Mountain - Explore Big Sky

Exploring Life & Land in Southwest Montana
FREE
Mountain
winter 2012
Patagonia Sur
escape
to b.c.
Changing the face of
land conservation
Scot Schmidt
comes home
featured outlaw:
Lukas Nelson
Life Lost on
Lone Mountain:
The search for Brad Gardner
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Photo essay the crow fair
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Sunset over the Gallatin Valley and the Spanish Peaks.
Photo by Matt Wieland. mattwieland.wordpress.com
On the cover: Scot Schmidt skiing on the shoulder
of Hardscrabble Peak in the Bridger Range in 1991.
See story on page 54. Photo by Lonnie Ball
features
stories
36 life lost on
lone mountain
10 Southwest Montana
B.C. residents find harmony with
Rossland, Nelson and Revelstoke
82 Health
The story of Brad Gardner
Warren Miller Performing Arts Center
16 Community
Find the right balance of salt, sugar
and water
50 living history
18 Outbound Gallery
86 Guide
24 Brian Iguchi in the
Backcountry
Nordic skiing in SW Montana
Allen Russell’s stunning photos
documenting the Crow Fair
54 you don’t
know schmidt
The father of extreme skiing
comes home to Montana
74 patagonia sur
A for-profit group could change
the face of land conservation
110 outlaw
Musician Lukas Nelson is
riding his own wave
4
13 leaving a legacy:
66 Escape
Mountain
26 Powder Coated in
Cooke
28 hunting lions
32 Fighting Infection
MSU Researchers hope nanoparticles can help fight a flu pandemic
34 The Family Farm
88 Gear Review
90 Road Trip
Big Sheep Creek Byway
92 Music
Peach Street Studios and the Bozeman
music industry
97 Bozone hop season
The 2012 Farm Bill may change the
future for Cok Dairy
100 Double Jeopardy
44 explore
105 Ice Climbing in
Hyalite Canyon
Bozeman nonprofits work together
on international water education
60 a Place to be present
Timber Creek Ranch
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Earthquake-induced avalanches
108 Artisan
R.O. Brooks Custom Leather
Respect the code
If I could go back in time, I would want to be a cowboy pushing cattle and helping settle the West.
When I read about war, economic turmoil and
political bickering, I feel an even greater respect for
the lifestyle that prevails in Southwest Montana
today. Here, people wave at each other, trailheads
are uncrowded, and Miller High Life is one of the
top-selling beers in bars.
A few years ago, my father introduced me to the
Code of the West. I now use these cowboy ethics as
a baseline for my company and my life.
The Outlaw Partners team takes pride in our work,
and we find solace in following this code. A big thank
you to the Outlaw team and our loyal advertisers for
publishing this amazing 116-page publication!
The Code of the West
1. Live each day with courage
2. Take pride in your work
3. Always finish what you start
4. Do what has to be done
5. Be tough, but fair
6. When you make a promise, keep it
7. Ride for the brand
8. Talk less and say more
9. Remember that some things aren’t for sale
10. Know where to draw the line
Cheers,
Eric Ladd, Publisher
[email protected]
Photo by daniel BUllock
OUR TOWN IS GROWING
AND NEEDS YOUR HELP
BigSkyFuture.com
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD
bigskyfuture.com is a unique opportunity to make Big Sky your own.
It takes just 15 minutes to take our online survey, but the benefits could last for generations.
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Mountain
5
Mountain Outlaw is published by
Mountain
WINTER 2012
2011 big sky
chamber of commerce
Business of the Year
PUBLISHER
Eric Ladd
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Mike Martins
COO
Megan Paulson
MANAGING EDITOR
Emily Stifler
Sales Director
Frank Jordan
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Kelsey Dzintars
Distribution Director
Danielle Chamberlain
EDITOR
Abbie Digel
community relations /
account strategist
Kacey Brown
Assistant Editor
Taylor Anderson
Operations director
Katie Morrison
EDITORIAL POLICY
Outlaw Partners LLC is the sole owner of Mountain Outlaw
magazine and the Big Sky Weekly. No part of this publication
may be reprinted without written permission from the
publisher. Mountain Outlaw magazine 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. For
editorial queries or submissions, please contact
[email protected].
DISTRIBUTION
Distributed twice a year in towns across Southwest
Montana, including Big Sky, Bozeman, West Yellowstone,
Three Forks, Livingston and Ennis. We also distribute
nationally through direct mail. Mountain Outlaw can also
be found at explorebigsky.com.
OUTLAW PARTNERS, MOUNTAIN OUTLAW & THE
BIG SKY WEEKLY
(406) 995-2055
PO Box 160250
75 Center Lane, Suite B
Big Sky, MT 59716
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[email protected]
Copyright © 2011 Outlaw Partners, LLC Unauthorized
reproduction prohibited
Photo by Eric Ross
6
Mountain
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VIDEOGRAPHER
Brian Niles
Graphic Designer/
videographer
Chris Davis
Contributing Writers
Tyler Allen, Eric Anderson, Brad Carpenter, Marcie Hahn- Knoff,
Brian Iguchi, Joe Josephson, Jennifer Rebbetoy, Cotton Sarjahani,
Vanessa Shaw, Yogesh Simpson, Katie Smith, Kyle Wisniewski,
Brad Van Wert
Contributing Photographers
Megan Weeks Adams, Travis Andersen, Luke Armstrong, Daniel
Bullock, Lonnie Ball, Kyle Christenson, Blaine Dunkley, Derek
Frankowski, Kelly Gorham, Jeff Hawe, Chris Laursen, Francois
Marseille, Anna Middleton, Sam Newbury, Ari Novak, Eric Ross,
Allen Russell, Matt Sitton, Anne Skidmore, Richard Smith, Colton
Stiffler, Gregg Treinish, Matt Wieland, Alex Verhave
Join the ranks – submissions welcome
The Mountain Outlaw editorial team wants you to know we
accept well-written articles or photos for consideration in
our magazine. Submissions should match the Southwest
Montana style and Mountain Outlaw brand, and are accepted
throughout the year for our summer and winter editions.
Email submissions to [email protected] or
visit explorebigsky.com.
Want to advertise in Mountain Outlaw?
Call (406) 995-2055 or email [email protected]
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Mountain
7
from the editor
Our corner of the world
wore the contented smiles of a
Saturday night.
It was a weekend right before this
magazine went to press, and I’d
already stayed up many late nights coordinating details and drafting emails,
editing and writing. I left town early
that morning, my mind muddled and
my body limp from so much time at
the computer.
Emily Stifler in Sunlight Creek, Wyoming.
Photo by Kyle Christenson
I stood by the campfire, warming
my hands against the cool fall air.
Sparks flew into the dark. I looked
around the circle at my friends’
faces, glowing in the firelight. They
Now, after a day spent climbing
in one of my favorite spots in the
Greater Yellowstone, I was a different
kind of exhausted. The terrain here
was rugged, its climbing demanding,
and the atmosphere wild. Mountain
goats, grizzly bears and golden eagles.
zine stories. They’re about people:
a dairy farmer, a skier, a conservationist, a trapper, a businessman,
a musician, a leathersmith. And
they’re about being part of this
place—its mountains, trails, byways,
ranches, towns, history and culture.
The work is woven into the place, and
such a backdrop draws and creates independent minds. Our three publications—Mountain Outlaw, the Big Sky
Weekly and explorebigsky.com—have
been an effort to celebrate our corner
of the world, to collaborate ideas, and
to grow in a positive direction.
Working on these stories has been an
honor. We hope you enjoy reading
them.
My head felt clear, my body tired.
On Monday morning, back at my
desk, I looked through the maga-
Best,
Emily Stifler, Managing Editor
[email protected]
BIG SKY ’S FULL SERVICE GROCERY STORE
Hand- cut meats • Fresh baked goods • Gourmet items • Beer & wine
LOCAL
FRESH
Open 7 days a week 6:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
(Winter hours starting December 15)
Delivery available - Call us 406-995-4636
Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery
8
Mountain
explorebigsky.com
Brad
Carpenter
really likes to
ski and spends
most of his
time doing so.
Yogesh
Simpson
is a freelance
writer, photographer and
graphic designer living in
Bozeman. He
also sings lead
vocals and plays rhythm guitar for
the band Holler n’ Pine.
yogeshsimpson.com
Marcie
Hahn-Knoff
originally
packed up
and headed
out from the
East Coast
in pursuit of
her education. She’s now spent almost two
decades exploring the West on
skis, climbing, hiking, mountain
biking and playing in her whitewater kayak. Marcie handcrafts
bombproof and creative collapsible
hula-hoops. hooplahulahoops.com
Jennifer
Rebbetoy
has worked
at Shambhala Music
Festival, Kootenay Mountain
Culture magazine and for Absinthe Films. She
completed a bachelor’s degree at
McMaster University in Ontario, then
moved to Nelson, B.C. Despite being
a horrible cook, she’s inspired by the
youth movement in agriculture and
slow food. She is always in awe of
the mountains.
Vanessa
Shaw
grew up in
Kalispell,
Montana and
moved to Bozeman in 1999.
When she’s not
underneath a horse shoeing with
her business Shaw’d Horses, she
spends her time horseback riding,
running in the hills and baking sourdough bread. shawdhorses.com
Katie
Smith
lives and works
in Big Sky, Montana. Nordic
skiing has been
her passion
since she could
walk, and she continues to pursue
it throughout Montana.
Kyle
Wisniewski
was raised
and educated
in Pennsylvania. He loves
the outdoors
and Southwest Montana. Kyle
owes most of what he knows to the
tutelage of his accomplished outdoorsmen mentors. He’s hunted
all over the U.S. and Africa.
Photo by Jeff Hawe
Allen
Russell
photographs
what he knows
best: Life in
the American
West. He headquarters out of
his ranch west
of Livingston but often wanders
the back roads of the West. Russell shoots for editorial, corporate
and advertising clients, and his art
prints hang in private collections
worldwide. His work is displayed in
a gallery at Crazy Mountain Photography in Livingston.
allenrussellphoto.com
Joe
Josephson,
aka JoJo, is a
fourth generation
Montanan who
spent a decade
living and climbing in the Canadian Rockies as
the resident route poacher. Now
based in Livingston, he works for
National Parks Conservation Association and spends as much time as
possible in the Beartooths, Hyalite
Canyon and anywhere between.
Photo by anne skidmore
Eric
Anderson
is a sports
medicine
physician
with Rockwood Clinic
in Spokane,
Washington.
A competitive Category 1 cyclist
and avid alpine and Nordic skier,
he lives in Spokane with his wife
and two daughters.
Photo by ari novak
featured contributors
Bryan
Iguchi’s
snowboarding career has
spanned almost
two decades,
evolving from
early park riding in southern
California to backcountry freestyle snowboarding. Bryan currently works with Volcom, Electric,
Bluebird wax and the Jackson
Hole Mountain Resort. He lives in
Jackson,Wyoming with his wife Lily
and son Mylo.
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
9
southwest montana
A farrier’s work
A difficult, dirty, wonderful job
By Vanessa Shaw
photos by kelly gorham, msu news service
The sizzle is reminiscent of wind rustling through dry grasses, and
the smoke that follows it carries the aroma of charred hoof. The horse
doesn’t flinch as I measure the hot shoe against his foot. Sweat contours
down my forehead and falls onto the hoof stand.
The smell, the smoke, my power squat beneath a 1,000-pound animal,
the stinging cuts on my hands and the bruises on my legs—these are all
part of why I love horseshoeing.
Farriery hasn’t changed much in the past century. The work—correctly
trimming and balancing a horse’s foot and creating a custom shoe—is a
blend of science and art. Today, the Gallatin Valley has approximately
30,000 horses.
Horses’ hooves grow about 3/8-inch a month. Some horses require
shoes, and all should have their hooves trimmed and balanced every
eight weeks.
As I work, I think about the trust a horse puts in me. Horses’ primary
defense is flight, and yet they allow us to hold and cradle their feet
while trimming, hot fitting and nailing on shoes. By maintaining the
health of horses’ feet, I hope I can help pay back the trust and service
horses have provided humanity.
shawdhorses.com
MSU Farrier School
Three times a year, a dozen people enter the Montana State University Farrier School. They emerge 11
weeks later ready to work shoeing horses.
Each day, the class spends an hour in the classroom,
and seven hours doing “on the job training,” says lead
instructor Tom Wolfe. With only 12 students in each
class, and a network of ranches in the area that need
help, the students get plenty of hands-on experience.
Fifteen percent of the students come from Montana, 75 from out of state, and the remaining 10
percent are foreign, Wolfe said. Graduates find jobs
at working and guest ranches, or like Shaw, go into
business for themselves, usually after an apprenticeship.
Founded in 1970, the school is one of only two such
programs in the country associated with a university. MSU’s Animal and Range Sciences Department
sponsors the program, which receives no state funding and is supported entirely by student fees. E.S.
animalrange.montana.edu/horseshoe.htm
If the shoe fits—not just an adage
The process
Prep the foot:
Remove old shoes; clean the hoof
with a pick and wire brush; trim the
frog (a triangular, rubbery-like tissue on the bottom of the foot); pare
out excess sole.
Trimming:
Trim the excess hoof wall with
nippers and rasp it level. Once the
bottom is trimmed, bring the foot
forward onto a hoof stand and rasp
the top of the hoof wall to remove
any flare. Similar to a human fin10 Mountain
gernail, the hoof wall is a protective
structure that has no feeling.
Making a custom shoe:
Heat a generic-shaped ‘keg shoe’ in
a forge and shape it precisely on an
anvil. While still hot, place it on the
horse’s foot. This levels the foot
surface and ensures wall to shoe
contact. The smell is reminiscent
of a branding. Check the shoe’s
shape, make necessary changes,
and then quench the shoe in
water.
explorebigsky.com
Nailing the shoe on:
Hold the shoe to the hoof, and
start two nails to get the shoe
tacked on in the right place.
Making sure the shoe is set
straight, angle six to eight nails
into the hoof wall, from the bottom. They must be set at the
right angle, so they enter the
white line (a ¼-inch wide structure that connects the hoof wall
to the sole) and then curve out,
exiting through the outside of the
hoof wall, where they’re clinched.
RECOMMENDED READING
Tough Trip through Paradise, 1878-1879
By Andrew Garcia, edited by Bennett Stein (non-fiction, Caxton Press, 1967)
When he was 24, Andrew Garcia left
his post at the Fort Ellis U.S. Army
outpost outside of Bozeman and set
off for Central Montana to become a
trapper. The handsome and woolly
Texan from Spanish America instead
set up a trading post in the country
between the Musselshell and Sweet
Grass rivers.
the Musselshell, he learned to survive and
thrive among the last of the free-roaming
Native American tribes.
The year was 1878, a crux in
American history: Garcia witnessed the final days of the great
bison herds. Also in his year on
In the latter half, Garcia’s Nez Perce wife tells
a heart-wrenching story of her experience in
the 1877 war between the U.S. Army and her
people. E.S.
Taken from Garcia’s journal, this intensely
personal story is both adventurous and tragic. In
period dialect and with self-deprecating humor,
Tough Trip covers the gamut of blood, gore, sex
and coming of age.
Featured event
The Headwaters Spring Runoff
Moonlight Basin, March 31, 2012
The Headwaters cirque is extreme. Its steep and beautiful 1,000-foot chutes are home to consistently kickass
skiing. It’s also home to Moonlight’s annual Headwaters Spring Runoff, an amateur freeride competition
that showcases this spectacular terrain.
“It’s probably one of the gnarliest venues in the U.S.,
with serious consequence if you fall… very Euro-esque,”
said pro-skier Jamie Pierre, who emceed last year and
plans to return for this year’s seventh annual event.
Open to all ages, there are divisions for men’s and
women’s ski and snowboard, and juniors. Prizes will
include $1,000 and plenty of swag.
The comp, run by the resort’s hearty and hard-working ski patrol, is all Moonlight: no pretense, rowdy
skiing and a chill vibe.
From Stillwater Road, a green run that winds beneath
the Headwaters, spectators can watch competitors
huck cliffs, straight-line narrow alleys, and style it
down the plumb line couloirs.
moonlightbasin.com E.S.
“It’s probably one of the gnarliest
venues in the U.S., with serious
consequence if you fall… “
Jamie Pierre skiing the Headwaters at Moonlight Basin
PHOTO BY TRAVIS ANDERSEN
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
11
k
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Featuring...
Scenic Trail Rides
featuring gentle horses and mules
Day Pack Trips to Pristine
Alpine Lakes and Streams
Half and Full Day
Wade Fishing
Big Sky, Montana
406-995-3888
Float Fishing (Drift Boats)
COWBOY COOKOUTS
Fun for the entire family!
some restaurants
do italian food.
some do chinese food.
WE DO
BIG SKY
FOOD
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Licensed by Montana Board
of Outfitters #5278
and the Gallatin National Forest
we deliver
4069952305
serving breakfast
lunch & dinner
view menu at:
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community
Leaving a legacy:
Warren Miller performing arts center
By Abbie Digel
It’s school picture day at Big Sky’s
Ophir School. Teachers and students
sit on stools in front of cobalt blue backdrops and smile for the camera. They’re
in the “gymnecafeterium,” the old
gym, now used for overflow classes and
as a small cafeteria and kitchen.
This space is set for a major renovation,
and by 2013 will take on new life as
the Warren Miller Performing Arts
Center. The renowned ski filmmaker
has embodied the lifestyle that Ophir
students embrace: dedication to hard
work and outdoor activities. He’s made
Big Sky his winter home for more than
a decade.
The vision for the new arts center grew
alongside plans for Lone Peak High
School in 2007, and support has been
strong. The facility will be available for
receptions, chorus and piano concerts
and other performances, placing Big
Sky among the ranks of resort towns
with prominent arts cultures.
With 302 seats, the space will be
similar to Bozeman’s Ellen Theater,
said Anne Marie Mistretta, the school
district’s previous superintendent
and secretary of Friends of Big Sky
Education. FOBSE, a foundation that
supports Ophir School district projects,
is organizing the fundraising.
Donations and seat sponsorship pledges
from the 2011 Strings Under the Big
Sky annual fundraiser, which usually raises money for Ophir’s music
programs, were dedicated solely to the
new facility. That event, sponsored by
FOBSE, included musical performances
from Ophir students and the Muir
String Quartet, as well as a teary-eyed
speech from Mr. Miller himself.
Miller expressed deep gratitude that
the performing arts center would carry
his name. He was thrilled when FOBSE
asked if he would accept the honor.
“We’re very pleased for the school and
the community that this is going to be a
reality,” Miller said.
“This is our chance to honor him,” said
Loren Bough, president of FOBSE.
Miller and his wife Laurie also run the
Warren Miller Freedom Foundation,
a non-profit that educates students on
principals of entrepreneurship. Lone
Peak High School students have participated in the program.
“Warren Miller’s lifetime of work wonderfully reflects the values of our community: the arts, education and skiing,”
says Jill Bough, a member of Friends of
Big Sky Education. Other key members
of the fundraising team are Doug and
Henrietta Gale, Marilyn Hill and Jolene
Romney.
Construction of the center began in
2008, but was discontinued when
funds came up short. Work should
resume in summer 2012.
“The clincher is that we’re already a
quarter of the way finished,” Mistretta
said. Repurposing the building will
consist of carpentry work, acoustics and
lighting. Prugh and Lenon Architects
and Martel Construction, Bozemanbased companies, are in charge of
design and building.
There’s still plenty of work to do. The
improvements to the school—the gym,
weight room, science and technology labs—were finished as part of the
original plan for the high school. The
remains of initial construction for the
performing arts center are in storage.
Mistretta worked with Prugh and
Lenon to hire Doug Brekke of Black
Box Design as a consultant on sound
and lighting systems, including baffled
walls and pillowed ceilings for acoustics, and storage areas for instruments
and sets.
Offering Ophir students a well-rounded education remains the top priority,
Mistretta says.
“We want our kids to have it all.”
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
13
Private Powder
™
We don’t just have powder days,
we have powder weeks.
14 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
Yellowstone Club • Big Sky,Montana
The World’s Only Private Ski and Golf Community
YC REALTY
(406) 995 -4900
www.yellowstoneclub.com
[email protected]
www.discoverylandco.com
Membership in the Yellowstone Club requires real estate ownership. Yellowstone Club is a secure gate guarded private community and appointments for access to view the real estate or amenities need to be
arranged in advance. This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation to residents in any state or jurisdiction in which registration requirements have not been fulfilled. Please call or email for complete information.
explorebigsky.com
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15
community
An army of citizen scientists
ASC puts outdoor athletes to work on conservation
by emily stifler
This past summer, 40 citizen scientists combed the western Centennial
Mountains, searching for signs of
grizzly bears. The group documented
tracks and collected scat and fur.
The Centennials, a range of 10,000foot peaks stretching between Island
Park, Idaho and Dillon, Montana,
are the largest east-west stretch of
continental divide in the Northern
Rockies. Grizzlies have rarely been
documented in the western part of the
range, which has seen recent proposals
for natural resource development.
Because of that, this study, conducted by the Bozeman-based Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation,
could be a landmark for the agencies
that manage the area. ASC will send
the data to a lab for DNA testing, and
then prepare a report for the
Dillon Bureau of Land Management field office.
Evidence of grizzlies in the
Centennials would help the
BLM make responsible land
management decisions, said
ASC founder, biologist Gregg
Treinish. “[The Centennials are] a perfect highway for
bears to move from the Greater
Yellowstone into the Frank
Church,” Treinish said. This,
he says, is vital for the species’ Collecting grizzly bear data in August 2011
Photo courtesy of Gregg Treinish
survival.
For Treinish, who started the non-profit
in January 2011, this project was an
opportunity to learn about one of the
most important wildlife corridors in the
lower 48.
But that’s not all ASC does. Most of
their projects match up outdoorsmen—from high-level adventure
athletes to weekend warriors—with
scientists.
SELL
As of October, ASC had over 200 people collecting
data in places like Alaska, the Grand Canyon, Venezuela, Switzerland, Pakistan and the Eastern Democratic
Republic of Congo. Climbers on Everest have collected
plant samples for microbial biologists studying climate
change, and trekkers in the Andes have gathered data
on flora, fauna and archeology for the Pacific Biodiversity Institute.
While citizen science sometimes gets a bad rap because
of its high potential for error, labs independently verify
all of ASC’s projects, removing that concern from the
equation.
“We’re simply the messengers,” Treinish said. For
scientists, this saves time and money they’d otherwise
have to spend collecting data.
And as a result, he’s blowing up. Hundreds of scientists
contact him monthly, looking for data collectors. The
New York Times, and Outside, Science, Science News and
Audubon magazines have all written about his group.
buy
“People really believe in this concept,” said Treinish,
who admits to staying up at night thinking of new ways
for ASC to make a bigger impact.
A new program, Expedition to the Classroom, will
stream live media from remote places into high school
science classes. The pilot project brings Antarctic adventurers Doug Stoup and Kris Erickson (a Livingstonbased photographer) into high school biology classes at
Bozeman High School and in Ashville, N.C.
The students will interact with the athletes through
video conferencing, email, Facebook and photos, allowing them to learn about the scientific process as it
happens. The goal is to have this program accessible
nationwide in two years, virtually sending students to
the Amazon or the Himalaya.
The major challenge for this—as for all of ASC’s work—
is cost. The organization is mostly grant-funded, but
also works with individual donors. Students have put
together their own fundraising campaigns for Expedition to the Classroom.
Treinish encourages people to get involved. He’s got
projects for everyone from day hikers looking for pika
in Hyalite Canyon to professional climbers on Mount
Everest.
Winter
&
Company
real estate
406-581-2033
Shawna Winter
Shawna
Winter
www.MTwinter.com
[email protected]
Shawna Winter
broker
|
owner
Winter & Co. Welcomes
Aimee Gerharter
www.MTwinter.com [email protected]
www.MTwinter.com [email protected]
Aimee Gerharter
406-599-4448 [email protected]
“If you’ve ever felt like you wanted do more with your
time in the woods, this your opportunity.”
adventureandscience.org
Winter & Co. Welcomes
Aimee Gerharter
406-599-4448 [email protected]
406-599-4448 [email protected]
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
17
outbound
Travis andersen
“We had the rare opportunity to join the Bridger
Ski Patrol for morning routes on Schlasman’s.
This was Pete Lazar’s first turn.”
travisandersenphotography.com
18 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
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Mountain
19
outbound
20 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
Richard smith
Misty morning near Mammoth Hot
Springs in Yellowstone National Park
wildsmithphotography.com
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
21
youth photo
outbound
Anna Middleton
Shadows across a young cowboy
22 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
outbound
Colton Stiffler
Trent clears a V-Dub
THE WEST MAY BE WILD,
but it’s not unci viliz ed
RAINBOW RANCH LODGE
rainbowranchbigsky.com • 1.800.937.4132
Five miles south of Big Sky entrance
on Hwy 191
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
23
Tales
Good
riding
is a
state of mind
By Bryan Iguchi
Bryan Iguchi throws an indy grab in Jackson, Wyoming’s backcountry
Sure, deep powder is hard to beat and
ice is downright unpleasant, but my
most memorable times riding are when
I had the most fun. That’s what snowboarding is all about.
rather than downhill vertical mileage.
Don’t get me wrong—I’ll always
be on the tram early when we get a
big dump. It’s just that I might go in
early to spend time with my family.
A couple years ago I became overwhelmed with figuring out where
the best snow was, feeling envy when
other places were getting more snow,
and getting upset if the snow wasn’t
perfect. Maybe I’d just turn around, go
home and wait for it to get good. Then I
realized I was missing the point.
Skiing evolved out of the necessity
for winter travel and still remains the
most efficient way to cover ground
in deep snow under your own power.
Snowboarding, on the other hand,
was created with the sole purpose of
downhill recreation. Snowboarding
has always been the bastard stepchild
of skiing. That’s not a bad thing, but I
think it’s the truth. To me snowboarding is equally an offspring of surfing,
skateboarding and skiing.
It’s always good, as long as you make it
good.
For years, my mission was to get in as
many runs as physically possible by
all means necessary. Winter is short,
so I maximized my season with endless tram laps and snowmobile access
exploration.
Now, my priorities are changing. I’ve
been searching for new experiences,
24 Mountain
Over the years I’ve tested and collected a lot of boards and now use them
for specific conditions or to suit my
mood. Trying new things can make life
more fun, and provide excitement and
challenge. In the 15 years I’ve been
riding, the biggest game changer was
my split board.
explorebigsky.com
Photo by Jeff Hawe
I live in the shadow of Teton National
Park and love riding in the high peaks.
In the past, my fear of hopelessly
hiking in knee-deep powder for hours
kept me away from mid-winter outings. But with a split board I can skin
up a mountain just as our ancestors
did, then transform the skis back into a
board and ride.
My early experiences split boarding
consisted of fumbling in the cold,
trying to put the board-binding puzzle
together. Ski touring parties passed by,
shaking their heads, and my frustration grew. Those earlier models also
compromised my riding—the old
boards felt awkward and heavy, and the
bindings towered high off the board.
I tried ascending with short skis but
found it ineffective in deep snow, and
once again endured more trouble and
discouragement.
A few seasons back I decided to give it
another real go, and I’m glad I did. The
new boards are lighter, the bindings
are lower, and the feeling is now the real deal. I can change
from skis to a board in just a few minutes and ride down
with confidence. It’s changed my whole perspective.
I look forward to getting lost in a state of meditation this
winter, daydreaming deep in the mountains. Walking uphill gives me a chance to examine the ever-changing snow
conditions, enhancing my awareness of my surroundings
and giving me a better chance to make good decisions on
what line to ride.
We’ve taken custom ski boots
to a new level.
Guaranteed.
What it comes down to is sharing the experience and making the most of the day. There is a feeling of satisfaction
that only riding brings, and riding the backcountry makes
snowboarding even more fun.
Bryan Iguchi is a professional snowboarder living in
Jackson, Wyoming.
Bryan’s split board setup:
Bryan rides a custom 159 split board with
rocker and a Spark R&D binding system.
He actually made his own Volcom split
board at the Signal factory, so it’s one of
a kind.
406.995.2939 • 888.807.9452 • GrizzlyOutfitters.com
Located in Big Sky Town Center • Big Sky, Montana
Skis • Boots • Orthotics • Custom Boot Liners
The bindings were a breakthrough technology that simplified the board/binding
interface, he says.
“The setup is insane,
and I love it.”
© Kene Sperry
An Unforgettable Backcountry
Dining Experience
at Big Sky Resort
Ride a snowcat to our cozy
candlelit yurt. Feast on a
savory 3-course meal, relax
to live acoustic guitar music,
go sledding and star gaze
by the bonfire.
Call us today for rates and reservations!
Iguchi removing the skins from his split board
Photo by Jeff Hawe
406.995.3880 • www.skimba.com
Tales
Powder Coated in Cooke
Rumors, astroturf and skiing
story and photos By Marcie Hahn-Knoff
L-R: Index and Pilot peaks
T
he temperature plunged as we drove into the narrow canyon
toward Cooke City. Ice sprouted from the cliff sides, lined by thick
timber. Although it was early afternoon, the winter sun rarely
shone here, and it darkened with every curve in the road. A white ice
roadway stretched before us, drawing us into the mountain fold.
The relaxing energy of Yellowstone,
its rolling river valleys and frostyfaced bison, was gone.
didn’t have a snowmobile, so the notion of going there just to ski seemed
a bit ridiculous.
We rounded a corner and came into a
patch of sun. Peaks cloaked in thick
winter snow soared above us. Tiny
crystals sparkled in the air, sunlight
streaking through their fragile facets.
My interest was sparked once I took
note of Cooke’s massive storm totals
on the daily avalanche report. I finally
broke down when a cold snap had the
Bridgers, northern Gallatin and Madison ranges high and dry, and was
lured to the hanging chad of Montana
by the promise of deep powder.
We slipped into town and checked
into a small hotel room with an
astroturf carpet. Snowmobiles lined
the streets. Sun shone brightly on the
southern hillsides, belying the single
digit temperatures that had already
taken hold in the mountain shadows.
I’d called Montana home for several
years, but this was my first winter
trip to Cooke. Rumors buzzed about
the area’s incredible terrain and little
competition for fresh tracks, but I
kept thinking, ‘why travel for fresh
turns when I had miles of personally
uncharted terrain near my home in
the Gallatin Valley?’ Also, Cooke
was known as sled-neck central, and I
26 Mountain
My husband and I had befriended a
fellow living in Cooke for the winter,
surviving on boiled beans in a cabin
with no indoor plumbing, just so he
could ski every day. I figured either
he was crazy or the skiing was that
good. He’d offered to show us around
and take us on a tour or two.
Since we hadn’t made plans to meet
Beaneater ‘til that evening, we decided
to take a late afternoon tour. We slapped
skins on skis on the front porch, then
slid off the astroturf onto packed snow
and headed up the hillside into the sun.
explorebigsky.com
The views grew grander with each
foot of elevation we gained. My heart
sped as I looked around at the huge
mountains rising above us, and at the
high plateaus stretching into the distance. The terrain was limitless and
massive. We glided back to town, the
peaks glowing bronze in alpenglow.
The temperature was below zero as we
walked to meet Beaneater for dinner.
Just a snowball toss from our hotel,
the rustic watering hole was ablaze
with colorful Christmas lights frozen
into layers of snow. ‘Pizza and Beer’
proclaimed a blazing neon sign hanging inside a frost-etched window.
We found Beaneater propped up at a
back table, a classic mountain town
local in Carhartts and flannel. Sitting
down, we started talking business.
His eyes lit up as he described the
winter’s touring. Typically not much
I figured
either he was
crazy or
the skiing
was that good.
of a talker, Beaneater waxed on
about the insane amount of fresh
snow he’d skied. My husband leaned
in, asking where Beaneater had been
and about the conditions.
The excitement, combined with the
warmth of the inside air, quickly
pushed Beaneater to remove his
large hand knit woolen cap, exposing
hair twisted by a combination of too
much ski touring and winter static.
With the boys chatting away, it was
time for a beer, I thought.
Heading to the bar for a pitcher, I did
a double take of the framed platinum
recording of Shakedown Street hanging
from the wall, signed by the Grateful
conspired on a plan for the next day.
Dawn broke earlier than I wished.
Stumbling distance from the bar is
not a good ingredient for an early
start. I yanked on my warmest gear
with only one thing on my mind.
Breakfast.
We wandered down the main drag,
the air still well below zero. We
walked into a snowmobile rental and
repair shop/breakfast establishment,
and the scent of fresh handmade
pastries mixed with the humidity of
the tiny room. A crowd of snowmobilers was also getting ready for a
day in the hills, and a small television played the surf movie “Endless
Summer”—a fitting paradox.
Christmas lights buried in snow outside
of a Cooke City watering hole.
Dead. Upon further investigation, I
found the jukebox had the best selection
of music I’d seen in Montana. I shoved
in a few dollars, made some selections
and rambled back to the table where we
Fueled up, we skied
down the road to
meet up with Beaneater. Skins on, we
ascended through
thick timber, up a
gradual path lined
with quaint cabins
and impressive
views. High altitude clouds muted
the early morning sun, and I was
happy to be walking, staying warm
with each step.
Without encountering another soul, we crept up the
drainage and eventually moved to
the base of a steeper pitch. A single
skin track lay before us—a steep,
no-nonsense affair etched through
ancient trees. This was the masterwork of Beaneater.
We wound out of the timber into
scattered glades and then open terrain. Lenticular clouds loomed to
the west, hanging like arcs above the
amphitheaters of spiny peaks.
Atop our planned descent, I studied
the line. Before us lay perfectly
spaced ramps of snow fringed by
gnarled alpine timber. De-skinning
quickly, we watched as Beaneater
dropped in, curls of powder forming a steady wake behind him. He
dipped into the glades below, silent
and steady. A shot of energy rose
through me.
I traversed over to the next shot and
dove in. Silky smooth, with just
the right amount of give, the snow
cradled my skis. I devoured the
slope, my tracks extending as my
speed increased.
I came to rest above the thickest
timber and rejoined the group, already digging out skins for another
trip to the top. Large snowflakes
began falling with a hint of wind.
Free refills.
This moment, in this place—the
feeling of flying through the
crystalline matrix in the arms of a
mountain shared with friends—was
magical.
As for the rumors about Cooke,
they’d been proven true. I’d become a believer.


Proctecting your auto, business, home
farm, health, life and employees
Ty Moline
Ph: 406 993 9242
or on the web at www.ins-agency.com
27
explorebigsky.com Mountain
Tales
story and photo By Kyle Wisniewski
As I drifted off to sleep, I listened to
the sound of the wind howling against
the side of my cabin in Gallatin Canyon.
I knew soon enough the alarm would
sound and it would be time to head out
into the forest to check our traps. I lay
there, thinking about mountain lions.
in his voice matched mine.
What happened next will be a hunting
story in my family for generations to
come. Our next two stops yielded
coyotes, bobcats, pine marten and even
an unlucky mule deer. It was already
an unprecedented morning.
The next morning I rose at 3 a.m., drank
my coffee, and loaded the wood stove
for the day. I headed down my driveway, filled with anticipation. The fall
air was blustery and cold, and I drove
slowly to the first trailhead enjoying
the warmth of my truck. I set off on
our first trapline in the dark, walking through snow by the light of my
headlamp.
Then it happened. Clear in the soft,
white snow, I found my first mountain
lion track. I sprinted a mile back to the
truck, crossed the icy Gallatin River,
and told my partner. He asked how big
the track was.
Mountain lions are elusive and hunt at
night, but with enough perseverance a
dedicated outdoorsman will encounter
the silent predator. At least that’s what
my mentor and hunting partner said,
and what I hoped. I’d never even seen
a lion track, but was fascinated by the
creatures.
We returned to where I saw the tracks
and let the dogs loose. They disappeared into the forest, hot on the lion’s
trail, and we followed them along
the mountain face overlooking the
highway.
The walk took forever, but anticipation
kept us pushing through the knee-deep
On that first line, I found nothing in
the way of animal tracks, and nothing
in our traps.
As I drove to my second stop, I caught
a lone coyote standing for a second in
my headlights. I walked down the trail
back to our first set of traps and found
every trap holding a coyote. Overwhelmed, I collected my bounty and
wandered back down the trail.
My third stop also held great rewards
in the way of coyotes, but again no
lion tracks. It was now first light, so
I made my daily call to my hunting
partner. I told him about the coyotes,
and then asked him to bring his lion
hounds and meet me. The excitement
28 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
snow. Dogs will typically track a
lion until the annoyance of their
pursuit forces it up a tree, so when
we finally heard the dogs barking,
we knew they’d treed it.
Perched on a branch 30 feet up,
the lion was magnificent. We
snapped a photo, leashed the dogs
and walked back out of the snowy
mountainside.
At the last stop on our daily checklist we found more lion tracks. Again
we chased a feline and gave her a flattering photo shoot. It was 8 a.m. and
was time to go to my day job.
It’s been years since that morning,
but it’s the kind of adventure that
keeps me in pursuit of the rewards
these mountains hold.
30 Mountain
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Mountain
31
Aga Apple prepares a culture for her
work with nanoparticles in the Harmsen
Laboratory at MSU.
science
Fighting infection
MSU researchers hope nanoparticles
can help fight a flu pandemic
story and photos By Tyler Allen
The 1918 flu pandemic, one of the
greatest natural disasters in human
history, killed between 50–100 million
people. By the time it ran its course,
3–6 percent of the world’s population
had died from this strain of influenza or
from secondary infections.
Today, after nearly a century of biomedical advances and vaccine development, a strain with similar virulence
could still impact tens of millions of
people. This is due to the instability of
the influenza virus and its tendency to
spread and evolve rapidly.
In the Molecular Biosciences Building on the campus of Montana State
University-Bozeman, Allen Harmsen
and researchers in the Harmsen Lab are
investigating a new therapy that could
fight a potential modern flu pandemic,
using viral-like particles called protein
cage nanoparticles.
Produced from proteins of an Archaean
microorganism that lives in deep sea
vents, these protein capsules produce
a temporary immune response in the
lungs of mice, similar to that generated
by an attacking virus.
Unlike an actual virus, these nanoparticles don’t create inflammation in
the lung tissue, which compromises
oxygen exchange with the blood and
can be permanent.
Investigators in the Harmsen Laboratory introduce protein cage nanoparticles to mice bred specifically for
biomedical research, and then inoculate the test subjects with a pathogen.
Using a Flow Cytometer—a powerful instrument capable of analyzing
several thousand particles a second—
the researchers map and analyze the
Committed to Research
Because of MSU’s commitment to research, particularly in biomedical sciences, the university attracts
competitive researchers and their correlating funding
dollars. The university was awarded over $100 million
in research funding last fiscal year.
32 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
Built in 2003, the Molecular Biosciences Building
houses a state-of-the-art facility where grants from
organizations such as the National Institute of Health
and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
help fuel biomedical research.
immune-response cells as they attack the
invading pathogen.
Harmsen has been researching this therapy for
about five years. While nanoparticles are being
investigated as a vaccine delivery platform
elsewhere, his is the only lab looking into them
as a broad spectrum vaccine. Harmsen got the
idea while working with fellow MSU scientists
Trevor Douglas and Mark Young on a project
that used protein cage nanoparticles as a drugdelivery method.
Effective influenza vaccines have been available for over 60 years, but the flu virus still kills
250,000–500,000 people worldwide annually
and causes 3–5 million cases of severe illness.
During the 2010-2011 flu season, 287 cases of
influenza were reported in Montana, with 40
hospitalized.
There have been three pandemic years in
the last century. During each, tens of millions died from influenza. The pandemics are
caused by a new strain of the virus spreading
from animals to humans, or by an existing
human virus that picks up new genes from an
animal strain.
Since vaccines only work against a particular
strain, influenza’s ability to mutate rapidly
makes it challenging for researchers to develop a vaccine before
a new strain spreads and becomes pandemic.
“A significant influenza outbreak like 1918 is very likely to occur
again, and this could give researchers time [to develop a vaccine],”
Harmsen said.
The temporary immune response created by the nanoparticle
therapy lasts up to five weeks in mice, Harmsen says. The hope is
that eventual clinical trials will reveal a similar immune response
in humans.
Because this immune response is not virus-specific, the lungs can
fight any pathogen introduced during this period. Since many
deaths from influenza result from secondary infection as the
body’s defenses are depleted, this could be an important weapon in
the fight against flu mortality.
Using nanoparticles
to fight MRSA
Aga Apple received some bad news when she
arrived in Bozeman to start her doctoral work
at MSU. She couldn’t begin her Ph.D. program
because the school she attended in Poland,
Adam Mickiewicz University, didn’t require the
same core classes as most American universities. While this only resulted in five weeks of
additional coursework, Apple had to delay her
program an entire year. In the meantime she fell
in love with Southwest Montana.
After completing her Ph.D. in autoimmunity at
MSU, and then her post-doctoral work in ovarian
cancer at Dartmouth, Apple returned to Bozeman for a second post-doc. Her research now
looks at how protein cage nanoparticles could
be used to fight off bacteria, especially MRSA
(Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).
MRSA was first discovered in the United Kingdom in 1961 and is found worldwide. It can kill
swiftly, and is especially troublesome in hospitals, where patients have open wounds or
invasive devices.
Because bacteria like MRSA reproduce and
evolve quickly, they’re capable of developing
resistance to the antibiotics used to fight them.
Apple is looking for a cell-based approach to
fight these dangerous bacteria, using nanoparticles rather than drugs.
Since people who die from influenza are often
killed by a secondary bacterial infection due to
exhausted immune systems, this work is very
closely linked with the Harmsen Lab’s flu research. Since MRSA is capable of killing its host
within 24 hours of infection, the implications of
nanoparticles as a defense against these drugresistant bacteria could be significant.
The Molecular Biosciences Building is home to a number of laboratories working on treatments and vaccines to infectious diseases,
including Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and Salmonella. Cuttingedge science is expanding here, and with it, Southwest Montana is
growing as a player in global health.
Tyler Allen writes from Bozeman.
Samples being prepared for analysis in the Harmsen
Laboratory at MSU Bozeman
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
33
now
Cok credits his herd of Holstein dairy cows for getting the farm to where it’s at today. Photo by Blaine Dunkley
The family farm
The 2012 Farm Bill may change the future for Cok Dairy
By Cotton Sarjahani
Dairy farming runs in Bill Cok’s family.
His father helped start the Gallatin Valley Creamery Cooperative in the 1950s,
and Cok and his brother partnered
in a dairy farm together in the 1980s.
After purchasing 120 acres outside of
Churchill, Cok started a dairy herd of
his own in 1992, and hasn’t looked
back.
Today, Cok Dairy is a thriving agricultural operation that includes eggs,
dairy, beef, alfalfa, corn, barley, winter
wheat and spring wheat. Cok and his
wife now own 600 acres in the Gallatin
Valley and lease another 700 . Three
of their four sons help with the family
business.
Just a few hundred yards from the
Cok’s farmhouse, the dairy herd feeds
in a pen, and the hens scratch at the
ground for bugs. The Coks milk their
herd twice daily, and the sanitized
milking parlor is right near the cows’
feeding pen. Next door, the holding
tanks have a 1,250-gallon capacity and
are filled with milk every other day.
Another 100 yards up the property are
cylindrical metal grain bins and rows
of corn.
In today’s efficiency driven economy,
few farmers are willing or able to
diversify themselves in this manner.
However, co-habitation of crops and
livestock is a method that many argue
is essential for ecological and economic resilience in an agricultural setting.
Surviving in a small operation
requires diversification, Cok says,
as well as the ability to roll with the
punches and, when possible, move to
new technology.
Cok credits his Holstein dairy heifers
for providing the farm’s foundation. Today, the family sells milk from a herd of
100 cows to the agricultural marketing
cooperative, Darigold, Inc., a subsidiary
of Northwest Dairy Association.
An enormous smile stretches across
Cok’s face as he talked about the farm’s
production this year. “This was one of
those once in a decade years… the type
when you actually get caught up or
finally get ahead,” he said.
Bill Cok savors the independence and autonomy that accompany his profession.
Photo by Blaine Dunkley
34 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
Unlike many commercial dairies, the
Coks raise their own feed. Lactating
dairy heifers require an energy-dense
diet to meet the production demands of
a commercial operation, and many dairy
farmers are vulnerable to price fluctuation in the grain commodities because
they source feed externally.
thus preventing a drop in market
prices that would be necessary to
move the excess supply.
and make a final decision in April. The
federal budget deficit will no doubt
shape the legislation.
When commodity feed costs increase,
the cost of commodity milk* subsequently increases because most dairy
farmers externally source their feed. In
the Coks’ case, the value of their milk
increases, and they remain insulated
from feed cost fluctuations, barring
fossil fuel costs associated with feed
production.
The U.S. all-milk price in May 2008
was $18.30/hundredweight. A year
later it was $11.60. Since 2009, the
price has increased to its all-time high
of $20.16. While this is good for dairy
producers in 2011, the historic volatility of the market makes it difficult to
rest easy. Many agricultural economists
expect prices to dramatically decrease in
the next one to three years.
Cok isn’t sure the new legislation will
help dairy farmers. One proposed bill,
he says, will remove the floor on the
price of milk, and instead ask farmers to
buy margin insurance that would cover
losses if the price of milk drops.
Getting to the point of finally
having their system dialed has
taken nearly three decades with
very few days off.
“I’m not really in favor of that,” he said.
“It’s complicated because it depends
on the price of feed and the amount of
milk produced [nationwide]…I
don’t see why they want to put it
on the backs of the farmers.”
“I don’t have to listen
to anybody telling
me what to do.”
“The hardest part about being
a dairy farmer is that you’re oncall 24-7. We’ve taken off maybe three
or four times to go to weddings since
1983,” Cok said. “You really have to be
around [the cows] every day to know
and understand their needs, so it’s not
easy to just find someone to take care of
them if you want to take off.”
In addition to the demanding lifestyle,
dairy farmers are also at the mercy of
nature, the market, and state and federal
policy.
Federal dairy farming policy has a complex history that’s changed many times
since the Agricultural Act of 1949
created a purchase program to maintain
a floor for the price of milk. This price
support system has not always been
effective, and the past 30 years in particular have been a market rollercoaster
for dairy farmers.
The system is a market intervention program, in which the federal
government purchases nonperishable
dairy products like cheese, butter and
nonfat dry milk from processors at
set intervention prices. When market
prices exceed intervention prices, the
support program remains inactive. It’s
activated when the supply exceeds
demand at the intervention prices,
Regardless, Cok loves farming, and
in particular, being his own boss.
“I don’t have to listen to anybody
telling me what to do,” he said.
The Farm Bill, the most powerful legislation governing federal farm and food
policy, covers a range of programs and
provisions, and undergoes review and
renewal roughly every five years.
The 2007 Farm Bill supported commodity crops, horticulture and
livestock, conservation, nutrition, trade
and food aid, agricultural research, farm
credit, rural development, energy and
forestry. It hasn’t, however, solved the
dairy industry’s volatility. The industry
has, in fact, experienced upheaval since
the bill’s enactment, according to recent
policy analysis**.
With the 2012 Farm Bill around the
corner, dairy farmers and advocates
must be informed in a manner that
allows participation in the legislative
process. Congress will begin looking in
earnest at the new bill in January 2012,
Every day is swamped with work, but
it’s ever changing, and is physically and
intellectually stimulating. As each day
unfolds, Cok assesses and prioritizes his
actions based on 30 years of experience. He and his family coordinate on a
daily basis, collaborating with nature to
produce nourishment for thousands of
fellow humans.
Federal intervention has impacted dairy
farmers and their families over the past
six decades, and it hasn’t always been
beneficial. Participating and staying
informed of the legislative process may
help create a more stable market for
U.S. dairy producers.
Cotton Sarjahani completed his Masters
in Health and Human Development
with an emphasis on Sustainable Food
Systems from MSU-Bozeman in 2011.
For information about the 2012 Farm Bill:
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Farm Bill
iatp.org/project/farm-bill-2012
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s 2012 Farm Bill Archives
sustainableagriculture.net/category/2012-farm-bill
* Cheese and dry milk (rather than fluid milk) set the cost for commodity milk
** Research conducted by the University of Wisconsin and the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
35
Life
lost on
lone
mountain
Brad
Gardner’s
story
By Taylor Anderson
Photo by emily stifler
Bradley Gardner lost his life at age 24 while
skiing by himself on Lone Mountain on March
9, 2011. His death has sparked efforts in the Big
Sky community to prevent similar events from
occurring again, and will leave its stamp deeply
printed on the resorts and in the backcountry
ski community.
This is a story about Brad’s father Ed, his
brother John, and his mother Mary. It’s for every
friend who lost a dear brother in the snow-filled
Montana winter of 2011.
36 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
feature
LONE LAKE CIRQUE’ s 800- foot cliffs jut skyward on a hot July day,
humbling the small group of people who have hiked to its base on the
remote northwest side of Lone Mountain.
The steep-walled basin amplifies the sound of tumbling rocks.
Open snowfields are slowly melting as the sun progresses
across the top of the northwest-facing cirque, and the sound of
dripping water echoes quietly through the still, dry air.
Ed Gardner sits near a glacial lake at the base of the cirque,
staring at the mammoth area. Matt Sitton scrambles toward the
crags above.
“Rock!” Sitton yells from an icy chute.
Ed doesn’t move. He just stares as the rock spins, gaining
momentum down the steep slope, then bounces off the corner
of a snowfield 100 feet above him. He watches straight-faced,
binoculars at one hip, revolver at the other. When the rock
slows to a stop 30 feet away, he raises his scopes again.
It’s a Monday in late July. Ed and Sitton have hiked the three
miles up to the cirque west of Big Sky and Moonlight Basin resorts a few times this week after spring had turned to summer
and winter stubbornly let go its snowy grip on the mountain.
Ed, an investment banker from Winter Haven, Florida, moved
into his Big Sky condo full time when his son was reported
missing on March 12. Ed last spoke with Brad on March 8, the
afternoon his son launched off a 75-foot cliff on skis in the
backcountry near Lone Mountain. The leap was captured on
video, and Brad was ecstatic about the feat.
“He was on top of the world that night,” Ed said. Although
his voice shook as he talked about his son in a coffee shop in
Bozeman in July, Ed portrayed an air of strength, often smiling
and laughing.
Sitton, a local photographer and Big Sky native, has hiked in
the Madison Range since he was 11—two years after surgeons
removed a baseball-sized tumor from the back of his brain.
He’s acted as mountain guide for Ed, and the two have grown
close in the months after Brad’s disappearance.
Today, Sitton stands in hiking boots, 10,000 feet above sea
level, on an eight-foot thick sheet of icy snow. He climbs
another 1,000 feet above Ed to inspect what he thought was
something yellow melting from the snow. “It could be nothing, but you’ve got to check out everything.”
Sitton and Brad had been friends since Brad moved to the area
full time two years earlier.
“Where are you buddy? Come on out,” Sitton pleads.
The pair found ski poles in the cirque only days before. One
was emerging from a remaining snowfield; the other, perched
on a cliff 400 feet higher.
The poles were the first raw clues in a search that began in
March, almost without direction.
Big Sky Ski Patrol passed through Lone Lake Cirque and
Chippewa Ridge, as well as in-bounds areas the day Brad was
reported missing. The initial search included two helicopters,
a fixed-wing aircraft, dog and ski units, each searching for signs
of Brad.
In the first week after his disappearance, sustained high winds
and heavy snowfall made the search extremely dangerous,
and Big Sky Search and Rescue postponed it until conditions
improved.
In total, BSSR, a local volunteer group, put 300 man-days
into looking for Brad. Teams covered 176 square miles,
literally crossing and re-crossing paths before zeroing in
on the cirque.
By July, four months after the disappearance, the organized
search teams had dwindled in size, and the attitude of the
mission had long since shifted from rescue to recovery.
Gallatin County released a statement declaring the search
wouldn’t end without success, and deputies promised they
wouldn’t give up until they found Brad. The Gardners kept
close contact with search and rescue, and the groups continued their independent search.
Later that week, Ed and Sitton discovered the ski poles.
Ed Gardner contacted Ed Hake, founder and president of
the BSSR, after finding them. “He was at my house in 30
minutes asking if I wanted them to go up that night to
recover the poles,” Gardner said.
The following day, the crew used a helicopter, supported
by ground and dog units, to try and recover or photograph
the cliffed pole. The crew got a high-resolution close-up
of it, which only led to more confusion when the photo
revealed the poles didn’t match. Rather than settle any
doubt that Brad’s body was in the area, the discovery
caused confusion, and search efforts hit another wall.
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
37
feature
B R A D LIVED FOR and pursued
a lifestyle that’s grown hugely popular
in the past few decades: big mountain
skiing and snowboarding.
He idolized big-name skiers, watched
and tried to emulate their styles. He
wasn’t well known in the Big Sky skiing community, but among friends he
was a step above, and cliff jumps like
the one he did on March 8 in the Chippewa Ridge region of Lone Mountain
were hallmarks of his talent.
They read magazines, watch movies,
follow riders and fashion, emulate,
repeat.
those leaving patrolled terrain. From
atop Lone Peak, there are two routes
to Chippewa.
After two years living full time in the
area, the lifestyle had captured Brad.
Regular cliff jumps and steep chute
skiing were things he shared with
friends and did alone. The desire to
push his limits began to drive him.
“One’s the traditional route where you
go across the snowline in the Wyoming
Bowl. The second is to go above Wyoming Bowl on the [Lone Lake Cirque]
ridge and come back the backside,” says
Big Sky ski patrol director Bob Dixon.
“And for what? A video? A free pair
of skis?” Ed asked. “I told him, ‘If
you want skis, I’ll buy you a
new pair of skis. What you’re
doing is stupid,” Ed said from
the Bozeman coffeehouse,
the steam long since finished
rising from his coffee.
This windblown ridge separates
Wyoming Bowl from Lone Lake
Cirque. Last winter, wind formed a
massive overhanging cornice above
the cirque about 700 feet below the
summit, along the ridge. Beneath the
cornice, cliffs drop 1,000 feet to the
basin floor.
Ed had just dropped his wife
Mary off at the Gallatin Valley airport that day. She split
time between her job as a
radiologist in Florida and visiting Big Sky to help search
efforts off the hill.
BRAD WAS REPORTED missing
on March 13, four days after telling
friends he was going back to Chippewa Ridge. Five new inches of snow
fell around Big Sky that morning, and
winds were between 25-40 mph.
Brad skiing Rockville Bowl at Big Sky in 2010.
Photo courtesy of Ed gardner
“I rode with him, and we rode hard,”
his friend Dan Greene said. “He raged
all the time.”
The lifestyle is something shared by
thousands of adults in lieu of school
or in limbo between graduation and
the dreaded ‘corporate life.’ It’s grown
popular among skiers Brad’s age that
move to mountain towns and pick up
jobs that allow them to pay for rent,
food, winter utilities and a ski pass.
Many live on a seasonal basis. One
winter is snowy, the next is cold and
dry, and they surf the emotional
waves of waiting for good conditions.
Visits home become infrequent.
Mornings are early and nights late in
the search for long, epic days on the
mountain or quick runs before work.
38 Mountain
Brad’s video from the March
8 Chippewa Ridge cliff jump
showcased his skills in the
adrenaline-driven world of
big-mountain skiing.
“That cliff is halfway down Chippewa Ridge, and we were there filming
all week,” Greene said.
The area is highly trafficked in the
winter months. Devilish, talus-filled
cliffs in the summer make way for
snow-filled chutes in the winter.
What’s more, skiers can traverse
easily back from the out of bounds
terrain to the Dakota lift in the resort,
adding to the popularity of the Chippewa Ridge.
Following a trend among western
ski areas, Big Sky and Moonlight
resorts added backcountry gates in
2006, allowing skiers to access nearby
backcountry. With warning signs and
skull and crossbones, the gates warn
explorebigsky.com
The mountains in the region had received significant snowfall that winter, and by March 9, the snowpack
was 111 percent of average. Another
4–5 inches fell on March 11, and on
March 12 winds at high elevations
were recorded at 80 mph.
Both natural and skier-triggered
avalanches had been reported in
the backcountry that day, according to the Gallatin National Forest
Avalanche Center’s daily advisory
archives. The avalanche hazard rating
was ‘Considerable’ on all windloaded slopes, which meant natural
avalanches were possible, and human
triggered avalanches were probable.
Doug Chabot, Gallatin Avalanche
Center director, issued the March
9 avalanche advisory. He cautioned
that “cornices will be sensitive to
breaking and wind slabs will be easily triggered.”
Continued on p. 40
NEVER GO ALONE
GOING OUT OF BOUNDS?
Sharpen your skills, bring the proper safety gear and always bring a partner.
T H I N K R I S K , T H E N R E WA R D
BSSAR.ORG // MTAVALANCHE.COM
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
39
Local search and rescue digs Brad out of the snow 136 days
after he went missing.
He would’ve sidestepped
up, passed the Moonlight
Basin summit hut, then
slipped down the ridge,
Liberty Bowl and then
Dakota Territory to his
left, the void of Lone Lake
Cirque to his right. He’d
have taken the same route
as usual, riding the knifeedge ridge 1,000 feet as it
dropped and began to bend
to the north.
He would have ridden near
the massive cornice, overhanging a fatal drop into
the cirque. Just before the
ridge bent, he would have
planned to turn and ski
south toward Chippewa.
Ed finds his son’s skis on the Cirque south slope of Lone
Peak on the 134th day of searching. Up the hill are Dave
Reaves and private search dogs. Photos by Matt Sitton
High alpine terrain like that
surrounding Lone Peak
was especially susceptible
to cornice build-up and
wind loading, so the caution related to almost any
of the backcountry Brad
could have accessed from
the ski area.
Brad wasn’t scanned at
any lift on the resorts that
day—lift-operators likely
recognized him as a local
and a season pass holder,
and let him on without
checking. There was no
evidence that he was skiing
in bounds. He was skiing
alone, most likely on the
last tram of the day. He had
a backpack equipped with
a shovel, avalanche beacon
and candy bars. His jacket
40 Mountain
was equipped with RECCO
mountain gear.
He asked friends if they
would come with him on
a last run to Chippewa to
look at the hole his body
left in the snow from the
jump the day before, but no
one could go.
DAN GREENE RENTED
his condo from Ed Gardner,
and called Ed after Brad
didn’t come home for three
days. “His door was open
and his dog was there.”
Ed Gardner and family flew
to Big Sky the day Greene
phoned. Ed and Mary called
Big Sky Ski Patrol, which in
turn called the sheriff.
The snow was good, and
at 2:30 p.m. Brad likely
caught the last tram ride to
the peak alone.
The family printed flyers
announcing the search
effort and describing Brad’s
bright skiing outfit and
the color of his boots and
pants. “Orange boots, yellow pants,” Ed repeated.
The family passed them
out throughout town, and
then headed to Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin.
Wind would have swayed
the tramcar as it neared
the top. Brad, holding his
skis at his sides, would’ve
walked off at the tram dock
onto the gusty summit,
tossed his skis to the rubber
mat flooring and clipped in.
By March 13, a foot of
snow had fallen near Big
Sky, and another 28 inches
fell between the 15th and
19th. This, combined with
high winds, caused the
teams to call off the initial
search on March 19.
explorebigsky.com
John, Brad’s 22-year-old
brother, left Colby College
in Maine during his senior
year to help search. Coordinating with Hake from
the BSSR, John scanned the
mountain for signs of Brad.
Taking to the mountain on
skis with a small group of
Brad’s friends, he bought
lift tickets and covered both
resorts, placing flyers, and
probing and digging in the
snow near Chippewa.
Ed and Mary focused mainly
around Big Sky and the
Madison Valley to the west.
Ed was granted access to the
Jack Creek Preserve road
west of Big Sky, and he and
Mary traveled to Ennis early
during the search to hang
flyers. By the time the two
got there, word had already
spread about a missing
person.
“They heard there was a
hiker missing,” Ed said.
Madison Valley residents
had formed a search
party and gone into the
mountains on a rescue
mission based out of Ennis
for what they presumed
was a missing resident,
an event that resonates
in small Montana towns.
“It says something about
the people from Montana
when a town reacts like
that,” Ed said.
Word around Big Sky
Resort was also misinformed about the specifics
surrounding the search,
and initial reactions by the
resort could have cost time
in what was originally a
rescue mission, Ed says.
“Almost no one I talked to
knew there was a missing
skier on the mountain.”
feature
Ed said everyone he talked to believed
Brad was on a solo backcountry ski tour,
not in lift-accessed backcountry areas.
For weeks, Ed believed Brad might be
in bounds, perhaps injured and buried
in snow.
ming Bowl and the Dakota Territory,
staying out of the cirque because of
inherent danger from avalanches and
falling rocks.
The pair was granted access to the land
surrounding Moonlight Basin, and
since SAR teams had found nothing but false clues and animal tracks
elsewhere, their hikes came to center
on Lone Lake Cirque, on the northwest
side of the mountain.
begins its westward crawl across the
ridge above.
The glacial moraine in the bottom of
the basin has formed a massive pile of
talus covering a hidden rock glacier.
Rock fields emerge from beneath the
remaining snow and sprawl toward the
lake, pushed by the ice hidden beneath
them.
Sam Byrne, owner of the Yellowstone
Club, granted the Gardner searches
(both informal and formal) access of
land owned by the club, and Ed Hake,
Throughout the cirque, snowfields sit,
who also owns a snowmobile rental
just starting to warm in the midday
business on Highway 191 near
Big Sky, helped lead snowmo“I was literally just sitting, sun. Beneath the boulder field,
the tinny sound of draining water
biles into the area.
staring at that mountain,
emerges as the snowmelt moves
watching snow melt”
through the rocks and into the
“The YC and Moonlight were
small, blue lake.
very gracious and helpful,” Ed
Gardner said. He said he didn’t appreciThe sun has just begun its westward
The hike started at a gravel pit near the
ate the treatment from Boyne, the parcrawl over the ridge; it’s never hidend of the Spur Road at Moonlight Baent company that owns Big Sky Resort.
den by the ridge. The weather shows
sin. There, the land crosses the boundthe first sign of life in light, sustained
ary into the Lee Metcalf Wilderness,
breezes hush past for a moment, cooled
from
which
point
the
two
followed
MONTHS AFTER STARTING the
by the snow and high elevation, and
mostly
game
trails
for
five
miles
and
search, the ski season was over, but
silence returns.
thousands
of
vertical
feet
before
passing
Lone Mountain looked much the same
a high mountain spring and reaching
as it did throughout the winter. Spring
Then, a horrible sound begins.
the cirque.
turned to summer, and cold weather
Rocks begin falling. First faint and
kept the mountain coated in snow for
distant, only an echo is heard as
months.
they careen through chutes and off
AT 11 A.M., the sun hasn’t warmed
crags, gaining speed. They’re only
John returned to school in June, and Ed
the cirque at 10,000 feet.
seen when they reach the moraine
was the only family member left full
snowfields. Just pebbles.
time in Big Sky.
Ed and Sitton reach the lake and sit.
His efforts remained grounded as a late
spring let a mammoth winter snowpack
linger through much of July. His condo
across Spur Road overlooks the peak,
the view a scathing daily reminder.
“I was literally just sitting, staring at
that mountain, watching snow melt,”
Ed said.
After enough melted, Ed and Sitton
began hiking on and around Lone
Mountain, this time on a recovery mission of their own.
Search and rescue and the sheriff’s department had covered nearly every inch
of mountain near Chippewa, Wyo-
A toboggan and sleeping bag—caches
from the resorts’ ski patrols—hang in
a tree on the bank. The air is silent and
windless. There are no clouds to cast
shadows during the early morning, no
birds overhead. The two are alone.
Their faces lack any sense of urgency
or hurry. Ed sits eating an apple and
some jerky, looking up at the cliff
tops thousands of feet above him. Sitton takes his shirt off and spreads out
one of the sleeping bags, which lie
wet and bunched up on the remaining
snow. They have become accustomed
to this search.
They sit silently, 200 feet apart, and
rest at the shores of the lake as the sun
Ed pulls out a small pair of binoculars and looks up. He points. “That’s
where we found the pole.”
That day, Ed and Sitton saw four
things that appeared to be remnants
of Brad. A glimmering rock looked
like a watch. Something yellow
looked like a piece of his clothing.
Each potential clue only a phantom
mirage and painful memory of Brad.
The only physical evidence actually on the hill that day was the ski
pole (which remains today wedged
between two rocks on an 800-foot
cliff), and Brad’s body, still frozen
just feet below his father’s boots.
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
41
Gardner was found in Lone Lake Cirque on the northwest side of Lone Mountain. photo by matt sitton
BRAD’S BODY was discovered eight days later.
Ed and Sitton noticed the edge of one of Brad’s skis melting out
of the snow on July 21. A thin line the size of a marker shined
in the sunlight. With it, a shovel handle and a candy bar.
They called search and rescue and the Madison and Gallatin
county sheriff’s departments. A meeting was assembled on
Thursday, July 22, to plan the final mission into the area the
following days.
Crews from the original search parties charged the mountain
with force matching the March search. Some hiked to the
summit, others were dropped by helicopter. All were there to
probe, shovel, scour and search the snow with RECCO radar
signals.
They found Brad, boot cracked and skis delaminated on July 23.
He was buried in the colossal mountain cirque, likely having
died from injuries after a fall when a cornice broke thousands
of feet above, though investigators still aren’t certain of the
details. His body was taken back to Florida for a funeral.
Sitting over a fresh cup of coffee at a hut in Big Sky three
days after finding his son, Ed looked like a man incomplete. His voice displayed the echo of a father in void,
and his pain hid behind a strong stare. He spoke frankly
of the traumatic experience and displayed hope that from
this tragedy, a flower will grow, and positive change will
be made.
Ed needs time to recharge and recover, though he says
he’ll likely never be whole again.
“I was talking to Brad one winter about his skiing,” Ed
said. “He said to me, ‘Dad, if I die back there, you don’t
have to come find me.’ And I said to him, ‘Well, I’m going to, Brad.’”
Taylor Anderson is Assistant Editor of Mountain Outlaw magazine
Matt Sitton, Big Sky native, owns a photo and video company
in Big Sky
To donate to Big Sky Search and Rescue visit BSSAR.org
Big Sky Search and Rescue launches backcountry awareness campaign
In an effort to generate awareness for skiers and snowboarders heading into the backcountry
in Southwest Montana, Big Sky
Search and Rescue has announced a Think Risk, Then
Reward campaign.
The action comes at the end of a
five-month search for the body
of Brad Gardner, who died skiing
out of bounds on Lone Mountain
after leaving the ski resort in
42 Mountain
March 2011. The group received
donations from Gardner’s family
and friends to use in whatever
way they needed.
BSSR has allotted money to ad
placements, radio public service announcements, posters
and video, all to prevent similar events from happening.
They want skiers to know they
can leave in bounds areas if
explorebigsky.com
they wish, but they must bring
the necessary rescue equipment: a friend, an avalanche
beacon, a shovel, a probe, and
gear in case of emergency.
“You have to remember that
when you bring a shovel and
beacon, that’s not to rescue
yourself,” says professional
skier and Big Sky resident
Jamie Pierre. “That’s to dig out
your buddy.”
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explore
Bozeman non-profits work together
on international water education
By Emily Stifler
Ali Johnson and her 15 high school classmates walked into an elementary school classroom in Guatemala, armed with glitter, illustrated
books with games about clean water, and a song.
It was the beginning of a spring 2011 semester that took the high
school girls—a group from the Bozeman-based Traveling School—from
Guatemala to El Salvador and Chiapas.
First, they created a human knot.
Everyone stood in a circle, put their hands in the middle, right over
left, and joined hands across the group, purposely entangling themselves. Secretly, a couple of the girls started out with glitter on their
hands. Without letting go, the group twisted and turned, laughing
as they climbed over each other until the knot was untangled. Then
everyone looked at their hands—glitter covered them all.
The girls explained this was a metaphor for the importance of hand
washing. They talked about the things you touch during the day, and
about how germs are spread. This game, and all the hand washing
material they taught, was provided by Project WET Foundation, a nonprofit also based in Bozeman.
The Traveling School girls next taught a song about hand washing. The
song describes how to wash properly, and lasts 20 seconds, the same
amount of time you should spend washing your hands.
“They got really into it,” Johnson said. “I’m pretty sure they took it
home.” Then the Guatemalan kids taught the girls a song back. “It was
really cool,” she said.
44 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
This was the second collaboration between the
Traveling School and Project WET, two Bozeman
non-profits with international reach. The first
was in Mozambique, the previous fall. It seems a
natural partnership.
When the school decided to get more involved
with water education, it made sense to work with
Project WET. The foundation is dedicated to
reaching children, parents, teachers and community members worldwide with water education.
The Traveling School offers fully accredited
semesters for teenage girls in Africa, South
America and Central America. Its coursework
includes standard high school classes, experiential education, cultural immersion and outdoor
adventure.
Project WET believes that education is a key
component in addressing the issues that result in
more than 3.5 million deaths worldwide every
year from water related diseases. Washing hands
with soap and water has been proven to reduce the
instance of these diseases by 47 percent, said Morgan Perlson, Project WET’s international projects
assistant.
History classes, for example, are tailored to the
region where that semester is studying. And on
a visit to the equator in Ecuador, the girls would
learn about Incan culture and astronomy.
“It’s hard to wrap your brain around because it
really is pretty far outside of the box,” said Genifre Hartman, the school’s founder and director.
The students come from all over the U.S. and
internationally, many from public schools, with
half to two-thirds on scholarship.
The foundation works toward its mission by publishing educational materials in several languages;
providing training workshops on watersheds,
water quality and water conservation; organizing
community water events; and working to build
an international network of educators, water
resource professionals and scientists. It has host
institutions in 50 U.S. states and 55 countries, and
offers more than 75 publications.
“[It’s] a classic Bozeman non-profit circle of
everyone helping each other,” Hartman said of the
partnership.
“I could never get [excited about] classes in high
school,” Johnson said. But during the Central
America semester, “school would come alive.”
When they were
reading Bridge of
Courage, a collection
of stories told by
Guatemalan guerillas, the girls ended
up meeting one of
the guerillas in the
book.
Because the school
visits the same places
each year, it builds
on past connections.
“It’s a reciprocal
relationship,” Hartman said. “The girls
think they’re going
to change the world,
and they’re always
amazed at how
the world changes
them.”
Students at a primary school in Uganda enjoy learning about disease transmission
while playing a game from a Project WET activity booklet.
Photo courtesy of Project WET
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
45
explore
Every year,
water related
diseases cause
3.5
million
deaths
Washing hands
with soap and
water has been
proven to reduce
the instance of
these diseases by
47%
Sarina Scott volunteering in school
Photo courtesy of the Traveling School
Project WET initially developed its colorful healthy habits
books in 2007, designing them with help from African teachers and locals. Now published in five languages, the books
have reached over 10 million students in 20 countries.
“The idea is to train the trainer, who trains others,” Perlson
said. “We develop easy-to-teach, fun, hands-on activities,
and empower students by helping them understand the
relationship between water and health.”
A video from Uganda shows a local teacher leading students
in a call and response version of the hand washing song.
Usually the song goes to the tune of Frère Jacques, but in
this case the teacher made up his own version, and he’s
smiling as he sings loudly. The kids, dressed in matching
yellow school uniforms, clap as they sing.
This is exactly the idea behind Project WET’s games—people learn better when they’re having fun, Perlson says.
Continued on p. 48
water wisdom
Many proverbs in African culture focus on water
and health, according to Project WET.
“A hippo can be made invisible in dark water.”
- African proverb
Meaning: Ignorance can lead to potential danger.
It’s important to be informed and alert.
Sophie Barrett pumping water in Mozambique
Photo courtesy of the Traveling School
46 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
“You think of water when the well is empty.”
- Ethiopian proverb
Meaning: You don’t appreciate what you have
until it’s gone.
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In fall of 2010, the Traveling School
went to South Africa, Namibia and
Botswana, two of which were new
countries for Project WET.
“[The water education materials] provide a platform for our students to feel
like they’re contributing,” said Leah
Knickerbocker, the school’s logistical
coordinator. “Before it was a challenge
to decide what to teach and to come up
with activities. Now they can go into
a school feeling prepared and teach
something they think is valuable.”
For the African and Latin American
students, the information means more
when it’s coming from a peer, Perlson
says. “In a lot of the schools teachers
are a higher up authority figure, and
I think it’s neat for them to have this
idea of learning from other students.”
It’s a different way of learning for the
African kids, in particular, Perlson
said. While students in the U.S. do a
lot of hands on learning, that’s rare in
Africa.
“These girls can make an impact if one
or two kids take what they learn home
to their families,” Perlson added.
“They have the chance to save lives,
48 Mountain
even just going into one school
teaching the hand washing lesson
and playing a game of tag.”
Following their semester, the
Traveling School girls are given a
weighty task.
“We say, ‘Now you’ve seen this
poverty, you know it exists, what
are going to do about it?’” Hartman
said. Each class must create an independent group project to help better
the world.
The spring 2010 group built theirs
around the flooding they’d seen near
Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
in Peru. The girls talked to local
women’s cooperatives that were
devastated because their seeds had
washed away. The Traveling School
girls returned to the U.S. and raised
over $1,500 for the women to buy
seeds.
The hand
washing
song
This song lasts 20
seconds, the appropriate
length of time for hand
washing. It’s often sung to
the tune of Frère Jacques.
Lather with soap
Rub your palms together
Now the backs
Of your hands
Interlace your fingers
Cleaning in between them
Now the thumbs
Clean your nails
“That’s a powerful thing to give to
a teenager, but they can handle it.”
projectwet.org
travelingschool.com
explorebigsky.com
School children showing clean hands
Photo Courtesy of the Traveling School
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living history
C row f a i r
By allen Russell
50 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
I find Indian reservations
every bit as exotic and socially
complex as places I’ve photographed halfway around the
world. While finding similarities among Montana’s seven
reservations, insightful travelers will also notice each has
unique qualities and customs.
The Crow Indian Reservation
in south-central Montana is the
largest in the state. In midAugust its people, the Apsáalooke Tribe (better known
as the Crow), held the 93rd
annual Crow Fair. Billed as “the
teepee capital of the world,”
more than 10,000 native people
set up 1,700 teepees and 1,200
tents near the banks of the
Little Big Horn River. The
three-day event included daily
parades, all-Indian rodeos,
Indian horse racing and intertribal powwows.
This scene on the edge of the Crow Fair camp reminded me of historic photographs and paintings,
with children playing in the river and Indian riders returning to their village. One of the things that
attracts me to Indian culture is how much of their heritage is intact.
Each morning, the Apsáalooke
formed a parade, winding through camp on horseback and
riding atop flatbed trucks, bedecked with beadwork and
traditional attire. While this kaleidoscope of colors was
undeniably Indian, the procession wasn’t that different
from other small town parades: Local dignitaries, politicians and myriad others showing what they’re proud of.
In tune with the Crows’ strong horse culture, there were
horses aplenty.
young bareback riders, seemingly glued to their mounts,
staged horse races, roped each other, and had fun just being kids.
The afternoon rodeos showcased the skills of Indian
cowboys and horsemen. The events were similar to most
professional rodeos in the West, but like most of Indian
life, rodeo is a family affair. The kids who were too young
to compete made up their own affair behind the scenes;
Each day I made a point to wander through camp, observing and photographing the Crow lifestyle. The people
were friendly and open, and I was welcomed into several
family camps and invited to share meals.
The evening powwows, with a richness of ritual, color
and motion, are the core of the Crow Fair every year. Powwow is a central part of culture for many Indians, and their
pride in this custom is evident in the elaborate costumes
and the energy of the dance.
Left: Fancy dancer. One of the more modern dances in the powwow, this is the most strenuous and athletic. To be good, a fancy dancer
must train for stamina and agility. The dance is fast and features jumps and twirling, resulting in a swirl of magical colors. The flying
feathers and ribbons represent the rainbow spirit’s bright colors, and keeping the feathers moving constantly throughout a song is part
of the dance. Dancers also carry decorated coup sticks. These originated as small sticks carried into battle, and it was considered a
great sign of bravery if a warrior touched his enemy with a coup stick (much more than killing the enemy).
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living history
Right: Maybe my favorite from this year’s
fair, this image speaks to the contemporary
Crow, the hope for their youth, and their
connection to the horse.
This image exemplifies my style of un-posed
photography. When I first saw this girl, she
was with a group of six kids behind the rodeo
chutes. Twenty minutes later she walked
past, leading this white horse. When she
swung on bareback, her horsemanship
skills and grace were evident—that’s when I
captured this image.
Below: Young traditional dancers during
Grand Entry
52
52 Mountain
Mountain
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Traditional dancer. This is the oldest form of
dance in Indian culture, its movements telling
of warrior actions, hunting, stalking game and
battling enemies. Regalia is sewn by hand and
worn with great pride.
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53
YOU
DON’t
KNow
Schmidt
The father of extreme skiing comes home to Montana
By Emily Stifler
In a training run at the 1979 Northern Division Championships
downhill race at Bridger Bowl, Scot Schmidt crashed high on
the course, flew into the fences, and was knocked unconscious.
Covered in bruises, he wasn’t sure if he’d compete the next day.
well as a handful of other races in the Northern Division that
season. Every weekend during high school, he traveled from
Montana City, his hometown south of Helena, to train and
race with the Bridger Bowl Ski Team near Bozeman.
But he rallied, and then he won.
After the last race, Schmidt was helping clean up the
course, hauling gates off the hill, and his coach pulled him
aside.
Race officials thought something was wrong with the timing—there was no way this skinny 18-year-old had beat all the
NCAA racers. But the next day Schmidt did it again. And the
following day, he won the Giant Slalom in his class.
It was the winter before Schmidt’s high school graduation, and
he’d already won the Hancock Cup downhill at Red Lodge, as
Photo by Travis Andersen
54 Mountain
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“You’ve got a shot at this. You’ve got something here,” the
coach told Schmidt. “If I were you, I’d look into a bigger
and better program.”
That’s when Scot Schmidt decided to be a skier. For life.
Profile
Skiing was a family sport for the Schimdts. They started at
Belmont, the small hill north of Helena now called Great
Divide. Scot remembers trying to ride the rope tow with
his father, and sometimes falling off in the rutted track.
The area was scattered with old mine tailings, which the
four kids used as jumps. “Mine Dumps” was one of Scot’s
favorite runs.
They loved it, and took a week’s vacation every year to Big
Sky, Bridger Bowl and other spots around the state.
In high school, Schmidt worked summers at a local ski shop
called Sports Montana. The shop also sold skateboards. He
picked up skateboarding, which taught him to pump curves
and use terrain to accelerate.
“I used that in the Northern Division Championships,” he
said. “It had a lot to do with my success racing.”
At 18, following his coach’s advice, Schmidt moved to Squaw
Valley, California. and joined the ski team. He raced well, but
quit the team after three years because he couldn’t afford it.
That same year, in 1983, filmmaker Gary Nate was in
Squaw filming for Warren Miller. Locals told a skeptical Nate
about Schmidt, so the two went out to the K-22, a notoriously
craggy part of the ski area. Schmidt, sporting 220 cm downhill
skis, peered over a cliff as Nate’s camera rolled.
“It was sheer rock with a few patches of snow,” Nate recalled.
“It looked impossible.” He thought Schmidt would hit the
couloir to the side.
Instead, Schmidt linked up the snow patches, arced into the
avalanche debris beneath the face, and never even bobbled.
Later that week, Nate filmed Schmidt jumping 100-footers
higher on the mountain. Sparks flew as he launched big, his
edges nicking rocks.
Nate couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d seen the best in the world,
but never an equal to Scot Schmidt.
Schmidt, who’d never even seen a Warren Miller film, didn’t
think much of it. “I was just doing what I did every day, free
skiing Squaw,” he said.
That footage ended up in Warren Miller’s “Ski Time” and
launched Schmidt’s film career, which spanned the next two
decades and included Hollywood productions like “True Lies”
and “Aspen Extreme,” and over 40 ski films by masters like
Miller and Greg Stump.
Schmidt tearing into the Third Virtue at Bridger Bowl, 1990.
Photo by Lonnie Ball
A 1989 appearance on NBC’s “Today Show” alongside
wild-man skier Glen Plake marked what Stump calls “the
launch of extreme in America... From that moment on, it
was a word in pop culture.”
Watch the mid-‘90s ski films “Blizzard of Aahhh’s” (1988)
or “P-tex, Lies and Duct Tape” (1994), and Schmidt’s skiing
is elegant and efficient, punctuated with explosive power
bursts.
This career took Schmidt from the Rockies to the Alps,
across Europe and Alaska, to New Zealand and Siberia. It
earned him sponsorships from K2, Salomon, Stockli, and
The North Face, where in the early ‘80s, he became the
first-ever endorsed free skiing athlete.
In his 28 years with The North Face, Schmidt has been an
expedition athlete, a poster boy, and is now a mentor for
younger skiers. He was instrumental in developing the
brand Steep Tech, and some at TNF even credit him with
inventing the color yellow.
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Profile
Schmidt’s professional ski career also
brought him back to Montana, where he
skied for the camera at Big Sky and in the
backcountry north of Bridger Bowl.
At Big Sky, he starred in Warren Miller’s
1992 film, “The Scot Schmidt Story.”
Schmidt said the days were beautiful
but cold. It was 20-below zero, and he
had to keep his face covered. Regardless,
he says, it was an easy spot to work and
conditions were just right. The pre-tram
footage is memorable: Schmidt launches
into chutes weightless, hip checking to
dump speed, driving hard downhill with
his knees—absolutely ripping.
He returned many times that decade,
skiing in Miller and Stump shoots in
the Northern Bridgers. There, longtime
local Lonnie Ball worked as the guide
and safety coordinator, and admired
Schmidt’s skiing:
“Scot was a very good planner of his
descents. It was fun to watch how he
studied a slope, and if it was technical,
how he skied it.”
On one of these trips, Ball says, Schmidt
showed what kind of person he was:
Their helicopter was hovering near a
north-facing couloir called The Great
One, and the crew was about to unload.
Ball knew the slope was safe, so figured
he’d stay in the chopper out of the way of
the filming.
Schmidt looked right at Ball. “If you
don’t ski it, I’m not going to,” he said.
“Scot is humble and sweet...He’s
not affected at all by his fame.
He’s still Scot Schmidt, a normal
Montana guy.” -Filmmaker Greg Stump
Schmidt and Gary Nate filming for Warren Miller in the northern Bridgers, 1990.
Photo by Lonnie Ball
56 Mountain
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“I was there to guide and point the way,
but he wanted me to be part of the whole
thing,” Ball said. “To Scot, it wasn’t just
making a movie. It was more, ‘we’re
friends, and we’re out here together.’”
Schmidt gets along with everybody,
according to Stump. “Scot is humble
and sweet...He’s not affected at all by his
fame. He’s still Scot Schmidt, a normal
Montana guy.”
Continued on p.58
Legend of AAhhh’s
Ski filmmaker Greg Stump talks island fever,
procrastination, and hot girls
Greg Stump left an indelible mark
on the ski industry. His films are cult
classics, and some, like “Blizzard of
Aahhh’s,” “Groove Requiem” and “Ptex, Lies and Duct Tape,” are worth
watching many times over.
A 15-year-old in a 51-year-old body,
Stump can pull off lewd and classy in
the same sentence.
His long-awaited new film, “Legend
of Aahhh’s,” is a look into the history
of the ski film history. Told in Stump’s
unique, quirky and insightful manner,
it’s the story behind the story, according to ski legend Scot Schmidt.
“If you like Greg Stump movies you’ll
love this one,” Schmidt says. E.S.
Q+A
Where did you learn to ski?
I grew up in Gorham, Maine and
learned to ski on the old railroad bed
behind our house. Dad got us wooden
Penguin skis and we slid down the
slight hill of maybe 15 feet. The next
summer, I piled up old rail ties to increase the vertical. The local Kiwanis
Club ran a rope tow in Gorham with
150 feet of vertical and lights, where
we skied at night.
Tell me about your career in the ski
industry.
since “Fistful of Moguls” in ‘99. It got
too dangerous.
way to make a bluebird sunny day
is to party hard the night before.
[When] I was with Craig Kelly and
Scot Schmidt in Russia, we just
escaped getting killed by avalanches
two or three times. Then we had
another close call at Island Lake
Lodge in Canada. I heard Scot and
Craig over the radio, scared. I’m not
a church-going person, but at that
point I made a pact with God, Allah
and the Goddess. I said, ‘If you get
these two guys off this ledge safely, I
quit.’ And that was it.
Where do you live?
What’s up with your new film,
“Legend of Aahhh’s?”
It’s a historical look at the ski film
industry from the ‘30s to the present,
with a big emphasis on “Blizzard of
Aahhh’s” and “License to Thrill”—
kind of like “Dog Town and Z Boys”
or “Riding Giants,” but for skiing.
Originally I was going to call it “Snow
White Trash” and make it more
autobiographical. It’s still a thinly
disguised memoir. It’s pretty weird
making a movie about yourself.
Is it a ski movie?
There’s skiing in it, but it’s not ski
porn. I think it’s intelligent and
whimsical. It’s sexy. Funny when
it’s supposed to be funny, sad when
it’s supposed to be sad. I sold it to a
distributor in Hollywood that does
boutique edgy rock and roll type
movies and have had clients like the
Grateful Dead and Rush.
I was national freestyle champion
in ‘78, and North American champ
in ’79. Then I started skiing for Dick
Barrymore. [Skiing] for him in “Vagabond Skiers” in 1979, I saw filmmaking could be a one-person show…
that was it. I had the bug.
What was it like shooting with
Schmidt in Chamonix?
I started making ski movies in 1983,
but I haven’t made a feature film
We were running hot during “Blizzard of Aahhh’s.” The guaranteed
In Victor, Idaho. I lived in Whistler
in the ‘90s then moved to Maui in
2000. I moved my studio there and
went 13 months with no shoes. I
commuted to Hollywood to direct
crazy stuff like Super Bowl commercials. Eventually I got island
fever, so I drove around the west
looking for a place I could afford.
It was either a 400 square foot
apartment in Aspen for $400,000,
or eight acres with Teton views
and a crazy studio.
What are you working on now?
Procrastination. I’m working on
a presentation on an infomercial
I’m making with a scientist from
the Steadman Philippon Research
Institute in Vail. It’s about Opedix
Compression Tights, pants that
look like long underwear but have
built-in bio-mechanical wraps
to simulate muscles in the leg
and keep the knees aligned. They
reduce quad fatigue by 40 percent.
And of course [producing music
videos] with Lukas Nelson and
Promise of the Real.
Do you consider yourself an artist?
I didn’t until I was about 35. Then
I went, ‘what the f*** am I?’ I said,
‘just relax, you’re an artist.’ I’m
definitely on my game as far as
editing. That’s my passion—working post-production. I love live
[music] performance movies. I’m
a decent writer, a pretty good narrator, and I can hold a camera.
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Continued on p. 58
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Do you still ski?
I haven’t been skiing much. Working on the film the
last three years was pretty heavy duty. And I hurt my
knee about three years ago. I had Dr. Steadman do
an ACL graft on my left knee last April. So perhaps
this year…
Besides, I lived in Whistler for a decade, and I could
walk to the lift. Whistler is like the French Alps. No
offense to Targhee or Jackson, but they’re kind of
boring compared to Whistler. I can see Targhee from
my house but it’s still 45 minutes away. I’d rather
read a book or go cross-country skiing than drive to
go skiing.
Have you skied in Montana?
I skied [and filmed] in the Bridgers in 1990, when
we snow-catted in with Lonnie Ball. I’ve never skied
Big Sky, but enjoyed the Yellowstone Club. Montana
had a lot of nice people. I had a blast in Big Sky.
What’s that bar called… the Blank Stare?
When are you going to show “Legend” in Big Sky?
[I’m working with this] major theatrical distribution
company now, and it’s in their hands.
It’s looking like a Christmas release. I’m sure they’ll
do Big Sky, and if they don’t I’ll come up there myself.
How’s your love life?
I’m dating a drop-dead gorgeous 30-year-old. The
cutest girl I’ve ever met. I’ve gone out with some
beautiful women, and this one takes the cake. I met
her in Hawaii, and we were friends for years. She
doesn’t ski and doesn’t want kids. It’s fantastic.
What’s with Baron Von Stumpy—is that a nickname?
I’m self-anointed royalty. Shouldn’t everybody be?
Maybe not… nobility would get so crowded.
Same style, same color. Schmidt at the Yellowstone Club.
Photo by Travis Andersen
The living ski legend now splits his time between Santa Cruz,
California, and Big Sky. This summer, Schmidt spent his 50th
birthday in Montana, and he’ll be back when the lifts start
turning in mid-December.
It’s Schmidt’s ninth season working at the Yellowstone Club,
and his third year living there all winter. In the past, he chased
bookings all over the Rockies, and he’s now glad to be in one
place all winter.
“I’ve always loved Montana, and I’m glad to have an opportunity to ski full time here,” he said about working at the club.
For this upcoming winter, he’s anticipating skiing 120-plus
days. His work includes guiding guests, members and prospects, and “sniffing out the soft stuff.”
“I had no idea what the [Yellowstone] Club was about before
my first visits,” he said. He found interesting and diverse
people and great skiing—a combination that keeps him coming back.
Schmidt skis out the pearly gates and heads over to the big
stuff next door at Big Sky and Moonlight whenever conditions allow.
“To be able to ride the tram and ski down into Moonlight
Basin… It’s Euro-style descents up there. You’re skiing big
couloirs and faces; there’s a pretty good pucker factor.”
Being in Montana, Schmidt sees his family more, especially
his mother and older brother who still live and ski near
Helena. He’s also able to get his three kids (two girls ages 20
and 17, and an 11-year-old son), out several times a season for
some turns.
legendofaahhhs.com
Full circle for a man who says he learned how to live through
skiing.
“Really, it’s been my life. I made a conscious choice at a young
age that’s what I wanted to do, and I’m fortunate to still be doing it and loving it.”
Stump’s 1994 film, “P-Tex, Lies & Duct Tape” featuring Scot Schmidt
58 Mountain
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Emily Stifler wore blue Steep Tech pants from 1996-2004.
R ar e
R e s a l e
O p p o r t u n i t y
o n
P i o n e e r
Chalet 4
M o un t a i n
at Yellowstone Club
For more information on this property visit www.Chalet4.com
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F E AT U R E S
Incredible, Direct Ski-in/Ski-out Access
6,000+ Livable Square Feet
5 Bedrooms
Turnkey Property with Base Area Location
Steps from Warren Miller Lodge
TO BIG SKY
TO MOONLIGHT BASIN
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real estate
A place to be present
Timber Creek Ranch
60 Mountain
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The ranch hands say they know
the land better than they know
themselves. They’ve laid the
fencing and planted the trees,
and have seen the children come
of age here, teaching them the
lessons of good, honest work.
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real estate
“
THERE’S ALWAYS
CONTINUITY AND STABILITY
AT THE RANCH. OUR FAMILY
LEARNED TO APPRECIATE
OUR TIME TOGETHER
HERE, AND ESPECIALLY
EACH OTHER.
“
Meg and Charlie have lived and
worked on Timber Creek Ranch for
six years. They had a hand in raising
the owners’ children, including the
youngest, Finn. The owners, a family hailing from the east coast, come
to the ranch about three times a
year to escape the city and to enjoy
the long summer days and cozy
winter evenings, and, most of all, to
be together.
The stunning 557-acre property sits
on the banks of the South Fork of
the Shoshone River in the foothills
of Wyoming’s Absaroka Mountains. Named for nearby Timber
Creek, which flows past the main
house and stables, the secluded spot
blends into the valley’s vast beauty.
The sense of place on Timber Creek
Ranch provides those who are
lucky enough to be there a setting
in which to prosper, be grounded
and be present.
It’s a quiet life on Timber Creek
Ranch, which is a 30-minute drive
from the classic western town of
Cody, Wyoming, and about an hour
from Yellowstone National Park.
Buck, a local Cody legend, homesteaded the ranch in the early
1900s, and the property has been
62 Mountain
passed down through generations
of families ever since.
This was Annie, John, and their
four childrens’ last summer on Timber Creek Ranch. When the aspen
leaves began to change to sunlityellow and the mornings provided
an abrupt chill, Finn’s three older
siblings and father headed East.
Finn stayed one week longer with
his mother, Annie, working on the
last of his rock collection and riding
his horse, Sabre. Sometimes, as
they loped along, Finn remembered
the glory of winning blue ribbons
with Sabre at that summer’s Park
County Fair.
Finn often spoke of pack trips with
Charlie up to Carter Mountain – a
dominant peak boasting the largest
mass in the Greater Yellowstone.
He recalled mornings tracking
animals on the riverbank, finding
pronghorn, elk and smaller critters’
tracks, and ATV rides, splashing
through mud puddles, laughing
with his brothers and sister, and of
course, fly fishing.
Meant to be a year-round residence,
lovers of winter activity thrive at
Timber Creek. World-renowned ice
climbing is just 20 minutes up the
South Fork, and the delightful Sleeping Giant Ski Area is an hour away.
Enjoyed by Finn’s family as a nature
preserve, the property is also a
hunter’s paradise, abundant with
wildlife. The ranch has a classic
Western landscape, with a variety
of geologic features carved into its
history.
The family spent many days in
town, exploring the Whitney
Gallery of Western Art, and visiting the library and the town pool.
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Sometimes, they’d stay for the
nightly rodeo, which draws stars
of the Western sport, especially pro
bull riders, from around the world.
Annie lingered for a moment in front
of the main house’s large bay window, looking out toward the river.
“Seasons change with the passage of
time”, she said. “We grow and learn
along with them, but there’s always
continuity and stability at the ranch.
Our family learned to appreciate our
time together here, and especially
each other,” she reflected.
Part of the family’s daily ritual is
the seven-minute ATV ride to the
mailbox. “The kids love it,” Annie
said. It’s also a great three and a half
mile run.
The solitude, as well as the days
unencumbered from pre-planned
obligations, is why Annie, whose
father passed the land down to her,
decided to make Timber Creek Ranch
her family’s escape.
Annie and Finn had started the day
at sunrise. They slipped into rubber
boots and tromped through frozen
grass to the barn. Charlie and Meg
had arrived in the pre-dawn to begin
the day’s work.
Charlie did an early survey of
the property checking fences and
irrigation pipe while Meg had
brought the horses in from their
night grazing in the pastures. As
Annie and Finn helped with feeding, dust glowed in the morning
light.
The four met in the main house
for a breakfast of black coffee and
oatmeal, laughing as the sun rose
in the sky. It was only 8 a.m. when
they donned fishing vests, hopped
on their ATVs and rode down to
the river to spend the morning
fishing.
Wading in the cool water, Finn
squealed as a fish hooked into his
line. He reeled in and claimed his
prize: a 16-inch rainbow trout.
As the crisp, fall air warmed, they
all enjoyed lunch at the ranch’s
picnic area. Annie had packed
vegetables from the garden behind
the house, as well as hot dogs and
iced tea. They sat in the shade of big
cottonwoods, and the horses grazed
in the surrounding pasture. Charlie
kept the grass here freshly mown
all summer and had recently lined
the picnic area with a new fence.
Annie played a tune on her harmonica, and a light breeze whisked
the tree branches. While Finn
roasted a hot dog over the campfire, they all excitedly planned the
afternoon trail ride.
After lunch, while Charlie and Meg
loaded the packs with supplies and
saddled horses, Finn practiced barrel
racing in the arena. Annie watched
with admiration. Ready to go, they all
set off up Timber Creek on horseback
for the remainder of the afternoon.
After an hour, they stopped atop
a ridge at the edge of the property.
Charlie had strategically set a picnic
table there, and they snacked on more
garden fare.
from his hunting adventures around
the world.
“Seeing for miles and miles makes
me feel expansive inside,” Annie
remarked.
Afterward, Finn headed to the craft
room to stamp the ranch’s brand on a
belt. The room, attached to the stable,
is a favorite among kids and guests
who love marking their belongings as
souvenirs.
Indeed, the 360-degree views looked
over rolling pastureland, classic
Wyoming prairie and mountains. The
ranch’s cattle grazed far below, framed
by low brown hills and blue sky.
They meandered back down to
the banks of the Shoshone, riding
through a drainage lined with sagebrush as high as their boots.
As they returned to the stables, the
horses that had been left behind
nickered and snorted, anxious to hear
about the afternoon adventures. Meg
and Charlie took the saddles off the
horses, brushed the sweat marks off,
and picked the dirt from their feet.
For dinner, Annie prepared a bison
roast stew for all to share, and they
gathered around the dining room
table for their last evening meal of the
season. Animal mounts hung above
their heads—Annie’s father’s prizes
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They spent the evening around the
poker table, playing seven-card stud.
The sounds of crickets, owls and coyotes floated in through the window.
“The intentions are good here,”
Annie said as she stocked her fishing
vest for another morning on the river.
A scattering of rocks and minerals sat
behind her on a shelf—artifacts from
the many years her children spent exploring the land. Among them were
heart shaped-rocks Annie picked up
herself.
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63
real estate
“It’s meaningful,” she said. “Love
abounds here. Heart shapes are everywhere on the ranch. All you have to
do is look.”
fun. Annie and John enjoyed raising
their children within the peace and
privacy of the ranch. With the long
driveway off the South Fork Road,
the property is set apart from road
noise, but close enough to take a bike
to town.
The principles on Timber Creek
Ranch are like a human’s relationship with a horse: Where you look is
where you’re headed. Patience is important, as is a respect for the people,
land and animals—understanding
and caring for them, as well as being
firm, consistent and confident.
“You can have it all at Timber Creek
Ranch,” Annie said, “yet if you want
even more, you can head up to Yellowstone National Park. We see the
same wildlife here at the ranch, but
without the crowd. This is where I
prefer to be.”
“It’s a metaphor for life, the effort,
and the energy that happens here.”
But time on the Ranch is also about
learning life’s lessons while having
G a l l a t i n
N a t i o n a l
F o r e s t
cooke
city
North Entrance
bi g
sky
r
o
k a
e
n g
r a
Gardiner Riv
er
Mount Washburn
s a
Lamar Valley
yello wstone
iver
ar R
Lam
wyoming
b
Tower-Roosevelt
Bunsen Peak
Canyon Village
Norris
Norris Geyser Basin
West
Yellowstone
Northeast Entrance
a
Mammoth Hot
Springs
Madis
on Riv
er
montana
Boiling River
Electric Peak
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Gibbon River
detailed
area
r
ve
Ri
ne
to
ws
llo
Ye
Madison
Junction
For more information, including
fly fishing and horseback riding
videos from Timber Creek Ranch,
please visit tcr-cody.com.
You can experience the West using
Cody as a springboard, she added.
Gardiner
to
Timber Creek Ranch is a resting place
and a retreat: a place to be present in
the solitude of the moment, and to
create meaningful memories with
family. -Abbie Digel
West Entrance
Firehole Drive
Fishing Bridge
national
Fountain Paint Pots
Great Fountain Geyser
East Entrance
xim
pro
Ap
idaho
Fir
eh
ole
Ri
ver
Old Faithful
Buffalo Lake Patrol Cabin
West Thumb
Shoshone
Lake
ate
Ca
lde
ra
Eagle Peak
Boun
dary
park
Continental
Divide
South Entrance
64 Mountain
cody, wyoming
Yellowstone
Lake
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timber
creek
ranch
Creighton Block
Rob Akey
Greg Alexander
Jim Barrett
Diana Brady
Lynn Cain
Todd Connor
Jerral Derr yberr y
Flavia Eckholm
Edd Enders
Thomas English
Charles Fulcher
Mark Gibson
Don Grant
Mimi Grant
Ott Jones
David Lemon
Asha MacDonald
Mike Patterson
Paula Pearl
Jacqueline Rieder Hud
Shiela Rieman
Daniel San Souci
Deb Schmit
Laurie Stevens
Shirle Wempner
ARTIST PROFILE
Daniel San Souci was born in San Francisco and grew up across the bay in Berkeley,
California. In 1978 Doubleday Publishers
offered him a contract to do the ar t for
a book titled “The Legend of Scarface: A
Blackfeet Indian Tale.” This first book did
well and won awards, including the “New
York Times Best Illustrated Book.” This
star ted a thir ty year career in book illustration. His work is in many private collections, including Arnold Schwar tzenegger
and Maria Shriver, all-time winningest
Jockey Russell Baze, and renowned horse
trainer Jerr y Hollendorfer.
Daniel San Souci
“Mustang Flats”
30” x 40”
BIG SKY TOWN CENTER
10:30 AM - 5:30 PM TUESDAY THRU SATURDAY
BY APPOINTMENT SUNDAY AND MONDAY
406-993-9400
C R E I G H TO N B L O C K G A L L E RY. C O M
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Mountain
65
Red Mountain from the air
photo by Derek Frankowski
escape
Striking
white gold
in the West
Kootenays
British Columbia residents find harmony with
Rossland, Nelson and Revelstoke
By Jennifer Rebbetoy
Shredding the deep
powder and snowy
peaks of the Monashee
and Selkirk mountains
is winter bliss. These two
ranges complete half of the subranges that make up the Columbia
Mountains, a ski and snowboard
destination beautiful enough to
make any shredder’s cheeks hurt
and eyes glaze over. Locals say the
mountains in Western Canada
resemble the Alps.
The first to find solace here were
the Sinixt and Ktunaxa First Nations peoples. These indigenous
tribes lived between the valleys,
mountainsides and rivers. Moving
from one location to another with
changing seasons, they connected
to the energetic flow that operates
in these mountains.
By the mid-1800s, mining for
silver, gold and iron ore enticed European settlers deep into British
66 Mountain
Columbia. The late 1880s was a
dark time of scheming, double
crossing and murder; these
crooks stampeded in the direction of new stakes, hoping to get
rich quick.
Today, adventurous residents
of Rossland, Nelson and Revelstoke, British Columbia feel a
similar urgency to reach the tops
of the mountains, but now in a
more amicable manner.
However, it’s still a race: Making
the first turns in fresh Kootenay
powder is white gold.
Each town has its own character.
Rossland has a vibrancy of youth.
In Nelson, healthy competition is guaranteed. Revelstoke is
known for its experimental edge.
The West Kootenays have been
Canada’s best-kept secret for
over 30 years. Now is the time
to share and shred the western
Canadian gnar.
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cool options
in British columbia
Cat skiing
Baldface Lodge – A backcountry lodge with snow cat
skiing and boarding, insanely
good powder and certified
guides baldface.net
Helicopter/touring
Ice Creek Lodge – A remote
and spectacular backcountry
ski touring hut accessed by
helicopter. Certified guides
available. icecreeklodge.com
Resort riding
Red Mountain Resort – One
of B.C.’s legendary resorts,
known for its kickass terrain
and loads of powder
redmountainresort.com
Helicopter skiing
and snowboarding
Eagle Pass Heli – Epic helicopter skiing on some of
the wildest terrain on earth
with certified guides
eaglepassheliskiing.com
Rossland
Red Mountain
Skiing in this corner of Canada
originated in Rossland, a town
of 3,500 in the heart of the
Monashee Mountains.
During the 1890s, Rossland
was a booming mining town.
Along with a thirst for wealth,
Norwegian immigrants brought
their knowledge of skiing to this area.
In 1897, Olaus Jeldness organized
the first ski race on Red Mountain.
Rudimentary ski technology meant
the winner relied on a combination of
skill, strength and luck. The races had
two rules:
Shralping pow at Red Mountain
Over the decades, Rossland’s interest
in skiing waxed and waned, declining
especially during the World Wars. In
the new millennium however, skiing
and snowboarding have surged in
popularity.
1. Go straight down
no matter what.
short ski back downtown, and possibly
to your doorstep.
In winter, the snowplows help build
jumps downtown. The winter carnival hosts a rail park competition
in the middle of main street. (Police
rarely bother the youth for sending it
in town.) Snowboard shop parties rage
harder than the bars.
Volunteers built a chairlift with old
mining tram equipment and on-site
timber in 1947. It was the first in Western Canada.
2. The first person
to ski through the
finish line was the
winner.
The races subverted
tension between
neighbors in the
Ski Jumping, 1903
small community during a competitive gold rush.
Greedy, pick-swinging mining up
the mountain in one season was balanced by wide-eyed schusses down
the mountain in another season, both
ambitious and desperate.
Photo by Francois Marseille
Photo courtesy of rosslandmuseum.ca
Perhaps the ultimate ski town,
modern-day Rossland was built by
skiers, for skiers. Red Mountain
Resort, the local ski hill, is a fourminute drive from downtown and a
Today, the resort is known for its high
altitude and steep tree runs. Home
to pro skiers Dane Tudor and Mike
Hopkins, Red has been a longtime tour
stop for big mountain ski competitions
held on nearby Mt. Roberts. Secret
runs and backcountry touring keep the
kids thrashing hard and everyone on
their toes.
Continued on p. 70
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Mountain
67
68 Mountain
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rider: nate bosshard
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photo by ryan flett
Mountain
69
escape
Baldface Lodge and Ice Creek Lodge
nelson
Nelson, a town of 10,000, sits at the edge
of Kootenay Lake, nestled in the Selkirk
Mountains.
and ride; their run is only as good as the
distance they hike. It’s a different kind of
riding, because it’s totally self-directed.
Mineral extraction in Nelson began in 1882,
when Robert Sproule made the first stake
in the area. His infamous quarrels with
Thomas Hammill set the tone for disputes
over future mining claims.
The first recorded ski meet in Nelson was in
1921. By 1934, a ski lodge in the north end
of town offered a rope tow driven by the rear
axle of a Model T Ford. During the winter of
1956-1957, Silver King Ski Hill opened near
the old Silver King Mine and soon acquired
two homemade t-bars.
Toad Mountain, north from downtown,
was a battlefield during those early mining
days. Placer mining was common and drew
many to claim their own “poor man’s mine.”
Placer mines required no startup capital—
just the pick in your hand, light on your
head, and clothes on your back. The gold,
silver and iron ore extracted were as good as
cash, and a placer miner was his own boss.
The essentials of placer mining resonate
with the ski scene in Nelson today. Access
to backcountry touring near town is easy,
making it a popular past time. Riders there
experience a freedom that resorts cannot
offer. They invest only in what they wear
An eager anticipation to get up the hill and
strong sense of community has never left Nelson. This town is dedicated to ski culture.
A short walk from downtown, skiers hitchhike to nearby Whitewater Resort, the local
ski hill known for deep powder, epic tree
runs, expansive terrain and backcountry
access.
As a community, Nelson has an inspiring
atmosphere, with a bubbling creativity that
directly transfers to winter sports. With the
advent of GoPro and affordable video tech-
An eager anticipation
to get up the hill
and strong sense of
community has never
left Nelson. This town is
dedicated to ski culture.
Photos courtesy of baldface lodge
70 Mountain
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Photo by Daniel Bullock
nology, many are documenting their
backcountry experiences. Similarly
inspired, the snowboard film production company Absinthe Films
included striking footage from the
Kootenays in “Twel2ve,” its newest
release. The forthcoming independent
film “Rest in Powder” shows local skiers and snowboarders shredding their
favorite zones
Skiers and snowboarders in Nelson
tend to ride well into their 60s, 70s
and 80s. They often get first chair on
powder days, because they weren’t out
doing shooters and dancing on the bar
the night before.
In the mid 20th century, the town grew
as a hub for businesses, government
offices and culture. The 80s saw a boom
in the forestry industry. Now orchards,
organic farms and tourism keep it afloat.
In winter, tourists come from across
the world to visit the remote lodges and
huts unique to Canada.
Jeff and Paula Pensiero chose Nelson
as the base for their cat-skiing operation, Baldface Lodge, because of its
consistent snowfall and killer terrain.
With a 32,000-acre tenure, Baldface is
one of the world’s largest cat operations.
Guests, too, return year after year,
addicted to the soft Kootenay snow
and warm hospitality. This summer,
the Pensieros remodeled the beautiful timber-framed main lodge,
improving guest accommodations
for the 2011/12 season.
In its 12 years, the lodge has been
a place for guests to discover what
Jeff calls “the infinite wisdom of the
backcountry.”
Nearby, Ice Creek Lodge offers
guests another way of experiencing
Kootenay bliss, through backcountry touring. Set up against the
spectacular Valhalla Provincial Park
at 6,100 feet, Ice Creek is 60 km
from Nelson.
Six days is the longest Baldface went
without a fresh snowfall last winter,
says Mark Marhuis, who’s been guiding there for almost 10 years. The area
receives over 500 inches of snowfall
annually.
Marhuis isn’t the only employee who’s
been at Baldface since the beginning.
The staff there are tight-knit. They’re
simultaneously welcoming and professional, and known for winding it up
with guests in the evening.
While best access to Ice Creek is via
helicopter, guests are on their own
two feet once they arrive. The area’s
diverse terrain starts right outside the front door. Most unique,
perhaps, is the opportunity to shred
through the towering granite walls
of the Devils Range.
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Mountain
71
escape
revelstoke
Photo courtesy of Eagle Pass Heliskiing
Eagle Pass Heliskiing
A 19th century Canadian Pacific Railway feeder line built in the late 1800s
was the first link between Nelson and
Revelstoke. Thousands of Chinese
immigrant workers labored on the line,
and the last spike was driven in 1885,
in Revelstoke. The town sits between
the Monashee and Selkirk mountain
ranges, and now has a population of
about 7,200.
During the 1920s, Swiss climbers
found a piece of home on nearby
Roger’s Pass. For jumping competitions in 1939, local ski clubs built what
would now be considered Olympic size
jumps that lasted for decades.
A quiet town, with the main access involving a 49 km ferry ride, Revelstoke’s
geographic isolation earned it the
nickname Revelstuck. More recently,
it’s also been called Revelbloke, for the
number of men who live there.
This recreational mecca tempts men—
and women—from all over the world to
uproot and move here, a pull comparable to the gold rush. The difference
is that now people take away unforgettable memories, rather than physical
chunks of the mountain. Many are
drawn to the expansive backcountry
terrain nearby, and now to the growing
Revelstoke Mountain Resort, which
opened in 2007 and has grown to
500,000 acres.
Set against massive relief and in an
often harsh climate, Revelstoke has had
72 Mountain
a progressive ski culture since being
host to those early jumping competitions. Thanks to knowledge cultivated
by Swiss mountaineers in mid-20th
century, the area is now a center for
avalanche training and safety.
makeover in 2010, creating an exciting
skiing and snowboarding experience.
In 2010, Revelstoke local Greg Hill
toured two million human powered
vertical feet in one calendar year, setting
a record that will be hard to beat. Today,
the most progressive of snow travel
like split boards, noboards and snow-
“I learned snowboarders like to be
guided by snowboarders,” said Newsome, who was the first ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides)
assistant guide to execute his exam all
on a split board.
Fifty percent of the ownership are now
snowboarders, something new in the
industry.
Eagle Pass guides, all of whom are
certified through either the ACMG or
the Canadian Ski Guide Association,
represent a new generation of ski and
snowboard guides with big mountain
backgrounds, Newsome says.
Revelstoke Ski Club, 1920s
Courtesy of City Museum in Revelstoke
mobile expeditions aren’t uncommon.
Kids growing up in Revy often have
to go backcountry skiing with their
parents. It’s one of those things families
do together, like camping on summer
vacation.
Nearby, at Eagle Pass Heli Resort,
longtime local Scott Newsome recently
turned an existing gem into a newfound
treasure. Newsome, together with
Matt Pinto, Michael Wood and Craig
Borgland bought the heli-ski resort a
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“We understand the type of terrain and
specific natural features that the new
generation [of skiers and snowboarders]
would expect of their heli experience.”
Eagle Pass is a great example of the positive growth happening in B.C. mountain towns like Rossland, Nelson and
Revelstoke. Their transformation over
the last century has been nearly supernatural—from mining towns based on
greed and extraction, to international
ski and snowboard destinations with
rich mountain cultures. And with
Kootenay white gold every bit as valuable as gold and silver, locals now wend
through the mountains in search of the
world’s finest powder snow.
270,000 ACRES
incredible terrain and variety
AMAZING LODGING
three exceptional properties
SMALL GROUPS
create the ultimate experience
intimate, exclusive, flexible
L U X U R Y H E L I S K I & S PA VA C AT I O N S I N T H E
HEART OF BRITISH COLUMBIA WILDERNESS
Portrait of a traditional dancer by Allen Russell
Mountain
w w w. E a g l e P a s s H e l i s k i i n g . c o m explorebigsky.com
1 8 7 7 W AY D E E P
73
alternative
Patagonia
Warren Adams is an ideas man and a
self-described nature lover.
The 45-year-old Harvard MBA created the first-ever social
networking site, PlanetAll, in 1996. It sold to Amazon.com
two years later, and he stayed with Amazon for two years as
a director of product development.
Then in 2000, Adams and his wife Megan—also a Harvard
MBA—spent a year traveling the world. They visited
Alaska, the Galapagos, the Himalaya, India, New Zealand
and Patagonia.
“Patagonia stood out among all those beautiful places for
both of us, for its grandeur, the gaucho culture and the
biodiversity,” Adams said. The sweeping panoramas and
unspoiled ecosystems of southern Chile captured them.
74 Mountain
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Over three months, they backpacked, visited national
parks, stayed at the high-end eco-tourism lodge, Explora,
and took a boat to Antarctica. Although land was cheap, and
they loved the idea of having a permanent connection to
Patagonia, it wasn’t that simple, Adams says.
“It takes time to find the right property, to fully understand
the complex issues around title rights and man-made risks
such as mining and hydroelectric dams… and then from
a distance to manage a property for either construction or
protection. It was daunting.”
They returned home to Martha’s Vineyard, built a house
and started a family. Adams spent six years as an angel investor, commuting between Martha’s Vineyard, New York
and Boston.
Photo by alex verhave
sur
For-profit group may change the
face of land conservation
But he couldn’t get Patagonia out of his head. “I knew
that such an amazing and beautiful place needed protection from inevitable development. But also, I thought it
needed a sustainable economic engine.”
In 2006, he decided to do something about it. His goal:
bring together Chileans and foreigners to pool capital, conserve Patagonian landscapes, and make a profit
through sustainable development.
Adams founded Patagonia Sur a year later, with American Steve Reifenberg, and Chileans Felipe Valdés Arrieta and Arístides Benavente Aninat as partners.
The business model, Adams says, “starts with the assumption that we’re going to protect the land. Then it
By Emily Stifler
asks, ‘what environmentally-friendly things can we do
with it to create competitive returns for investors?”
Patagonia Sur now owns 60,000 acres on six remote
properties across Chilean Patagonia, and plans to grow
to 100,000 acres. The company has raised two-thirds
of a $30 million investment goal, 30 percent of which
came from Chile. It also operates a thriving eco-tourism
business through a membership club. Out of the 100
memberships, 53 have been sold.
They’ve already planted thousands of native trees on
deforested landscapes and then generated income by
selling carbon offsets. Several universities and corporations have signed major carbon offset contracts.
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Mountain
75
alternative
Photo by alex verhave
Photo by alex verhave
A new framework for conservation
Warren Adams with his daughter
overlooking a Patagonia Sur property
Adams’s vision could add an entirely new financing engine to conservation worldwide.
Photo by Megan Weeks Adams
“Conservation is not an add-on or auxiliary focus of the business. It
is what drives Patagonia Sur,” said Brian Ladd, Director of Business
Development.
To make a return for investors, the company has several business
sub-models: ecologically-appropriate limited development, a
membership-based eco-tourism club, real estate brokerage, eco-consulting services, carbon sequestration and selling carbon offsets, and
ecologically-friendly aquaculture, agriculture and forestry.
“Patagonia Sur is proving that conservation is profitable,” Ladd said.
“Conservation is not an
add-on or auxiliary focus
of the business. It is what
drives Patagonia Sur”
Photo by chris laursen
It’s what sets them apart from the handful of other foreign investors
and nonprofits that have also bought and protected large tracts of
land in Chilean Patagonia, including Ted Turner, Goldman-Sachs,
the Benetton Group, British financier Joseph Lewis, and Conservación Patagonica.
By working with other major landowners to expand the new concept, Adams thinks it could impact the entire region and add traction
to conservation efforts.
Patagonia Sur has built positive relationships with federal and regional governments, as well as with local municipalities and schools.
The majority of the team is Chilean, and the sustainable land uses
on the properties generate new employment opportunities for local
communities.
These communities also benefit from The Patagonia Sur Foundation, which sponsors English language and conservation education
programs in the towns near its properties, and supports various
micro-enterprises such as a weavers’ cooperative and organic vegetable farmers.
76 Mountain
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Conservation easements
In January 2011, Patagonia Sur brought on a new partner,
Henry Tepper, as the company’s Chief Conservation Officer. Tepper spent the last two decades working in private
land conservation in the U.S., mostly for nonprofits like
The Nature Conservancy and the National Audubon
Society.
He’s implementing Patagonia Sur’s ambitious plans to
permanently protect the company’s land holdings, while
pursuing profitable sustainable land uses, a conservation
framework called Productive Protected Lands.
In Chile, Tepper says, there’s growing interest among
landowners, nonprofit organizations and government
agencies in voluntary strategies and tools for conserving
private land.
“In some ways, the climate for conservation in Chile [is
similar] to the conditions in the U.S. 40 years ago,” he said.
That’s when the private land conservation, or “land trust”
movement was launched, making it easier for private landowners to protect their properties.
Conservation easements are one of the most powerful tools
for private land conservation in the U.S. and Canada, and
Patagonia Sur and its partners are working hard to adapt
easements to Chilean law.
with private sector leadership in Chile, he and Patagonia
Sur are supporting conservation easement legislation currently being considered in the Chilean Congress called the
Derecho Real de Conservacion—literally, ‘a real conservation law’.
Using existing Chilean law, it’s already possible to create a form of conservation easement. Called servidumbres
ecológicas, these agreements are modeled closely on their
U.S. counterparts, but carefully adapted to conform to
existing Chilean law.
“We’re moving simultaneously to protect our land with
the servidumbre ecológica agreement, and we’re supporting
the passage of the Derecho Real de Conservacion, which
will make using conservation easements even easier,” Tepper said.
Patagonia Sur is moving to place servidumbres ecológicas on
their properties, starting with the 8,000-acre Valle California. The agreement will ensure its permanent conservation,
while accommodating a variety of income producing sustainable land uses, including a limited number of private
residences.
In the U.S., conservation easements are voluntary agreements that allow a landowner to protect property by donating development rights to a qualified nonprofit or government agency. They’re popular because they enable the
landowner to maintain ownership, they’re tax deductable,
and they allow a range of sustainable land uses. They’ve
resulted in tens of millions of protected acres.
The creation of a Chilean conservation easement would be
a breakthrough for protecting land, Tepper says. Working
Photo by chris laursen
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77
Mountain
Photo by megan weeks adams
Return on investment
alternative
To evaluate each property, Patagonia
Sur uses a sustainable land use matrix,
which means looking at an ecosystem
with an eye for input costs and for
sustainable uses that would generate
income.
“If we’re going to spend $3 million to
acquire an ecosystem, we want to know
we’re making a competitive rate of
return for our investors before we buy
it,” Adams said.
$30 million
Why it matters now
of capital for the
initial fund
Adams and his family spend between three
and six months a year in Chile, and they
love the safe, calm nature of Patagonia.
$20 million
already in hand
He compares it to the American West. “If
you like Montana and Colorado, you’ll
love Patagonia. Imagine those places 200
years ago.”
Planted
.5 million
trees last year
plan to plant
Plus, the country has significant amounts
of privately owned land and the highest
standard of living in Latin America. Its
expanding economy has a big surplus and
no debts.
1 million
trees in 2012
53
100
of the
Sold
family memberships
So conservation is possible. And it matters
right now.
Selling a limited
number of properties
ranging from
“Development is happening. Roads are
going in, industries are growing,” Adams said. “If we don’t get ahead of that
and protect these ecosystems, they’ll
quickly be fragmented.” That, he says,
would be forever irreversible, in terms
$300,000 to
$3 million
Now Patagonia Sur has to make sure they
execute and deliver. Adams is optimistic:
“The beauty of this model is if we can
do it right in Patagonia with the first $30
million, we can attract vast sums of capitol
to expand this business model in Chile and
elsewhere in the world.”
Investors should initially make around 9
percent annually from ecotourism, carbon
credits, and limited real estate sales. Once
the other sub-businesses are up and running, that return could double.
“Development is
happening. Roads are
going in, industries
are growing, if we
don’t get ahead of
that and protect
these ecosystems,
they’ll quickly be
fragmented.”
of building a coordinated approach to
development.
And Chile is listening.
Its economy is built on timber, mining,
agriculture and fisheries. Exports are key to
grow those industries. But if it Chile wants
to export to the U.S. and the European
Union with stricter sustainability regulations, it will have to keep up.
This is a turning point for Chile, Tepper
says, and other Latin American countries
are watching.
Carbon offset program
Patagonia Sur is working with
several universities and corporations including Colgate, Harvard
Business School and Land Rover,
selling carbon offsets.
“As a conservation person, it’s
really exciting,” Tepper said
about the program. “Patagonia
78 Mountain
was largely burnt to the ground
by settlers 100 years ago [to create pastures for farming], and
much of it is still a deforested
landscape. We’re creating landscape scale reforestation and
new Patagonian forest, then selling the offsets into the voluntary
carbon market.”
explorebigsky.com
Selling the offsets in voluntary
market space means companies,
universities and individuals are
purchasing them because they
think it’s the right thing to do, or
it’s good for their business—not
because they’re required.
Photo by alex verhave
Valle California
The company is showcasing its new
Productive Protected Lands (conservation and sustainable land management)
framework at Valle California, an 8,000acre property in the Palena region of
southern Chile.
There, mountains rise above a broad
valley, and the El Tigre River flows freely,
fed by alpine lakes. The property and
its surrounding mountains are home
to diverse flora and fauna including the
endangered huemul deer, puma, Magellanic woodpeckers, and the largest flying
bird on earth, the Andean condor. The
122,000-acre Lago Palena National Reserve is nearby.
This spectacular, pristine and accessible landscape
represents a key moment for Patagonia Sur. In 2012,
they’ll begin selling properties on 7 percent of Valle
California, limiting development to 25 houses. This
will allow private residences and eco-tourism facilities and amenities, and owners will have use of the
surrounding permanently protected Conservation
Area. The property currently has six luxury yurts as
eco-tourism accommodations, fine dining, and guided
horseback riding, hiking, fly fishing and whitewater
rafting.
All of Valle California’s 8,000 acres are governed by
a servidumbre ecólogica legal agreement, which requires permanent conservation and sustainable land
uses throughout. To ensure objectivity, permanency
and transparency, this agreement will be managed by
one of Chile’s first independent, nonprofit land trust
organizations.
How you can get involved
Adams believes there is inherent value
in undisturbed places. He hopes his
company and their properties will
engage and inspire others in that
same sentiment, and ultimately they’ll
become part of it as an investor, a
member or a landowner.
Patagonia Sur has realized the dream
of maintaining a connection to the wild
country in southern Chile through land
ownership.
And visitors are welcome. “The
invitation is open,” Adams says.
patagoniasur.com
Photo by alex verhave
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79
alternative
Buenos Aires
Argentina
chile
the future
Lago Espolón
Chileans are gaining an understanding of the importance of conservation, Adams says.
The government owns 80 percent of the land in Chilean Patagonia,
and federal agencies have recently looked to Patagonia Sur to help
with land planning and sustainable, productive use.
Melimoyu
Valle California
south
america
Los Leones Valley
Jeinimeni
Tortel
patagonia
The company has also consulted other conservation groups and
private landowners, and is part of a bipartisan effort to make private
land conservation more achievable through federal law.
Patagonia sur
properties
“Like any start-up, it has ups and downs and roller coasters,” Adams says, “but most days I wake up and say, ‘this is incredible.’”
Adams is passionate about his work, and is proud to involve his
family in conservation. He likes working with people from Chile
and around the world to create something new.
The final test will be their economic success. Adams says he
expects 2012 to be the first year of significant revenue with strong
growth thereafter.
He draws an analogy to starting online social networking in 1996.
“Everyone looked at me like, ‘What? You’re going to get everyone
in the world to be part of a database and be in touch and share info?’
And we did it. This is similar in that [we’re] proving there’s a viable
concept that will then hopefully become commonplace.”
When Adams left a meeting one afternoon last year in Santiago,
Chile, his 7-year-old daughter was waiting for him in his office.
She handed him a drawing of the city. It showed cars, smog, the
sun and someone planting a tree.
Looking out the office window, she’d counted all the cars that went
by that hour, and guessed how many trees they should plant to
offset the carbon dioxide they were releasing.
“The sun had a tear falling from one eye where the city was, and a
smile where the tree was being planted,” Adams recalls.
Then she asked how much money it would cost to plant those
trees, and how much of that she would keep.
Contact
“That showed me the importance of teaching conservation to kids
and also the business side in its most bare form,” Adams said. “It is
OK to make money by protecting this beautiful place.”
For more information about visiting or
investing in Patagonia Sur, please contact
Brian Ladd at [email protected].
80 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
Photo by alex verhave
CHINESE MEDICAL PRACTICE
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Mountain
81
health
SALT
water
By Eric Anderson, M.D.
Last summer, while I was visiting a friend in Colorado, I had a conversation with his mother Cheryl that changed the way she looked at sports
nutrition.
A very active recreational athlete in her 50s, Cheryl struggles with excessive thirst and fatigue, despite regular consumption of water and calories
during activity. She also gets muscle cramps on hot days while riding her
bike.
When Cheryl showed me a basket in her pantry containing electrolyte
tablets, carbohydrate and protein bars, powders and gels, I realized
her sports nutrition issues weren’t related to a lack of sports nutrition
products. Rather, they were due to a relative imbalance of salt, sugar and
water during endurance activities greater than an hour.
Before going for a hike that day, Cheryl and I talked details and designed a
new plan for her sports nutrition.
For carbohydrate replacement during workouts, Cheryl prefers using
energy bars instead of sports drinks or gels. Using the product’s nutrition
label, we calculated how much she would have to consume to ingest the
necessary amount of carbohydrates (30–60 mg) per hour.
For electrolyte replacement, she likes to add tablets to her two-liter
hydration backpack. I recommended she use three tablets, equating to
about 1000 mg of sodium, and drink at least .5 liters per hour. She also
had some additional sodium in her carbohydrate source.
82 Mountain
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[ The Math ]
Specifically, the product Cheryl uses has
about 30 grams of carbohydrate per
serving and there are two servings per
package, according to the nutrition label.
Dr. Anderson recommended she consume
about one package per hour, since it
would be her only carbohydrate source
during her workout. Alternatively, she
could have chosen to use a sports drink,
such as Gatorade, which has 14 grams
of carbohydrate per eight ounces. If she
were consuming 16 ounces per hour of
Gatorade, she only would have to consume
half of a package of her product per hour
to maximize her carbohydrate intake.
When doing an
endurance activity
greater than an
hour, consider the
basic concepts of
salt, sugar and
water to optimize
performance and
minimize the risk
of dehydration or
hyponatremia
Photo by Betsy Weber (CC)
[ Exercise physiology basics ]
Exercise requires metabolic energy and produces heat as a
byproduct. This increases a body’s surface and core temperatures and must be dissipated to prevent adverse effects
on exercise performance and health.
Sweat evaporation is the primary mode of heat loss during
vigorous activity, especially in hot weather. Sweat rates vary
between different people, even under the same environmental and exercise conditions: An individual’s body weight,
genetic predisposition, heat acclimatization state and metabolic efficiency all affect his or her tendency to sweat.
Sweat rates also vary between sports, from .37 liters per
hour for swimming up to 2.6 liters per hour for tennis players. For cyclists and runners, average sweat loss is about .8
and 1 liter per hour, respectively. These values can double
in a hot environment.
Sweat contains both water and electrolytes. The electrolyte
components of sweat include sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and magnesium, with sodium and chloride
in higher concentrations than the others. Sodium chloride,
or salt, is partially reabsorbed by sweat glands; however,
the body’s capacity to reabsorb salt doesn’t increase as the
sweat rate increases.
Dehydration is caused when sweat, water and electrolytes
are not replaced during exercise.
On our 10-mile hike, we climbed to 10,000 feet,
and the temps reached the high 80s. Cheryl reported results already: She had improved energy,
decreased thirst, and no problems with cramping
compared to previous endurance activities during the summer.
When doing an endurance activity greater than
an hour, consider the basic concepts of salt, sugar
and water to optimize performance and minimize the risk of dehydration or hyponatremia
(see sidebar). Be fastidious about reading the
nutrition labels of all of your sports nutrition
products to determine if they will fit into your
overall sports nutrition/hydration plan.
Also, estimating your sweat losses by taking
pre- and post-exercise body weights for each
endurance activity in different climates will help
you gain an understating of your physiology and
personalize a fluid replacement plan. Since fluid
losses vary tremendously between individuals,
the American College of Sports Medicine recommends each person should approximate his or
her fluid replacement requirements by comparing post-exercise weights to pre-exercise weights
and estimating fluid losses during the activity.
Use nude weight to avoid determining the sweat
weight trapped in clothing.
Dr. Eric Anderson works in sports medicine at the
Rockwood Clinic in Spokane, Washington.
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Mountain
83
health
[ SALT ]
Sodium is involved in a variety
of metabolic processes in the
human body. The human body is
not capable of losing salt without
also losing water. Because of this,
sodium is the main electrolyte
responsible for maintaining the
body’s fluid balance.
Sodium loss during exercise is
highly variable, ranging from
460–1840 mg/liter of sweat hourly.
Athletes in certain sports can sustain sweat losses of more than two
liters per hour, which causes them
to lose over 1000 mg of sodium.
The resulting dehydration can lead
to impaired exercise performance,
increased risk of heat illness such
as heat stroke, and increased
susceptibility to cramping.
The American College of Sports
Medicine recommends that during
sustained activities lasting more
than an hour, individuals should
consume 500–700 mg of sodium
for every liter of fluid. These numbers vary, but generally, the more
sustained the exercise and the
hotter the environment, the more
salt you need to intake. If you’re
prone to cramping, more sodium
will help.
When I compete in a cycling
road race lasting longer than
three hours on a hot day, my
goal is to consume around 1000
mg of salt per hour. To do this,
I combine a sports drink like
Gatorade endurance, which
has 170 mg of sodium per eight
ounces (680 mg per 32 ounces)
with a gel containing carbohydrates and electrolytes, such as
power gel or GU. I usually use
power gels since they contain
about 200 mg of sodium per
package. If I consume 32 ounces
of fluid and one gel each hour,
I’ll therefore be consuming
about 880 mg of salt per hour.
A less common but more
serious problem is exerciseassociated hyponatremia (low
blood plasma concentration of
sodium). This is mostly seen in
recreational marathon runners
who consume copious amounts
of low sodium fluids during
sustained exercise. When a person’s fluid consumption far exceeds his or her sweat loss, the
result is a low plasma sodium
concentration that can increase
the risk for brain swelling, seizures, coma and death.
The American College of Sports
Medicine recommends that during
sustained activities lasting more
than an hour, individuals should
consume 500–700 mg of sodium for
every liter of fluid.
[ Sugar ]
During exercise, the body’s main
source of fuel is a stored form of
glucose (sugar) found in skeletal
muscle and the liver, called glycogen.
The human body has enough glycogen to sustain exercise at a moderate
intensity for about two hours.
Research has shown that consuming rapidly absorbable carbohydrates such as glucose, sucrose and
maltodextrins significantly improves
performance during exercise lasting
longer than 45 minutes.
Most glucose comes in the form
of carbohydrates. Consumed with
fluids, carbs improve performance
to a greater degree than consumed
alone. However, the human body has
a capacity limit for absorbing carbohydrates during sustained exercise,
and excessive intake can lead to
gastrointestinal issues like stomach
cramps, nausea and diarrhea.
Consuming 30–60 grams of a rapidly
absorbable carbohydrate during
each hour of exercise should optimize performance and minimize the
potential for gastrointestinal side
effects. And because the form of the
carbohydrate (solid or liquid) doesn’t
affect exercise performance, an athlete can have the same benefit from
consuming a gel pack and water as
from a sports drink.
Reference: Sawka, Michael N., et al. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand on Exercise and Fluid Replacement.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 39:377-390, 2007.
84 Mountain
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[ Water ]
Water accounts for 45–75 percent of a human’s total body mass. A
150-pound person has about 42 liters of total body water (TBW), which
equals about 92 pounds of body weight.
Dehydration of greater than 2 percent of TBW will lead to decreased aerobic
exercise performance and cognitive and mental performance in temperate
and hot environments. This would equate to water loss of about .8 liters in a
150-pound person.
150 lbs.-145 lbs. =
5 lbs. of weight loss during exercise
1 liter of water=
2.2 lbs.
5 lbs. / 2.2 lbs. per liter =
2.3 liters of water during exercise
This calculation shows approximate sweat losses
during exercise, but doesn’t take into account
respiratory water losses and carbon exchange.
Post-exercise weight:
145 lbs.
Pre-exercise weight:
150 lbs.
For fluid replacement during prolonged endurance activities, the average athlete should drink
.4–.8 liters per hour, with higher rates for warmer
environments and lower rates for cooler environments.
BODY AND SOUL
massage
therapy
MASSAGE
WHERE EVER
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Specializing in
Quality, Professional Massage
in Your Home or Rental at the
Yellowstone Club, Spanish Peaks,
Moonlight or Big Sky area
406-600-2599
Gay Rossow
owner
Nationally Certified and Licensed Massage Therapists available
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Mountain
85
guide
Skinny
ge
a
r
e
h
t
l
l
skis are a
ana
t
n
o
M
t
s
e
w
h
t
iing in Sou
Nordic sk
Southwest Montana is a nordic skier’s heaven.
Winters start in November and stretch well
through May, and snow conditions are consistent
and perfect. The region draws Olympic-level athletes, quiet souls seeking solitude in snow-covered
woods, and everyone between.
Cross-country skiing is a relaxing break from the
busier downhill ski areas and a great way to relieve
stress from a hectic workday. The sport is growing
quickly, with people seeking ways to recreate and
stay in shape during the winter.
Yellowstone country’s backcountry trails allow
intrepid wanderers to lay their own tracks and
forget the troubles of the world. The miles of professionally groomed trails draw runners and bikers
with the aerobic challenge of skate skiing. Kids
are drawn to the buzz too, pulling tricks on nordic
terrain parks.
Whether you’re a first timer or an expert looking
for new terrain, here are a few of Southwest Montana’s best spots to travel on skinny skis:
1 Lone Mountain Ranch
Lone Mountain Ranch is in the heart of Big Sky
country. It boasts one of the most extensive trail
systems, and 2,200 vertical feet of skiing. Advanced
skiers will love the uphill challenges that end with
beautiful views, and beginners can test their skills on
the golf course loops. LMR also grooms more than
15 kilometers of dog-friendly trails for those who
like to strike out with their canine companions.
Location: Big Sky
Kilometers of trails: 100
Grooming: skate and classic
Trail to try: Summit Loop (difficult)
Information: LMR Nordic Center
(406) 995-4734
86 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
By Katie Sm
ith
Homestake Pass
Chief Josesph Pass
Hyalite 4
Cliff and Wade 6
Mill Creek
3
1 Lone Mountain
Ranch
Rendezvous 2
2 Rendezvous Ski Trails
The West Yellowstone Rendezvous trails are a favorite for high
altitude training, and for their beautiful rolling terrain minutes
from Yellowstone National Park. The trails are on Forest Service
land and have some of the most fun and exciting ski races such as
the Spam Cup and the Equinox Ski Challenge.
Location: West Yellowstone
Kilometers of trails: over 35
Grooming: skate and classic
Trail to try: DejaView (easy)
Information: Freeheel and Wheel (406) 646-7744
3 Mill Creek Ski Trails
Paradise Valley earned its name for a good reason. Surrounded by
the towering Absaroka Mountains, and situated beneath Arrow
Peak, the Mill Creek trails weave in and out of dense woodland
and open meadows. Perfect for those seeking a wilderness adventure and beautiful views.
Location: Livingston
Kilometers of trails: about 16
Grooming: snowmobile/backcountry
Trail to try: Snowbank Ski Trail (moderate)
Information: Timber Trails (406) 222-9550
4 Hyalite Canyon
Hyalite Canyon, 20 minutes south of Bozeman, has some
of the best groomed wilderness skiing in the area. Narrow trails wind along old logging roads and hiking trails,
through thick forests, and around Hyalite Lake. A few
trails access forest service cabins, making for a unique
backcountry getaway.
Location: Bozeman
Kilometers of trails: 30
Grooming: skate and classic (some are narrow and better
suited to classic), backcountry
Trail to try: West Shore Loop (moderate)
Information: Bangtail Bikes and XC skis (406) 587-4905
5 Homestake Pass
Fifteen minutes east of Butte, Homestake Lodge is home
to some of the most interesting ski terrain in Montana.
Large rock outcroppings, beaver ponds and aspen groves
provide beautiful scenery along gently rolling trails. Make
a weekend out of it by staying in the two-room bunkhouse with other nordic adventurers.
Location: Homestake Pass
Kilometers of Trail: 35
Grooming: skate and classic/touring
Trail to try: Huff and Puff (difficult)
Information: Homestake Lodge (406) 585-8052
6 Cliff and Wade Lakes
A designated wildlife viewing area, the groomed ski trails
at Cliff and Wade lakes are home to river otters, swans,
moose and elk. These trails glide past two beautiful lakes
and through old growth fir forests, then out to the Wade
Lake Cabins; a perfect winter getaway.
Location: Cameron
Kilometers of trails: 35
Grooming: classic/touring
Trail to try: Wade Lake Trail (Easy)
Information: Wade Lake Cabins (406) 682-7560
7 Chief Joseph Pass Ski Trails
Chief Joseph Pass is home one of the area’s most pristine
nordic areas. With eight loops ranging from easy to difficult and a cozy warming hut for lunch or breaks, these
trails are an escape from the daily hustle and bustle.
The Bitterroot Cross Country Ski Club maintains and
grooms the entire system through volunteers and donations. They also offer free lessons for anyone interested
in learning the sport.
Location: Wisdom
Kilometers of trails: 24.6
Grooming: classic
Trail to try: Gold Medal Loop (moderate)
Information: Bitterroot Cross Country Ski Club,
[email protected]
Equinox Ski Challenge
March 21, 2012
Sam Newbury was headed back from Moab’s 24-hour
mountain bike race in 2006 when he had an idea: Nordic
skiers might also love the physical challenge and camaraderie of a 24-hour race. From this musing, the Equinox
Ski Challenge was born.
Now six years later, the ski race is held annually on the
spring equinox and has become a season capstone for
people of all ages and abilities. Hosted at the Rendezvous
Trails in West Yellowstone, the event promotes community and camaraderie through costume contests, a potluck
dinner, and fundraising for the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation and the Manaia Youth Programs.
The number of participants has grown each year, and race
categories include kids races (ages three to six); three, six
and 12-hour events; as well as the uber-challenge—the
24-hour race. This year, Equinox may also add categories
for running, snowshoeing and snow-biking.
Photo courtesy of sam newbury
In the main endurance event, teams or individuals try
to ski as many loops as possible in 24 hours, a race that
attracts endurance athletes and skiers looking for a personal challenge.
Novice and intermediate skiers are welcome in the other
divisions, and the afternoon and evening festivities give
racers and supporters a chance to hang out and cheer
each other on.
“It’s exciting seeing people having fun and pushing themselves,” Newbury said.
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
87
1. Jetlite
Working long days leaves little daylight for
biking or skiing local trails. The solution
comes with the A-51 Series from JetLite,
a powerful LED system that throws out
700 lumens (standard headlamps give out
anywhere between 35-80 lumens) to guide
you through the night.
The overall system may seem bulky at first, said creative director Mike Martins, “But as soon as you strap
it onto you handlebars or helmet, the A-51 becomes a
seamless extension.”
A great gift for the biker in your life, Jetlite also
offers various mounting systems, so runners, skiers
and hikers can enjoy night adventures. The JetLite
A-51 Series is lightweight, customizable and puts
out plenty of beam for the fastest riders of the
night. jetlites.com $199
glide
In the ‘70s the world had Birkenstocks. In ‘00s we got Sanuks.
This U.S. based company has an eco-approach and over 50
styles of easy-going footwear.
Sanuks are foot friendly and bring an element of style missing
from dated footwear choices. With a variety of colors and
patterns to choose from, Sanuks are equally equipped for cozy
nights in the lodge or trips to town.
“After all,” he said, “who doesn’t love camo sandals? sanuk.com $60 - $68
The battery life of the 7.4v Lithium Ion 4500 has plenty
of juice to last for your entire three-hour ride. Martins’s
tip: Squeeze every ounce of power from the battery by
setting it on low for uphill and high for downhill.
“The mask dried quickly and left my skin hydrated,” he said. “It
gave me the moisture my skin craved.”
We wish we’d gotten a photo of that.
Products made of seawater components are rejuvenating for the human body. Ask for a treatment using Phytomer products at OZssage
in Big Sky, or take Phytomer home and create an ocean experience
to balance out mountain living. ozssage.com $30 - $50
Rossi’s combination of X-IUM World Cup boot and
NIS binding system (plated instead of screwed) make
X-IUM WCS ski the lightest setup on the market.
explorebigsky.com
Living in the mountains inevitably causes dry skin. Keep
winter skin in check with Phytomer, OZssage Spa’s new
collection, imported from France.
Editor Taylor Anderson, who recently moved to Big Sky from Illinois, gave the Hydracontinue Relaxing Moisturing Mask a try.
The gals at Freeheel and Wheel in West Yellowstone rave about Rossignol’s X-IUM World Cup
Series skate setup.
“A lot of lightweight skis lack stability, but not the X-IUM
series,” said Freeheel and Wheel’s Melissa Alder. Both Alder
and Kelli Sanders use the Rossi X-IUM setup.
3. Phytomer spa collection
Phytomer is based on the principal that life began in seawater. The first to bring the virtues of the sea to modern
skin care, Phytomer products are made of 100 percent
freeze-dried seaweeds and seawater. The line includes all facets of
skincare for both men and women.
4. Rossignol x-ium,
World Cup Series 1 and 2
88 Mountain
2. Sanuk
Our publisher Eric Ladd got his hands on a pair of Vagabond Mossy Oak
and hasn’t taken them off since.
skin
light
From fat skis to seaweed face masks, the
Mountain Outlaw editorial staff gathered
some items to help you get through
Montana’s long winter. -Abbie Digel
wear
gear review
“Anything that can feel like less effort makes you more efficient,
carve better and feel more stable, especially at high speeds,”
Sanders said.
Although the X-IUM line isn’t new this year, Rossi updated
the materials, sidecut, weight and flex.
Alder says any beginner, intermediate or advanced skier can try
it. “It just flies up the trails.”
They recommend trying on boots first, then fitting the
binding and finally matching the ski.
freeheelandwheel.com $660
2
6
4
1
5
5. Armada jj, vjj
For the 2012 season, at skiers’ request, Armada
built new sizes of its popular JJ model: the longer
AK JJ (195 cm) and a smaller JJ (175, 165 cm).
They also added the women’s-specific VJJ.
“The variety of sizes opens this technology up for kids and
women,” said Andrew Schreiner, co-owner of Grizzly Outfitters in Big Sky. “This is going to be the ski.”
The women’s VJJ is similar to the Rossignol S7, but lighter.
Don’t be deterred by the naughty name—these sticks are
perfect for gals looking to rip big terrain.
Put any of these on a beginner, and they’d have a blast in powder, Schreiner says.
With laminated construction under foot, both the VJJ and JJ
are capped at the tip and tail. Many laminated fat skis tend to
knick at the tips and tales, but with the cap construction on
these babies, that won’t happen. Plus, the early rise and partial
reverse sidecut make them easy to throw around quickly.
“Armada made a real beefy, nice wood ski,” Schreiner says.
grizzlyoutfitters.com JJ, VJJ $674.99, AK JJ $699.99
board
ski
3
6.Venture Odin
The Odin split board is bombproof: perfect for
Big Sky’s rocky terrain and surrounding backcountry. Venture’s newest split board model was
designed in collaboration with Johan Olofsson,
a big mountain rider who was one of the first to
take freestyle skills into the backcountry.
“With p-tex sidewalls and Voile hardware, this
board is it,” said Ryan Morse of Big Sky’s Gallatin
Alpine Sports.
Olofsson, who has a Guinness World Record for the 35-second 3,000-foot descent he pulled off in the 1996 film “TB5,” has changed the way people think about big mountain
riding, says Lisa Brannan, one of the founders of Venture
Snowboards. Brannan is excited to have Olofsson on board
because his riding style shows through in his design work.
The Odin’s offset stance and tapered bindings work together
to keep the board’s nose out of snow and floating in powder.
Also, its narrow tail helps it cut wide arching carves.
“I’m always looking into projects that will progress snowboarding,” Olofsson said. gallatinalpinesports.com $585
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
89
road trip
Big Sheep
Creek Byway
by will casella
Photo by will casella
Dillon
The town of Dillon sits at the crossroads of state Highway 41 and Interstate 15, on the banks of the Beaverhead River, in Beaverhead County.
Named after the unique rock formation on the Jefferson River that the
Shoshone described as being shaped as a beaver’s head, Beaverhead County
is the largest in Montana. Roughly the size of Connecticut, with a population just shy of 10,000, this area is resplendent with vistas truly encompassing the term Big Sky. Massive tracts of public land make it an adventurer’s paradise—especially for those seeking to forgo congestion and traffic
lights.
Only a stone’s throw from the infamous Big Hole River, Dillon is a trout
angler’s dream. Year-round, the Big Hole and the Beaverhead rivers yield
some of the largest trout landed in Montana. (Rumor has it, the Beaverhead is top of the list for number of trout over five pounds.) Stop by a local
fly shop for current information.
La Fiesta Mexicana is Dillon’s most unique dining experience. Locals love
the taco bus, and the place often has a line out the door at lunch, so don’t
arrive right at noon. Owner Alejandro Pelayo’s brothers have similar establishments in West Yellowstone, Island Park and Ashton, Idaho.
Forgot your rain jacket? Stop into the Patagonia outlet on Idaho Street.
Thirsty? The Moose Bar at 6 North Montana Street is the place to meet
with folks from all walks of life.
90 Mountain
explorebigsky.com
Photo by emily stifler
Photo by will casella
Dell
From Dillon, head south on I-15
about 40 miles, toward the town of
Dell. This will take you along the
Beaverhead River (there are plenty of
fishing access sites if you’re hankering to catch a lunker), through the
stunning Clark Canyon, and by the
oddly desolate Clark Canyon Reservoir, which is a duck hunter’s delight.
Dell is a friendly little town with
a service station and a classic old
general store. Also on Main Street is a
small sportsman’s lodge, the Stockyard Inn, and Yesterday’s Café, a great
little spot where you need a cowboy
hat and boots to fit in. If you forgot to
fill up on gas in Dillon, fill up here.
“Roughly the size
of Connecticut, with
a population just
shy of 10,000, this
area is resplendent
with vistas truly
encompassing the
term Big Sky.”
Ride the
White
Thunder
From Dell, head southwest on the
Big Sheep Creek National Backcountry Byway, a two-lane gravel
road that winds through some of the
most dramatic and stunning country
in Montana. Thousand-foot scree
slopes and rocky crags tumble to the
creek basin, revealing a more beautiful scene with each turn in the road.
You may pass an occasional rancher’s
pickup heading to Dillon to get
supplies, but more likely you’ll see
bighorn sheep, deer and elk.
Although the area is just over 6,000
feet, it sees relatively little precipitation in the valleys, keeping most
roads open year round. Winter wildlife viewing can be fantastic, as the
animals come out of the mountains
seeking food and a more hospitable
climate.
The topography changes continuously, as canyons open into broad
meadows, and bottlenecks become
even narrower canyons. If you’re
equipped with four-wheel drive and
feeling adventurous, there are many
high mountain lakes and trails to
explore. But be extremely careful
and conservative in wet conditions,
because the roads here have high clay
content, so any moisture makes it seem
as if you’re driving on ice.
There is some private land along the
river and a few large ranches, however
this area is mostly Bureau of Land
Management land surrounded by
the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National
Forest. Countless opportunities for
hiking, hunting, horseback riding
and fishing exist here. Those along for
the scenery through the car window
won’t be disappointed either.
About eight miles from the interstate
is a campground with outdoor facilities called Deadwood. There are also
many other spots to pitch camp on
public land.
The roads seem to go on forever. You
could spend a day exploring the main
roads, or weeks getting into the backcountry—just make sure to bring your
DeLorme Gazetteer, topo maps and
your adventurous spirit.
Will Casella’s company, the Bozeman-based Phasmid Rentals, provides outfitted rental
vehicles and itinerary planning for travelers seeking off the beaten path adventures.
phasmidrentals.com
At Maverick Mountain locals reign supreme, but everyone is welcome.
With nearly 2,000 vertical feet of excellent killer terrain and one podunk
chairlift, the snow stays soft all day long. The views of the Pioneer Mountains are heartbreakingly beautiful, and events like the Community Downhill and the Bartenter’s Cup can’t be found anywhere else this side of
heaven. Don’t miss powder Thursdays (Mav is closed Mon-Wed), Elkhorn
Hot Springs, and après at the Grasshopper Inn. skimaverick.com E.S.
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
91
music
n
i
t
s
Move over, AU
By Yogesh Simpson
I was standing outside Peach Street Studios on a warm night last
summer when one of the studio’s founders, Cornell “Doc” Wiley,
casually dropped a bomb on me.
Bozeman is on the crest of a musical wave, a renaissance of
sorts, like a budding Austin, Texas, Doc said.
It seemed a tall claim. I wanted to know more.
“I’ve worked in Los Angeles making records, I’ve worked
in Nashville and New York, and I’ve never seen anything
like it,” Doc said. “When I say it’s world class, and when I
think it’s a renaissance, I mean it.”
It was my first visit to one of Bozeman’s newest venues,
a converted cold storage warehouse at 627 E. Peach St.
On the bill that evening was the Portland Cello Project, a
quintet comprising only cellos. The front room brimmed
with a sold-out crowd of 50, arranged on rows of church
92 Mountain
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pews and folding chairs. There was no stage and no sound gear,
just exposed brick, corrugated metal and cellos. It was a quiet,
intimate listening room unlike anything I’d seen in Bozeman.
Maybe it was Doc’s contagious enthusiasm, but the venue and
event felt fresh.
Maybe something great is taking root here.
When it’s not a performance space, Peach Street is home to
three independent recording studios. Since first hearing about
it, I wondered how a small town could support such a venture.
At the set break I introduced myself to Doc and a couple of the
other studio partners outside on the stoop. That’s when they
started talking renaissance.
“
We have the art, we have the support, we have the
venues, we have the promoters. We have all the
ingredients to make the recipe successful, so
when it comes out of the oven it tastes good.
Doc is a large and affable man
with a resume that includes a
Grammy for mixing and engineering. During his 30 years in
the business, he’s worked with a
long list of big-name musicians,
including U2, Prince and David
Lee Roth.
Doc and his partners at Peach
Street Studios are optimistic
about the potential for Bozeman
to be a regional, if not national
hub for people in all aspects of
the music business.
“It feels like Athens, Georgia in
the ‘80s,” Doc said. He recounted a tale from a spring night
earlier that year when he went
out on the town to hear some
music, starting at a Salvation
Army event and ending at the
Filling Station:
Peach Street Studio Crew L-R: Luke Flansburg, Jeremiah Slovarp, Dodge Kramer, Jackie
Wickens, Jason Wickens, Jesse Barney and Doc Wiley Courtesy of Peach Street Studios
“I saw nine bands in one night,
and none of them sucked! And I
walked to all of those venues.”
Perhaps the inordinate amount of
talent in this little town is due to the
area’s natural beauty.
“Creative people are attracted to
beauty,” says Jesse Barney, owner of
Resonance Studios. “They’re attracted
to wonderful things to do outside,
and [being] able to go kayaking or rock
climbing or snowboarding.”
“It’s inspiring, and it’s part of the fuel
for doing our art,” Barney said.
There is strong support for artists and
musicians in Southwest Montana, according to Jeremiah Slovarp, who runs
Jereco Studios out of Peach Street with
Luke Flansburg.
“In talking about the industry as a
whole here, you can’t discount the
infrastructure,” Slovarp said. “You
need to take into account the support
network for the artists in the film and
music industry. There are a lot of film
companies in this town, and they are
doing very well.”
Slovarp pointed out that Bozeman is
also home to Weber mandolins, Gibson
guitars, and HeadRoom headphones,
as well as guys like Bill Payne of Little
Feet, legendary songwriter Kostas, and
Rolling Stone photographer and guitar
pickup maker Larry DiMarzio.
“What we have here are the ingredients,” Slovarp said. “We have the art,
we have the support, we have the venues, we have the promoters. We have
all the ingredients to make the recipe
successful, so when it comes out of
the oven it tastes good.”
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Mountain
93
music
It’s not just the Peach Street partners who are upbeat
about Bozeman’s musical ingredients. I’ve since brought
up this conversation with others in the business, and
most agree with Slovarp on all counts except the venues.
One glaring niche, in particular, needs to be filled, says
Lucia Stewart, a music promoter, producer and KGLT DJ.
“We need a multifaceted venue with a capacity of 1,200
to 1,800 people that could handle a sit-down, classical
performance or a fantastically decorated fundraiser or
dance party,” Stewart said. “We’re poised here to support
a venue like that, and to exponentially grow the cultural
hub we already have.”
Compared to towns of similar population and size, Bozeman has a disproportionately small number of venues, said
Tyler Miller, guitarist with the band Tumbledown House.
It’s especially unfortunate, he said, given the enormous
talent here.
Blue roan control room
PHoto courtesy of Peach Street Studios
Plus, Bozeman venue owners and crowds are more supportive here than in other parts of the country, Miller
says.
But a small city also has advantages. It’s fairly easy to get
paying gigs here, unlike bigger cities.
From the concrete stoop on Peach Street it seems like a long
way to the glittery music meccas like Austin. But with so much
talent, infrastructure and motivation in Bozeman and Southwest
Montana, maybe we’re closer than I thought.
“In places like L.A. it’s ‘pay to play’. It’s event driven,” Doc
said, meaning bands pay to rent a venue and then have to
sell tickets to make their money back.
Yogesh Simpson is a writer, photographer, graphic designer
and musician living in Bozeman.
94 Mountain
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beer
HOP SEASON
At the Bozone
story and photos by Abbie digel
It’s sunrise, and friends of
Bozeman Brewing Company have gathered in the
garage adjacent to the small
brewery. Every September
during the hop harvest,
bushels of the vibrant green
plant with succulent cones
fill wheelbarrows and beds
of pickups here. Some hops
are from the brewery’s own
gardens, and others are
from home gardens and
Montana State University.
The eclectic group is
sitting in a circle pulling
sticky stems from heaping piles on the floor,
plucking plump green
brewed with fresh hops,
some of the team drove
to the Yakima Valley in
Washington state in search
of the freshest cones,
piled them in a truck, then
turned around and came
home. Once harvested, the
wet hops must be used in
the brew immediately, so
the crew drove fast, hitting
a deer on the way back,
delaying the amount of
time before they could
begin brewing. They only
had enough hops to brew
about eight barrels that first
year, but their customers’
response warranted growth.
“We want community members to
get to know the beer they drink.”
hop cones, and separating
them by variety. These
beer fanatics, hop growers
and Bozone regulars will
likely be there all day.
Chairs scrape against the
cement floor, and laughter
rises from the group. As
the sun rises higher in the
sky, the number of pickers grows.
“It’s a social experiment,”
said Todd Scott, owner of
the brewery. “We want
community members to
get to know the beer they
drink.” The Bozone’s
Hopfest has been going on
for the last five years.
The first year Bozone
Hops help create a beer’s
full and distinct flavor. The
moment at which the hops
go into brewing process is
part of the brewer’s craft:
Adding hops in the early
stages contribute to a beer’s
bitterness, adding them
later in the fermentation
process contributes more
flavor and aroma. Every
ingredient in beer adds to
its uniqueness and hops are
part of that puzzle.
Most breweries use dried
and packaged hop pellets
that resemble rabbit food,
crumble when touched, and
are stored for a year or more.
“It’s like buying dried basil
at the store, but instead we
are using the fresh basil
from the garden,” said Bill
Hyland, brewmaster at
Bozone.
Sierra Nevada, a popular
California craft brewer,
pioneered fresh hop brews
starting in the late ‘90s with
its Harvest series. Since
then, fresh hop brews have
been popping up at craft
breweries around the country, with Bozone following
the trend.
There are benefits to growing hops, Hyland says.
People plant them as decoration or for privacy, since
they climb like vines up a
trellis or fencing.
Bozone Brewery uses hops
from Montana, Oregon,
Germany, England and
occasionally Argentina, but
still sources most from the
Yakima Valley, which Hyland says is a “good growing
area with a longer growing
season.”
“Growing hops is lowmaintenance: Plant the
rhizome, attach it to a
string, and watch it climb,”
Hyland said. The resilient,
tenacious plants need only
water and sunlight. It takes
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two to three years for buds
to develop on the hop vine,
and this sticky, flower is the
object of a brewer’s desire.
It’s tradition
The process of brewing
beer is similar to making
wine: The ingredients
come from the ground,
and the environment
surrounding them affects
their taste and smell.
Bozone’s 2011 brew
is called Terrior (pronounced “tare-wah”), a
name derived from the
French word for ‘land.’ In
the wine world, terrior
refers to the quality and
origin of the grapes, and
the same goes for hops.
For Hyland, it also refers
to the beer’s local components: The ingredients
are 90 percent Montanagrown.
“Ages ago, that was the
only kind of brewing people did. Ingredients came
from your own farm, right
outside your door,” Hyland said. “In Europe it’s
still that way, but that’s
not the case in America,
where giant companies
control everything.”
Mountain
97
strig
beer
bract
bracteoles
lupulin gland
Containing resins
and essential oils
“It’s ridiculous to dump all this stuff
into the kettle,” he says, referring to the
amount of time and effort brewing this
kind of beer involves.
But it’s clear he’s having fun.
“Conventional wisdom says to use high
alpha [bitter] acid content hops first,
because that’s the trend in American
beer right now,” Hyland said. “The
cascade hops will go in last because of
their excellent aroma. That’s the bulk of
the brew.”
Hop pickers at the Bozone in September 2011
Hops in Montana
Hop harvest in Montana lasts only a
few weeks in September. That’s a small
window for brewers, and it’s made
the industry grow slowly. But with so
many craft breweries here (Montana has
27) interest in hop cultivation is growing, Hyland says.
Since 2007, MSU plant sciences professor Tom Blake has grown hops on 30
acres of MSU’s gardens. In spite of the
short growing season, the plant grows
well in the Gallatin Valley, he says.
Blake and his team grow 10 varieties,
mostly for demonstration.
In an effort to expand its local hop
sources—and its loyal community—
Bozone has given out hop rhizomes
to friends, hoping they’ll grow a crop
from that section of the plant’s root.
Community members have contributed more bounty each year.
98 Mountain
The Bozone team would also like
to see commercial hops grown in
Montana. A third-acre crop would
cost about $2,000 to set up with the
necessary poles, trellises, tractors and
labor, Blake said.
There’s a market, Hyland says:
“More brewers, both home and
retail, are starting to have small hop
productions.”
The brew
Brewing with hops is a labor of
love, Hyland says. Because Terrior
is only brewed once a year, Hyland pays special attention to the
process.
That afternoon, Hyland created the
recipe, while the pickers socialized
and sipped on Bozone beer.
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Any brewing process involves adding
different varieties of hops at different
times during the fermentation and
boiling process, in order to conjure a
desired mesh of flavors. Every variety
has a unique taste, smell and texture, so
a perfectly timed recipe is key to a great
tasting beer, Hyland says.
When the brewing day is done, Hyland
climbs into the kettles to clean out the
remaining hop residue. Usually pelletized hops are added to a brew, which
settle to the bottom of the kettle and are
easily separated. This is a more effective
process, because the pellets don’t leave
behind a mess.
But Terrior is worth it. The beer is an
IPA with a lighter, fresher flavor.
“It’s a taste experience.”
While Abbie Digel appreciates fresh
hops from the Bozone, her favorite beer
is Coors Light.
Community Hops
Missed Bozone’s Terrior brew this year? Check again
around fall harvest and into November. Chances are,
more breweries will offer a fresh hop ale each year, and
recipes will become more refined as brewers practice
with hop varietals.
I
K
S
S
É
APR RTERS
HEADQUA
Although this is Bozone’s fifth year experimenting with
fresh hops, this was the first year they identified most of
the hop varieties they harvested: Cascade, Fuggles, Mt.
Hood, Centennial, Chinook, Nugget and Zeus. Here’s the
breakdown on taste:
Cascade: Cascade is an aromatic, selectively bred
variety that originated as the first commercial hop. It
was bred in 1956 but not released for cultivation until
1972. Popular in the U.S., the Cascade has a moderate bitterness and a fragrant, flowery aroma. It’s
often used in West Coast ales that have a citrus-floral
hop character.
Fuggle: Fuggle is an aromatic variety that was selected in England as a chance seedling in 1861. It’s also
marketed as Styrian (Savinja) Golding in the Slovenian
Republic. In the U.S. it’s grown in Oregon and Washington state.
Mt. Hood: Bred in the U.S. in 1983, Mt. Hood is the
half-sister to Ultra, Liberty and Crystal hops. It’s an
aromatic variety derived from Hallertau, Germany, with
a refined, spicy aroma and clean bittering. A good choice
for lagers, some describe Mt. Hood as “pungent.”
Centennial: Centennial was bred in 1974 but not
released until 1990. A new hop on the market, it’s sometimes described as a “super Cascade,” but not nearly as
citrusy. Its bitterness is quite clean and has floral notes
depending on the boil time.
Columbus: This high alpha variety has a pungent
aroma and clean bittering. Excellent for bitter ales and
American IPA styles, and can be dramatic when dry
hopped. It’s almost identical to the Zeus variety.
Chinook: Chinook is a bittering variety with aroma
characteristics.It is a high alpha acid hop with a wonderful herbal, almost smoky character when used as an
aromatic during the last few minutes of the boil. Excellent for hopping American-style Pale Ales, especially
those brewed in higher gravities.
Nugget: Nugget, bred in 1970, is a great bittering
hop with a heavy herbal aroma.
Information from beeradvocate.com
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Mountain
99
snow science
Earthquake-induced
avalanches
By Brad Carpenter
The sound of mice scurrying in the
walls woke me. For a moment, I wondered what they were doing. Then the
walls started moving.
As the employee housing building shook, my bed began
to sway and bounce. I grabbed the sides and held on. Was
it time to run for the door? Get in the closet?
Then just as suddenly, things settled back to normal.
The magnitude 7.1 earthquake that shook the Canterbury region of New Zealand on Sept. 4, 2010, was the
start of more than six terrifying months of seismic activity on the country’s South Island. The cycle peaked on
Feb. 22, 2011, when a magnitude 6.3 earthquake claimed
181 lives and caused billions in damage to the Christchurch area, creating a ghost town of the downtown
business district in a city of over 360,000 people. The
aftershocks still continue to this day, with a magnitude
4.9 recorded in late August 2011.
Earthquake-induced avalanche as seen from Porters ski area
Photo by Luke Armstrong
100 Mountain
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The epicenter of the Sept. 4 tremor was near the Southern Alps, just 45 km from Porters Ski Area, in the
Craigieburn Mountains. I’ve worked for four seasons
on the ski patrol at Porters, and I’m now the assistant
snow safety director there. While the quake caused very
little damage to Porters infrastructure and no in-bounds
avalanches, it caused an extensive earthquake-induced
avalanche event in the surrounding mountains.
Earthquake-triggered avalanche events are rare, so
I was excited to have witnessed one. Only a couple
dozen have ever been fully recorded, and the
physics of these occurrences have seen little study.
The aftermath of this particular cycle brought up
several questions.
With signs that the September earthquake had
indeed disturbed our in-bounds pack, I really started
to wonder if we could actually forecast for earthquake-induced avalanche events.
During winter in the Northern hemisphere, I’m
the snow safety director at Moonlight Basin.
At Porters Ski Area, avalanche control work from
Southwest Montana is also a highly active seisseveral weeks prior had mitigated weak layers
mic area, so the earthquake-induced avalanche
in the snowpack that otherwise could have been
concept began to enter my thoughts often. While
unstable; it made
we cannot
sense that no
forecast for
in-bounds slides
seismological
had occurred.
activity, could
Just outside the
we, in theory,
boundaries, howpredict how a
ever, we saw mulseismic event
tiple avalanches
would affect
that had run
our snowpack?
thousands of feet
This kind of
from ridgeline
avalanche
to valley floor.
forecasting
Nearby ski areas
is an entirely
reported similar
different
observations.
game than
This was one of
what most
the largest natural
avalanche
avalanche cycles
practitioners
ever recorded in
are used to, so
New Zealand.
Mcnulty’s Saddle, Craigeburne Range in the Southern Alps of New Zealand I kept looking
for answers.
Photo by Luke Armstrong
As aftershocks continued to hit the region in the following few weeks,
In a stroke of luck, two of the best, and only,
management at Porters began to ask an obvious, but
scientific papers on earthquake-induced avachallenging question of the snow safety departlanches were published in 2010. In one, a group
ment: Could we forecast for an earthquake-induced
of Russian and Japanese scientists created a
avalanche event, if we were to start seeing a more
series of mini snowpack models in a cold lab
avalanche-prone snowpack? We weren’t sure, and I
and then simulated an earthquake. As simple
began to look around for any history of such an event.
as this sounds, it had never been done before.
There didn’t seem to be anything.
The goal was to better understand how the
Earth’s vibrations affect snow and avalanches.
Luckily, most of the aftershocks were minor, and
The scientists determined that a magnitude 4 or
another earthquak-induced avalanche cycle never
5 is necessary to cause avalanches, and it tends
occurred. But in October, as the snowpack melted,
to affect an area within 20 to 40 miles of the
we found it had been affected in a very big way.
seismic epicenter.
Spiderwebs of long, deep, disconcerting cracks traversed most of the big faces in the backcountry, and
They also found that smaller earthquakes (as
even some of our in-bounds terrain.
low as magnitude 1.9) can cause avalanches, and
that even when the snow doesn’t avalanche,
These cracks were unlike anything I’d ever seen, and
the layers of the snowpack almost always fracwere evidence that the earthquake had affected our
ture into pieces and break apart—as evidenced
snowpack by essentially shattering it into pieces. It
during melt-out in New Zealand. Furthermore,
hadn’t caused any deeper layers in our snowpack to
they determined this type of avalanche can be
avalanche, because within our deeper, older snowtriggered up to several dozen miles from an
pack there were no significant weak layers for snow
earthquake’s epicenter.
to slide upon.
explorebigsky.com
Mountain
101
snow science
Earthquakes in Montana
Many of Southwest Montana’s beautiful mountain ranges
were formed by hundreds of thousands of years of shifting
faults and concurrent earthquakes. Today, hundreds of small
tremors are recorded annually in Montana. Most of these
earthquakes are too small for humans to detect, but are monitored by seismographs.
In the 20th century several major tremors have hit this part
of Montana. In 1925, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake in the
Gallatin Valley caused extensive damage to unreinforced
masonry buildings in Manhattan, Logan, Three Forks and
Lombard. Ten years later, a series of severe earthquakes
struck the Helena area causing four deaths and millions in
property damage.
The magnitude 7.5 that occurred in 1959 north of West
Yellowstone was the largest earthquake recorded in Montana
history and the most well-known. The subsequent landslide
killed 22 people and dammed the upper Madison River,
creating Quake Lake.
Although the potential for earthquake-triggered avalanches
in Southwest Montana is significant, some key variables
would need to align. First, seismic activity would have to occur
between November and May, when snow is present in the
mountains. And second, it would have to happen close enough
to avalanche terrain to affect a weak layer in the snowpack.
Hebgen Lake, Montana
Photo by Emily stifler
Seismically speaking, areas closer to Yellowstone National Park
and south of Bozeman might see more earthquake activity than
those further afield. Popular backcountry ski touring areas like
Bacon Rind, Hebgen Lake, the Lionshead region, and Cooke
City could be more in the firing line of earthquake-induced
avalanches.
To truly predict avalanches caused by earthquakes, we would
need to be able to predict actual earthquakes, which so far has
proved impossible for scientists. While we cannot predict seismic activity, we’ve seen that a significant earthquake-induced
avalanche cycle like the one in Canterbury, New Zealand, can
be planned for, and is another factor that could be considered in
the avalanche prediction equation.
Does this mean that a seismometer is the next piece of forecasting equipment for traveling or working in avalanche terrain?
Not likely, but knowing earthquake-induced avalanches are
possible in Southwest Montana will only improve our knowledge and preparation for them.
Formula for an avalanche
Understanding avalanches and snowpack is crucial to
understanding an earthquake-induced avalanche event.
For an avalanche to occur, there must be certain layers
within the snow:
SLAB
weak layer
Bed surface
A slab—this a settled and cohesive layer of snow sitting
above the weak layer
A weak layer on top of the bed surface—
usually either weak, poorly bonded, sugary snow; or
feathery surface hoar crystals, which are similar to dew,
but in the winter. these are snow crystals formed by the
accretion of water vapor to the surface of the snowpack
and usually form with cool temperatures, clear skies, and
very light winds
A sliding layer, or bed surface—tends to be
firmer snow
For the snow to slide downhill in an avalanche, there must be a trigger. In some circumstances, the
weight of a single skier can trigger an avalanche. Other times, large explosives are necessary to affect
the weak layers in a snowpack. The majority of avalanches that occur at ski areas are triggered on
purpose, either by explosives or by ski cuts, in which the weight of a ski patroller is used to promote
failure of a slab or new snow.
102
Mountain
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104 Mountain
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adventure
Ice climbing in
Hyalite
Canyon
Genesis II and Zach Attack
By Joe Josephson
The shield of smoky gray ice poured out of the forest
above us.
It was 1997, and though I’d only climbed in Hyalite Canyon
once before, I’d been invited from my adopted home in
Canmore, Alberta to teach a beginner ice climbing clinic at
the inaugural Barrel Ice Climbing Festival.
I stood with my group, looking up at the 150-foot ice flow.
Called Genesis II, or G2 for short, the popular moderate
poured over an inconsistent outcrop of conglomerate volcanic kitty litter disguised as a rock band, and landed in a pile
of snow at our feet.
Classic Hyalite.
Pat Callis, a 30-something chemistry professor at MSU, and
Bozeman teenager Brian Leo, first climbed G2 on Halloween
Day of 1971 when the art of climbing frozen waterfalls was
in its infancy.
In those days, ice climbing was often described as a sport
for lunatics. Approaches were long, and equipment was
akin to implements found at a saloon—dull ice picks and
ice screws that looked like corkscrews for protection. Often
with homemade equipment, early climbers bludgeoned
their hands and feet against brittle, windswept sheets of ice.
Since the road to Hyalite wasn’t plowed, they cross-country
skied many miles in.
These hardy souls kept at it, exploring deeper into the woods
and mysterious corners of the valley. They found dozens of
ice flows that were frozen from November to April. By the
late ‘70s climbers had established more than three-dozen
routes in Hyalite’s three drainages.
Andrew Larson on the first pitch of Zach Attack
Photo by Emily Stifler
As gear evolved, ice climbing’s popularity grew. By the early
‘80s Hyalite was a backyard playground and training ground
for some of North America’s best climbers, including the late
Alex Lowe. Today, the canyon has more than 225 climbs in
three square miles, with climbs of every difficulty.
By 1997, as I stood below G2 with my class, ice climbing had
evolved into a mainstream sport. Ice festivals were popping
up across the northern latitudes, and the first-ever Bozeman
ice fest hosted a cast of legends, new and old.
On Friday night I gave a rousing slideshow, inspired to be
headlining the festival alongside Barry Blanchard, the greatest Canadian climber of a generation, and Bozeman alpinist
Jack Tackle.
Beginner clinics like the class at G2 are my favorite, because
folks get to experience the shockingly steep learning curve of
climbing frozen water. As the sun dove toward the ridgeline,
and I was strapped into a belay barking commands, Kelly
Cordes and Pete Tapley strolled by.
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Mountain
105
adventure
Kelly, a Missoula-based hard man, was an old friend, so
I asked what he and Pete, a local Hyalite ice fiend, had
been up to. They pointed up at the snow-covered cobbles
and chocolate-colored ice staining the 500-foot rock band
directly above G2.
“It wasn’t too bad,” Kelly said, his reticent smile the
kind only seen on a climber not wanting to give away the
secret of a great first ascent.
Four days later, after I’d headed back to Canada and
Kelly returned to grad school at UM, Pete and Dan
Gambino, another local boy, went back and climbed the
upper two ice pitches of Kelly and Pete’s route, creating
Zach Attack (575’, 5.9, WI 5).
The 15th Annual Arc’teryx Bozeman
Ice Climbing Festival draws climbers
from across the country to Hyalite
Canyon’s consistent, quality ice.
The 2011 festival (Dec. 7-11, 2011)
celebrates the history of modern ice
climbing in North America. bozemanicefest.com
After the hour-plus slog to the base, far above the
gentle flow of G2, I started leading the first pitch. I was
intimated at first, but was loaded with a full rack of ice
screws, camming units, nuts, pitons and even perhaps
the kitchen sink.
Following intermittent cracks past rock horns draped with
clear, inviting ice, I moved upward placing
solid protection at my leisure. A route-finding
challenge halfway up the first pitch slowed
my progress, but I skirted to the right, finding
protection by pounding a piton into the rock,
then moved upward by pushing with my palms
as often as pulling with my fingertips or using
my ice tools.
Pat quickly dispatched the much shorter second
pitch, then we raced up the snow gully to
the remaining two pitches of steep ice. Even
the last pitch, an unprotected veneer over an
overhanging wall of moss that would normally
give me serious pause, wasn’t enough to stop us
from reaching the top of the route.
View from the base of Zach Attack
Yet, any thought of success was supplanted by a
brewing storm and dusky skies, harkening a prudent retreat. Descending in the growing darkness,
we saw the direct variation I’d avoided: Clean
hand cracks split a wall of perfect andesite rock,
perhaps the best I’ve seen in Hyalite.
Photo by Emily Stifler
When I moved to Bozeman a year later, Zach Attack was
the talk of the town among climbers. With challenging
mixed climbing on excellent rock (a rarity in Hyalite)
and steep ice pitches, it was one of the canyon’s longest
routes. Finally, in 2007, I teamed up with Pat Callis
(then in his 70s) to have a go at it.
Pat had looked at the line 35 years earlier, but thought
he’d wait for the ice to form to the ground. In the decades since, mixed climbing has taken command of the
sport, and now any rock band with a phlegmy dribble of
ice at the lip can be considered a route.
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We arrived at the parking lot exhausted and satisfied. Large
heavy snowflakes were visible in the glow of our headlamps.
Sharing the rope with the humble and talented Pat Callis,
combined with outrageous climbing and a decade of waiting
for it, has made Zack Attack my favorite in Hyalite.
Joe Josephson grew up in Big Timber, Montana. Author of
Waterfall Ice: Climbs in the Canadian Rockies and Winter
Dance: Select Climbs in Southern Montana and Northern
Wyoming, he organizes the Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival.
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the hustle and bustle of the Gallatin
Valley and take in the sights and smells
of true craftsmanship.
artisan
The shop is quiet, and that’s just how
Brooks likes it.
In the early 2000s, when he did his
work on Main Street in Bozeman,
Brooks found the constant foot traffic
distracting. After a stint on Madison
Avenue in Belgrade (not New York)
he found even that location had him
paying too much mind to the front of
the house and not enough to his craft.
Now Brooks has found a place on the
edge of town where he feels comfortable. If you want to find him, you
will. He’ll be there waiting with a
warm welcome.
Growing up on his family’s farm
outside of Manhattan, this Montana
native has been sculpting rawhide
as long as he can remember. What
started as necessary upkeep for repairs
around the farm soon grew into a
passion.
R . O . B ro o k s
C u s to m L e at h e r
story and photos By Brad Van Wert
Somewhere in the
West, a cowboy is
tending to his herd.
Maybe he’s perched atop the Gravelly
Range, or he’s riding fences outside of
Cutbank. Even further west there’s a
woman of high society planning her
latest gala; she might be in Seattle, or
sitting on the dock of the bay down
in San Francisco. In between, a young
buck is waiting for his eight seconds
of fame, as a mean ole’ bull named
Kickstart is led into the gate.
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Mountain
Although these characters seem
worlds apart, they share something
in common. They’re all wearing a
custom piece of leather crafted by
R.O. Brooks.
For the past 15 years Rob Brooks has
made his living crafting everything
leather, from custom saddles to belts,
and to hear him tell it, there’s no end
in sight. Located where Jackrabbit
Lane in Belgrade finds its northern
end, R.O. Brooks Custom Leather is
a place where you can step away from
explorebigsky.com
While riding rodeo bulls as a young
man, Brooks took a deeper interest in
the artistry of custom leathersmithing, and before long he befriended the
craftsman Ellis Barnes. Working in
a time before the Internet and social
networking, Barnes was not only a
leathersmith but also a good salesman. Instead of relying on Google
to let the world find him, Barnes
bought the nicest Cadillac he could
find, tore out the back seat, loaded
it with his goods and took them to
the people.
Barnes’s dedication inspired Brooks to
make a career out of leather, and he’s
stayed true to form. While the Internet
has allowed leathersmiths to share tools
and ideas, the techniques have remained largely unchanged. When R.O.
Brooks sells a custom piece of leather,
you can rest assured it’s one of a kind.
Rob Brooks loves what he does. When
it comes to building saddles, Brooks
knows each rider requires a different design and shape to accommodate his or her
style. Because of this, each Brooks saddle
takes at least 80 hours to shape, cut, carve
and sew.
Instead of using technology like lasers
and computers to accelerate production,
Brooks values elbow grease, old-fashioned work and quality. But being an honest man, he cracks a smile and admits to a
closet-full of discarded equipment.
When asked about his plans to grow his
business in the future, Brooks quickly
introduces his son, who as a third grader
is already deep into apprenticeship.
Staying small and concentrating on the
craft are crucial to Brooks’s success. By
focusing on individuals and their needs,
he’s allowed the space to create unique
pieces that stand the test of time.
conglo.ws/ROBrooks
Brad Van Wert is a self proclaimed writer/
filmmaker who likes to eat a lot; therefore,
he has a career in renewable energy so he
doesn’t starve.
When R.O.
Brooks sells a
custom piece
of leather,
you can rest
assured it’s
one of a kind.
outlaw
The August sun is hot but threatened by dark squall clouds over
the Teton Valley.
It’s 2 p.m. and Lukas Nelson, son of country legend Willie Nelson, woke early for an interview, five hours before the start of a
free show in tiny downtown Victor, Idaho.
Nelson, 22, mixes straight face and yawns while sitting on a
leather wraparound couch in his father’s old touring bus. His
arms are folded, legs crossed at the ankles. His broad smile hides
sleep. Long brown hair frames his face.
Lukas Nelson
r i d i n g h i s o w n wav e
B y T ay l o r A n d e r s o n
With sleep still in their eyes, his band, Promise of the Real,
huddles around a vegetable platter. They’ve taken a three-day
break during a nation-sprawling summer tour to hang out at
filmmaker Greg Stump’s Teton Valley home for parties and
photo shoots.
Heir to an undeniable talent, the younger Nelson says he’s not
looking to mimic his father, nor is he deflecting his past.
“Give credit where credit is due, you know,” he says. The added
recognition from his famous name isn’t anything Lukas keeps
hidden.
His Texas drawl flows like molasses in a high-pitched nasal
voice reminiscent of his father’s. He speaks in short, soft-spoken
sentences and often keeps his eyes lowered, as if deep in
thought.
Lukas grew up traveling in Willie’s old tour cruiser. He met
outlaw musicians, some past their prime, others still playing
the game. He traveled across the country from city to city
as his dad rode a prolonged peak of notoriety, and he grew.
Those outlaws helped raise him along the way. “It was all I’ve
ever known,” Lukas says.
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Mountain
photo
by taylor anderson
explorebigsky.com
Lukas is one of two sons from
Willie’s fourth wife (out of
seven total offspring). He
started playing guitar as a
birthday present for his dad
when Willie turned 67 and
Lukas was 11.
“Ahhhhhhhooooooowwww…
Ahhh Ahhhhhh! Ahhhhooooooooohhhhhhh,” he
wailed into the microphone. The
audience echoed the noises, and
the energy in downtown Victor
became palpable.
Now, years later, Lukas is reliving the town hopping, late
nights and fast songwriting
during his early career, barreling into the modern professional music business.
Each musician in the group added
his own influence to the mix,
creating a full-bodied rock sound,
revolving around Lukas’s guitar
licks and vocal wails.The sound
was surreal.
“I’m just headin’ down the
road,” he says.
Driving guitar licks peaked and
dwindled, fading away to emphasize a drum, bass and percussion
jam, or a quiet vocal solo leading
back into an entire group jam.
Willie didn’t waste time jumping into the music industry
photo by Austin Caddis Trayser
when he was around the same
age as Lukas. His liftoff came
on slow, and was propelled by
Perhaps because they’ve chosen to
a knack for quality songwriting. He
take an alternate route down the road,
had early downfalls, and later, after
they are teetering between mainproving himself talented, his public
stream fame and a cult following. For
statements and viewpoints would
now, the boys ride their own wave,
garner much attention.
and the rest will follow.
In “All the Pretty Horses,” Lukas
sings of his ride on a trail that his
father left him. But while his path is
similar to Willie’s, Lukas’s has been
a bit more of a meandering road to
stardom.
He seems to have high expectations
for a kid that spent a year as a Venice
Beach boardwalk street performer
after leaving school at Loyola Marymount. But behind his aspirations
there is only truth.
Promise of the Real has yet to sign
with a record label despite releasing a
defining EP, two studio albums, and
possessing a growing fan base that has
attracted nationally known filmmakers like Stump. Lukas says he’d rather
keep the music ‘real’, the way he and
the band like it, and not conform to
the orders of a record label.
Lukas knows he’s good, and that’s all
that matters.
Promise of the Real that night in
Victor included Chilean percussionist Tato Melgar, Anthony LoGerfo on
drums, Corey McCormick on bass,
and band brother and manager Red.
They captivated the whole crowd
and sent them into grooves, despite
it being likely the first time most in
attendance had heard the set. The
intimate venue in the downtown
park reverberated with whoops and
whistles as new fans were turned on
to the unique sounds.
Many times during the show, the
band faded out into a slow bass jam
with LoGerfo holding slow and
steady and Melgar on shaker. In the
middle of the first set, Lukas cut
out almost entirely on guitar and
transferred into a series of maniacal
screams.
The crowd followed down each
crazed path the band took them.
Stump hosted the band in his Driggs,
Idaho studio down the road from
Victor. He was present at the show,
flanked by numerous camera-shouldered videographers. He put GoPros
on guitar and bass, and set up a static
camera behind LoGerfo and Melgar
to capture the on-stage act. Stump
is trying to push a promo video to a
major documentary filmmaker, and
has traveled with the band to film.
Halfway through the show the squall
on the horizon neared, and threats of
rain turned to fizzling drizzles. Lukas
whipped off his sweaty shirt, tossed
it aside and finished half naked.
He ended one of the band’s 10 songs
that night with the lyric: “Ohhhh,
let me smoke my pipe!” (This was
ironic because he’d quit drinking
and smoking pot a few days prior. “I
got to thinkin’, I could either be sort
of high all the time, or I could try
and do something great.”) The band
drew that song out with two more
false endings, and the Victor crowd
screamed for more.
“All right! If this party hasn’t started,
it has now,” Lukas shouted.
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111
outlaw
Lukas isn’t quick to analyze his music—
or his life—but he’s clearly been surrounded by love, and his music often
includes exults to his family, or to past
loves. He exudes an outright passion
that fuels his quick and meaningful
songwriting.
“All those songs are truthful,” he says,
“but I like to keep all that personal stuff
private.”
Coverage on the band (and there is
plenty of it, mostly from newspapers)
tends to rotate around his father’s name,
and a sense of surprise that Lukas
would follow Willie’s path.
The road over Teton Pass was crowded
that Thursday night, mostly with
Jackson residents and visitors heading
to the free show.
He doesn’t want to stir the
pot too much, but as his
career volts skyward that’s
become harder. The more
people start paying attention to his talent, he says,
the easier it becomes to start
unnecessary and uncivil
debates.
“I’ve noticed that I really
have to watch what I say,”
he says.
“If I’m going to take a stand
against racism or [something Lukas Nelson and the Promise of Real Press photo
else], then I want to make
it official and have an organization, a
Teton Valley News had played up the
place. Have a set of motions in action
gig as a chance to watch Willie Nelson’s
rather than just go making a blind
kid, and printed an assumption that
statement and having people tell their
Willie in the Flesh would come south
opinions and getting into this whole
after a show the day before in Billings,
philosophical or political discussion
Montana to open the show on stage
that just doesn’t have to happen.”
next to his son. The headline read:
“Greatness in his Genes.”
He’s played on stage with Willie, Waylon Jennings and Bob Dylan. He’s apAfter the concert, hanging out with
peared on the “Dave Letterman Show,”
friends in Willie’s old bus, Lukas read
at the 2011 Farm Aid concert, and the
the story and jokingly accepted his fate:
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. He appeared
“I thought these jeans made me look
on the “Today Show” in March 2011
good,” he said of his denim.
beside his father for Amy Robach’s
special segment titled “Like Father Like
Murmurs throughout a pub before the
Son.” (“I actually had lipstick on my
show were filled with talk of Willie
lip during that whole interview. It was
Nelson and his (nameless) kid. “I guess
great.”)
he’s kind of the rock and roll, bluesy
type music or somethin’,” and “I hear
Lukas is heading in the right direction –
Willie’s coming from Montana tonight,
assuming he wants the recognition.
that’s why I’m goin’.”
Other musicians admire his talent and
fledgling notoriety. As do the media.
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Mountain
Assumptions like those pit father and
fledgling kin against each other in high
explorebigsky.com
expectation. The same happened with
Bob Dylan and his son, Jake.
Being pit against Willie Nelson, king
of Outlaw Country, seems an unfair
battle.
In addition to his voice, Lukas’s face and
overall appearance resemble Willie’s.
His songwriting skills are on par with
his father’s. Musically,
the likeness stops at the
sound of Lukas’s screaming
Fender Stratocaster, and
Lukas proves why he has a
different following.
In the back of his bus
(dubbed Honeysuckle
Rose) before the Victor
show, Lukas closed his eyes
as he played a three-verse
song he wrote late the
night before. His fingers
fluttered along the neck
of the guitar with birdlike speed and soft agility before ending with an
original flicker lick that
faded out of his hollowed guitar.
This is a style Lukas has made his
own from a combination of influences, namely the Allman Brothers, Jimi
Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob
Dylan, the Beatles and Derek Trucks.
“Ladies and gentlemen, lightning has
struck the generator,” Lukas joked as
the Victor crowd cried encore.
After the Victor show, the band finished its summer tour with stops in
Ohio, Colorado and California. The
four then migrated back to California
and recorded their second studio
album, “mixed at analog sound to
create a warm, organic sound.”
Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real
have the framework for something
big, so long as lighting doesn’t strike
the generator.
Season is September 1 - March 31
For reservations, contact:
Joe Nowakowski, Manager
406.995.2617 • [email protected]
Three Forks, Montana
Lodging is also available for booked hunters
at the Three Rivers Rod & Gun Club’s
Lodge, which is located just a few miles
from the shooting preserve property. It can
accommodate up to 9 people. Call for rates
and availability.
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113
114 Mountain
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115
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116 Mountain
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