Explore Big Sky - July 13 to 26, 2023

CAAMP BRINGS POPULAR FOLK TO BIG SKY

PLUS: OUTLAWS’ GUIDE TO THE BIG SKY PBR

OFFICIALS COMMENT ON PROPERTY

TAX ASSESSMENTS

26TH ANNUAL BLACK DIAMOND BUSINESS AWARDS

BSCO UNVEILS PLANS FOR PARKS AND TRAILS

July 13-26, 2023

Volume 14, Issue No. 14

Owned and published in Big Sky, Montana

PUBLISHER

Eric Ladd | eric@theoutlawpartners.com

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR

Mira Brody | mira@theoutlawpartners.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jack Reaney | jack@theoutlawpartners.com

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT

Leslie Kilgore | leslie@theoutlawpartners.com

DIGITAL PRODUCER

Jen Clancey | jen@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

Bailey J. Beltramo, Daniel Bierschwale, Mario Carr, Gabriella DiCenzo, Doug Hare, Rachel Hergett, Joseph T. O’Connor, Benjamin Alva Polley, Shannon Steele, Paul Swenson, Andy Watson

On June 29, the annual Big Sky Soul Shine celebration brought ALS awareness to

OPENING SHOT 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OFFICIALS COMMENT ON PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS

According to Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown, the recent— and in some cases, very high—estimates of 2023 property taxes are misleading and incorrect. While taxes should increase due to rising property value, the Montana Department of Revenue’s faulty system for calculating tax estimates have created concern among property owners across the state..

26TH ANNUAL BLACK DIAMOND BUSINESS AWARDS

On June 29, the Black Diamond Business Awards recognized business leaders, entrepreneurs and community servants at the Montage Hotel. Awards were presented to nonprofit person of the year, business person of the year, emerging entrepreneur, business of the year and the Chet Huntley Lifetime Achievement Award.

BSCO UNVEILS PLANS FOR PARKS AND TRAILS

Celebrating 25 years in Big Sky, the Big Sky Community Organization announced big plans at their annual Parks and Trails Gala on July 7. The plans include facility upgrades to the Big Sky Community Park, 20 additional miles of hiking and biking trail and the construction of a new park near Town Center.

CAAMP BRINGS POPULAR FOLK TO BIG SKY

ON THE COVER:

American folk band Caamp came to the Big Sky Events Arena on July 11 to a full venue of fans. Lone Mountain put on her own show at sunset, offering a spectacular view as the night came to a close. PHOTO BY JOE ESENTHER

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.

A wildly popular folk band from Ohio, Caamp brought their banjo, guitar, stand-up bass and youthful energy to the Big Sky Events Arena on July 11. Fans from Montana and beyond came for the concert, including a couple from Nashville, Tenn., who became engaged after the show, and more than a few young fans from Bozeman who hope to hear the band in Big Sky again.

PLUS: OUTLAW PARTNERS’ GUIDE TO THE BIG SKY PBR

Outlaw Partners, co-producer of the Big Sky PBR and publisher of Explore Big Sky, compiled everything you’ll need to know about the 12th Annual Big Sky PBR, returning to Big Sky from July 20-22. Read this special section to learn more about the Professional Bull Riders’ nine-time event of the year.

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 July 13th, 2023 issue: July 5th, 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

Music in the Mountains. Remembering Big Sky’s own Mark Robin and Eric Bertelson, two fathers lost to ALS in the past five years, Soul Shine generated over $18,000 for Team Gleason, a nonprofit that supports families of ALS patients. Pictured onstage: Jackie Robin (speaking) beside her family, and Janie Bertelson. PHOTO BY HUDSON WILLETT

OBITUARY BARBARA HOBERECHT

JUNE 8, 1930 – DEC. 26, 2022

One last gift for Big Sky Barbara and Phil Hoberecht moved to Gallatin Canyon in 1977. Phil had served in the Air Force until he retired in 1970. They were stationed in Japan for several tours starting in 1952, and in Germany and Italy and multiple locations in the U.S. Barbara loved to travel and after Phil retired she became a travel agent in Bozeman and later worked for the Huntley Lodge and Buck’s T-4 providing tour and conference services for their clients. Later with her best friend, Evie Sumner, she cleaned houses, starting a company called the Clean Sweeps. We think she did it mostly for the fun of spending time with Evie. Barbara was an active volunteer. She helped caretake the Soldier’s Chapel and was a member of their board. She worked at For One Another—a camp for families living with cancer, fundraising and entertaining the kids. She danced with the Big Sky Stompers and was one of the original founders of the board for the Crail Ranch. She organized bake sale fundraisers for the Ranch and the Country Fair. She volunteered at the Tinsley House at the Museum of the Rockies, where dressed in vintage clothes she fired up the old wood stove and baked cookies or pies. Barbara was well known for her pies—she made the best pies anyone had ever tasted. The secret was the pie dough, handed down through the family.

Phil died in 2010 of cancer and Barbara continued to live in her house on the river with her dog. One winter a bear tore the wall off the garage trying to get to the trash can. She loved the visits from the moose that bedded down on the property next to hers. They loved to eat her bushes. But most especially she loved the bald eagle that sat in a tree across the river from the house. She was convinced it was Phil watching over her.

When it got too hard to live alone, she moved down to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2019 to live with her daughter and husband, a granddaughter, and

three great-grandchildren. Barbara passed away this last Christmas on Dec. 26 early in the morning with her beloved dog Abby by her side and her daughter holding her hand.

Barbara’s memorial will be held at Soldier’s Chapel in Big Sky on July 23 at 2:00 p.m. She is survived by her four children: daughter Christy (John), sons Kim (Suzy), David (Laura) and Todd (Finn); eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. We will be bringing her home to the river that she so dearly loved and to Phil, who waits and watches still.

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Barbara Hoberecht and her beloved dog, Abby. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTY GERVERS

Hoberecht's famous pie recipe, handwritten. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTY GERVERS

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN BIG SKY?

Whether you’re searching for a specific event or all the events on a specific day, visit NavigateBigSky.org, the comprehensive community calendar for all things Big Sky.

GET THE WORD OUT

Hosting your own event? Post it for free at NavigateBigSky.org

VISIT

NavigateBigSky.org

LOCAL NEWS IN BRIEF

AFTER RAINY LEADUP, AREA EXPECTED TO SEE AN ‘AVERAGE’ WILDFIRE SEASON THIS YEAR

EBS STAFF

Southwest Montana is expected to see an “average” fire season this year following steady rain through the spring and early summer, officials said during a June 28 media briefing.

Patrick Lonergan, chief of Gallatin County Emergency Management, said that wildfire seasons are tough things to predict, and Brian Nickolay, fire chief of the Hyalite Rural Fire District, noted that heavy rain can give false hope for a low fire season. Regardless, Lonergan noted the slightly above average precipitation is positive, and now it depends on late summer weather with things such as lightning, wind and precipitation.

MONTANA STATE LIBRARY WITHDRAWS FROM NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

A seven-member commission voted Tuesday to immediately withdraw the Montana State Library from membership in the American Library Association, a national nonprofit founded in 1876 that advocates for and provides services to tens of thousands of libraries across the country.

The Montana State Library Commission’s decision came in response to a 2022 tweet posted by current ALA President Emily Drabinski describing herself as a “Marxist Lesbian,” which quickly drew the attention of conservative media outlets nationwide. In his motion to “immediately withdraw” the state library from the association, commissioner Tom Burnett directed that a letter be sent to the ALA explaining that “our oath of office and resulting duty to the Constitution forbids association with an organization led by a Marxist.”

RUSH HOUR: KEEP SPEED THROUGH GRAVEL DETOUR, OFFICIALS SAY

EBS STAFF

Big Sky commuters crawled through the Little Coyote Road pedestrian tunnel work zone starting July 10.

Some traffic may be inevitable, but one simple fix could tone it down, according to project manager Nate Peressini: drivers must keep their speed through the short gravel detour.

The detour, Peressini says, is designed for vehicles to maintain speed of 25 miles per hour.

But as Tuesday morning traffic backed up down U.S. Highway 191, many vehicles took extra caution and bottlenecked the work zone. He expects that as drivers become familiar with the site, they will become comfortable and keep some speed.

Peressini also recommended that workers and visitors adjust their commute times.

FORMER TIPS UP MANAGER ARRESTED FOR VARIOUS CRIMES

EBS STAFF

On July 6, Big Sky resident Michael Greene was arrested in Big Sky Town Center and charged with unlawful use of a computer, and partner or family member assault, plus multiple citations of disorderly conduct.

Greene was arrested at Tips Up, a bar in Town Center where he had just been fired from his position as Manager. He was later charged with partner or family member assault while being held at the Gallatin County Detention Center.

Through software available to Greene as a recent employee, he deleted the drink menu from the Block 3 restaurant, according to a signed affidavit released by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

He also made threatening comments in public during periods of disorderly conduct.

OFFICIALS SAY 12K POUNDS OF ASPHALT REMOVED FROM YELLOWSTONE RIVER AFTER TRAIN DERAILMENT, BY JULY 6

Crews over the Fourth of July weekend finished removing the remaining train cars from the Yellowstone River after last month’s derailment and bridge collapse near Reed Point.

Nearly two weeks after the Montana Rail Link derailment, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson said Wednesday crews had recovered more than 12,000 pounds of liquid asphalt that spilled into the river out of several of the train cars that derailed around 6 a.m. on June 26.

But finding through water quality testing no detectable levels of petroleum hydrocarbons or sulfur downstream of the derailment, officials decided to discontinue daily water quality testing.

“This is good news … we are able to place our focus on cleanup and recovery,” said Chad Anderson, the on-scene coordinator for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that as of June 30, Phillip Dillavou, dba Family Meal by Phil, has, as a second delinquent offense within a 12-month period, failed to remit Resort Tax to the Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD) for 60 days.

MONTANA FREE PRESS STAFF

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LOCAL

HARMONIOUS BLISS BIG SKY’S SPECTACULAR SUMMER MUSIC LINEUP

BY GABRIELLA DICENZO CONTENT MARKETING INTERN

BIG SKY–There’s no better feeling than the one channeled from a soul-touching piece of music: a guitar riff, piano note, chord played, bassline plucked and singer's voice reverberating through town. What if you could experience this again and again? In Big Sky, you can. And if there’s one thing that brings us all together at the end of the day, it’s music.

This summer, our community has an exceptional live music lineup that will ignite all senses and create unforgettable moments for all who attend.

Perhaps the most well-known to locals, Music in the Mountains is an event for people of all ages, places and interests. While Big Sky attracts people from all over the world, events like Music in the Mountains, the free summer music series put on by the Big Sky Arts Council, are the perfect way to tie a piece of your heart to the town.

“It is one of the few events that everybody can go to,” said Brian Hurlbut, Executive Director of the Big Sky Arts Council. “There’s really no barriers for entry at an event like this. It’s free, and it’s accessible; whether you’re 5 years old or 75 years old you can enjoy the music and the event.”

The Arts Council has been producing Music in the Mountains for nearly 15 years and this will be their second year featuring opening artists in addition to main acts. Each opening artist is based out of Montana, further supporting the local community.

“I’m really excited about the variety that we have–that’s one thing we really try to do every summer is book a variety of bands from different genres so we can appeal to a wide variety of people,” Hurlbut said.

Luckily for music fans, Music in the Mountains is just the beginning of live entertainment this summer. Caamp, the internationally-touring folk trio from Ohio, came to the Big Sky Events Arena July 11.

"Lone Mountain Land Company is excited to bring Caamp to Big Sky,” said Bayard Dominick before the event, VP of Planning and Development at Lone Mountain Land Company, the driving force behind the big-name act. “Not only because Caamp is an incredible band, but it is an opportunity to test the potential to bring world-class music and other events to Big Sky. Our goal in collaboration with Outlaw Partners was to create an event that was community-focused and affordable for the vast majority of Big Sky folks to attend."

A fan of the band himself, Dominick expressed excitement for the show at the 6,000-person arena right in the heart of Town Center.

“Taylor [lead singer] is such a romantic storyteller,” Dominick said. “Personally, their music has played as somewhat of a soundtrack for the last three years for my wife and me through our engagement and wedding. I’m excited to see a full house in Big Sky get to experience it firsthand and see how it might touch their lives."

Shortly after, Big Sky’s Biggest Week kicks off with an array of family-friendly events leading up to Big Sky PBR on July 20, 21 and 22. The Community Street Dance, which follows the Big Sky Community Rodeo on July 14 will feature the Tony Marques Band at Len Hill Park, a show free and open to the public. Deeply rooted in the country music scene, this talented band performs songs by artists such as Luke Combs, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker and many other country music stars. The energy and passion

the Tony Marques Band delivers are bound to ignite the crowd and set the tone for a memorable week in Big Sky.

Each night of PBR will precede an after party. On July 20, Bozeman artist Madeline Hawthorne will take the stage at Len Hill Park in partnership with Music in the Mountains. Having performed at the Wildlands Festival in 2022, Hawthorne returns to Big Sky this year to deliver a noteworthy performance, leaving the crowd mesmerized and inspired.

The Jamie McLean Band is set to perform on July 21, displaying their unique blend of bluesy, rootsy rock ‘n’ roll, and the weekend will conclude on Saturday with Lukas Nelson & POTR.

“I’m super excited to welcome Lukas Nelson back and all of the talent we have coming to Big Sky this summer,” said Ennion Williams, VP of events at Outlaw Partners, who produces Big Sky’s biggest Week and PBR. “Also, the talent we have for Wildlands will bring very diverse groups and genres to a concert event to benefit the rivers.”

Outlaw Partners publishes Explore Big Sky.

Wildlands Festival kicks off on Aug. 4 with the Hooked on the Gallatin fundraiser dinner then

carries on into the weekend with a star-studded lineup including Lord Huron headlining on Aug. 5 and Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers, Foo Fighters on Aug. 6. The festival is in partnership with American Rivers, Gallatin River Task Force and actor Tom Skerritt and serves as 30th anniversary celebration of the film, “A River Runs Through It,” and the 50th anniversary of American Rivers. The largest conservation effort ever for local rivers, funds raised at Wildlands Festival will go directly toward the efforts of these nonprofits.

“I am grateful to partner with Tom and his team, American Rivers and Gallatin River Task Force to host one of the biggest events in Big Sky,” Eric Ladd, Founder and Chairman of Outlaw Partners, said in a May 4 press release regarding the event. “We will make history this summer with one of the most iconic rock bands of all time in an intimate and beautiful setting for a very important cause.”

With this robust lineup of events this summer might just make Big Sky a haven for music enthusiasts, offering a range of live performances including some big name acts that resonate with the soul. Through the power of music, Big Sky will serve as the arena where memories are made, and the shared love of music connects people from all walks of life in one shared landscape.

Joslyn and The Sweet Compression play at Music in the Mountains on June 29.

PHOTO BY HUDSON WILETT

The Tony Marques Band plays at Big Sky PBR last summer to a sold out arena. OUTLAW PARTNERS PHOTO

‘YOU ARE ALL MAKING HISTORY' SNAPSHOTS FROM BIG SKY’S HISTORIC PRIDE MARCH

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—Before what many believe was the firstever pride march in Big Sky, Ray Black megaphoned his gratitude.

“You are all making history,” he said. He added, “This is not a protest. This is not a riot. If we are shown hate, we will show love back.”

The crowd that gathered under the pavilion at Big Sky Community Park—space donated by BSCO, Black noted—was larger than expected, as many participants commented.

Bozeman residents Leslie Peterson, Paula Power and Susan Maccall traveled up Gallatin Canyon for the march. The city held events during Pride Week at the end of May, but not one like this, they agreed. Maccall said Big Sky turned out a bigger group than she expected.

“I had no idea how many people to expect. But this is an awesome turnout, I think, for the first time,” Maccall said.

Peterson added that she was grateful for everyone sharing their decorations and materials before the march—the community shared balloons, glitter, paint, pride flags and signs.

The march began shortly after 4 p.m., and Black got the crowd going with some basic chants.

Phillip Guardiola, Ernesto Valdez and Katie Robertson all moved to Big Sky in the last year or two.

“As a straight woman, I just like the fact that I see so much of the community coming together and supporting the people that we love,” Robertson said.

“This is amazing that the community is so big. And so many people turned out—even the kids. Where I’m from, it’s a ‘no,’” she added.

“It’s nice to see Big Sky having its first pride march,” Guardiola said. “It’s good to see that the community is accepting and that we are here, and that we are being seen.”

Valdez, who just moved from Texas, added, “This is one of the first events that I’ve gone to, and I like seeing the community together. It’s very friendly, very open…Just so much love around here… It’s very comforting, I’ve never had that in my life. It’s peaceful.”

Many marchers carried signs. Some read: “It’s not political. IT’S POSITIVE,” and “Love is love… Proud mom ally.”

One sign eventually sparked a chant:

“If god hates gays, why are we so cute.”

Other chants included, “Trans rights are human rights,” “can’t hide my pride,” and “Big Sky… big pride.”

When the crowd of roughly 100 approached the junction of Little Coyote and Montana Highway 64, two sheriff’s deputies parked on either side of the crosswalk. The colorful crowd added two minutes to rush hour traffic.

Joel Barton, an ally who said he doesn’t identify as LGBTQ+, spoke with EBS. He recently moved from Seattle, a much more progressive place, he said. He was a little concerned about moving back to Montana, where his family has been for decades.

“I’m kind of blown away by the level of support,” Barton said. “I’m not blown away by the level of contempt, but I think both of them are indicative of what this place is like. It’s changing, and I think it’s changing in the right direction.”

Barton read more than 100 comments on the recent Instagram post by EBS which previewed the march.

“Early, it was very very negative,” Barton recalled. “I wasn’t surprised, but it was discouraging… I looked at the post later, and there was an outpouring of support.”

As an activist, he said he’s “not really a marcher,” more of an ally.

“I think sometimes you gotta pick your battles,” he said. Evidently this was a battle worth fighting.

As the crowd marched upstream beside highway traffic, many drivers cheered, waved and honked their horns with gusto. The support often seemed contagious, like a chain reaction of expression enabled by other drivers.

After the march, event organizer Brit Diersch spoke with EBS.

“I don’t know what expectations I had, but they definitely were surpassed,” she said. “Way more people turned out than I thought were going to. I was expecting to get more bad reactions from people driving by. But everyone was stopping to cheer and say hi, cheer along and honk. There was only a handful of negative responses—it was really refreshing to see that.”

She said this event is going to make Big Sky’s LGBTQ+ community bigger.

“People are going to feel safer to be themselves,” she said.” People are going to feel like there is a space for them. Hopefully this means there are more community queer events moving forward.”

The march continued to Town Center, through Len Hill Park to the basketball court outside BASE.

There, Black took the megaphone.

“THAT WAS CRAZY,” he shouted, before introducing Michael Hensley for a short speech. Hensley made note of the overwhelming number of people who chose to join the march.

“It almost makes me want to cry, but I’m too happy to cry right now,” Hensley said.

He emphasized every person at the event is important.

“Transgender people deserve better, and the whole country needs to know that their hate and bigotry will never win,” Hensley told the crowd. “The love and continuous effort of all of us voting, speaking up for friends, family and politicians will shine the light and show us the way of not accepting defeat.”

Hensley passed the megaphone to Diersch.

“I wanted to remind everyone too: what we’re asking for is love and acceptance,” she said. “A good reminder is to give that, on our end, too. To the people who don’t agree with us… We also want to love and accept them as well. Because we can’t ask for something that we can’t give back.”

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

Event organizer Ray Black added jolted energy and confidence into the crowd of LGBTQ+ supporters. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

Event organizer Brit Diersch spoke at the end of the parade.

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

PROPERTY TAX ESTIMATES ‘INCORRECT AND INCOMPLETE’

COMMISSIONER ZACH BROWN URGES PROPERTY OWNERS NOT TO

BUT TO COMMUNICATE WITH MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

BY JACK REANEY

This is a shortened version of the original story published on explorebigsky.com

If you own Montana property and are vexed by your estimated tax bill for next year, you aren’t alone.

Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown and fellow county officials have been fielding concerned calls and emails since the two-year appraisals hit mailboxes last week, even though Gallatin County “is not responsible, nor do we have control over, most of people’s property taxes,” Brown told EBS during a phone call. “But we send out the tax bills so people think we’re responsible for all of it.”

Property appraisal assessments have been made on a two-year cycle since the state shortened the sixyear reappraisal cycle in 2015. Over the past two years, Gallatin County’s real estate boom has led to a “somewhat unprecedented” rise in appraised property values, Brown said. However, when property values rise, the amount of mills a local government can levy must decline proportionally, by law.

Here’s the catch: the Montana Department of Revenue’s recent appraisals include an estimate of 2023 property taxes using higher property values, but also by law, the DOR estimate cannot yet subtract the proportionate number of mills from that estimate.

“The net result is, people are getting these letters and saying, ‘Good god, my taxes are going to go up by 70%,’” Brown said. “No, they’re not.”

Brown said the recent tax estimates are nonsense, “incorrect and incomplete,” because DOR is making calculations on incomplete information—bound by state law to do so.

“[It’s an] arbitrary number, not based on actually likely tax bills,” Brown said. “It’s almost like they’re trying to create chaos. People won’t know what their taxes will be until they get their tax bill in November.”

Still, property taxes will increase for 2023. Property values have generally increased, and Brown pointed out that Montana is particularly reliant on property taxes due to the lack of state sales tax. Property taxes tend to be higher in similar states like Wyoming and Texas, Brown said.

In addition, inaction by the Montana Legislature has resulted in an additional $81 million per biennium year in property tax collected toward state education funding, Brown explained. In November 2022, the DOR had sent a memo to the legislature warning that education mills are not subject to decrease with the then-estimated 43% increase in state residential property value.

“The legislature and Governor’s office neglected the suggestion from their own employees at DOR to cut

THE BEST MONTANA MADE JERKY & TREATS

the state-wide residential prop tax rate to 0.94% from 1.35%,” Brown wrote in a follow-up email to EBS. “The net result is a $162 million property tax increase from the state on Montana’s homeowners over the next two years.”

Action items and appeals

Brown said every property owner “should take that assessment notice with a massive grain of salt. If they have questions, they should call the [Montana] Department of Revenue,” he said.

Property owners can also appeal the appraised value of their property. Appeals must be made using form AB-26, due 30 days after notice was received by mail.

“If you’re interested in learning about that, you can contact your Department of Revenue office and they can walk you through that,” Brown said. He added that DOR offers property tax relief programs for groups including disabled veterans and those on fixed or limited incomes.

The public can call (406) 444-6900 or submit an

GALLATIN COUNTY

PANIC,

PRESERVING THE BEAUTY OF BIG SKY’S WILDFLOWERS

GROW

WILD LEADING CONSERVATION EFFORTS AGAINST INVASIVE SPECIES

BY FINLEY TIMON

BIG SKY—Rooted in the stunning landscapes of Big Sky, native wildflowers paint a vibrant tapestry of colors throughout hikes like Beehive Basin, or in neighborhood backyards.

However, invasive species challenge the delicate balance of this natural beauty. Through dedicated conservation efforts, the community is working to protect and preserve the native species that make Big Sky truly exceptional.

Led by local conservation organizations such as Grow Wild—formerly Gallatin Invasive Species Alliance— these efforts aim to raise awareness and promote the protection of native flora. Jennifer Mohler, executive director of Grow Wild, is an advocate for preserving the wildflowers of Big Sky. In a conversation with EBS, she emphasized the profound impact of invasive plants on the ecosystem.

“Invasive plants are ecological tumors,” she said. “They disrupt ecosystem processes and push out wildlife from their habitat.”

The Big Sky Wildflower Festival, scheduled from July 10-14, is a vibrant celebration of the essential role that native plants play in the ecosystem. Through a range of events and activities, festival attendees can experience

the beauty of Big Sky’s flora. The festival offers an opportunity to learn about the significance of native plants and their impact on the local environment.

To address the threat of invasive species, Grow Wild’s focus has been on habitat restoration projects and assisting landowners. Mohler highlighted the significance of native plants, saying that they are the foundation of the ecosystem and can help with water conservation. Planting non-native species, on the other hand, has far-reaching consequences.

“When we plant non-native species, it impacts not just the big moose down the road, but also the insects, birds, and everything that eats them,” Mohler added.

Mohler emphasized the importance of plants in the landscape: they play a crucial role in the food chain, water conservation and soil preservation.

“Nature is dynamic. Things change, and we’re impacted by precipitation, climate, and human activity,” Mohler said.

Grow Wild urges the community to get educated, use available resources and take action to address invasive species. Being good neighbors to wildlife and the forest is crucial in preserving the delicate balance of the ecosystem.

“Converting your traditional landscape to a more drought-tolerant native landscaping can be done one step at a time. Start with a little bit and keep going,” Mohler said.

By nurturing native species and defending their habitats from invasive species, the community will ensure that future generations can experience the breathtaking wildflower displays that characterize summers in Big Sky.

Grow Wild emphasizes the importance of growth. Among nature, they work to grow native species in all their beauty; but also, growth in educating tourists and locals alike in the importance of understanding native species and noxious weeds.

Wildflowers of early July in the meadow. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY’S

TICKETS & INFO AT BIGSKYPBR.COM

COMMUNITY EVENTS

FRIDAY, JULY 14

BIG SKY COMMUNITY RODEO

7:00 PM - Big Sky Events Arena

COMMUNITY STREET DANCE

Featuring The Tony Marques Band

9:00 PM - Len Hill Park

TUESDAY, JULY 18

FREE COMMUNITY DAY / FAMILY ACTIVITIES

12:00 PM - Big Sky Events Arena

MUTTON BUSTIN’

4:00 PM - Big Sky Events Arena

DICK ALLGOOD COMMUNITY BINGO NIGHT

6:00 PM - Big Sky Events Arena

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19

BIG SKY PBR GOLF TOURNAMENT

9:00 AM - Black Bull Golf Course, Bozeman, MT

PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDING

THURSDAY, JULY 20

BULL RIDING NIGHT 1

6:00 PM - Big Sky Events Arena

MUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS CONCERT

Featuring Madeline Hawthorne

8:00 PM - Len Hill Park

FRIDAY, JULY 21

BULL RIDING NIGHT 2

7:00 PM - Big Sky Events Arena

PBR AFTER PARTY

Featuring Jamie McLean Band

9:15 PM - SAV Big Sky Events Arena Stage

SATURDAY, JULY 22

BULL RIDING NIGHT 3

7:00 PM - Big Sky Events Arena

PBR AFTER PARTY

Featuring Lukas Nelson & POTR

9:15 PM - SAV Big Sky Events Arena Stage

BLACK DIAMOND AWARDS HONOR SOME OF BIG SKY’S FINEST

BUSINESS OWNERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS GATHER FOR 26TH YEAR TO RECOGNIZE THE BLACK DIAMOND AWARD WINNERS

BY FINLEY TIMON

BIG SKY—In a celebration of entrepreneurial spirit and community, the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce hosted its 26th Annual Black Diamond Business Awards Dinner at the Montage Hotel in Big Sky. Against the backdrop of the Spanish Peaks to the north, the event brought together remarkable individuals and local businesses that embody the essence of the vibrant community. As the evening commenced with a reception overlooking the landscape, a sense of camaraderie and purpose filled the air, setting the stage for a night of recognition and appreciation.

At the heart of the Black Diamond Awards lay the shared mission of the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce: “To set the table with key partners that bring resources and ideas together to empower and champion our members to succeed in business and enhance the overall vitality of the business ecosystem,” chamber CEO Brad Niva said during the introduction.

Dinner was a three course meal served to the room of community leaders. Niva said, “Every year this event continues to grow. We have over 200 [attendees].”

Among the winners, emerging entrepreneur Emily Burke received recognition for her contribution to the Big Sky community through Big Sky Thrift. Anna Johnson, director of business development with the chamber, said that Emily’s passion for affordable shopping and recycled clothing led her to create a successful business that not only fulfills a community need but also gives back through volunteerism and grants.

Expressing her gratitude, Burke said, “We need an affordable, accessible and eco-friendly shopping option in our town… I have unlimited volunteer support, amazing donations and incredible shoppers. So whether you shop, donate, or volunteer at Big Sky Thrift, it all contributes and goes back into our community. So thank you so much.”

Sarah Gaither Bivins, who manages the Big Sky Community Food Bank, was honored as the nonprofit person of the year. Niva said that her dedication to advocating for the workforce and enhancing food security has made a significant impact on the Big Sky community.

Acknowledging the existence of a food bank in a town like Big Sky, Gaither Bivins said, “We have so many awesome nonprofit organizations in this town… I think we all wanna live in a world where we don’t have to have a food bank… yet we do here in Big Sky and we have for 10 years now.”

Gaither Bivins highlighted the growing demand for their services.

“I had to purchase 50% more food than last year,” she added.

Tallie Lancey, broker with Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty, was recognized as the business person of the year. Johnson said that Lancey’s infectious smile and her active engagement in nonprofit boards have made her a deserving recipient of this award. Her dedication to making Big Sky a better place and serving as a resource for new residents is commendable, Johnson added.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Lancey said,”I find myself absolutely at a loss for words to say… I am surrounded by mentors and friends and incredible leaders. I am absolutely at a loss for words. So I think I’ll just say what Claire [Thayer, Lancey’s assistant] taught me to say earlier today. And that is, thank you.”

First Tracks Tire Service, which Niva called a business that redefines excellence in the auto industry, was awarded business of the year. Their passion, innovation and commitment to customer satisfaction have set them apart in the Big Sky community, Niva said.

Tanner Dunlap, co-owner of First Tracks Tire Service said, “As I look around the room, I see many, many of our customers here that I very much appreciate. The Big Sky community has been absolutely amazing to us and we wanna give 100% of that back to you guys. And we thank you so much for this award… We’re looking forward to many, many more years of service for all of you here. And the big thank you on this list worked for many on this list.”

The Chet Huntley Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Andy Dreisbach. Katie Grice, chair of board of directors, said Dreisbach has made significant contributions to the Big Sky community as a business owner, parent and volunteer. Dreisbach’s innovation, leadership and resilience make him a true example of forward thinking and he actively shares best practices with other businesses, Grice said.

Reflecting on his journey and community involvement, Dreisbach said, “I remember when I first got to Big Sky and someone said, ‘Well, are you a volunteer?’ I said, ‘Well, we’re not incorporated. I think you have to volunteer… I think that’s what it means, you know, giving selflessly to your community.'”

Dreisbach encouraged others to contribute, adding, "And I remember reading a tattoo on a man’s arm the other day. [The tattoo] said, ‘Who cares? Give more.’ And then I thought about it for a while and I said, ‘Yeah, it’s really easy to come up with excuses… So all I ask is of all us out there to give what you can.'”

The nominees for the various awards showcased the wealth of talent and dedication within the Big Sky community. The ceremony was a true celebration of their achievements and the vibrant spirit of Big Sky.

Full list of nominees

Nonprofit person of the year:

• Anna Shipley, Moonlight Community Foundation

• David O’Connor, Big Sky Community Housing Trust

• Julie Edwards, Arts Council of Big Sky

• Kimberly Hall, Greater Gallatin United Way

• Kristin Gardner, Gallatin River Task Force

• Mariel Butan, Morningstar Learning Center

• Ruthi Solari, Yellowstone Club Community Foundation

• Sarah Gaither Bivins, Big Sky Community Food Bank

• Whitney Montgomery, Big Sky Community Organization

Emerging entrepreneur:

• Andrea Saari & Denise Wade, Big Sky Adventures & Tours Benjamin Axe, The Waypoint Dylan Thornton, Hale Creative Consulting

Emily Burke, Big Sky Thrift

• Jennifer Fitzhugh, Thorn Apple Baking Co.

• Kaley Burns, Big Sky Natural Health

• Megan Porter, Moving Mountains

• Tanner Dunlap, Fist Tracks Tire Service

• The Tran Family, Big Sky Noodles & Scoops

• Twist Thompson. Blue Buddha & Tres Toros

Business person of the year:

• Ece Walkup, Big Sky Print & Ship

• Erik Morrison, Lovestreet Media

• Jennifer Fitzhugh, Thorn Apple Baking Co.

• Jeremy Harder, Big Sky School District 72

• John Delzer, Delzer Diversified Incorporated & Café 191

• Kaley Burns, Big Sky Natural Health

• Kara & Ben Blodgett, The Rocks Tasting Room

• Mandy Hotovy, The Wilson Hotel

• Monica Duling, Laundry Liberator

• Sydney Desmarais, Lone Peak Veterinary Hospital

• Tallie Lancey, Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty

• Tanner Dunlap, First Tracks Tire Service

• Twist Thompson, Blue Buddha & Tres Toros

Chet Huntley Lifetime achievement award: “Honoring a person who has, over a period of time, provided leadership and their personal touch to building our Big Sky Community,” according to the chamber.

• Al Malinowski, Gallatin Partners Andy Dreisbach, Cornerstone Management Services Brian & Mary Wheeler, Big Sky Resort & PureWest Christies’s Real Estate

• Eric Ladd, Outlaw Partners

• Hans Williams, Yellowstone Club

• Jackie Robin, Former Hungry Moose Market & Deli owner

• John Haas, Haas Builders

Business of the year:

• Ace Hardware

• Big Sky Build

• Big Sky Natural Health

• Big Sky Resort Area District

• Blue Buddha Sushi

• First Tracks Tire Service

• Moving Mountains

• Outlaw Partners

• Peak Skis

• Snow Country Limousine

• The Rocks Tasting Room & Liquor Store

• The Waypoint

• Thorn Apple Baking Co.

• Wellness in Action

Andy Dreisbach (second from right) received the 2023 Chet Huntley Lifetime Achievement Award. PHOTO BY FINLEY TIMON

TRAILS DISTRICT PROPOSING NEW PLAN TO FUND ONGOING MAINTENANCE OF PARKS, TRAILS

BY JENNIFER CLANCEY

BIG SKY—The Big Sky Trails, Recreation and Parks District board has proposed a plan to reach more sustainable funding with property tax assessments and an equal matching agreement with Big Sky Resort Tax.

Of the proposed funding, 50% would come from equal assessments of 6,341 parcels in the district; the proposed annual assessment is $88.62 per lot, which would appear as a fixed, yearly amount on county tax bills. Then the other 50% would be matched by allocations from BSRAD.

If adopted, the plan would create a more sustainable funding source for local trails and recreation area maintenance—an effort that usually requires more than $1 million each year.

“These assets are critical to our own wellbeing and our behavioral health to be able to access all of these amenities so that we can have a healthy, thriving and engaged community,” said Whitney Montgomery, BSCO’s chief executive officer and trails district board member. “It really is creating a four-leg partnership— Resort Tax, BSTRP, BSCO and property owners—to make sure that we put forward the most sustainable and equitable funding for parks and trails maintenance.”

Because of Big Sky’s unincorporated status and the unique way the community straddles both Gallatin and Madison counties, funding for outdoor areas has

required discussion with both county commissions and local groups.

Maintenance money only

Since the trails district was first formed in 2012, BSCO has had to ask the Resort Tax board for money to maintain and upkeep the community’s parks and trails. BSCO has 25 years of experience in maintaining outdoor spaces and trails around Big Sky.

But now that the trails district is a formal governmental body—due to a dual-county agreement in April 2022—it can request funding from BSRAD on a three-year cycle.

The BSCO and the district are working on an agreement that would allow maintenance money to flow through the trails district to BSCO for a period of three years.

“We’re not asking property owners to fund any new projects,” Montgomery said, reiterating that BSCO will only use the grant to maintain existing parks, trails and recreation areas.

As a district of both Gallatin and Madison counties, the trails district can also request the use of an annual property tax assessment to bolster BSRAD’s funding.

“While there are many methods to calculate the assessment, our Board is pursuing the simple method of an equal assessment for each lot or parcel in the district,” Al Malinowski, trails district board member, wrote in an email.

This means that parcel owners in the district would see a flat rate of $88.52 a year for each parcel they own on their county tax bill.

What this could mean for Big Sky’s outdoor recreation infrastructure

“These are recreational facilities that are broadly used by the community,” said Steve Johnson, a member of both the trails district and BSRAD boards. “The maintenance cost has grown to a point that we need to find more sustainable funding.”

True enough, one only needs to look towards Big Sky’s softball fields and hiking trails to see what these public spaces mean to residents and families. Johnson explained that he and the decision-makers in this plan are interested in hearing community feedback and listening to residents.

“We are happy to engage with the community and engage in dialogue,” Johnson said. The trails district also shared a community input survey that they hope will take the pulse of what Big Sky thinks about the change.

On Friday July 7, BSCO announced more plans at the 25th Annual BSCO Parks & Trails Gala.

“Some significant projects that will greatly enhance and expand outdoor recreation,” Montgomery said.

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COTTONWOOD LAWSUIT CHALLENGING DEQ PERMIT TO YELLOWSTONE CLUB DISMISSED

EBS

STAFF

GALLATIN COUNTY—On June 30, the 18th Judicial District Court of Gallatin County dismissed a lawsuit against the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, brought by Cottonwood Environmental Law Center, according to a press release from Lone Mountain Land Company. The lawsuit sought to dissolve a permit granted by the DEQ that allows for Big Sky recycled wastewater to be used as a base layer for snowmaking.

The release stated that using recycled water for base layer snowmaking is a conservation tool used across the country. The Gallatin River Task Force first proposed the idea of using Big Sky’s highly treated recycled water for these purposes in 2011, as an internal pilot study showed it would maintain late season water flow for community use.

It wasn’t until March 2020 that recycled water base layers became a possibility in Big Sky, when the Yellowstone Club applied for a permit. A year later, the DEQ issued a draft initial permit notice which was open to public comment.

As for environmental uses of the recycled water, the release stated: “Snow makes up the majority of the source water within the watershed and the 2017 Montana Climate Assessment predicted even less snowfall as the century progresses, further increasing the late season waterflow problem.”

Low late season flow is associated with less dilution of harmful pollutants in the water, the release explained. In the lawsuit, Cottonwood Law argued that the DEQ did not take into account potential pharmaceutical pollution, according to reporting by The Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

In 2017, the Gallatin River Task Force started the Big Sky Sustainable Water Solutions Forum that decided reclaimed water for snowmaking was a reuse priority in Big Sky.

“DEQ is the regulatory agency that has oversight of all reclaimed water use in Montana, and its regulations require snowmaking with reclaimed water to utilize the highest standards recognized for public and environmental health,” the release said.

Cottonwood Law has filed unsuccessful lawsuits against Big Sky businesses and entities before, including Big Sky Resort and multiple against the Big Sky County Water and Sewer District.

“Cottonwood has an extensive history of failed litigation against taxpayers and businesses in the Big Sky Community, among many other suits across the state,” the release stated. Cottonwood Law has 30 days to appeal the decision.

AIN’T OUR FIRST RODEO.

HAVE A GREAT PBR WEEK FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT

BIKERS PRAISE NEW MOUNTAIN TO MEADOW BIKE TRAIL

BSCO AND LMLC TEAM UP WITH TERRAFLOW TO GIVE THE PUBLIC TRAIL A TOUCHUP—AND A PERMANENT

EASEMENT

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—Big Sky’s Mountain to Meadow single-track biking trail has been rerouted to include a public access easement for permanent community use—and some new features.

The Big Sky Community Organization and Lone Mountain Land Company collaborated to relocate two sections of trail and place the entire route under permanent easement, according to a joint press release. LMLC originally built the trail in 2015, and it has remained open to the public during summer months and does not require a lift ticket for access. BSCO will take over maintenance on the upgraded trail, which “offers an enhanced experience for trail enthusiasts, providing an opportunity to explore the beautiful scenery in the area,” according to the release.

BSCO and LMLC contracted Terraflow Trail Systems to reroute the trail, bringing Terraflow’s well-established local reputation—with a public portfolio including Otter Way, Otter Slide, Mountain to Meadow, Ralph’s Pass, Michener Creek and most recently, Coldsmoke—to the popular public trail which they built eight years ago.

Terraflow owner Pete Costain spoke with EBS about the new route.

“You know, we didn’t realize when we built the original Mountain to Meadow what a big thing that was going to be for mountain bikers,” Costain said. “I really thought it was going to get some hiking traffic, we were expecting more multi-use. It quickly morphed into a 100% bike trail.”

This new trail, he said, is aimed at being 99% optimized for biking, a little wider and accessible to all ability levels, but with optional jump features for those inclined.

“I think it’s a really different trail. I was just happy to mix it up,” Costain said.

Completed in fall 2022, the new trail is broken into two diversions from the original route: the first begins near the top of the traditional Mountain to Meadow Climb, dropping down to the north and traversing beneath the Lone Moose chairlift before connecting with the original Mountain to Meadow route. Shortly after, the trail cuts left into another new section.

The original trail is no longer open, closed permanently due to development, according to BSCO. Costain advised that it won’t be safe to ride the old trail, due to construction and tree removal.

Regardless, bikers might say they prefer the new trail.

Mac Bertelson, a young local ripper who’s been riding the old route for five or six years, said the new Mountain to Meadow is an awesome upgrade, complete with great berms and some well-built jumps.

“It’s sweet,” he told EBS. “It’s definitely more of a flow-oriented trail than the old one was. It’s a wider, less single-track oriented trail… I like it a lot more. Terraflow did a great job building it.”

He said the second part of the new route is “super awesome.”

“It flows off that old section, definitely rides awesome as well,” Bertelson said. “There are some great berms, a little more pedally, but it’s a super fun trail. Especially compared to the old one, I like it a lot more.”

Local rider John Cain expressed similar optimism in an email to EBS.

“While the old trail will be missed by those wishing to roll down to the Brothel [bar] in a fullface helmet from the top of Andesite Mountain, the new trail will soon be a local favorite especially for those willing to put a little power to the pedals on the way down,” Cain wrote.

Max Erpenbach has been riding in Big Sky for ten years. He helped create Big Sky’s chapter of the Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association, seeing an opportunity to improve public access and trail maintenance. Volunteers from the Big Sky chapter helped maintain the original Mountain to Meadow trail, and Erpenbach said it was designed for two-way traffic including hikers.

But with the ballooning popularity of Big Sky’s bike community, he added, the new trail is more biker friendly.

“Biggest difference I saw is it has a little more downhill feel to it,” he said. “It’s still got some pedally sections, some flow. But I think Terraflow focused on getting some jumps in it.”

He said there’s a few scary, exposed sections in the new route. But there always have been, he noted, especially around the hairpin switchbacks toward the latter half of the original trail.

“I would say it’s probably just as friendly as the old one, when it comes to the family outing,” Erpenbach said.

He gave credit to Lone Mountain Land Company for prioritizing this trail.

“It’s cool that we have land developers that are willing to help build these bike trails as change happens… These trails could be getting bulldozed and closed and going away forever. [Developers] seem to want to keep these trails which is great,” Erpenbach said.

The Mountain to Meadow trail has always crossed Spanish Peaks Mountain Club property. That’s still the case, but it’s now protected by a permanent easement.

Jon Olsen, vice president of development for Spanish Peaks, stated in the press release: “We know the importance of the trail in the community and though it runs through Spanish Peaks property, LMLC wanted to ensure Big Sky’s entire community can continue to use it.”

Ashley Wilson, BSCO director of finance and administration stated: “We are delighted to partner with LMLC and be awarded a permanent public access easement for the Mountain to Meadow trail. This partnership signifies our commitment to preserving and maintaining outdoor spaces for the benefit of the community.”

Costain added his props to Lone Mountain Land Company for prioritizing public access.

“They are bullish on trails right now,” Costain said. “They could have just said, ‘well, Mountain to Meadow is gone—new housing development.’”

He expects to see more trail connectivity throughout Big Sky in the near future, some made possible through partnerships with private landowners.

Terraflow Trail Systems rerouted Mountain to Meadow in Fall 2022. COURTESY OF TERRAFLOW

BSCO UNVEILS STRATEGIC PLAN AT 25YEAR PARKS AND TRAILS GALA

‘ALL OUT FOR PARKS & TRAILS’ CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND COMMUNITY PARKS, ATHLETIC FIELDS AND TRAILS BY 2026

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—Dog park. Turf fields for soccer and high school baseball. Mountain bike jump line. Skate park expansion. New playground. New tennis and pickleball courts. Twenty additional miles of trail. These improvements to outdoor recreation are planned for Big Sky over the next three years.

At the Big Sky Community Organization’s annual Parks and Trails Gala on July 7, the organization celebrated 25 years of maintaining outdoor assets in Big Sky and announced new plans, created with input from the community during BSCO’s series of community forums in October.

Those plans, part of BSCO’s “ALL OUT for Parks & Trails” campaign, share a specific focus on expanding the local trail network, expanding and renovating the Big Sky Community Park and building a new 6-acre park in Big Sky near Town Center.

“BSCO’s top priority is to ensure the wellbeing and connection of our friends and neighbors here. This special 25th anniversary campaign deals with our legacy and enables much-needed improvement and expansion to our parks and trails,” BSCO CEO Whitney Montgomery told the audience in attendance at the July 7 gala.

Montgomery explained the three main focuses of the three-year strategic plan:

First, to enhance and grow the local trail network by adding 20 miles and continuing to improve trail connectivity.

Second, to renovate the Big Sky Community Park including “full-size and environmentally-sound synthetic” soccer and adult-sized baseball fields, a new playground, expanded skate park and pump track, and new tennis and pickleball courts.

And finally, to construct a new 6-acre park “providing athletic and park facilities in the south fork area of town, for the entire community to use,” Montgomery said.

He said BSCO’s underlying priority is to foster a community where everyone can thrive and be healthy.

“Over the last month we've already secured nearly $2.5 million towards our $10 million goal. Those funds have come from community members and from Resort Tax,” Montgomery said. He added that BSCO’s board of directors have all contributed to the campaign.

“I think we can all agree that the trails we have now are terrific,” said Tallie Lancey, BSCO board chair, during the speech. “And we want to build upon the success of our existing trail network as we go into the future. We want to connect the mountain to the meadow to the canyon—we want to add 20 miles of trail, we're talking about year-round recreation.”

“We're coming to you now to support our work on parks and trails. Because we know that you've already made an investment here in yourself and your family. And this is an enhancement to that investment,” Lancey said.

“This is one friggin’ amazing place to live and play,” Montgomery declared, followed by applause.

Enabling a new team sport

Among the expansions to Big Sky Community Park, a 90-foot turf baseball field will host Lone Peak High School’s new baseball program.

In the Big Horns’ first season, they were unable to play home games due to wet and undersized home field.

“We’re thrilled to see this critical need for our community being addressed,” coach John McGuire wrote in an email to EBS. “Kids from T-Ball through high school will benefit massively from this muchneeded upgrade to our community fields.”

McGuire added that the program is growing, “[and] we are really excited for the boys to have the opportunity to play on a real, regulation sized baseball field in Big Sky for the first time. It will be great to bring the community together for home games!”

“Having the community recognize and support the growth of youth sports, especially baseball, is both humbling and exciting,” coach Matt Morris wrote. “We hope to make an evening at the ballpark a fun summer option.”

Leslie Kilgore contributed reporting to the article.

Montgomery toasts to the Big Sky community at the Parks and Trails Gala.

PHOTO BY LESLIE KILGORE

The Big Sky Community Organization unveiled a three-year plan to expand and upgrade parks and trails in Big Sky. PHOTO BY LESLIE KILGORE

CAAMP BRINGS FOLK(S) TO LIFE AT BIG SKY EVENTS ARENA

POPULAR FOLK BAND’S TUNES KICK OFF LOCAL ARENA’S SUMMER EVENTS LINEUP

BY MIRA BRODY AND JACK REANEY

BIG SKY – The scene of 4,150 people waving their hands in unison to “26,” an energetic song about young love performed by Caamp, may just mark Big Sky’s very own American folk revival—the show fittingly even ended with a marriage proposal in the crowd.

On July 11 fans from across the region welcomed the band to the Big Sky Events Arena in Town Center for a show graced—as many are in this location—by a vibrant orange Lone Mountain sunset. By 2 p.m., folk fans were lined up outside of the arena’s entrance, eager to claim the best vantage point of the evening, three hours before the gates opened. It was Caamp’s first time in Big Sky.

“Fantastic. Fantastic,” mused a group of four young men when approached by EBS before hollering for an encore.

Caamp is comprised of frontmen Taylor Meier, Evan Westfall, Matt Vinson and Joseph Kavalec and have released four albums; their latest, Lavender Days, came out in June 2022. Punctuated by energetic banjo riffs, their songs are possibly most recognizable by Meier’s gravelly vocals as he belts out ballads about life, love and escaping to the mountains.

Local openers The Last Revel and Abby Webster warmed the crowd. The event was produced by Lone Mountain Land Company and Outlaw Partners, publisher of Explore Big Sky.

In addition to gathering folk fans, the night marked the beginning of the arena’s busy summer season. Set in a sagebrush field blanketed by a layer of pine woodchips, and a horseshoe of silver bleachers, the space has been home to Big Sky PBR for over a decade; the event’s sold-out 12th year will take

place July 20, 21 and 22 preceded by a week of events known as Big Sky’s Biggest Week, including the Big Sky Community Rodeo, Community Street Dance, Community Day and Mutton Bustin’, Dick Allgood Community BINGO night and PBR Golf Tournament. Following PBR, Wildlands Festival will fill the space, bringing headliners Foo Fighters and Lord Huron to the music-focused river benefit.

At the conclusion of the show, EBS approached a group hanging near the stage. When asked to identify the biggest Caamp fan, they pointed to Georgaline—a Bozeman student from Rocky Boy, Montana. The concert in Big Sky was her fourth time seeing Caamp.

“I think this was probably one of the most beautiful venues I’ve seen,” Georgaline said. “Just because of the mountains, the sunset, really good sound.”

As she spoke, a cheering crowd gathered in the arena center as Caleb Dixon dropped to one knee. Dixon, a visitor from Nashville, proposed to his girlfriend Bailey Holcomb. She said yes, followed

by a joyous embrace and cheers from more than 100 concert-going strangers.

“We love Montana, we’re out here all the time,” Holcomb told EBS a few minutes later. “Caamp was our first date in Tennessee.”

“Full circle,” Dixon said, adding that he will remember this concert forever.

The Big Sky Events Arena provides a mountainous backdrop.

PHOTO BY MEGAN PAULSON

Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall frontmen and founders of Camp, perform on July 11 at the Big Sky Events Arena. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

Caleb Dixon, left, proposed to his girlfriend at the end of the show.

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY EVENTS CALENDAR

Thursday, July 13 - Wednesday, July 26

If your next event falls between June 1 -13, please submit it to media@theoutlawpartners.com by July 21.

THURSDAY, JULY 13

Wildflower Festival

Crail Gardens at Historic Crail Ranch, All day

Music in the Mountains

Pregame Party

The Waypoint, 2 p.m.

Kids Movie Series: DC LeagueSuper Pets

The Waypoint, 3 p.m.

Al Anon Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 4 p.m.

Music in the Mountains: Jennifer Hartswick Band

Town Center Park, 6 p.m.

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 14

All Levels Pottery- 5 week session

BASE, 2 p.m.

Big Sky Community Rodeo

Big Sky Events Arena, 7 p.m.

Community Street Dance

Len Hill Park, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY JULY 15

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7:30 a.m.

St. Joseph Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 5 p.m.

Live Music: Scratchin’ Gravel

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

SUNDAY JULY 16

St. Joseph Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 8 a.m.

All Saints Big Sky Service

Big Sky Chapel, 10 a.m.

Soldiers Chapel Sunday Service

Soldiers Chapel, 11 a.m.

Sunday Funday

The Waypoint, 2 p.m.

Big Sky Christian

Fellowship Service

Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m.

Gallery Paint Party

Big Sky Artists’ Collective Studio & Gallery, 5:30 p.m.

Throwback Movie Night

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

MONDAY JULY 17

Family Night The Waypoint, 5 p.m.

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

Trivia Tips Up, 9 p.m.

TUESDAY, JULY 18

Tiki Tuesdays The Waypoint, 5 p.m.

Wine and Dine Tuesday Rainbow Ranch Lodge, 5 p.m.

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

Dick Allgood Community Bingo Night Big Sky Events Arena, 6 p.m.

Outdoor Film Series: Wampler’s Ascent The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19

Youth Fly Fishing Camp Kircher Park, 9 a.m.

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

AA Meeting Big Sky Medical Center (Community Room), 12 p.m.

Life Drawing BASE, 3:30 p.m.

Robert Osborn Exhibition“Cowboys and Indians, Mostly” Big Sky Town Center, 5 p.m.

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

Community Art Class: Paint Your pet

BASE, 6 p.m.

Trivia Night The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

Cruz Contreras Band Tips Up, 9:45 p.m.

THURSDAY JULY 20

Music in the Mountains

Pregame Party The Waypoint, 2 p.m.

Kids Movie Series: The Bad Guys The Waypoint, 3 p.m.

Al Anon Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 4 p.m.

PBR Night 1

PBR Arena in Town Center, 5 p.m

Music in the Mountains: Madeline Hawthorne Town Center Park, 6 p.m.

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7 p.m.

After Music in the MountainsPowell Brothers- Texas Rock Tips Up, 9:45 p.m.

FRIDAY JULY 21

PBR Night 2

PBR Arena in Town Center, 6 p.m.

Ho Down Dance Party

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY JULY 22

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7:30 a.m.

Big Sky Artisan Festival

Len Hill Park, 9 a.m.

St. Joseph Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 5 p.m.

PBR Night 3

PBR Arena in Town Center, 6 p.m

Live Music: Happy The Waypoint, 7 p.m.

DJ Chedda- Hip Hop DJ Tips Up, 10 p.m.

SUNDAY JULY 23

All Saints Big Sky Service

Big Sky Chapel, 10 a.m.

St. Joseph Mass (followed by church picnic)

Community Park Pavilion, 11:15 a.m.

Sunday Funday

The Waypoint, 2 p.m.

Big Sky Christian Fellowship Service, Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m.

Ladies of Big Sky Softball Game Community Park, 5:30 p.m.

The Bo Show- Bluegrass & Americana Tips Up, 9:45 p.m

MONDAY JULY 24

Family Night

The Waypoint, 5 p.m.

NA Meeting Big Sky Chapel, 6:30 p.m.

Monday Night Competitive Video Games The Waypoint, 7 p.m.

Trivia Tips Up, 9 p.m.

TUESDAY JULY 25

Tiki Tuesdays The Waypoint, 5 p.m.

Wine and Dine Tuesday Rainbow Ranch Lodge, 5 p.m.

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

Outdoor Film Series: Low and Clear The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY JULY 26

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

AA Meeting Big Sky Medical Center (Community Room), 12 p.m.

Life Drawing BASE, 3:30 p.m.

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

Trivia Night The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

FEATURED EVENT:

Wednesday, July 19

Youth Fly Fishing Camp hosted by Gallatin River Task Force and Gallatin River Guides

Kircher Park, 9 a.m.

BUSINESS

MAKING IT IN BIG SKY: KATE KETSCHEK

BY GABRIELLA DICENZO CONTENT MARKETING INTERN

BIG SKY– Fueled by a passion for being outdoors partnered with a background in public relations, Kate Ketschek began Revolution House Media, a company dedicated to creating recognition and enhancing market share for young brands.

For this issue of Making it in Big Sky, we had the opportunity to speak with Ketschek about her humble beginnings here in the community and some of her biggest inspirations.

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: When did you first come to Big Sky and what brought you here?

Kate Ketschek: I first came to Big Sky in 1994 to work during a summer in college. I was drawn to the mountains and lack of crowds. I found Big Sky Resort in a Summer Jobs 1994 book and applied to work at the Huntley [Lodge] front desk. I was in love with Big Sky after that first summer, and I returned in 1999 to work in sales and marketing at the resort. While we were volunteering in the fire department I met my husband, Mike, and we married in 2005. In 2007, he got a job with a fire department in New Hampshire and we settled in around the seacoast of New Hampshire, and then Maine. Fortunately in 2015 Big Sky Fire hired him back and we’ve been here ever since.

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

K.K.: Big Sky attracts smart and talented people who love the natural landscape of Montana and playing outside. Big Sky has a history of being a supportive and giving community—which is required when the town runs on volunteers. I love the people I’ve met through volunteering over the years, from the fire department to the chamber to my most recent time with Big Sky Community Organization. Through these organizations, I’ve found mentors and people who have provided insight from their past experiences to help me grow as a business owner.

… Most of my clients I’ve been with for nearly a decade or more, and it’s been an incredible feeling of accomplishment to see these startups grow into flourishing brands.

– Kate Ketschek Revolution House Media

EBS: When did you found Revolution House Media and what inspired you to do so?

K.K.: I founded Revolution House Media in 2013. After we had moved back East, I started working with NEMO Equipment, who at the time, was a small start-up in the outdoor industry making innovative tents and camping equipment.

We had little money as a company, so I wore many hats running marketing and customer service. I enjoyed the public relations side of my work, connecting with journalists to share NEMO’s story and products. After five years in house, I knew I wanted to do the same for other smaller brands who had impactful stories or innovative products. Today, I work with brands in the outdoor, lifestyle and food industries, including NEMO. Most of my clients I’ve been with for nearly a decade or more, and it’s been an incredible feeling of accomplishment to see these startups grow into flourishing brands.

EBS: What services does Revolution House Media offer the community?

K.K.: RHM works with brands to build recognition and increase market share by offering public relations and communications services. We deliver quantifiable results through media relations, editorial coverage, social media management and strategic partnerships. We also host media events and train executives for public speaking.

EBS: You’ve worked with some big names in the area, what draws you to a certain client, or what kind of work excites you most?

K.K.: I’m passionate about recreating outdoors, protecting public lands, wildlife and access and sustainability. I look for clients that share those passions and are authentic in the way they want to use their brand voice. I love the challenge of growing a smaller brand and being creative in how we work.

EBS: Where can we find you when you’re not at work?

K.K.: When I’m not at work, you can find me on the trails! In the winter, skiing, of course and throughout the rest of the year, I love running with my dog Ramona on the ever-growing network of trails we have here. Each summer, my daughter Campbell and I go backpacking at least once. This year, we’ve got permits for Yellowstone National Park; we can’t wait!

EBS: What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

K.K.: Listen. Surround yourself with folks who are smarter than you and learn.

Kate Ketschek is the founder and owner of Revolution House Media.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE KETSCHEK

INVENTIVE

May 26 – September 3

Da Vinci The Exhibition is a hands-on examination of da Vinci’s life, research, and art. Visitors will learn about da Vinci’s complex beginnings and lifetime achievements through his discoveries in art, engineering, flight, hydraulics, music, light, and more. The exhibit features more than 60 fully built, life-size inventions, more than 15 fine art studies, and dozens of stunning displays.

Da Vinci The Exhibition was developed by Aurea Exhibitions and produced by Imagine Exhibitions, Inc.

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Chris McCloud and Stephanie Dickson Charitable Fund

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OPINION

SAVORING BIG SKY

BY RACHEL HERGETT EBS COLUMNIST

BIG SKY—I was at my mom’s house for dinner when I received an email with my tickets to Savor Big Sky, Big Sky Resort’s inaugural food, wine and spirits festival.

“Who are you taking with you?” my mom asked, then promptly cleared her schedule for the Grand Tasting on Saturday.

I had a chuckle at her tenacity and consented to the mother-daughter date. As a caregiver for her own now nonagenarian mother, my mother doesn’t get out much. And as my mother, the person most responsible for my own foodie tendencies, one might be able to guess that staying in is a bit hard on her. I was happy to have her along.

Savor Big Sky featured a series of events over the course of four days from June 29 to July 2. Aside from the Grand Tasting, chefs and local purveyors contributed to hike and lunch adventures, wine pairings, farm-totable dinners, champagne brunches and more. Thinking about it all has me drooling.

The Grand Tasting, according to a Big Sky Resort press release, was the heart of the weekend food festival, with more than 30 wineries, breweries and distilleries offering tastings along with small bites from area chefs. At the entrance, IDs were checked and our QR

codes exchanged for ribbon wristbands. We were handed souvenir wine glasses with the event logo and plates that fit around the stems.

I wandered through the booths, standing in line for the small bites while mom perused the wineries and wine distributors. Bottled Smart Water at the entrance and in small troughs at bar-height tables scattered throughout the venue was much appreciated, as was a station that featured a rotating selection of fruitinfused water.

I found friends — old colleagues I have not seen enough of lately. I found a couple wines that I adored, namely the 2019 Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Piattelli Vineyards and the 2020 Tannat Reserva from Bodega Garzón, a winery in Uruguay where tannat is considered the national grape. I heckled my friends in the band, Tsunami Funk.

I tried delectable bites like a ravioli with local mushrooms from Montage Big Sky and a bao bun from Bozeman-based noodle company Noodsss. I huddled under the Noodsss tent when a short downpour hit, thankful for the event information email that included a reminder to pack layers and rain gear for the unpredictable mountain weather.

As I write this, I am reminded that I stuffed one of my raincoat pockets with gluten-free truffles and cookies from Thorn Apple Baking Co., a bakery specializing in goodies for people with all types of dietary restrictions that opened in Big Sky earlier this year.

I kept being drawn back to the Buck’s T-4 booth, which offered a somewhat magical, though inconspicuous, vegetarian option, cubes of honey roasted carrots and tiny segments of blood orange coated in both marinated quinoa (for flavor) and crispy quinoa (for crunch) atop a curry-infused yogurt.

Dry Hills Distillery mixologists filled my wine glass with a brown derby, one of my favorite cocktails. And I tried the blanco and reposado tequilas from 406 Agave, lamenting that the añejo had yet to arrive from Jalisco, Mexico. The display bottle, I was informed, was sadly filled with brown water.

Maybe I had too much fun. I didn’t take notes on each chef and their offerings (though I did try them). I didn’t have my journalist hat on and instead leaned into the event as any other attendee. I ate and drank. I talked and laughed. I had a grand time.

On the drive home, my mom commented that the event marked her first tasting since the COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives, and boy had she missed them.

So thank you, Big Sky, for reminding us what it is to gather, to savor.

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.

Branded wine glasses added elegant notes to the Grand Tasting. PHOTO BY RACHEL HERGETT

THE MIGHTY BIG HOLE RIVER IS DYING AS TROUT POPULATIONS CONTINUE PLUMMETING ARE FWP’S PLANS ENOUGH?

BY BENJAMIN ALVA POLLEY EBS CONTRIBUTOR

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks are seeing a significant decline and loss in recruitment in brown and rainbow trout populations along the Big Hole River; the numbers are half to three-quarters of what they were 10 years ago. The Big Hole continues to have the lowest trout populations on record since numbers were collected in 1969. The Jefferson Basin fisheries are also in peril and experts are unsure of why.

As of 2013, the uppermost section of the Big Hole River had an estimated combined tally of 2,000-2,200 brown and rainbow trout per mile. Ten years later, biologists are counting 1,000 per mile. The Middle or Melrose sections are estimated to have fewer than 500 brown and rainbow per mile. The lower Big Hole is estimated at 500-700.

For a once mighty blue-ribbon trout stream, these numbers are dire. Additionally, zombie fish are caught with visible fungal infections, eyeballs that can’t see, and missing chunks of their gill plates.

So, what’s going on?

In the past, the agency said the decline in trout numbers was because of low flows and warm temperatures exacerbated by climate change.

“I have already been alerted to the presence of fish and fungus by local fishing guides, a concerning thing to see given that it’s only June with plenty of water and cool weather,” said Brian Wheeler, the executive director of The Big Hole River Foundation.

“There’s something else going on here besides flow,” said Jim Olsen, Big Hole fisheries biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, in a recent Zoom call.

There could be a whole host of factors affecting trout numbers besides high water temperatures and low flow, including rare diseases, fungus outbreaks, parasites, algal blooms, fire retardants, or possibly a condition they haven’t discovered and don’t have the tools to identify because it is so novel.

“What’s scarier is how many other rivers/ drainages in the West that this is occurring that aren’t studied as closely as the Big Hole,” said Evan Phillippe, an angler and former fishing guide for 16 years.

The Big Hole River in southwestern Montana is one of the world's most iconic wild and free-flowing blue-ribbon trout streams. Anglers come from around the world to fish for Arctic

grayling, brown and rainbow trout. It’s the headwaters of the Missouri River and even the mighty Mississippi. Many people depend on the Big Hole and surrounding Beaverhead County to pay their bills. The fly-fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation economy generates $167 million annually and supports 1,400 jobs.

“There are other watersheds that experience chronic low flows, others with significant nutrient loading problems, and many other rivers with far more angling pressure,” said Wheeler. “Yet none appear to be seeing the same kind of problem, certainly not with the disease/fungus we’ve seen. I understand that FWP is not seeing zombie fish like this in other Montana watersheds.”

Each March and April, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists survey sections of the Big Hole River by electroshocking the river to count trout. They only count fish seven inches and above, which are big enough for anglers to catch. Biologists note modest but still below average recruitment the past two years but poor recruitment the three previous years, which will continue to affect future generations.

Many anglers, guides, and outfitters feel the agency is dragging its feet and not doing enough because it’s taken a while to devise a plan of action. There was an effort spearheaded by anglers, guides, and outfitters beginning two years ago, prompting the state to create a Cold Water Fisheries Task Force, including experts from FWP, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, and the Montana Department of Natural Resources Conservation (representing biology, water quality, and water quantity). This effort was made in hopes of directing combined agency expertise and resources specifically toward a fishery in peril, and the call went unanswered.

So, what exactly is Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks doing?

The agency set up stricter fishing regulations on the Big Hole to protect spawning fish and limit angler-caused mortality. It is catch and release for all Arctic Grayling for the entire river, with five trout in possession from headwaters to Dickie Creek for a daily limit, and from Dickie Bridge to the mouth, it is a catch and release only, only artificial lures with single-point hooks, and no treble or double hooks. FWP is taking a three-river approach by looking at Beaverhead and Ruby Rivers. They are bolstering their efforts to get information from the public by creating a portal where people can tell them when and where they see dead or dying fish.

From a research standpoint, FWP has a fourpronged approach to adaptive management plans. The first prong is a fish health study on the three rivers examining how diseases influence populations. To accomplish this, they hope to hire additional staff or redirect staff and will seek

help from other researchers and partnerships from Montana State University. The second approach is sampling more dead or dying fish and sending the results to the laboratory for diagnosis. The third approach is to look at specific limiting factors for trout abundance. The fourth prong is a mortality study on all three rivers, including the Madison River. The plan looks at all forms of mortality and their impacts affecting populations as a river-wide Creel Survey and talking with anglers. This mortality study won’t begin until 2024.

“We’re going to be as transparent as possible with what we are finding and doing,” said Greg Lemon, spokesperson for Montana FWP. “We want the public to engage with us and tell us what they see. We will do our best to keep the communication flowing as well.”

Is this proactive enough?

Some organizations have started proactive measures, like the Big Hole River Foundation, along with an independent effort via Save Wild Trout is being initiated immediately to help get at the targeted study of fish pathology now to commission an outside expert to help identify causes and propose solutions (specifically to get live tissue sample of an infected fish) and provide that data to FWP to help inform their Fish Mortality Study once it begins next year.

The Big Hole River Foundation is also performing a water quality monitoring program that Wheeler is leading, which is purposefully designed to complement the work being done by state agency folks and working together to provide valuable and relevant data.

“Economics aside, the Big Hole is a mighty special place: a 150-long, free-flowing river, draining 2,800 wild square miles, several mountain ranges, home to multiple threatened species,” Wheeler said. “As a microcosm within the broad scale threats to the function and integrity of our environmental systems atlarge, if we can’t protect this kind of place, what chance is there for less unique watersheds?”

Unfortunately, agencies move glacially, but hopefully, through partnerships, they can find solutions before the trout fishery entirely collapses and save this and other iconic blueribbon trout streams that are the lifeblood of the land so many people and animals depend upon.

Time will only tell.

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.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

SEE ANYTHING?

BY PAUL SWENSON EBS COLUMNIST

Happy July! Summer has arrived and with it many of you are out on the hiking trails enjoying the sun, the warmth, and the views. I took a chance the other day and decided to hike up Beehive Basin, one of my all-time favorite hikes for many decades.

The chance was not one of being in shape, or weather, or braving the flies and mosquitoes, but finding parking spot when I got to the trailhead. I did find one, though, since I got there early.

It was a beautiful, cool, cloudless morning with a little frost on the boardwalk across the marsh at the trailhead. It’s nice to be able to hike without overheating. Right away I started spotting all the beautiful plants, flowers, animals, geology and views that make it so special here. The first hill was a little warm-up for the rest of the hike and I was in a bit of a rush to get to the pond in the basin before the wind started rippling the water. I was on a mission to get some photographs of the mountains reflecting on its surface.

On the way up I started to reflect on the last year of writing for Explore Big Sky and what an incredible experience it has been. I really enjoy helping you all understand what I find fascinating about our region and thank you so much for all the positive comments that you have shared with me, or with someone I know.

I made it to the pond just in time. The breeze picked up right after I grabbed the photograph and put a ripple on the surface. So I walked around looking for some interesting geology and plants to share with you.

Earlier this year I wrote about the Spanish Peaks gneiss, in its full glory around Beehive Basin. Within this rock one can also find garnets and a green mineral called serpentinite if you keep a keen eye out looking for them. The garnets are not gem-quality, but you should be able to see their red, roughly hexagonal cross-section, usually within a dark rock matrix. They are called Almandine garnets and for the geochemistry fans, have a chemical formula Fe3Al2Si3O12.

Heading back down the trail after spending a beautiful morning in the basin I thought I should also share with you how these rocks got here in the first place.

In the “That’s Gneiss” article, I described the core rocks of the Spanish Peaks and that they were buried 10-20 kilometers deep, then uplifted during the formation of the Rocky Mountains. On the Beehive hike you get to see the high-angle reverse fault that lifted these basement rocks up from the depths. It places these 2-billion-year-old rocks in contact with, and overriding, 350-million-yearold limestones of the Madison Formation. So if you climb up on the ridge on both sides of the basin, you can straddle 1.5 billion years of Earth’s history on the fault line. Cool. Or as you walk up the trail, look down at your feet at the wilderness sign—you will see fossil brachiopods indicating the limestone, then in another quarter mile you are in the metamorphic basement rocks.

The fault you see in Beehive stretches from Virginia City, through Beehive and Bear Basin, down

Dudley Creek, up Portal Creek, through Paradise Valley, past Gardner into the Beartooth Range. It is a quite massive fault that uplifted a huge block of crust to compensate for compression that was occurring during the formation of the Rockies.

As I continued my journey back to the trailhead I passed by more and more hikers coming up. Having my camera around my neck always seems to elicit the same question from many passersby: “Did you see anything?”

Seems like a silly question, but they have to be careful asking me because I might give them an entire dissertation on what I saw. Most seemed to not have the time for the complete answer so I gave them an imperfect one.

Speaking of imperfect… flowers. I saw a species of plant, the meadow rue, Thalictrum occidentale, whose flowers on a plant are either male or female. I introduced the idea of imperfect flowers last summer with Lodgepole Pines, but the rue is much more dainty. They are small, delicate flowers that most will walk by. But take a look in the shady, wet spots under the evergreens and you will spot them. They, like every natural wonder in our backyard, are worth a close inspection.

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.

This scenic pond rewards the many hikers of Beehive Basin. PHOTO BY PAUL SWENSON

Spanish Peaks-Gardner Fault cutting across the west ridge (left), and east ridge (right) above the trail. Tan limestones on the South of the saddle, grey gneiss on the North. PHOTOS BY PAUL SWENSON

Small ridge of Madison Formation in trial, Brachiopods underfoot there (ant for scale). PHOTOS BY PAUL SWENSON

Meadow Rue, male flower and female flower. PHOTOS BY PAUL SWENSON

Be a river hero.

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.

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Meet Our Team

Photo by Audrey Hall

THE BIG SKY WAY: SUMMER FUN COOKOUTS, CAMPING AND PROPERTY TAXES?!

BY DANIEL BIERSCHWALE EBS COLUMNIST

As the days warm, we find ourselves outside a lot. For some that’s time spent cooking out or camping on a property you may pay taxes on. In our ongoing civic engagement column, it seems timely to explore the property appraisal notices recently distributed throughout Montana. While it’s easy to confuse these notices with property tax bills, they in fact are not one and the same.

The appraisal notices went out to alert you that the current market value of your property had changed. Plain and simple. The notices then estimate what your property taxes would be based on the prior year’s millage rate. However, this year’s millage rate has not yet been determined.

It’s no secret that many government services are paid for through property taxes. The methodology by which those taxes are calculated can be overwhelming to say the least. Residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and forest property are all calculated differently, which adds to the confusion.

The Department of Revenue (DOR) is required by law to determine the market value of all residential, commercial and industrial real property every two years. Many of you will find these appraisals reflecting the current market value as of January 1, 2022, have increased dramatically, which has the potential of leading to a larger property tax bill.

That said, local governments use a fairly complicated process to calculate your property taxes. It starts with the DOR-assessed value multiplied by your property class rate Big Sky is predominantly residential and commercial. This calculation formulates taxable value the value basis used when factoring mills.

We may see some increase in property taxes based on the newly calculated taxable value, but it’s going to take some time to determine what exactly that looks like and here is why:

The final DOR valuations are sent to the respective county treasurer in early August. Local governments establish their budgets and then set their mill levies based on these taxable values. Then they can begin the process of assembling the tax bill, which will take a few months.

State law has limitations on budgets and mill levy increases for local governments including counties, school districts and cities. If the mill value goes up, the amount of mills the local governments can levy goes down proportionately. They can only raise the total tax impact for general operating mills by half the rate of inflation for the prior three years.

Get engaged - learn more from DOR

There has been some confusion about the assessment notices leading to a flood of questions directed towards county treasurers. Let’s help Madison and Gallatin counties by directing assessment notice questions to the appropriate entity DOR. If you are looking to dive deeper into this topic, the Property Assessment Division of DOR is hosting a series of in-person town halls in communities across Gallatin and Madison counties this month. Residents are encouraged to attend any of the DOR town halls at the following locations (Big Sky is July 13):

• July 10 – Manhattan Town Hall (207 S. Sixth St.) – 4-8 PM

• July 12 – Gallatin County Courthouse (311 W. Main St., Bozeman) – 12-4 PM

• July 13 – Ophir School Gym (45465 Gallatin Rd., Big Sky) – 5-8 PM

• July 18 – Belgrade City Council Chambers (91 E. Central Ave.) – 5-9 PM

• July 19 – Ennis High School (223 Charles Ave, Ennis) – 5-9 PM

• July 19 – West Yellowstone Town Hall (440 Yellowstone Ave.) – 1-5 PM

• July 20 – Bozeman Public Safety Center Community Room (901 N. Rouse Ave.) –5-9 PM

• July 20 – Sheridan High School (107 Madison St, Sheridan) – 5-9 PM

• July 26 – Three Forks City Hall (206 S. Main St.) – 5-9 PM

There are also virtual options on July 6, July 12, July 17 and July 25 - see full schedule and get links at the DOR website. Lastly, property owners can request informal reviews and file formal appeals. The processes for those are lined out on the DOR website's 'Property

Appraisal Notices' page

Primary homes receive some relief

On a related note, two house bills were signed into law to provide tax rebates for eligible Montana taxpayers. House Bills 222 and 816 provide a rebate for property taxes paid in tax years 2022 and 2023.

The new laws provide a rebate of up to $675 a year on property taxes paid towards a principal residence. Each rebate is only available to taxpayers who were billed and paid Montana property taxes in each year. To qualify, during each year, you must have:

• owned a Montana residence for at least seven months,

• lived in that Montana residence for at least seven months,

• had property taxes, including special assessments and other fees, billed on that residence, and

• paid those property taxes on that residence.

As you are soaking up the sun this summer grilling a burger on your porch, it’s also a good time to soak up some details on the taxes you pay, including those for the backyard where you’re hosting the barbecue.

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.

* Your property may be subject to local government’s special assessments and fees in addition to the general taxes. COURTESY OF BSRAD

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LET’S TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH: WHEN YOUR OWN RECOVERY BECOMES A BLUEPRINT FOR HELPING OTHERS

“In life, we are most qualified to help the person we used to be.” – unknown

BY SHANNON STEELE EBS COLUMNIST

A new program in Big Sky connects those struggling with substance abuse with peers who have found a road to recovery. The program is made possible by a partnership between the Big Sky Behavioral Health Coalition and the Rimrock Foundation of Billings, which focuses on addressing a critical need in Big Sky: accessing substance use supports to aid in recovery.

People with lived experience are uniquely positioned to help others live a recoveryoriented lifestyle, no matter what they are recovering from—addiction or other mental health issues. In Big Sky, connecting with a peer support specialist is not only free, but also eliminates barriers that many face in starting the road to recovery. The impact of peers is especially profound because you can walk beside someone on your recovery journey and receive non-judgmental guidance rooted in lived experience.

Overcoming obstacles

There’s an axiom favored by people in recovery which states, “you only have to change one thing in recovery—everything!”

Andy Malby, a peer support specialist with the Rimrock Foundation and now a local Big Sky resource, shared, “I have found this to be true in my recovery: new friends and associates, a new daily routine, and a commitment to going to any length to protect my recovery, among other changes. It’s all been based on personal willingness to overcome fear of change.”

Fear, among other barriers to admitting you have a problem, asking for help, or accessing care can easily trap you into thinking recovery and healing are impossible. Statistics and others’ lived experience will tell you that you are not alone in this. A large number of people need treatment but don’t receive it.

In 2021, 8.33% of the population in Montana reported needing treatment but were not able to get it. A study interviewing 1,296 people found that the most commonly reported barriers to treatment of alcohol use disorder include:

• Time conflict and constraints (99.5%)

• Perceived absence of a problem (80.5%)

• Fear of treatment (68%)

• Lack of social support (49%)

Similar to Malby, Andy Pilch, another Rimrock Foundation Peer Support Specialist, shared that his barriers also started with fear.

“I always feared the stigma of addiction and what people would think,” he said. “I also didn’t know how to access low-cost/no-cost programs, sober housing or entry-level jobs that would take a chance on someone new in recovery.”

For Malby, cost and the ability to obtain insurance got in the way, along with his own thought patterns.

“Financial barriers delayed my entry to treatment by nearly six months,” he said. “I also thought that recovery wasn’t possible for me, or that I wasn’t worthy of it.”

The power of being seen

Peer support removes barriers, real or perceived, and can eliminate the stress of navigating often complex and overwhelming systems. Peer support is not one and done— it is an ongoing relationship. Those in peer support roles intuitively understand that healing is not linear, and that real, sustainable change requires a willingness to acknowledge a challenge and seek support. They know from experience that this process takes time.

Malby’s journey to recovery began as a teenager with alcohol and progressed over the years to marijuana and other drugs, and eventually methamphetamines. Using stopped being fun and became a daily necessity, which resulted in a host of problems.

“I threw away everything in pursuit of drugs—friends, family and other relationships, and in the end my will to live. I decided to go to treatment but didn’t care if I made it there or not. But I did make it, and I took that as a sign; I decided to surrender to the treatment process and to put as much effort into recovery as I had to stay addicted.”

For Pilch, the hurt and pain caused by 12 years of homelessness and addiction was the catalyst that eventually led to his recovery and purpose as a peer support specialist.

“Today I try to help others to find the freedom that recovery offers,” he said.

Why not you?

A peer’s lived experience is invaluable. Who better to advocate for others than those who have walked the same path before? A peer support specialist is not a one-size-fits-all

role. Though the trajectories of Malby’s and Pilch’s lives were deeply impacted by their relationship with substances, their paths to recovery were not the same. However, both now use the power of their experience to instill hope in others that recovery is possible for anyone who wants it.

“We are people in long-term recovery and offer non-judgmental recovery support regardless of where you're at in your recovery or addiction,” Pilch said. “Recovery is not a timed event, it is a process. My goal for anyone in or thinking about getting into recovery is about finding freedom from the bondage of self—that is, addiction and mental health issues.”

Recovery is difficult to do alone A peer’s ability to empathize and support self-directed recovery, based on first-hand experience, is unique in the field of behavioral health.

What can peer support do?

• Help you make healthy choices to stay accountable for your goals.

• Connect you to community and recovery resources.

• Educate, support and guide you through behavior change.

• Help you build essential life skills.

• Support you through stressful life events.

• Help you create a personal recovery action plan

Get connected to peer support

Andy Malby (amalby@rimrock.org) and Andy Pilch (apilch@rimrock.org) are in Big Sky Wednesdays – Fridays, otherwise, reach out to make a virtual appointment: 406-6972781

Need to reach someone right now? Call or text Rimrock Foundation's 24/7 peer line: 406-876-1623

Become a peer support

The Rimrock Foundation and the Big Sky Behavioral Health Coalition are seeking a dedicated and compassionate person in recovery to continue the efforts already underway to establish a peer support program in Big Sky. Your lived experience, combined with training, expertise, and knowledge of the Big Sky community will empower others to develop skills and the resilience necessary for sustained recovery.

APPLY HERE: https://www.rimrock.org/ join-our-team/

A BENEFIT FOR RIVER CONSERVATION

Speaker Panel, Comedy Performance, Silent & Live Auction, H'dourves & Beverages

SCAN FOR TICKETS

Be especially cautious if you see a female with cubs; never place yourself between a mother and her cub!

of school: They are expected to follow their mother and learn how to find food or hunt.

And the Winners Are…

Congratulations to our winners of the 26th Annual Black Diamond Business Awards

We’re beyond grateful for the hard work, entrepreneurship, and enrichment that each of these individuals and organizations bring to our Big Sky Business Community

EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR Emily Burke, Big Sky Thrift

Emily recognized that the Big Sky community members needed an affordable place to shop and that there needed to be a convenient place for community members also to recycle their clothing

Her vision and hard work to bring Big Sky Thrift to serve our community defines social entrepreneurship at its best

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Tallie Lancey, Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty

From her infectious smile to her engagement in working on a number of non-profit boards, her willingness to lead the charge to make Big Sky a great place to live is in her DNA. She dressed up as a mailbox last year for Halloween in support of a new post office and is a resource for new residents of Big Sky, Tallie Lancey is one of the reasons Big Sky is great.

NONPROFIT PERSON OF THE YEAR Sarah

Gaither Bivins, Community Food Bank

Sarah accepted the first and only staff position at the newly developed Big Sky Community Food Bank in 2014. Responsible for all food bank operations, as well as client case management and fundraising, Sarah has become an advocate for the Big Sky workforce through various community partnerships to develop new resources and

services.

BUSINESS OF

THE YEAR

First Tracks Tire Services

From the moment they entered the market, First Tracks Tire Services has embarked on a journey fueled by passion, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. We are honored to acknowledge their remarkable achievements and their unwavering dedication to providing exceptional service to their customers.

CHET HUNTLEY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Andy Dreisbach, Cornerstone Management Services

You’ve seen the recipient in the community not only as a business owner but as a parent sharing the love and teaching the values of the mountains with family, as a volunteer constructing the hockey boards each season, and when guiding or coordinating Search and Rescue missions – he’s a steady voice bringing confidence and trust, on for some, what feels like the darkest of days. For over 20 years, Andy Dreisbach has been the head of Cornerstone Management Services. A partnership with the engineering department at MSU is one of the many examples of Andy’s leadership and prioritization of innovation, He’s committed to sharing best practices for our unique community. Andy leads by example with his company and his family. He’s the definition of forward-thinking and resilience.

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsors:

wraparound

From left to right: Andy Dreisbach, Cornerstone Management Services | Emily Burke, Big Sky Thrift | Tallie Lancey, Big Sky Sotheby’s International Realty | Sarah Gaither Bivins, Big Sky Community Food Bank | Christopher Phillips, Tanner Dunlap, First Tracks Tire Services

BIG SKY'S BIGGEST WEEK

WELCOME TO THE 12TH ANNUAL BIG SKY PBR

THE BIGGEST WEEK IN BIG SKY

Big Sky PBR was founded on the principals of bringing an event authentic to Montana, with world class production and athletes while helping celebrate and build community. The growth of this event since its humble beginnings is staggering. Since the beginning, the event has sold out, brought in over $3M for charities, generated tens of millions in economic impact for local businesses, employed thousands of local workers, and been awarded #1 PBR Event of the Year in the country, nine times in a row.

While I am proud of all the amazing accolades surrounding this event, I am profoundly grateful for the community it has helped build and the special moments that have occurred in this arena. Over the years, Big Sky PBR has been witness to some very special moments: Cowboy Beau Hill winning the first-ever event; cherished family gatherings under the big lights; the creative nightly presentation of the flag by so many locals; local musicians who have sung the national anthem; and the nonprofits who have combed the stands, raising money and awareness for their efforts.

I have had the opportunity to share this event with my close family and friends

creating lasting memories for everyone with photos that now decorate the walls of homes. I have watched three generations of my family become diehard PBR fans, my nieces ride sheep and my dear friends have heartfelt dreams come true while attending the event.

It goes without saying that it takes a village to pull this event off. We could not do this event without the sponsors, volunteers and the incredible hardworking staff of Freestone Productions and Outlaw Partners who co-produce this event.

Andy and Jacey Watson and Jim Murphy were my partners on this event since day one and have helped set the blueprint for what is now a notable event around the country. There was tremendous financial risk in starting this event in a stark sagebrush field and without the help of local businesses like Yellowstone Club, Lone Mountain Land Company, The Simkins Family and Big Sky Town Center, this event would not likely have happened.

So, while I want you to appreciate these incredibly brave and talented bull riders, marvel in the strength of the bull athletes and appreciate the culture of the

sport, take note and be grateful for the memories that are being created in our humble aluminum stadium, marvel in the beauty of the setting sun over Lone Peak and be proud that our community event has supported so many and is now recognized as “best in class.”

Lastly, I close with a deep heartfelt thanks for Flint Rasmussen and his commitment to our event since day one. Flint has given me great advice in helping build this event, and I am eternally grateful for him. I hope to see you here next year and many more years to come.

Grateful, Eric Ladd CEO, Outlaw Partners

Big Sky PBR won Event of the Year for the ninth time at the PBR World Finals this past spring.

COURTESY OF ERIC LADD

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

BIG SKY’S BIGGEST WEEK

Big Sky Community Rodeo

Friday, July 14 | 7 p.m.

Big Sky Events Arena

Community Street Dance with Tony Marques Band

Friday, July 14 | 9 p.m.

Len Hill Park

BIG SKY PBR

Big Sky PBR Night 1

Thursday, July 20 | 6 p.m.

Big Sky Events Arena

After Party and Live Music with Madeline Hawthorne

Thursday, July 20 | 8 p.m.

Music in the Mountains at Len Hill Park

Community Day and Mutton Bustin’

Tuesday, July 18 | 12 p.m.

Big Sky Events Arena

Dick Allgood

Community BINGO Night

Tuesday, July 18 |6 p.m.

Big Sky Events Arena

Big Sky PBR Night 2

Friday, July 21 | 7 p.m.

Big Sky Events Arena

After Party and Live Music with Jamie McLean Band

Friday, July 21 | 9 p.m.

Big Sky Events Arena SAV Stage

Big Sky PBR Golf Tournament

Wednesday, July 19 | 9 a.m.

Black Bull Golf Course

Big Sky PBR Night 3

Saturday, July 22 | 7 p.m.

Big Sky Events Arena

After Party and Live Music with Lukas Nelson & POTR

Saturday, July 22 | 9 p.m.

Big Sky Events Arena SAV Stage

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What time does the Big Sky event start?

Thursday, July 20: Gates open at 4:30 p.m., Calcutta starts at 5:30 p.m., PBR starts at 6 p.m.

Friday, July 21: Gates Open at 5:30 p.m., Calcutta starts at 6:30 p.m., PBR starts at 7 p.m.

Saturday, July 22: Gates Open at 5:30 p.m., Calcutta starts at 6:30 p.m., PBR starts at 7 p.m.

Can I bring in my own food and drink to the event?

No outside food and drink is allowed at the event. However, we do encourage attendees to bring an empty reusable water bottle that can be filled at the multiple water-filling stations throughout the arena.

Where do I park?

Limited free parking is available in Big Sky near the arena. The closest lot adjacent to the arena is reserved. We recommend walking from Town Center or carpooling.

Will there be an ATM on site?

Yes, there will be two ATMs available on site.

Where and when do I pick up my tickets?

Will Call will be open Monday-Wednesday, July 17-19 at the Outlaw Partners Office located at 11 Lone Peak Drive Unit 104 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, July 20-22, Will Call will move to the trailer at the Big Sky Events Arena and open at 11 a.m.

We strongly encourage picking up your tickets (wristbands or lanyards) before the event to avoid lines.

What do I need to pick up my tickets?

Please bring your ID and your ticket confirmation email to pick up your tickets.

Do I need a ticket for the after party music events?

Your purchase of a ticket to the PBR includes music-only ticket access on Friday and Saturday, July 21 and 22 to see Jamie McLean Band and Lukas Nelson & POTR, respectively, at the Big Sky Events Arena stage. The concerts will start promptly after the PBR ends. You must either have a music-only ticket or a PBR ticket to attend.

Thursday, July 20 after party music with Madeline Hawthorne at 8 p.m. is free and open to the public in Len Hill Park as part of the Arts Council of Big Sky’s Music in the Mountains event; You do not need a ticket to attend.

What are the Calcutta details?

Calcutta winner(s) are based on individual longgo rider score, not cumulative team score. The 40 riders are split into eight teams of five with each team auctioned off to the highest bidder. 50% of proceeds will be pooled into a ‘pot’ and split, with the other 50% going to charity. 1st place will receive 60%, 2nd place will receive 30% and 3rd place will receive 10%.

The charities for each night include:

Thursday, July 20: Western Sports Foundation

Friday, July 21: MSU Athletics and MSU Rodeo

Saturday, July 22: Big Sky Bravery

My kid is mutton bustin'. Where do we go and when?

Mutton bustin will take place at intermission each night of the PBR. When announced over the speaker, one adult and the child will come down behind the bucking chutes to get set up with a helmet and protective vest and lined up in order to ride their sheep.

Can I bring my dog to the PBR?

No, please leave your furry friends at home. Service Dogs require strict pre-approval 72 hours in advance of the event. Please send an email to events@theoutlawpartners.com

Will the Big Sky PBR be recorded, photographed and/or livestream, video or TV?

By purchasing a ticket and attending the event you and all individuals in your party acknowledge Big Sky PBR is a public event and you grant permission to the Event Organizer(s), partners, licensees and assigns, including but not limited to our brand and media partners, to utilize your image, likeness, acts, poses, and appearance at the event in any live or recorded video or photographic display for any purpose in any medium, without further authorization form, or compensation to, you or anyone acting on your behalf.

What is the best time to arrive?

The best time to arrive for PBR is early! Parking will fill up quickly and lines may start to form. Does the venue offer ADA accommodations? Yes, please contact us at  events@theoutlawpartners com prior to the event to request assistance.

Can I camp or park my RV on site?

No, camping and RV parking are not allowed on or near the venue. There are limited first-come, first-served Forest Service campgrounds near Big Sky including Red Cliff, Greek Creek, Moose Creek and Swan Creek. Dispersed camping may be available in other public land adjacent to Big Sky. We recommend booking a campsite through the US Forest Service website.

What should I wear?

Big Sky, Montana is at an elevation of approximately 6,500 feet, and has mountain weather patterns which range from chilly nights to warm days. Expect nighttime temperatures in the 30s-50s and daytime temps in the 50s-70s. Dressing in layers is a good idea, and a jacket and/or rain jacket is recommended. The PBR venue is outdoor in a sagebrush field with a mix of dirt, rocks, grass and other natural elements, so supportive, closed toed shoes are recommended.

PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDING BASICS

SCORING

A rider must stay atop a bull for eight seconds, ride with one hand and is disqualified if he touches himself or the bull.

Judges award higher marks to riders with good control and body position.

A rider who spurs the bull earns extra points. Half of the rider’s score is based on the bull’s performance and how difficult he is to ride, and the other half is determined by how well he matches the animal’s movement.

The clock begins when the bull’s shoulder or hip crosses the bucking chutes and stops when the rider’s hand comes out of the bull rope or he touches the ground.

Touring Pro Division events have two judges. Each can award up to 50 points for

the ride (25 points for the bull and 25 for the rider). The total is added together to make up the score. The total score possible for a bull ride is 100 points. Riders earn points at each event based on their ride scores, their finish in each round and their overall finish in the event.

If a bull doesn’t perform at the level of others in the competition, judges can award a re-ride so the cowboy has a fair chance to earn points on a different animal.

FOUL

If a rider is fouled, it means something happened during the eight-second ride that gave the bull an unfair advantage over the rider. This can include the animal hitting the rider or himself on the bucking chute before the ride, or the flank strap falling off before the ride is over. When a foul occurs, the judges often award a re-ride.

BOUNTY BULL BONUS RIDES

There are $5,000 bonus rides up for grabs both Thursday and Friday nights, presented by Republic Services. The top scoring riders on Thursday and Friday will each be invited back out for a bonus ride. If the cowboys manage to hang on for eight seconds, they’ll each win the $5,000 bounty. If the cowboy falls off on Thursday night, that night’s bounty will carry over to the next night, and the top rider on Friday will have a chance to win $10,000.

HIGH-POINT BONUS

The High Point Ride Award (separate from the Bounty Bull) sponsored by Engel & Völkers is a $2,500 bonus given out on Saturday night of the PBR to the rider with the highest individual score from any of the long-go rounds on Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights.

OUTLAW PARTNERS PHOTO

THE BULL ROPE This is what the rider grips throughout his ride. A metal bell hanging at the bottom of the bull rope is designed to add weight, allowing the rope to fall off the bull as soon as the rider is bucked off or dismounts.

THE FLANK STRAP This is what makes the bull kick. The idea: Rig it just snug enough so it stays on, but loose enough so the bull thinks he can kick it off.

BIG SKY’S BIGGEST WEEK GIVES BACK

Big Sky’s Biggest Week, Big Sky PBR, and Outlaw Partners are proud to partner with area nonprofits to highlight their hard work in the community and give back. Since the event’s inception in 2011, we have raised over $3 million dollars for charity. Learn about the organizations we’re working with this year to help raise funds.

Wellness in Action

When to support: 3rd Annual Dick Allgood Community BINGO Night

Wellness In Action was founded by nine women in the Big Sky community who wanted to address the concerns of children and families missing out on opportunities for quality education and health and human services. Some of these services include sliding scale counseling, wellbeing opportunities such as camp scholarships so that people may participate in educational, recreational, and cultural events and a community health worker program.

Visit bigskywia.org to learn more.

Western Sports Foundation

When to support: Big Sky PBR Golf Tournament and Thursday night’s PBR Calcutta

Western Sports Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the overall success of western sports athletes by advancing their health and wellbeing. The organization provides medical, life counseling and financial resources to meet

immediate needs and prepare athletes for life beyond competition.

Visit westernsportsfoundation.org to learn more.

Civil Air Patrol

When to support: Thursday night’s PBR at the 50/50 raffle

The Civil Air Patrol is a partner and auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and works to search for and find the lost, provide comfort in times of disaster and work to keep the homeland safe. Its 56,000 members devote their time, energy and expertise toward the wellbeing of their communities, while also promoting aviation and related fields through aerospace/STEM education and helping shape future leaders through CAP’s cadet program.

Visit gocivilairpatrol.com to learn more.

MSU Athletics & MSU Rodeo

When to support: Friday night’s PBR at Blue and Gold night

Montana State University Athletics encompasses all hardworking MSU athletes including the exceptional MSU rodeo team. Bobcat Rodeo is one of the most storied programs in the history of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. In addition to hosting the College National Finals Rodeo for almost 30 years, MSU Rodeo teams have claimed 9 national team titles, 34 individual national championships and a multitude of Big Sky Regional crowns. Help

us in supporting these athletes during Blue and Gold night at Big Sky PBR!

Visit montana.edu/rodeo to learn more.

Big Sky Search and Rescue

When to support: Saturday night’s PBR during the 50/50 raffle

Big Sky Search and Rescue began serving the community in 1994 and has helped countless adventurers that find themselves in trouble in the backcountry. The all-volunteer Big Sky team is made up of  people that can assist in a variety of activities including horseback riding, biking, kawyaking, fishing, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling.

Visit bssar.org to learn more.

Big Sky Bravery

When to support: Saturday night’s PBR Calcutta

Big Sky Bravery is a nonprofit that supports active duty Special Operations Forces. Big Sky Bravery was founded in 2015 to provide weeklong programs (Task Forces) in Montana’s restorative surroundings. These Task Forces are an all-expense paid, world-class experience that grants these individuals the rare opportunity to decompress, rediscover what was lost on the battlefield and experience the hope and freedom they are all fighting for.

Visit bigskybravery.org to learn more.

I’VE LOVED E VERY SECOND OF IT

MSU COACH SHELBY RASMUSSEN’S RODEO ROOTS RUN DEEP

BY MIRA BRODY

Shelby Rasmussen has been competing in rodeos since she could walk. Montana State University’s Rodeo coach grew up traveling with her family— including her father, famed entertainer Flint Rasmussen—to rodeos across the country. She competed at MSU since her freshman year in 2017, moved on to assistant coach, and ultimately took on coaching full time after graduation in 2021.

“I’ve loved every second of it,” says Rasmussen. “My passion has always been rodeo. I’ve been competing since I could walk and have always wanted to be a Bobcat.”

During her time competing, she took on barrel racing, breakaway and team roping, winning the National Finals twice, and was a member of the 2021 National Championship women’s team. In her seasons coaching MSU, Rasmussen has been able to see that success translate, including to her younger sister Paige, with whom she is close. This year the women’s team has won all rodeos, save for one, and she has 15 athletes heading to the College National Finals.

Recently, MSU Athletics took the rodeo team under their jurisdiction, validation that Rasmussen says is key to the immense pride her team feels during events.

THANK YOU MONTANA!

“I think members of the rodeo team are so proud to be a part of MSU and be a Bobcat,” says Rasmussen. “I think they go above and beyond to represent the community and represent the team.”

Rasmussen plans to pass the torch after this season, moving on to serve as operations coordinator at Learfield College. However, she’s confident in the team she’s leaving behind and the support of the community behind them.

“That’s what’s unique about MSU, is the support of the community,” says Rasmussen. “[Big Sky] PBR is really a good example of this and the things we get to be a part of.”

Montana’s Brand of Banking

The MSU Spring Rodeo took place at the Brick Breeder Fieldhouse on April 13 - 16, placing the Montana State Rodeo team against other talent in their region. It seems rodeo talent runs in the family, as the team is led by none other than Shelby Rasmussen, daughter of Flint, our beloved PBR rodeo clown.

PHOTO BY MIRA BRODY

For 70 years, Stockman Bank has been serving Montana with the best in banking services, helping Montanans manage their money, achieve their financial goals and realize their dreams. As the largest family owned, privately held, community bank in Montana, we remain committed to traditional, western values and homegrown community services.

Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender

BIG SKY PBR AFTER PARTY LIVE MUSIC LINEUP

Madeline Hawthorne

Thursday, July 20 | 8 p.m. | Len Hill Park

Born to a classical vocalist mother and a concert conductor father, Hawthorne was surrounded by music throughout her childhood, but she never considered it a viable career path until she landed in Montana, where she launched The Hawthorne Roots in 2014. The group quickly built a loyal following, landing festival slots from Targhee and Yarmony to Red Ants Pants and Big Sky Big Grass before going their separate ways in 2020.

With the release of ‘Boots’ Madeline Hawthorne was invited to perform at regional mountain festivals including Treefort in Boise, Sawtooth Valley Gathering in Stanley and Wildlands Festival in Big Sky, supporting Jason Isbell and Lukas Nelson. Whether it’s performing solo or with her 5-piece band, Madeline continues to win over fans one at a time with her powerful vocals and high energy performances. Keep your eyes and ears open for new music coming out in 2023.

Jamie McLean Band

Friday, July 21 | 9 p.m. | SAV Big Sky Events Arena Stage

Jamie McLean Band is a triple threat. The group’s energetic and captivating live show is undeniable. McLean’s fiery guitar has joined the ranks of Derek Trucks, Gregg Allman, Aaron Neville, Dr. John and more on stages from from Madison Square Garden to Japan’s Fuji Rock. Jamie McLean Band creates a musical gumbo that incorporates New Orleans soul, middle Americana roots, delta blues and New York City swagger.

The live show is where Jamie McLean Band excels and the band has shared the

stage with the likes of Gregg Allman, Aaron Neville, Dr. John, Taj Mahal, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Trombone Shorty, Los Lobos, Blues Traveler, Marc Broussard and many more. Jamie Mclean Band has appeared at festivals such as Bonnaroo, Mountain Jam, Targhee Fest, Okeechobee Fest, Ottawa Blues Fest, Quebec City Summer Fest, and Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam to name a few. McLean has also enjoyed the sponsorship of Gibson Guitars, Fuchs Amplifiers, D’Addario Strings, Blue Microphones, John Varvatos and Esquire Magazine.

Saturday, July 22 | 9 p.m. | SAV

Lukas Nelson and his acclaimed band have toured relentlessly for more than a decade, playing countless sold-out onenight shows and festivals around the world and occasionally serving as Neil Young’s road band. During the pandemic, Nelson was forced to find stillness, connection and inspiration in life’s simplest joys, but ultimate inspiration for following work: A Few Stars Apart.

Recorded over three weeks at Nashville’s RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb, the collection was cut on eight-track tape, giving it an analog warmth that mirrors the genuine nature of Nelson’s original songwriting. Listening to A Few Stars Apart, it’s clear that he has absorbed the lyricism of his Texas heroes. Yet there’s an ease in these recordings that may be traced to his own formative experiences in Maui, where he spent much of his childhood and now primarily calls home.

Lukas Nelson & POTR

Big Sky Events Arena Stage

THE LIFE OF BUCKING BULLS

BY DOUG HARE

A version of this story originally ran in the 2019 Summer edition of Mountain Outlaw magazine.

Some bulls are bred to buck, that is, to drop, kick and spin in an erratic manner that makes it hard as hell to ride them for eight seconds. The cowboys who attempt to ride them are still being bred the old-fashioned way. North Dakota-native Chad Berger would know. After a storied rodeo career, Berger says he “found his passion” raising bucking bulls and has since gone on to become the 12-time PBR Stock Contractor of the Year.

Berger, whose father was a rancher who raised bulls himself, has about 350 crossbred Brahman bulls split between his ranches in Mandan, North Dakota and Henrietta, Oklahoma, where the milder climate makes for easier calving and a better locale to winter his cattle. Between 150 and 200 of the bulls are mature enough to compete in top-tier events nationwide.

Bulls are only getting ranker. With the introduction of enhanced breeding techniques like artificial insemination, egg collection, in vitro fertilization and using sperm that only produces bull calves, the quality of bucking bulls has increased dramatically in the last 25 years. In 1995, the first year PBR kept records, cowboys finished their rides 46 percent of the time; in the past years, the qualifying ride rate has hovered around 30 percent.

Even without extensive practice from an early age, Berger can spot the ones with the most potential.

“You can tell the ones that are more alert than the others—always keeping their eye on ya’, always wondering what’s going on, them ones that really pay attention to ya’— those are the ones that usually end up being the best bucking bulls,” he said.

Cord McCoy, another storied bull rider who raises bulls on his ranch in Lane, Oklahoma, agrees.

“Some of the best bucking bulls have the calmest demeanor,” McCoy said. “It’s not about how agitated they get, it’s really about if they can perform under pressure, just like the cowboys.”

McCoy’s worn many hats over the years: he was a champion saddle-bronc rider at 16, making him the youngest competitor to win the all-around title at the International Finals Rodeo, and winning five professional rodeo titles along the way.

Since becoming a full-time stock contractor in 2016, McCoy has progressed in his own training techniques, but a notable change over the past years has been the advanced nutrition and care that have become the bedrock of bull training; training that allows the bulls themselves to find more success in the arena.

The best bucking bull contractors treat their cattle like their own children, not because they are major investments, but because they develop emotional attachments to their overgrown pets.

Despite the future of these bovine beasts, one thing will remain the same—they will continue to be afforded the reverence and affection that world-class athletes deserve.

Raising bulls is a family affair. Cord McCoy, his wife Sara and daughter Tulsa celebrate a win for Ridin’ Solo. PHOTO COURTESY OF SARA BEST-MCCOY

12-time PBR contractor of the year Chad Berger in his element as he tends to his bulls. PHOTO BY JOSEPH T. O’CONNOR

Jose Vitor Leme rides Dakota Rodeo/ Julie Rosen/Clay Struve/Chad Berger’s Smooth Operator for 92.5 during the 15/15 Bucking Battle round of the 2019 Columbus PBR Unleash the Beast.

PHOTO BY ANDY WATSON

MEET THE BULLS

PHOTOS BY CORD MCCOY

Ridin’ Solo

A bull born to buck, Ridin’ Solo is the two-time defender of the PBR Yeti World Champion Bull title for the second year in a row. He’s a smart bull who knows to listen for the latch; Any sound from the latch, and he will take it as a signal to go. As of June 1, Ridin’ Solo ranked No. 1 in the world with an average score of 44.4. If there’s a ride to watch at the Big Sky PBR this year, it’s this one.

Hey Bear

At just four years old, Hey Bear will let you know he’s come to compete. He is big and mean, but being at the Big Sky PBR is one more step in helping Hey Bear develop and mature. According to Cord McCoy, if a grizzly bear and the bull Hey Bear were both running at him, he would be more afraid of Hey Bear – that speaks for itself.

Riding Salty

Four-year-old Ridin’ Salty has been traveling across the country gaining experience and bucking hard. According to stock contractor Cord McCoy, he is a “Top Pick Pro Player,” weighing in at roughly 1,400 pounds. Ridin’ Salty is motivated by his fans and does his best with a rowdy, cheering crowd – his rides in Big Sky will not disappoint.

Outlaw

Outlaw has consistently lived up to his name, continuously bucking off cowboys and getting the job done. He is sure to bring the crowd to their feet at the Big Sky PBR and has goals to make it to the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas this coming December.

Cliff Hanger

Cliff Hanger continues to buck off top bull riders with ease. As the top scoring bull at the Big Sky PBR in 2022, Cliff Hanger is back this year to maintain the title. One of the biggest bulls you’ll see this weekend, Cliff Hanger is one to watch out for!

Viper

One of the rankest bulls in the world, Viper is back to challenge riders and give them the opportunity for a ride of a lifetime at the Big Sky PBR this summer. Although Cord McCoy says Viper will probably soon retire and become a breeding bull, we’re confident his pedigree will live on.

MUTTON BUSTIN’: A BRIEF HISTORY

Sponsored by Langlas & Associates

BY MIRA BRODY

A sheep. A young cowboy or cowgirl. An arena of screaming fans. That’s mutton bustin’, the fan favorite during Big Sky PBR.

In mutton bustin’, a sheep is held still, either in a small chute or by an adult handler while a child is placed on top in a riding position. Once the child is seated on the sheep, the animal is released and runs into the arena in an attempt to get the child off. While there are not set rules or national organizations of the sport, the child that hangs on the longest is usually crowned winner of locally celebrated events.

Mutton bustin’ was introduced to the National Western Stock Show by the 1980s when an event was sponsored by Nancy Stockdale Cervi, a former rodeo queen. At that event, children ages five to seven who weighed less than 55 pounds could apply, and ultimately seven contestants were selected to each ride a sheep for six seconds. While immensely entertaining, fans of the sport also consider mutton bustin’ a way to introduce young children to the adult rodeo “rough stock” riding events of bull riding, saddle bronc and bareback riding.

Big Sky’s Biggest Week hosts four Mutton Bustin’ events: one during Community Day on July 18, then all three nights of Big Sky PBR. A popular event, it fills up quickly and sends the smaller members of our community into the arena to get a taste of rodeo life.

OUTLAW PARTNERS PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY OF CORD MCCOY

OUTLAW PARTNERS PHOTO

THE MAN AND THE MASK FEATURED OUTLAW FLINT RAMUSSEN:

BY BAILEY J. BELTRAMO

This story was originally published in the summer 2020 issue of Mountain Outlaw magazine.

It’s about consistency and attention to detail: White goes around his right eye first, always. His mouth is next, left eye after that.

Muscle memory then kicks in, developed from decades of performing. Red fills in between islands of white outlined in blue. Black wrinkles and freckles. With every finger stroke of makeup, his features become more accentuated, the excitement builds and a stage persona rises. The final touch before facing a crowd of thousands is writing a small “F.R.” in red just below his right cheekbone.

The transformation is complete: Flint Rasmussen steps into the arena.

Ask fans of bull riding to name the greats in their sport and a list will form. J.B. Mauney and Jess Lockwood are household names. Chris Shivers, Ty Murray and Justin McBride have secured seats in bull riding history. Even some bulls have risen to stardom such as SweetPro’s Bruiser, Pearl Harbor and Bones. Flint Rasmussen is not a bull nor rider. But he has earned his place in the history books and is beloved by many— newcomers, seasoned fans and cowboys alike.

Flint is the exclusive entertainer for the Professional Bull Riders tour, better known as the PBR. Part stand-up comic, part dancer, 100 percent rodeo expert, his upbringing and natural talents have allowed him to revolutionize the role of rodeo clown and carve out a unique position for himself in the western sports world

Growing up, his talents ran the gamut from natural athleticism on the field and court to musical inclination to a flair for the performing arts. And he was gifted a consistent behindthe-scenes view of rodeos as he followed his father’s announcing career from arena to arena across Montana, learning through osmosis. “The production, the timing of the announcer, knowing when my dad as the announcer needed to talk about something and needed to sell somebody, when he didn’t—that was just ingrained in us, it wasn’t like we set out to learn,” Flint explains.

Eventually, his talents coalesced into a foundation upon which Flint built a rodeo clown role during college summers. Even then, he stuck to the traditional mold of baggyoveralls and scripted skits with props to carry the bulk of his act. But it didn’t take long for his humor and knack for unscripted comedy to rise to the top.

“He took the rodeo world by storm,” says brother Will Rasmussen, an acclaimed rodeo announcer in his own right. “He was the most sought-after clown and entertainer there was.”

Three years after stepping into the arena fulltime—an unplanned career change from his post-college job as a high school math teacher— Flint performed at his first National Finals Rodeo. Eight Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association Clown of the Year awards later, he signed on exclusively with the PBR.

It was then that Flint really began to break away from the old school acts and pioneer his style of “walk and talk” that’s become popular. As long-time friend and PBR photographer Andy Watson explains: “Flint took the job position of rodeo clown and turned it into rodeo entertainer.” It’s safe to say the transition has been well received.

Flint doing what he does best at the Arlington PBR Global Cup: entertaining. PHOTO BY ANDY WATSON

Flint strikes his iconic Michael Jackson pose during a photo shoot at the Oklahoma City Unleash the Beast show last February. PHOTO BY ANDY WATSON

PARADISE FOUND THE JAMIE MCLEAN BAND’S SONIC ODYSSEY

BY GABRIELLA DICENZO

Imagine that sweet sound of bluesy rock ‘n’ roll infused with a raw energy, streamlining an infectious groove that spreads throughout the crowd. Captivating audiences across the world from Madison Square Garden to Japan’s Fuji Rock, the Jamie McLean Band makes their way to Big Sky this summer, set to perform at the PBR after party on July 21. Founded by Jamie McLean, former member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the band is ready to bring their energy to the Big Sky Events Arena for their fans.

“Bring your dancing shoes,” McLean said. “We’re definitely going to get the crowd moving and shaking.”

Before forming the Jamie McLean Band, McLean honed his skills with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, a group from New Orleans, LA. However, after Hurricane Katrina, he felt a strong desire to create and release his own original music. Stepping away from New Orleans and the Dirty Dozen, McLean embarked on a new journey with the Jamie McLean Band, touring, recording and releasing their unique blend of bluesy, rootsy rock ‘n’ roll. Influenced by icons such as Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, as well as modern acts like Lukas Nelson and Dawes, their music is an enthralling fusion of classic and contemporary styles.

Jamie McLean Band’s association to Big Sky PBR started by a chance encounter with a fan during a tour with Dickey Betts from the

Allman Brothers. Recognizing the band’s exceptional sound, the fan suggested they perform in Big Sky, Montana.

“The first person I was introduced to was Eric Ladd, who really loved the music and brought us out for PBR a number of years ago,” McLean said. “It was really all thanks to Eric Ladd and just believing in the music.”

Attendees at the Big Sky PBR event can anticipate an unforgettable experience during the band’s performance. Known for their ability to get the crowd moving, the band will bring their honest and soulful rock ‘n’ roll to the stage. Feeding off the audience’s energy, the Jamie McLean Band creates an electric atmosphere that is sure to make the weekend a celebration of epic proportions.

When it comes to preparing for a show of this magnitude, Jamie McLean likes to keep it simple: “I usually have a cold beer and try not to get nervous,” McLean said.

Recognizing the challenges of performing at a high elevation, they prioritize rest and hydration to maintain high energy levels throughout the weekend.

For the Jamie McLean Band, the essence of performing live lies in the interaction with the crowd. Witnessing smiling faces, fans singing along and seeing people have a good time are the most rewarding aspects of their live shows. McLean shares that, “Getting out there and seeing people enjoying themselves is really what makes it worthwhile for us.” The

energy exchange between the band and the audience elevates the experience, he explains, making every performance memorable–it’s this connection and the shared joy of live music that drives the band’s passion for performing. Reflecting on past performances, the band has had its share of outstanding moments. One standout memory was when McLean performed the national anthem on guitar.

“Doing the national anthem in front of the Big Sky crowd was a true career highlight,” McLean said. “I’ll always remember that, and I’ll be doing it again this year so come early and come watch the guitar fireworks.”

Exciting projects lie on the horizon for the Jamie Mclean Band. They recently released a live album titled, “Live at the Bitter End” which showcases their talent on stage. With their home away from home being the Bitter End, New York City’s oldest rock club, the live album perfectly captures the band’s energy. Furthermore, they plan to return to the recording studio at the end of this year to work on a new record.

Live music at PBR plays a vital role in enhancing the experience for attendees. McLean expresses that music is the “common denominator.”

“It brings everyone together,” he said. “I can’t imagine life without music … Bringing everybody together to have a great time is a pretty beautiful thing.”

Jamie McLean plays the national anthem at Big Sky PBR. OUTLAW PARTNERS PHOTO

MADELINE HAWTHORNE A JOURNEY OF AUTHENTICITY, RESILIENCE AND MONTANA PRIDE

BY GABRIELLA DICENZO

Step into the world of Madeline Hawthorne: a talented artist whose musical journey has been shaped by her love for Montana and the power of introspection. As she takes the stage at Big Sky PBR’s Thursday night after party on July 20, she invites the audience to embark on a journey filled with rock and roll, dance music and tender ballads. With her roots firmly planted in Montana’s rich musical tapestry, Hawthorne’s performance promises to be an authentic experience made to leave a lasting impression.

Hawthorne’s journey as an artist traces back to her formative years; she discovered her passion for music at a young age. She grew up in New England into a musical family—her mother was a classical performer for many years and had attended the New England Conservatory of Music. At 16, she was gifted her first guitar, igniting a creative spark that would fuel her artistic endeavors. Influenced by iconic artists such as Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hawthorne moved to Montana at 18 years old, ready to display her passion to the world.

The core of Hawthorne’s artistry lies in capturing the essence of life’s moments. Her lyrics often reflect her personal experiences

“A lot of it is just in the moment,” Hawthorne said. “Once I take the time to open my notebook and start writing, I think about what’s happened to me recently or in the world around me.”

Her latest album, Boots, written during the pandemic, dives into self-reflection, regrets and the process of self-affirmation. She describes how her songs serve as a therapeutic outlet, allowing her to navigate through the challenges and uncertainties of life through songwriting.

Hawthorne’s excitement for PBR is palpable, considering this event as a milestone in her musical journey. Having played in Big Sky as a solo artist prior, Hawthorne is eager to present her performance with her band this year, bringing an energetic blend of rock, dance, and poignant ballads to the audience.

“Every performance, I try to give it everything I’ve got, so I hope people dance, laugh, smile, cry and just walk away feeling good. That’s our job,” said Hawthorne.

Performing at PBR aligns perfectly with Hawthorne’s artistic vision and goals. Her music carries messages of resilience, self-belief and the pursuit of dreams against all odds. As a young woman in the music industry, Hawthorne embraces the challenges that she has faced, transforming them into empowering messages of hope.

Having spent a significant portion of her career in Bozeman, Montana, Hawthorne draws inspiration from the local community and the unique landscape that surrounds her. Her songwriting is shaped by the challenges and triumphs of being a musician in Montana, a place where breaking into the national music scene can be demanding.

My hope is to always stay here, call Montana my home and show folks you can make it as a Montana artist,” Hawthorne said.

Despite challenges and hurdles, Hawthorne remains dedicated to showcasing the talent and resilience of Montana artists, encouraging others to pursue their dreams.

“I try to make my music less about pointing fingers and more about being an uplifting message of believing in yourself even if it feels like all of the odds are stacked against you,” Hawthorne said. “If you don't have all the answers, or if you don't have a roadmap–still follow your dreams, chase your passion and give it everything you’ve got.”

Madeline Hawthorne plays at Wildlands Festival in summer of 2022 in Big Sky. OUTLAW PARTNERS PHOTO

BIG SKY PBR PARTNER BRANDS

REGENMARKET

Inspired by the agriculture that is at the heart of the West, RegenMarket is an online, membership-based marketplace that connects consumers with Montana producers who grow food with the planet’s future in mind. All products are produced using regenerative agriculture practices, which forms the base of the food chain for humans and land animals, ensuring the highest-level quality nutrients in your food. Start your 30-Day Free Trial Membership today and receive 20% off your first order!

Sign up today, or learn more at regenmarket.com.

PEAK SKI COMPANY

Grit. It’s an ethos that drives Peak Ski founders Bode Miller and Andy Wirth to push the envelope on ski design and engineering. Peak is the next great leap in ski innovation, and their team is driven to continue producing a product that helps you enjoy your time on your favorite mountain. Stop by the Outlaw Partners retail store at 11 Lone Peak Drive while you’re in town this weekend and ask us how you can get $75 off your first pair.

See the full lineup and learn more at peakskis.com.

YELLOWSTONE FOODS

Yellowstone Foods is natural food snack company based in Butte, Montana driven by their belief that snack food should be healthy, delicious and pay homage to the land from which it came. From our Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies to our Montana Wagyu Beef Jerky, staple ingredients for each snack are sourced here in the beautiful state of Montana and packaged in compostable materials that include a story highlighting an important aspect of Treasure State history, so you can learn a bit about the place we call home.

Visit them at your local farmers market this summer and learn more at yfoods.com.

BIG SKY NATURAL HEALTH

Big Sky Natural Health embraces a natural approach to health and aims to similarly inspire and guide others on their health journey. Dr. Kaley Burns has advanced training application of regenerative and intravenous injection therapy and knows how important it is that you get back out and conquer your favorite activities with a strong mind and body this summer.

Get 10% off a Vitamin IV this week, or stop by to learn more at 87 Lone Peak Dr or online at bigskynaturalhealthmt.com.

LONE PEAK CANNABIS CO.

Lone Peak Cannabis Co. is your local expert on cannabis products. They specialize in organic, top-tier medicinal and recreational cannabis products guaranteed to fulfill your needs and elevate your experience here in high country. With multiple locations from Big Sky, Bozeman, West Yellowstone and Ennis, online ordering and a handy LPClub loyalty program, you can stay up-to-date with new arrivals and special offers.

Stop by LPC’s Big Sky shop conveniently located at 115 Aspen Leaf Dr Unit 1D or visit them online at lonepeakcannabiscompany.com.

VOORMI THE FUTURE OF CLOTHING

Based in Bozeman, MT and Pagosa Springs, CO, VOORMI creates season-spanning, all-conditions clothing and gear built to outperform and outlast. VOORMI products are made with natural fibers and their own proprietary textile technology that’s transforming the future of clothing. VOORMI believes clothing should connect people to the world around them, not stand between it. As the only outdoor brand founded first as a textile development company, VOORMI’S design process begins at the most elemental level of the garment – the fabric itself – to deliver products that transcend the world’s expectations of outdoor apparel through multipurpose function, adaptability, and comfort.

Stop by their Downtown Bozeman store at 17 E Main Street, or visit voormi.com

406 AGAVE PREMIUM TEQUILA

406 Agave believes in a drink that pairs well with the Montana outdoor lifestyle. Try their new Anejo, or tried and true favorites, Blanco and Reposado.

Learn more about their story and how you can get tequila shipped straight your door at 406agave.com

LMNT

Drink LMNT is here to change how you hydrate. Utilizing a delicious salty mix devoid of sugars, gluten and other filler ingredients often found in electrolyte drinks, LMNT is also vegan and paleo and keto-friendly, working with most diets, and is tried and true amongst endurance athletes.

Try some at the arena—LNMT will be available at a variety of hydration stations throughout the event, or order today and get a free sample pack at drinklmnt.com.

FLINT RASMUSSENOUR FAVORITE RODEO ENTERTAINER