BIG SKY COMMUNITY WEEK THE FUTURE OF WATER IN BIG SKY BIG HORNS FOOTBALL GETS BIG WIN ENNIS SCHOOL DISTRICT ENGAGES VOTERS ON NEW BOND GLOBAL FILM FESTIVAL SCREENS AT INDY PLUS: LPHS HOMECOMING WEEK September 22 - October 5, 2022 Volume 13 // Issue #19
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ENNIS SCHOOL DISTRICT ENGAGES VOTERS ON NEW BOND
Following the failure of a $59 million bond earlier this year, Ennis School District has returned to voters with a newly proposed $45 million bond intended to improve and expand current school facilities. Several Ennis School Board of Trustees made the trek up Jack Creek Road on the evening of Sept. 12 to discuss the new bond with Big Sky voters.
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BIG HORNS FOOTBALL GETS BIG WIN
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This week-long event hosted by the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and the Big Sky Resort Area District will offer a packed schedule of events intended to foster community engagement. Attendees will get the chance to rub elbows with the leaders of Big Sky and gain a broader understanding of how our unincorporated community works.
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Don your blue and white garb and get ready to cheer the Big Horns on for Lone Peak High Schools 2022 Homecoming Week. Festivities include Spirit Week, a pep rally, a parade, a window decorating contest, sports games and, of course, the dance.
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The American Legion Post 99, Sons of the Legion Squadron 99, Friends of Red Cliff Gun Range and other local volunteers held a fall cleanup of the Red Cliff Gun Range on Sept. 10 followed by a barbecue. Locals donated lumber for target backing, repair supplies, food, cooking equipment and time to cleaning the range with the organizations. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 99
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The Manhattan Short Film Festival is a worldwide event that aims to bring cultural enrichment to all its 500 venues through independent films. This year, The Independent will host the only screening in Montana thanks to the hard work of the Arts Council of Big Sky.
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The Big Horns faced off against the Cascade Badgers on home turf Friday, Sept. 19. After trading leads throughout the game, the Big Horns ultimately came out on top beating the undefeated team 47-42.
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As Big Sky’s population grows, the new wastewater treatment plant will play a key role increasing capacity. At a Sept. 20 board meeting, officials shared projections showing that peak water demand will outpace supply in Big Sky as early as 2030.
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George Helms returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown against the Cascade Badgers. The Lone Peak High School Big Horns walked away with a 47-42 victory over the previously undefeated Badgers, ranked sixth in the state. Turn to page 16 to read more. PHOTO BY JASON BACAJ
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THE FUTURE OF WATER IN BIG SKY
ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED IS DEEMED RELIABLE BUT IS NOT GUARANTEED AND SHOULD BE INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED. INFORMATION AND DEPICTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, PRIOR SALES, PRICE CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. NO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY HAS JUDGED THE MERITS OR VALUE, IF ANY, OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ADVERTISEMENT OR ANY REAL ESTATE DESCRIBED OR DEPICTED HEREIN. THIS MATERIAL SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL IN ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE PRIOR REGISTRA TION IS REQUIRED OR WHERE SUCH AN OFFER WOULD BE PROHIBITED, AND THIS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH ANOTHER REAL ESTATE AGENT. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL, TAX, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. MOUNTAIN VILLAGE 755 Jack Creek Road 15 BED + 15.5 BATH | 11,000 +/- SQ. FT. | $15,000,000 MEADOW VILLAGE 148 Crail Creek Court 3 BED + 2.5 BATH | 2,986 SQ. FT. | $2,350,000 TOWN CENTER 199 Big Pine Drive #B 4 BED + 4.5 BATH | 3,138 +/- SQ. FT. | $3,500,000 Walking Distance to Town Center Amenities SPANISH PEAKS MOUNTAIN CLUB Big EZ Lot 34 Doolittle Drive 20 +/- ACRES | $5,500,000 TOWN CENTER 70 Upper Whitefish (Furnished with full apartment for additional rental income) 5 BED + 4.5 BATH | 3,769 +/- SQ. FT. | $795/SF | $2,999,999 Walking Distance to Town Center Amenities SPANISH PEAKS MOUNTAIN CLUB Highlands West 4 HOMESITES AVAILABLE | 1.35 - 2.94 +/- ACRES | FROM $4,100,000 Ski-in/Ski-out Martha Johnson VP of 406.580.5891martha@bigsky.comFoundingSalesBroker View all my listings at bigskyrealestate.com/team/martha-johnson SPANISH PEAKS MOUNTAIN CLUB Inspiration Point 5 BED + 6 BATH | 4,146 - 4,275 +/- SQ. FT. | FROM $7,550,000 Panoramic Mountain Views HEBGEN LAKE 15400 Hebgan Lake Road 2,097 +/- SQ. FT. | 13.8 +/- ACRES | $2,500,000 The Happy Hour Bar & Grill Diamond J Ranch
At the time of publication, Lewis, of Pray, was held at the Park County Detention Center on a $1 million bond.
MONTANA MEN PLEAD GUILTY TO POACHING BULL ELK
EBS STAFF
MONTANA HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO ALLOW BIRTH CERTIFICATE GENDER CHANGES
Overall, the forecast seems the inverse of last year’s pattern as snow fell most regularly in November and December.
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Senate Bill 280, signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte makes birth certificate changes more difficult for transgender people. The dispute, which has been ongoing since April, stems from ongoing litigation over the bill.
Twenty-year-old Kadin Hawkeye Lewis has been charged with one count of deliberate homicide following an investigation of a body found in a camper near Pray by the Park County Sheriff’s Office.
ANNOUNCE NEW BIG SKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
Alex St. Marie, 37, from Missoula, pleaded guilty to felony charges and was sentenced in the Fergus County District Court for poaching two bull elk and multiple misdemeanors committed in October 2021.
DPHHS said upon the judge’s oral bench ruling on Sept. 15 that it would defy the order, enforcing a previous ruling barring birth certificate changes related to gender identity without proof of surgery.
A long-term forecast issued recently by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests that temperatures around southwest Montana might be a little warmer than usual through November. Expected precipitation for that same stretch of time is a toss-up for the region, NOAA reported.
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Two Montana men were both recently sentenced on separate felony cases for illegal killings of trophy elk, according to a release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
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“(It’s) formalizing some stuff that’s already been happening,” said Patrick Lonergan, chief of Gallatin County Emergency Management and Fire.
Gallatin County moving forward will provide emergency management services, wildfire protection and a hazardous materials response team for the pocket of Big Sky that sits within Madison County’s boundary, according to the release issued Friday afternoon.
SUSPECT CHARGED IN PARK COUNTY HOMICIDE
Explore Big Sky4 September 22 - October 5, 2022
GALLATIN, MADISON COUNTIES
The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services agreed to comply with an order from District Judge Michael Moses to allow transgender Montanans to change the gender on their birth certificate on Sept. 19.
The first snow of the season has fallen in higher elevations around Montana, signaling summer’s imminent end.
Cantu’s sentence includes a five-year suspension of hunting, trapping and fishing privileges, and $10,000 in fines and restitution.
The outlook improves—at least for snowsports fans—through December, January and February. NOAA’s forecast suggests southwest Montana will likely receive an above average amount of snow. The initial forecast shows nothing definitive for the temperatures—a 50-50 chance at either warmer or colder than usual.
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The sheriff’s office responded to reports of a body found inside a camper on the 1300 block of East River Road around 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 19, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office. The victim has been identified as 32-yearold Casey Anderson.
The agreement runs for three years and will automatically renew thereafter, documents show.
EARLY WINTER FORECAST SHOWS LOW SNOW IN FALL, DEEPER DECEMBER
Gallatin and Madison counties announced Sept. 16 an interlocal agreement that consolidates emergency services under the Gallatin County Emergency Management Program.
St. Marie confessed to shooting two bull elk from on private property without permits to harvest the brow-tined elk. St. Marie collected the heads of the bulls and discarded the bodies, leading to wasting meat charges. His sentence includes a five-year suspension of hunting, trapping and fishing privileges, and $2,000 in fines and Allenrestitution.JohnCantu, 47, from Ballantine, pleaded guilty to two felonies—unlawful possession of a trophy big game animal and tampering with evidence in November 2019—in the Yellowstone County District Court.
This year the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Big Sky Resort Area District are teaming up to bring you Community Week 2022, a choose your own community engagement adventure.
COFFEE with COMMUNITY LEADERS
Most are familiar with the old saying “the world is run by those who show up” but where do you show up?
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5
2:00 PM | Zoom
PANEL DISCUSSION: TRANSPORTATION
Engage in thoughtful dialogue with key private & public organizations charting the future of development in Big Sky with presentations from Lone Mountain Land Company, Big Sky Resort, & others, as well as, a deep dive into the story our economics in Big Sky tells, with a report from the Northern Rocky Mountain Economic Development District.
October 3rd - 7th
VOTER EDUCATION
2ND ANNUAL COMMUNITY EXPO
8:00 AM | Big Sky Visitor Center
3:00 PM | The Wilson Hotel
Big Sky, THE
Join the conversations that matter most to YOU!
Join the discussion with this casual opportunity to network & engage with the leaders of the community organizations working to make Big Sky Better Together.
COMMUNITY
Learn about the implementation of the “Our Big Sky Community Vision & Strategy” by joining community leaders serving in coordination of plan strategies, initiatives, & projects.
8:00 AM | Big Sky Visitor Center
The water we drink is a necessity of life & helps nourish our spectacular natural landscape. Learn more about the data being used to conserve & plan around this critical resource in this virtual discussion.
2:00 PM | Zoom
The housing initiatives your community leaders are embarking upon are becoming models of public & private partnerships. Join experts to peel back the layers of this complex issue in this virtual discussion.
5TH ANNUAL BUILDERS FORUM & ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
VOLUNTEER BIG SKY
Learn more from transportation experts & how they are working to improve the operation of the Big Sky transportation system in this virtual discussion.
GROUND WEEK 2022 Engage with public & private partners as they tackle some of Big Sky’s current challenges & opportunities. BIG IDEAS MONDAY, OCT. 3 VIRTUAL GIVE BACK BIG SKY 5:00 PM | Location TBD Big Sky is deeply rooted in a culture of giving & generosity. Join local foundations & philanthropic arms of local nonprofits. Learn more about their efforts & find out how to give back to your cause. I NPERSO N I NPERSO N VIRTUAL VIRTUAL I NPERSO N VIRTUAL I NPERSO N VIRTUAL I NPERSO N I NPERSO N VIRTUAL VIRTUAL I NPERSO N VIRTUAL I NPERSO N more info @ BigSkyCommunityWeek.com
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT WORK: FALL COMMISSION/BSRAD MEETING
5:00 PM | Bucks T-4
PANEL DISCUSSION: HOUSING
FRIDAY, OCT. 7
TUESDAY, OCT. 4
big hearts for important volunteer projects. Get your hands dirty while supporting your community. I NPERSO N
9:00 AM | The Wilson Hotel
citizens
Montana Gain a deeper understanding of how elected officials in our region use the tools at their disposal to build a thoughtful community. GOVERNMENT Learn how to plug in and help the people & organizations that make Big Sky the community we love. BOOTS ON
All Day | Community-Wide
One of the most valuable ways to engage in your community is by electing officials who align with your vision for your region. Inform your upcoming vote by learning about the issues on the ballot & meet the candidates for the November elections.
PANEL DISCUSSION: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Big Sky’s locally elected officials (Big Sky Resort Area District, Gallatin County Commissioners, & Madison County Commissioners) meet bi-annually to act & focus on the most important topic – YOUR community.
Join the discussion with this casual opportunity to network & engage with the leaders of the community organizations working to make Big Sky Better Together.
THURSDAY, OCT. 6
12:00 PM | The Wilson Hotel
2022 faced Montanans with unique & unprecedented natural disasters, ranging from floods to fires. Hear from the team that works day in & day out to keep Big Sky safe & well prepared for emergencies in this virtual discussion.
LUNCH & LEARN: OUR BIG SKY IMPLEMENTATION
12:00 PM | Zoom
The community of Big Sky certainly has some of the most committed & generous with
This showcase of community-driven organizations helps those wondering – how does Big Sky work? Stop at booths & learn a little or take deep dive with representatives from community organizations in a walkable expo format.
12:00 PM | Zoom
5:30 PM | Warren Miller Performing Arts Center
PANEL DISCUSSION: WATER SUPPLY
COFFEE with COMMUNITY LEADERS
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Bigengagement.SkyCommunity
community engagement and to meet folks where they’re at,” Muscat said. “We’re hoping that this week is a good chance for people to engage.”
Jenny Muscat, deputy director of BSRAD, said the two organizations worked together to “reshuffle the deck” and create one Community Week that offers an “á la carte” schedule of events that allows community members to plug in where they’d like.
“Those three things come together to create a perfect storm of community engagement,” she said. New this year will be a presentation from the Northern Rocky Mountain Economic Development District on the economics of Big Sky. Quisenberry said the agency dug into available data about Big Sky and will present its findings as part of the Community Building Forum.
BY GABRIELLE GASSER
She described the interplay of how Big Sky runs as a Venn diagram of public and private entities acknowledging the uniqueness of how Big Sky, as an unincorporated community, runs. Both Quisenberry and Muscat said this week provides a great opportunity for attendees to interact directly with the individuals and organizations that make Big Sky work.
Explore Big Sky7 September 22 - October 5, 20222 LOCAL
The first Community Week event is a lunch to teach attendees about the Our Big Sky Community Vision and Strategy implementation on Oct. 3 at 12 p.m. at the Wilson Hotel. Go to resorttax.org/ communityweek for a full schedule of events.
Attendees gathered at the Wilson Hotel in 2021 to talk with a variety of local organizations as part of the Big Sky CommUNITY Forum.
“This really is an event for the community,” she said. “You’ll get the most out of what you put in.”
“One of our strategic pillars is community engagement, and we’re striving to get more
BIG SKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BIG SKY RESORT AREA DISTRICT TO HOST COMMUNITY WEEK
Deputy Fire Chief Dustin Tetrault (left) and Chief Greg Megaard (right) present at the Fourth Annual Community Building Forum in 2021.
BIG SKY – The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Big Sky Resort Area District are partnering on a week-long effort to foster community
Quisenberry said she is particularly excited for the voter education event since it will be a great chance for attendees to learn about candidates, advocate for issues they care about and make sure they’re registered to vote.
The schedule offers a broad range of events including: Panel discussions on water supply, emergency management, housing, and transportation; coffee with community leaders; the bi-annual joint county commission meeting; voter education; the Second Annual Community Expo and the Fifth Annual Community Building Forum.
PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER
Week will take place Oct. 3-7, offering a packed schedule of in-person and virtual events organized into three tracks: Government, Boots on the Ground and Big Ideas. On the docket are a variety of formal and informal events intended to give attendees the chance to engage with community leaders and gain a wider understanding of how Big Sky works.
To make the packed schedule more approachable, the three tracks offer attendees a chance to learn about a specific aspect of the Big Sky community as well as connect the dots and see how each of these elements come together.
“Anyone can find one thing that they’re going to learn or it’s going to take their engagement to the next level,” Quisenberry said. “It should really be a robust enough program that someone can find something for themselves.”
“We have such a gift in Big Sky to be able to have access to those people in a way that you can’t in other communities,” Quisenberry said. “So why would you squander that opportunity to talk to your commissioners right there, face to face, or get in front of the Resort Tax Board and share your thoughts?”
PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER
“This week the goal is engagement,” said Caitlin Quisenberry, vice president of operations and events at the Chamber. “The goal is education and learning and being a good citizen of Big Sky. Whatever your passion is, get in there and learn more.”
In the past, both organizations have held their own separate events—the CommUNITY Forum hosted by BSRAD and the Chamber’s annual Community Building Forum. This year, the two have teamed up after hearing community feedback that a more cohesive event would be easier to navigate.
With looming water access challenges, Big Sky’s new wastewater plant will play a key role in increasing resident capacity and processing efficiency.
Mangold is a senior project manager with the Montana-based engineering firm WGM Group that’s working with GCWSD. He walked board members through the requested budget increase from $74,000 to Members$200,000. of BSRAD expressed concern that the canyon district will come to rely on resort tax money, citing certain phrasing in Altman’s letter that the district aims to be “substantially self-sufficient.”
The new wastewater tanks will also be covered with aluminum insulation, which is intended to regulate the treatment process under extreme cold and limit the possibility of any foul odor.
Concerns around clean water availability led residents in May 2020 to vote overwhelmingly in favor of this $60 million WRRF upgrade. On Sept. 20, during the open BSCWSD board meeting, officials projected that Big Sky’s population will grow between 3.9% and 4.7% each year and possibly double in the next 18 years.
“It’s been tough to build one of these when times are normal, much less what we’ve been through the last couple years,” said Scott Buecker, senior project engineer with AE2S Engineering, during the public tour.
But Mangold emphasized that the district’s goal is to piece together money through a combination of private funding and ARPA money that will allow it to become a “selfsufficient entity just like Big Sky Water and Sewer District” operating from money collected from monthly user rates and connection fees.
By the end of this week, crews expect to have installed hollow-core roofing atop the plant, said one Ronbuilder.Edwards, BSCWSD general manager, pointed out that this project would not have been possible without the area resort tax. Of the project’s $60 million cost, $27 million is being funded by resort tax. Other sources include $43 million from a private revenue bond, supported by various tax, loan and grant money, $8 million from district reserves, and $2.2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, BSCWSD documents show.
“I like where this is heading,” said Sarah Blechta, chair of the BSRAD Board of Directors. “Us helping to
BY JACK REANEY
The project began in June 2021 and is on schedule “plus or minus two weeks,” according to Buecker. Construction is expected to finish in May of 2024.
Explore Big Sky8 September 22 - October 5, 2022 LOCAL
The board voted unanimously to increase the GCWSD’s operating budget to $200,000.
This will cause peak-season water demand to outpace supply in the Mountain Village by 2040-45, and in the faster-growing Meadow Village by 2030-32, said Mark Cunnane, district hydrogeologist. Cunnane presented an update to the local water source capacity plan during the meeting. During the morning meeting, district officials discussed solutions including water conservation through education, incentive, mandate, or increased utility rates. Other suggested improvements included Direct Potable Reuse—a sterilization process illegal in Montana but
OFFICIALS DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF WATER IN BIG SKY
Big Sky’s expected water treatment capacity will increase by nearly 52% on average, accommodating further growth in the district and parts of the canyon. Furthermore, the BSCWSD reported that treated wastewater will improve to Montana Department of Environmental Quality Class A-1 standards, qualifying it to be discharged into groundwater and recharge aquifers, irrigate land as needed, and provide a more sustainable source of winter joy as it crystallizes from snow guns on the resort.
The GCWSD had an initial operating budget of $74,000, according to a letter sent to BSRAD from Scott Altman, president of the new water and sewer district. But after securing almost $3 million in grant money, Altman wrote that the initial budget “risks losing secured funds and delaying critical community infrastructure.” Of the grant money, $2 million comes from an American Rescue Plan Act grant that must be used by 2025.
“Long story short: Great first year, busy second year,” Mace Mangold said in a presentation to BSRAD board members. “It’s only going to get busier.”
The tax remittance loophole the board moved to close on Wednesday involved adding an additional phrase that prevented businesses that provide services necessary for life—such as
that has gained popularity in more arid states—and upgrades to streamline the hydraulic pump system bringing water throughout the Mountain Village.
Community members toured the new Water Resource Recovery Center in Big Sky. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY
His crew has poured just over one-third of the planned total 9,000 yards of concrete mixed in the nearby batch plant. With near-site production, cement trucks have avoided creating traffic on U.S. Highway 191. They’ve logged long hours this summer to finish pouring concrete and closing the structure before November, allowing them to work indoors.
get it standing up is critical for this community, I think.”
On Tuesday afternoon after the board meeting, Tracy and other officials guided a tour of the WRRF site.
BIG SKY –– Construction halted for an hour on Tuesday, Sept. 20 as the Big Sky County Water and Sewer District offered a public tour of the incoming Water Resource Recovery Facility. The plant is being built beside the existing wastewater treatment plant, which remains active.
DEMAND EXPECTED TO EXCEED SUPPLY BY 2032
The WRRF is also expected to provide better phosphorus and nitrogen removal, making the discharged water more sterile, contributing less to algal blooms in adjacent waterways, said Daniel Tracy, project superintendent representing Boise-based construction firm RSCI. Algal blooms have hit the Gallatin River for five consecutive years.
electricity provided by NorthWestern Energy, said Daniel Bierschwale, BSRAD executive director—from dodging the 3% resort tax to the “Wedistrict.weregetting some push back from a very small segment of businesses,” Bierschwale said. “Because of how we phrased the original ordinance reading, they had an out.”
BY JASON BACAJ
BIG SKY – The Gallatin Canyon Water and Sewer District secured a funding increase and an effort to close a resort tax remittance loophole passed first reading Wednesday, Sept. 14 in two votes by the Big Sky Resort Area District board.
RESORT TAX BOARD VOTES TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR GALLATIN CANYON WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT
“I’d like to know where that bus is.”
BIG SKY – Four representatives from the Ennis School District Board of Trustees trekked up Jack Creek Road Monday, Sept. 12 to discuss their proposed new school bond with Big Sky voters.
One mother, Heather Morris, who lives in the Madison County portion of Big Sky, has four kids attending school in the Big Sky School District.
After voting on Aug. 8 to bring a $45 million bond resolution intended to improve and expand current school facilities to voters in November, the Ennis board of trustees is now looking to engage with its voter base in Big Sky to open a dialogue about the new bond ahead of the election. Casey Klasna, superintendent of Ennis Schools, joined the four trustees. Several residents who live in the Big Sky portion of Madison County gathered in the Shoshone Condominium Hotel at Big Sky Resort on the evening of Sept. 12 to listen to the five discuss the bond.
At the meeting, Stone explained that the 50-yearold high school building is not up to code, not ADA accessible and is no longer big enough to accommodate all the students and classes.
Explore Big Sky9 September 22 - October 5, 20222 LOCAL
Those in attendance from Big Sky raised several concerns about the tax money funneled to the Ennis school district and what they see as a lack of reciprocity of services in return. The Big Sky portion of Madison County contributes roughly 87% of the district’s property tax base, according to 2021 taxable value data from the Montana Department of Revenue based on levy districts.
Ennis School District is required by law to pay tuition for the students living in the district but attending school in the Big Sky School District in Gallatin County, according to Klasna. The tuition totals have fluctuated over the past two years and Klasna said this school year it is projected to be about $60,000. The Ennis School District also pays transportation contracts for families who live 3 or more miles from the nearest bus stop, totaling just over $5,000 last year.
To update the existing high school building just to meet current growth and needs, the cost is roughly half of the proposed bond, according to trustee Paul Bills. He said the goal is to keep as much of the existing space in the district as possible based on feedback from taxpayers. Among the cuts from the failed February bond were an eight-lane track and new football field.
“This is the cheapest place in the entire state of Montana to pay taxes,” Bills said.
“My understanding was that as soon as we had six or more [students needing transportation] that we were going to have a bus,” she said at the meeting.
ENNIS SCHOOL BOARD
Among the electorate deciding this bond are 455 registered Big Sky voters residing in Madison County, who make up almost 12% of the Ennis School District voting bloc.
In 2011, Stone said, Ennis schools had an enrollment of 330 students. This year, there are over 425 students enrolled in the district, almost a 100-student growth in 10 years. Ennis expects to see this trend continue, Stone said, with projections based on live birth data showing they will gain another 100 students over the next 10 years.
Paying for a bus driver in Big Sky is one way that Morris pointed out Ennis could provide Big Sky taxpayers with a service in return. This hasn’t been a reality so far and both trustees and attendees at the meeting expressed confusion about where efforts to buy a bus and hire a driver had landed.
BIG SKY VOTERS STATE ANB FUNDING PER STUDENT 2021-22 TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS FOR MADISON COUNTY STUDENTS ENROLLED AT BSSD MADISON COUNTY STUDENTS ENROLLED AT BSSD 2022-23 TUITION PAID TO BSSD BY ENNIS SCHOOL DISTRICT $6,000 PER K-6 PUPIL $7,500 PER 7-12 PUPIL $5,262 FOR TRANSPORTATION 26 STUDENTS $60,000 FROM ENNIS MOONLIGHT BASINLONEPEAK BIG SKY YELLOWSTONERESORTCLUB BIG SKY SPANISHPEAKS GALLATIN COUNTYMADISON COUNTY LINECOUNTY WILSON PEAK BEEHIVE BASIN ENNIS 191 287 ENNIS DISTRICTSCHOOLTAXBASE L N O N MADISON COUNTY'S BIG SKY RESIDENTS MAKE UP ABOUT 87% OF THE ENNIS SCHOOL DISTRICT TAX BASE BY LEVY DISTRICT. 12% OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE ENNIS SCHOOL DISTRICT LIVE IN BIG SKY Four trustees from the Ennis School Board attend a Sept. 12 meeting in Big Sky. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER
BY GABRIELLE GASSER
Other ideas brought up in the meeting were an interlocal agreement between the two school districts and redrawing school district lines. ENGAGES
“We’re trying to keep up with the growth and also act on our strategic plan of keeping our class sizes from growing to a size that are just crazy,” he said.
Bills said the impact of the bond on taxpayers is minimal, at $2.12 per month for every $100,000 of a home’s assessed market value. He pointed to Gallatin County, claiming that the neighboring county’s taxes are high in comparison. Bills said that taxes in Madison County are lower because of the high taxable valuation—approximately $191 million—which is spread out across a smaller county population.
“We’re still at this because we have a need,” said Kyle Stone, chairman of the Ennis school board.
Previously, the district proposed a $59 million bond, which failed in the Feb. 8 mail-in election. Following that election, trustees said that engaging with and listening to taxpayers led them to pare down the new bond by $14 million.
“We had to make some tough decisions when the bond failed,” Stone said, adding that they focused on the educational side with the newly proposed bond.
OWNING A PIECE OF THE
Brett
Evertz • 406-629-0132 Home Loan Division Assistant Manager • bevertz@oppbank.com Brett Evertz is a native Montanan with a love for our great state. That appreciation, along with a 17-year career in banking and active involvement in the local communities, help him provide his clients with expert, local knowledge to help them finance their own piece of the Big Sky. If you’re looking to buy or build, give Brett a call. NMLS #523473
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homes and competitive market conditions may have you considering building your next home. Unless your general contractor carries the financing of the new home, you will likely require a construction loan.
When
To determine the loan amount, all costs to build are compiled from building plans, specs, costs breakdowns and your contract with the general contractor. Your construction loan is locked at a fixed interested rate, and an appraisal is completed based on the plans. Underwriting for approval of your loan is completed.
Opportuni
looking to purchase a home, the best place to begin is to open the application process with a lender. Opportunity Bank of Montana is a local lender, consistently one of the top mortgage lenders in the state. As an experienced lending professional, I work with customers to present all options currently available and help select the one that makes the most sense for each individual buyer.
A Division of Oppor tunity Bank of Montana
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GETTING READY TO PURCHASE
With knowledge of costs and qualification amount, it’s time to begin shopping for your IncreasedCONSTRUCTIONhome.LOANSdemandforexisting
To open the process, buyers complete a loan application and provide the required documents to begin determining the amount the borrower qualifies to borrow. A credit report will be pulled as part of the documentation. Also early in the process is determination of gross monthly income. This may be determined from paystubs if employed, or Federal tax returns if self-employed. For retired borrowers, the borrower will need to provide verification of monthly retirement income.
For construction loans, Opportunity Bank of Montana requires a down payment as a percentage of the total land and construction costs. If the land is already owned, the equity in the land may cover all or a portion of the down payment requirement.
additional
MOR TG AG E
Bank NMLS# 412554. All loans subject to credit approval. Fees and restrictions may apply.
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With monthly income established, the amount of down payment you are able to provide is determined and whether you may qualify for down payment assistance. At this point the lender can present financing options that are best suited to you.
BIGSKY
Monthly payments on the construction loan are determined by the amount drawn from the loan, calculated as an interest-only payment. The draw schedule is set up to fund the home to completion. Once your home is built, a final inspection is completed by the appraiser to verify the home is complete. With that approval, the loan is ready to transition to final longterm financing.
Seniors Felix Jacobs, left, and Max Romney, right, were recently named semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
“I was over the moon and so excited because they’re both incredibly hardworking, intellectual, engaged in their schoolwork and really involved with the school via clubs, sports, and so forth,” said Secondary School Principal Dr. Marlo Mitchem. “It’s just really wonderful to see them get Jacobs,recognized.”18,isan
TWO LPHS STUDENTS NAMED NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP CORPORATION SEMIFINALISTS
“I’m hoping that both of them progress on this journey and I hope they both take this as far as they’re dreaming to take it,” Mitchem said. “I want to wish them good luck as they submit their applications in the next few weeks.”
“It was really cool to be recognized on a national level,” Romney wrote in an email to EBS. “It’s also really neat to be a part of a group of only [49] high school kids in Montana to win this award.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters. He said he also plans on serving as the manager for the Big Horns basketball team this year and intends to play golf in the spring.
avid skier and snowboarder in his free time and is active in a few LPHS extracurriculars including serving as a class representative on Student Council, being treasurer of National Honor Society and working with
Seniors Felix Jacobs and Max Romney were both notified in September by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation that they were two of 16,000 students nationwide selected as semifinalists, ranking them in the top 1.6% of the 1.5 million entrants.
Explore Big Sky12 September 22 - October 5, 2022 LOCAL
Romney enjoys staying active both in his free time and at school. He plays basketball and soccer with the Big Horns and enjoys skiing, backpacking and fishing when not on the court or the field. Romney heads up the newscast team at LPHS, serves as the vice president of NHS and is a member of Interact Club. He is also a thespian, taking the stage for the annual High School Musical.
The next step for both boys is to fill out an application to become one of the roughly 15,000 finalists. After that, NMSC will select approximately 7,250 finalists to receive a Merit Scholarship.
PHOTO BY MARLO MITCHEM
BIG SKY – Two Lone Peak High School students recently found out that they are semifinalists in a national scholarship program that recognizes students based on their PSAT, or Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test scores.
After studying hard for the SAT and taking the PSAT three times, Jacobs said it felt good to hear that he was a semifinalist and that his hard work “paid off.”
Seventeen-year-old Max Romney said he was excited to hear that he is a semifinalist.
BY GABRIELLE GASSER
with
Lone Peak High School will celebrate this year’s homecoming Oct. 3-8 with soccer, volleyball and football games, and of course, a parade through
HOMECOMING PARADE
hometown spirit as the community rallies behind its local kids.
Len Hill Park, 6 p.m.
Explore Big Sky13 September 22 - October 5, 20222 LOCAL EBS STAFF
HOMECOMING WEEK IN BIG SKY BIG SKY, MT USA
The homecoming parade will flow through Town Center with school and community floats followed by a festival and pep rally in Len Hill Park with games and food.
SATURDAY, OCT. 8
LPHS VOLLEYBALL VS. LIMA HIGH SCHOOL Bough-Dolan Athletics Center, 3 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5
FRIDAY, OCT. 7
in Montana: The start
GIRLS SOCCER VS. PARK HIGH SCHOOL Big Horn Coliseum, 4 p.m.
bigskybuild.com BIGSKYBUILD.COM | 406.995.3670 |
EBS has compiled a list of homecoming festivities below to help you celebrate all the fun.
BOYS SOCCER VS. PARK HIGH SCHOOL Big Horn Coliseum, 6 p.m.
H O M E C O M I N G 2 0 2 2
There’s a special feeling associated high school homecoming of a new school sports and rich, unsullied
year, fall
LPHS FOOTBALL VS. SIMMS HIGH SCHOOL Big Horn Coliseum, 7 p.m.
in action
the Town Center to invite community members to share the contagious school spirit.
THURSDAY, OCT. 6
HOMECOMING 2022
“Trout fisheries have enormous cultural, economic and ecological importance in Montana and worldwide, yet even Montana’s resilient trout fisheries could be vulnerable to future climate change,” said Timothy Cline, a USGS scientist and the paper’s lead author, in a news release.
While Montana’s fishing economy has demonstrated resilience during past periods of drought—particularly those in the late 1980s, early 2000s and in 2017—Cline said he expects new challenges will emerge as the climate warms throughout the coming decades.
BY HELENA DORE BOZEMAN DAILY CHRONICLE
“By moving to other fishing areas that were more favorable during drought, visitors kept trout fishing revenue in the state rather than choosing to travel elsewhere,” Cline said in the press release. “Trout fishing in Montana has been remarkably resilient to changing conditions.”
Critical pieces of cold-water habitat have allowed anglers to keep fishing for trout when other major rivers are closed, and maintaining as many of those features on the landscape as possible can help ensure that the fishing economy remains robust, Cline said.
Smaller, colder habitats—like streams that are fed by groundwater—are critical, but they often get overlooked. FISHING ECONOMY BY CLIMATE CHANGE
Cline and authors Clint Muhlfeld, Ryan Kovach, Robert Al-Chokhachy, David Schmetterling, Diane Whited and Abigail Lynch used Montana FWP’s recreation monitoring data to analyze how climate change impacted 3,100 miles of the state’s rivers between 1983 and 2017.
MONTANA’S RESILIENT
About 35% of Montana’s cold water habitat could become unsuitable for trout by 2080, and the losses could put 30% of current angler spending at risk, which amounts to about 21% of the total annual fishing economy in the region, according to the study.
Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the University of Montana contributed to the new study titled “Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery.” It ran in the journal Science Advances on Wednesday, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported.
In contrast, resident anglers were less willing to travel to other areas in response to drought, and they often continued to fish along rivers by their homes, even when the conditions were stressful on trout, according to Cline.
When temperatures warmed and flows dropped on certain rivers, anglers flocked to other areas where waters were colder. These cold-water segments supported 10 times more anglers than warm-water segments, and most of them were from out of state.
TESTED
Explore Big Sky14 September 22 - October 5, 2022
They found that the concentration of anglers doubled overall within that 34-year time period, and severe drought conditions, which drive stream flows down and water temperatures up, significantly impacted how that fishing pressure was distributed across the landscape.
REGIONAL
“When we think of the most productive rivers, we think of places like the Madison and Blackfoot, but under stressful conditions like drought, anglers need to find different opportunities,” he said.
BOZEMAN – Montana’s fishing economy has proven resilient amid the impacts of drought, but a new study suggests that 35% of its cold water habitats could become unsuitable for trout by 2080, costing the state an estimated $192 million in annual revenue.
Trout generally require water with temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. As temperatures rise, they don’t do as well, and other species tend to thrive, Cline said.
“Montana’s fisheries are renowned for their trout, and trout require cold, clean, connected habitat to survive,” he said. “As the climate warms, a lot of those attributes are changing rapidly.”
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It’s Friday night, Sept. 19, and the Big Horns are facing off against the undefeated Badgers who are ranked sixth in the state. Parents and students crowd the bleachers and sidelines sporting neon garb for good sportsmanship as they cheer the boys on. As the sun drops behind the surrounding mountains so does the temperature, but the athletes and fans remain fired up, bolstered by the success of the game’s opening play.
half, the Big Horns charge out and reclaim the lead with a touchdown and twopoint conversion, bringing the score to 34-28. The Badgers, however, respond late in the third
Senior Pierce Farr also had a great game, Shipman said, running the ball hard and showing up defensively. Shipman added that the special teams played “extremely well,” accounting for 13 of the Big Horns’ points as well as preventing the opponent’s special teams from scoring.
Following the Big Horns’ first touchdown, Cascade added two of their own to the scoreboard to claim a first quarter lead. The game is fast-paced with play moving quickly up and down the field leading Jeremy Harder—announcer for the evening and technology teacher—to quip that, “it’s almost turning into a soccer game.”
The Big Horns’ efforts for the evening were led by Helms’ two kickoff returns for touchdowns, an interception and several big runs. Quarterback, junior Juliusz Shipman, threw multiple touchdowns, including two dramatic ones late in the second half to take the lead for good.
“Ultimately, I was pleased with the efforts of all our players, the lineman played well and all of our players are improving each week,” Shipman wrote.
Explore Big Sky16 September 22 - October 5, 2022
“The boys really stuck with it and showed maturity and composure,” head coach Dustin Shipman wrote in an email to EBS. “We constantly talk about the next play. We can’t control the last play; we can only control our execution on the next play.”
The Badgers and the Big Horns battle hard, keeping the score close in the second quarter. As the game goes into halftime Cascade leads by two points, Following28-26.the
the Big Horns earned their win over Cascade as a team.
BIG SKY – Eight Lone Peak High School football players stand ready to receive the opening kickoff against the Cascade High School Badgers in the Big Horn Coliseum. The ball soars down the field and is caught by junior George Helms who sprints back up the field toward the end zone. As Helms dodges tackles and picks up yardage, Big Horns fans yell and run down the sideline, cheering him on until he scores a touchdown, mere seconds into the game.
BY GABRIELLE GASSER
little under three minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Big Horns score a touchdown and add a field goal, tallying the game’s largest lead—11 points. Victory seemed like it was in the bag, but the Badgers respond late in the fourth quarter with a touchdown on a deep pass to the end zone.
good tackles, running precise routes, blocking our assignments, making good throws and focusing on making Shipmanplays.said
Up next on the schedule, the Big Horns travel to Seeley Lake on Sept. 23 to face off against the Seeley-Swan High School Blackhawks.
“They had fun and played football, which is what we ask of them each week,” he added.
LPHS FOOTBALL CLAIMS COMMANDING VICTORY OVER CASCADE SPORTS
quarter with their own touchdown and two-point conversion to again take yet another two-point lead
With36-34.a
Moving forward, Shipman said he’d like to see the team improve on fundamentals including: Making
Following a rainy day in Big Sky, the clouds parted and LPHS played under blue skies in the Big Horn Coliseum. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE GASSER
Junior Bryce Houghteling makes a tough tackle. PHOTO BY JASON BACAJ
Though the Badgers fought hard to close the gap, the Big Horns prevailed, sealing a thrilling 47-42 win.
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1 OCT. 21 AWAY AWAY 12:00/2:00 7:00 DateDate Home/AwayHome/Away TIME B/GTIME MS/HS @ PARK HIGH (LIVINGSTON) @ CHOTEAU @ SHERIDAN (JUNION HIGH ONLY) VS. PARK HIGH (LIVINGSTON) VS. LAUREL VS. SHERIDAN VS. LOCKWOOD VS. SIMMS @ SEELEY SWAN (VARSITY ONLY) @ LOCKWOOD @ BILLINGS CENTRAL @ DEER LODGE (VARSITY ONLY) Game & LocationGame & Location First round playoffs Oct.10-15 | Semi-Final Round Playoffs Oct.17-22 | State Championship Oct.27-29First round playoffs Oct.28-29 | Semi-Final Round Playoffs Nov.4-5 State Championship Nov.19 OCT. 8 SEP. OCT.SEP.OCT.OCT.OCT.SEP.OCT.302023151412418 Date 3:00 HOME5:004:00 +20+20 HOMEHOME4:004:00 +20+20 HOME 4:00 +20 HOME TBD4:001:00 +20+20 HOME JV Varsity Home/Away VS. LIMA (HOMECOMING) VS. GARDINER VS. SHIELDS VALLEY VS. ENNIS @ WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS VS. TWIN BRIDGES @ MANHATTAN CHRISTIAN TOURNAMENT @ TWIN BRIDGES VS. WEST YELLOWSTONE Game & Location VOLLEYBALL SOCCERFOOTBALL District Tournament: Manhattan Christian Oct.26-29 | Divisional Tournament: Manhattan Christian Nov.2-5 | State Tournament: Bozeman (MSU) Nov.10-12
LPHS SCHEDULE
Explore Big Sky17 September 22 - October 5, 20222 SPORTS
30 AWAY 4:00/6:00 4:00/7:00
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and talented players go. No program is immune to transition.
That’s not to mention Tre Webb, an All-Big Sky safety last fall. Or defensive tackle Chase Benson or defensive end Amandre Williams, each AllAmericans during the Bobcat careers.
The Bobcats are among the favorites to compete for their first Big Sky Conference title since 2012. MSU’s first win in Cheney since 2012 came last season and proved to be a determining factor in the Bobcats earning a playoff seed and a first-round bye.
More than any of those questions though, the Bobcats were and are faced with replacing the most talented senior class in school history. Andersen—a Dillon, Montana product who attained mythical
BOBCATS OPEN CONFERENCE PLAY WITH A PLETHORA OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
status for earning All-American honors at running back, quarterback, outside linebacker and inside linebacker—is impossible to replace. He is one of the great talents in the history of Montana State or the Big Sky Conference, a superb athlete a 4.42-second time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine last spring. Those wheels plus his position versatility and seemingly unlimited upside made him a second-round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons.
The reason MSU remains an unknown despite playing three games so far this season is the Bobcats are yet to play a like opponent. McNeese State came to Bozeman to open the season as a once-proud program ravaged by a pandemic, two hurricanes and the general unrest that has marked college football in the 21st century. A total of 59 new players on the Cowboys’ roster participated in a 40-17 MSU victory.
But very few, if any, football programs in the history of the Big Sky Conference have ever had to replace Troy Andersen.
quarterback Tommy Mellott possibly do for an encore? The hard-nosed, cerebral signal caller from Butte, America took the FCS by storm last season, making his first college start in the postseason after Matt McKay left the Bobcats high and dry following a 29-10 whooping handed down by archrival University of Montana. Mellott looked like the second coming of Russell Wilson in leading MSU to three straight playoff wins, including a 41-19 win at defending national champion Sam Houston State that marked MSU’s first-ever road postseason victory. But was the magical playoff run simply a matter of catching lightning in a bottle?
And the non-conference wrapped last week in Portland as Montana State was the one on the receiving end of a payday. But is $675,000 worth giving up 68 points in a 40-point loss to Oregon State? The OSU point total marked the second-most Montana State has allowed since World War II.
BOZEMAN — How do you replace this player and that player? It’s one of the most intriguing and fun parts of following any given college football Talentedprogram.playerscome
Mellott has shown flashes but also has come back down to earth. The offensive line might shock the world and be better overall as a unit, but that remains to be seen. Veteran players like inside linebacker Callahan O’Reilly, nickelback Ty Okada and free safety Jeffrey Manning Jr. are still adjusting to life without their talented and inspiring former teammates. And MSU is still trying to find a semblance of a traditional running back with All-American Isaiah Ifanse (and seemingly all his backups) on the shelf.
As Montana State is set to begin Big Sky Conference play on Saturday Sept. 24 at No. 15 Eastern Washington, the Bobcats remain a complete Followingunknown.lastseason’s run to the FCS national championship game—MSU’s first run to the title tilt since 1984—scuttle filled the narrative surrounding one of the most consistently competitive small school football programs in the Hownation.would
head coach Brent Vigen handle his second season at the helm? Could he recreate the magic that helped him architect three consecutive national championships while offensive coordinator at North Dakota State University from 2011 to What2013?could
And that’s only part of the departing standouts. Daniel Hardy blossomed into one of the best pass rushers in program history during his lone year as a starter, developing so rapidly he too had his name called in the NFL Draft. Lance McCutcheon, a Bozeman product, joined Hardy in making the active roster for the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. And Lewis Kidd, a four-year starter and two-time All-American offensive lineman, also made the New Orleans Saints’ active roster.
The following week, Morehead State, a school from rural Eastern Kentucky that does not offer football scholarships, came to Bozeman, collected a game check and received a 63-13 drubbing by the No. 4 Bobcats.
The process of answering the plethora of questions accompanying Montana State in the midst of coach Vigen’s second season begins Saturday at the Inferno.
Senior wide receiver Willie Patterson makes a defender miss after a reception against Morehead State. PHOTO BY JASON BACAJ
Backup quarterback Sean Chambers celebrates after scoring a rushing touchdown against McNeese State. PHOTO BY JASON BACAJ
Explore Big Sky18 September 22 - October 5, 2022 SPORTS
BY COLTER NUANEZ SKYLINE SPORTS
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In 2022, the Manhattan Short films will screen in six continents at over 500 different locations. All of the screenings will take place simultaneously during one week and audience members will vote on their favorite
“When a community like Big Sky writes to me, of course I’m going to take the time out for them,” he said. “It’s that mission of getting into as many communities as we can...it breaks borders down and it’s healthy—it allows us to see and think and inspire the Themind.”year2001
MANHATTAN SHORT FESTIVAL TO SCREEN BIG SKY, AROUND THE GLOBE
Mason was urged not to cancel Manhattan Short, and on Sept. 23, 2001, the festival went on as planned. Global news media was still reporting on the city’s recovery from 9/11, and with the film festival taking place in such a vital gathering place, the event received world-wide attention from the media.
was pivotal for Manhattan Short. Less than two weeks prior to the festival, on Sept. 11, two hijacked commercial airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. In the days following 9/11, Union Square Park—the festival’s
After the show in Union Square Park in 2001, the film festival began expanding outside of New York City. The films aired in 72 venues across the country by 2005 and celebrity judges were replaced with votes from the audience to select a winning film. The following year, Mason convinced 20 European venues to screen the short films and collect votes.
BIG SKY – In 1998, Nicholas Mason hosted the first Manhattan Short Film Festival by attaching a screen to the side of a truck in New York City and projecting 16 short films to a 300-person crowd. Now in its 25th year, the festival will screen simultaneously in more than 500 venues across the globe, including at The Independent in Big Sky on Sept. 22.
Manhattan Short became the world’s first global film festival by striving to reach diverse communities of various sizes, Mason said.
Explore Big Sky21 September 22 - October 5, 20222
“If 9/11 didn’t happen, I don’t think the idea would have grown,” Mason said.
is something completely fresh, at least for this community,” said Jane Liivoja, events coordinator for the Arts Council. “It just feels like something special that we can bring to Big Sky.”
relationship” with the venue. Having a local space for high quality art like what will be featured in the Manhattan Short films is a crucial part of community, she
Earliersaid.this
“Manhattanfilm.Short
“This is our mission as an organization to bring enriching experiences to the community,” Liivoja said. “I think some of these events make people pop that bubble a little bit and maybe get excited for something new and different.”
“Love, Dad” is one of 10 short films that will be shown at the Manhattan Short Film Festival. The film, directed by Diana Cam Van Nguyen, follows a woman’s journey rediscovering letters her father sent from prison. PHOTO COURTESY OF MANHATTAN SHORT
A&E ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
IN
The festival has previously screened in Helena but this year, the show at The Independent will be the only screening in Montana. The Arts Council of Big Sky wanted to bring Manhattan Short to Big Sky for years, and thanks to its relationship with The Independent, that dream is now a reality.
Since The Independent’s opening in January, Liivoja feels that the Arts Council has fostered a “symbiotic
venue—became a gathering place for New Yorkers to grieve their losses.
“Big Sky doesn’t get many of these independent films. It’s going to be this worldwide cultural experience too, because these films are coming from all over the world,” Liivoja said. “I think people are going to be surprised in a good way at the quality and the different narratives.”
FESTIVAL AIMS TO BRING DIVERSE CULTURAL ENRICHMENT TO GLOBAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH FILM
As Big Sky is situated in a somewhat culturally isolated area, locals often refer to the lack of diversity as the “Big Sky bubble.” Art can be a valuable tool to help provide more diverse cultural experiences to the community, according to Liivoja.
month, the Arts Council brought Mountainfilm on Tour—an adventure-packed short film festival based out of Colorado—to The Independent, and the screening received a positive response. Finding art to bring in that resonates with the community is a difficult task and often requires some trial and error, Liivoja said, but she is hopeful that Manhattan Short receives similar feedback.
Rounding out the fall season, enjoy three offerings by Big Sky’s impressive local talent. Always a favorite, Big Sky Community Theater features area friends and family trodding the boards at WMPAC. The troupe will perform the murdermystery "Clue," based on the popular board game, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 11 and 12 at 7p.m. On Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7p.m., WMPAC hosts Her Gift, Her Creation, highlighting the talented women of Big Sky in a pre-holiday variety show sure to put you in the spirit. Finally, on Dec. 9-11, at 4 p.m., the Lone Peak High School thespians will kick the season into high gear with their rollicking production of "Elf," a musical comedy great for the entire family.
On Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m., Jack London’s classic endurance tale comes to Big Sky for a family friendly performance of London’s classic novel, "Call of the Wild." This multimedia adventure blends storytelling and projected illustrations to share the story of Buck, a family dog who is kidnapped and sold to brutal gold miners during the Alaskan gold rush. Buck rediscovers his primal instincts in the harsh environment, and eventually becomes the most legendary dog in Alaska. Versatile actor Noel Gaulin, in his firstever Montana performance, believes this is an ideal piece to bring to the stage: “I’ve always considered "Call of the Wild" the quintessential adventure tale. It’s funny, sad, intense, epic and based on historical events! "Call of the Wild" is one of the few stories that speaks to multiple generations. A show for Grandpa and his grandson!”
Audiences of all ages will thrill to the jaw-dropping antics of The Great Dubois as they take the stage on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. A high energy circus, this thrilling act showcases incredible feats of juggling, hula hoops, unicycle, aerial, circus stunts, contortion, and magic, all tied up with comedic audience interaction. The Great Dubois have been featured in Hugh Jackman’s hit movie “The Greatest Showman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, ” “Late Night with David Letterman, ” and Britney Spears’ Circus Tour, to highlight a few.
WMPAC ANNOUNCES 2022 FALL SEASON
The Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, located in Big Sky’s Gallatin Canyon, announces a thrilling Fall Season lineup, ideal for families and kids of all ages. Four touring acts will land in Big Sky, along with three homegrown productions rounding out the season.
Explore Big Sky22 September 22 - October 5, 2022 A&E The experience, accreditation, industry-wide recognition and integrity that Southwest Montana deserves. Scott and his team manage roughly $300,000,000 in private client assets. Scott Brown CFP®, CIMA®, CRPC® recognized as Barron’s Top 1000 Advisor’s in 2011, 2012, and 2013.* *The rankings are based on data provided by thousands of advisors. Factors included in the rankings were assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record and client retention. Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. Shore to Summit Wealth Management, LLC is a separate entity from (WFAFN). Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors Methodology 2020 The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years experience, and the algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes or SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. For more information and complete details on methodology, go to www.shookresearch.com (406) shoretosummitwm.com219-2900 #11 SCOTT BROWN OUR EXPERTISE: - Comprehensive investment planning and wealth management - Personalized investment portfolios - Retirement income planning - Retirement and benefit plan approaches for small businesses - Private family office services - Balance sheet, cash flow and business valuation services DON PILOTTE, BROKER | 406.580.0155 | RANCHMT.COM ©2022 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Equal Housing Opportunity. 6 SIOUX Big Sky Incredible views of Lone Peak, Mountain Village and Andesite. This home has been partially renovated and would be perfect for a new owner to complete the renovation to their own specifications. Ski accessable with local knowledge.$3,250,000 | #371569 ZY BROWN RANCH RD Big Sandy 25,000± acre ranch near Big Sandy, MT. 18,124± acres deeded and over 8,000± acres BLM and State lease the ranch is a 650 cow calf pair and had 5,000± tillable acres plus a 30+ year outfitting history for trophy mule deer and big horn sheep hunts.$17,450,000 | #360321 PRICE REDUCED WARREN MILLER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Next, WMPAC presents Kings Return on Friday, Oct. 14 at 6:30 p.m. A vocal band of brothers, the Texas-based a cappella group formed in 2016 somewhat by accident; they first sang together for one of the brothers’ college graduation recitals, then began posting videos to social media from the stairwell where they rehearsed. Their popularity exploded, and they have now amassed nearly 10 million views across all platforms. Avoiding the confines of a single genre, Kings Return’s sound is proudly born of gospel, jazz, R&B, soul and classical music. "The name Kings Return is a reflection of ourselves,” they said. “We are Kings who go forth to conquer, but most importantly we return to give back to our community.”
On Sunday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m., Montana Shakespeare in the Parks presents the delightful “The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged (Abridged) ” The production is a fast-firing comedy that romps through all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays in just 87 minutes. London’s longest-running comedy, The Complete Works takes audiences on a family friendly, hysterical, and highly abridged version of every single one of the Bard’s comedies, histories, and tragedies in the length of a normal play.
More information about the Fall Season shows is available at warrenmillerpac.org.
Live CraigMusic:HallTrio and Friends
Live Music: Zander Chovanes Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
Manhattan Short Film Festival The Independent, 7 p.m.
Trivia Tips Up, 9 p.m.
The Independent, 8 p.m.
MONDAY, SEPT. 26
Live Music: DJ Swamp Moose Tips Up, 10 p.m.
Live Music: Chandler Huntley Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 25
TUESDAY, SEPT. 27 Studio Practice BASE, 1 p.m.
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 10 a.m.
Big Sky Christian Fellowship Service Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m.
Live Music: Tom Murphy & Kevin Fabozzi Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
Live Music: Amanda Stewart Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
St. Joseph’s Mass Big Sky Chapel, 1 p.m.
Live Music: Cole Decker Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
Big Sky Fire District Board of Trustees Meeting Big Sky Water and Sewer District, 8:30 a.m.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 29
Big Sky Christian Fellowship Service Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m.
Live Music: Marcedes Carol Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
Live Music: Tom Murphy & Kevin Fabozzi Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
SUNDAY, OCT. 2 St. Joseph’s Mass Big Sky Chapel, 8 a.m.
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 6 p.m.
FEATURED EVENT: BIG SKY COMMUNITY WEEK From
formal and informal events in both virtual and in-person formats giving attendees
FRIDAY, SEPT. 30
Fall Commission/BSRAD Meeting The Wilson Hotel, 9 a.m.
Live Music: Robby Hutto Tips Up, 9:30 p.m.
Screening: Thursday Night Football The Independent, 6 p.m.
Community Week: Discussion on emergency management Zoom, 12 p.m.
Live Music: Amanda Stewart Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m. Oct. The packed schedule include of the chance to engage with the many individuals and organizations that make the Big Sky community tick. For more information about Community Week, check out pg 7.
MONDAY, OCT. 3
Live Music: Amanda Stewart Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 10 a.m.
Live Music: Boot Juice Tips Up, 9:30 p.m.
St. Joseph’s Mass Big Sky Chapel, 5 p.m.
Explore Big Sky23 September 22 - October 5, 20222 A&E
Community Art Class: Ceramics with Pressed Botanicals BASE, 6 p.m.
Live Music: Take a Chance Tips Up, 10 p.m.
All Saints Big Sky Service Big Sky Chapel, 10 a.m.
Live Music: Amanda Stewart Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 6 p.m.
All Saints Big Sky Service Big Sky Chapel, 10 a.m.
Community Week: Voter Education Buck’s T-4 Lodge, 5 p.m.
BIG SKY EVENTS CALENDAR Thursday, Sept. 22 - Wednesday, Oct. 5 If your event falls between Oct. 6 - 18, please submit it to media@theoutlapartners.com by Sept. 28. Do You or Someone You Know Need Help Getting Sober? Contact A.A. - We’re alcoholics helping other alcoholics stay sober. Call 1-833-800-8553 to talk to an A.A. member or Get the Meeting Guide app or Go to aa-montana.org for virtual and face-to-face meeting times and locations
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28
Community Week: Coffee with Community Leaders Big Sky Chamber of Commerce, 8 a.m.
Live Music: Kylie Spence Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
Trivia Tips Up, 9 p.m.
Live Music: Stick and String Duo Tips Up, 9:30 p.m.
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 10 a.m.
Big Sky Farmers Market Town Center, 5 p.m.
One Book Big Sky Big Sky Library, 6:30 p.m.
Trivia The Independent, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5
Live Music: Kylie Spence Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
Open Pottery Studio BASE, 6 p.m.
After School Artventure BASE, 4:30 p.m.
will
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
St. Joseph’s Mass Big Sky Chapel, 8 a.m.
Screening: Thursday Night Football The Independent, 6 p.m.
Open Pottery Studio BASE, 6 p.m.
Open Pottery Studio BASE, 12 p.m.
Screening: Monday Night Football The Independent, 6 p.m.
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 6 p.m.
Live Music: Cole Thorne, Brambles & Briar Tips Up, 9:30 p.m.
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 10 a.m.
a variety
Open Pottery Studio BASE, 12 p.m.
Oktoberfest Ironman Open Big Sky Resort Golf Course, 10 a.m.
All Levels Pottery Series BASE, 6 p.m.
Watercolor Workshop BASE, 10 a.m.
Screening: Monday Night Football The Independent, 6 p.m.
St. Joseph’s Mass Big Sky Chapel, 12 p.m.
Live Music: Amanda Stewart Montage Big Sky Alpenglow Lounge, 7 p.m.
Community Week: 2nd Annual Community Expo The Wilson Hotel, 3 p.m.
Live CraigMusic:HallTrio and Friends The Independent, 8 p.m.
Watercolor Workshop BASE, 10 a.m.
Community Week: Discussion on water supply Zoom, 12 p.m.
Studio Practice BASE, 1 p.m.
3-7, the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Big Sky Resort Area District are partnering to host Big Sky Community Week to promote community engagement.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 23
After School Artventure BASE, 4:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, OCT. 4
THURSDAY, SEPT. 22
Trivia The Independent, 7 p.m.
Community Week: Lunch & Learn The Wilson Hotel, 12 p.m.
St. Joseph’s Mass Big Sky Chapel, 12 p.m.
Some answers below have been edited for brevity.
variety of competitive Alpine programs, later adding Nordic and Freeride to youth in the local Big Sky, MT area. Prior to 1993 it was the Big Sky Ski Team that was started with ski instructors from Big Sky Resort. Scott Zahn, Jeff Beranik, Leanne Zahn, Jeanine Palma and Kirk Johnson were a few of the ski instructors that were involved at the time when I joined the Big Sky Ski Team. After BSSEF became a 501(c)3 in 1993 the team began to grow as the Big Sky community started to grow. The team started with around 30 athletes and has evolved to the number it is today with over 250 athletes.
Explore Big Sky24 September 22 - October 5, 2022
”
EBS: Tell me about the history of BSSEF, when did it start?
Prior to their years as an established nonprofit, BSSEF operated as a club called the Big Sky Ski Team lead by some of the resort’s passionate ski instructors. What began with 30 athletes today operates with over 250 skiers a season.
EBS: I recall some quick adaptations with the fireworks booth this year, yet you received an outpouring of support from the community after you had to close the booth. Can you speak to some of the ways the community has supported BSSEF over the years?
BIG SKY – Big Sky Ski Education Foundation is Big Sky’s nonprofit offering local competitive Alpine programs to the area’s youth. From Freeride and Nordic to a variety of alpine skiing, the foundation has been honing athlete’s skills since 1993.
A previous version of this piece was published on Aug. 23, 2021.
“The
EBS: What is your favorite experience with the team since you’ve been involved, or what is the best part of working with BSSEF?
J.U.: [You’re] not always going to make everyone happy.
J.U.: One of my favorite experiences with the team was traveling to the 2006 Whistler Cup with Andrew Kircher who qualified to compete for the USA as a U14. There are so many other great experiences and trips that are very memorable. The best part about working for BSSEF is watching the athletes improve over the years and being part of their experiences that they will be talking about when they get older.
Jeremy Ueland: I moved to Big Sky when I was 8 years old in the spring of 1989. I went to Ophir School and Bozeman High School. I joined the Big Sky Ski Team when I was 10 years old and ski raced until the winter of 1999/2000. My first job in Big Sky was washing dishes at The Corral Bar & Grill owned and operated by Dave House and Devon White. When I wasn’t washing dishes I was selling golf balls on the Big Sky Golf Course with my twin brother. When I got my driver’s license I started to work at Big Sky Golf Course. When I was 18 years old I started working for Men@Work owned by Steve Schumacher and working seasonally for 12 years. I began coaching in 2001 when Matt Murphy who was the current Program Director and Head Coach offered me a job to coach.
Explore Big Sky: I’d like to start with a little background information on you, when did you come to Big Sky and what brought you here?
J.U.: Last winter we had 156 Alpine athletes, 44 Freeride athletes and 57 Nordic athletes with a total number of 257 participants in all programs. We had 44 staff total for Alpine, Freeride and Nordic.
J.U.: BSSEF has Alpine, Nordic and Freeride programs. We offer programs [from] ages 7 years to 18 years old primarily for Alpine, Freeride, Nordic and also have Masters Programs in Alpine and Nordic. Our mission is to provide an opportunity for kids to become great skiers and pursue personal goals while promoting good sportsmanship, healthy competitiveness, sound technical skills and an appreciation for the spirit of skiing in the mountains. BSSEF believes sports builds a child’s character and confidence and is expertly devoted to technical skill building. But perhaps more importantly, BSSEF celebrates a larger mission of helping each athlete find their unique potential as a competitor and a leader through discipline, mental toughness, commitment, contribution, sportsmanship, grit, fun and teamwork.
EBS: What is the best business advice you have ever received?
Big Sky Ski Education Foundation started with 30 athletes back in 1993 and today has grown to over 250 per year. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEREMY UELAND
Explore Big Sky sat down with Jeremy Ueland, who has been with BSSEF since 2001. Ueland has been the Program Director since winter of 2007/08, but began his days as a passionate skier on Lone Mountain washing dishes at the The Corral Bar & Grill. A passionate skier, Ueland carries on BSSEF’s mission of not only providing kids with technical mountain skills, but also in helping each athlete reach their potential.
BY MIRA BRODY
EBS: Tell me about the different activities offered at BSSEF?
EBS: How big is your team?
The best part about working for BSSEF is watching the athletes improve over the years and being part of their experiences that they will be talking about when they get older.
J.U.: The community has supported BSSEF in many ways over the years with funding, donated items for events, attending fundraising events, providing community and private space for events and activities, volunteering for events and other activities.
J.U.: BSSEF was formed as a 501(c)3 in 1993, volunteer-based organization designed to offer a
– Jeremy Ueland, BSSEF Program Director
MAKING IT IN BIG SKY: BIG SKY SKI EDUCATION FOUNDATION
BUSINESS
© 2022 .. All rights reserved. Engel & Völkers and its independent franchisees are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act. Each property shop is independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. 140 Upper Beehive Loop Road | $4,995,000 | 4 Beds | 4.5 Baths +/- 6,705 Sqft | +/-20.67 Acres | MLS# 366377 Listing Advisor: Stacy Ossorio, Broker | Private Office stacy.ossorio@engelvoelkers.com | 406.539.8553 2270 Yellowtail Road | $2,495,000 | 4 Beds | 4 Baths +/- 2,757 Sqft | +/- 0.25 Acres | MLS# 371585 Listing Advisor: Stacy Ossorio, Broker | Private Office stacy.ossorio@engelvoelkers.com | 406.539.8553 3140 Two Moons Road | Big Sky, Montana | 5 Beds | 5 Baths +/- 5,469 Sqft | $3,995,000 | MLS# 374551 Listing Advisor: Stacy Ossorio, Broker | Private Office stacy.ossorio@engelvoelkers.com | 406.539.8553 68 Spotted Elk Road | Big Sky, Montana | 3 Beds | 4 Baths +/- 2,740 Sqft | $2,150,000 | MLS# 373487 Listing Advisor: Stacy Ossorio, Broker | Private Office stacy.ossorio@engelvoelkers.com | 406.539.8553 DON’T JUST VISIT HERE, LIVE HERE. Making smarter decisions about renewable energy requires knowledge. NorthWestern Energy’s solar projects throughout the state of Montana provide clean energy to the power grid – and they’re shaping the future of renewable energy, too. We’re working with local universities to better understand where solar energy belongs alongside a balanced energy mix. And that research is helping us build a brighter future for the next generation of Montanans. View more of the story at NorthWesternEnergy.com/BrightFuture Shining a light on the future.
Dr. Burns suggests incorporating one tip a week. Better yet, grab an accountability friend to join you in checking off each of these tips as you try them.
When it gets cold outside, there’s nothing more relaxing than ending your day with a warm bath. Adding in Epsom salts can help with relaxation, reduce pain and inflammation, and support digestive health.
Dr. Kaley Burns is the founder, owner and naturopathic doctor at Big Sky Natural Health. She embraces a natural approach to health and aims to similarly inspire and guide others on their health journey. Dr. Burns has advanced training application of regenerative and intravenous injection therapy. She also serves as the vice president and CE liaison of the Montana Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
STAY HYDRATED
SOAK IN AN EPSOM BATH
HEALTH BUZZ
GET MORE SLEEP
BY KALEY BURNS EBS COLUMNIST
HOLISTIC HEALTH TIPS FOR FALL WELLNESS OPINION
EAT SEASONALLY
In the fall it may feel as though we have fewer options, but there are many delicious and nutritious foods to choose from to keep your health optimal. Fruits that are plentiful in the fall include apples, figs, persimmons and pomegranates. Fall is a great time to eat root veggies such as beets, squashes and sweet potatoes.
With the sun going down earlier in the evenings, you may feel more sleepy than usual. Don’t resist that feeling! Since we get less light in the fall and winter, our bodies start to crave more rest. Getting more sleep is healthy for your body and can help you to stay healthy throughout the colder seasons.
Explore Big Sky26 September 22 - October 5, 2022 GRAPHIC BY ADOBE STOCK
Bonus: Switch up your routine and add yoga or a kickboxing class
It is just as important to stay hydrated in the cooler months as the summer. Drinking enough water can help your body fight off seasonal cases of cold and flu. Additionally, cold winds and temperatures can be hard on your skin but staying up on your intake of water will help keep your skin glowing throughout the season.
SCHEDULE YOUR ANNUAL CHECK-UP
MAKE TIME FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY Positive interactions with our friends and family boost dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin levels in the brain, which are neurotransmitters that can help
Bonus: Add in immune supportive foods such as garlic, ginger, spinach and almonds
Ready to finish the last few months of the year strong? Fall is a great time to slow down and take a look at your health and wellness routine and goals. Below are some tips that can help you have a healthier fall overall. Best of all, these can be easily implemented into your schedule starting today!
reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Feeling more relaxed and happy contributes to improved mental health, and reduces strain on your physical health as well.
Now is the time to set-up your annual physical you’ve been putting off all year. Get bloodwork and all the accompanying tests done now can help you optimally enjoy all fall has to offer.
Spending time outdoors has many benefits yearround, so even if it’s chilly, aim to get outside at least once a day. Being in nature also has many mental health benefits including reduced stress, improved focus and mood balance.
GRAB A COAT AND GET OUTDOORS
You are not allowed to take samples of rocks, plants, or anything else out of Yellowstone, but once you find pieces of HRT outside the park boundary, you can take home a chunk of the Yellowstone supervolcano.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE TUFF QUESTION
Welded tuffs are relatively hard to erode compared to other types of rocks, especially sedimentary
BY PAUL SWENSON EBS COLUMNIST
But what if the eruption were so big that the ash thrown into the atmosphere does not cool down and returns to the surface hot? Or travels down the side of the volcano in a glowing hot cloud of ash, rock, and gas, called a pyroclastic flow? (pyroclastic: pyro- of fire, and clastic- formed from older rocks). These flows are hot enough that the shards of ash, like tiny pieces of glass, are welded together. This forms a rock called a welded ash-flow tuff.
rocks. Therefore, if the welded tuff lies on top of softer rocks such as shale, it can form a cap rock that eventually, through time and erosion, sit at the top of a hill or mountain and form the cliffs that we see
tuff that affects our local landscape is called the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff, or HRT, named after the location in Wyoming, where it was first described. There are a myriad of research papers describing the minerology, petrology, eruptive history, and the areal extent of the tuff. If you want to get into the nitty-gritty science of it, search the internet and you will find as much information as you want. But I would like to highlight the eruptive
HRT cliffs on Lemon Knob looking north towards the stop light on U.S. Highway 191. The arrow shows the location of HRT exposed above Big Sky’s Meadow Village. PHOTO BY PAUL
Question of the of the day: What do Crown Butte, Yellowstone National Park, Lemon Knob (between Porcupine Creek and Twin Cabin trailheads), the “Palisades” along the Madison River, the cliffs above the Hummocks trail, the top of Mitchner Creek, Grouse Mountain, and the cliffs above Albino Lake, have in common? Hopefully you already guessed by my apparent misspelling in the title. The answer is “tuff.” Nice job. For those of you still scratching your head, let us examine what a tuff is and why it is here in the Big Sky area.
Up close, what does this HRT look like? It varies in hardness, thickness, and color, but when one is walking around on the River Trail between Porcupine and Twin Cabin, or on the Hummocks System, or any of the other identified locations, you will notice rocks that are white, tan, gray, or pink and have small sparkly minerals in them that catch sunlight and make the rocks “twinkle.” This picture shows a small sample I collected in two minutes walking along the River Trail.
The Palisades cliffs above the Madison River are made of tuff. PHOTOS BY PAUL SWENSON
The areas identified in the opening are all located close to Big Sky. The HRT cliffs above the Hummocks trail system show 100 feet of ash flow.
HRT cliffs on Lemon Knob looking north towards the stop light on U.S. Highway 191. The arrow shows the location of HRT exposed above Big Sky’s Meadow Village. PHOTO BY PAUL SWENSON
Explore Big Sky27 September 22 - October 5, 2022 OPINION
Thetoday.welded
The Crown Butte HRT thickness is about 300 feet, and it continues to get thicker and thicker as you approach Yellowstone. Of course, we are not the only valley affected, the ash also flowed down the Madison, Yellowstone, Henry’s Fork, Shoshone, and Snake River Valleys. And what is so cool about that, is when you recognize the HRT outcrop, you know where the valley floors were 2.1 million years ago, and how much erosion has happened since. Take a look at the aerial photo of Lemon Knob. Everything below that level has been eroded in the last 2 million years. Wow.
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.
been shaped by three major eruptions, the first being the largest, and the one that produced the HRT. About 2 million years ago, a series of eruptions began that lasted for several decades. During these very large eruptions, the magma chamber that supplied the material for the eruptions becomes structurally weakened by the evacuation of erupted material causing the roof of the magma chamber to collapse, forming a large basin called a caldera.
Crown Butte on the left and the cliffs above Albino Lake on the right both contain tuff. PHOTOS BY PAUL SWENSON
This large eruption of Yellowstone was immense. When compared to Mt. St. Helens, whose total volume of ash erupted was 1.3 cubic kilometers, Yellowstone’s 2.1-million-year eruption was monstrous: 2,500 cubic kilometers of ash and ejecta. That’s 2,000 times larger than St. Helens! So where did it go and how do we know how much was erupted? All we have to do is look around.
Visualize volcanic eruptions like the ones you see on the news; lots of lava, ash and explosions. For those of you old enough, think Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Pinatubo, or very recently, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apa. They all send volcanic material up into the atmosphere where it must eventually fall back to the ground as an ash-fall. Most of the time the ash is cool by the time it makes it to the surface, covering the ground in fine, unconsolidated ash which can be swept away by wind, water, or the residents that live downwind.
Yellowstonepart.has
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Monitoring water quality is an important part of helping reveal the health and composition of our rivers in a snapshot in time, as well as over weeks, months and years. It is crucial for ensuring the sustained health of the rivers we enjoy, telling us not only what’s going on at a single point in a stream, but also what is happening upstream, and holistically throughout a Inwatershed.theGallatin
centric lens to give comprehensive information about the river’s health and trends over time. The analysis of the information helps to assess why there have been changes in algae growth in past years, and what the extenuating factors may be that are causing growth in some years, and not in others. This information helps to pinpoint what nutrient levels the Gallatin can support, known as TMDLs, Total Maximum Daily Loads, without promoting excess algae growth.
Over time, and through numerous years of sample collection, the data provides a bank of information that has been used to formulate the Upper Gallatin Nutrient Reduction Plan, the guiding document that outlines targeted mitigation strategies and projects that aim to reduce nutrient loading and mitigate future algae blooms in the Gallatin River.
Fork and South Fork. At each site, vials of water are collected and sent to a lab in Helena for testing.
The information aids in making decisions that involve the river, including how to mitigate nutrient load from land-use practices, and how to tailor restoration projects to best serve the Gallatin’s response to environmental circumstances.
This August, staff and volunteers collected samples at various sites on the Gallatin River to monitor water quality and quantity.
COURTESY GALLATIN RIVER
Water quality monitoring gives us an indication of a number of aspects of river health, and can identify the effects of environmental changes and community land-use practices that may be affecting the quality of our river and its tributaries, ranging from runoff, to erosion, to irrigation, development and Currently,more.
BY MARNE HAYES EBS COLUMNIST
Water quality monitoring identifies sources of pollution or impacts to the watershed ecosystem, and directs ongoing work focused on finding solutions to restore or improve water quality, raising the viability of the river.
The data collected at these sites gives information on nitrogen and phosphorous levels, as well as the hardness of the water. Additional testing done at these sites provides information about water temperature, conductivity, turbidity, pH and dissolved oxygen; all indicators of the overall health of the river.
Marne Hayes is the communications manager for the Gallatin River Task Force.
OF
TASK FORCE
Algae is scraped off rocks in the Gallatin River and sent to a lab as part of Gallatin River Task Force’s algae monitoring efforts. PHOTO
River watershed, the Gallatin River Task Force monitors for both quality and quantity. Monitoring provides the basic information needed to characterize and identify trends or changes in water quality over time, and address water quality concerns that arise as a result of activities on, around, or near the river and its tributaries.
COURTESY OF GALLATIN RIVER TASK FORCE
Explore Big Sky29 September 22 - October 5, 2022 OPINION
EVERY DROP COUNTS THE IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY
The Gallatin River Task Force has been collecting water quality data for 22 years, adding to baseline information collected in previous years, and analyzed further through a more targeted, algae-
there are studies being conducted with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to better understand changes in algae conditions along the Gallatin. For this specific study, there are 13 water collection sites along the main stem, the West Fork, Taylor Fork, Middle
Algae monitoring and sampling is a much lengthier process. Depending on the section of the river, a range of anywhere from 11 to 20 samples of algae are taken at a single site. This involves being in the river, physically scraping algae from the rocks on the riverbed, and sending those samples to the lab to inform the DEQ and other agencies about the health of the Gallatin.
The data is analyzed with technical assistance from the DEQ and used by the task force and other organizations for specific initiatives or to make regulatory decisions. For example, the DEQ uses data collected by the Gallatin River Task Force for decisions such as creating TMDLs, which potentially develop more stringent nutrient criteria for the Gallatin.
The collection at each site may take up to 4 hours, making involvement and help from volunteers critical to the success of the sampling. In addition to collecting samples, experiments are deployed at various locations in the river for multiple weeks to understand which nutrients—nitrogen or phosphorus, or a combination of both—are causing the excess algae growth.
Other agencies like the Bureau of Mines and Geology, Big Sky County Water and Sewer District, or various consultants may also use the information for restoration planning, conservation initiatives, or community planning like that going into the annexation of a Gallatin Canyon Water and Sewer District.
PHOTO
Data collected at these sites also helps inform management decisions on the local, state and even national level, providing the critical information needed to make decisions about management and mitigation of current or potential concerns with water quality, including algal growth.
Explore Big Sky30 September 22 - October 5, 2022 OPINION
BY TED WILLIAMS WRITERS ON THE RANGE
The federal management goal for these horses on public lands is 27,000. Yet the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the agency charged with tending them, estimates the current population at 64,604. “The Journal of Wildlife Management” reports 300,000 on all lands—public, private and tribal. Federal law precludes effective feral-horse management. Unmanaged populations increase by 20 percent annually.
WILD HORSES NEED TO STOP RULING THE RANGE
WRITERS ON THE RANGE
So we spend $160 million a year rounding up feral horses and placing them on perpetual welfare, with almost 50,000 permanently held in corrals or pastures. That’s more than half the $300 million we spend on all 1,618 endangered and threatened species native to the United States.
“Vociferous” is an apt adjective. Feral-horse groups confound the media, bully the environmental community, terrify Congress, beat up BLM and spew junk science. They are also well-funded and adept at manipulating people who have dreamed of owning horses since childhood. And they chant three mantras:
Cows do more damage than feral horses. That’s like saying we should ignore Covid because more people die from heart disease. The only thing wrong with cattle grazing is that it’s not always done right. When it is done right it can benefit native ecosystems by duplicating the range-renewal role of bison. That’s why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Conservancy lease land to ranchers.
Happily for native wildlife, there has yet to be a Wild Hog Annie. “Wild Horse Annie” was the Nevada woman whose
“Feral horses are worse than cows,” declares retired BLM biologist Erick Campbell. “When the grass between shrubs is gone, a cow is out of luck, but a horse will stomp that plant to death to get that last blade. When cows run out of forage the cowboys move them, but horses are out there all year. BLM exacerbates the problem by hauling water to
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Ted Williams is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit that seeks to spur lively conversation about the West. He writes exclusively about fish and wildlife for national publications.
Feral horses are historical treasures because they descended from animals brought from Spain by the conquistadores. They’re not. They’re mostly mongrels—a morass of domestic breeds that have recently escaped or been discarded.
Horses and burros are the only ungulates in North America with solid hooves and meshing upper and lower teeth. Most native vegetation can’t deal with that. Yet in some areas BLM range management goals call for 15 or 20 horses when its own science tells it that 100 is the threshold for genetic viability. Why aren’t these marginal herds zeroed out?
pronghorns, everything. And horses absolutely beat springs into mud holes. But our wildlife constituents don’t get as vociferous as the horse lovers.”
They are icons of America’s past, symbols of our pioneering spirit. Eyes flashing, nostrils flaring, tails obscured by a cloud of dust, they tear across the landscape.
No less prolific are feral hogs. They’re “wild and free,” too. Having grown up with horses and hogs, I can attest that hogs are more intelligent than horses. And while feral hogs are destructive of native ecosystems, they’re no more so than feral horses. So why are there no feral-hog support groups protesting their culling on public lands?
The result was the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971, which mandated the BLM to manage these animals so as “to achieve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance.” That task is impossible. No invasive species can thrive or even exist in “natural ecological balance.”
Feral horses are native because a somewhat similar species was found in North America before it went extinct 10,000 years ago. That’s like calling elephants native because the continent once sustained wooly mammoths.
hogs directly. But first some background on another feral ungulate. Few issues in the West are more incendiary than management of “wild horses.” Advocates proclaim them “natives” that should be “wild and Opponentsfree.”submit that these proliferating aliens are harming land and wildlife belonging to all Americans.
campaign to save “wild horses” inspired animal lovers across America to write impassioned letters to senators and congressmen, demanding that feral equines be protected forever.
I am, of course, referring to feral Morehogs.onferal
With feral horses, facts should outweigh sentiment. Yet wise management is an uphill and losing battle. It’s time for science and common sense to prevail.
Dave Pulliam, former Nevada Department of Wildlife habitat chief: “Horses will stand over a spring and run off other animals. In desert country, seeps and springs are the most important habitats for a whole myriad of species—sagebrush obligate birds, mule deer, bighorns,
Andthem.”thisfrom
NEW WEST BOND WITH MSU
“The importance of Wallace Stegner is that his observations are still as relevant as ever,” Fiege says. “Stegner had a brief but intense, positive, and very warm relationship with [Bozeman] and it was positioned within his larger fondness for Montana. Here, at the end of his life, the stars sort of aligned.
While Stegner’s visit to the infirmary was brief, only a short time later, in spring 1993, he died at age 84 in a tragic auto accident in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
BY TODD WILKINSON EBS COLUMNIST
Explore Big Sky31 September 22 - October 5, 2022 OPINION
His observations are both astute and resonant. After visiting nature preserves like Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, for example, he concluded that “national parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.”
The story above could easily have become a fleeting anecdote lost to time. But fatefully, before his passing and owed to deep friendships he forged with Montanans, Stegner consented to having a permanent connection to MSU. He gave his imprimatur to creation of an academic pillar— The Wallace Stegner Endowed Chair in Western American Studies.
The position has proved over the last quartercentury to be a powerful teaching catalyst, reminding that Montana has its own prominent place in a rapidly evolving “New West.”
It may be a little ironic, then, that one of Stegner’s most impactful nights in Bozeman happened on an evening when a huge overflow crowd showed up to hear him speak at Montana State University. But Stegner wasn’t there. His prose thundered and echoed; it pulled at our hearts and lifted us up, though the venerable author had fallen ill with the flu. That night, he was sidelined in the emergency room at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital.
the gravitas of the Stegner Chair, the MSU Library Archives has a collection of Stegner papers and the university has hosted “Stegner Lectures” nearly every year. The stellar list of presenters is a who’s who of influential writers and scholars trying to make sense of the West.
While the Pulitzer-Prize-winning “Angle of Repose” is the book for which Stegner is most hailed, writing at the height of his craft, Fiege and Brittan point to “Big Rock Candy Mountain” as the work that established his voice.
He added, “We have been too efficient at destruction; we have left our souls too little space to breath in. Every green natural space we save saves a fragement of our sanity and gives us a little more hope that we have a future.”
Brittan says Stegner anticipated the arrival of Montana becoming heralded for her visual splendor, abundant wildlife and healthy landscapes. If you save it, he believed, people will come from around the world to experience it. He was right. To him, leaving wilderness alone, without humankind imposing its will upon it, was a virtue.
WALLACE STEGNER’S
We can rightfully claim our own piece of the Stegner legacy. He saw our West clear eyed and it’s a vision we can learn from, if we’re willing to peer into Bolsteringit.”
Around the world, every great institution of higher learning boasts connections to big picture thinkers. And no wordsmith in recent times gave the American West a louder, more contemplative voice than Wallace Stegner.
“Stegner presents the sweeps of history with people coming into the West and how the Great Depression brought a reckoning in which some rural areas began to empty out and die,” Fiege says. “‘Big Rock Candy Mountain’ is a bitter book, exposing the desperation of uprootedness, which still exists. This western phenomenon is a subset of a larger American story.”
“Stegner was a person of his time, who saw the world through his own white EuroAmerican frame. That doesn’t mean he didn’t create beautiful works that have universal themes. It doesn’t mean his
Dr. Mark Fiege, current Stegner Chair and a scholar who follows in a long line of others who held the post, notes that Stegner’s prose and nonfiction reveal a storyteller who wrestled mightily with what to make of our iconic region.
words don’t exude empathy for working class people and those who were exploited and the consequences of that. He did,” Fiege says. “The stories he told came from his own experience and he shouldn’t be judged for being someone he was not.”
“What is such a resource worth? Anything it costs,” Stegner wrote in a famous letter supporting landscape protection. “If we never hike it or step into its shade, if we only drive by occasionally and see the textures of green mountainside change under wind and sun, or the fog move soft feathers down the gulches, or the last sunset on the continent redden the sky beyond the ridge, we have our money’s worth.”
was first published on May 5, 2021.
Wallace Stegner. PHOTO COURTESY OF MSU
Hailed as the “Dean of Western writers,” Stegner coined phrases that convey the spirit and grit of our vast region that geographically extends from roughly the 100th meridian longitude to the Pacific Ocean.
In his stead at Museum of the Rockies, Dr. Gordon Brittan, MSU’s renowned professor of philosophy (now emeritus) delivered a selected reading from Stegner’s formidable canon.
Despoiling landscapes and exploiting people did not contribute to advancing the American dream, Stegner contended; rather it was a stain on democracy. In essence, he used literature to normalize discussions about issues that contradicted the virtues of colonization. Still, Stegner generally avoided the injustices heaped upon native people and the legacy of a string of broken treaties.
As a province appealing to the desire Americans have for seeking better lives, he called the West “a geography of hope.”
Todd Wilkinson is founder of Bozeman-based Mountain Journal (mountainjournal.org) and a correspondent for National Geographic and The Guardian. He’s authored numerous books, including his latest, “Ripple Effects: How to Save Yellowstone and America’s Most Iconic Wildlife Ecosystem,” available at Amountainjournal.org.versionofthiscolumn
What is natural wine, anyways? Simply put, it’s wine that’s produced with minimal interference. At its most pure, natural wine is unadulterated fermented grape juice put into a bottle. Wines like this are often called “zero-zero”—nothing added, nothing removed. The idea of natural wine isn’t really an industrydefined term and so most natural wines actually fall somewhere on the spectrum between zero-zero and a so-called “mainstream” wine. Most do share a few characteristics though: no pesticides or herbicides, low (or no) additions of sulfur or sugar in the bottle, lower alcohols and a whole multitude of taste profiles.
Oddly enough, the wine world’s newest trend is also its most ancient, as people have been making wine naturally for thousands of years. As natural wines start to populate wine lists and pop up in stores nationwide, it is only natural (pun intended) that people will be curious about what defines the term. Good news, as long as you’re willing to suspend expectations and have a little fun, the world of natural wine doesn’t have to be all that daunting!
J. Bouchon “Pais Salvaje” - $21
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Meinklang “Mulatschak” Orange - $22
Many natural producers dabble in Pet-nat, or “petillant naturel”—the world’s original way to make bubbles. Due to suspended yeast they often pour cloudy, but that’s okay! This blend of chardonnay and pecorino from Abruzzo is full of lemony apple and brioche notes.
Explore Big Sky32 September 22 - October 5, 2022 OPINION
Il Mostro “Ragana Bianco” Pet-Nat - $19
Ben Mackall, Certified Specialist of Wine, is the wine curator and beverage specialist for the Hungry Moose Market & Deli. When not nerding out on all things grape, you can find him on the river or going (slowly) up and down mountains.
is Austria’s demeter test vineyard for organic growing, and their orange wine is a delightful combination of juicy grapefruit and drier tangerine-inflected flavors. Lovers of cider or sour beer will dig it.
Outward Wines “Shell Creek Vineyard” Valdiguie - $36
For pinot noir hounds looking to branch out, Chile’s Pais is a good alternative. These vines are wild… literally! As vines do, they grow untrimmed up to 30 feet tall in the trees next to the vineyard and must be harvested using ladders. All smoky silky raspberry on a juicy, medium-weight frame.
Here’s a few starter wines readily available here in Big Sky that I recommend to anyone looking to get their feet wet in the “natty wine scene”. Nothing too weird here, just good clean fun.
THE TASTING ROOM
FUNK’N FUN: WHAT EXACTLY IS NATURAL WINE?
BY BEN MACKALL EBS COLUMNIST
Say it with me: “VAL-dee-zhay!”—the new darling grape of the California wine scene, this grape is often referred to as California Gamay. Practically a heavy rosé, give it a chill and let the crunchy, delicate aromas of strawberry yogurt and scrub oak take you straight to Cali on a cold day.
What’s orange wine? It’s basically white wine made like a red wine by leaving it on the skins. Meinklang
Natural wines are infamous for their funk. Because many are often bottled without filtration, the wine’s living biome remains in the bottle, like a kombucha. Every bottle is a living thing, constantly evolving and changing. If you open a bottle and it smells a little weird, leave it on the counter for a day and you may be surprised with the direction it goes. What makes natural wine fun is its variation. Many are actually as clean and refined as their mainstream counterparts but generally natural wines tend to be more lighthearted and rustic. These are made to be drunk with food, so break out the charcuterie!
BOZEMAN HEALTH FLU CLINICS FALL 2022 Open to ages 2 years and older. BOZEMAN | Locations and Dates COTTONWOOD CLINIC September 17, 8 a.m. - noon September 29, 3 - 6 p.m. DEACONESS HOSPITAL October 13, 3 - 6 p.m. November 5, 8 a.m. - noon BELGRADE | Location and Dates BELGRADE CLINIC October 15, 8 a.m. - noon October 27, 3 - 6 p.m. BIG SKY | Location and Dates BIG SKY MEDICAL CENTER September 17, 8 a.m. - noon October 8, 8 a.m. - noon October 19, 3 - 6 Pre-registerp.m. by calling 406-414-4400 Available by drive-thru. Available by drive-thru.Available in the upstairs community room.
familiarity and comfort for some who’ve moved here from other locations, it invokes, “I remember when this town” for others. It all comes down to this: Bozeman is cementing itself as another micropolitan city, while trying to hold onto the notion of a small town with a big city identity.
But a word of caution. Whole Foods earned its nicknames, such as “whole paycheck”, or “whole foods markup” for items such as the notorious six dollar head of cauliflower. With COVID-19 making our food banks more important than ever, can our valley afford it?
For example, when a Walmart opens in a rural or urban community, it figuratively shouts from the rooftops of buildings in super-sized fashion that it has arrived with prices and merchandise you no longer have to worry
Scott Mechura has spent a life in the hospitality industry. He is a former certified beer judge and executive chef at Buck’s T-4 Lodge in Big Sky. column was originally published on Dec. 8, 2020.
AMUSE BOUCHE
I hope Montana’s first will have the restaurants, bar, music, courtyard, and fountain and displays that Austin’s does. But it’s still a Whole Foods, Whilenonetheless.thismarks
“
is professional, smart, insightful and easy going in
best way possible. We feel so lucky to have connected with
“Katie She the her!”
Do I like Whole Foods? Or as Austinites began calling it years ago, Whole Paycheck. You bet I do.
In other words, we’ll have a Whole Foods.
IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME 36406-995-3444CenterLane, Big Sky, MT ERABigSky.com Robyn Erlenbush CRB Broker Owner Each office independently owned and operated. 2,425 SQ FT | 3 BEDS | 3.5 BATHS | .275 ACRES 2125 YELLOWTAIL ROAD, BIG SKY Prime location in Meadow Village. Main floor master suite. river rock fireplace, and upstairs guest quarters. Spacious outdoor living area with a wrap around deck great for entertaining, including a new hot tub. $2,550,000 #376312 KIRK DIGE 406-580-5475 Why Choose ERA Katie Haley Grimm 406-580-3444 1,848 SQ FT | 2 BEDS | 2.5 BATHS | CONDO 877 SUNBURST DRIVE, BIG SKY Nicely upgraded and furnished condo in Hidden Village. Take in beautiful mountain views from the third story deck accessed directly off the living, dining and kitchen areas. $885,000 #376294 KIRK DIGE 406-580-5475
was absolutely wonderful!
This
BY SCOTT MECHURA EBS COLUMNIST
now owned by the logistical and merchandizing blitzkrieg that is Amazon, brings with it a certain mindset. It comes with a built in following who’s loyalists rival those of Trader Joes.
- Timothy F.
Every phase of growth in Bozeman, from six floor hotels, box stores, and talented chefs to an ice garden and golf courses years ago, all speak to inevitable and predictable growth. Growth to feel like we belong, like we matter, like we don’t have to travel to other larger cities for what urban residents walk down the block for. To say “hey, we aren’t a one-horse agriculture town,” which we were as recently as 25 years ago.
One of my favorite movies for a number of reasons, The Matrix, has a scene in which a villain has the protagonist in a compromising position. He delivers the line, “that is the sound of Andinevitability.”whenyou hear the first nail hammered, backhoe digging, or beeping of a truck delivering lumber to build the forthcoming Whole Foods in west Bozeman, that will be the sound of inevitability for our state and valley.
Explore Big Sky34 Sept. 22 - Oct. 5, 2022 OPINION
Addressed smack dab in the heart of downtown, I spent three years patronizing the Austin location in Texas, which incidentally is one of the city’s most popular grocery stores. Sounds silly I know, but you have to remember that the Austin Whole Foods is the mothership. The original.
One foot inside on one of those 105 F, humid July days, when the boat or lake aren’t an option and the instantly refreshing air conditioning, along with the spectacle laid out before you makes you think you’ve just entered the hip, hemp, and healthy version of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.
Generally speaking, the Gallatin Valley is active. We recreate 12 months out of the year, fill our gyms and mostly try to eat healthy. It not only physically feels good, but it makes us feel whole (pun intended) as fellow shoppers to give our cart a nano second review as they pass in the aisle. We fill our shopping carts with Fit Wine, kale, almond milk, Greek yogurt, grass fed beef and any number of raw nuts and seeds because we can and now, we’ll soon have access to the healthy, hip shopping equivalent to the promised land.
Wholeabout.Foods,
But Whole Foods is different. It speaks to lifestyle rather than just life. It speaks to transplants yearning for something they moved away from yet want where they have now planted and fertilized new roots.
Sponsors: In Memory of Ruth Sommerfeld
Apsáalooke Women and Warriors explores the history, values, and beliefs of this Native American (Crow) community known for their horsemanship, artistic pursuits, matriarchal ways of life, and honors the tradition of “counting coup” - performing acts of bravery. Visitors will learn about Apsáalooke origins, cultural worldviews, and the powerful roles that both women and warriors hold in the community through a unique mix of traditional objects and contemporary Native American pieces.
Sponsor:
Leading Sheehy Family Foundation
Sponsor: Stephanie Dickson & Chris McCloud
This exhibition is jointly organized by the Field Museum the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society the University of Chicago.
Open 6:30am to 8pm • 406.995.4636 • Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery • Delivery Service • Pre-arrival Fridge & Cupboard stocking www.countrymarketofbigsky.com POWERFUL museumoftherockies.org | 406.994.2251 | 600 W. Kagy Blvd.
Presenting
at
Now – December 31 Portraits of Apsáalooke women symbolically caring for the shields. –Various Artists Future in our Eyes. –Ben Pease Beaded Horse Regalia. –Lydia Falls Down Apsáalooke Art and Design –Bethany Yellowtail
Contributing
and
ILLUSTRATION BY CY WHITLING
Explore Big Sky36 September 22 - October 5, 2022 FUN
BY JULIA BARTON
BIG BEATS
FALLING INTO FALL
Cool air rushes in open windows during the night, grass and leaves begin to lose their green and the hours of sun shining upon our little town get increasingly shorter by day. It’s September, and fall is frosting over the warmth of summer and taking hold. Soon, snow will dust the ground and warm ski jackets will be taken out of storage. For now, we get to enjoy the space between summer and winter, warm days and chilly nights. This playlist is designed to help you cozy up, drink your favorite warm beverage and reflect on this time of change. 1. “Apple Tree Blues” by Caamp 2. “I Will Be Back One Day” by Lord Huron 3. “Rosyln” by Bon Iver, St. Vincent 4. “Long Way Home” by The Lumineers 5. “Moon Song” by Phoebe Bridges 6. “Tomorrow” by Shakey Graves 7. “I Wish I Was” by The Avett Brothers 8. “Love Is A Wild thing” by Kacey Musgraves 9. “Just Like Autumn” by Jordy Searcy 10. “Days in the Sun” by Ziggy Alberts STACY OSSORIO Broker, Private Office Advisor stacy.ossorio@evrealestate.combigskybozemanrealestate.com406-539-8553 3140 Two Moons Road | Big Sky, MT 59716 Convenient Meadow Village Location 5 Beds | 5 Baths | +/-5,469 Sqft. MLS# 374551 | $3,995,000 TRUST EXPERIENCE Your trusted Big Sky real estate Advisor. Providing exceptional service to buyers and sellers of Big Sky properties for 30 years. Let me be your community connection. ©2021 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is cur rently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.E&OE. Published by REAL Marketing (REM) | www.REALMarketing4You.com | 858.254.9619 2495 Little Coyote Road | Big Sky, MT 59716 Meadow Village Location 3 Beds | 3 Baths | +/-2,520 Sqft. MLS# 376274 | $2,100,000
SKY
Explore Big Sky37 September 22 - October 5, 2022 FUN
All information given is considered reliable, but because it has been supplied by third parties, we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete, and should not be relied upon as such.These offerings are subject to errors, omissions, and changes including price or withdrawal without notice. All rights reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity. If you currently have a listing agreement or buyer broker agreement with another agent, this is not a solicitation to change. ©2016 LK REAL ESTATE, llc. lkrealestate.com * Membership upon approval Listed by L&K Real Estate LKRealEstate.com 406.995.2404 Life Well Lived Commercial Leases Available! Contact L&K Real Estate for more information
UNIT 202
2 BEDS | 2 BATHS
UNIT 203
3
With sunny western views from the kitchen and primary bedroom and bath, this second-floor unit features dramatic vertical cladding on the fireplace, a large mudroom, a hidden walk-in pan try in the kitchen, and an amazing balcony overlooking Bozeman’s most historic neighborhood. Enjoy an open floor plan and a classic, neutral, and textural palette of finishes.
This second-floor, western-facing loft unit offers coveted sunset views over the Gallatin range. Owners will enjoy a private, covered patio and fine details throughout. Several features include an abundance of natural light, an open space plan, a neutral palette, and clean paneling on the fireplace wall. Enjoy your Bozeman retreat!
2,436± SQFT BEDS | 2 BATHS
1,783± SQFT
203UNIT202UNIT Scan to rUnit203 Scan toTourUnit202
ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED IS DEEMED RELIABLE BUT IS NOT GUARANTEED AND SHOULD BE INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED. INFORMATION AND DEPICTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, PRIOR SALES, PRICE CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. NO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY HAS JUDGED THE MERITS OR VALUE, IF ANY, OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ADVERTISEMENT OR ANY REAL ESTATE DESCRIBED OR DEPICTED HEREIN. THIS MATERIAL SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL IN ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE PRIOR REGISTRA TION IS REQUIRED OR WHERE SUCH AN OFFER WOULD BE PROHIBITED, AND THIS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH ANOTHER REAL ESTATE AGENT. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL, TAX, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. THE INN RESIDEN CES AT M ON TAGE B IG SK Y 32 R E S I D ENCES | 3 AND 4 BEDROOMS DE E D E D QUARTE R-OWNER S H I P INTERESTS PRICING B EGINS AT $1,500,000 For the first time in Big Sky, The Inn will offer a unique second home ownership opportunity in a luxury Residence, steps from the new Montage Big Sky. Connected by an underground pathway, Montage Residences Big Sky offers owners privileged access to the resort’s amenities and services, plus ski-in, ski-out access to Big Sky Resort. All owners will also enjoy the benefit of membership at Spanish Peaks Mountain Club, which includes private concierge services, a Tom Weiskopf Championship golf course, clubhouse and a year-round calendar of special, member-only events and experiences. Ownership at The Inn is offered in deeded, quarter-share ownership interests, and includes fully-furnished three and four-bedroom Residences, as well as an exclusive après ski resident’s lounge, ski lockers and lobby bar 406. 995.6333 | MONTAGERESIDENCESBIGSKY.COM
