wine on the fly at the ranch at rock creek

Transcription

Big Sky
Exploring life and land from the heart of the Yellowstone Region
April 5-18, 2013
Volume 4 // Issue #7
Auction impending for
Club at Spanish Peaks
Big Sky fire and school
districts seek voter support
Wine on the Fly at the
Ranch at Rock Creek
The Best
view in town:
beartooth
powder guides
Bozeman's newest watering
hole: Copper Whiskey Bar
media@theoutlawpartners.com
Big Sky housing meeting, part II
Big Sky's locally owned and published newspaper
Publisher of the
big sky weekly
explorebigsky
explorebigsky
ON THE COVER: Big Sky firefighters Seth Barker, Matt Kendziorski and Mark Loomis PHOTO by Tyler BUsby
2011 big sky
chamber of commerce
Business of the Year
April 5-18, 2013
Volume 4, Issue no. 7
PUBLISHER
Eric Ladd
editorial
MANAGING EDITOR
Emily Stifler
EDITOR
Joseph T. O'Connor
staff writer/distribution director
Tyler Allen
Clearing Madiosn to Old Faithful Road on March 26. For map on road plowing in Yellowstone, see p. 48 Photo by Dave Restivo
Editorial assistant
Maria Wyllie
What a place
creative
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Mike Martins
I found myself waist-deep in the Gallatin River
the other day, squinting at the 14-inch rainbow
trout dancing on the end of my fly line. The air
was spring-warm, the current flexing with early
snowmelt. I could hear birds chirping away the
afternoon, and chunks of the sun-drenched river’s
snow banks falling into the water.
VIDEO director
Brian Niles
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Kelsey Dzintars
videographer/photographer
Chris Davis
With the state’s plethora of activities – skiing,
sightseeing at Yellowstone National Park, fishing,
hunting, hiking, climbing and biking – you may
not be surprised that tourism is the number one
moneymaker here.
SALES and operations
COO & SENIOR EDITOR
Megan Paulson
At Outlaw Partners, which publishes the Big
Sky Weekly, we understand this importance. On
March 25, the Outlaws traveled to Helena for the
2013 Montana Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation. Eric Ladd, Outlaw CEO, was
nominated for Tourism Person of the Year, while
Big Sky’s Professional Bull Riders event (the third
of which will return this summer July 31 – Aug.
1) was up for Tourism Event of the Year.
“Everyone in this room knows that Montana
has something truly amazing to offer,” said Gov.
Steve Bullock that evening. For me, this time of
year, its fishing.
CONTRIBUTors
What might grab your attention, however, is the
extent to which tourism affects Montana. A recent
University of Montana study showed that outof-state visitors spent $3.2 billion here in 2012.
Additionally, tourism generated 6.2 percent of the
state’s total employment, equaling 41,000 jobs.
Editorial Policy
Big Sky Weekly concentrated regional distribution
Operations director
Katie Morrison
Jamie Balke, Tyler Busby, Buscrat, Karen Davids, Becky
Edwards, Sean Forbes, Bob Foster, Niles Jeran, Chris
Kamman, Philip Kedrowski, Jenny Ladd, Roger Ladd,
Brandon Niles, Kipp Proctor, David Restivo, Callie Stolz,
Patrick Straub, Jessie Wiese, Ron Winters
Outlaw Partners LLC is the sole owner of the Big Sky
Weekly. No part of this publication may be reprinted
without written permission from the publisher. The Big
Sky Weekly reserves the right to edit all submitted material
for content, corrections or length. Printed material reflects
the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the opinion
of Outlaw Partners or the editors of this publication. No
advertisements, columns, letters to the editor or other
information will be published that contain discrimination
based on sex, age, race, religion, creed, nationality, sexual
preference, or are in bad taste.
What a place. Thanks for reading.
– Joseph T. O’Connor
Est. 35,000 readers/edition
Letter to the Editor Parameters
The Weekly accepts letters to the editor to give readers a platform to express their views and share ways they would like to
effect change. These should not be Thank You notes. Letters
should be 250 words or less, respectful, ethical, state accurate
facts and figures, and proofread for grammar and content. We
reserve the right to edit letters. Include: first and last name,
address, phone number and title.
Submit to: media@theoutlawpartners.com
ADVERTISING DEADLINE
For next issue, April 19
April 12, 2013
CORRECTIONS
The Big Sky Weekly runs corrections to errors we’ve printed.
Please report them to media@theoutlawpartners.com
OUTLAW PARTNERS &
THE BIG SKY WEEKLY
P.O. Box 160250,
Big Sky, MT 59716
explorebigsky.com
(406) 995-2055
© 2013 The Big Sky Weekly Unauthorized reproduction prohibited
Table of Contents
Community...4
Local News...9
Regional..11
Montana...12
Getaway...17
Sports...20
Health...23
Business...24
Engineer's Corner...29
Classifieds...30
Outlaw News...31
Dining...33
Profile...35
Events...37
Entertainment...38
Fun...42
Buscrat's Fables...43
Column...45
Back 40...46
Outdoors...49
Resorts...50
Outdoors...51
Wildlife News...52
Fishing Column...53
Yellowstone...58
Science...55
explorebigsky.com
header
Big Sky Weekly
April 5-18, 2013 3
Big Sky, Montana
We sell more Real Estate in Big Sky than any other Firm,
providing our Buyers and Sellers with
Exceptional Opportunities.
2012 Big Sky Real Estate Transactions
2012 Big Sky Real Estate Sales Volume
$60,000,000
96.5
100
90
$50,000,000
80
70
62.5
60
Units Sold
58.9 Million
$40,000,000
58.5
50
34 Million
$30,000,000
23 Million
40
$20,000,000
30
20
$10,000,000
10
0
Big Sky Christie's
Firm 2
$0
Firm 3
Big Sky Christie's
Firm 2
Firm 3
*Based on 2012 information from Gallatin Association of Realtors MLS Data
The Numbers Don’t Lie
We sell more Big Sky Real Estate than all the rest.
Choose the firm that Sells EVERYTHING and Represents EVERYTHING.
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Sandy Revisky
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jackie@purewestproperties.com
sandy@ownbigsky.com
michael.bigsky@gmail.com
Managing Broker
406.539.5003
Broker, CRS, GRI
406.539.6316
Broker, CRS
406.581.2400
Jason Parks
Broker
406.580.4758
Branif Scott
Broker
406.579.9599
jason@purewestproperties.com branif@purewestproperties.com
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406.580.6852
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Michelle Horning
Sales Associate & Assistant
406.570.8901
michelle@purewestproperties.com
4 April 5-18, 2013
community
Micah Robin awarded Dave
Mueller Scholarship
Sophomore will head to Peru this summer
By Barbara Rowley
BIG SKY – Lone Peak High School Sophomore Micah Robin has received the
third annual Dave Mueller Outdoor Experience Scholarship. Robin, a Big
Sky native, will use his award to attend a Spanish immersion and community
service trip in Peru.
“Micah’s passions are completely in alignment with what Dave Mueller
loved, and the type of experiences we hope to support with this scholarship,”
said Yellowstone Club Community Foundation Executive Director Casey
Schwartz, who administers the scholarship program. “His background as a ski
instructor, competitive freeride skier, and with the Hans Saari backcountry
avalanche camps clearly established him as someone who loves the outdoors
and the mountains.”
The award offers recipients up to $5,000 for summer outdoor experiences.
Robin will use the award to finance three weeks in small village in the rainforest and the Andes Mountains, where he will also participate in 55 hours of
community service and earn two hours of college credit in Spanish.
“We were impressed with the multi-facets of the program he chose,”
Schwartz said. “It is academic, community service and adventure all in one
trip. We believe Micah will lever this experience to do more great things outdoors, and were pleased to be able to help him in this way.”
Robin was chosen from a field of Big Sky School District students, to whom
the opportunity is exclusively offered. The scholarship honors the memory
of Dave Mueller (also known fondly as “Big Bald Dave”) and is funded by
CrossHarbor Capital and the YCCF. Past recipients are Griffin House, who
used the funds to attend a NOLS course, and Jackson Wade, who spent a
month at a fishing camp in Canada. explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
OBITUARY: Christine Adams
June 16, 1968 - March 18, 2013
Christine Adams, 44, of Bozeman
passed away Monday, March 18, 2013.
She received her B.A. from the University of New Hampshire and her
Master’s Degree in Social Work from
the University of Denver. Following
graduation, she was employed as a
Licensed Clinical Social Worker and
had a private practice in Bozeman and
Big Sky.
Christine was married to Chris Adams and the two had a son, Jonah.
She was an avid skier and loved the
outdoor life in Montana. She was
a devoted mother and was deeply
loved by her family.
Survivors include her son, Jonah;
parents, Stephen and Anna Mon-
gillo of Hamden, Conn.; and sister,
Lisa Beth Mongillo of Clemson, S.C.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be
sent to the Jonah Samuel Adams Scholarship Fund, 54 Filbert St., Hamden,
Conn. 06517.
Gallatin Canyon Women’s
Club offers scholarships
BIG SKY – Gallatin Canyon Women’s Club is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2012-2013
academic school year. Applicants
must be graduates of Ophir School
and attending or planning to attend a
post-secondary accredited academic
or technical institution.
The club has designated $4,000 for
this year’s scholarships. The minimum
award will be $1,000 and the maximum
award will be $2,000. The application
deadline is June 1, with awards being
announced on July 1. Scholarship
criteria and application form are available
online at gcwomensclub.org.
of Bozeman
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dealer
logo866-623-5535
and address.
Covers normal factory scheduled service for 2 years or 25K miles, whichever comes first. The new Toyota vehicle cannot be part of a rental or commercial fleet or a livery or taxi vehicle. See participating dealer for complete plan details. Valid only in the continental United States and Alaska.
explorebigsky.com
community
Big Sky Weekly
Letter: Request for Big Sky Fire
Department ‘Income Statement’
I refer to the large colored poster
distributed by Big Sky Fire Department about the proposed tax increase
of 10.362 mills or $450,000.
No mention is made of the percentage of call-outs for skiers during the
winter and tourists in the summer.
Big Sky’s population increases significantly during both periods resulting
directly from skiers and tourists.
What thought was given to the ‘user
pay’ principle? What revenue accrues
to BSFD from out-of-town skiers and
tourists’ insurance companies who
pay for a large portion of the costs?
I suggest BSFD publicly discuss
these issues and publish an ‘Income
Statement’ for 2012, which clearly
identifies the revenues from insurance companies for call-outs. They
should also propose alternate revenue
sources directly related to the users.
Why haven’t we heard from Big Sky
Owners Association on this matter?
They represent the nest interests of
Big Sky residents.
Surely a proposal to add a dollar to
Lone Mountain and Moonlight lift
tickets for both skiers and summer
tourists has some merit.
– Barry Margetts, Big Sky
Editor’s note: As noted in the story on
page 8, at least a quarter of the department’s budget comes from ambulance
user fees.
Letter: Pullout signs?
We've been coming to the Big Sky area for eight years and have read many
articles that reference the dangers of Highway 191. Drivers get so frustrated
with the slow cars, and passing is hazardous! There seem to be plenty of turnouts.
I've wondered if the signage for the, “slow vehicles, please use pullouts”
could be improved and increased in number; perhaps placed before each
pullout emphasizing the possibility of "slow vehicles.” I imagine people who
drive that road every day share our frustration.
-Mrs. Bari Dreissigacker, Stowe, Vt.
Op-ed: Montana should foster
local homegrown breweries
By Rep. Christy Clark (R-Choteau) and Rep. Anders Blewett (DGreat Falls)
The recent legislative attempt to stifle Montana’s flourishing brewery industry is contrary to economic development. House Bill 616 would impose an additional $100,000
tax on all existing breweries and cap the creation of new breweries. In 1999, the legislature required breweries not to serve more than 48 oz. of beer per
person, to close at 8 p.m. and to sell only beers created on premises. Unlike most bars
and casinos, breweries cannot serve liquor or allow gambling.
Given these regulations and the high cost of equipment, Montana breweries initially
limped along. In recent years, however, they’ve become thriving small businesses selling high-quality beers on-site and to stores and bars. Montana’s now 38 breweries have created more than 450 jobs and generated $50 million in Montana-made products, utilizing wheat and barley from Montana farmers and
creating value-added products sold locally. This is the model of manufacturing our state
needs to expand its economy.
Many bar owners appreciate the opportunity to serve Montana-made brews. However,
others threatened by the taprooms’ success have hired lobbyists in Helena in an attempt
to effectively write breweries out of the law and tax them out of existence with the
proposed $100,000 fee.
This has delayed the opening of a brewery in downtown Great Falls and could prevent
others across the state from opening. Some tavern owners invested heavily in their licenses and are unsure how their business may fit in with local breweries. However, the solution isn’t to use governmental
regulation to destroy breweries. We’ve proposed a study resolution, which aims to
resolve the tavern owners’ concerns and create a clear path forward for the brewing
industry.
Big Sky Life
E s s e n t i a l s f o r t h e B i g S k y L i f e st y l e
SALE
U p t o 4 0 % o ff t h r o u g h A p r i l 1 8
• men’s and women’s clothing
• winter boots
• furniture
• bath linens
• accessories
Come see the 2013 Audi Q5
Bozeman Audi
Big Sky Showroom
April 5-18, 2013 5
The Market Place Building, 33 Lone Peak Drive, Unit 104
Big Sky, MT | (406) 995-2240
6 April 5-18, 2013
community
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Make-A-Wish
Montana seeks air miles
Aims to match 250,000
miles by April 29
MONTANA – Make-A-Wish Montana is celebrating World Wish Day on April 29 through a
month-long campaign to raise air miles it’s calling
Wishes in Flight.
Currently, 40 local travel wishes are in need of 8
million air miles; 75 percent of the wishes submitted to the foundation involve travel.
Artist at work for the quick-draw auction
Crawfish and Cornbread raises
$15,000 for arts council
BIG SKY – More than 100 people attended the Arts
Council of Big Sky first fundraising gala at the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center on March 30.
Themed ‘crawfish and cornbread’ – and complete
with cajun food, music, decor and raffle prizes – the
event “turned a new leaf for the Arts Council,” said
ACBS board chair Tallie Jamison. Local realtor Michael Thomas won the grand
prize, a trip for two to the New Orleans Jazz
Fest, and in a full circle kind of gift, gave it to
Roger and Margie Schwer, who endow the ACBS
Peggy Dicken Schwer Memorial Fund Dinner
Concert series.
ACBS auctioned off $23,250 in Montana artwork, raising about $15,000, for the organization.
Several local businesses helped support the event,
with Buck’s T-4 donating catering and Bozeman
Audi sponsoring Eden Atwood and the Bridger
Mountain Big Band.
“It fired up our members for what's to come,”
Jamison said. “We're already planning next year's
event for Friday, March 28!” – E.S.
If donors give 250,000 air miles to Make-A-Wish
Montana by April 29, advisory council member
Aaron Sparboe promises to match with his own
250,000-air mile donation.
World Wish Day celebrates the day in 1980
when Chris Greicius received his wish to become
a police officer, inspiring the founding of MakeA-Wish.
Make-A-Wish Montana is a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to children with lifethreatening medical conditions. Since granting
its first in 1987, the foundation has helped more
than 400 wishes come true. Frequent flier miles
from Delta, US Airways or United will never expire once donated to the program. To learn more
or donate, call (877) 574-9474 or visit montana.
wish.org.
Beach Boys to play
Morningstar fundraiser
July 3 in Big Sky Town Center
Wouldn’t it be nice
if the Beach Boys
were coming to
Montana
Then Big Sky
wouldn’t have to
wait so long
The boys of summer are in fact
booked to play the
Big Sky Town Center this summer, in
a July 3 fundraiser
for Morningstar
The Beach Boys on their 50th Reunion tour in 2012. (cc)
Learning Center.
would go toward paying off the rest of
“It’s going to be a great time,” said
the principal balance on Morningstar’s
Morningstar board member Tracy
mortgage.
Jacobson, adding she thinks the show
will draw fans from around Southwest
The idea to bring the Beach Boys was
Montana.
Kym Rapier’s, who is a longtime Beach
Boys fan.
With a beach theme, the concert will
be oriented around families, she added,
There will be 3,000 tickets available –
with free admission for children under
they go on sale May 1 on ticketriver.com
12.
Vootie Productions, which does all of
The fundraiser is part of an effort by
the Yellowstone Club’s shows, plus
Morningstar to raise $100,000 to match
the Red Ants Pants Festival and the
a donation from the Rapier Family
Targhee Bluegrass Festival, is producFoundation contingent on the learning the concert. – E.S.
ing center doing just that. The money
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Creighton Block
biG sky ’ s M O sT e x T e n si v e
fine aRT C O l l e C T iOn
every thUrSday at 4:30 PM
provided by
R. Tom Gilleon “Mother Moon” Oil on Canvas 50x50
ar twork also displayed at outlaw Par tners, Bozeman audi
Big Sky Showroom and Lone Mountain ranch dining room
11:00 aM - 7:00 PM // tUeSday thrU SUnday
MondayS By aPPointMent
Please visit the galler y to view our extensive
collection of fine works of ar t in the Main galler y,
the charsam room, and the new
Private collection.
Loc ate d in the Bi g Sky town cent er o n t he co r n e r o f Lo n e P e ak dr i ve
c r e i g h to n B L o c k g a L L e r y. c o M |
(406) 993-9400
8 April 5-18, 2013
local news
Ballots due May 7 for fire
dept. mill levy proposal,
school bond issue
explorebigsky.com
Fire Department mill levy up for vote in May
April 8 is last day to register
By emily stifler
big sky weekly managing editor
By emily stifler
April 8 is the last day of regular registration for
both the Big Sky Fire Department’s proposed
10.36 mill levy increase and the Big Sky School
District’s proposed $10.2 million bond issue. Ballots must be returned to the county offices by
May 7, either by hand or mail.
Those leaving town can pick up their ballots between April 15-18 at the Gallatin County Election
Offices, at the county courthouse in Bozeman.
“This is because we know people are leaving the
Big Sky area,” said elections Clerk and Recorder
Charlotte Mills, noting that ballots will not be
forwarded. She asked those who aren’t leaving
town not to come in, because they will otherwise be mailed out on April 22.
Although the fire and school districts overlap,
their borders are different. For those who live in
both, everything will be on one ballot, Mills said.
Voters living in only one district will only get the
applicable questions on their ballots.
For the school election, registration closes at 5
p.m. on April 8. For the fire district election, late
registration is available at the county elections
office through 8 p.m. on voting day, May 7.
One other special rule applies to the fire district:
Absentee property owners there can vote in
that election by contacting the elections office
at (406) 582-3060. – E.S.
Big Sky Weekly
BIG SKY – The Big Sky Fire Department held public
hearings the week of March 25 to explain the reasoning behind its new tax proposal, which registered
voters in Gallatin and Madison counties will decide on
by May 7.
The department is proposing an annual 10.36 mill levy
increase to the tune of $485,000 that would support
hiring five new firefighters and cover some operational
costs.
“People don't realize how much money is generated by
ambulance revenue from billing – it’s almost a quarter of our budget. That combined with resort tax, is
almost half of our budget.”
He also reminded attendees that people who don’t live
in Big Sky pay more than 70 percent of the district’s
property taxes. All of those people can vote, Farhat
said.
The mill levy would equate to a tax increase of $7.60
a month on a home with a taxable value of approximately $9,000, according to Farhat.
Currently, the department functions with two to
three firefighters on duty at a time – inadequate to
fulfill the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirement of four people to fight a fire.
The proposed new hires would allow it to meet that
mandate.
Although 70 percent of the department’s calls are
medical, it also responds to structure and wildfires.
Farhat noted that sequestration will affect the Forest
Service’s ability to respond to wildfires this summer,
and Big Sky Fire may have to be more involved in this
effort locally.
“Our call volume has been steadily increasing, putting
a strain on the system,” said Fire Chief Bill Farhat
at the first of the six hearings. Meant to explain the
financial needs and what the mill levy increase would
mean, each of the hearings had only 1-2 attendees
from the public.
Farhat would like to hire several new paramedics, and
also an Assistant Chief.
“We didn’t get masses of people, but it wasn't a wasted
effort,” Farhat said afterward. “We had some great
questions, and it was a good opportunity to talk with
people.”
“If this gets voted down, we’ll continue on and do
our best, but no one can come to me later and say you
didn't tell us,” Farhat said at the hearing. “I’m worried
about it.”
Some of those discussions revolved around a misunderstanding of the department’s funding levels, he
said.
The department has never been given a mill levy
increase, although one was proposed in 2007.
Bring the greater
Yellowstone
to Your doorstep
Even if voters approve the levy, the department will
continue requesting funding from the Big Sky Resort
Tax Board to cover operations and capital needs.
Public comment period on
North Fork proposal extended
USFS accepting input until April 12
GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST
BIG SKY – Due to extensive public
interest in the proposed exchange of
rights on Forest Service roads and trails
in the North Fork drainage, the Gallatin
National Forest has extended the comment period by two weeks, to April 12.
For the past several years, the Forest
Service has been working with landowners and interested parties to resolve
a number of access issues in the North
Fork. This led to a proposal considering
an exchange of existing easements for
new easements to access public land.
Since the proposal involves exchanging rights currently held by the agency
in lieu of new easements, the Forest is
seeking public feedback to determine
how to move forward.
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“We’ve had a great deal of interest
in this proposal and heard from the
public that they would like more time
to look over the proposal, form their
opinion and get responses back to us,”
said Lisa Stoeffler, Bozeman District
Ranger. “Our interest is to hear from
folks before we decide how we’ll move
forward.”
The Forest Service currently holds
full and perpetual public easements
for Forest Road 166B (West Fork Loop
Road), FR 166D (Basin Road), National
Forest Trail #16, and for the North
Fork Trailhead. These easements are on
private lands.
Under the current proposal, the
North Fork Trailhead would serve
both the North Fork Trail #16 and a
new 6.8-mile trail loop that would be
constructed on private land and would
eventually connect to National Forest
Trail #403. The new trail would be located on a perpetual, public, year-round
easement held by a public trail management entity for all non-motorized
public uses, granted by each private
land owner.
The Forest would maintain its easement on FR 166B on the east side of
the loop from Highway 64 to the North
Fork Trailhead, and an easement for
administrative use only from Highway
64 on Forest Roads 166B and 166D to
National Forest System lands on the
west side of the loop, with a reroute
around the home on FR 166B.
Feedback can be submitted to 3710
Fallon Street, Suite C, Bozeman, MT
59718 or to fs-comments-northerngallatin@fs.fed.us (include “FR166B
comments” in the subject line). For
more information and related maps,
visit fs.usda.gov/gallatin or call the
Bozeman Ranger District at (406) 5222520.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
local news
April 5-18, 2013 9
Big Sky School District proposes new elementary school
Floats bond issue to voters
By emily stifler
Big Sky School District proposes
new elementary school
Floats bond issue to voters
By Emily Stifler
BIG SKY – The Big Sky School
District has outgrown its britches
and would like to expand – to do
so, it needs land, and money to
build a new elementary school.
A 23-person facilities planning
committee met once a month
since last August, systematically
addressing the issue. Taking into
consideration district and community needs, as well as the school’s
projected growth, the FCP determined that even with the 2009
completion of Lone Peak High
School, a new elementary school
is necessary.
“Look how many kids are moving
into town, even at the high school
level,” said FCP member Brittany
Ellis, a second grade teacher who
has 19 students in her classroom.
“This is a place where people are
seeking to move because now we
have a full k-12 system.”
To realize the expansion, Supt.
Jerry House has his eye on two,
three-acre lots adjacent to the
district’s 24-acre property, on the
north side.
One of the lots, Lot C, belongs
to the Scott and Traylor families,
who previously acquired and
donated 20 acres to the school
and have now agreed to sell this
lot, pending passage of a proposed
$10.2 million bond, which voters
will decide on May 7.
The second, Lot D, also belonged
to the Scotts and Traylors, but
was donated in 2004 to the Big
Sky Institute, an affiliate of Montana State University that planned
to build an educational facility on
the site.
The Big Sky community raised
more than $1 million in actual and
in-kind donations for BSI, which
spent most of that on operations,
programming, staffing and architectural plans. When the organization cancelled the building project in 2010, the foundation still
had $80,000 of related money in
its accounts.
A group including House, Scott,
Big Sky Resort General Manager
Taylor Middleton, Big Sky School
Board Chairman Loren Bough and
MSU Foundation CEO Michael
Stevenson went through a series
of negotiations this winter, ultimately finding a compromise that
Middleton calls a “win-win.”
Grades k-5 posed for a photo during recess on April 3. Photo by Tyler Busby
“Once Montana State University cancelled plans for the Big Sky Institute,
people in the community thought it
would be the best use of that land to
dedicate it toward education, which
was what the institute was about,”
said Middleton, a former BSI advisory board member.
Under the agreement, the district
would buy Lot D from the MSU
Foundation for $215,000, House
said. That money plus the remaining
$80,000 in BSI funds would go into
an endowment housed by the foundation, from which an annual fee would
be paid back to the district.
“It’s convoluted, but essentially the
community gets the land back for free
over time,” Bough said. “This is the
transaction that puts BSI behind us.”
The proposed facility would have 12
new classrooms, expandable to 16,
a full gym, a satellite kitchen and
library, space for administrative and
counseling offices, and a new parking
lot and playground. It would also be
a place to hold public meetings and
community events, host recreational
sports and adult education and family
classes; additionally, it would give
MSU access to classroom space in Big
Sky.
“This is a long term solution,” said
Ellis. “We’re looking at numbers 10,
15, 20 years out.” She noted that it
would impact not only elementary
school kids, but also middle and high
schoolers by giving each age group its
own space.
If the bond passes, it would cost approximately $21.25 per month for a
person with a $500,000 home.
“A strong school and a strong community are hand-in-glove, they work
together,” House said.
House is hosting an informational
forum about the bond issue on
Wednesday, April 10 at the Rotary
Club meeting at Buck’s T-4 at 5:30
p.m., and an open house at the
school at April 23. Involved community members will be reaching
out via phone to residents to answer
questions after April 22.
Ballots will be mailed to registered
voters in the district on April 22,
and are due to the Gallatin County
Elections office by May 7. For more
information, look in the informational box on page ____.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
VO LKSWAGE N OF BOZ EM AN
42
MPG
17
16
2 LEFT AT THIS PRICE
[HWY]
4
3
TO
CHOOSE
FROM
V31054
299
$
**
2,500
$
0
$
299
$
2,500
$
1.9%
PER MONTH LEASE/
36 MONTHS
10,000 MILES/YEAR
Down Payment
Security Deposit
First Month’s Payment
Due at Signing
26
MPG
TO
CHOOSE
FROM
249
for
OR
66 Months
2013 Volkswagen PASSAT SE 2.5L
[HWY]
$
Lease details: $299 per month lease for 36 months with $2,500 total* due at signing. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Payment based on MSRP of $26,495. 10,000 miles per year, residual amount
$14,211. *Total amount due at signing includes 1st payment, documentation, and acquisition fees, on approved credit. See Dealer for details. Offer ends April 11th, 2013. **VWOA pays 1st payment up to $500.
5
4
31
MPG
2013 Volkswagen JETTA 2.0L TDI
2,251
$
0
$
249
$
2,500
$
V31108
PER MONTH LEASE/
36 MONTHS
10,000 MILES/YEAR
OR
Down Payment
Security Deposit
Due at Signing
0.0%
for
66 Months
Lease details: $249 per month lease for 36 months with $2,500 total* due at signing. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Payment based on MSRP of $26,110. 10,000 miles per year, residual amount
$14,360.50. *Total amount due at signing includes 1st payment, documentation, and acquisition fees, on
approved credit. See Dealer for details. Offer ends April 11th, 2013.
42
MPG
2013 Volkswagen TIGUAN 2.0T S
2012 Volkswagen GOLF TDI
[HWY]
[HWY]
TO
CHOOSE
FROM
229
$
2,271
$
0
$
229
$
2,500
$
V30086
V31040
PER MONTH LEASE/
36 MONTHS
10,000 MILES/YEAR
Down Payment
Security Deposit
Due at Signing
OR
0.9%
28,760
$
for
66 Months
+ Doc Fee
Lease details: $229 per month lease for 36 months with $2,500 total* due at signing. Cannot be
combined with any other offers. Payment based on MSRP of $27,750. 10,000 miles per year, residual
amount $16,095. *Total amount due at signing includes 1st payment, documentation, and acquisition fees,
on approved credit. See Dealer for details. Offer ends April 11th, 2013
*All prices OAC. Not All Buyers Will Qualify. ** EPA estimate www.fueleconomy.gov
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explorebigsky.com
local news
Big Sky Weekly
April 5-18, 2013 11
Housing Ideas Exchange, meeting two
Survey results provide insight into Big Sky’s housing issue
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director kitty Clemens addresses the second housing ideas exchange meeting Photo by Joseph T. O'Connor
By Joseph T. O’Connor
their monthly income on housing.
resident.
“If they’re spending closer to 40 percent, they may
qualify for a loan to buy a house,” Clemens said. “[But
this shows] we don’t have enough housing in lower
price points and have high rental rates. It’s an issue
in Big Sky, but also in the entire country – too many
people have to spend too much of their income on
housing.”
“I believe in the goal of it,” said Kedrowski, who ran
Redleaf out of his Bozeman house before buying office
space at the Health and Fitness building in the Meadow Village. “This is something Big Sky needs.”
Big Sky Weekly Editor
BIG SKY – New data affirms what many residents
already know: It’s hard to find affordable housing in
Big Sky.
A recent survey of people employed in the community
shows that nearly 90 percent of the 150 respondents
say it’s difficult or impossible to find local housing in
their price range.
Kitty Clemens, executive director for the Big Sky
Chamber of Commerce and facilitator of an effort to
address area housing shortages and costs, announced
the survey results on March 27, at the second housing
ideas exchange meeting in the Big Sky Chapel.
The Chamber of Commerce plans to ask the Big Sky
Resort Tax Board for $80,000 this year to fund a housing study, which would necessitate hiring attorneys,
real estate economists and engineers to conduct
research and legal work, Clemens said.
Little has been done since 1996 to address housing
problems after Gallatin County/Big Sky zoning regulations identified a housing shortage, according to Ryan
Hamilton, project manager for Big Sky Town Center.
He supports the $80,000 housing study request.
“Everyone is saying let’s do this, but we need funding,” said Hamilton, who was part of a group that
asked the chamber to act as an impetus to fix the issue.
“The problem is there’s a housing shortage but we
need to identify [specific] problems. The first step is
part of the solution.”
The approximately 25 meeting attendees represented
federal and state government offices and regional development groups, as well as local real estate brokers,
developers and builders.
The survey link initially was posted on the chamber’s
website, printed in the March 22 issue of the Weekly
and distributed via email to those who attended the
first meeting. The survey also asked if the workers in
Big Sky live in the area, what their median income is,
where they spend their money and on what.
According to the survey, 80 percent of respondents
live in Big Sky and spend between 40 and 60 percent of
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on its website defines affordable housing:
The generally accepted definition of affordability is for
a household to pay no more than 30 percent of its annual income on housing. Families who pay more than
30 percent of their income for housing are considered
cost burdened and may have difficulty affording
necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and
medical care.
Kedrowski says he’ll need to hire an employee eventually, and he’s worried about what it will cost him if that
person wants to live in Big Sky.
“An engineer is a professional job, and the reality is I’ll
have to pay them $40,000-$50,000 a year. It’s basically
unaffordable even for professional people making a real
wage to live [in Big Sky] – the people I know that own
here, inherited money.”
Kedrowski now rents out his four-bedroom,
2,000-square foot house in Bozeman, and is leasing a
room in a condo behind Milkie’s bar. He wants to buy a
home in Big Sky, but says he can’t afford it.
“We feel the struggles local residents are having,” said
Denny Lenoir, at the meeting representing U.S. Rep.
Steve Daines, R-Mont. “We need some incentives for
people to live [in Big Sky].”
“I can probably sell my house [in Bozeman] for
$250,000. But a similar house in Big Sky would cost
$100,000 more.”
To get a broader sense of whether Big Sky employees
live in the immediate area or in other places such as
Bozeman and why, Clemens wants more people to fill
out the survey.
The most recent Big Sky home Kedrowski looked into
is a 4-bedroom, 2-story at 500 Rainbow Trout Run with
square footage similar to that of his Bozeman house. The
asking price is $349,000.
“We need to get more respondents who live outside of
Big Sky,” Clemens said, pointing out that the survey is
still available online at research.net/s/bigsky.
Kedrowski says studies, such as the one proposed by the
Chamber of Commerce, have been done before, and that
the money would be better spent by looking at communities such as Jackson, Wyo. and Vail, Colo., and what
solutions they’ve found to provide affordable housing.
At this second housing ideas exchange, Clemens addressed the importance of affordable housing in Big
Sky. “Montanans and visitors value our land and open
spaces,” she said. “We want to encourage development
that discourages sprawl.”
She also set up three subcommittees to focus on
specific local housing issues: development and finance,
inventory, and government zoning and regulations.
These subcommittees will meet separately, addressing
issues pertaining to their specific groups.
Philip Kedrowski, an engineer and owner of Redleaf
Consulting in Big Sky, attended the housing meeting as both a local business owner and a concerned
“If the RTB funds this study, it needs to have action
items,” Kedrowski said. “We already know there’s a
problem. More action, less study.”
Mike Scholz, RTB member and co-owner of Buck’s T-4,
also attended the meeting, anticipating a request for
board funding. Scholz agreed with Kedrowski.
“I want to know what is going to be the result of having
a consultant [conduct a study]. Instead of gathering more
information about the problem, it needs to advance a
solution,” he said. “Resort tax is not just free money – it
needs to be earned.”
header
12 April 5-18, 2013
March 22-April
2013
12
explorebigsky.com
Big 4,
Sky
Weekly
Mill Levy Community Meeting Dates: Monday, March 25 at 9am, 12pm, 6pm & Thursday, March 28 at 9am, 12pm, 6pm
Meetings are held at Big Sky Fire Dept, Station #1
Important Impact of the Proposed 2013 Mill Levy
area serviced
Mutual aid
assistance
Minimum
response needs
Minimal mutual aid assistance
is available due to location
Emergency Medical Services
Low priority incidents
yellowstone club
20+
Big Sky & Hwy
191 from Lava
Lake turnoff –
Yellowstone
National Park
boundary
increasing
call volume
2011
2012
2 people gone 3+ hrs
minutes away
High priority incidents
all others
45+
+7%/yr
+13.6%/yr
June & July +88%
August +54.7%
September +50%
EMS accounts for 70% of
all responses
3 people gone 3+ hrs
minutes away
Fire incidents
automobile accidents
Structure: 4 people required by OSHA,
Min. 2-3 people to treat each patient,
plus 4-6 for extrication, fire suppression &
traffic direction
14+ per NFPA standards (if water is avail,
more needed if no water)
Wildland: 8+ people needed
Current BSFD capabilities 2-3 on duty 24 hrs/day, 18 volunteers (Currently available approximately 6% of time)
M i ll
Levy
Goal
Cost
tax increase
10.362 mills on
taxable value
$450k/
Increase available career
personnel to minimally
safe number =
4
the equation
amount paid
Taxable Value x 10.3632 /
1000 = Amount of New Tax
70% of property taxes paid
by non-resident owners
V x 10.3632/1000 = tax
annually
What does this cost me? Even with proposed increase, Big Sky residents
still pay far less than majority of the county for value of properties protected.
Estimated Monthly Tax
current mill levy comparison
(based on state market value of residential property)
40.79
40.08
39.17
38.88
38.29
22.82
14.97
8.89
Amsterdam
Willow Creek
Sourdough
Bridger
Big Sky
Three Forks
Sedan
Questions or more information?
Contact Big Sky Fire Department,
406-995-2100, www.bigskyfire.org,
wfarhat@bigskyfire.org
Gallatin Gateway
Your vote matters on May 7th
49.25
$12.67/mo
Story Mill
$1,000,000
51.56
$10.14/mo
Hebgen Basin
$800,000
54.5
$7.60/mo
Central Valley Fire
$600,000
68.95
$5.07/mo
Manhattan
$400,000
120.79
$2.53/mo
Gallatin River Ranch
$200,000
Note - The Sourdough
Fire District just added
23.71 mills for the next
15 years to build a
$2.9 million fire station
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Author Rick Bass to deliver MSU's
Stegner Lecture on April 12
MSU News Service
BOZEMAN – Award-winning
author Rick Bass will speak on “The
Landscape of Imagination" when he
delivers Montana State University's
2013 Wallace Stegner Lecture at 7
p.m. on Friday, April 12, in the Museum of the Rockies’ Hager Auditorium.
The event is free and open to the
public, though seating is limited. A
reception will precede the lecture at 6
p.m. in the museum's lobby.
Bass is the author of more than 25
books of fiction and nonfiction, in-
cluding A Thousand Deer, Oil Notes
and Ninemile Wolves. His fiction has
garnered the O. Henry Award, the
Pushcart Prize and the Los Angeles
Times Best Book of the Year Award.
He currently lives in Missoula, and
has toured and recorded with Stellandro, an astral art-folk band.
Bass grew up in the suburbs of Houston, attended school in Utah and
worked for eight years as a petroleum
geologist in Mississippi. In 1987,
he settled in Montana’s remote Yaak
Valley.
The Wallace Stegner Endowed Chair
in Western American Studies at MSU
sponsors the Stegner Lecture, continuing Stegner's legacy by focusing
on teaching and research in history,
literature and philosophy with a
concentration on pressing Western
issues. Past lecturers include Terry
Tempest Williams and Jane Goodall.
Bass will also have a public book
signing at the Country Bookshelf on
April 11 from 6-7:15 p.m.
For tickets and more information,
contact Cassandra Balent at cassandra.
balent@montana.edu or call (406)
994-4396.
regional
April 5-18, 2013 13
Hyalite Road closed April 1-May 15,
non-motorized recreation available
Big Sky area trail closures
Gallatin National Forest
BOZEMAN – The Bozeman Ranger District will close the Hyalite Road to
motorized use from April 1-May 15. Spring thaw causes the road sub-grade
to become saturated with snowmelt, making the asphalt unable to support
the heavy motorized use.
This transition time period does, however, provide opportunity for non-motorized recreationists. “With the start of spring, many recreationalists enjoy
the Hyalite Corridor from a different perspective including bike riding and
hiking,” said Bozeman District Ranger Lisa Stoeffler.
An estimated 10,000 visitors visit Hyalite each month during the winter for
ice climbing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing activities, according to Stoeffler. A partnership between Gallatin County, the Forest Service and Friends of
Hyalite keeps the road plowed throughout winter. Seasonal trail changes will also take effect starting April 1. From that date
until June 15, the Buffalo Horn Trail No. 1, Porcupine Creek Trail No. 34,
and Teepee Creek Trail No. 39, all in Gallatin Canyon south of Big Sky, will
be closed to pack and saddle livestock and mountain bikes. These trails can be
very soft and muddy during spring, and use can cause significantly increased
damage and rutting to the trail and soil. The forest also reminds recreationalists to carry bear spray readily accessible,
because bears are starting to emerge from dens. DISCOUNTED PRICES ON GUIDED TRIPS
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regioanl
14 April 5-18, 2013
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
USFS Final Environmental Impact Statement available for
Gallatin Canyon transmission line upgrade
Construction could start by May
By emily stifler
BOZEMAN – NorthWestern Energy last fall started construction on a new 161-kilovolt transmission line between Four Corners and Big Sky. This
summer the utility plans to continue the work,
rebuilding the approximately 7.5-mile section of
line between the Gallatin River Bridge north of
Spanish Creek and Hell Roaring Creek.
Of the project’s 37 miles, 16 are on National Forest
land. The construction work could start as early as
May – pending a 45-day appeal period that started
March 29 – and is likely to cause traffic delays of
approximately 15 minutes, according to Mariah
Leuschen, Public Affairs Specialist for the Gallatin
National Forest.
Following a public meeting and comment period
last fall, the Forest decided to use existing right-ofways except for two alternative routes near Cave
Creek and Cascade Creek. The new right-of-way
removes the line from recreation residence tracts
(although the distribution line will remain) and
eliminates two transmission line crossings and a
distribution line crossing of the Gallatin River. It “effectively meets the purpose and need to upgrade the existing transmission line while reducing visual and natural impacts surrounding the
Cave and Cascade Recreational Residence Tracts,
the Lava Lake Trailhead and the Gallatin River,”
according to a press release from the Forest Service.
The Gallatin is eligible for protection as a National
Wild and Scenic River.
Line construction will begin at the Castle Rock
Campground, as the line will have to be relocated
for the Montana Department of Transportation’s
Highway Road Widening project, said Butch Larcombe, Corporate Communications with NorthWestern Energy. It will continue northbound and
southbound from Castle Rock through this fall,
and also again for the next two or three summers,
Larcombe said.
Timber clearing will start in June at the Hell
Roaring Creek area and will conclude this fall at
Meadow Village.
The new line will be taller than the current one,
and the insulators will be slightly larger. All of the
new poles in the canyon will be single pole structures.
The Gallatin Valley and Big Sky areas are among
the fastest growing in NorthWestern Energy’s
service territory, and usage exceeds capacity of the
existing 69kV transmission line about 40 percent of the time, according to Claudia Rapkoch, a
spokeswoman for the utility. “[The upgrade is] important for future growth,
and for high-demand situations either brought on
by extremely cold or hot weather, or during ski
season,” Rapkoch said.
The other transmission line feeding into Big Sky
comes into the Lone Mountain substation from
Ennis. As it stands now, Rapkoch said, if a fallen
tree or a wildfire shut down one of the lines
during the busy season, power delivery would be
impacted. In addition, because NorthWestern’s grid is interconnected, all parts of the system must perform
well for the utility to provide reliable power. The upgrade is part of a plan to increase capacity
and reliability for Big Sky that’s already included
the 2010 construction of a new substation in the
Meadow Village. Because the Ennis line is rated
at 161kV but energized at only 69kV, the utility
will eventually install equipment to increase its
capacity, as well.
The entire Gallatin Canyon transmission line
upgrade is expected to cost in the range of $35
million. The charges will be incorporated into
the utility’s rate base, which is regulated by the
Montana Public Service Commission and paid by
all customers. The Forest Service Record of Decision and Final
Environmental Impact Statement are available at
fs.usda.gov/gallatin and at the Bozeman, Belgrade
and Big Sky public libraries.
REAL LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
...THAT WORKS FOR YOU.
liveTHEDREAM.
Craig Smit, Broker
BIG SKY’S REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS
Kevin Butler, Broker
406.581.5751
406.570.3890
|
w w w . l i v e t h e d r e a m b i g s k y . c o m
|
fi nd us o n
regional
March 22-April 4, 2013 15
Tourism dollars up for 2012
Big Sky’s bed tax collections for 2012 had the second highest growth rate in
Montana, with a 13 percent increase. This was the second highest year on record,
behind 2007. The state of Montana’s collections were also up, as were Gallatin
County and most of the Yellowstone region.
Both the Big Sky Convention and Visitors Bureau and the regional tourism
promotion group, Yellowstone Country, are funded by bed tax, so this will have a
direct effect on the local economy.
Gross Lodging Tax revenue
Big Sky Resort Area District
1/1-3/31
$586,612
(+2%)
4/1-6/30
$99,605
(-10%)
7/1-9/30
$282,691
(+55%)
10/1-12/31
$189,634
(+22%)
Total
$1,158,543
(+13%)
Gallatin County
1/1-3/31
$979,343
(+5%)
4/1-6/30
$1,044,946
(+12%)
7/1-9/30
$2,189,366
(+11%)
10/1-12/31
$620,749
(+11%)
Total
$4,834,404
(+10%)
State of Montana
1/1-3/31
$3,526,177
(+10%)
4/1-6/30
$5,241,135
(+14%)
7/1-9/30
$9,730,484
(+8%)
10/1-12/31
$3,520,750
(+8%)
Total
$22,018,546
(+10%)
Rural Montana teachers
eligible for student loan
repayment program
THE WEST MAY BE WILD,
but it’s not uncivilized
OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
HELENA – Teachers at Ophir Elementary, Lone Peak High and the schools
in West Yellowstone may be eligible for student loan repayment assistance
through the Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program.
“This program allows our rural communities to attract and retain quality
teachers, which is critical to the continued success of our students,” said
Montana Supt. of Public Instruction Denise Juneau.
Teachers in the following academic areas will be considered: special education, career and technical education, music, math, English, science, school
counselor, speech-language pathologist, library and art. This is the sixth year
of the program and applications are due by April 30.
Student loan repayment assistance up to $3,000 a year is available for the
next four years – for a total of up to $12,000. Last year, 166 teachers were
awarded $494,890 in student loan repayment assistance. This is the sixth
year of the program.
“We really want teachers who are eligible to apply so we can get the loan assistance out to teachers who need it,” Allyson Hagen of the Office of Public
Instruction told the Weekly.
The Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program, a division of the Commissioner’s Office of Higher Education, administers the program. Completed
applications must be submitted by April 30. Apply online at mgslp.org.
Spring Staycation
As the season winds down, now is the perfect
time to treat yourself to a staycation getaway
at Rainbow Ranch Lodge. Starting at just
$125 per night in April just for locals!*
Call 1.800.937.4132 for reservations
and mention “Staycation”.
Two for One Entrées in The Restaurant
Thanks for another fabulous winter season! Join us for
dinner April 13 and 14 and enjoy two for one entrées.
Through April 14: Open Wednesday - Sunday
April 15 - June 13: Closed
June 14 - October 6th: Open Tuesday - Sunday
Dinner 5:30pm to 9:30pm • Bar 5pm to 9:30pm • Happy Hour 5pm to 6pm
Offer valid April 13 - 14, 2013. Complimentary entrée must be of equal or lesser value.
*Offer valid for new bookings; subject to availability; blackout dates apply; pre-paid, non-refundable, and non-transferrable.
rainbowranchbigsky.com • 1.800.937.4132
Five miles south of Big Sky entrance on Hwy 191
16 April 5-18, 2013
header
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
L&K PREMIER LISTINGS
ON THE RIVER...
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ON THE SLOPES...
LUXURY SUITE AT MOONLIGHT BASIN - $879,000
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LOT 192 AT YC - $1,800,000
Located in Yellowstone Club, this 2.74 acre lot has unbelievable
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CABIN IN THE WOODS...
SPANISH PEAKS CABIN - $1,380,000
Surrounded by open space and resting in an already built-out area, this
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MOUNTAIN MEADOWS - $3,495,000
A magnificent piece of Montana: 120+/- acres with spectacular
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Real Estate Brokerage, Consulting & Development
4 0 6 - 9 9 5 - 2 4 0 4 • L K R E A L E S TAT E . C O M
For more information or
private showings contact:
406-995-2404
Ryan Kulesza – 406-539-4666
Eric Ladd – 406-570-0639
All information given is considered reliable, but because it has been supplied by third parties, we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete, and should not be relied upon as such. These offerings are subject to errors, omissions, and
changes including price or withdrawal without notice. All rights reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity. ©2013 LK REAL ESTATE, llc. lkrealestate.com
explorebigsky.com
April 5-18, 2013 17
Big Sky Weekly
Section 2:
business, health and environment
Volume 4 // Issue No. 6
The perfect pairing
Fly fishing and fine wine at The Ranch at Rock Creek
The Ranch at Rock Creek 's combination of access and isolation is singular among Montana guest ranches. Photo courtesy of the Ranch at Rock Creek
story and photos By Eric Ladd
big sky weekly staff writer
A late March weekend escape to The Ranch at Rock
Creek would always be a pleasure; add a three-day
wine and fly-fishing event and you have a Montana
paradise: Wine on the Fly. Third-generation winemaker and passionate fisherman, Brian Lamborn,
founded Wine on the Fly, and 2013 was the first year
the event came to The Ranch at Rock Creek.
The combination of an intimate setting, talented
Napa winemakers, four miles of private fishing
waters on Rock Creek and the hospitality of a Relais
Chateaux resort made for an unforgettable weekend.
Chef Drage painstakingly created custom dinners to
pair with each wine.
Night one featured wine from Lamborn Family
Vineyards, a Howell Mountain Napa winery that
touts Heidi Barrett as the winemaker. Brian Lamborn’s laidback style and diehard passion for fishing
made his presentation of the vineyard’s prized reds
entertaining and sincere. With four generations of
the Lamborn Family now helping with the operation, this label is becoming known for quality reds.
Night two was presented by Marc and Janice Mondavi of Charles Krug vineyard. The Mondavi family
needs no introduction at a wine event – they own
the first vineyard established in Napa Valley – and
having Marc Mondavi present in a small restaurant
setting was a treat. Mondavi’s wine presentation of
Continued on p. 18
Janice Mondavi and her “double catch,” an 8-inch Rainbow trout and a 26-inch Bull.
Three ‘favorite’ wines from the
weekend:
2011 – Charles Krug, Chardonnay, Carneros
Paired with Olive Oil-Poached Neah Bay
Sable Fish, this quality wine was a match
made in heaven.
2008 – Lamborn Vintage VI, Cabernet Sauvignon
Like Lamborn’s Zinfandel, this is a 100 percent
varietal (all Cab, not a blend) and is 100 percent estate-grown (Mr. Lamborn still does all
of the farming himself). It’s a big cabernet, yet
elegant in style.
2006 – Von Strasser – Estate Vineyard,
Cabernet Sauvignon
Bold wine that helps explain the complex
nature of Diamond Mountain wines; amazing
when paired with elk steak.
The Mondavi vineyards are the oldest in Napa Valley.
18 April 5-18, 2013
The Ranch at rock creek
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Continued from p. 17
the Charles Krug label, paired with a five-course fish
dinner, was full of stories and tales from his family’s
wine history.
Night three concluded with Austrian wine maker
Rudy von Strasser of the von Strasser Winery. His
Diamond Mountain vineyard and winery mixes
quality, science and passion and is a must-stop for
any Napa goer. When von Strasser wasn’t recounting tales of his Grateful Dead touring days, he told
of his journey into winemaking and the comrade
scene of the Napa winemakers.
The Ranch at Rock Creek is a 6,000-acre private
lodge touted as one of the finest guest ranches in the
world. Guests enjoy activities from sporting clays,
to horseback riding, to a four-lane bowling alley.
The Silver Dollar Saloon, on-property, is a magnet
for late-night pool games, movies showings in the
private theater and bar tales. Year-round hospitality
and an all-inclusive approach under the experienced
management of Marc and Thomas Kilgore assures
guests the stay of a lifetime.
Winemaker Rudy von Strasser shows off his pool
skills at the Silver Dollar Saloon,
The saloon's four-lane bowling alley
Photo courtesy of the ranch at rock creek
As the weekend came to a close, negotiations were
already underway for scheduling the 2014 Wine on
the Fly. Dates will be announced soon, and there’s
a strong chance it will return to The Ranch at Rock
Creek. Reserve your seat and rod before it’s too late.
Links:
Lamborn Family Vineyards – lamborn.com
Charles Krug – charleskrug.com
Von Strasser Winery – vonstrasser.com
The Ranch at Rock Creek – theranchatrockcreek.com
The hosts (L to R) Rudy von Strosser, Maja and Thomas Kilgore, Janice Mondavi and Brian Lamborn
The Silver Dollar Saloon provides a comfortable, authentically Western ambiance and an abundance of entertainment options. Photo courtesy of the ranch at rock creek
YELLOWSTONE CLUB AND CONTINENTAL CONSTRUCTION PRESENT
JULY 31 &
AUGUST 1, 2013
PBR’S BEST COWBOYS & BULLS
TICKETS ON SALE JUNE 10
BUY TICKETS ONLINE AT EXPLOREBIGSKY.COM
BECOME A SPONSOR CALL 406-995-2055 TO JOIN IN
20 April 5-18, 2013
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Big Sky Weekly
The Return of Tiger
By Brandon Niles
Big sky weekly sports columnist
Say what you want about Tiger
Woods, but the world’s most famous
golfer is back on top of the world
rankings following his eighth victory
at the Arnold Palmer Invitational
at Bay Hill. Woods’ career has had a
resurgence over the past year from a
slump that began in late 2010 after a
series highly publicized affairs ended
his marriage.
This is the first time Woods, 37, has
held the No. 1 world ranking since
October 2010 and many questioned
whether his dominance in professional
golf was over. He is arguably the
greatest golfer in history and currently
ranks second all-time in major victories, needing four more to tie legend
Jack Nicklaus. Woods also ranks second in career PGA victories, only five
behind Sam Snead.
At one point, it was widely accepted
that breaking these records was just
a matter of time for Woods. After all,
in his first five years on tour, he’d
already won six majors. However,
this discussion waned since his game
spiraled downhill, and those four
major victories needed to tie Nicklaus
seemed further and further out of
reach.
Now, Woods is back in the discussion.
Though he hasn’t won a major since
the 2008 U.S. Open, and injuries and
personal issues have tainted his game
since, he’ll enter the 2013 Masters
tournament as the clear favorite to don
the green jacket once again.
It’s hard to ignore that Woods’ resur-
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gence coincides
with news that he’s
started a relationship with Lindsey
Vonn, the famous
skier, Olympic gold
medal winner, and
four-time World
Cup champion.
Woods and Vonn,
28, have announced
their relationship to
the public recently,
and I believe these
two things are connected.
Sure, Woods was injured and made a
few drastic changes to his swing along
the way, and his marriage couldn’t
have been stable, considering the associated infidelity. Still, with the public
loving him as a family man and someone to look up to, Woods was able to
focus on golf and leave the publicity
behind him. After all, he was a golden
child from the moment he appeared
on The Mike Douglas Show at age 3 as
a golf prodigy. The marriage trouble
was the first real struggle he had in the
public eye and until then, he was one
of the world’s most beloved athletes.
After his home life fell apart and public perception deteriorated, Woods’
game struggled as well. Now Woods
has a new relationship with a person
America loves. Vonn is a titan of her
sport, much like Woods, and has become the face of alpine skiing. The two
are already being considered a “power
couple” (whatever that means), and
the Internet is a flutter with happy
photos of them, and optimistic tweets.
It will be interesting to see how
Woods does moving forward, but his
game seems to be on the right track
and his personal life is back in the media for positive reasons. Furthermore,
his main competition is Rory McIlroy, who’s struggling so far this year,
and even withdrew from The Honda
Classic last month due to a toothache
(read: temper tantrum) after beginning
the tournament seven shots over par.
With negativity surrounding McIlroy,
the timing is perfect for Woods to
regain his position as the world’s most
revered golfer. He just needs to keep
winning, and stay faithful.
Brandon Niles has done online freelance writing about sports since 2007,
and co-hosts the 2 Guys Podcast. With
a Masters in Communication Studies
from the University of North Carolina
Greensboro, Niles is also an avid Miami
Dolphins fan, which has led to his becoming an avid Scotch whisky fan over the
past decade.
Russell wins third in Level
4 state gymnastics meet
By emily stifler
BOZEMAN – Big Sky resident Elise
Russell, 11, won third place at the Level
4 state gymnastics meet, hosted by Lone
Mountain Gymnastics
March 23-24 at Montana State University.
This was the fifth
grader’s first year of
competition. At the
state meet, Russell participated in floor, beam,
vault and bars.
derstands winning and losing gracefully.
I would love all gymnasts to show the
traits Elise exemplifies every day."
Russell has practiced three days a week,
for three hours each session, all year.
She started recreational
gymnastics at age 7
while living in Illinois,
and participated in
Jolene Budeski’s program when the family
moved to Big Sky in
2009.
"My favorite part of
gymnastics would be
flips,” Russell said.
Lucky for her, this
summer will include
the Flip Fest camp in
Tennessee, another in
California, as well as an
intense practice schedule at Lone Mountain. "I was nervous at first,
but I had a fun time,"
she said. "Honestly, I
didn’t know I would
win, but knew if I lost
Elise Russel shows her third
I could try again next
place gymnastics award. Photo
courtesy of Chrissan Russel
year. I knew if I won it
would be awesome, and
I needed to be thankful
to my coaches for getting me there."
Russell competed in five meets this year
including the state meet in Bozeman.
Her coach, Deila Harvey of Lone
There, her scores were: vault – 9.225,
Mountain Gymnastics, complimented
bars – 9.2, beam – 8.8 and floor – 9.1, givRussell’s positive attitude.
ing her an all around score of 36.325.
"[Elise] walks into every practice with
a smile on her face, and she is ready to
work,” Harvey said. “She is kind to all
of her teammates and is an excellent
example of good sportsmanship. She un-
Russell also placed "all around" in her
division at prior meets as follows: Helena and the Bozeman Blitz – fourth,
Missoula – sixth and Coeur D'Alene
– seventh. explorebigsky.com
header
Big Sky Weekly
April 5-18, 2013 21
D E V E L O P M E N T O P P O RT U N I T I E S N OW AVA I L A B L E
Residential & Commercial
COTTONWOOD
CROSSING
$736,000
TOWN CENTER
AVENUE WEST PHASE
Residential development opportunity –
multi-family
• 23 residential entitlements
• 2 triplex foundations installed
• Site plan for finishing development
• Utilities installed into site (as-built
utility plans included)
• All SFE’s included
9,757 sq. ft - Contract Pending
Block 5 Lot D1
Finished condo
• 3 bedroom/2.5 bath
• 1,854 sq.ft.
• Custom interior finishes
• Located in Town Center and within
walking distance to shops, restaurants
and parks
Completed commercial space for sale
with established tenants
•
•
Within the amazing Big Sky Town
Center core
Two story commercial building
with established tenants
Frontage on Hwy 64 (Lone
Mountain Trail)
$292,500
•
•
Unit/Pricing
102: $537,662 – 1,595 sq/ft
103: $394,410 – 1,170 sq/ft
104: $405,924 – 1,204 sq/ft
201: $489,465 – 1,452 sq/ft
202: $325,596 - 966sq/ft
203: $365,760 - 1,085sq/ft
(Last unit available for lease)
205: $369,509 - 1,096sq/ft
Commercial Development Opportunity
•
•
•
Cottonwood Crossing Unit 9
$350,000
Block 5 Lot B1
BUILDING
•
•
•
•
Adjacent to movie-theater and
restaurant
0.14 acres - 5,913sq.ft.
84.47’ (street front) by 70’ (depth)
Including 4,500 sq.ft. of commercial
entitlements
SFE’s included
Parking lot paved, illuminated
Utilities to lot
Town Center Avenue location
Block 5 Lot E1
$405,000
Commercial Development Opportunity
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
0.14 acres - 5,913 sq. ft.
84.47’ (street front) by 70’ (depth)
Including 5,000 sq. ft. of commercial
entitlements
Including 4 residential entitlements
for 2nd level units
SFE’s included
Parking lot paved, illuminated
Utilities to lot
Town Center Avenue location
Ladd, Kulesza & Company
For more information or
private showings contact:
Real Estate Brokerage, Consulting & Development
406-995-2404
4 0 6 - 9 9 5 - 2 4 0 4 • L K R E A L E S TAT E . C O M
MARKET PLACE
Ryan Kulesza – 406-539-4666
Eric Ladd – 406-570-0639
All information given is considered reliable, but because it has been supplied by third parties, we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete, and should not be relied upon as such. These offerings are subject to errors, omissions, and
changes including price or withdrawal without notice. All rights reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity. ©2013 LK REAL ESTATE, llc. lkrealestate.com
22 April 5-18, 2013
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Big Sky Weekly
BSSEF, BSF compete in Sun Valley
The Northern Division, consisting
of all Montana ski racing clubs, sent
the top 32 under-14 boys and girls
to compete at the U-14 Tri-Divisional Championship races March
21-24 in Sun Valley, Idaho.
This was the first time these athletes had the opportunity to race
outside of their division and teams
from Sun Valley; Park City and
Salt Lake City, Utah; Jackson Hole,
Thursday, March 21 – Slalom
Women:
Madison Winters (BSSEF) – 15th,
1.45.10
Erin Petit (BSF) – 19th, 1.46.02
Men:
Sam Saarel (BSF) – 47th, 1.11.74
Friday, March 22 – Giant Slalom
Women:
Alexa Coyle (BSSEF) – 3rd, 1.40.33
Erin Petit (BSF) – 4th, 1.40.85
Megan Petitt (BSF) – 20th, 1.45.81
Julia Matelich (BSF) – 25th, 1.47.08
2.01.63
Valerie Hetherington (BSSEF) – 74th,
2.08.35
Men:
Jacob Drake (BSF) – 14th, 1.46.80
Kyle Wills (BSSEF) – 30th, 1.51.72
Wyo.; and Alaska showed up for
the event.
Racers competed in Slalom, Giant
Slalom and Super G.
Alexa Coyle, who races for Big Sky Ski
Education Foundation and trains with
Bridger Ski Foundation, had the best
finishes of the Northern athletes with
third in Giant Slalom and second in
Super G.
Sunday March 23 – Super G
Women:
Alexa Coyle (BSSEF) – 2nd, 53.52
Erin Petit (BSF) – 7th, 56.16
Megan Petit (BSF) – 21st, 58.81
Julia Matelich (BSF) – 23rd, 58.85
Libby O'Donnell (BSF) – 33rd,
1.00.57
Valerie Hetherington (BSSEF) – 68th,
1.04.70
Mackenzie Winters (BSSEF) – 69th,
1.04.80
1.10.02
Men:
Jacob Drake (BSF) – 33rd, 59.75
Joe Olson (BSSEF) – 46th, 1.01.14
Kyle Wills (BSSEF) – 75th, 1.05.18
For full race results, visit northernussa.org/calendar/index.html
Top: Madison Winters Bottom: Alexa Coyle Photos by Ron Winters
Local athletes show their worth at Moonlight Basin freeskiing competition
Headwaters winners : Ruby Speth, Micah Robin, Gracely Speth and Nehalam
Manka show off their medals following the Headwaters Spring Runoff awards.
MOONLIGHT BASIN – The eighth annual Headwaters Spring Runoff, now an International Freeskiing Association junior-sanctioned event, was held at
Moonlight Basin on March 30 under sunny skies.
More than 80 junior athletes from around the
region – including skiers from Jackson Hole, Red
Lodge and Whitefish – competed in the event.
Nearly all the Big Sky Freeride program athletes
competed, along with Big Sky Ski Education Foundation racers, and the Bridger and Moonlight Basin
freeride teams.
Lone Peak High School sophomore Micah Robin
earned first place in the boys’ 15-18-year-old division for the second year in a row, linking up a num-
Jackson Wade, D Raden, Howie Robin, Kate Middleton, Gracely Speth and Jackson Raden Photos courtesy of Big Sky Freeride TEam
ber of natural features and outpacing the competition to keep his title.
Ophir sixth grader Kodi Boersma, on the podium
in second place.
Big Sky Freeride member Ruby Speth, of Bozeman,
skied a challenging line to earn a trip to the podium
in second place, following IFSA nationally ranked
Erin Kempt of Bridger Freeride team in the girls’
15-18 Division. Gracely Speth finished in third
place in the girls’ 12-14 division.
Big Sky alpine racer and Ophir fourth grader Caleb Unger also employed an aggressive race style
en route to a second-place finish in the boys’ 11
and under division.
A number of young Big Sky alpine racers competing
in their first freeride competition displayed strong
technique, as well. Skiing a technically challenging line while hitting numerous airs, Ophir fourth
grader Nehalem Manka placed first in the girls’
under-11 division, accompanied by fellow racer and
The season-culminating IFSA Invitational Junior
North American Freeride Championships will
be held next week in Revelstoke, B.C. Many BSF
skiers qualified for this season-ending championship, but due to extenuating circumstances,
Gracely Speth will be the team’s lone representative in Canada.
health
Santosha Wellness Center hosting
community cleanse
Rejuvenate with whole foods detox
By Callie Stolz
Santosha Wellness Center
Spring is in the air! This is a time to rejuvenate, refresh and renew. Santosha Wellness Center is hosting a seven- or 14-day
whole foods cleanse in early May for the
community. This is not about starvation
and deprivation; it’s about a healthy detox,
eating whole foods and being good to
yourself. It’s an opportunity to reboot and
reset your digestive system.
Around here we often call the spring
“mud season,” whereas in an Ayurvedic
perspective – which is a system of traditional Indian medicine and holistic healing – it’s called the Kapha season. Spring
has qualities of earth and water, as does
the Kapha dosha – one of three bodily
humors that make up one's constitution,
according to Ayurveda.
This is a time in which the world around
us begins to thaw from winter. Just as the
Earth tends to hold onto a bit more water
during this time, so do our bodies. We
tend to have excess mucus in our respiratory and digestive tracks, and may end up
getting wet colds or have allergies during
this season.
Ayurveda’s answer to this is to detoxify
our bodies. By shifting our diets with the
season, eating drier and lighter foods, we
naturally begin the detoxification process.
Our bodies are built to detoxify us every
day; however, as our world becomes
more processed and toxic and our stress
levels rise, it’s increasingly difficult for
our bodies to do the necessary work. As
toxins build up, we become susceptible to
a depressed immune system and disease.
Put on a
few extra
pounds this
season?
An effort in spring cleaning can be a great
way to work towards a healthy, happier
you. You can do this by consciously eating
whole foods and Ayurvedic cleansing
foods, as well as taking certain herbs to
reboot your digestive system, release
addictions and unhealthy patterns, and
start fresh.
THE DETAILS
Callie Stolz, Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist,
will be leading a two-week community
cleanse beginning on May 1. There will be
an opportunity to do just the first or second week, or both. Stolz will offer yoga
detox classes daily in combination with
the cleanse, which will aid the process.
Find out more about the basic principles
of Ayurveda and cleansing during Santosha’s Awareness Wednesday seminars
April 10 and 24, at 7:30 p.m. For more
information visit santoshabigsky.com,
email callie@santoshabigsky.com or call
(406) 993-2510.
Join us at Big Sky’s only
full-service workout facility
Open 5 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. 7 days a week
Day, week and year-long memberships available
visit ozssage.com/gym.php for details
32 Market Place, Meadow Village, Big Sky (406) 995-4522
I
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APR
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Live Music Schedule
Thursday, April 4 The Bottom of the Barrel - 9 p.m.
Saturday, April 6 Jeff Belino - 5-7 p.m.
Sunday, April 7 Big Water - 5-7 p.m.
Thursday, April Eric Wink - 5-7 p.m.
OPEN DAILY AT 11:30 A.M.
LUNCH & DINNER
LOCATED IN THE BIG SKY
TOWN CENTER
big sky, montana 406-995-3830
2012 BEST OF BIG SKY - VOTED BEST BURGER AND BEST PLACE TO GRAB A DRINK!
24 April 5-18, 2013
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Big Sky Weekly
The Club at Spanish Peaks: Explaining the bankruptcy timeline
BIG SKY – There hasn’t been much
public news concerning the Club
at Spanish Peaks since its Chapter 7
bankruptcy filing in October 2011,
when the club laid off more than 100
employees and closed its club operations. But work to find a buyer has been
ongoing behind the scenes, and now
the moss is beginning to come off this
slowly rolling stone.
Ross Richardson, the trustee appointed
to oversee the club’s property and other
assets, and Eastdil Secured, the brokerage Richardson hired to market and sell
those assets, have laid out a timeline
that was approved by the Montana
bankruptcy court in Butte on March 5.
In doing so, they set dates for three
significant events that will decide the
future of the 5,300-acre private ski and
golf community.
The first, April 19, is the deadline
for interested parties to submit stalking horse bids, setting the bar against
which subsequent bids will be measured. Next, on May 2, Richardson
will choose one of these initial bids as
the stalking horse – the highest or most
qualified. Finally, on June 3, an auction
will take place in the bankruptcy court
in Butte, where potential buyers will
place their final bids on the club.
The Weekly surveyed the players in
order to explain the terms, timeline,
and significance of events surrounding this complex sale.
What is a stalking horse bid?
A stalking horse bid is a way to test
the market in a bankruptcy case. The
trustee chooses this initial bid to
maximize the worth of the debtor’s
assets and uses it as a template for
future bids.
Essentially, it’s buyer protection, says
J. Thomas Beckett, a Salt Lake City
lawyer retained by the Spanish Peaks
ad hoc group to follow the case.
“The stalking horse offer goes in the
lead and takes the risk, but they’re
recompensed.”
In bankruptcy cases, bidders incur
due diligence, including research,
fees associated with lawyers and
other expenses. The stalking horse
advantage is twofold:
- First, the bidder receives overbid
protection, which requires a future
bidder to put forth a bid equal to
that of the stalking horse, plus 2.5
percent.
- Second, the stalking horse bidder
receives a breakup fee of 2 percent
of the bid. This compensates him for
fees incurred through due diligence
and incentivizes groups to obtain the
initial bid.
Bankruptcy: Chapter 11 versus
Chapter 7
Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy
Code – which is the process both the
Yellowstone Club and Moonlight
Basin went through in recent years
– permits any company to reorganize
under its original management, if unable to pay debts or pay off creditors.
“It’s a lot more expensive,” said J.
Thomas Beckett, “In Chapter 11
bankruptcy, the debtor pays for its
own lawyers [as well as] lawyers for
the unsecured creditors committee.”
Secured lenders or creditors, such
as Oaktree, in the Club at Spanish
Peaks’ Chapter 7 case, have collateral,
Beckett said, by essentially owning
the property. This type of bankruptcy
requires debtors to pay off creditors
through the sale of assets – everything is liquidated.
But the Club at Spanish Peaks is
an atypical Chapter 7, according to
Beckett, who represented the unsecured creditors committee in the
Yellowstone Club’s 2008 Chapter 11
bankruptcy case. The ad hoc group
wants the Club at Spanish Peaks to
sell as a single entity.
“[In this case,] you’re not liquidating
by chopping [the club] up and selling
it in pieces,” he said. “The trustee and
Eastdil are very smart. Everyone understands this needs to sell as a whole
– as an operating, successful club.”
Trap Release Workshop
how to keep your dog safe in the woods
In January 2012, the Spanish Peaks’
bankruptcy case was moved from a
court in Delaware to one in Montana.
Until then, the trustee in the Delaware case was working toward liquidating assets at the club, according to
the Montana trustee, Richardson.
At this point, Richardson expects
buyers to bid for the entire club,
because the whole club is worth more
than the sum of its assets.
The Spanish Peaks ad hoc group represents 83 percent of the 180 current
club members. Each ad hoc member
paid $1,500 for Beckett to represent
the group’s interests.
The deal
PHOTO BY CHRIS DAVIS
Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m.
In the Outlaw Partners conference room above Grizzly Outfitters
Workshop will provide a description of common traps, regulations and
practice releasing a trap.
Face value on The Club at Spanish
Peaks’ debt is more than $122 million, according to Richardson, who
will likely take the highest offer for
the assets. But the sale could go for as
low as $20 million, which is the floor
price the secured lenders set under an
agreement with Richardson.
“Nobody’s going to buy [the Club
at Spanish Peaks] for $120 or $130
million,” Richardson said. “Not anywhere near. It’s not worth [that much
money].”
The players
Brokerage – Eastdil Secured,
international real estate investment company
Trustee – Ross Richardson, real
estate lawyer in Butte, appointed as trustee in January 2012
Secured lenders – Consortium
of banks led by Oaktree Capital
Management, an investment
management firm headquartered in Los Angeles
Members – The Club at Spanish Peaks’ ad hoc group, a
150-member Spanish Peaks
homeowners group
Lawyer for members – J. Thomas
Beckett, lawyer retained by ad
hoc group in October 2011
Bidders – unknown
If that minimum price of $20 million isn’t met, the secured lenders
can choose to accept a lower bid or
assume ownership of the club, said
John Romney, a member of a steering
committee representing the ad hoc
members group.
According to court documents, Richardson will receive a $750,000 “carve
out” from the secured lenders once
a sale is finalized. This money will
come out of the total sale of the property and will be used to pay administrative costs and court and lawyer
expenses, including Richardson, as
well as Eastdil for its work initiating a
sale. Some money is expected to go to
unsecured lenders.
If the property sells for more than
$20 million, secured lenders will
add 2 percent of any additional sale
money to the carve out, which could
go to unsecured creditors, pending
the amount of Richardson’s trustee
fee. At print time, Richardson was
unavailable for comment.
While it’s unknown who will put in
for a stalking horse bid or bid at the
auction, sources close to the situation say there could be as many as 10
interested parties.
“There is a good bit of interest in the
offering,” affirmed Randall Evans,
managing director of Eastdil Secured.
“Fortunately, the second-home market is coming back across the country.
Some people had the expectation that
no one would show up to bid [for the
Club at Spanish Peaks], but that’s not
the case.”
Because of the complexity of the sale,
Romney isn’t as optimistic.
“I think there will be interest but not
a lot of bids,” he said. “It will probably cost a half a million bucks for due
diligence, and [prospective bidders]
only have a month to do it.”
This is an ongoing story in the Weekly,
which will feature subsequent installments as information becomes available.
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Big Sky Weekly
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26 April 5-18, 2013
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Big Sky Weekly
Copper Whiskey Bar and Grill:
Whiskey and Montana meet in Bozeman
The Dirty Shame to play Grand Opening
Photo by joseph t. O'connor
BOZEMAN – The smell of sawdust fills the air, dim
light muted by dark wood and brick walls in Copper,
Bozeman’s only whiskey bar and grill. A thick wall
divides the long bar and lounge from the dining room
in the large space below the Sweet Chili Asian Bistro
at 101 East Main Street.
Employees sweep, roll silverware and wipe down
the tables, some reconstructed from old wooden pig
troughs from a ranch in Big Timber. Each table is
branded with a capital C.
Although the establishment opened its doors March
25, the crew is preparing for Copper’s Grand Opening on April 12, when the Dirty Shame will break in
these burly, refurbished walls.
Managing partners Jay Thane and Jon Slye, both
34, sit at a tall bar table, talking plans for the fully
renovated, 4,000-square-foot basement room on the
corner of Main and Black in downtown Bozeman. It
feels like a Montana whiskey bar.
“We wanted a place where locals would feel comfortable,” Thane said, “and a place where tourists would
say, ‘Alright, this is Montana.’”
The name Copper was one Thane and Slye came up
with based on its importance both in Montana and in
the distilling process.
In the 19th century, copper mining was a major
industry in Montana, due to the advent of electricity.
Boomtowns popped up and some, like Butte, played
major roles in state history. The metal continues to be
used today for whiskey distillation, because it reacts
to molecules in the alcohol, keeping the distillate
sweet.
RoughStock, Montana’s first whiskey distillery since
Prohibition, is located in Bozeman; it uses copper
stills for its whiskey mash.
“We had never been to a distillery until we went to
RoughStock in 2008,” said Slye, who recalled sitting
at the Bacchus with Thane discussing the idea of a
whiskey bar. “We were talking about how whiskey is
awesome, and it’s such a growing trend.”
Between them, Thane and Slye have more than 30
years of restaurant experience. They worked together
previously as managers at the Bacchus Pub, and felt it
was time for a change. They made it quickly.
Whisky or whiskey?
Whisky made in Scotland is called Scotch whisky,
as it is today. After the English Malt Tax of 1775
forced many Scottish distilleries to shut down, the
Irish began more distilleries and translated the
word, adding an “e.”
The U.S. kept the “e,” making American whiskey
spelled as such. Canada’s spirit is “whisky.”
Different distillation processes also separate the styles.
In December, they signed a lease for the space and
began the demolition process on Jan. 1.
The new establishment currently offers 77 different
types of whiskey, including variations on Thane’s
favorite, rye, and Slye’s, Scotch.
Thane and Slye, who both appreciate good whiskey,
noticed the bars popping up around the country,
catering to connoisseurs from New York to Seattle.
“The kitchen had to go down to studs, and we had to
install new sheetrock,” Thane said. “We [basically]
tore everything out of the front of the house.”
Try a taste of High West Double Rye, a smooth and
spicy rye whiskey, or jump on the Scotch train, for an
Oban or Macallan single-malt.
“Whiskey itself has obviously been around for a
while, but people are getting into it more now than
before Prohibition,” he said.
They added a 45-foot-long bar they say could be the
longest in Bozeman, and a private whiskey room,
which seats up to 14.
Lew Bryson, managing editor at Whisky Advocate, a
whiskey magazine out of Emmaus, Penn., noticed the
trend as well.
Copper’s feel is upscale-casual, and the bar and grill
offers everything from Rainier beer in a can for $2 to
Scotch whisky for $30 a glass.
The partners plan to have 100 whiskey options before
long, training their staff of 55 in the elegance and
complexity of the spirit that spurred the establishment. Both rare and common whiskeys grace the bar,
including RoughStock, Bullitt, Caol Ila and hopefully Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve, the rare,
small-batch bourbon from Frankfort, Ky.
“There are many more whiskey bars in American
today than when we started covering whiskey in
1996,” Bryson said. “[And] there are more than there
were in 2005.”
“We want this balance [of customers],” Thane said.
“[Copper] is like the bar in your basement – it’s a giant
man-cave.”
The Dirty Shame
The Dirty Shame will take the stage at Copper Whiskey Bar and
Grill’s Grand Opening at 9 p.m. on Friday, April 12, for a free show.
Thane says it was a no-brainer to bring in the Bozeman-based
band with an outlaw-country sound.
“They’re the perfect fit for our grand opening,” he said. “They’re
a whole bunch of fun and just fit the whole whiskey/Montana
theme we’re going for.”
In addition, Copper offers a wide menu including
burgers, steaks, salmon and barbeque. Chef Scottie
Burton even prepares lobster roll sliders and deviled
eggs topped with lobster and caviar, and smokes his
own barbeque for brisket sandwiches and rib specials.
But for Thane and Slye, it all comes back to the whiskey, and they’re enjoying the ride.
“We are going through so much whiskey right now
– bourbon and rye, everything,” Thane said. “People
are just loving it. It’s really fun too, that Bozeman is
into the concept.”
business profile
Troubleshooting tomorrow
Gallatin Growth Solutions aims
to help guide development in
southwest Montana
By Sean Forbes
Big Sky Weekly Contributor
BOZEMAN – Wendy Weaver
doesn’t have a crystal ball full of
answers.
She does, however, have a different perspective on urban growth
and development in the Gallatin
Valley and southwest Montana.
Refusing to accept that characteristics like sprawl and waste and long
commutes are just part of the deal,
Weaver is putting her engineering
talents to the test in trying to unite
the area’s various efforts aimed at
responsible, sustainable expansion.
“I started to get burnt out on engineering, and I started to realize
the importance of sustainability,”
said Weaver, a civil engineer who
graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman. “So, long story
short, I started to move into the
field of sustainability and started
looking at it through the lens of an
engineer.”
As a result, in May of 2008 Weaver
created Gallatin Growth Solutions, a collaborating network of
area engineers, builders, planners
and other professionals looking to
provide answers to the inevitable
issues that accompany a large influx of people.
“I’ve traveled the world enough to
know that we have a really special
place here,” Weaver said. “And
so that’s part of what drives me to
want to protect it.”
Prior to the recent recession, Gallatin County was one of the fastest
growing in the U.S. – “exploding
at the seams,” as Weaver described.
That rate of development, in combination with an expectation that it
will continue, poses some serious
questions for city and county officials – for example, will there be
enough water for everyone?
“I like to believe that we can be proactive on a lot of these things, but I’m
not sure if we can,” Weaver said. “I
think it’s human nature, s*** hits the
fan and then we do something about
it.”
To that proactive end, Gallatin Growth
Solutions’ focus is divided between
many of the big issues – clean air, clean
water, preservation of natural and
agricultural land, even going so far as
to explore the possibility of the county
growing its own food.
pick your pearls.
“It’s just to address how we’re going to grow in the future,” Weaver
said. “We felt it would be more
powerful if county commissioners,
city commissioners heard from the
people that these types of concepts
were going to impact – engineers,
architects, builders, developers,
planners, people that were in the
field working on these types of
issues.”
Last year the group worked primarily on local water resource topics,
putting on the Water-Energy Nexus panel discussion at the Bozeman
Public Library and the Gallatin
Valley’s Water Future forum on the
campus of MSU. GGS also hosted
several webinars on various related
subjects.
More recently, Weaver and GGS –
in partnership with John Lavey and
members of the Sonoran Institute
in Bozeman – have been working
on a project dubbed Gallatin Valley
2050. The motion story accessible
with the same title on YouTube
will be shown at events in the area
in the coming months to fuel the
conversation about what needs to
be done if projections of adding
175,000 residents within the next
40 years prove accurate.
“Getting people motivated to do
something is tough,” said Weaver,
who is also involved with U.S.
Green Building Council. “I’ve been
working on this for six years now,
and I look at the progress we’ve
made. We could easily be talking about the same exact issues in
another 40 years.”
Yet, trusting strength in numbers,
Weaver and GGS hope connecting
the dots of the different and divergent efforts to find sustainable
solutions to common problems will
set this area’s future on less uncertain ground.
“This might all be in vain, but nevertheless, I like challenges so here I
am,” Weaver said.
Sean Forbes is a freelance writer
based in Bozeman, where chasing
stories only occasionally gets in the
way of playing outside. Visit
youtube.com/watch?v=2T3hPXDLmxs
to watch Gallatin Valley 2050,
gallatingrowthsolutions.org to keep
up with the latest news and events.
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28 April 5-18, 2013
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Big Sky Weekly
outlaw news
April 5-18, 2013 29
The Cowboy Code
Q and A with Jim Owen
The Cowboy Code
Q and A with Jim Owen
more widespread than I ever
imagined. In addition, politics
are dividing our nation.
By Roger Ladd
BSW: What message would you
like to share?
In his 2004 book, Cowboy Ethics,
Jim Owen made a case for a new
approach to business ethics – one
reminiscent of simple, timeless
principles – the Cowboy Code.
Big Sky Weekly contributing
writer Roger Ladd recently
interviewed Owen at his seminar,
“Standing Tall in an Upside
Down World.” We found it
particularly interesting because
Outlaw Partners, the Weekly’s
parent company, was founded
with inspiration from Cowboy
Ethics.
---Big Sky Weekly: Outlaw
Partners has incorporated the
Code of the West into our mission
statement. How do you feel about
that?
Jim Owen: I never imagined the
reaction to Cowboy Ethics. I am
JO: Everyone needs a code, a
creed to live by. Having a code
makes each of us a force for
good, whether in the workplace
at home, or in our community.
BSW: We will be sponsoring the
Professional Bull Riders event
again this summer in Big Sky. I
noticed that you dedicated your
new book, The Try- Reclaiming
the American Dream, to bull
rider Ty Murray. Why Ty?
beyond delighted that it’s become
a grassroots movement. The
State of Wyoming has officially
adopted the Code.
BSW: Why have your books
and seminars inspired so many
people?
JO: We have touched a deep core
that America is on the wrong
track. We’re getting confused
between personal values and
societal values. If we look at
personal values, we can agree
on principles like courage and
honor.
BSW: What are our country’s
biggest problems, as you see
them?
JO: Our country’s ethical
problems are much greater and
Picture
life
here
Representing distinguished properties and
buyers in Big Sky, backed by an international
network of sales & marketing professionals.
TA L L I E JA M I S ON
Associate
406.600.8081
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JO: Ty is a co-founder of the
PBR and is the king of the
cowboys.
Visit cowboyethics.org to learn
more about the Center for
Cowboy Ethics and Leadership.
Visit explorebigsky.com to learn
more about the upcoming Big
Sky PBR, and theoutlawpartners.
com to learn more about Outlaw
Partners.
30 March 22-April 4, 2013
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for rent
RENTALS
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Classifieds!
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engineer's corner
Big Sky Weekly
April 5-18, 2013 31
Advanced treatment for septic systems - Level II
Installation and finished grading of Quanics Level II treatment system near Gallatin River Photos courtesy of RedLeaf Consulting
By Philip Kedrowski
In the last Engineer’s Corner, I discussed the Montana Sanitation in Subdivision Act regarding health-related
septic system concerns. In addition to
protecting human health, environmental health is a concern for the Montana
Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ). As a result, it has established
a standard for nutrient-reducing septic
treatment technologies.
Nutrient reduction in septic system
drain fields is important because
nutrients (primarily Total Nitrogen)
can cause excessive algae growth in
streams and lakes. This algae then
consumes the Dissolved Oxygen
(DO) present in the water as part of
its growth process. However, fish and
other aquatic organisms also need the
dissolved oxygen to breath. Reduced
DO levels tied to algae growth caused
by nutrient loading negatively affect
fish growth and populations.
Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total
Suspended Solids (TSS) in wastewater.
BOD is an indicator of microbial growth –
excessive microbial growth and suspended solids are two primary causes for
failures of drain fields due to clogging.
system. In addition to being environmentally positive, it can be a financial
advantage for the property owner. In
areas with high property values like
Big Sky, using less land for the drain
field is financially beneficial.
If a drain field clogs, sewage can seep up
to the ground surface or, in severe cases,
back into the house. Treatment for lower
BOD and TSS allows for a smaller drain
field area because cleaner water seeps into
the ground more readily.
It’s a win-win for the environment
and the pocket book.
MDEQ refers to these as “Level II” systems, the highest standard, or the best
treatment, the department recognizes.
In addition to reducing nutrients,
Level II advanced treatment systems
significantly reduce Biochemical
In Montana, the drain field size can
be reduced by as much as 50 percent
when using a Level II treatment
Redleaf Consulting
Philip Kedrowski, PE, LEED-AP, is
owner/engineer of Redleaf Consulting,
PLLC. Redleaf is the only engineering
company based in Big Sky.
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Big Sky Weekly
BIG SKY SCHOOL DISTRICT SEEKS BOND TO BUILD NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
STUDENT ENROLLMENT
INCREASE SINCE LAST BOND
ISSUED IN 2008
EXPAND &
ENHANCE
K-12 LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES
The purpose of the $10.2 million bond will be to build a
new PreK – 4th grade elementary school for the Big Sky
School District. The 15 year bond includes the acquisition
of 7 acres of land next to the district’s track and football
complex.
The new school will possibly share the following with the
current building...water well, septic system, kitchen
facilities, and the community library. The facility will house
a new gym and a multi-purpose room used for art
activities, cafeteria, after school programs, adult education.
APRIL 7TH
LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE
APRIL 22ND
MAIL IN BALLOTS ARE MAILED TO VOTERS
MAY 7TH
ACTUAL COUNT OF BALLOTS
Additional information is available at the district office or by calling
Superintendent Jerry House at 995-4281 or by email at jhouse@bssd72.org
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profile
Big Sky Weekly
April 5-18, 2013 33
Section 3:
life, land and culture
The best view in town
Skiing from the Mount Zimmer Yurt
story and photos
By emily stifler
Alpenglow radiates pink outside the
Mount Zimmer Yurt, lighting the
surrounding mountains and across
the valley to the south over the dark,
volcanic massifs of Pilot and Index
peaks. Cooke City sits in shadow,
seven miles away and 1,800 feet
below.
I fill a bucket with snow to melt for
water and walk back to the yurt –
from the front deck, I can see the
rocky 12,000-foot escarpments of
Zimmer and Wilse guarding the
entrance to the highest peaks of the
Beartooth Mountains. The mercury
on the yurt thermometer reads 5 degrees, so I head inside to the warmth
of the woodstove and a game of
cards.
The next morning I wake to the
creak of the stove door – a friend
is loading firewood into the stove
and heating water for coffee. I look
around at the other four bunks – everyone else is still sleeping. The yurt
warms quickly, and after breakfast I
load my backcountry ski pack with
the day’s supplies – med kit, extra
clothes, water, snacks, helmet,
goggles, skins and avalanche gear.
Before heading out for the day, I
walk onto the front porch and watch
a light-colored fox run through the
yard. Unafraid, it comes within 30
feet of me, placing perfect prints in
the snow.
A half-hour later we click into our
skis on the porch, climb 300 feet to
Beartooth Powder Guides' Mount Zimmer Yurt sits on Forest Service land at 9,400 feet, overlooking the upper Clark's Fork of
the Yellowstone drainage.
the top of neighboring Alp Rock,
strip off skins and drop 400 feet of
steep powder turns into Star Creek.
A half hour skin puts us atop the
Grand Plateau, a 160-acre alpine
patio at 10,500 feet on Mount Zimmer.
Skiers approaching 11,519-foot Mount Zimmer, across the Grand Plateau
With no sign of recent avalanche
activity and solid results from our
snow pit, we again pull our skins
and drop in, this time for the first
of three 1,000-foot north-facing
runs. My partner and I choose an
intimidating, 45-degree rock-lined
chute we’d scouted the previous
day, and everyone else splits off for
a glorious powder run down a wideopen gully.
Continued on p. 34
Just another 1,000 foot north-facing shot off the Grand Plateau
34 April 5-18, 2013
profile
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Continued from p. 33
The Mount Zimmer Yurt and the Woody Creek
Cabin south of town are part of the new Cooke
City-based business, Beartooth Powder Guides.
Both have been booked regularly this year, their
first season of operation, says owner Ben Zavora.
As part of the business, Zavora also guides backcountry ski tours, hosts ecology, avalanche education and ski mountaineering classes.
Unlike the yurt, which is accessible via snowmobile,
the Woody Creek Cabin is set on a private inholding surrounded by Forest Service property and is
accessed only via skinning or hiking. The 2.5-mile
trail is gentle enough to allow carrying a heavy pack
or pulling a sled. Zavora cut and hewed all the logs
on the site last summer to build the cabin, which
comfortably sleeps 10.
Above the cabin, a skin up Hayden Creek offers
close-up views of Pilot and Index, and access to the
expansive, east-facing Woody Ridge. While much
of that face is high-consequence alpine terrain, the
pitch eases higher in the drainage, and for those willing to make the hike back to the very top, the west
side of Woody Ridge holds 1,000-foot gully stashes,
hemmed by trees.
A curious fox outside the Mount Zimmer Yurt, Woody Ridge and Republic Creek in the distance
Together, the cabin and yurt access a range of ski
terrain, from mellow forested meadows to ski mountaineering in the high Beartooths, with a slew of
options in between.
Find more about this and summer operations at
beartoothpowder.com.
Leaving tracks in Zimmer Creek
Afternoon storm skiing in Zimmer Creek
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Big Sky Weekly
reviews
April 5-18, 2013
Book: Montana: Skiing the Last Best Place
By Tyler Allen
Big Sky Weekly Staff Writer
The photographs collected in the
new book, “Montana: Skiing the
Last Best Place” are as eclectic as
the state’s 17 ski areas themselves.
From panoramic aerials to portraits
of rustic base lodges, the images
– all the work of Bozeman photog-
rapher Craig Hergert – are a striking
compendium of the places Montanans go to slide on snow.
The large-format coffee table book
includes more than 200
pages of glossy photos from
all corners of Montana’s
ranges, and is accompanied
by writing from Big Sky’s
own Brian Hurlbut and a
forward by ski movie pioneer Warren Miller, who
writes, “You can now view
all of Montana’s beauty by
simply flipping through
these pages.”
Hurlbut’s stories tell of the
quirky histories of these resorts. Opened in the 1930s
west of Missoula, Lookout
Pass was one of the first ski
areas in the U.S. and today
is known for its free Saturday lessons for kids.
And then there’s Blacktail
Mountain, which has the
only “upside down” lodge
location in the state, where
parking and après happens at the top of the hill
– Hergert takes you there
with a two-page panoramic
photo of Flathead Lake and
Product:
Sanuk Ember Shoes
By Katie Morrison
Big Sky Weekly Staff Writer
As we enter the warmer part of winter – known elsewhere as spring – I’m loving
my Sanuk Embers. With super-tread rubber and water resistant, sealed fabric uppers, they keep my feet dry in the slushy mess, as well as providing solid footing
while I walk my dog on the still-frozen morning ground.
While those are reasons enough to add the Embers to my quiver, they aren’t the
best part. After donning ski boots a few days a week through the winter, my feet
are always ready for flip-flops come mid-April. Normally I give in to this desire
and immediately regret my decision the second my toes touch a cold puddle. This
year however, I’ve had the joy of taking my boots off and slipping into the Embers in the lodge all season, giving me the flip-flop sensation of freedom, while
keeping my feet warm.
An additional bonus is the stylie vintage-menswear look and feel good vegan
production. The Embers have found a home in my mudroom.
the snowy Mission Range towering
behind it.
A 25-page section devoted to Big
Sky and Moonlight Basin resorts
shows the iconic Lone Mountain
from nearly every angle.
“Winters here are cold and long,
making for excellent skiing conditions from November through
April,” Hurlbut writes. Most of
Hergert’s photos show the mountain under bluebird skies, and
Hurlbut amends, appropriately,
that “Big Sky sees its fair share
of sunshine during the winter, as
well.”
From deep powder at Bridger Bowl
to Great Divide’s “rambunctious”
night-skiing crowds, this new book
celebrates Montana’s winter lifestyle.
“Sure, Montana has a couple of
‘deluxe resorts’… but it also has a
lot of small ski areas where skiing
is just like it used to be,” Miller
writes. “Simple, beautiful and
quiet.”
Hergert’s new book will inspire you
to explore these simple, beautiful
places and satiate your winter thirst
in the meantime.
36 April 5-18, 2013
events
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Big Sky Weekly
Corn Fest pairs ski culture and entertainment
By Emily Stifler
Big Sky Weekly Managing Editor
COOKE CITY – For one weekend in
late April, Cooke City, population
140, becomes a hardcore ski town. Or
maybe just hardcore.
A few miles northeast of Yellowstone
National Park, the remote town at
the end of the road is celebrating the
20th annual Sweet Corn Festival this
spring, April 19-21, an unofficial
event hosted by the Miners Saloon
and the High Country Motel.
This year, a new partnership with the
Bozeman-based Chamberlin Productions will help grow the fest. Chamberlin, which also hosts the Chamberlin Rail Jam in Big Sky, hosts a
“social enterprise,” called Avalaunch,
based on avalanche awareness and
music.
“Avalaunch wants to promote
avalanche awareness with fun,” said
owner Tate Chamberlin, who has
attended Corn Fest several times in
the past.
Chamberlin will set up an avalanche
transceiver park and offer prizes that
day at the High Country. Companies
such as Marmot, Osprey and Geo Optics are on board kicking down swag.
saturday
For one weekend a year, Cooke City becomes a ski town. Pictured here, ski bums relax on Main Street during Corn Fest
2012. Photo by Reid Morth
“[Those companies] see the value
when we plug in education to the
higher percentage of people showing
up to events,” Chamberlin said. “It
kind of goes viral and makes it more
of a social experience, which makes it
pretty successful.”
On Saturday night, Bozeman musicians Jesby and David Dalla G, a DJ
and hip-hop performer, will play the
Miners. It will also be ladies night,
with a Miss Corn Fest crowned, according to High Country manager
Benji Stone.
“The Miners is going to have special
events up their sleeves,” said Stone,
whose band, Eldrick, is playing the
previous night.
Since there are no chairlifts, participants must have backcountry knowhow and have access to a snowmobile
or be willing to hike.
“It’s explosive when you pair ski
culture with entertainment in a
music-fest fashion,” Chamberlin said.
“We’ll start small this year and just
see where it goes.”
anniversary party
smoking up big sky for 2 years
4.20
Flip night: 9-10pm/ Music by Electric Sunday 10pm
Chicken Tender Tuesday
happy hour all night, 1/2 off chicken tenders
wild wing and whiskey Wednesday
$3 well whiskey and 75 cent wings all night
live music every thursday and saturday night
4/11 - DJ Tiny and DJ Rampage
4/13 riot act - end of season party
4/20 - 2 year anniversary party
open daily 4pm-2am | 406.995.2750 | located in the “Blue MaLL” in westfork meadow
explorebigsky.com
events
Big Sky Weekly
April 5-18, 2013 37
Planning an event? Let us know! Email maria@theoutlawpartners.com, and we’ll spread the word.
If your event falls between April 19 and May 2, please submit your event by April 12.
big sky
FRIDAY, APRIL 5
Military & Educator Appreciation Weekend
Big Sky Resort (thru Sat.)
Kevin Fabozzi
Carabiner, 8: 30 p.m.
Big Sky Band
Whiskey Jack’s, 9:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 6
Headwaters Spring Runoff, adult division
Moonlight Basin, 9:30 a.m.
Telemark Tom
Scissorbills Saloon, 3:30 p.m.
Jeff Belino
Choppers, 5-7 p.m.
Ophir/LPHS Pie Auction
Buck’s T -4, 7 p.m.
Lone Mountain Trio
Carabiner, 8:30 p.m.
Electric Sunday
Broken Spoke, 10 p.m.
SUNDAY, APRIL 7
Dr. Stumpy
Scissorbills Saloon, 3:30 p.m.
Big Water
Choppers, 5-7 p.m.
Crazy Mountain All Stars
MONDAY, APRIL 8
Free Week for Frequent Sky Cards
Big Sky Resort (thru April 14)
Wednesday, April 10
Ayuverda and cleansing workshop
Santosha Wellness Center, 7:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, APRIL 11
Belgrade Prostart Fundraiser
Buck's T-4, 6 p.m.
The Driftwood Grinners
Choppers, 9 p.m.
DJ Tiny & DJ Rampage
FRIDAY, APRIL 12
MOTH
Disaster Race
Black Bear, 10 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 13
Archer’s Mob
Big Sky Resort Plaza, 1:15-2:45 p.m.
Bozeman
FRIDAY, APRIL 5
Marsha Karle Reception
Sola Café, 4:30 p.m.
Free Lecture Series: Photographer Tom Murphy
Danforth Gallery, 6:30 p.m.
Shout Across Time
Emerson Cultural Center, 7 p.m.
MSU Spring Rodeo
Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, 7 p.m.
Urinetown
Verge Theatre, 8 p.m.
Bridger Creek Boys
Peach Street, 8 p.m.
Casey Donahew Band
Main Street Arts & Entertainment, 9 p.m.
Skavacado
Filling Station, 9 p.m.
Toubab Krewe
Zebra Cocktail Lounge, 10 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 6
Claire Lynch Band
Ellen Theatre, 7 p.m.
Shout Across Time
MSU Spring Rodeo
Urinetown
Fruition w/Truckstop Darlin
SUNDAY, APRIL 7
MSU Spring Rodeo
Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, 8 a.m.
Bozeman Symphonic Choir
First Presbyterian Church, 3 p.m.
Cinderella’s Benefit Ball
Baxter Ballroom, 4 p.m.
MONDAY, APRIL 8
Bellamy Brothers
Willson Auditorium, 6 p.m.
Bridger Creek Boys
Colonel Black’s, 6 p.m.
Improv at the Verge
Search & Rescue Dog Demonstration
Moonlight Basin, 2 p.m.
Bottom of the Barrel
Big Sky Resort Plaza, 4-6 p.m.
Eric Wink
Choppers, 5-7 p.m.
Lone Mountain Trio
Carabiner, 8:30 p.m.
The Dirty Shame
The Riot Act
Cure for the Common w/Archer’s Mob
Black Bear, 10 p.m.
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
Closing Day & Live Music
Moonlight Basin, all day
Huck-A-Berry Jam
Moonlight Basin, 1:30 p.m.
MONDAY, APRIL 15
Big Sky Resort closes until June 8
BIG SKY – The largest fundraiser for the Big Sky School District promises to be
a page out of the history books.
The 33rd annual Ophir Pie Auction, scheduled for Saturday, April 6 at 6 p.m.,
is a “Roaring ‘20s”-themed throwback to the days of Prohibition.
Raffle prizes include spa packages, fly-fishing trips, jewelry, a helicopter ride
and plenty of outdoor gear. The live auction includes a $10,000 wedding
photo package from Eye in the Sky Photography, VIP tickets to this summer’s
PBR and box-seat tickets to a Seattle Seahawks football game next fall.
A live jazz band will provide entertainment and admission and appetizers
are free. There will also be a cash bar and prizes for best couple’s costume.
Proceeds benefit BSSD programs including the ski pass program, library enhancements, classroom supplements and a field trip to Washington, D.C.
Family Art Samplers
Michael Reynolds & Philip Aaberg
Reynolds Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Andre Nickatina
Myka 9 & Medusa w/host Abstract Rude
THURSDAY, APRIL 18
SATURDAY, APRIL 13
The Sound of Music
Shane Lalani Center for the Arts, 3 p.m. & 8 p.m.
John Adams Smith
Pine Creek Café, 7 p.m.
Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Blue Slipper Theatre, 8 p.m.
www.Twang
Sacajawea Bar, 9 p.m.
Trio Sonnerie
Reynolds Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Tom Catmull & The Clerics
Chico Hot Springs, 9 p.m.
Rodney Atkins
Steven Roth
Murray Bar, 9 p.m.
Filth & Foul CD Release
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
Car Crash Funk
livingston &
paradise valley
The Sound of Music
Shane Lalani Center for the Arts, 3 p.m
LIVINGSTON & PARADISE VALLEY
Little Jane & The Pistol Whips
FRIDAY, APRIL 5
TUESDAY, APRIL 16
The Sound of Music
Shane Lalani Center for the Arts, 8 p.m.
Blackwater Band
SATURDAY, APRIL 6
Lucrezio
Murray Bar, 9 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
Writer’s night w/Thomas Goltz
Hump Day Trivia
Murray Bar, 7 p.m.
Benefit Concert for MSU Cello Ensemble
Reynolds Recital Hall, 7:30 a.m.
The Sound of Music
Shane Lalani Center for the Arts,
3 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Mighty High
Murray Bar, 9 p.m.
Beau Houstin
Starky’s, 6:30 p.m.
Brad Tyler Book Signing
Elk River Books, 4 p.m.
Strangeways
Murray Bar, 9 p.m.
Open Mic Night
Café Zydeco, 7 p.m.
Bingo
The Legion, 7 p.m.
Blackwater Band
THURSDAY, APRIL 11
Cure for the Common
Murray Bar, 9:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
Ellen Theatre, 7 p.m.
Pond Skim
Big Sky Resort, 3 p.m.
Ophir Pie Auction to be a “Roaring” good time
SUNDAY, APRIL 7
The Flannel Attractions
The Sound of Music
Shane Lalani Center for the Arts, 3 p.m.
FRIDAY, APRIL 12
HONK!
Emerson Crawford Theater, 11:45 a.m.
Emerson Art Walk
Yoga Nidra Meditation at Santosha, 8-9
p.m.
•
$15 Monday Night Prime Rib at 320
Ranch
Tuesdays:
Guided Snowshoe Hike at Moonlight,
10 a.m. (thru April 9)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10
•
Pub Trivia at Whiskey Jack’s, 9:30 p.m.
The Flannel Attractions
Murray Bar, 9 p.m.
Wednesdays:
•
Montana Night at Jack Creek Grille, 6
p.m. (thru April 10)
•
Volleyball open gym at LPHS gym, 7-9
p.m. (thru June 1)
•
Shuffleboard at Lone Peak Brewery, 8
p.m. (thru April 17)
THURSDAY, APRIL 11
The Rite of Spring & Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4
Willson Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
Jameson and the Sordid
Murray Bar, 9 p.m.
Panther Car w/Kappa Oie
Bingo Bargains & Root Beer
Gardiner School multipurpose room, 5:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
Two Bit Franks
Green Drinks
Blue Ocean Innovation Center, 5:30 p.m.
•
•
Hump Day Trivia
Murray Bar, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
Preschool Story Time, Big Sky Community Library, 10:30 a.m.
Fruition
Murray Bar, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 13
The Rite of Spring & Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4
Willson Auditorium, 2:30 p.m.
•
Pre-school open gym, LPHS gym, 8:459:45 a.m. (thru April 15)
Writer’s Night
Together We Rise (art fundraiser)
The Cottonwood, 7 p.m.
ongoing big sky events
Mondays:
•
West Coast Swing Dancing
Montana Movement Arts Center, 6 p.m.
The Prince Frog
THURSDAY, APRIL 18
FRIDAY, APRIL 12
Tom Catmull & The Clerics
Big Ol
Livingston Bar & Grille, 9 p.m.
Thursdays:
•
Sushi at the Summit, 6 p.m.
Fridays:
•
Live music at Ousel & Spur Pizza Co.,
9-11 p.m.
•
Fish Taco Fridays at Buck’s T -4, 5-9 p.m.
Saturdays:
•
Après Ski Music at the Headwaters Grille at
Moonlight, 3-5 p.m. (thru April 13)
•
Sunset Saturdays at Big Sky Resort, Ramcharger lift runs until 5 p.m. (thru April 15)
38 April 5-18, 2013
buscrat's fables
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Sympathy and pity or respect and admiration?
Sympathy and pity or respect and admiration?
The neighborhood kids were walking to school with
Kelton, the new kid, filling him in on everything
they thought he should know, when they saw Mrs.
Cromwell walking outside to get her newspaper.
“There’s Mrs. Cromwell, hurry to the other side of the
road,” one girl said.
drumming. When he did his solo, the kids would
jump up and cheer.
When people went by Mrs. Cromwell’s house,
they noticed new flowers and shrubs and weeping
willow trees, perfectly manicured. They liked
walking past the house just to smell the flowers
and see the organized colors. Soon her children and
grandchildren were visiting her every weekend.
They would see Mrs. Cromwell on her knees caring
for her gardens and wondered how she could do such
tedious work with her poor health. But she no longer
complained about it.
The kids shuffled across the street before they got to
Mrs. Cromwell’s house.
“Why do we want to avoid Mrs. Cromwell?” Kelton
asked.
“Because she’s got ‘S&P Syndrome,’” another kid said.
At school they introduced Kelton to more of their
friends. Then one of the kids called an alert: “Oh no,
here comes Cory. Hurry down the hallway.”
Kelton inquired why they were avoiding Cory, and
several of the kids said, “He’s got ‘S&P’ real bad.”
Kelton was curious about what this ‘S&P Syndrome’
was, so during lunchtime when he saw Cory sitting by
himself, he introduced himself and sat with him.
“Nobody ever sits next to me,” Cory said. “And when
we choose sides for sports during gym class, I’m
always the last one to get picked. Probably because I
don’t know the rules very well. My dad left us and I
never have had anybody teach me. When I tried out
for little league baseball I didn’t have a good glove
and couldn’t ever catch the ball. I never get a chance
at anything…” Cory continued to pull for Kelton’s
sympathy all during lunchtime.
On the way home from school, Kelton saw Mrs.
Cromwell walking to her mailbox. As he walked by,
Kelton said, “Hello ma’am, how are you today?”
“Well,” she said, “my doctor told me I have bursitis
in my shoulder, and my back’s been hurting for a
long time. Makes it hard to come out here and get
my mail. And look at my fingers; I can’t even bend
them anymore with the arthritis. My children
and grandchildren never visit me anymore…” She
continued for 15 minutes until she was too tired to
stand there pitying herself any longer, so she walked
back to her house.
Kelton realized Cory and Mrs. Cromwell needed some
attention, but not with sympathy & pity. They needed
R&A, respect and admiration. The next day he left
some magic seeds on Mrs. Cromwell’s porch and some
magic drumsticks in Cory’s locker.
With all the attention, Cory and Mrs. Cromwell
stopped trying to seek sympathy or pity from others.
They got all the praise and attention anyone would
ever want.
Kelton felt good.
Buscrat’s Fables are simple stories that
each a moral. Buscrat welcomes you to visit
buscratsfables.com for more fables and
welcomes your comments, suggestions and
requests.
Cory saw the drumsticks and started tapping them
on the lockers, then on the trash can lid, the walls,
anything he could drum on. He had a good beat. It
was so fast that the kids started dancing to it. They all
told Cory how they loved his drumbeat. The music
teacher heard about Cory and recruited him into the
band. Everybody liked the pep rallies with Cory’s
Find out what tunes we’re bumping! In “Powder Playlist,” Big Sky
Weekly staff and guests suggest a soundtrack for a day on the mountain,
and guests have a chance to share what they listen to when they shred.
Keep in mind, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings while skiing, and listening to music too loudly can be dangerous.
k.com
orOpenStoc
www.Vect
Guest picks
Staff picks
By Caroline Gibson
By Maria Wyllie
BIG SKY WEEKLY EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Spring breaker Carline Gibson was
excited to get tan on the slopes of Lone
Mountain instead of on the poolside
chaise lounge. Sporting jeans and a Hawaiian shirt, Gibson kept the party going
all day long as she skied alongside fellow
vacationers listening to today’s latest pop
and hip-hop beats.
These songs will make you feel like a rock star
wherever you are. As the season draws to
a close and you begin making the transition from skiing into biking, running, fishing or
whatever you like doing in the summer, these
tracks will help you own it and be like “yeah, I
just did that.”
1.
“Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons
1.
“I’m A Ryda,” Philthy Rich
2.
“Can’t Hold Us,” Macklemore &
Ryan Lewis
2.
“’Till I Collapse,” Eminem & Nate Dog
3.
“Drank In My Cup,” Sky Balla
4.
“Blow The Whistle,” Too $hort
5.
“I’m Goin’ In,” Drake
6.
“Lucifer,” Jay-Z
7.
“Mondrian,” Andre Legacy
8.
“Chin Check,” N.W.A
9.
“All I Do Is Win,” DJ Khaled
3.
“Love Me,” Lil Wayne
4.
“Pour It Up,” Rihanna
5.
“Troublemaker,” Olly Murs
6.
“Scream and Shout,” will.i.am
7.
“The Way,” Ariana Grande
8.
“Titanium,” David Guetta & Sia
9.
“C’Mon,” Ke$ha
10. “Swimming Pools,” Kendrick Lamar
10. “All Gold Everything,” Trinidad James
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
column: wanderer at rest
April 5-18, 2013
Update: Angry and winded – It happened. The
Run to the Pub, that is.
By Jamie Balke
Update: Angry and winded – It happened. The
Run to the Pub, that is.
Once I started my little jog, a combination of exhaustion and grim determination replaced my anxiety. Just
before the 3-mile mark, as I approached one of the few
up-hills, rather than thinking Oh, man!, as intended, I
realized I actually said it rather loudly.
Last weekend my ill-conceived plan to participate in the 10K Run to the Pub came to fruition.
Having only recently gotten back into running, or
more accurately, jogging,
At the top, I encountered a coworker directing race
traffic. I thought she was a mirage, but when the mirage hugged me, and I proclaimed, “This is horrible!” I
somehow felt better.
Big Sky Weekly Columnist
In fact, once it was halfway over, I started enjoying myself. It was a beautiful day, and my slow pace enabled
me to take in the mountains, deer running on a nearby
hillside, and a sweaty shirtless man who spat at my feet
when he passed me.
I was happy to have my brother and a good friend
along. This helped to ease – but did not nullify –
the pain. The morning of the big day began bright
and early with me nervously pacing around my
apartment, cursing.
Everyone arrived, and I reluctantly drove to the
pick-up point in downtown Bozeman. My rather
tame nod to Saint Patrick’s Day, which included
shamrock wristbands and green face paint, was
immediately blown out of the water by a growing
crowd of festively clad runners – a group wearing
knitted orange beards, some green mustachioed
ladies, and a guy dressed like a Viking.
Throngs of enthusiastic, costumed people began
loading the buses to the start of the race, and I
found myself distracted by how far we were driving out of town. By the time I hit my head on the
padded top of the bus door while unloading at the
start, I was a fidgeting bundle of energy.
Jamie Balke (right) got smoked by a Viking, but still survived the Run to the Pub. Photo courtesy of Jamie Balke
In conclusion, the following is an incomplete list of
people who smoked me:
As we waited for everyone to get situated at the start, a
news helicopter made several low passes, and I fought the
urge to raise my middle fingers into the air. The other runners mostly cheered and waived. Before the run began,
the frontrunners of the half marathon came bursting
down the road, and attempted to pick their way through
the hoard. The hoard did its best to clear a path.
•
•
Without much ceremony that I could detect from my
starting position in the back of the pack, the race began,
and all I could think was, please, please don’t let me be dead
last. At the very least, I was determined not to walk. A
man played a bagpipe as we cleared the start line.
In any case, I was rewarded with a beer.
•
•
•
•
My brother, who didn’t train
Several different couples and individuals pushing
strollers filled with offspring
A very fit woman who was at least 70
Those alternating between walking and jogging
People obviously running the half-marathon
The guy in heavy-looking Viking regalia
Jamie Balke had quite a good time at the Run to the Pub,
and intends to give it another go next year.
some restaurants
do italian food.
some do chinese food.
WE DO
BIG SKY
FOOD
we deliver 4069952305
serving breakfast
lunch & dinner
40 April 5-18, 2013
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
For the Big Sky Weekly, the Back 40 is a resource: a place where we can
delve into subjects and ask experts to share their knowledge. Topics
include regional history, profiles of local artists and musicians, snow and
avalanche education, how-to pieces for traditional or outdoor skills, and
science.
Noun: wild or rough terrain adjacent to a developed area Origin: shortened form of “back 40 acres”
Pet toxin ingestion
By Jenny Ladd
Big Sky Weekly Veterinary Expert
I returned home the other
night to find the remnants of gum wrappers scattered
around the living
room, four guilty
culprits cowering
in the corners of
the room.
My dogs don’t
typically rummage through
the garbage –
or in this case
dig a pack of
gum out of my
bag – but nevertheless, here we
were. As a veterinary student
nearing graduation, I should
know to be more
careful, but that
is what makes this relevant and important to the health of my animals
and yours. The active ingredient in
sugar free gum, Xylitol, is
100 times more
toxic to animals than
chocolate,
yet it’s
something
common in
our homes and
around our
animals.
I reached for the 3
percent hydrogen
peroxide and gave
each of the four dogs
a tablespoon. Hydrogen peroxide is caustic on the stomach,
and will frequently
make a dog vomit. In
the hospital we use
more direct emetics, or vomitinducing agents,
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Willow Creek runs through, 2,313 +/- sf log cabin, ap. 12 miles to town
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Broker, GRI, SFR
Resort & Recreation Specialist
(406) 580-0155
RanchMT.com
that work on a neurological level,
but hydrogen peroxide is a good
thing to have on hand at home.
Two of the dogs vomited – no gum
so far, so the culprit was still at
large. Given the rapid toxic effects
of Xylitol, we loaded them in the
truck and off to the hospital we
went. While waiting for the emergency veterinarian to arrive, the
remaining two began to vomit, and
voila, there was a 2-inch diameter
mass of gum.
In this instance, the amount of gum
indicated that we got the majority
of it, and quickly too, so the possible absorption was likely minimal.
After consulting with the veterinarian, we decided to bring everyone
home and keep an eye on the culprit
through the night.
The risk with xylitol is severe
hypoglycemia and liver damage,
which happen quickly and dramatically, the xylitol causing a release
of large amounts of insulin. As in
humans, insulin helps with absorption and metabolism of glucose
from the blood.
Too much insulin, as in this case,
causes glucose to be removed
from the blood at a very high rate,
leading to a severe hypoglycemic
event. This may appear as bizarre
behavior, seizures, stupor or coma.
The scary thing about xylitol toxicity is that clinical signs can have a
quick onset, or they can be delayed
a number of days. Death of liver
cells may not show clinical signs
until a few days after ingestion,
and are irreversible. Additionally,
it can have permanent long-term
effects on the liver and can cause
death.
No matter how careful we are, accidents happen. Part of the responsibility of owning pets is caring
for them, loving them, and looking out for them even when their
behavior is less than ideal.
Wishing you and your pets health
and happiness, xylitol free!
Jenny Ladd is a fourth year veterinary student at Oklahoma State
University, and a certified Veterinary Acupuncturist currently living
in Stillwater, Ok. with her boyfriend
and four dogs.
The most common
toxins for dogs and cats
Xylitol, the active ingredient
in sugar free gum, is 100 times
more toxic to animals than
chocolate
Foods: avocado, onions, garlic,
grapes, raisins, xylitol (found in gum)
and chocolate (the darker the
chocolate the more toxic)
Household products: cleaning products, antifreeze, prescription and
over the counter medication
Insecticides and herbicides: Rodenticides, heartworm and flea and tick
preventative overdose
Plants: lilies, azaleas, kalanchoe, rhododendron, sago palm and schefflera.
Resources and advice
1. Animal Poison Control (888)
426-4435. Open 24 hours a day,
it answers questions and offers
treatment advice.
2. Call your local veterinarian immediately. Do not wait until the
morning.
3. Collect samples. Bring samples
of the ingested product, scraps
and all, to the veterinary office.
Also, if you induce vomiting,
bring a sample of that, as well.
Although unpleasant, it can be
very useful if the toxin remains a
mystery.
4. Most of all, stay calm.
Initiating vomiting
Many toxins have such serious effects, a tablespoon of hydrogen
peroxide to induce vomiting is recommended while preparing for a trip
to the nearest emergency veterinary
hospital. This is a stopgap, not a replacement for veterinary care, and
should only be done after a call to
your veterinarian and Animal Poison
Control. Too much hydrogen peroxide can cause violent vomiting, and
should be used cautiously.
If your pet has ingested a foreign
body like a toy, a sock or a stick,
however, do not induce vomiting.
This instance is also an emergency,
but vomiting can cause more harm.
Again, call your veterinarian, and
get your pet to the nearest hospital
immediately.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
outdoors
April 5-18, 2013 41
Section 4:
life, land and culture
Kaia conquers the carpet
By Becky Edwards
After a quick lesson involving pizzas,
French fries and bending her knees,
Kaia was off and scooting around like
a pro.
BIG SKY WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR
Being a single mother, I’m pretty
used to harnessing my inner Sherpa.
Traveling with a hefty 2-year-old,
heavy bags, a car seat and all the
accoutrements requires a positive
attitude and remembering to lift with
my legs. When contemplating taking
my daughter, Kaia, skiing for the first
time, I was happy to let gravity do all
the work.
I cheered and romped after her in my
tele boots (still hadn’t actually put my
skis on yet), holding her hand on the
magic carpet and thanking the carpet
attendant for his patience with my
squeaking toddler. By the way, it’s
always more fun to sing while riding
the carpet.
Kaia is always up for an adventure.
She thrives in the outdoors, so getting her excited for an adventure on
snow was easy.
When we picked up her season-lease
skis, complete with graphics of fairies and butterflies, she took them
everywhere for a few days – in bed
for naptime; in the car for trips to the
grocery store; she even strapped on her
boots, clicked into her skis and insisted
I let her sit in her high chair, skis dangling, during breakfast to “practice for
the chair lift.”
Earlier this year, I loaded skis, boots
and baby into the car and headed south
After several laps Kaia was tired, and
we settled down on the edge of the
run for some Cheddar Bunny snacks
and snuggles. My little bug plopped
down on my lap and exclaimed, “I
skied the MOUNTAIN!”
I couldn’t have been prouder. It was
my favorite day of skiing. And I never
put my skis on once.
Photo by Maria Wyllie
from Bozeman to Big Sky. All the while
Kaia chanted, “I’m gonna ski on the
MOUNTAIN!”
shuttle pick-up. By the time we made it
to the base of the smaller magic carpet, I
was sweaty and tired.
I loaded my backpack with snacks, diapers and extra clothes, lashed on my tele
skis and Kaia’s fairy-butterfly-princess
boards, and then carried Kaia to the
Kaia was beaming from under her pink
goggles, chanting, “I’m gonna ski on
the MOUNTAIN!”
Becky Edwards is a long-time Bozeman
resident and mountain lover. Kaia
progressed to the longer magic carpet,
Adrian’s Way, and then to the Explorer
lift. Go, little ripper!
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Big Sky Weekly
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Big Sky Weekly
fishing column: the eddy line
April 5-18, 2013 43
Why you should care about nymphs
By Patrick Straub
Big Sky Weekly Fishing Columnist
Fly fishing is a visual sport. For some,
it’s Brad Pitt’s smirk and his sexy blond
hair sneaking out from his drifter hat.
For others, and I’m in this crowd, it’s
watching a rising trout move intently
to the surface to sip in a passing mayfly,
the ripples of the rise circulating in the
current.
On the Gallatin, first time anglers are hit
with a jolt of adrenaline when a 10-inch
cutthroat slaps at their dry fly. You might
think the more one fishes, a smallish fish
eating a dry fly would become mundane.
But any angler scoffing at small trout
attacking dry flies is being dishonest –
seeing a fish eat is why we fish.
Unfortunately, it can’t always be this
way and we have to adjust our fishing
tactics to what the fish are eating. More
often than not, they’re gorging below
the surface on nymphs.
I was not born a dry-fly snob. Growing
up in Bozeman near the Madison and
Gallatin Rivers, and being lucky enough
to fish with experienced anglers who
plied those waters, I learned the old adage early: 90 percent of a trout’s diet exists underneath the surface of the water.
As a youngster, I didn’t have many
flies, but I never ventured out without
a few Prince Nymphs and Pheasant
Tails. True, dry fly fishing is generally
more exciting than nymphing, but the
practical angler knows the rent gets paid
deep in the water column. It’s not that
fish can’t find food on the surface of the
water – it’s just that there’s generally
more food downstairs. Plus it’s safer
and more efficient for trout to eat in the
shadows beneath the refractive surface
of the water.
Also, while trout don’t have microscopic
calculators in their heads, they are
genetically imprinted to constantly
consider the following ratio: calories
expended versus calories earned. If you
were a trout, would you rise to slurp an
adult stonefly and risk getting whopped
on the head by an osprey? Doubtful,
when you could eat an equally
nutritious stonefly nymph in the safety
Big rainbows like this Missouri River buck ate a size 18 pheasant tail nymph. Photos courtesy of Gallatin River Guides
and shade of a cut-bank.
Since nymphs and larva (mayfly, stonefly, caddis, midges, damselflies, et cetera)
are consistently available, they make up
the bulk of a trout’s diet. Furthermore,
scores of protein-rich food items only
live underwater – aquatic red worms,
leeches, scuds, freshwater shrimp, minnows, fry and crawfish, for example.
I’ve had several clients catch the largest
brown trout of their angling careers
on the Missouri River during runoff,
when the grass banks and islands are
underwater – all on aquatic worm
imitations. These huge fish have bellies
shaped like Dunlop footballs and
regurgitate worms in the net.
That’s why you should care about
nymphs.
Patrick Straub is the owner of Gallatin
River Guides on US 191, a half mile south
of the intersection with Big Sky Spur road.
gallatinriverguides.com
• Pe di at r i c s • C hroni c C ond it i ons
• Women’s He a lt h • Prenat a l C are
• Oste op at hi c Manipu l at i on
Prescheduled and same-day appointments available
Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays
Taking most local insurance carriers including
Medicare and Medicaid
Maren Dunn D.O.
Board Certified in Family Medicine
A nice brown and a well-stocked box of nymphs
18 Meadow Village Drive, Big Sky, MT (across from the post office)
Phone: 406-995-3111 | After hours: 406-599-5848
gallatinfamilymedicine.com
44 April 5-18, 2013
word from the resorts
Moonlight Basin
by niles jeran
mlb snow reporter
Awesome events, good snow and everyone who joined us on the peak this
year has made for an epic season—but
it’s not over yet!
Moonlight Basin is going out with
a bang by hosting the Huck-ABerry Jam on closing day, April 14.
Big Sky Resort
This terrain park event will feature
a top to bottom “fun run” setup on
Cupajo, viewable from Headwaters
Grille. All entries will go into the
cash purse to be split up among the
top skiing and snowboarding athletes
– this is spring stoke
you don’t want to
at Moonlight
brings
miss. SignBasin
up and
charge or grab a drink
from the Headwaters
Grille and soak in the
RegistRation
11:30am
12:30pm
sun-as
you cheer on
Madison
Village Base Area
the competitors.
Entry fee is $20. Open to skiers and
snowboarders.
Under 18 - parent
signature
required.
Spring
has been full
of fun thanks to consistent snow
and sunslopestyle
Competition
ny-slope-side
1:30pm
4pm • Locatedvibes.
on Cupajo
Awards
to follow.
Required.
Both
theHelmet
Junior
and
Lift Ticket Required*
Adult competitions
* $25 Derringer only lift ticket available
at the Headwaters
Spring Runoff were
incredible – what a
moonlightbasin.com • (406) 993-6000
spirited competition!
Fear of missing out?
Moonlight Basin season passes are currently on sale at the
best rate offered until April 30 – pick
one up today and score a MLB t-shirt
and access to skiing for the rest of this
season.
by kipp proctor
bsr media relations and
community manager
After having yet another amazing
season here at Big Sky Resort, there’s
no better way to end our 39th winter
than with a
few weeks of
great spring
skiing. With
mostly warm
temps and
sunshine in
the forecast,
it’s time to
break out the
shorts and bikinis and hit
the slopes. With only a week left to mark the end
of winter, it’s time to celebrate with
the Pond Skim on April 13. Located at
the bottom of Ambush beside the Ramcharger lift, this event draws a massive
crowd, and is a family and local favorite.
Clear skies
and sunshine
have formed
some great
Photo by Chris Kamman/Big Sky Resort
bumps on
Andesite, so
Come and check out the splashes and
dust off the skinny skis and get ready
crashes as participants test their skimfor a ride. If bashing bumps isn’t up
ming skills.
your alley, Lone Mountain and the
surrounding groomers offer a wide
Interested in participating or just want to
variety of terrain from the steep open
hear more about our closing festivities?
faces off the tram to long cruisers
Visit us at bigskyresort.com/pondskim.
on Andesite and on the flanks of the
peak. Lone Mountain Ranch
By Bob Foster
lmr general manager
Reflections on my first winter in Big
Sky from a Colorado transplant:
There is no such thing as inclement
weather, just inappropriate clothing.
Wearing the correct clothes makes all
the difference in the world, whether
it’s 20 below or 6 above with 15 mile
an hour winds.
Snow has a purpose here. It’s not just
for fun, but is also why people live,
vacation and have jobs. This completely changed my view on snow
or the lack thereof. On our ranch in
Colorado, snow was a nuisance. We
did like the water, but snow kept us
from riding horses and made a cowboy’s life miserable.
Forget Beachbody’s “Insanity” or
Tony Horton’s “PX90.” If you’d re-
ally like to get in shape and have a cardio workout, take up classic or skate
skiing. It gets you outside, you can do
it with other people, and the scenery
on Walkin’ Jim’s is better than in my
living room.
Having been here for almost nine
months, I’m enjoying the different
rhythms and lyrics of the seasons.
But most of all, I’m enjoying the
people in Big Sky. You have embraced
this cowboy couple and made us feel
right at home even if we don’t have
a dog, don’t downhill ski anymore,
and even if we still screech to a stop
to take pictures whenever a deer, elk,
moose or sheep appear.
And remember: “There are only 264
shopping days left until Christmas,
when we’ll do it all again. Have a
great summer!
Bridger Bowl
Bridger Bowl and the Gallatin Valley Food Bank are teaming up to help feed
people in need. The food bank will have a truck parked adjacent to the ticket windows at Saddle Peak Lodge from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. on April 7.
By donating 10 cans of food or more, you can ski Bridger for $20 on April 7 or 8,
which is the last day of the season. The individual making the largest donation of
food will receive a 2013-14 Bridger Bowl Adult Season Pass. This is the first food
drive at Bridger Bowl.
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
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406-993-2510 • 169 Snowy Mountain Circle • Big Sky, Montana
s ant o s hab i g s ky.c o m
RegistRation
11:30am - 12:30pm
Madison Village Base Area
Entry fee is $20. Open to skiers and
snowboarders. Under 18 - parent
signature required.
slopestyle Competition
1:30pm - 4pm • Located on Cupajo
Awards to follow. Helmet Required.
Lift Ticket Required*
* $25 Derringer only lift ticket available
prizes!
moonlightbasin.com • (406) 993-6000
46 April 5-18, 2013
outdoors
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
Gear Review:
Madshus skate skis and poles
By Jessie Wiese
Madshus Nanosonic skate ski
The Madshus Nanosonic skate ski is solidly
built, with a
responsive,
acrylic-based
foam core. This
lightweight,
high-performance
foam – also found
in other extreme
strength/weight
applications such
as helicopter
rotor blades
and airplane jet
fans – allows
for excellent
dampening
performance,
maximizing the
precision and
feel of the ski.
It has a good allaround camber
in the front, with
progressive tip
flex that isn't
board-stiff or
floppy.
its build allows for a more forward binding
mount, which changes the feel from many
other brands. This geometry helps the ski build
speed quickly when moving dynamically from
ski to ski. They also run well on edge where
many other brands tend to start dying out.
The ski rolls
inside-edge-tooutside-edge
without carving
away from me
while V2ing,
Putting Madshus to the test
allowing a long,
smooth, controlled glide. Because they have
more of a platform mid-foot, the Nanosonics
Madshus Nano Carbon Race 100 UHM Pole
also perform well in softer conditions and
climb efficiently. The fore-body camber
These poles are both stiffer and lighter than
extends a little further forward than past
earlier versions. The full-cork race handle
models, and the contact pressure area in the
reduces the weight and increases stiffness
front of the ski allows it to smoothly fall
while the carbon material provides superior
back under the body after gliding.
power-transfer and low swing-weight for
strong acceleration and easy use.
Initially, this ski will feel shorter because
Photos courtesy of Jessie Wiese
2013 Bozeman Tritons Triathlon registration open
Discounted registration for those who sign up by April 30
2013 Bozeman Tritons Triathlon registration open
Discounted registration for those who sign up by
April 30
than the previous two years to minimize conflicts
with other area events and reduce the potential impact of summer heat and smoke from wildfires.
BOZEMAN – Registration is open for the 2013
Bozeman Tritons Triathlon, to be held Sunday,
June 23 at the East Gallatin Recreation Area. This
annual fixture of the Gallatin Valley features both a
sprint-distance race and a long-course race, with options for all abilities. There will be a relay division
for teams of 2-3 and a junior division for triathletes
aged 16-19.
“We’ve been trying to get the word out that the race
is earlier this year,” said race director Jamie Kujawa,
“But it’s hard to get people thinking about a summer
race when we still have snow on the ground.”
The date for this year's event, which is hosted by the
Bozeman Masters Swim Club, is five weeks earlier
Unchanged are the race courses. The long-course
race is the only half-Iron-distance triathlon in Montana, and consists of a 1.2 mile swim in the pond,
a 56-mile, out-and-back bike up scenic Bridger
Canyon Drive and over Battle Ridge Pass, and a
13.1-mile lollipop-loop run in the Bridger foothills
on mostly paved surfaces.
The sprint race is a 750-meter swim in the pond,
followed by a 20-kilometer, out-and-back bike and a
five-kilometer, out-and-back run that finishes with
a lap around the lake. Both races are fully supported
with aid stations.
Despite the earlier date, more than a quarter of the
250 available slots have been filled, and it so far, 12
U.S. states are represented, with racers from as far as
Baltimore, Md.
To register, visit bozemantritons.org/tritonstri/registration.
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48 April 5-18, 2013
yellowstone
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
New book on Yellowstone’s changing ecology
MSU NEWS SERVICE
BOZEMAN – Harvard University
Press has published a new book
about the changing ecology and
management approaches in Yellowstone National Park.
The book, Yellowstone’s Wildlife in
Transition, incorporates the expertise of more than 30 contributors.
Among them are Montana State
University faculty members in two
departments – the Department of
Ecology and the Department of
Land Resources and Environmental
Sciences.
Cindy Goeddel, an MSU undergraduate student and professional
photographer, took and donated all
the photos in the 368-page book.
Bob Garrott, an MSU ecology professor and director of the university’s Fish and Wildlife Ecology and
Management Program, was one of
the book’s three editors.
The other two editors work for the
National Park Service. P.J. White, a
long-time collaborator of Garrott’s,
is chief of wildlife and aquatic
resources at Yellowstone National Park.
Glenn Plumb is chief wildlife biologist
in the Biological Resource Management
Division of the National Park Service.
Famed naturalist Edward O. Wilson,
professor emeritus at Harvard and presenter of an annual award in his name at
MSU, wrote the forward.
The book also recommends ways
to confront challenges in American
parks and conservation areas worldwide.
The book describes how the park’s
policies have evolved since its founding
in the 1870s, intensive management to
protect and propagate large mammals
replaced by a focus on restoring and
preserving ecological processes. “Recognizing the importance of natural
occurrences such as fires and predation,
this more ecological informed oversight
has achieved notable successes, including the recovery of threatened native
species of wolves, bald eagles and grizzly bears,” the editors wrote.
At the same time, they note, Yellowstone is a system under strain from
three overriding stressors: invasive
species such as blister rust, lake trout,
brucellosis and mountain goats;
private-sector development of unprotected lands; and a warming climate.
This is how Big Sky gets
into hot water.
Nordic Hot Tub
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Garrott said ecologists in the park
have conducted “phenomenal science” over the past 30 years, their
findings influencing decisions and
public opinion. In the forward,
Wilson wrote that the book’s intent
is to translate that science into 21st
century stewardship.
Spa covers and custom lifts
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47520 Gallatin Rd. • Big Sky, MT 59716
More than 30 contributors, including
several MSU faculty members and
alumni, were involved in this new
book about changes in Yellowstone
National Park.
Garrott said earlier policies dictated the
park be managed to maintain the conditions encountered when Europeans
first described it.
Large ecosystems change, however, and
the public shouldn’t be surprised when
changes occur, he said. Therefore, forest
fires aren’t disasters, and reintroduced
wolves bring about fundamental
changes.
“Perhaps the most difficult decision
managers will face is whether to
intervene with active management,
such as assisting migration, culling
animals, lighting fires, restoring
native animals and vegetation, spraying weeds and thinning forests,” the
authors wrote.
They recommended managers
consider historical fidelity, ecological integrity, and resilience when
deciding on the type and extent of
management intervention to pursue,
and suggested diverse approaches
ranging from nonintervention to active transformation.
Yellowstone Road Status
Track updates Tuesday through Friday at
www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/plowing.htm

wine on the fly at the ranch at rock creek

Transcription

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