeholder organizations, but currently no group has taken the helm as leader of the charge.

Commissioner Boyer said Gallatin County is eager to help efforts to build a structure, through grant writing support or providing matching funds from a payment-in-lieuof-taxes credit the county receives from the federal government for its stewardship of public lands—a useful measure in the case of federal funding, which requires at least 20% in matching funds. But Boyer says the county is unlikely to head up the project.

“I think it’s going to take all of us pulling in the same direction, and I don’t know if the county will end up being the leader. My gut says probably not just because of the road jurisdiction,” Boyer said.

A common sentiment among all organizations involved in improving landscape connectivity in southwest Montana is the strong need for support from the Montana Department of Transportation. No matter who takes up the project, no funding application will be successful without strong backing from MDOT.

Another challenge waiting for any organization who might submit a proposal remains the potential for future development on private

land. According to experts at the CLLC, there’s no way to build an effective crossing structure near the mouth of the Gallatin Canyon that will actually be used by wildlife without connecting parcels of private land. For an application to be successful, they say, cooperation with private landowners is key.

The CLLC created a guide for land trusts and private landowners to evaluate options for protecting migratory paths of wildlife. Protection of private lands, most successfully done through the creation of conservation easements, will be a key component of any successful funding application.

Beyond Gallatin Canyon

Reducing collisions with elk and white-tail deer on 191 is a major priority for Gallatin County, but the problem of collisions and connectivity extends far beyond the canyon. The Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) Conservation Initiative seeks to connect and protect the 2,200-mile stretch of habitat from Wyoming to the northern Yukon Territory. Habitat fragmented by roads like Highway 191 are a serious barrier to connectivity, but larger state highways and interstates like I-90 can pose an even greater ecological cutoff, shutting down animal movement between major regions.

Grizzly bears, for example, are known to cross smaller state and federal highways, but rarely venture across larger roadways like I-90, which serves as the de-facto northern range limit

for the Yellowstone grizzly population. Jessie Grossman is a landscape connectivity manager for the Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y), who focuses on the ecological impacts of roadways.

“I’ve been working on this issue for 10 years, and off the top of my head I can think of two examples of grizzly bears in Montana that have successfully made it across I-90 that we know of,” she said.

Though the documented crossings are near zero, Grossman says the fact that it’s not zero is a hopeful sign.

“On one hand that's really good news because it means that I-90 isn't a complete barrier. It's not hopeless,” Grossman said. “It shows us that connectivity is possible and wildlife are finding a way, and I think it's our responsibility to make it easier for them.”

For wildlife crossings to have maximum effectiveness, Grossman said, connecting multiple connectivity projects across multiple highways will work best to connect large landscapes together and protect the health of wildlife populations.

Commissioner Boyer agrees: “Highway 191 is super important, but that is not the only place in our county and in our region that is a critical corridor. [Roads like I-90] are also having impacts both ecologically and with safety, with transportation and people.”

SOFTBALL ON DECK

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR BIG SKY’S CO-ED SOFTBALL LEAGUE

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—It’s almost dinger season.

The Big Sky Co-ed Softball League will toss the first slow pitch of its 23rd season on Monday, June 12 at the Big Sky Community Park. Games will take place at 6 and 7:15 p.m., Monday through Wednesday throughout the summer with the exception of Big Sky’s unofficial All-Star Break from July 3-5. The playoff tournament will take place on the weekend of Aug. 26-27, and the full season schedule is available here.

Registration is open for players for a fee of $15 each, until July 5 to allow new community members to join. Free agents looking to join a team are encouraged to email Recreation Coordinator Steven Reid no later than July 5. All players must be registered before taking the field.

Reid told EBS he’s pleased to see that 14 teams registered this season. In his new role with BSCO, which includes running the league, he said he received good

especially those already planning to spectate—will volunteer as field umpires for support.

“If you’re already going to be at the field and want to get trained,” Reid suggested of volunteer umpires.

The league is also looking for volunteers to run the scoreboards. Reid said it’s another great way for fans to stay engaged with the prime-time action.

BSCO will host a softball kickoff party with pickup games on June 17 at the Community Park from 5 to 8 p.m.

Reid, a former teacher in North Carolina and Colorado, once spent his free summers in Big Sky and played for the team sponsored by Country Market. He said he’s excited to join BSCO, and that his recent decision to move full-time to Big Sky was driven by the opportunity to expand BSCO’s recreational offerings. He’ll be playing in the league, too.

“Especially since Big Sky is a place that’s really growing,”

On June 3 after the Harbor’s Hero 5k Color Run, BSCO will host a pickup softball game at 10:30 a.m.

For those not into running or softball, Feher added that June 3 is National Trails Day. Trail work volunteers can meet at Community Park at 8:30 a.m. for four hours of callus-building work, followed by a barbecue at the park.

Inaugural Big Sky Baseball community event

In similar news, the Big Sky Royals youth baseball program will host a community event on Friday, June 2 at the Community Park, including a Lone Peak High School intra-squad exhibition game to showcase the new Big Horns baseball program.

The event begins at 4 p.m. and includes a raffle for the following prizes: a Big Sky Resort bike haul pass, four two-day tickets to the Wildlands Festival, a bowling party at the Montage, six movie passes to The Waypoint and a bike rental from Black Tie Adventures. Raffle tickets can purchased at the Big Sky Royals Baseball event page.

MERINO TECH TEE RIVER RUN HOODIE CHALET PULLOVER

SPRING SPORTS ROUND-UP: BIG HORN GOLF ONE STROKE SHY OF CLASS C TEAM TITLE

LEYDIG WINS INDIVIDUAL GOLF TROPHY; BIG SKY TRACK AND TENNIS ADD STRONG SHOWINGS AT STATE

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—The Lone Peak High School spring season was highlighted by the golf team’s trip to state, an opportunity which they rode just one stroke shy of a Class C state title.

Bolstered by a trio of freshmen, the ladies finished in a second-place tie with Broadus High School, just one stroke over state champion Manhattan Christian High School. Head coach Jenny Wilcynski said she’s never seen a two-round tournament finish so tight between three teams at the top. Despite falling short of a team win, freshman Cate Leydig finished atop the Class C leaderboard by three strokes.

Between golf, track and field, tennis and baseball, Big Sky’s spring athletes made the best of the lingering winter and showed improvement and promise, a sentiment echoed to EBS by coaches across all sports.

Leydig said it was a pretty big surprise to win the Class C individual category. Wilcynski said Leydig was shocked when she learned of her win—she shot 90 and 81 between her two rounds, three strokes ahead of Paityn Curtis from Plentywood High School, who shot 88 and 86.

“I come into a tournament with the hope of finishing top five, and I knew there was some pretty stiff competition,” she said. After day one, trailing Curtiss by a couple strokes, she didn’t focus much on her individual rank.

“Knowing Cate was holding her own, is huge,” coach Wilcynski said. “She’s a solid golfer and doesn’t let much mentally distract her. Which is awesome for a freshman, very competitive.”

Like her coaches, Leydig focused on the team. She was excited to compete with her fellow freshmen standouts, Dylan Manka and Olivia Kameiniarz, with whom she’s been golfing for years, and senior Myla Hoover, who just started golfing last year and earned a top-25 finish at divisionals—a feat commended by coach Wilcynski.

Wilcynski knew that Leydig, Manka and Kameiniarz didn’t have much experience competing as a team, only having entered individual tournaments before high school.

“I think it was a great experience, they learned a lot, and they have that competitive team edge,” Wilcynski said. She’s been watching them compete in golf events since grade school, and said she’s excited to have three solid players coming through the high school program.

The state tournament took place on May 16 and 17 at Anaconda Hills Golf Course near Great Falls. Wilcynski said it’s a challenging course, especially because the front and back nine were constructed 63 years apart.

Broadus led by five strokes after the first round, but Wilcynski and assistant coach Marja Sorensen stressed the importance of working together, noting that every putt would matter on day two.

“Lo and behold, that’s exactly what happened,” Wilcynski said. All three teams traded positions, on day two, and with the final foursome—featuring Leydig— on the 17th hole, were knotted in a three-way tie.

Wilcynski said Leydig lipped out a birdie putt on hole 17. On the final hole, both Leydig and her Manhattan Christian opponent were on the green in two shots, and it came down to putting.

“In the years that I’ve coached [since 2015], I’ve never seen that exciting of a finish. It was a really wild finish,” Wilcynski said.

Leydig said the pressure of narrow state tournament didn’t set in until the end.

“Up until [the 18th] hole, I hadn’t been too worried about it. But the green was surrounded by people, and it was kind of nerve-wracking,” Leydig said.

She didn’t expect the chance to putt for individual and state Class C titles, considering the lingering winter kept the team practicing indoors for weeks. But after the Big Horns finished in second place at divisionals, she said it boosted their confidence, “knowing that we could podium,” Leydig said.

And podium they did, just one stroke over Manhattan Christian’s 581 and tied with Broadus, all decided by a few putts on the 18th green.

Next year, as the Big Horns move up to Class B, Leydig and Wilcynski are confident they’ll face stiffer competition.

“But I still think we’re a really strong team and we’ll have a chance to have another result like we did this year,” Leydig said.

Unlike Class C which counts the top three scores from a team of four, Class B scores four of five. With seniors Josie Wilcynski—who missed the state tournament due to school’s IB testing—and Hoover graduating, coach Wilcynski knows the Big Horns will need to find at least one more strong golfer to be competitive next spring.

On the boys side, Isaac Bedway qualified individually for state.

“This was his first year playing golf on a golf team,” coach Wilcynski said. “To make state in your first year—he was competitive with scores in the 90s [on a challenging course]—he’s a heck of a competitor and I think we’ll see some good stuff from him in the next couple years.”

State golfers from Lone Peak High School. COURTESY OF JENNY WILCYNSKI

The Lone Peak High School girls golf program qualified for state, resulting in a near Class C title. COURTESY OF JENNY WILCYNSKI

High school golf might be wrapping up, but as locals know, golf season is just getting started. Wilcynski expects the team to improve throughout the summer.

Big Horns on the track

Lone Peak High School track coach James Miranda spoke on the phone with EBS before heading off to the Class C state meet in Laurel on May 25-26.

Three Big Horns athletes returned to state: senior Orrin Coleman will go the distance in the 1600-meter and 3200-meter runs, senior Ben Saad will compete in the high jump, and junior Astrid McGuire qualified again for 800-meter and 1600-meter events.

Miranda said Coleman and McGuire hold LPHS records in each of those events, and Saad will be highjumping in college, “which is pretty awesome,” Miranda noted. “[Saad] is an individual who just started track a year ago—he was able to dunk a basketball, and he came out for track and things just worked out pretty quick.”

Coleman, an experienced Nordic skier, brough similar talent to the track. Miranda said he’s a strong distance runner with the right internal motor, and benefitted from speed work since joining last year.

Miranda described McGuire as “the energizer bunny,” noting that she “burns both ends of the candle” between early morning workouts and after school study hours.

The Big Horn track team had roughly 16 members this season, although numbers wavered between injuries, scheduling conflicts and club soccer, he said. A few athletes finished one place shy of state at the divisional meet, he added.

“Considering it’s a small program, I’m pretty proud of the fact we took our biggest-ever team of individuals to divisionals in Missoula,” he said, adding that nine or 10 athletes reached Missoula.

Miranda said he cares less about overall results and more about improvement.

“I do consider it to be a very successful season, I’m very proud of our athletes and the time and effort they put into it,” Miranda said. “Every single athlete had a personal record in their event… As a coach, that’s exactly what I look for in the track program.”

The Big Horns have plenty of talent to look forward to, as well.

“Holy cow, yeah,” Miranda said. “We’ve been out there coaching… I see a few eighth graders that look like they’ll be ready to start hot and maybe make it to that next level—[reaching] divisionals and maybe state.”

Ophir track and field sledgehammers the record board

Coach Tina Albers revived Ophir Middle School’s track team this season after a few-year hiatus. In a phone call with EBS, she was overjoyed to share more than a dozen record-breaking performances from one single meet on Thursday, May 18. It was the first-ever home track meet for the Miners or the Big Horns, and it was a co-ed, intra-squad meet.

The founder of OMS track more than two decades ago, Albers noted most of the standing records were from the late 1990s, when races were held on dirt and sand. Still, she said kids nowadays have gotten “a whole heck of a lot faster.”

Seventh-grader Olive Wolfe broke the 100-meter girls record, running it in 13.78 seconds. Seventh-grader Jack Barzizza claimed the boys record at 14.04 seconds.

Albers said the eighth-grade boys “pretty much shattered” the 4×100-meter relay record, running it in 54.84 seconds. On their heels, the seventh-grade girls set their own record with a 1 minute, 8-second finish.

Seventh-grader Maeve McRae ran the 200-meter dash in 28.2 seconds.

Seventh-grader Lola Morris ran the 400-meter dash in 1 minute, 11.72 seconds. Sixth-grader Owen Edgar ran it in 1:15.72.

Eighth-grader Liam Baker “crushed” the previous 800-meter record, Albers said, running it in 2:42.22. Lola Morris managed 3:04.47.

Seventh-grader Nick Hoadley ran the mile in 6:03.25. Eighth-grader Lucas O’Connor high-jumped 4 feet 10 inches, and Olive Wolfe long-jumped 14 feet 4 inches for a girls record. Nick Hoadley put his name on the boys side of the board jumping 14 feet 11 inches.

Coach Albers plans to start earlier next year so the team can enter more than the two meets they competed in this season.

“The kids came out and ran hard, they enjoyed it, and couldn’t wait to get meets in,” she said. She also thanked parent volunteers and coaches including assistant coach Laura Barzizza, who “did one heck of a great job,” Albers said.

Tennis duo wins two state matches

The Lone Peak High School tennis team sent two doubles teams to the Class B/C State Tournament in Great Falls on May 25-26.

Sophomore Addy Malinowski and junior Charlee Sue Dreisbach formed one duo, and senior Malin Nilsson paired up with sophomore Anna Masonic. Both pairs advanced to state from the divisional tournament.

Malinowski and Dreisbach played tennis last year, but Masonic and Nilsson are new to the program. Nilsson is an exchange student from Sweden.

Masonic and Nilsson lost in double elimination to Conrad High School and Three Forks High School.

Malinowski and Dreisbach, seeded No. 3 in the Class C Southwest Division, won their first match against Mission Valley Christian Academy, and lost to Simms High School. The Big Horns bounced back with a hard-fought win against Valley Christian School, before being eliminated by Bigfork High School.

“I am very proud of our team and how much they have improved over the season,” head coach Libby Grabow wrote to EBS.

Varsity baseball gets a dub

The LPHS baseball program has been featured by EBS as they debuted in Montana’s first ever high school baseball league this spring.

But despite a core of young, junior varsity talent, the varsity program was winless for much of the season. Granted, the Big Horns squared off against Class-Asized powerhouses from Butte and Belgrade and spent weeks practicing indoors, but W’s eluded them.

That changed on May 11, when the Big Horns rematched Butte Central Catholic High School and scored three touchdowns for the varsity program’s firstever win.

The Big Horns weren’t playing football, though. They won 23-15, including a 10-run third inning. Big Horn bats notched 16 hits, with two-hit games from freshman Ebe Grabow, senior Max Romney and junior Aidan Germain, and three hit showings from eighthgrader Sidney Morris and freshman Oliver McGuire.

McGuire pitched four innings for the Big Horns, allowing 10 runs on six hits with seven strikeouts, and earned the win.

Coach John McGuire noted that a double rainbow cast over the victorious Big Horns.

The Big Horns did not play any home games in their first season due to field issues. However, on Friday, June 2 at 5 p.m., they will play an intra-squad exhibition game at the Big Sky Community Park as part of a youth baseball community event.

The Big Horns celebrate their win under a dramatic sky. PHOTO BY DAVE PECUNIES

Ophir Middle School track team at their first ever home meet. COURTESY OF TINA ALBERS

MONTANA-BASED FILM TO HOST STATE PREMIERE IN BOZEMAN

BY JACK REANEY

A feature film depicting two anglers as they wade into solace from military trauma will premiere in Bozeman, with proceeds benefiting an organization which shares the same mission.

Based in Bozeman, Warriors & Quiet Waters brings post-9/11 combat veterans on fishing and outdoor trips in Montana. The nonprofit was co-founded by a Vietnam veteran and doctor in 2007. “Mending the Line,” filmed and set in Montana, shows the impact of an outdoor pastime like fly-fishing on veterans reintegrating into non-military life. The film will premiere in Bozeman on Thursday, June 8 at 7 p.m. at the Crawford Theater of the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture.

Beginning at 6 p.m., the Bozeman Film Society will host a social and raffle to benefit Warriors & Quiet Waters. A variety of fly-fishing and river gear will be raffled off.

The Montana-made film “is a careful, thoughtful look at the effects of PTSD that also manages to make wider points about how we heal,” according to a review by film critic Eddie Harrison. The movie won the Valor Award at the 2022 San Diego International Film Festival.

The film’s press release offers a brief preview of the film, which takes place in Livingston:

Brian Cox, an award-winning actor known recently for his role in HBO’s ‘Succession,’ stars as Ike Fletcher, a “surly, headstrong fly-fisherman” and Vietnam War veteran. Fletcher meets John Colter, a wounded Marine who returns to the states “still carrying the demons of war,” played by Sinqua Walls. Colter and Fletcher bond over flyfishing and cross paths with Lucy, a photographer and librarian who reads to veterans, played by Perry Mattfeld.

“While getting treatment for his wounds, both physical and psychological, Colter wants only to re-enlist, to have something to die for. But the real challenge is finding something to live for,” the release states.

The film was written and produced by Bozeman resident Stephen Camelio, during his time working at a bookshop in Yellowstone National Park around 2009.

Many scenes were shot in Montana, featuring the Angler’s West fly shop on the Yellowstone River in Emigrant and a fishing montage on the private DePuys Spring Creek in Livingston. Fletcher and Colter’s opening and closing fishing scenes were shot on the Gallatin River, in the exact spot where “old Norman” fishes alone at the conclusion of “A River Runs Through It”—the location was chosen for its beauty and in homage

to the 1992 film, according to documents from “Mending the Line.”

Scenes depicting overseas combat were filmed at the US Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California.

After the premiere, Bozeman Film Society will host a panel featuring Camelio, Warriors & Quiet Waters staff member, alumni and film cameo Larry Weidinger, and fisheries biologist Joe Urbani.

“We are excited to bring the Montana Premiere to the Emerson Crawford Theater and support the amazing work that Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation provides to our veterans,” wrote Lisa McGregory, executive director of the Bozeman Film Society, in an email to EBS.

Although Camelio was unable to speak with EBS due to the ongoing Writer’s Guild of America strike, he wrote a screenwriter’s statement about the film before the strike began.

Camelio’s father volunteered to fight in Vietnam, and was later diagnosed with a rare form of cancer linked to Agent Orange exposure. Camelio writes that his father inspired the teaching aspect portrayed in the film.

“As an avid angler who was at the time writing for many fishing publications, during my father’s battle with cancer and after his passing in 2013, I often took solace on the rivers of Yellowstone National Park and Montana,” Camelio wrote. “As every fly fisherman knows, there are few things as therapeutic as standing in cool, moving water accompanied only by the rhythm of a fly rod and the possibility of a rising fish. It was during these forays into the outdoors that I experienced the healing power of fly fishing. Through these experiences I also came up with the story that would become MENDING THE LINE.”

The film was directed by Joshua Caldwell of upstate New York, who came highly recommended for his passion for fly-fishing in the Catskill Mountains, and his interest in telling stories related to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Camelio wrote that it was a conscious decision to set the film in his adopted home state of Montana. He sought to bring his personal experience to the script “while capturing the essence of Montana’s wild places that captivate all who immerse themselves in them,” he wrote. In doing so, he added, “I have come to realize it is no longer my story.

“Everyone involved with the film has turned it into a universal tale of resilience and redemption, and in doing so they’ve created a moving example of how to start the healing process much like I did on the water many years ago,” Camelio concluded.

‘MENDING THE LINE’ OPENS JUNE 8, PREMIERE EVENT BENEFITS WARRIORS & QUIET WATERS FOUNDATION

In "Mending the Line," a Vietnam War veteran shares the comfort of fly-fishing with a wounded warrior from Afghanistan, recovering in Livingston, Mont. COURTESY OF MENDING THE LINE

Actor Brian Cox fishes in the Gallatin River for a shot in “Mending the Line.” COURTESY OF MENDING THE LINE

Actors Perry Mattfeld and Sinqua Walls on set for “Mending the Line.”

COURTESY OF MENDING THE LINE

500 years ago, at least 30 million bison roamed the plains. That number is now less than 30,000. The depletion of free range bison has been attributed to:

•Decades of over-exploitation

•Decline in genetic diversity

•Habitat loss

•Human Interaction

Yellowstone National Park boasts the nation's largest free range buffalo herd, but only two others remain - the Henry’s Mountains and Book Cliffs herds, both in southern Utah.

Paid for by the animals in your backyard.

- 100 colonies estimated in 2015 in Yellowstone National Park

- One colony may support 2–14 beavers that are usually related. Six is considered average

- YNP’s beavers escaped most of the trapping that occurred in the 1800s due to the region’s inaccessibility

Unregulated trapping, deforestation, and destruction of dams due to unwanted flooding have continued to affect the beaver population.

Paid for by the animals in your backyard.

BIG SKY EVENTS CALENDAR

THURSDAY JUNE 1

HR Community Meeting

Big Sky County Water & Sewer Conference Room, 9 a.m.

Pickleball Open Play

BASE, 10 a.m.

Al-Anon Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 4 p.m.

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7 p.m.

Screening: Ski Movie Classics

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

FRIDAY JUNE 2

Big Sky Baseball Exhibition Game

Community Park, 4 p.m.

Monsters of Destruction Monster Truck Rally

Gallatin County Fairgrounds, 7:30 p.m.

Karaoke Night

The Waypoint, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY JUNE 3

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7:30 a.m.

Harbor’s Hero Run

Big Sky Community Park, 9 a.m.

St Joseph’s Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 5 p.m.

Live Music: Tom Marino

The Waypoint, 7 p.m.

SUNDAY JUNE 4

St Joseph’s Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 8 a.m.

All Saints Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 10 a.m.

Sunday Morning Open Yoga

BASE, 10 a.m.

Interdenominational Service

Soldiers Chapel, 11 a.m.

Big Sky Christian Fellowship Service

Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m.

Screening: Throwback Movies

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

MONDAY JUNE 5

Resort Tax Allocation Meeting

BASE, 5:30 p.m.

Pyrography (Woodburning) Class

BASE, 6 p.m.

NA Meeting

Big Sky Medical Center, 6:30 p.m.

Mario Kart Tournament

The Waypoint, 7 p.m.

Trivia

Tips Up, 9 p.m.

TUESDAY JUNE 6

Wine and Dine Tuesday

Rainbow Ranch Lodge 5 p.m.

Resort Tax Allocation Meeting

BASE, 5:30 p.m.

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 5:30 p.m.

Screening: The Yin and Yang of Gerry Lopez

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 7

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 12 p.m.

Summer Farmers Market Opening Day

Big Sky Town Center, 5 p.m.

Trivia Night

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY JUNE 8

Al-Anon Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 4 p.m.

Eighth Grade Graduation

The Waypoint, 3:30 p.m.

Resort Tax Allocation Meeting

BASE, 5:30 p.m.

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY JUNE 9

Big Sky School District Last Day of School

Academic Year

Town Clean Up

Len Hill Park, 3 p.m.

Free Outdoor Flag Football

Len Hill Park, 6 p.m.

Karaoke Night

The Waypoint, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY JUNE 10

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7:30 a.m.

Big Sky Resort Summer Season Opening Day

Big Sky Resort, 9 a.m.

St Joseph’s Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 5 p.m.

Live Music: Alex Robilotta Trio

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

SUNDAY JUNE 11

St Joseph’s Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 8 a.m.

All Saints Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 10 a.m.

Interdenominational Service

Soldiers Chapel, 11 a.m.

Big Sky Christian Fellowship Service

Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m.

Screening: Throwback Movies

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

MONDAY JUNE 12

Pyrography (Woodburning) Class BASE, 6 p.m.

NA Meeting Big Sky Medical Center, 6:30 p.m.

Competitive Video Games

The Waypoint, 7 p.m.

Trivia Tips Up, 9 p.m.

TUESDAY JUNE 13

Sip And Savor: Tasting and Appetizer Pairing Rainbow Ranch, 4 p.m.

AA Meeting Big Sky Chapel, 5:30 p.m.

Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival The Waypoint, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14

St Joseph’s Mass Big Sky Chapel, 12 p.m.

AA Meeting Big Sky Medical Center, 12 p.m.

Farmers Market Big Sky Town Center, 5 p.m.

Trivia Night The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

FEATURED EVENT

BIG SKY BASEBALL EXHIBITION GAME

On June 2 at the Community Park, the Lone Peak High School Big Horns will play an intra-squad baseball game during a Big Sky Royals Baseball community event, which begins at 4 p.m.

BUSINESS

MAKING IT IN BIG SKY: ELEVATED TAX & ACCOUNTING

BY MIRA BRODY

BIG SKY—It was a windy path to Big Sky for Emilee Rutz, owner of Elevated Tax & Accounting, but she and her family permanently settled after a few back-and-forths in 2016 and have since enjoyed the outdoor activities it has to offer, as well as the support of the community toward her business. Motivated to have control over her work-life balance, Rutz and her business partner Cherie Spradlin started Elevated in 2016 to fill the need for tax and accounting services in Big Sky, serving mostly small businesses across Gallatin County.

For this issue’s Making it in Big Sky, Explore Big Sky sat down with Rutz and talked about Elevated, her family and the joy of building her life in a place like Big Sky.

This series is part of a paid partnership with the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce. The following answers have been edited for brevity.

Explore Big Sky: I’d like to start with a little background information on you, when did you first come to Big Sky and what brought you here?

Emilee Rutz: My name is Emilee Rutz. I grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota and moved to Montana in 2008 to attend Montana State University where I met my husband, Adam. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Cell Biology and Neuroscience in 2012. Adam and I got married at Big Sky Resort in 2012 and then we moved back to Rapid City where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. In 2014, we moved back to Bozeman and then in 2016 we moved to Big Sky. Since moving to Big Sky, we have had two incredible daughters, Avery and Althea. As a family, we enjoy all the outdoor adventure Big Sky has to offer along with the small community.

EBS: Tell me about the history of Elevated Tax & Accounting? When did it first come to be? Was there a need in the community at the time?

ER: Elevated Tax and Accounting came to be when my business partner Cherie and I wanted to change our work life balance. We met at a firm in Bozeman and found there was an opportunity to provide a higher level of client service and room for improvement in the typical accounting

“We wanted to work hard, get our work done and then go enjoy life. Elevated Tax & Accounting was started in 2016. There was and still is a need for accountants in Big Sky. Nationwide there is a shortage of accountants and Big Sky is no exception.

firm structure. We streamlined what we felt were outdated methods of client communication and procedures and stepped away from sitting in a desk from 8-5 every day while doing so. We wanted to work hard, get our work done and then go enjoy life. Elevated Tax & Accounting was started in 2016. There was and still is a need for accountants in Big Sky. Nationwide there is a shortage of accountants and Big Sky is no exception.

EBS: Have you guys grown and changed over the years as the community has?

ER: We have grown and changed over the years. Our client base is comprised mostly of small businesses in Gallatin County.

EBS: Tell me about the different services you offer?

ER: We offer bookkeeping, full-service payroll, business and individual income tax preparation, tax planning and controller services.

EBS: How big is your team?

ER: There are three of us. Cherie and I as partners and our employee, Susana, in Florida.

EBS: What’s the best thing about working in Big Sky?

ER: The best thing about working in Big Sky is the small community. My husband and I have built our life here and continue to work hard to provide our girls with the opportunity to grow up in the small, but abundant, community of Big Sky.

EBS: What is the best business advice you have ever received?

ER: You are replaceable at your job, but not in your home. Making sure you have a life outside of work is important to prevent burn-out and loss of self.

EBS: Anything else you would like to add?

ER: Thank you to the Big Sky community businesses that have made Elevated Tax and Accounting what it is today!

Elimee Rutz and her business partner Cherie Spradlin started Elevated in 2016 to fill the need for tax and accounting services in Big Sky.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILEE RUTZ

–Emilee Rutz, owner and founder, Elevated Tax & Accounting

Big Sandy

25,000± acre ranch near Big Sandy, MT. 18,124± acres deeded and over 8,000± acres BLM and State lease the ranch is a 650 cow calf pair and had 5,000± tillable acres plus a 30+ year outfitting history for trophy mule deer and big horn sheep hunts. $17,450,000 |

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Incredible views of Lone Peak, Mountain Village and Andesite. This home has been partially renovated and would be perfect for a new owner to complete the renovation to their own specifications. Ski accessable with local knowledge.

ZY BROWN RANCH RD

OPINION

A LA CARTE ADVENTURE AND ADAPTABILITY

BY RACHEL HERGETT EBS COLUMNIST

I always thought I would be good at “Cutthroat Kitchen,” a show hosted by Alton Brown that aired on Food Network from 2013 to 2017. Though set up like many other reality cooking competition shows—four contestants are whittled down through a series of challenges and eventually one winner emerges— this one was devious. Contestants started with a bunch of cash they could use to bid on sabotages that may seriously derail their competitors. Brown, as the auctioneer and seeming mastermind, would cackle as the crew would take away their pots or replace their cooktops with candles.

He would make them cook in a boat or on a rotating platform.

The show was a study in adaptability.

One summer weekend, I was invited to join a friend and his family at the sand dunes outside Saint Anthony, Idaho, for some four-wheeling and dune-buggying. Dinner the first night came with apologies. They were happy to share their hamburgers and hot dogs, but that was all they had. “We wanted to make more,” they said, “but only have a grill.” The stove in their grandfather’s giant RV wasn’t functioning.

I have nothing against a hot dog, and often throw some in my cooler for camping trips, but I had planned for nothing more than a grill, marinating chicken (try cheap Italian dressing and thank me later) and slathering zucchini sticks in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano. Hot dogs were abandoned when I started cooking. I had more than enough to share.

The next morning, I made their family breakfast. Not wanting to scorch the bottom of their pans, I created a makeshift cooking surface out of tinfoil and scrambled eggs on the grill alongside bacon and hash brown patties.

Thing is, while my kitchen is stocked with all sorts of nifty contraptions to make cooking easier, we don’t actually need all the gadgets to make something great.

I learned this lesson early. My family never skimped on the food on yearly river trips, simply modifying recipes for what cooking surfaces may be available. I learned to make use of cook stoves and fire pits. I learned to adapt.

During a canoe trip through Big Thicket National Preserve, I made full steak dinners for a crew of amazed Texans over a fire I built myself. That meal included grilled jalapeño poppers with bacon and Stove Top stuffing. Boxed stuffing is a camping staple in my family. If you can heat water, you can make instant stuffing.

Ideally, when heading out on a river or to the woods, my “kitchen” has three main supplies:

A grill grate, a cast iron pan or Dutch oven and a pot to boil water.

The grill grate can be propped up with rocks over coals at the edge of a fire and doubles as a cooktop if needed. While I should probably add one to my camping supplies, I often just steal the grate off my own grill for the journey. Adaptability.

Cast iron can go directly in the fire, which makes it an ideal, if heavy tool. And boiling water is key to stuffing or, more importantly, coffee.

Using these tools, I’ve cooked biscuits and gravy on the side of the Colorado River in the middle of Canyonlands National Park, made crawdad stew when our meat cooler was left open on the Smith River, and, when my headlamp went missing, grilled steaks (an obvious on-the-go favorite) in the dark using the hand/finger test.

Honing your ability to adapt your cooking methods opens up new worlds of flavor in places where they may be least expected. And most appreciated.

Rachel Hergett is a foodie and cook from Montana. She is arts editor emeritus at the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and has written for publications such as Food Network Magazine and Montana Quarterly. Rachel is also the host of the Magic Monday Show on KGLT-FM and teaches at Montana State University.

Sausages cook on a cast iron skillet over a campfire. ADOBE STOCK

THE BIG SKY WAY

WE’VE GOT A TIGER BY THE TAIL!

BY DANIEL BIERSCHWALE EBS COLUMNIST

BIG SKY—Spring is in the air and as wildflowers appear on the Montana landscape so do the orange cones that signal the beginning of road construction season.

As soon as next year, partners will be celebrating the completion of road improvements to Montana Highway 64 (Lone Mountain Trail). This long-anticipated effort will soon be a reality. For a little short-term pain, Big Sky is certain to see huge long-term gain for this primary transportation artery.

Montana 64: A case study for public-private partnership

Most locals have come to know this road enhancement effort as the “MT 64 TIGER” Grant. It may seem odd to characterize road work by the name of a grant, but it certainly emphasizes how critical these funds were to make this work possible. In previous columns we have reviewed several public funding tools used to support services and infrastructure. Most of those tools are implemented through voter approval at the request of local government entities with taxing authority. In the case of the TIGER Grant, significant federal and state funding played a role in fulfilling this critical infrastructure.

The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Grant is a unique opportunity for the U.S. Department of Transportation to invest in critical road, rail, transit, and port projects. The history of this grant in Big Sky dates back to 2017 when a transportation study was commissioned by the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce. Drafted by

the Western Transportation Institute (WTI), the study was critical in creating the case for investment by articulating transportation needs. The grant request was submitted by Gallatin County in 2017.

A subsequent $10.3 million award from the program was granted in 2018 and over the course of multiple years and several bid solicitations the project costs began to rise. In the spirit of collaboration and partnership, Montana Department of Transportation, Gallatin County, Madison County, and Big Sky Resort Area District committed to cover the funding gap ensuring the full scope of work would happen. Additional financial support was committed from Lone Mountain Land Company for turn lanes—private support for public infrastructure is very rare.

Vision drives investment

The TIGER Grant is certainly not the only federal funding game in town. Both of Big Sky’s water and sewer districts received funding from the COVID-prompted American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program. The Big Sky Transportation District recently submitted a request for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant. Congress authorizes these programs each with its own unique set of objectives, rules, and allocated funds. In 2021, $1.2 trillion was authorized through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—time will tell how this program plays out for Montana. Federal programs help ease the burden on local government and most importantly incentivize collaboration, partnership, and local matching funds.

Our community is grateful for those who had the vision to pursue the TIGER grant.

What lessons can we learn from this community milestone? To start, it’s evident that we as a

community must mobilize around vital needs. As citizens (and hopefully voters), you can and should encourage your elected officials (local, county, state, federal) to plan, adapt, and collaborate to address needs. Infrastructure is extremely expensive and government needs to meet in the middle for our community to achieve our fullest potential. Encourage your elected officials to participate and prioritize needs through a partnership lens.

Help be part of the solution

With project funding secured and crews mobilized in Big Sky, the work is about to begin. Construction cones will line the roads and crews will be working hard to complete the efforts on Montana 64. There are a few additional tips for success. First and most importantly, determine if you even need a car on the road. Consider biking or walking to work, if feasible. If you have a flexible work schedule, consider altering drive times or working remotely. Participate in the GoGallatin: Big Sky One Less Car program or utilize the Skyline public transit system. Together we can play an important role in mitigating congestion. Last, but certainly not least, please exercise kindness in your driving habits and be friendly to the contractors who are working to improve your road network.

Eventually we will let the tiger go and the cones will hibernate—I promise.

Daniel Bierschwale is the Executive Director of the Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD). As a dedicated public servant, he is committed to increasing civic engagement and voter education. Many ballot issues impact government services and public funding including subsequent property tax impacts. BSRAD is the local government agency that administers Resort Tax, which offsets property taxes while also funding numerous community-wide nonprofit programs.

TIGER Grant road work will begin in early June after weather-related delays. DESIGN BY TRISTA HILLMAN

EVERY DROP COUNTS

POINT SOURCE VERSUS NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION; WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

BY MARNE HAYES EBS COLUMNIST

When we talk about sources of pollution to rivers and streams, and more specifically about how different sources of pollution find their way into the Gallatin, we are talking about two distinct and different sources: point source, and nonpoint source (NPS) pollution.

Point source pollution is distinctively different from nonpoint source pollution in that point source pollution, as defined under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA), includes “those pollutants that enter surface water via any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance.” Point source pollutants are the product of human activities from a specific location, such as discharges, and via an identifiable source, such as a pipe. Point sources are regulated, meaning that facilities must have a permit to discharge pollutants from point sources into waterbodies like a river.

In cities with wastewater management facilities that directly discharge into a waterway, a pipe (or pipes) is in place to transport treated wastewater directly into the river or waterway. These pipes serve as specific "point sources" and are open to being regulated, shut off, rerouted, or otherwise controlled by a regulatory agency. For reference, Big Sky does not have a direct point source that goes into the Gallatin River. Unlike Bozeman, Livingston, and Ennis, who do utilize direct point source discharge, Big Sky does not use any point source (piped) discharge to mitigate its treated community wastewater.

Unlike point source pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, nonpoint source pollution (NPS) comes from many diffuse sources, and can be caused by things like rainfall and snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human made pollutants, depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, and groundwater. This type of pollution comes from contaminants on the ground or in soils that occur naturally or from humans. Examples of NPS from different sources are things such as pet waste, irrigation, fertilizers, recreation, and septic systems, as well as grazing, timber harvest, and abandoned mine lands.

Because there is such a wide range of NPS pollutants and conditions, their journey from source to the river is often difficult to trace—i.e., you can't identify a single point, or pipe, going into the river as the problem, or source of pollution. With specific NPS sources coming from things that are more difficult to point to—like dog or horse waste, fertilizers, or septic systems—it becomes equally as difficult to quantify or enforce regulations to these sources.

Despite this, we know that during storm events or when runoff is high, they end up contributing pollutants to the river.

According to the Montana DEQ, nonpoint source pollution is the largest contributor of water quality problems on a statewide basis when compared to point sources of pollution. In a report by the Environmental Protection Agency, of all the

waterbodies across the nation that have been assessed and a possible source of impairment identified, 85% of rivers and streams and 80% of lakes and reservoirs are polluted by nonpoint sources.

Montana’s goal, and one shared largely by the Gallatin River Task Force, is to support a clean and healthy environment by protecting and restoring water quality from the harmful effects of nonpoint source pollution. We believe this can best be achieved through voluntary water conservation practices that use the watershed approach to mitigate pollution sources. Things like more mindful irrigation, upgraded and expanded water and sewer facilities, and awareness of pollution sources are just the start. Without local capacity and landowner engagement, projects that contribute to improving water quality of nonpoint source pollution don’t happen.

To address nonpoint sources of water pollution, Congress enacted Section 319 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), which gives access to grant funding for states and other designated areas to support a wide range of activities and projects addressing nonpoint source pollution. Local Big Sky projects funded by Section 319 include restoration work along both the Middle Fork and the West Fork tributaries of the Gallatin.

These point and nonpoint sources are important to understand and be aware of because they give perspective to the effect that humans have on the landscape. Whether the source is an abundance of animal waste, excess fertilizer, septic systems, road salt, etc., these are sources that can be altered by human behavior. We can pick up the waste left behind by our pets, advocate for vegetation buffers between roads and waterways, and replace septic systems when they are outdated or showing signs of failure (or hook up to centralized systems).

It's also important to note that while the DEQ can enforce regulations on point source pollution, any steps taken towards reducing nonpoint source pollution are voluntary. This makes the work of organizations like the Task Force so important because we have the tools to work within the community to change patterns and behavior that will improve the health of the river that aren't required by law. For this reason, community engagement, public stewardship, and an understanding of the various—and significant— sources of pollution to the Gallatin are imperative for its future health.

Marne Hayes is the communications manager for the Gallatin River Task Force.

The Gallatin River. ADOBE STOCK

DISPATCHES FROM THE WILD

SHARP-TAILED GROUSE DANCE ACROSS THE DIVIDE

MONTANA REINTRODUCES THE ONLY BIRD MISSING FROM ITS WEST

BY BENJAMIN ALVA POLLEY EBS COLUMNIST

Dawn’s first light adorned the undulating prairies northwest of Choteau, Montana, as male sharptailed grouse fancydanced across the lek. The lek is a traditional dance floor where males come to compete for the honor of breeding. But something was different in the leks this year: wire boxes, baited with berries and lined with guiding fences like funnels, lined the grass. The white and speckled brown colored males spread their wings, arched their tails, strutted, and stamped their little feet before curiosity guided them to ‘walk-in’ boxes while some hens followed. Teams sprinted to the traps from blinds with fishnets, mesh bags, and cardboard boxes. They captured both sexes of grouse for an ongoing reintroduction project in western Montana. It was late April.

Sharptails used to be one of the most abundant upland game birds in grassland hills, also known as sage-steppe in western Montana. But over the past 75 years, this vital member of the grassland community has steadily declined, and a hunting season for them ended in 1948. The birds went extinct in western Montana in the early 2000s. Sharptails are the only birds that existed when the Lewis & Clark expedition passed through that are no longer present in 25% of the state. Although biologists don’t fully understand the reasons for their disappearance, theories include habitat loss from fire suppression, conventional agriculture, overgrazing, construction of reservoirs—then the resulting loss of genetic diversity. Like many other species, sharptails need large tracts of contiguous habitat. While generalists adapt quickly to shrublands and intermittently treed areas, these grouse don’t like the evergreen encroachment that invites more predatory raptors and which both physically and genetically segregates their populations.

After three decades of planning and research, a diverse partnership of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Montana State University, private landowners, and sportsmen’s groups have continued their plan to bring sharptails back to western Montana. They’ll trap birds in the eastern part of the state, where large and genetically diverse populations still exist, and transfer them to private lands in two valleys identified with suitable habitat for successful reintroduction: the Bitterroot and the Blackfoot. Researchers identified three private landowners for initial release over the next nine years, but now in the third year, they have narrowed it down to two. They hope to establish two self-sustaining populations. This year, they caught grouse in live traps on Nature Conservancy land near Choteau, restored coal mining company land near Colstrip, and U.S. Bureau of Land Management land near Glasgow.

“FWP is the state wildlife management agency that regulates wildlife through protocols, assessments, and certain policy guidelines to give the green light to this kind of project,” said Ty Smucker, FWP wildlife biologist. “But it’s not just us. It's about other partners stepping up, whether other professionals, funders, or volunteers. It’s amazing the number of folks who helped us this year.”

Sharptails are indicator species signaling the health of native shrub-grasslands. These birds consume a wide variety of insects, including drought-induced grasshoppers. Also, they consume a whole host of plants and berries, helping disperse those seeds to new locales. Grouse are also important food for many predators. These birds are a critical game species both historically and for modern hunters and birders, who come from all over the world to witness springtime courtship displays every fall.

Later that April morning outside Choteau, project volunteers netted the birds from under the traps, placed them in mesh bags, then set them down in cardboard boxes for transport to their camp. There, biologists gathered in a wall tent to weigh and measure the birds, check them for injuries and parasites, and take blood samples. They clipped a toenail to draw a single drop of blood to document their genetic profile. They banded each of their legs with numbers to identify them and fit each bird with one of the three different transmitters—nano-tag, VHF, or GPS—to help researchers locate them after release. Last, they placed the captured birds in boxes in an air-conditioned vehicle and drove them (although one day, a volunteer even piloted a Cessna) across the state to ranches, where other teams received the birds and again checked their vitals before placing them in release boxes.

In 2006, a genetic analysis concluded that the sharptails in western Montana were all historically Plains subspecies, not the much rarer Columbian. This discovery opened the possibility for a potential reintroduction effort. A group with a specific purpose moved forward analyzing and comparing habitat quality in the eastern part of the state with habitat in all of western Montana, initially identifying three potential valleys with terrain as good or better than environments supporting birds in eastern Montana. The group asked MSU researchers to author a restoration plan in 2017, and FWP prepared an environmental assessment which the FWP Commission authorized in 2019. It took the group another two years to gather the necessary funding and population data identifying large “source” leks to move the dream toward reality.

As a precaution, FWP canceled the grouse trapping season early last year after only 43 healthy birds had been moved when avian

influenza was detected in the eastern part of the state. Still, two hens produced over 20 chicks in western Montana for the first time in almost 25 years. Now in the third year, the team captured 75 hens and 68 males, likely significantly boosting birds that survived the earlier smaller transplants.

“Sharptails are difficult to conserve. Montana’s lucky to still have large populations in eastern parts of the state,” said Ben Deeble, president of the Big Sky Upland Bird Association and lead proponent of the project. “They're the only bird that historically bred in western Montana, now absent. I’ve dedicated myself to trying to bring back this last missing member of our bird community.”

Twenty-four hours later and hundreds of miles from the opening scene, project teams huddled in trucks in the dark, waiting for dawn’s first light. The only miles-distant light came from the Manley homeplace, a 20,000-acre cattle ranch in the upper Blackfoot Valley near Helmville, Montana. Coyotes yipped and howled. The team hid behind camouflaged-colored burlap cloth taped to the truck’s ceiling and gripped nylon cords strung to a sliding door on release boxes.

They pulled the cords individually, liberating the birds from the temporary grouse hostels. Every five minutes, another grouse sauntered out onto the lek. Some flushed immediately, while others cautiously stepped out, taking in sounds and views. A few immediately danced. Vocal songs of other-worldly sharptail cooing came from hidden speakers soothing them and helping them feel at home. The birds are dancing on their own lek this year; no decoys required. This project is an excellent example of private working ranches cooperating with conservation groups and agencies to restore and enrich biodiversity.

Only time will tell if sharptails will again dance the “steppe” for years to come on Montana’s western valley grasslands.

Benjamin Alva Polley is a place-based storyteller with stories published in Outside, Adventure Journal, Popular Science, Field & Stream, Esquire, Sierra, Audubon, Earth Island Journal, Modern Huntsman, and other publications at his website www.benjaminpolley.com/stories. He holds a master’s in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism from the University of Montana.

A sharp-tailed grouse dances on a lek in the morning sun. ADOBE STOCK

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

MONO-, DI-, AND BRY-, OH MY!

BY PAUL SWENSON EBS COLUMNIST

It’s the beginning of June and plants are growing, birds are nesting, elk are calving, and I am out rolling around in the fields taking photos of it all. Last spring, I was lying on my side on Grizzly Loop trail to photograph some Bluebells. While crawling around I have a tendency of make grunting sounds since I am getting older. I can only imagine what the hiker heard, then saw, as they came across my antics in the grass and sagebrush.

“Are you alright? Do you need help?” they asked. I responded: “Doing great! Thanks for asking, just taking photographs.”

As my wife and children can attest, and I bet you are finding out, I am enamored with the natural world. And when one is interested in, or fascinated by, their surroundings, it is always motivating to learn more. So, in this article I would like to introduce you to three major groups of plants that grow in our region: Monocots, Dicots, and Bryophytes.

A cotyledon is an embryonic leaf that first appears as a seed is germinating. Sometimes called a “seed leaf,” it helps supply the newly growing plant with nutrients and is the first part to start photosynthesis. Most seeds have either one seed leaf, a monocotyledon (monocot), or two seed leaves, a dicotyledon (dicot).

For those of you that grow gardens from seed, you have seen the seed leaves as your plants emerge from the soil. Most veggies we grow are dicots and therefore, display the two cotyledons. But we might also grow some monocots such as corn, asparagus, yams, and onions. When these monocots emerge from the soil, they only have a single leaf that comes up. Most grasses are also monocots, so if you are growing a lawn from seed, you will notice the single blade at first.

But now, out into the field. Since we are not there to see the plants germinate from seeds, what are some other characteristics of these two major groups of flowering plants? Let’s start with the leaves. If you are somewhere close to a yard or field go out and pick a wide blade of grass and a dandelion leaf. What do you notice about the veins in the leaves? Down the center of each leaf is the midrib, then you will see the other veins spread across the leaf. In a monocot, the grass, the veins run parallel to the midrib, while the dicot, dandelion, the veins form a net-like appearance, or reticulate pattern.

This venation pattern is not 100 percent accurate since there are exceptions, but it will work the majority of the time.

The second and more flashy of the characteristics are the flowers. When using a flower to classify your plant, simply count the petals. If there are three, or a multiple of 3, then the plant is a monocot. If there are 4 or 5 or multiples of them, then it is a dicot. If there are many petals, it is

a member of the rose family or the aster family, which are also dicots. Just like the venation, this technique is not 100 percent accurate, but close enough. If you combine both the leaves and flowers and they both agree to the type of plant, you can be pretty certain you got it right.

On to the last group, the bryophytes. This group of plants does not have a vascular system to transport water, nutrients, and carbohydrates like other plants. This limits their size and the environments in which they can thrive. This also means they do not have, or need, roots, leading to their ability to grow on substrates that would limit vascular plant growth. They do grow specialized structures called rhizoids which conduct water over short distances, and help anchor the plants where they grow.

Our modern world gets most of its energy from ancient bryophytes. Coal’s major constituent

is fossil plant material from wet, swampy environments, the perfect place for bryophytes. Bryophytes are grouped into three major divisions: Mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. You can find these throughout the Big Sky region, from the alpine to the valleys. In fact, Gallatin County has 113 different species of the 506 found in Montana. Observe North-facing hillsides in most drainages and you can find mosses and liverworts carpeting the forest floor. Elkhorn Creek, Buffalo Creek, and Portal Creek canyons have especially deep mossy carpets. Walking across these beautifully green landscapes will damage the rhizoid anchors, so please be careful.

Paul Swenson has been living in and around the Big Sky area since 1966. He is a retired science teacher, fishing guide, Yellowstone guide and naturalist. Also an artist and photographer, Swenson focuses on the intricacies found in nature.

A squash plant showing two rounded cotyledons, or seed leaves.

PHOTO BY PAUL SWENSON

A Glacier Lily (left) has six petals, so it’s a monocot. A Sugarbowl (right) has four petals, so it’s a dicot.

PHOTO BY PAUL SWENSON

Eight inch thick moss (four species) and liverworts (larger leafy plant) along Buffalo Horn creek trail. PHOTO BY PAUL SWENSON

Lily of the Valley showing parallel venation of a monocot leaf, (right) squash leaf displaying reticulate venation of a dicot. PHOTO BY PAUL SWENSON

“In the past, we have asked one thing of our gardens: that they be pretty Now they have to support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators and manage water ” - Dr

Gardens demonstrates how native plants can be used to conserve water, create wildlife habitat, and preserve ecological function

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