Explore Big Sky - September 7 to 20, 2023

September 7 - 20, 2023

Volume 14, Issue No. 18

Owned and published in Big Sky, Montana PUBLISHER

Eric Ladd | eric@theoutlawpartners.com

EDITORIAL

VP MEDIA

Mira Brody | mira@theoutlawpartners.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jack Reaney | jack@theoutlawpartners.com

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Leslie Kilgore | leslie@theoutlawpartners.com

DIGITAL PRODUCER

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CREATIVE

LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER

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SALES AND OPERATIONS

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Megan Paulson | megan@theoutlawpartners.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Treston Wold | treston@theoutlawpartners.com

VP DESIGN & PRODUCTION

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DIRECTOR OF RELATIONSHIPS

Ersin Ozer | ersin@theoutlawpartners.com

MARKETING COORDINATOR

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SENIOR ACCOUNTANT

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LEAD

Patrick Mahoney | patrick@theoutlawpartners.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Daniel Bierschwale, Kaley Burns, Rachel Hergett, Gregory McNamee, Colter Nuanez, David O’Connor, Dave Pecunies, Benjamin Alva Polley, Karl Rempe

OPENING SHOT 8

LOCAL BUSINESS SPORTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BSCO CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

Building and preserving community for a quarter century, the Big Sky Community Organization has more momentum now than ever. BSCO held its 25th anniversary party on Aug. 30, coinciding with the final largescale Big Sky Farmers Market of the season. The event was free, open to the public and included an exhibition by the Gallatin Roller Derby in Len Hill Park. BSCO officials emphasized the importance of accessibility as they reflect on the organization’s past and future.

JIM MUSCAT RETIRES FROM WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT

After nearly three decades serving as water superintendent with the Big Sky County Water and Sewer District, Jim Muscat clocked out for the final time on Aug. 31. His years of public service included a campaign to drastically reduce water consumption in Big Sky, and constant problemsolving to adapt drinking water infrastructure to Big Sky’s rapid—and often unexpected—growth. Big Sky’s drinking water won national recognition in 2015, and the district’s wastewater treatment is outstanding. Muscat expressed confidence in the future of Big Sky water, as new leaders take charge of the utility.

A NEW TOP RANK FOR LONE PEAK HIGH SCHOOL

According to U.S. News and World Report, Lone Peak High School is now ranked Montana’s top public high school for college readiness and college curriculum breadth, and No. 2 in the “Best Montana High Schools” category. For “College Readiness,” LPHS is ranked No. 850 in the country. For “College Curriculum Breadth,” LPHS is ranked No. 132. The exciting rankings come after last year’s graduating class of 28 seniors earned acceptance into more than 60 colleges and universities.

LONE PEAK TRAM CABINS ARRIVE FROM SWITZERLAND

On Aug. 28, a pair of 75-person cabins for Big Sky Resort’s new Lone Peak Tram arrived in Big Sky. The massive components of the resort’s incoming attraction followed a long journey from Switzerland, arriving on schedule and safely to Montana. The tram is scheduled to open for the 2023-24 ski season.

ON THE COVER:

Just after 5 a.m. on Aug. 31, local photographer

Dave Pecunies captured this shot of a rare coincidence between blue moon—the second full moon in a month—and supermoon—a close position to Earth. The moonset was earlier than Pecunies expected, and in a slightly different spot on the horizon. He hurried to a new location, improvised his forgotten tripod with rocks and logs, and captured the moon behind the silhouette of Big Sky Resort’s construction of the new Lone Peak Tram. PHOTO BY DAVE PECUNIES

EDITORIAL POLICIES

EDITORIAL POLICY

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

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HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS PLAY FIRST HOME GAMES

Lone Peak High School’s soccer, volleyball and football teams have begun their 2023 season. Soccer and Volleyball played opening home games with the football team awaiting their home debut on Sept. 8. Coaches and players see potential in their programs as the school continues to grow and face stiffer competition.

‘CATS FOOTBALL PREVIEW: HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR MSU

Following three straight appearances in the FCS semifinals, Montana State University faces high expectations of its Bobcats football program. An early win against Utah Tech University gives early momentum to the ‘Cats, but they’ll face a tough opponent on Sept. 9—South Dakota State University ended MSU’s season last December and won the national championship. If recent history is any indication, a new corps must, and likely will, step up and shine for the Bobcats.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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Wellness in Action held its eighth annual Par the Peaks golf tournament on Sept. 6 at Big Sky Resort Golf Course. Golf teams hit the course at 11 a.m. after a shotgun start and WIA held contests throughout the day. The annual fundraiser supports Wellness in Action which serves the mental and physical health and wellness needs of the Big Sky community. Pictured here, the Lone Peak Physical Therapy golf team. PHOTO BY JEN CLANCEY

As our long-awaited road construction continues full-tilt on Lone Mountain Trail (Montana Highway 64), I feel like I’m experiencing a conspicuous lack of road rage this time around. I go through the construction zone pretty much every day. Every time I cringe as I leave the Post Office or Roxy’s to try and turn left, I’ve been finding that people are regularly stopping to let others in the line.

We’ve all developed this rudimentary communication system of waves, gestures and blinking headlights that seems to acknowledge that everyone’s just trying to get home, so come on and get in line. My office overlooks Ousel Falls Road and the Montana Highway 64 intersection, and it is often backed up. However, I’m not hearing much horn-honking or seeing other shenanigans. Nobody’s thrilled, but there seems to be this grudging overall acceptance, and drivers are making it work.

Last time, it was approaching open insurrection with torches and pitchforks by this stage in the game. Tempers were super short, everyone was furious at the contractor and the Montana Department of

Transportation, and local social media was an absolute cesspool of invective (even more so than usual). Going home every night was this everyman-for-himself kind of Hunger Games gauntlet that left you feeling like you had just played rugby.

This summer, there’s certainly grumbling aplenty on social media, but it seems almost token, and often outvoiced by group moderators or other local commenters inviting the complaining poster to just calm down and be patient. What gives?

Maybe I’m Pollyannaish, or blind, or just lucky; so I’m curious if anyone else is having a similar experience. I know the Chamber/BSRAD/MDT did and are doing substantial public outreach this time—was that enough to make the difference? Or are we as angry as ever, but just worn down and resigned to our fate?

It couldn’t be that we’re all getting a little *gasp*….nicer, could it? God forbid ….

With

Gratitude, David O’Connor Big Sky, MT

Be a Part of the Conversation

On the Agenda: Topics affecting the future of Big Sky

Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)

A CIP is used by local governments to strategically plan for community growth. It anticipates needs and encourages preparation, rather than reacting to problems.

This community planning tool is used to coordinate the location, timing and financing of capital improvements over a multi-year period. Capital improvements refer to major, nonrecurring physical expenditures such as land, buildings, public infrastructure and equipment. Big Sky’s last CIP was done in 2011.

A draft CIP will be presented at the Board meeting outlining proposed capital improvement projects, estimated costs, and expected funding. It will be an instrumental guiding document for the future of our community.

Incorporation Discussion

At our January Board meeting, a community dialog was started with BSRAD regarding the consideration of forming a municipality (incorporating Big Sky). The Board published their commitment to working together to understand the goals, pressing issues, and what potential solutions are created by incorporating.

Over the course of the past few months, we worked alongside community members with diverse perspectives to take an unbiased look into this highly debated topic.

At this month’s Board meeting, the group will present their initial findings and next steps in a report titled, ‘Governance and Community Engagement Exploration.’

Attend the Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD) Board meeting either in person or virtually Wednesday, September 13 at 9:00 am. Join

Thursday, September 14 10:00-12:00

Coffee and Conversation

Madison County Commissioner

Recently elected Commissioner Todd invites you to stop by the BSRAD office the second Thursday of each month where he will have open hours to meet with the public.

Madison County residents of Big Sky, this is your opportunity to have face-to-face conversations with your elected official.

ALL SKILL-LEVEL ADULT VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE STARTING AT BASE

BY KARL REMPE, BSCO

BIG SKY– Volleyball took off in BASE’s first winter season. Starting at one night per week, volleyball became so popular another night was added to the schedule. Competition grew and the community yearned for skill improvement, so an early morning was added as well. In order to continue the growth, a league is starting this fall.

On Sept. 9 at 10 a.m., all available players will play in a tournament to determine skill level. From there the teams will be divided as evenly as possible, with an equal number of skilled players and beginner/ intermediate players on each team. The teams will play on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. through Oct. 21 when a final tournament will be held to determine the first ever league champion

GRIZZLY BEAR EUTHANIZED NEAR WEST YELLOWSTONE FOLLOWING MULTIPLE HUMAN CONFLICTS, ONE FATAL

EBS STAFF

WEST YELLOWSTONE—A grizzly bear with a history of conflict with people was euthanized on Sept. 2 after breaking into a house near West Yellowstone.

Early in the morning of Sept. 2, a homeowner reported a bear with a cub broke through a kitchen window of an occupied home and removed a container of dog food from inside the house, according to a press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

FWP staff and local law enforcement captured the cub that evening, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service authorized those responding parties to shoot the adult grizzly due to an immediate public safety threat from the bear’s food-conditioned behavior.

According to FWP, the adult grizzly was a 10-year-old female. She was previously captured in 2017 for research purposes and was involved in an encounter in Idaho that injured a person near Henry’s Lake State Park in 2020. It was also confirmed through genetic analysis and other identifying factors as the bear involved in the fatal attack on a woman near West Yellowstone in July.

“While both incidents were assessed to be defensive responses by the bear, multiple efforts to trap and remove the bear were made after the fatal attack in July due to the incident’s proximity to residences, campgrounds and a high-use OHV trail system,” the release stated. “These efforts were unsuccessful.”

The 46-pound male cub is being held at FWP’s wildlife rehabilitation center in Helena. It will be transferred to a zoo, the release stated.

GALLATIN RIVER TASK FORCE HOSTS ANNUAL FALL TRASH CLEAN-UP

EBS STAFF

LOCAL NEWS IN BRIEF LEGAL NOTICE

BIG SKY—The Gallatin River Task Force, in partnership with the Gallatin Watershed Council, is hosting a trash clean-up Sept. 8 through 10 along the Gallatin River and in the Big Sky community.

“Every year we are so amazed and inspired by the enthusiasm for the Gallatin River Cleanup,” Ally Sutcliffe, Big Sky Watershed Corps Member said. “Over 100 volunteers, some new and some loyally returning, show up to help keep this incredible resource healthy and beautiful.”

Clean-up supplies and snacks will be provided and available for pickup at the Big Sky Community Park throughout the weekend. A prize will be given for the most unique item.

Kimberly A. Beatty Hallee C. Frandsen BROWNING, KALECZYC, BERRY & HOVEN, P.C. 801 W. Main, Suite 2A Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 585-0888 (406) 587-0165 Facsimile kim@bkbh.com hallee@bkbh.com

Attorneys for Big Sky Resort Area District

MONTANA EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, GALLATIN COUNTY

BIG SKY RESORT AREA DISTRICT, Plaintiff, v. GLENN A. HALLER, individually, and GLENN A. HALLER d/b/a PORKY’S ROADHOUSE Defendants.

Case No. DV-16-2023-0000699-OC

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION

THE STATE OF MONTANA SENDS GREETINGS TO DEFENDANTS GLENN A. HALLER, INDIVIDUALLY AND TO GLENN A. HALLER d/b/a PORKY’S ROADHOUSE: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action, which is filed in the office of the Clerk of Court, and to file your answer and serve a copy thereof upon the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty-one (21) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service; in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

WITNESS my hand and the seal of said Court this ______ day of ___________, 2023.

Clerk of District Court

By: __________________________________ Deputy Clerk

3157380/6670.001.0052

BIG SKY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

EVENT CELEBRATED BSCO’S GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BIG SKY COMMUNITY

BY JEN CLANCEY

BIG SKY—Under a tent at Len Hill Park, kids and adults lined up to answer the prompt “BSCO is…” and then pinned it to a community board. Some answered: “where our community comes to recreate,” and simply, “community.” Some were more mysterious, including a note that garnered attention: “I LiCK FiCH”, possibly alluding to Gallatin River trout and in spirit with all the outdoor recreation that the Big Sky Community Organization facilitates.

BSCO held its 25th anniversary party on Aug. 30, coinciding with the final large-scale Big Sky Farmers Market of the season. An inflatable obstacle course and outdoor games dotted the lawn while families viewed posters that outlined BSCO’s future plans, including a new community park and added trails. At 7 p.m. the Gallatin Roller Derby held a scrimmage (or "bout") on the basketball court, showcasing the high-energy and competitive sport.

Scott Pankratz, director of donor engagement, helped plan the event alongside the BSCO team. “The success of this organization is due to the good will of this community,” Pankratz said over the phone a week before the event.

“We want to do something that the whole community can access,” Pankratz said. He described the party as a big thank you to the community and a celebration of the work BSCO has been able to do in Big Sky.

Preserving community hubs and building inclusive community

The organization holds a rich history of shaping how Big Sky looks and feels. Ciara Wolfe, VP of philanthropy at the Yellowstone Club Community Foundation, joined BSCO in 2015 as the executive director and eventually chief executive officer. She accomplished a lot of things over the course of five years in the role, including acquiring Beehive Basin

Nature Preserve in 2017 and working diligently toward developing the BASE community center. Wolfe told the history of Len Hill Park, the lawn most known to host free concerts in the Music in the Mountains series every summer. The area was zoned for condominiums, but in 2018, BSCO was able to acquire the space and preserve it as a hub for community events and arts.

When Wolfe joined BSCO, there were only twoand-a-half staff members on the BSCO team.

“We really grew the community’s investment and engagement in BSCO,” Wolfe said, explaining how BSCO changed their former name, Big Sky Community Corporation, to its current title because of this increased interest and involvement. She celebrated how incredible it is to be in a place where people love and engage with outdoor recreation.

Several BSCO members emphasized that accessibility to trails and parks is an important goal.

“The TIGER Grant was a huge milestone in my involvement and for alternative modes of transportation,” Wolfe said. As a part of the Big Sky Trails Master Plan, BSCO designed the pedestrian tunnel that is being constructed under the key intersection of Lone Mountain Trail and Little Coyote Road. The tunnel will ensure that people can access Big Sky Community Park safely by foot or bicycle.

In just a year, BASE has made a lasting impact on Big Sky

As a kid jotted down his love for BASE community center at the anniversary party, Whitney Montgomery—BSCO’s chief executive officer— noted how the facility fosters community.

“I am constantly amazed when I see people of all ages come into BASE and share what BASE has done for them in their lives,” Montgomery said. “From people who said that… they would come to fitness classes and [it] would help them remain sober to folks who have lost huge amounts of weight by using the facility, to kids that say this is the best thing in Big Sky.”

“That’s…That’s remarkable,” Montgomery said. Some of the plans that Montgomery is excited about include creating multi-use fields at the Big Sky Community Park for school, clubs and adult recreation teams.

“It really provides more amenities that will bring families together, to have more adult pickup leagues, and all that just builds community,” Montgomery said.

By 7:30 p.m., the 10-foot community board was covered in yellow, blue and green slips of paper all with words about what BSCO means to community members.

“I hope people feel a sense of gratitude for what we have built together,” Pankratz said.

The Gallatin Roller Derby bout took place just outside BASE community center in Len Hill Park. PHOTO BY JEN CLANCEY

The community board took in input from visitors and community members. PHOTO BY JEN CLANCEY

GALLATIN CANYON WOMEN’S CLUB GATHERS FOR 96TH YEAR

ANNUAL LUNCHEON HOSTS MORE THAN 70 WOMEN FROM BIG SKY AND BEYOND

BY LESLIE KILGORE

The Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club gathered on Aug. 23 at the 320 Guest Ranch for their annual luncheon to celebrate one of the oldest organizations in the Big Sky area. Created in 1927 as a means for women who were isolated on ranches and homesteads in Gallatin Canyon to meet, bond and socialize, meetings were initially held at members’ homes.

Their mission still stands today, almost a century later—to meet as a social, educational and philanthropic club that offers fellowship, scholarship and community outreach programs to the Gallatin Canyon community.

In the past, meetings involved discussion groups, books, crafting, quilting and cooking together. Today, many of the original activities still take place for their bi-monthly meetings held May through October at the BASE community center.

“This year we’ve had field trips, guest speakers, our first-ever evening event in which spouses were invited, a luncheon as our first May gathering, our lunch and auction every August, an annual business meeting and potluck in September, and a final tea in October,” said Jane McCarthy, president of the Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club.

McCarthy said that members in the past valued the comradeship and knowledge they gained together and the opportunity to work side-by-side for the good of the community. That sentiment continues today.

“Along with the Big Sky Chapel, GCWC is involved in a monthly potluck, prior to the Music in

the Mountains concert, to meet, greet and welcome people new to the community,” McCarthy said. “Our meetings and events typically include 70 to 80 members. It’s fun to reconnect with friends not seen for a while and to meet new residents in Big Sky.”

Each year, GCWC gives approximately $10,000 to the Big Sky community and organizations they believe in, which has included the

Community Library, Camp Big Sky, Crail Ranch Homestead Museum, the Big Sky Community Organization and the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center. They accept applications for scholarships annually in June and the recipients are announced at their business meeting in September.

McCarthy also said the organization is very proud of their annual $6,000 scholarship awarded to a Lone Peak High School graduating senior, one of the highest sums for any scholarship given at the school.

“The recipient is typically a female with very strong academic and extracurricular activities, including sports, leadership, community involvement, family responsibilities, work and more,” McCarthy said. While the organization is still going strong in its 96th year, many of the attendees at the recent luncheon said they’d like to see more young women in the community join, to keep the traditions and community-focused philanthropy going for another century.

“It’s a wonderful way for women in the area to connect and gather,” said Tana Sholly, who has been a GCWC member for decades and attended the luncheon with her daughter. Sholly was also one of the first female rangers in Yellowstone National Park.

As the summer comes to a close and GCWC ends their season, many members said they do still want to see new faces even for their last gatherings of the year and invite women to their upcoming annual business meeting and potluck. Those interested can visit gcwomensclub.com/membership.

The Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club in the 1940s. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GALLATIN CANYON WOMEN’S CLUB

Some members from the Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club gather at 320 Ranch for their annual August luncheon and community fundraising auction. PHOTO BY LESLIE KILGORE

WARRIORS & QUIET WATERS TO HOST

FIFTH ANNUAL WARRIOR

TASTE

FEST IN BOZEMAN FRIDAY’S FOOD, DRINK AND ART GATHERING WILL RAISE MORE THAN $600K FOR VETERANS

Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation will host the Warrior Taste Fest fundraiser at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds on Friday, Sept. 8 with hopes of raising over $600,000 for post9/11 combat veterans.

WQW is a Bozeman-based veteran services organization that brings veterans on fishing and outdoor trips in Montana. The nonprofit was co-founded by a Vietnam veteran and doctor in 2007 and recently rebranded to broaden their focus beyond just fly-fishing and include additional immersive outdoor experiences.

“Recent data from the VA indicates that our veterans face a suicide rate 1.5 times higher than the general populace, with suicide being their second leading cause of death. Though combat is behind them, the battles veterans face persist—in some cases for their lifetime,”

Brian Gilman, CEO of Warriors & Quiet Waters, stated in a press release. “By attending Warrior Taste Fest, you champion our mission to enable veterans to thrive. Together, we can fortify America with thriving veterans. Your active support goes beyond mere gratitude —it’s essential.”

According to the press release, the event is prepared to host up to 1,000 people for tastings of food, beer and cocktails from more than 30 Montana restaurants, breweries and distilleries. Twelve renowned artists will quick-finish paintings and sculptures during the event, and their artworks will be live-auctioned.

Those artists are Matt McKenna, Whitney Hall, Jennifer Johnson, Rob Akey, Amber Blazina, Todd Connor, David Graham, Joe Kronenberg, Steve Lillegard, Amanda Markel, Greg Scheibel and Shirle Wempner.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. for early entry ticket holders to meet artists and hear live music. General admission doors open at 6 p.m., and the event will wrap up before 10 p.m. Tickets and more information can be found on Warriors & Quiet Waters’ website, wqwf.org. All proceeds will support post-9/11 combat veterans.

A painter works at a past Warrior Taste Fest. PHOTO BY STUDIO MACLEOD

Warrior Taste Fest will return to Gallatin County Fairgrounds on Sept. 8.

PHOTO BY STUDIO MACLEOD

JIM MUSCAT RETIRES AFTER 28 YEARS OF WATER SERVICE

BIG SKY’S FOREMOST WATER SUPERINTENDENT SHARES LESSONS LEARNED FROM FIVE DECADES IN BIG SKY

than in the mid-1990s, when the district took over water management. In Muscat’s view, homeowners came from water-abundant regions and expected their landscape to look the same in Big Sky—a green lawn requires more water in a “high-plains desert” above 6,000 feet.

“The water use per capita when we took over was astronomical,” he said. Furthermore, water use was not charged at a variable rate. It cost around $30 per month, regardless of the amount used.

“People took advantage of that—poured the water into grass,” he recalled.

One of Muscat’s first initiatives was to install more than 3,000 usage meters and begin charging per gallon.

“That kind of brought us into the modern age, a little bit, on water use,” Muscat said.

‘Parental caution’

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—On Aug. 30, a swath of community leaders shared barbecue at Riverhouse BBQ & Events to celebrate Jim Muscat, water superintendent with the Big Sky County Water and Sewer District. The next morning, Muscat roused for his final workday. By 6 p.m., he was fishing.

As water superintendent, Muscat managed the production, treatment and distribution of Big Sky’s drinking water. He oversaw maintenance and expansion of the entire community water system since the mid-1990s.

“Working for a public utility, in what I do by description is typically considered a pretty boring job,” Muscat told EBS. “But working here has been anything but boring. And it’s been, you know, a very exciting family business. That’s what it feels like to me.”

In his farewell letter to the BSCWSD board, he wrote that he feels confident in his team as they head off without him. “There’s just no place quite like Big Sky, Montana,” he wrote.

An unexpected career

Muscat came to Big Sky in the late 1970s. He ran an outfitting business in the backcountry area which became home to the Yellowstone Club.

By the early 1990s, community water and sewer needs began to exceed the capacity that could be managed by Big Sky Resort—then responsible for water and sewer. A few challenging years later, which included a moratorium on building in Big Sky, the Big Sky County Water and Sewer District was created to manage those public utilities.

Around that same time, Plum Creek Timber Company—owner of much of the land used by Muscat’s business—began selling many acres of timber holdings, primarily to Tim Blixseth among other real estate developers.

“I was kind of forced with a decision,” Muscat recalled. “I had been an outfitter, doing pack trips and hunts and those sort of things in the summer and in the fall—but my area, [becoming] the Yellowstone Club, was going away. It was sold.”

Muscat could either sell his business to Plum Creek Timber Co. or move it to Plum Creek land in a different part of the state. Wanting to stay in Big Sky, Muscat decided to change careers. He began as a part-time water operator and joined full-time when the water and sewer district was created.

“It was super, super intense for at least the first ten years anyways, fixing the disrepairs that had gone on,” Muscat said.

Muscat shared one staggering statistic: the Big Sky community uses about 30-40% less water in 2023

The next challenge was never-ending: water infrastructure issues created by fast-paced residential development. Over the years, the Meadow Village water system has become bottlenecked, with thirsty subdivisions on the fringes of the centralized system creating “hourglasses” and requiring lots of looping and hydraulic trickery, he explained.

“There was no original master planning for infrastructure… It was like, oh gosh, now what are we going to do? We didn’t see that coming,” Muscat said. Many real estate developments were constructed with plans for standalone water systems, but their water supply didn’t last. Ultimately, the district has stepped in to provide water service in those cases, requiring Muscat’s creative solutions.

“Now, serving water through these bottlenecks, it’s a challenge, it really is. But we stay ahead of it. It’s a work in progress, that’s for sure,” Muscat said.

Jim Muscat (left) and Ron Edwards have provided key leadership for decades. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

COURTESY OF RON EDWARDS

The longtime resident added another note.

“I would give a parental caution to Big Sky that they need to have a conversation with themselves, and just start thinking about, how big do they want to be?”

Muscat said. “What is the [capacity] of this town?”

The workforce housing shortage is real, he reasoned, musing on other challenges in Big Sky, but the issue is likely to persist if solutions don’t exceed the pace of more profitable development.

“It kind of seems to be going forward, you know, maybe at a rate where we might want to sit down and think about, what’s this place going to look like?”

Muscat suggested.

He’s been training his team—water operators Jake Porter and Vincent Palafox—to continue improving infrastructure to stay ahead of the town’s growing water needs. Those needs include the constant upscaling of water capacity as a firefighting resource.

“A simple garage dumpster fire is something that would make the last page of the newspaper in Bozeman,” Muscat suggested. But with Big Sky’s wildland-urban interface, “it could be the fire that triggers the mother of all forest fires.”

In September 2022, hydrologist Mark Cunnane presented data showing that peak-season water demand could outpace supply in the Mountain Village by 2040-45, and in the faster-growing Meadow Village by 2030-32.

Mother nature dictates the amount of water in a community like Big Sky, a true limiting factor, Muscat said. However, he foresees the “cutting-edge” Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility—still under construction—opening the door for eventual potable reuse.

‘Credit goes to the town’

The Big Sky community is investing more than $50 million in the new WRRF, a state-of-the-art, membrane bioreactor system. Much of that project is funded by an added “1% for infrastructure” resort tax—plans include a pipeline to pump sewage from the Gallatin Canyon, to reduce the current situation in which treated effluent is discharged, legally, into the groundwater in close proximity to the Gallatin River.

Muscat said that project is another example of the Big Sky community being proactive. Increasing treatment capacity and quality will help lessen community impact on the Gallatin River.

Around 2014, a Montana DEQ law required that water from all groundwater drinking wells be disinfected, despite Big Sky’s “pretty darn good water” in those wells. Muscat said it would have cost about $100,000 to implement chlorine disinfection, or about $1 million to implement an ultraviolet disinfection system.

Especially after Big Sky won national recognition for the taste of its tap water, the water and sewer district board chose to keep the water pure and avoid handling chlorine, opting for the expensive UV process. That decision earned the district a magazine feature in Treatment Plant Operator (page 22).

“This town chose UV,” Muscat said. “So, the credit goes to the town. Same thing with discharging to the Gallatin [River]—basically that’s what every other town in the state of Montana and the United States of America does. And this town chose not to… The easy way out would have been obviously discharging to the Gallatin… Kudos to the town, really.”

On both the water and sewer sides, the district will soon need to hire more operators, considering the new WRRF and community growth. Muscat feels confident he’s leaving his career’s work in good hands.

“Yeah, you know, you never feel like your job’s done. But the younger guys that are working here, operators on the water side, specifically Jake and Vinny… They get it. So yeah, leaving the place in real good hands,” he said.

Muscat noted that as a career in Big Sky, “It’s a great job, it’s challenging, it’s exciting, there’s never been two days that are alike.”

A new chapter for water and sewer

Just a few months after Jim Muscat began full-time work at Big Sky’s water and sewer district, the district hired Ron Edwards in 1995 with hopes he’d serve as a long-term general manager. Edwards stuck around. Over three decades, Muscat and Edwards have been largely responsible for Big Sky’s modern water and sewer infrastructure.

“It was a perfect fit right from the start,” Muscat recalled. “If you’ve been around Ron, the calm demeanor and the intelligence shows, and that’s exactly what we needed. Because we went from crisis mode, to ‘let’s form a plan and start moving forward.’”

On Aug. 14, a new leader took his seat at the water table.

District General Manager Johnny O’Connor begins his Big Sky career shadowing Edwards. The transition has been expected for months, and although Edwards plans to retire, he has not yet picked a date. He’s sticking around to bring O’Connor up to speed as the district finishes construction of the WRRF.

O’Connor, originally from Kansas, brings more than a decade of experience managing community water. He told EBS that it’s been a fun start, and he’s spent a lot of time researching the history of Big Sky.

“It’s nothing new for me at this stage in my career,” O’Connor said. “Learning what’s important, getting to know the community and the people that live and work in it. The nuances of it, the components, the history of Big Sky and how we got to be where we are. It’s been a lot.”

O’Connor said it’s an honor to carry on almost three decades of Edwards’ work. He’s very confident in his experience managing community water systems similar to Big Sky’s new Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility.

“He comes with a lot of experience from a lot of different areas,” Muscat said. “It’s quite obvious that he gets it… He’s probably gonna bring some ideas that would really be beneficial—bigger infrastructure things, which is what we’re becoming.”

After O’Connor’s first week of work, Edwards described his successor with a signature deadpan joke: “Well, he’s still coming in so that’s a good sign."

Big Sky’s new Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility is inching closer to completion. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

Guests were encouraged to “please sign the water pipe” at Muscat’s retirement party. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

The Big Sky School District announced on Aug. 29 that U.S. News and World Report ranked Lone Peak High School as Montana’s top public high school for college readiness and college curriculum breadth, and No. 2 in the “Best Montana High Schools” category.

These rankings emerged from Montana’s section of the “2023-2024 Best U.S. High Schools” list, compiled by U.S. News & World Report. Neighboring Bozeman High School is ranked No. 1 overall in Montana.

With an “Overall Score” of 97.78, U.S. News and World Report ranks LPHS in the top 400 public high schools in the country. For “College Readiness,” LPHS is ranked No. 850 in the country. For “College Curriculum Breadth,” LPHS is ranked No. 132.

“This is a further example of the hard work and commitment of our staff, the outstanding programming we have in our school and the

perseverance of our students to push themselves to be the best,” Dr. Dustin Shipman, Big Sky School District superintendent, wrote in a statement to EBS on Wednesday. “I am thrilled with this recognition—while we are always evaluating our programs and feel confident in our outcomes, anytime we can receive external accolades is reaffirming for the entire school community.”

The BSSD release noted that these rankings reflect the strength of Lone Peak’s academic programming,

especially the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, which is available to all Lone Peak juniors and seniors.

Last year’s graduating class of 28 seniors earned acceptance into more than 60 colleges and universities. Middle and High School Principal Dr. Marlo Mitchem attributed that success to Lone Peak’s “well-rounded and balanced program” in an April interview with EBS.

On Monday, Lone Peak High School opened its new science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.) lab, which includes a revamped high school entrance. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

TRAM CABINS ARRIVE IN BIG SKY AFTER 37-DAY JOURNEY

BIG SKY—A pair of Lone Peak tram cabins arrived in Big Sky on Aug. 28, according to a press release from Big Sky Resort. Each cabin weighs 6,615 pounds and arrived by boat in Port Hueneme, California from Olten, Switzerland.

The progress comes after Big Sky Resort announced on Aug. 14 that the resort will be opening earlier and hold the longest ski season to date for 2023-2024.

After being installed on the haul ropes, the cabins will travel 300 feet off the ground to the top of

Lone Mountain and will seat 12 with a total capacity of 75 passengers.

“The cabins were greeted in traditional Big Sky fashion with a local bull moose temporarily stopping traffic as they made their way to their final destination,” the release stated.

Get

Outside. Grow Inside.

PHOTO BY CHRIS KAMMAN / BIG SKY RESORT

Support your community. Change the lives of teens. Learn more and get involved with Big Sky Youth Empowerment.

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Big Sky's Future of Tourism Survey

Help shape the future of tourism in Big Sky!

Do you live or work in Big Sky? Have you visited in the last three years? We want to hear from you!

Visit Big Sky is seeking input from residents, stakeholders, and recent visitors (within the last three years) about the current tourism economy in Big Sky and what opportunities lie ahead. Your feedback will help shape the future of tourism in Big Sky and improve the experience for visitors and residents alike.

Whether you call Big Sky home or are just visiting, we want your input! Survey respondents may enter to win a pair of skis from Peak Ski Co.

visitbigsky.com/big-skys-future-of-tourism-survey

BUSINESS

MAKING IT IN BIG SKY: 3 RIVERS COMMUNICATIONS

BIG SKY – For this issue’s Making it in Big Sky, we spoke with Don Serido, marketing director for 3 Rivers Communications, Big Sky’s member-owned cooperative offering high speed internet, local and long distance voice service and business class services. Headquartered in Fairfield, MT, 3 Rivers established a business office in Big Sky back in 2008 and has grown with the community ever since.

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

Explore Big Sky: Tell me about the history of 3 Rivers.

Don Serido: 3 Rivers is a telecommunications cooperative that was formed in 1953 to provide telephone service to communities in rural north central Montana. The members of the cooperative own the company and elect a Board of Trustees that sets policy to represent members’ interests and ensure the company’s success. As a nonprofit organization, the cooperative seeks to provide our members the highest quality service at the most affordable rates.

We currently have about 120 employees serving 16,000 members across Montana, covering 16,500 square miles from near the Canadian border in the north to near the Idaho and Wyoming borders in the south. Our headquarters is in Fairfield and we have customer service offices in Conrad and Big Sky.

3 Rivers purchased the Big Sky telephone exchange from Mountain Bell in 1980. This was during the era of the Bell Telephone Systems breakup and 3 Rivers purchased Big Sky along with several other exchanges, including Ennis, throughout the 1980s and 90s.

3 Rivers first established a customer service/ business office in Big Sky in 2008 on Skywood Road. In 2022 we built a huge new office/ warehouse complex at 32 Running Iron Road to better serve our growing Big Sky member base. It’s staffed by longtime Big Sky resident and Customer Service Rep/Brand Ambassador Pride Moline,

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone reading this that Big Sky has been one of our biggest growth areas (along with Ennis) for years and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

– Don Serido, marketing director, 3 Rivers

Customer Service Rep DiAnn Jones and Facility Operations Supervisor Tyler Lura and his crew.

EBS: What services do you provide and how have you grown over the years?

DS: 3 River provides broadband internet, local and long-distance telephone and business class services. We first launched Internet service (dial-up and DSL) in 1995.

We now bring Fiber-to-the-Home technology to about 90% of our members, and that will reach

close to 100% within the next couple of years. With FTTH, we replace the existing copper wire network with fiber optic cable and connect directly to residential and commercial buildings. Fiber optic cable has a huge capacity for delivering data that is practically future-proof. As new technologies emerge, we will be able to take advantage of them by simply changing out the equipment on either end of the fiber network without having to put anything new in the ground.

Our fiber network allows us to provide up to 1 Gigabit per second broadband speeds and more, helping to drive economic development in Big Sky and all areas that we serve.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone reading this that Big Sky has been one of our biggest growth areas (along with Ennis) for years and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. We had 2,000 internet subscribers in Big Sky in 2013. As of the end of July of this year, we have nearly 5,000!

3 Rivers’ new office and warehouse space at 32 Running Iron Road in Big Sky. PHOTO COURTESY OF 3 RIVERS COMMUNICATIONS

PEAK SKI COMPANY UNVEILS COMPLETE LINEUP

OF 2023/24 SEASON SKIS

AFTER ITS FIRST YEAR, PEAK HAS ALREADY ASCENDED TO THE TOP OF THE SKI INDUSTRY’S MOST RESPECTED MEDIA OUTLET SKI RANKINGS IN NORTH AMERICA

PEAK SKI COMPANY

SPONSORED CONTENT

BOZEMAN—Peak Ski Company revealed its expanded and enhanced 2023-24 line of six allmountain skis today, all of which have received critical acclaim by some of the most respected gear guide publications in the industry. Based on customer feedback, Peak’s 2023-24 skis are available in more lengths and all include Peak’s proprietary Keyhole Technology™. An innovative design feature, Keyhole Technology™ is a unique below-the-surface cutaway that is central to Peak skis’ unique performance.

“Ultimately, Bode’s and my goal was to develop high performance skis for literally all ability levels and, relative to that goal, we’ve really been encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response from our customers,” said Andy Wirth, co-founder and CEO of Peak Ski Company. “Additionally, we understand that the soon-to-be published reviews from the industry’s leading media outlets see it the same way, which is all quite gratifying, but we’re truly just getting started.”

“Using my 25 years of experience as a professional ski racer, Andy, the Peak team and I set out on a mission to develop skis that advance the sport by changing the way people ski. Our intense focus on performance and precision coupled with are several innovative design features, including Keyhole Technology™ makes skiing fundamentally easier and allows skiers to quickly gain confidence on their skis,” said Bode Miller, co-founder and chief innovation officer of Peak Ski Company. “This year’s lineup builds on the success from that mission.”

The 2023/2024 models include:

Peak 88 by Bode: 30% off-trail, 70% on-trail. A go-to tool for groomer skiers, but arcs fall line turns off-trail too. Available in 160, 168, 176, 184 cm.

Peak 98 by Bode: 50% off-trail, 50% on-trail. An all-mountain quiver killer that is versatile on- and off-trail, in powder, crud, chalk, or corn, it’s nimble and floaty enough for all but the deepest of resort days. Available in 160 (new), 168, 178, 184, 190 (new) cm.

Peak 104 by Bode: 70% off-trail, 30% on-trail. An East Coast powder ski and an all-mountain ski out West with a surf-like feel. It can rip corduroy but performs at its best off-trail. Available in 160 (new), 168, 178, 184, 190 (new) cm.

Peak 110 by Bode: 80% off-trail, 20% on-trail. A powder ski designed for the deepest days but allows skiers to rip turns in-bounds, too. Available in 168 (new), 178, 188 cm.

Peak 98 by Dav and Peak 104 by Dav

With the addition of Chris Davenport to the Peak Ski Company executive leadership team, the original Peak 98SCs and Peak 104SCs have transitioned to the Peak 98 by Dav and Peak 104 by Dav. The rebranding reflects the true “ski everything everywhere” character of these adventure skis epitomized by Dav. They share the same rocker profile as the 98 and 104 by Bode, but are lighter weight and perfect for inbound hikes, the backcountry, or smaller skiers looking for a softer flex.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEAK SKI COMPANY

BIG SKY BIGGIE BRINGS ATHLETES ON LOCAL TRAILS

IN ITS FIFTH YEAR, MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE ATTRACTS OVER 700 BIKERS FROM ACROSS THE U.S.

BY JEN CLANCEY

BIG SKY–The start of the Big Sky Biggie mountain bike race is gradual. On Saturday, Aug. 26, as over 700 bikers pedaled under a cloudy sky at the 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. starts, a man in the middle of the crowd announced, “Look at me! I’m a biker now!”

Momentum soon changed as bike racers in the 15-, 30- and 60-mile courses turned on Ousel Falls Road, where the ascent up toward Big Sky Resort—the pinnacle of the high-altitude race, begins. Big Sky Biggie’s fifth year entailed stiff competition, including a close fight for first in the 30-mile race, and an overall record number of bikers on all courses.

Big Sky Biggie Top Finishers

Men’s Top Finishes:

60-mile male:

Caleb Swartz – Missoula, MT – 5:42:44

30-mile male:

Joey Kerr – Bozeman, MT – 3:05:29

15-mile male:

Samuel Madsen – Bozeman, MT – 1:24:11

Women’s Top Finishes:

60-mile female:

Cecily Decker – Bozeman, MT – 7:05:14

30-mile female:

Michelle Waller – Bozeman, MT – 3:22:02

15-mile female:

Neva Halverson – Bozeman, MT – 1:35:31

Many teenagers raced their way to a podium position in the overall results. Seventeen-year-old Cole Bothner from Bozeman MT finished second in the 30-mile and 19-year-old Kjetil Hassman finished less than ten seconds behind him for third. Samuel Madsen, a 15-year-old from Bozeman placed first in the male 15-mile race while Neva Halverson, 14, finished first in the female 15-miler.

Weather poses challenges, even for seasoned riders

Christine Baker, a Big Sky local, rode into a fourth place finish for the 15-mile race in the 40-49 age bracket at 10:47 a.m.

“I just love seeing other people come into the community and get to experience the amazing trail system that we have here,” Baker said shortly after crossing the finish line. The start of the race is just a few minutes from her home; the course follows the local trails she knows well.

“As I was riding today, it was just fun to think that I was chatting with people and most of them hadn’t been here before,” she said.

Most Biggie riders passed through the finish line with a signature dotting of mud on their bodies due to wet and foggy conditions on trails.

“It didn’t seem like it rained that much,” Hassman, a Big Sky local, said after his win. “But as soon as you got out there, it was like a complete mud fest.”

Regardless of the challenging conditions, Hassman and a fellow rider Drake Fricke described the race as fun.

“I would say I would consider [the race] to be successful but challenging,” Hassman said.

Drake Fricke finished fifth in the 18 and under 30mile race. From Bozeman, it was exciting for him to see so many people across Montana and the U.S. compete on Big Sky trails.

“It’s fun to race people from all around,” Fricke said. “It’s a great event.”

Fog and mud added obstacles to the course on Saturday as visibility at Big Sky Resort was limited. PHOTOS BY JEN CLANCEY

Fricke, left, and Hassman, right, smile at the race finish.

PHOTO BY JEN CLANCEY

Racers enter a skinny downhill chute on Big Sky Resort. PHOTO BY JEN CLANCEY

Bikers set off on the 8 a.m. start. PHOTO BY JEN CLANCEY

LPC DEFEATS HUCKERS, WIN ADULT SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

MANAGERS, HEAD UMPIRE AND COMMISSIONER REFLECT ON BIG SKY’S MOST COMPETITIVE SEASON YET, DESPITE WEATHER CHALLENGES

BY JACK REANEY

Editor’s note: Jack Reaney played for LPC and also reported on the end-of-season tournament.

BIG SKY—In the championship matchup on Aug. 28, between top-seeded teams in the Big Sky Softball League, the Hillbilly Huckers earned a chance to defend their 2022 tournament title. In the Huckers’ way, and eventually triumphant, stood a perennial rival in the Lone Peak Cannabis Co. (LPC) Golden Goats. Last season, the Huckers won both the regular season championship and end-of-season tournament, defeating LPC and the Herbaceous Smokey Bears, respectively. This year, LPC defeated the Huckers in both title games, by scores of 19-9 and 22-6.

The end-of-season tournament finally wrapped up on Monday evening, after rain postponed Sunday’s semifinal game between Riverhouse and Huckers. That game was suspended in the bottom of the fifth inning with the Huckers leading 8-6 and resumed on Monday night—the Huckers quickly earned a championship berth.

Rolling with the weather

The 2023 season may be remembered for its fluid schedule. Early on, rain and drenched fields resulted in some teams having played eight or nine games, while other teams had played only three or four. In June, the final innings of a few games were finished during downpour and not-too-distant lightning. Rescheduled games brought the league back up to speed, but rain returned to soak the fields just in time for the tournament on Aug. 26-27.

Steven Reid, recreation coordinator with the Big Sky Community Organization and league commissioner, had his hands full.

“Well, my chiropractor is going to be getting a call, that’s for sure,” Reid told EBS after the championship game—as LPC’s right-center fielder, Reid caught the final out of the season.

Reid worked almost 15 hours on Saturday and clocked in at 8 a.m. on Monday to prepare the fields for evening ball. Volunteers lent helping hands to make the tournament possible, shoveling infield puddles into paint buckets on Saturday.

“Again, like always, the community stepping in,” Reid reflected. “Especially Saturday, I had to go find some more tools for people to use because so many people came out. And our maintenance team at BSCO just killed it. Bill [Malholtra] dragged the fields like four times yesterday, and without those drags before the rain, the field would have been a huge mess today.”

Reid thanked the community for welcoming him to his new role this summer, including the softball

committee that helped him navigate challenges throughout the season.

Competitive as ever

Dave Schwalbe, head umpire and longtime league participant, said the 2023 league featured a particular balance of competition.

“I thought the games between teams [ranked] one through about eight were probably the most competitive we’ve ever had for both the season and for the tournament,” Schwalbe said. As for next year, he hopes to see that trend continue.

He added another hope for 2024: “What I’d really like to see is the weather cooperate for us. This was by far one of the hardest years to keep the field in shape,” Schwalbe said.

After the showers on Sunday afternoon, the BSCO crew focused on preparing “Field 2” for Monday’s action. When the Huckers and Riverhouse took the field at 6 p.m., the infield was in great shape and the outfield mostly dry.

Two innings later, Huckers prevailed and LPC warmed up—with a Golden Goats’ win, the season would come to an end. A Huckers’ win would force a second, winner-take-all game on Tuesday.

Lee Horning, manager of the Huckers and league participant since 2008, agreed that talent continues to grow. He said it was a hard fight to get back to the tournament championship.

“Oh, every year, teams get better and better and better,” Horning told EBS after the game. “There used to be games that you knew were probably going to be easier than some, this year there was no easy game. Everybody hit the ball well. The level of play keeps getting better and better.”

After three innings of championship play, LPC owned a 16-2 lead.

The Huckers battled in their half of the fourth inning, closing the deficit to 16-6 behind a solo home run from Tito Ruiz and a two-run homer off the bat of Will Brennecke.

But LPC made good use of their allowed home runs—shots by Craig Ames (2), Milo Ames and Miles Galbo helped the team score 22 runs. The Goats also fed on timely hitting, with a few basesclearing gap shots.

“They were just too tough,” Horning said. “LPC just hit the schmack out of the ball today.”

Charlie Gaillard, LPC manager, has been involved with the league since 2010 and managing LPC for seven years.

“The competition was as at the best I’ve ever seen, so we feel very fortunate to have taken both titles,” Gaillard told EBS.

On defeating the Huckers, Gaillard was gleeful. “Yeah, it feels amazing,” he said. “That’s one of the more special points of the whole thing—we beat that team that typically beats us more than we beat them. And we got them four-in-a-row this year, so that’s dramatic.”

Horning noted gratitude for the Hillbilly Huckers’ humble sponsor, Lone Pine Builders, who helped build and maintain the dugouts at Big Sky Community Park.

Future field improvements will continue to be a topic of discussion—this year’s weather highlighted the need for drainage solutions, and BSCO recently announced plans to convert one field into synthetic turf, sized for high school baseball but intended for multi-sport use.

As softball came to a close with the chilly nights of late August, perhaps the most important highlight from the end-of-season tournament was the gathering of Big Sky community. The weekend fostered handshakes, salutations of “good luck” and “good game,” cheers and chirps from bustling bleachers, and on-field rivalries that dissolved fast under the pavilion roof.

For providing a healthy release of tension at the end of the Big Sky summer, it could be said that the Big Sky Softball League and BSCO hit a grand slam.

LPC earned two trophies, one for the regular season and one for the tournament. PHOTO BY TUCKER HARRIS

Milo Ames rounds third after cracking a three-run shot in the championship game.

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

Huckers manager Lee Horning smacks a deep drive in the semifinal game. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

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HOODIE

SOCCER: A PAIR OF BIG HORN WINS ON OPENING NIGHT

SENIOR CASH BEATTIE SCORES TWO FOR THE BOYS, SOPHOMORE HARPER MORRIS NETS A HAT TRICK IN GIRLS GAME

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—Less than 25 minutes into the 2023-24 season of high school sports, Lone Peak High School Big Horns took a 4-0 lead.

The boys and girls varsity soccer programs hosted the Polson High School Pirates on Friday evening, Aug. 25 at the Big Horn Coliseum. Both teams won by a final score of 5-1, and coaches and team leaders added notes of confidence in the growth and development of returning players. In addition, both teams have seen notable growth in the size and depth of their rosters.

Tony Coppola, head coach of the boys team, said the players and coaches are all “stoked” to start the season off with a win. He pointed out that the Big Horns have 21 players at full strength, with 14 returning players including six seniors. It’s a bigger team than usual, creating a more competitive team culture than past years—no minutes are guaranteed, he explained.

“I think they’re all really hungry,” coach Coppola said. Hungry for the net apparently—just six minutes in, senior captain Cash Beattie capitalized on a corner kick dropped by Polson’s keeper, volleying the Big Horns first goal into an empty net.

Five minutes later, senior captain Beckett Johnson assisted junior Arlo Hurlbut for another. Another three minutes lapsed before Beattie one-touched another goalkeeper rebound, scoring from outside the 18-yard box and increasing the Big Horns lead to 3-0.

“It felt great to get the horse out of the gates fast,” Beattie told EBS after the game.

In the 24th minute, junior Finn McRae used a nifty cutback near the left corner to evade a defender, and shot across the goal into the top-right corner. The Big Horns’ fourth goal ignited the crowd and McRae’s teammates.

He told EBS it’s a move he’s practiced a decent amount, and the coaches encouraged him to try.

“It felt good, it was probably my favorite goal I’ve ever scored before,” McRae said. He missed last season while studying abroad in Switzerland, and he’s hoping for a deep playoff run.

“It’s really good to be back with the boys and playing, and I think we got off to a good start,” McRae said. “The team is gelling pretty well, even though we lost some good players like Max [Romney], it’s good to have some new freshmen and a bigger squad this year.”

About six minutes after McRae showed off his footwork, Beckett Johnson took his turn with a left footed, 20-yard corner strike. In 31 minutes, the scoreboard showed 5-0.

Aside from a strong goal by Polson senior Anthony Lichtenberg, which brought the score to 5-1 late in the first half, the Big Horn defense allowed few direct lanes and helped out sophomore keeper Oliver McGuire.

McGuire, however, will leave shortly to study abroad in Switzerland. Coach Coppola said the team will miss his quiet confidence, but freshman Miles Romney will take over, stepping into the goalkeeper role as a freshman— just as McGuire did last year.

“He’s just as qualified,” Coppola said of Romney. In the second half, the Big Horns generally controlled the ball but couldn’t find many shots. Likewise, the defense stood strong and kept the score at 5-1 for the remainder of the game. Coppola said he made substitutes in the second half to help preserve legs for the team’s

second contest on Saturday. He added that a 5-1 lead creates a good opportunity for younger players to gain experience.

Cash Beattie said it’s great to see the new freshmen joining the team, and believes this team has what it takes to make a deep run.

On being a senior, he said, “It’s kind of sad. I’ve been here for four years, grew up with most of these guys. It’s kind of like the last hurrah, so try to get the most out of it, make it our best.”

Morris sisters highlight a cohesive team win

According to head coach Kim Dickerson, the girls team is in a similar spot—the roster grew from 13 players to 20 this season, the largest team in program history. Last year, the team struggled with a lack of substitutes, especially when injuries had them down to 11 players.

On Friday, Dickerson told EBS she was super impressed by the opening 5-1 win.

“I was able to get all my girls in, and I’ve got a big roster now with 20 [players], and I’ve got the eighth graders helping supplement so we can keep a healthy roster,” she said.

Momentum built slowly, but the Big Horns were knocking on the door. A free kick by sophomore Maddie Wilcynski was batted over the crossbar by Polson’s keeper in the 13th minute, and two minutes later, senior captain Astrid McGuire rung the crossbar of the football goalpost. The Big Horns kept the ball in the offensive zone early, dominating possession but taking fewer shots.

Finally, in the 29th minute, sophomore Harper Morris shot across her body from the right side of the box, finding the bottom left corner to get the Big Horns on the scoreboard. The boys team, including some football players and friends, led the crowd in an “Olé” chant.

The score held until halftime. Five minutes into the second half, Polson scored to tie the game.

“You get the first game jitters, and we were able to finally get in our groove a little later in the second half,” coach Dickerson noted.

The note applied most directly to Morris, who scored her second goal five minutes later. She deked two defenders and set herself up for an open left-footed shot, almost uncontested by Polson’s keeper.

In the 22nd minute, Morris corralled a loose ball and set her left foot for another shot, this time finding the bottom left corner with ease from close range. The young soccer players gathered behind the goal screamed Harper’s name, overjoyed by her hat trick.

“[Feels] pretty good, I was pretty proud of myself,” Morris said. “But it was really not me, it was mostly my teammates that made it happen.”

Morris looks forward to seeing the team grow and become more aggressive.

Midfielder Astrid McGuire displayed her own strength and command of the field, despite none of her shots finding the net. She knocked a few off the posts, including a long-range strike off the crossbar in the second half.

McGuire believes in the potential of this team, and foresees a deep playoff run if they can keep putting in the work.

“This team is super special because we have so many younger people,” McGuire told EBS after the game. “It’s the first year that eighth graders got to try out, and they’re all super great, I’m super stoked to have them… It’s a great to be a leader on such a young team because I know these girls will continue this legacy on and really improve the team.”

Shortly after McGuire’s near-miss in the 25th minute of the second half, one of the four eighth graders made her presence known. Lola Morris—Harper’s sister— collected a loose ball and buried it, scoring in her first high school game.

After the game, Lola reflected on her high school debut and joining the offensive attack with her sister.

“It was a lot. I don’t know,” Lola said, emotional. “I know I’m excited.”

“She was very happy,” Harper interjected, saving Lola from her loss of words. “I was happier probably than she was. I was more proud.”

When asked what she’s looking forward to this season, Lola found the right word: “Playoffs,” she said.

“And getting closer with the team,” she said, sharing giddy laughter with her older sister.

Sophomore Harper Morris scored a hat trick in the Big Horns’ opening game against Polson High School. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

Cash Beattie scores his second goal in the first half of the season opener. PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

VOLLEYBALL: BIG HORNS FIGHT BACK, REBELS ESCAPE VICTORIOUS

LONE PEAK FALLS 3-2 TO SHIELDS VALLEY DESPITE UNLIKELY COMEBACK

BY JACK REANEY

BIG SKY—Lone Peak High School hosted Shields Valley High School in the Big Horns’ home-opening match on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 2. Despite a disappointing loss, head coach Bailey Dowd saw learning opportunities for the young team.

The Big Horns dropped the first two games of the best-of-five match, showing some inexperience between communication and execution. However, with their backs against the wall, the Big Horns snapped into action and took the next two games, forcing a winner-take-all fifth game. The Rebels, down 8-6, went on a nine-for-11 run to seal the game, 15-10, and the match, 3-2. The Big Horns now hold a record of 0-2, following game-five losses against West Yellowstone and now Shields Valley.

Dowd called it heartbreaking to see the team ignite a comeback but fall just short. Still, there was much to learn for the young team.

“That’s definitely something we’re going to practice now that we’ve had two fifth game losses,” coach Dowd said after the match. “Playing those short games in practice and getting used to the pressure.”

The Big Horn starting six is mostly new since last year, with only senior Ella Meredith and junior Claire Hoadley back from significant roles last season. Dowd said sophomore Lily Turner “has really stepped up,” but the Big Horns are also playing without senior Vera Grabow, a fouryear varsity player and clear team leader. Grabow suffered a broken ankle over the summer, and coach Dowd hopes she’ll be back in October.

“We graduated a big class last year. There’s girls playing roles that are new to them, playing next to players that are new to them,” coach Dowd said. “[It] takes a while to find that groove and that trust, and we call it ‘tempo’ when things can all run smoothly and on our own beat.”

‘A lot of heart’

After losing two games on Saturday, the Big Horns found their tempo.

Ella Meredith opened game three with a dramatic spike, and Claire Hoadley added two of her own, giving the Big Horns an 8-3 lead. Dominance from both veteran hitters helped extend the Big Horn lead to 20-8, and they won 25-13.

“Ella Meredith played fantastic in game three,” Dowd said. “She really brought the energy back to the team, both in blocking and kills.”

Game four was a different story—the Big Horns and Rebels traded points and kept the game close. The game was tied at 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15 and 17 points. Senior Emerson Tatom served a stretch of five winning points, and junior Aubrey Farr—the team’s libero replacing graduate Jessie Bough— added a few saves from the back line. The Big

Horns won 25-19, forcing game five. Suddenly, the once quiet gym came to life as Lone Peak created an opportunity to steal the match, 3-2.

After game two, coach Dowd recalled, “We just talked about having fight and desire and defending our home court. And not wanting to go home early. And wanting to fight it out, work hard and try to go to five games. And that’s exactly what we did. “I’m really proud of the way the girls turned it around after two back-to-back losses, and them not playing their best during it. I think in that third game, they played as good as I’ve seen them play this season. That’s the energy that we need to take into every game we play,” Dowd said.

Winning in five games is much harder than winning in three, Dowd explained—in a game five, which goes to 15 points rather than 25, brevity and momentum swings add a mental challenge.

Shields Valley jumped ahead 4-0, but Meredith blocked two consecutive shots and got the Big Horns on the board. They won a long point to tie the game at 6 apiece, and sophomore Stella Haas gave the Big Horns an 8-6 lead with a block that her Shields Valley opponent didn’t even see—the Rebel apparently turned to celebrate a spike that didn’t kill.

After that point, however, the Rebels won seven of the next eight points. Coach Dowd called a time out and implored to her team, “We are gonna with this game. We are gonna win this game. We are gonna win this game.”

The Big Horns scored after the pep talk, drawing the Rebels’ lead to 13-10. But that was the final point for the Big Horns.

Coach Dowd said the team will continue to learn and make adjustments.

“I’m proud of the girls’ fight, they showed a lot of determination and really worked to come back from 2-0,” Dowd said. “That takes a lot of heart, and we’re going to carry that heart into our games Tuesday and Friday.”

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

Junior Claire Hoadley and the Big Horns fought back against Shields Valley on Saturday.

PHOTO BY JACK REANEY

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HIGHLANDS WEST

BOBCATS EMBRACE SKY-HIGH EXPECTATIONS WITH DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS LOOMING

BY COLTER NUANEZ SKYLINE SPORTS

BOZEMAN—The narrative around the Montana State football program has shifted each of the past four offseasons as MSU has risen to base camp attempting to summit the Football Championship Subdivision’s version of Everest—national powerhouse programs at North Dakota State and South Dakota State universities.

In 2019, Montana State made its first run to the FCS semifinals since 1984. That 2019 season ended in the Fargo Dome, home of the North Dakota State Bison, the Everest-esque juggernaut of the small-school Division I football.

The following season, one filled with rich expectations, was called off because of the global pandemic.

After the cancellation, impassioned head coach Jeff Choate got restless, first nearly nabbing the head coach position at Boise State before ultimately taking a job on Steve Sarkisian’s staff at the University of Texas.

Entering 2021, how would Brent Vigen replace Jeff Choate? It was the omnipresent question, with much of the worry among MSU faithful steeped in whether Vigen could beat the Grizzlies, something Choate did better than any Bobcat head coach since Sonny Holland.

When Vigen’s first rivalry game against the archrival Griz ended in a 29-10 beat down by the hosts in Missoula, the longing for Choate resurfaced.

Then Vigen shocked the world by inserting a freshman quarterback from Butte, America into the starting lineup. Tommy Mellott took the 2021 FCS Playoffs by storm, helping MSU post the biggest playoff road upset in school and Big Sky Conference history when the Bobcats knocked out No. 1 ranked—and reigning national champion—Sam Houston State.

MSU’s run was sparked by one of the most talented senior classes in school history. So entering last year, the new narrative became: how do the Bobcats replace Troy Andersen and company?

No Troy, no problem. Montana State went undefeated in Big Sky Conference play to win its first league title in a decade. The Bobcats won 12 games, tying a school record. Yet MSU saw its season end in abrupt, startling fashion for the third year in a row. Montana State lost 42-14 in Fargo in 2019. The ‘Cats fell 38-10 to NDSU in Frisco, Texas in the2021 national title game. MSU’s semifinal appearance last year, a program-record third straight, ended with a 38-19 loss to eventual national champion South Dakota State.

Fast start to 2023

Internal chatter about getting bigger, faster and stronger dominated the offseason. Junior defensive end Brody Grebe said he thought about the SDSU loss every day over the last nine months. MSU senior quarterback Sean Chambers said he can remember the exact time of day Montana State walked off the field in Brookings, South Dakota.

It appears that mentality motivated Montana State in the offseason, at least if the Bobcats’ 63-20 drubbing of Utah Tech on Sept. 2 is any indication.

Montana State’s revamped offensive line—All-American left tackle Rush Reimer is now playing left guard with the sudden and rapid development of 6-foot-5, 308-pound redshirt freshman Conner Moore—looked just as athletic as the unit that helped Montana State lead the FCS in rushing yards per game last season. And the unit is significantly bigger even with All-Big Sky guard J.T. Reed not dressing out during MSU’s annual Gold Rush home opener.

The Bobcats averaged 7.7 yards per carry, rushing for 407 yards on 53 carries overall to affirm their place as the third-ranked team in the FCS.

“I think we had a good group,” Vigen said following his team’s 21st consecutive home win, a program record which moved Vigen to 25-5 at the helm one game into his third season at MSU.

“I’m certain our offensive line did some really good things today with some guys in some different spots. I thought we communicated well and I thought [first-year offensive line coach Al] Johnson has done a great job of laying down his thoughts, his philosophy.

“Offensively, that’s where it starts for us and I don’t think there’s any secret about that.”

A crowd of 21,967, the second-most in Bobcat Stadium history, watched Montana State bulldoze the Trailblazers in the 2023 opener. Senior running back Lane Sumner suffered a lower leg injury three plays into the game, but the Montana State run game didn’t skip a beat.

Julius Davis, a former 4-star recruit who transferred to MSU from Wisconsin, scored his first touchdown as a Bobcat. Jared White, a redshirt freshman who snapped his leg on the first carry of his second college game last year, scored a 79-yard touchdown as MSU tried to salt the game away.

And Scottre Humphrey made MSU faithful forget about the former No. 22, Isaiah Ifanse, who’s now a Cal Golden Bear. Humphrey, who like Ifanse hails

from Seattle, rushed for 114 yards and scored three touchdowns to earn FCS National Player of the Week.

“It’s evident they (Davis and Humphrey) can go,” Vigen said. “They are both powerful guys. They can break things open and they are hard to tackle. They will compliment each other.”

After a resounding season-opener, Montana State’s attention now turns back to Everest. The defending national champions await next weekend, when the Bobcats return to Brookings, S.D.

No. 3 MSU at No. 1 South Dakota State kicks off at 5 p.m., Sept. 9 at Dana Dykehouse Stadium.

“We have a recent history of the game and we each have a game under our belts [as wins],” Vigen said—his team beat SDSU 31-17 to advance to the national title game two years ago. “You can go back and to some degree, dust off what you really liked in that game in December. And you look at the game where we didn’t play so well.

“Our guys are going to be ready to play, I can promise you that.”

Colter and Brooks Nuanez are the Co-Founders of Skyline Sports. The Nuanez Brothers have operated skylinesportsmt. com since 2014. Colter has covered the Big Sky Conference since 2006. He can be reached at Colter.Nuanez@gmail.com.

True freshman running back Scottre Humphrey rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns in his college debut to earn FCS National Freshman of the Week honors. PHOTO BY BLAKE HEMPSTEAD / SKYLINE SPORTS

Senior defensive end David Alston, a former Nebraska transfer, snared his first career interception against Utah Tech. PHOTO BY BLAKE HEMPSTEAD / SKYLINE SPORTS

Redshirt freshman Rylan Schlepp became the first graduate of Bozeman Gallatin High School to score a Montana State touchdown.

PHOTO BY BLAKE HEMPSTEAD / SKYLINE SPORTS

BIG SKY EVENTS CALENDAR

Thursday, September 7 - Wednesday, September 20

If your next event falls between Sept. 21 - Oct. 4, please submit it to media@theoutlawpartners.com by September 13.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

Al-Anon Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 4 p.m.

Peer Support Drop-in Hours

Big Sky Community Food Bank & Resource Center, 4:30 p.m.

Community Potluck

BASE, 5 p.m.

8v8 Coed Soccer League Games

Big Sky Community Park, 6 p.m.

Music in the Mountains: Pinky and the Floyd

Len Hill Park, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

Gallatin River Clean-up

Big Sky & Gallatin Canyon, All Day

LPHS Volleyball vs. Ennis

Lone Peak High School Gymnasium, 2:30 p.m.

Evening Yoga Flow with Erica

BASE, 5:30 p.m.

Pick-up Volleyball

BASE, 6 p.m.

LPHS Football vs. Drummond

Lone Peak High School, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7:30 a.m.

Gallatin River Clean-up

Big Sky & Gallatin Canyon, All Day

All Skill Level Volleyball League Tournament

BASE, 10 a.m.

Fall Gun Range Clean-up & BBQ

Redcliff Gun Range, 12 p.m.

St. Joseph Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 5 p.m.

1st Annual Big Sky Summer Shootout

The Waypoint, 6 p.m.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

St. Joseph Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 8 a.m.

Gallatin River Clean-up

Big Sky & Gallatin Canyon, All Day

All Saints Big Sky Service

Big Sky Chapel, 10 a.m.

Sunday Service Soldiers Chapel, 11 a.m.

Big Sky Christian Fellowship Service

Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

Storytime BASE, 10:30 a.m.

Pick-up Futsal

BASE, 6 p.m.

Monday Night Competitive Video Games

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

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

Youth Pick-up Volleyball BASE, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

15th Annual Big Sky Farmers Market

Big Sky Town Center, 5 p.m.

Adult Pick-up Basketball BASE, 6 p.m.

Trivia Night

The Waypoint, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

LPHS Soccer vs. Billings Central

Lone Peak High School, 3 p.m. (boys) and 5 p.m. (girls)

Al-Anon Meeting, Big Sky Chapel, 4 p.m.

8v8 Coed Soccer League Games

Big Sky Community Park, 6 p.m.

Metal in the Mountains

Len Hill Park, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

The Rut Mountain Runs Race Day 1

Big Sky Resort Base Area, 11 a.m.

Big Sky Oktoberfest

Big Sky Town Center, 3 p.m.

LPHS Soccer vs. Park High School

Lone Peak High School, 4 p.m. (girls) and 6 p.m. (boys)

All Levels Pick-up Volleyball

BASE, 5:30 p.m.

Karaoke Night

The Waypoint, 9 p.m.

Live Music: Fish Camp Boys, Bluegrass/Americana Tips Up, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

AA Meeting

Big Sky Chapel, 7:30 a.m.

The Rut Mountain Runs Race Day 2

Big Sky Resort Base Area, 8 a.m.

Big Sky Oktoberfest

Big Sky Town Center, 3 p.m.

St. Joseph Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 5 p.m.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

The Rut Mountain Runs Race Day 3

Big Sky Resort Base Area, 6 a.m.

St. Joseph Mass

Big Sky Chapel, 8 a.m.

All Saints Big Sky Service

Big Sky Chapel, 10 a.m.

Sunday Service

Soldiers Chapel, 11 a.m.

Big Sky Christian Fellowship Service

Big Sky Chapel, 4:30 p.m.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Storytime BASE, 10:30 a.m.

Community Book Club

BASE, 10:30 a.m.

Monday Night Competitive Video Games

The Waypoint, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Wine and Dine Tuesday

Rainbow Ranch Lodge, 5 p.m.

Youth Pick-up Volleyball

BASE, 4 p.m.

MountainFilm on Tour: The Indomitable Spirit

The Waypoint, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Youth Pick-up Basketball BASE, 4 p.m.

15th Annual Big Sky Farmers Market Big Sky Town Center, 5 p.m.

Adult Pick-up Basketball BASE, 6 p.m.

Trivia Night

The Waypoint, 7 p.m.

FEATURED EVENT: BIG SKY OKTOBERFEST

Sept. 15-16

Big Sky Town Center, 3 p.m.

Big Sky Oktoberfest is a festival that celebrates German culture in Big Sky, Montana. The event features traditional German food, beer, music, and activities.

Big Sky Oktoberfest was founded in 2023 by local residents who wanted to bring a taste of Germany to Big Sky and raise money for the Big Sky Futbol Club.

WARREN MILLER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ANNOUNCES UPCOMING FALL SEASON

WARREN MILLER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

BIG SKY – The Warren Miller Performing Arts Center is happy to announce its upcoming fall season. For the past several years, the center has put on a mini-run of family-friendly shows in the fall, specifically designed for local families to have entertainment options in the sleepy off-season. They continue that tradition this year with three shows in October.

Doktor Kaboom! kicks off the season (and breaks the mold with a Sunday performance) on Oct. 1. Kaboom! is the alter ego of David Epley, a scientist and performer who has created a show unlike any other. Join him as he attempts increasingly spectacular scientific experiments and narrates them with his hilarious stage presence. Doktor Kaboom! is entertaining, educational and unforgettable.

He is followed on Saturday, Oct. 14 by the Silhouettes, a company of shadow-dance performers. In 2020, the group were Golden Buzzer winners on the smash show “America’s Got Talent: The Champions.” Through the use of physical movement and visual illusions, they’ll present their show “LOVE happens,” which explores the myriad ways love presents itself in the world.

The fall mini-season is rounded out by Lynn Trefzger on Saturday, Oct. 21. Trefzger is an expert in the art of ventriloquism, and creates a goofy, interactive stage show that will be entertaining for all ages. She has been performing for over

25 years, and was featured in an NBC Universal documentary about the art of ventriloquism alongside Jay Johnson and Jeff Dunham.

In addition to this lineup of performers, WMPAC will host a series of community events on their stage. On Nov. 3-4, Big Sky locals will perform “The Monologue Show (from Hell)” as this year’s community theater play. On Nov. 15, the Montana Repertory Theatre will stage a production of The Odyssey. The timeless classic has been abridged to a one hour play that’s suitable for older children and up.

On Dec. 2, WMPAC will host the annual showcase of the talent of local women with “Her Gift, Her Creation.” A broad swath of Big Sky women will display their artistic talents, ranging from painting and photography to performing arts. Lastly, Lone Peak High School students will perform “White Christmas” as the annual holiday musical on Dec. 14-15.

Tickets for the fall season go on sale Sept. 1. Tickets and more information are available at warrenmillerpac.org

Broker,

stacyossorio.evrealestate.com

stacy.ossorio@gmail.com

Doktor Kaboom! will be at WMPAC as a part of their fall season. PHOTO COURTESY OF WARREN MILLER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

HEALTH

HEALTH BUZZ EXPLORING THE ART OF ACUPUNCTURE

BY KALEY BURNS EBS COLUMNIST

With more Americans looking into alternative wellness and putting a focus on preventative healthcare, it’s a good time to consider acupuncture and the positive effects it can have on your life.

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese Medicine technique that has been used for centuries to treat chronic pain and a variety of other health concerns ranging from headaches to mood disorders. Acupuncturists insert thin needles into specific points throughout the body to balance the body’s energy, stimulate healing and promote relaxation. The needles may also be manipulated manually or stimulated with small electrical currents (electroacupuncture).

Acupuncture may be useful for a variety of conditions, including:

• Anxiety

• Arthritis/joint inflammation

• Depression

• Insomnia/sleep-related difficulties

• Migraines

• Nausea

• Sinus congestion

• Stress

• Infertility/hormone related concerns

Studies show that acupuncture is an effective treatment for many ailments, particularly chronic pain and menopause-related symptoms including hot flashes, sleep interruptions and anxiety. In one study, researchers found that acupuncture reduced menopausal symptoms by 37%. Women who received acupuncture during the study also reported improved quality of life.

Most Americans who try acupuncture come to it when other medical options have failed to give them relief or help them heal. However, acupuncture is actually an important preventative health measure. You don’t have to experience any health challenges to benefit from

acupuncture. Similar to a healthy diet and exercise, acupuncture is a great practice to maintain or optimize your current health.

What to expect

When you go for an acupuncture appointment, you can expect to spend time checking in with your practitioner, which is usually longer on the first visit. Then it’s time to relax (usually lying down), while your acupuncturist inserts your unique needles depending on the type of treatment. The needles are left in for about 20 minutes, during which time you can just zone out and let the therapy do its job.

One of the biggest misconceptions about acupuncture is that it hurts—most people are surprised that acupuncture can be virtually painless. Acupuncture is overall a soothing procedure. It works with the body’s own wisdom to heal deeper within the body. Most people treating a specific condition will require weekly sessions for about six weeks. After that you’ll evaluate your needs with your practitioner and set up a maintenance plan.

Dr. Kaley Burns is a licensed Naturopathic Physician providing a wide range of services for her clients, including: Naturopathic Medicine, IV Nutrient Therapy, Regenerative Injections, Rejuvenation Therapies, Vitamin Shots, and Nutrition Counseling. She embraces a natural approach to health and aims to similarly inspire and guide others on their health journey.

DINING

NORTH TO ALASKA AKA BUTTER YOUR DAMN SALMON AKA SPECIAL SALMON BUTTER

BY RACHEL HERGETT EBS COLUMNIST

“How many people randomly show up in Juneau?” I asked my dad a couple weeks ago, before doing just that on the heels of a trip accompanying a friend up the Alaska Highway to her new home in Alaska. It was a last-minute adventure and the more than 2,000 miles of driving, up past Calgary, through Banff and Jasper national parks and all the way up into the Yukon Territory, made Alaska feel exceptionally remote.

“More than you’d think,” Dad said. Most, however, don’t drive.

The last time I was in Alaska was nearly 30 years ago, when my dad and stepmom’s Forest Service jobs were based in Sitka. They had a motor boat, but it was broken when I arrived; keeping the boat afloat seems to be an ongoing struggle. Instead, Dad produced a small, open-backed inflatable dinghy with a motor attached to its flat wood floor. The thing didn’t seem seaworthy. I don’t remember much about being out on the water that day, except for the terror. Barely on top of the water, child Rachel was stunned into silence, staring into a field of giant pink jellyfish.

Other memories that stand out from that trip to Sitka mostly revolve around food. They include crab omelets smothered in hollandaise (a dish my dad and stepmom have made a house staple in the years since) and the taste of the salmon that went straight from boat to grill.

So when asked what I wanted to do in Juneau, my first response was, “I want to go out in the boat.” I was given a choice between whale watching—the boat’s true purpose, according to my step-mom, Pam—and fishing. “Both,” I said, but was warned that if fishing was on the docket, we were bringing along “Deckhand Dave” and his family. Dave would be focused on the catch and whale watching would not be a priority. The fish, however, seemed to want to be in the boat. I landed a bonus halibut while trolling for salmon, and we ended the day with a haul of fish—enough that Dave announced we could now dedicate the craft to spotting and photographing humpback whales. This, I’m told, is unheard of.

We saw many whales doing whale things, but maybe I am more like Dave than expected. I couldn’t get my mind off the salmon. I am sure my mouth was watering as Dave expertly fileted each of those fish, giving me some salmon belly and halibut cheek for sushi before splitting up the catch between the two families. One was also gifted to the next-door neighbor, as seems to be the Alaska way.

I arrived home last week with a box of salmon, and I’ve gone through most of it. One friend asked if he could cook some for his birthday and created a glaze with miso paste and mirin. It was the next best thing to what every person I’ve polled from the Alaska trip knows to be true: “Always put butter on your damn salmon.”

The French tendency to enhance the flavor of dishes by adding butter works exceptionally well with the fish. Most recipes I have floating in my head call for butter with herbs or other ingredients blended in to enhance the flavor. This is known as a “compound butter” if we’re getting fancy, “beurre composé” in French.

My mom makes one with anchovies, capers and lemon that adds a tangy contrast to the salmon. My family in Alaska seems aligned in their tastes, grilling the salmon with garlic butter, lemon pepper and cayenne for sweet spice. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes on medium heat, Dad says. My brother

tells me the secret is drizzling honey on top a couple minutes before you take it off the grill.

“Absolutely don’t overcook it,” Dad texts when I ask for tips. “Cook it just until it flakes back with a fork. No more.”

Dave’s son Drew, who came along for the fishing trip, told me he is partial to the crispy skin from pan-frying salmon then finishing it in the oven until the internal temp is around 130F. He starts the fish skin-side down in a pan prepped with herbs like thyme and rosemary, lemon slices, and—you guessed it—butter.

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

The Alaskan fishing haul included six coho salmon, one king salmon and a “bonus halibut.”

PHOTO BY RACHEL HERGETT

ENVIRONMENT

WRITERS ON THE RANGE

WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS NEED OUR SUPPORT

BY GREGORY MCNAMEE WRITERS ON THE RANGE

At any given moment during this smoky summer of 2023, hundreds of wildfires were blazing in the U.S.—more than 850 as of late July, according to the nonprofit Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center. Most of those wildfires ignited in the forests of the American West

Fires were also burning by the thousands in Canada, creating a pall of particulate-dense smoke that blotted out views of the Chicago skyline and the Washington Mall. Those fires are expected to burn well into fall.

This hellish aspect lends weight to historian Stephen Pyne’s conclusion that we live now in an age of fire called the “Pyrocene.”

Assembled to combat these blazes is a massive army of wildland firefighters. Some are volunteers, some are prison work crews earning time credited against their sentences. Some are municipal firefighters dispatched to the woods.

Some 11,300 of them are federal firefighters, called “forestry technicians,” who work under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior.

For all of them, it’s exhausting work. Wildland firefighters typically log 16-hour days for weeks at a time, burning 4,000 to 6,000 calories a day while carrying heavy backpacks.

It’s punishing labor and always dangerous. Barely a year has gone by in the last quarter-century that has not seen at least 15 wildland firefighter deaths,

the victims not just of flames and smoke but also of heat exhaustion, vehicle accidents, air crashes, falling trees and heart attacks.

Often, they don’t die alone. In June 2013, 19 “Hotshots” burned to death in a horrific Arizona wildfire, the third-greatest loss of wildland firefighters in U.S. history.

Yet despite the hardships and the history, a mandated pay raise in June 2021, spurred by President Joe Biden, brought the minimum wage for federal wildland firefighters up to a mere $15 an hour.

Firefighters of my acquaintance seldom cite money as a motivator for their work. They fight fires in the spirit of public service, while in some rural communities, as a young Apache firefighter told me, “It gives us something to do.”

But firefighters, like everyone else, must shoulder rents and mortgages and groceries, and a paycheck of less than $3,000 a month just doesn’t cut it.

Enter a temporary order from President Biden raising that base pay rate by 50 percent. Put in place in August 2022, and retroactive to the previous October as part of a hotly contested package of infrastructure-funding policies, the pay raise was funded only until Sept. 30, 2023, after which pay for wildland firefighters drops back to 2020 levels.

Wildland firefighters lobbied for Biden’s pay raise to be made permanent but they made few inroads. That was until they finally found an ally in Arizona’s Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Now an independent, Sinema allied with Republican Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming and Steve Daines of Montana, and Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana, to

introduce the bipartisan Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act. It would fund permanent pay increases.

By late June of 2023, their bill had passed out of committee by a vote of 10 to 1, the only no vote coming from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. When it reaches the Senate floor, it will be open to debate and a full vote.

There, however, the politicians are likely to squabble, especially on the House side. Larger issues loom, too, such as the need to revise policy so that forests are better managed to improve the conditions that now foster massive wildfires. Those conditions are the product of a “wise use” regime that saw forests as profitable tree farms and not as living systems. The Forest Service also had a decades-long policy of dousing all wildfires as early as possible.

While Washington deliberates, and while a more comprehensive bill compensating wildland firefighters struggles to gain traction, fires continue to burn in the outback. Without a pay raise, federal officials fear, some firefighters will walk away from a risky and insultingly low-paying job.

Wildland firefighters are needed right now, and we need to pay them what they deserve through the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act. They will be needed even more in a future of climbing temperatures and widespread drought causing even more massive wildfires.

We can only hope that we will have the firefighters to confront them.

Gregory McNamee is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He is an author and journalist in Tucson.

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DISPATCHES FROM THE WILD GRIZZLY DELISTING REVISITED

BY BENJAMIN ALVA POLLEY EBS COLUMNIST

Historically, grizzlies inhabit 2% of their original range in the Lower 48. We are told that these numbers represent recovery and warrant a federal delisting from the Endangered Species List so states can manage a national treasure. In this article, we will look at bears’ historical range and population, how we got to this point, and examine Montana’s records for killing bears this past year and even the last five years. According to national polls, the public is for conserving bears and against big game hunting, but public polls from states with grizzlies in their “backyards” are more nuanced.

In the past three years, three states petitioned the federal government to delist grizzly bears from the Endangered Species List. The legislation, created by Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, is called the Grizzly Bear State Management Act. On Dec. 7, 2021, Montana’s most recent petition for delisting was advanced by Republican lawmakers and signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte. Wyoming petitioned the federal government on Jan. 10, 2022, and Idaho filed the petition on March 9, 2022. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied Idaho’s petition.

At Montana’s State Capitol, the House and the Senate are pushing for the delisting of grizzlies around the Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Continental Divide ecosystems. These politicians canvassing for delisting want to see bears managed solely by the state, favor grizzly hunting, and believe the bear populations have recovered. The state thinks it can manage grizzly bears alone.

Over the next year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will wrestle with whether to delist grizzlies from the Endangered Species Act, allow the States of Montana or Wyoming to manage them, and possibly open up a lottery to hunt them.

According to estimated historical populations, 50,000 grizzlies once roamed the Lower 48 from the Pacific Ocean to the Mississippi River and from Mexico to the Canadian Border, not including Alaska. From 1850 to 1950, during westward expansion, settlers and fur traders drastically reduced grizzly numbers to about 98% of their original range. The bears that survived this onslaught hid in remote mountainous regions in Montana and Wyoming. Today, an estimated 2,000-plus live primarily in Montana and Wyoming, with a few volunteers showing up in Idaho and Washington. Still, they usually don’t last long—before being shot accidentally by hunters thinking they were black bears.

In 1973, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly population was as low as 225. The Department of the Interior sought help in recovering grizzly numbers. It formed the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, a committee of biologists responsible for long-term grizzly monitoring and research in Greater Yellowstone. This interagency team shares data collection with the mission of producing reliable science to inform species management. Grizzlies were listed as endangered in 1975 and protected by federal law until their numbers recovered. The IGBST created six grizzly bear areas where numbers could recover. Only two of the six have possibly recovered: the Greater Yellowstone

Ecosystem, with approximately 1,000 bruins; the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, which includes Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness, with a population of about 1,100. Remember, these are all estimates and not on-the-ground numbers.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks have killed 129 grizzlies since 2018. In 2018, they killed 18 brown bears; 2019 (27); 2020 (25); 2021 (26); and 2022 (33). These statistics don’t include this year’s euthanizations for the entire state of Montana. The states of Idaho and Wyoming didn’t respond to my information requests for their statistics from the last five years. If Wyoming had similar numbers as Montana, the two states’ combined euthanizations could add up to approximately 60 bears removed from the gene pool yearly.

Are any bears poached by ranchers and hunters and not reported? How many are hit by a vehicle whose driver couldn’t identify the animal because it was late at night and the creature ran far from the road and died of internal injuries? Maybe a dozen?

How many grizzlies are accidentally killed each year by hunters, either protecting themselves, like the mother grizzly in the Whitefish Range a few days ago, or mistakenly identified as black bears?

This year, 24 grizzlies have died or were found dead in Greater Yellowstone, with over 60% of those deaths happening in Wyoming, according to the United States Geological Survey. “So far, there were 15 grizzly bear deaths in Wyoming, seven in Montana, and two in Idaho, the data shows. There were 48 grizzly bear deaths last year in total,” reported Sofia Saric for the Caspar Star-Tribune in August 2023.

Many bears are killed each year without threats of being hunted.

So, how does the general public feel about delisting and hunting?

When it comes to polling, numbers yo-yo all over the place. A Marist Poll in November 2015 found “the majority of Americans,” 56%, are against sport hunting, and for most Americans, 86% find big game hunting to be “especially distasteful.” Hundreds of thousands of comments were submitted in response to whether the federal government should delist grizzlies, and many overwhelmingly opposed delisting and sport-

hunting. But public opinion is unique within grizzly habitat and its surrounding areas, including Montana.

Earlier this year, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the University of Montana unveiled research into the public attitudes of Montanans. Alex Metcalf, a University of Montana professor and co-author of the study published in Conservation Science and Practice, told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle: “We found 80% to 90% of respondents think bears have a right to exist—that they make Montana special and that we need to learn to live with them.”

Interestingly, over 80% of respondents wanted grizzly hunting: 30% supported a limited hunting season that wouldn’t impact populations, 49% endorsed enough hunting to manage the population, and just under 4% wanted no limits on grizzly hunting. Almost 17% of respondents said grizzlies should never be hunted, as Isabel Hicks of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported.

The public in these states might be for hunting the bears if they have fully recovered, but the justifications for state management should be backed by science.

Many scientists claim our state politicians are making decisions based on special interests, misinformation, fears and lack of scientific facts to back their decision-making.

The question becomes—since many of these grizzlies wander in and out of national parks, national forests, wilderness areas, and even walk back and forth between states—should it be up to the states to decide whether to hunt them? Or is it more a collective question to be considered by all U.S. citizens since we as a nation are the public landowners of national forests and national parks?

Grizzlies are part of our national wildlife heritage, not state commodities, and should be handled by national experts.

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

A grizzly bear seen in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the species’ two main habitats in the Lower 48. ADOBE STOCK PHOTO

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OPINION

THE BIG SKY WAY: THE SILVER BULLET

BY DANIEL BIERSCHWALE EBS COLUMNIST

Following our recent column outlining 2024 Big Sky elections, I met with someone interested in learning more about the Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD). In our conversation, they referenced resort tax as “the silver bullet” for solving Big Sky’s most pressing needs. I paused, thought about the statement, and ultimately expressed, “the funding is certainly an amazingly unique opportunity thoughtful community leaders worked hard to attain. However, it does not have the power to rid Big Sky of werewolves as a silver bullet.”

The statement, however, did make me realize that some basic building blocks are in order to understand what resort tax is capable of and what it isn’t.

Resort tax 101

Typically, property taxes fund critical public services and infrastructure, like schools, fire protection and roads. In tourism-based communities, despite visitors providing a significant benefit to the local economy, they also strain that infrastructure. In 1985, Montana House Bill 826 was passed giving qualified communities the authority to impose a tax on luxury goods and services, thus helping offset the financial burden that would otherwise fall on the shoulders of those paying property taxes.

The Big Sky resort tax of 4% is collected and remitted on luxury goods and services including restaurants, short-term lodging and souvenirs. Exemptions called necessities of life, include unprepared food, medicine, medical supplies, appliances, hardware supplies and tools. Businesses collect the tax on applicable sales and remit those collections to the Big Sky Resort Area District, generally on a monthly basis. Businesses retain 5% of collections to help offset the costs of administering the tax.

Governing authority— county, district, municipality

Today, there are 12 locations in Montana that impose a resort tax: Big Sky, Columbia Falls, Cooke City, Craig, Gardiner, Red Lodge, Red Lodge Mountain, St. Regis, Virginia City, West Yellowstone, Whitefish, and Wolf Creek. Some collect yearround and others seasonally. Each location imposing the tax approves ordinances outlining administrative procedures for collections, compliance, and allocation of the public funds. Revenues generally support infrastructure and core government services.

The Montana Department of Commerce is responsible for designating a “resort area.” The major portion of that area’s economy must be derived from businesses catering to the recreational and personal needs of persons traveling to or through the area for purposes not related to their income production—simply put, a “tourism economy.” Three forms of governing bodies with decision making authority exist as follows:

Resort area: an unincorporated area administered through the board of county commissioners.

Resort area district: a resort tax area administered by a locally elected district board of directors.

Resort tax community: an incorporated municipality administered by the municipal governing body.

Each classification has varying population density requirements, bonding authority, and governing authority. Both the community and the district have bonding authority, which can be used to fund larger capital projects.

So, now that we know generally what resort tax is, how it’s collected and on what, and who collects it, let’s dive into Big Sky’s resort tax specifically.

History in Big Sky

In April of 1992, the general electorate of Big Sky voted in favor of imposing a resort tax, effective on June 1, 1992. Prior to becoming a formal district, the Big Sky Resort Area was administered by the Madison and Gallatin County Commissioners and a local ninemember board of advisors. In 1998, the general electorate voted to create the Big Sky Resort Area District, formalizing governing authority under the management of a locally elected, five-member BSRAD Board of Directors.

Over the span of 31 years, collections have totaled over $131 million. Those funds have been directly reinvested into projects and programs within district boundaries—funds cannot be spent outside the boundary. In 2020, the electorate voted in favor of the additional 1% dedicated for infrastructure, bringing the total tax rate to its maximum amount of 4%. BSRAD is unique because in addition to traditional funding of vital infrastructure and government services, it has also funded nonprofit projects.

Future of Big Sky’s resort tax

As we near a forthcoming renewal of the resort tax, it’s important to

acknowledge its vital role in our community and to plan for the future. Several initiatives underway will likely transition use of these public funds. The updated Big Sky Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) will be a multi-year community planning tool outlining large-scale projects, estimated costs, timelines and a myriad of funding sources.

Another effort underway with potential impact on resort tax is incorporation. BSRAD is committed to working together to understand the goals, pressing issues, and potential solutions by forming a municipality. As exploration continues, there are many factors to take into consideration. Who would be responsible for administering and appropriating the funds? How much of those funds would be needed to finance municipal operations? If we incorporate, how does the municipal government convert to a resort tax community with an existing resort

area district? These are questions we, as a community, need to answer.

As always, I encourage you to be a part of the conversation. Attend board meetings, reach out to local officials, understand the topics and join in the discussions about your resort tax dollars. While it may not be a “silver bullet,” resort tax does give us protection against the scariest monster: property taxes.

Daniel Bierschwale is the Executive Director of the Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD). As a dedicated public servant, he is committed to increasing civic engagement and voter education. Many ballot issues impact government services and public funding including subsequent property tax impacts.

BSRAD is the local government agency that administers Resort Tax, which offsets property taxes while also funding numerous community-wide nonprofit programs.

Photo by Audrey Hall

SEPT 8-10, 2023

GALLATIN RIVER

CLEAN-UP

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Grab some friends & participate in our annual Gallatin River cleanup.

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Contact Ally at (406) 993-2519 or conservation@gallatinrivertaskforce.org

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