Tag Archives: outdoors

All in a Summer

November 4, 2024 pocket@dmin

by Eli Fournier

Come summertime, there are the classic warm-weather pastimes like hiking, biking, climbing, and fishing, but numerous other activities can also fill a weekend. Listed here are a handful that make for fun excursions and take you to off-the-beaten-path locales.

Hunting
Montana is quite possibly the most hunter-friendly state in the country—both in terms of opportunity and the amount of game running around the hills. While elk and deer have a huge appeal, for newbies a good place to start is small game like grouse, squirrels, and rabbits. Learn to find, hunt, gut, skin, and cook them—gain competency with these smaller species before thinking about pursuing larger game. Rabbits and squirrels can be hunted year-round, so poke around some public land—ideally off-trail, to avoid spooking hikers—with a .22 rifle or 20-gauge shotgun. On September 1st, mountain-grouse season opens, and targeting these tasty birds really just involves hiking around the woods with a shotgun. Either a 12- or 20-gauge will get the job done. Look for ruffed grouse in thick brushy areas with abundant berries, and blue grouse on ridgetops. Either way, stay on high alert—these birds are often quick to fly when spooked.

Foraging
Part of living in Montana is learning basic woodsman skills—like starting a fire and identifying edible plants. If the latter is new to you, berry-picking is a great place to start. Huckleberries, wild strawberries, and raspberries are all easy to identify and can be picked in large quantities in the right places, at the right times. That means you could be reaping the rewards of your labors for months to come.

Another commonly-foraged food in southwest Montana is mushrooms. Morels in the spring and chanterelles in late summer provide two opportunities to fill the pantry with wild fungi. However, there are poisonous lookalikes for both species, so it’s worth going with someone who can positively identify both the safe and harmful varieties. An experienced forager can also show you the types of places to look for mushrooms—they require specific soil types, shading, and temperatures.

Packrafting
Although a relatively niche activity, packrafting offers an adrenaline-packed avenue into relatively untouched places. Boats are expensive, but once acquired can open up a huge number of possibilities in southwest Montana. Think about hiking deep into a wilderness area and floating out in style, taking in the sights, sounds, and wildlife from the comfort of a boat. Modern packrafts are also capable whitewater boats, and with an experienced paddler at the helm, they can handle most things a larger raft or kayak could. Ask around and you can likely find someone with a packraft to test out before you go full-send on the activity. Just be sure to take care of your friend’s boat, and repay ’em with a sixer of beer.

Canoeing
While whitewater certainly steals the show in southwest Montana, stillwater shouldn’t be overlooked. Canoeing can be a tranquil way to spend a day, or if you’re into fishing, a productive means of covering water and finding fish. Some good options are Hebgen, Quake, and Ennis lakes. All three can get dangerously windy for canoes, though, especially in the afternoons. So consider putting on early. There are also a handful of canoe-friendly rivers that could make for overnight excursions, especially in late summer when the water’s too low for rafts. Look toward the Jefferson, Big Hole, Beaverhead, and Yellowstone, to name a few. Just remember that per Montana law, you must have a PFD on board for every person. Doesn’t mean you have to wear it all day, but it’s gotta be in the boat.

Regardless of how you enjoy a Montana summer, it’s hard to go wrong so long as you’re outside. Find a friend or mentor who’s into any of the above activities (shouldn’t be hard), and off you’ll ride (or paddle, or hunt) into the sunset.

Preparation, Uncategorized

Camp Chef

November 4, 2024 pocket@dmin

by Jack Taylor

Cooking in the backcountry.

Cooking can be one of the most stressful aspects of camping for beginners, and one of the most joyful for veterans. Eating good food will not only keep you energized during your trip, but will also boost your morale. There’s nothing as sweet as kicking your feet up with a hot, tasty meal and watching the sunset from camp after a hard day of playing out in the backcountry. Here’s a rundown on how to crush camp cooking.

Stoves
There are three types of camp stoves to choose from: butane, propane, and white gas. Butane stoves are light and simple, but are less versatile and don’t do well in cold temps. Propane stoves are powerful, versatile, and great for car or river camping, but they’re too heavy for backpacking. White gas stoves are versatile and light, but they’re slightly more complicated to operate and maintain. Choose the right stove for your application.

Fire
Cooking on an open fire is one of the great pleasures of camp cooking. Get the fire started well beforehand to ensure you’ve got some nice hot coals to work with. Move the coals around to adjust heat. You can cook with a grill-grate, cast-iron pan, or Dutch oven. Looking for something lighter? The Fry-Bake Expedition Pan is aluminum and rated by the manufacturer for open-fire cooking. It’s expensive, but it’s the best lightweight pan you can buy.

Cook Kit
Keep your cook kit simple. A frying pan and one pot with a lid should suffice—size depends on how many you’re cooking for. Get a small metal spatula and a pair of pliers to grip your cookware. Bring a small, sharp knife and small cutting board. Opinel has some great utensils, and Gerber makes excellent bowls and plates for serving food. If you like coffee, GSI offers a light, reusable pour-over device. Don’t forget your mug!

Spice Kit
If you want to cook great food in the backcountry, you need to add some flavor. A small assortment of seasonings and spices goes a long way. MSR makes a compact salt-and-pepper container that’s great for other spices, too—keep a few in a small stuff sack. Take whatever spices you like, but never go without salt and oil. Chicken bouillon powder and hot sauce are also kick-ass. Experiment with dry sauce packets such as instant gravy, alfredo sauce, and chili mix.

Produce
Even without a method of refrigeration, you can still bring some produce on your camping trip. Raw meat and leafy greens can go unrefrigerated for the better part of a day. Most veggies will last for at least a few days, while hardy fruits and veggies such as oranges, apples, potatoes, onions, and carrots are good for a week or more. Summer sausage, cheese, and butter will also last over a week, provided you keep it sealed and cool.

Dry Goods
Whether you’re backpacking, river camping, or car camping, you’ll want the majority of your food to be dry and non-perishable. Rice and pasta are obvious staples, which can be spun into an immense variety of meals by adding other ingredients. Dried fruits and nuts are great for snacking, and can be added to breakfasts such as oatmeal or granola for some extra flair (add powdered milk for more flavor and calories). If you have a dehydrator, you can make DIY dehydrated foods—canned chicken or beans, mushrooms, frozen peas or corn, and zucchini all rehydrate well.

Baking
Backcountry baking? You betcha. If you want to take camp cooking to the next level, baking is where it’s at. You can use baking powder to leaven pancakes, biscuits, scones, and muffins. If you want to get real fancy, use instant yeast to leaven bread, pizza, or cinnamon rolls.

Recipes
One of the most fun parts of camp cooking is coming up with your own recipes. Put veggies and seasonings into rice or couscous to make a pilaf. Fry some potatoes, then load up the skillet with meat and cheese for a hearty breakfast scramble. Cook pasta, then layer it with sauce and cheese to make a casserole. The sky’s the limit!

Around the Bozone

An Outdoor Affair

November 4, 2024 pocket@dmin

by Eli Fournier

The top ten outdoor dates near Bozeman.

Ever meet a first date for dinner at 7pm, only to find yourself cooped up indoors at some generic watering hole, surrounded by other people, with someone you quickly realize you don’t even like? Fortunately, in Bozeman, there’s a plethora of other options and things to do outside—so even if you don’t hit it off, the date isn’t a waste of an evening. Here’s our list of ten great spots for an outdoor date.

Peets Hill: There aren’t many better spots to watch a sunset than on a bench overlooking Bozeman and the entire Gallatin Valley. Best part is, your house ain’t far away if you want to take things further than a walk in the park.

Driving Dirt Roads: Get lost, crack some beers, fold the seats down… maybe even let ‘em take the wheel. You’ll want good suspension—for multiple reasons.

Shakespeare in the Parks: Grab a blanket, some snacks & beverages, and settle down with your Romeo or Juliet for an evening of comic, or dramatic, relief. You can find these shows in hamlets (ha) all across Montana.

Hyalite Reservoir: Head up the canyon for an afternoon of hiking, paddleboarding, and picnicking. If things go well, you can even hop in the lake for a skinny dip.

Yellowstone Park Tour: Take a day trip to the Lamar Valley for some quality animal- and people-watching, which also makes a great IQ & compatibility check. E.g., when your date sees a bear, does he stop in the middle of the road and block traffic like an idiot? Does she take photos of coyotes, or selfies 20 feet from a bison?

Lewis & Clark Caverns Tour: Recreation’s great, but geology and history are cool, too. The caverns are dark, with many nooks and crannies to sneak away for a quick smooch.

Bozeman Pass: A nice walk from the Trail Creek parking lot to the climbing area provides plenty of time to shoot the breeze. Can his soft computer hands handle the limestone? And how deft are they—on the rock or elsewhere?

Big Timber Rodeo: Does your date dress like an obvious urban cowboy or cowgirl? Does she complain when the only drink options are Coors Light and boxed wine? Does he know how to swing dance? These are all make-it-or-break-its ’round here.

Brackett Creek: For some alone time in the woods, head to Brackett Creek for a winter Nordic ski. Does your date get cold easily? How does he perform when out of his comfort zone? These can be telltale signs of how things will work out.

Lower Madison: There aren’t many legal ways to get your date drunk and partially naked faster than a booze cruise on the Lower Madison. Put in at Warm Springs, and by the time you take out at Black’s Ford, you might know his or her darkest secrets—and kinks, for that matter.

Preparation

Reading List

November 29, 2023 pocket@dmin

by Jack Taylor

You’ve made it to Bozeman, and you’re ready to explore southwest Montana’s endless expanses. But where to go first? Start by doing some research–it pays to have a plan for every excursion. Thankfully, you have a wealth of resources at your disposal to find the best trail, mountain, or stream for your next outing. Here are some of our top picks for getting the lay of the land.

Printed Guides
Nothing beats a quality, dedicated guidebook. Build a bookshelf collection for your favorite outdoor activities, and make sure these are included:

The Last Best Trails: Montana (SINTR, $30)
Day Hikes around Bozeman: (Day Hikes Books, $16)
Southern Montana Singletrack: (Beartooth Publishing, $30)
Bozeman Rock Climbs: (High Gravity Press, $25)
Paddling Montana: (Falcon Guides, $25)
Cast: Fishing Southwest Montana: (Outside Media Group, free)
Stalk: Hunting Southwest Montana: (Outside Media Group, free)
The House of Hyalite: (Joe Josephson, $36)
Peaks and Couloirs of Southwest Montana: (Chris Kussmaul, $45)

Printed Maps
Even in the age of digital everything, a good ol’ printed map is an invaluable resource. For close-to-home outings, start with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust’s map, which covers all the trails in and around Bozeman proper. it’s available from retailers around town for $3. (For a free digital version, go to gvlt.org/trails/trail-maps.) For Bozeman’s premier backyard playground, Hyalite Canyon, the nonprofit Friends of Hyalite makes a great fold-out recreation map in two versions: winter and summer. Pick one up around town for $5, or view it digitally any hyalite.org/recreation-maps. Beartooth Publishing is our go-to for detailed topographic maps of southwest Montana, complete with roads, trails, and usage restrictions; order print copies from beartoothpublishing.com or find them in local stories. Our favorite all-around option is Bozeman Area Outdoor Recreation Map, which sells for $16. For general trip-planning throughout the state, pick up a copy of the DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer. For more detail, order zoomed-in, area -specific, waterproof maps from MyTopo, a custom-mapping outfit in Billings. A large-format wall map of southwest Montana from Basin and Range Mapping will help you see the big picture and make planning that much easier.

Apps
For hunter and anglers, there are three go-to apps you’ll want on your smartphone or GPS: Montana Fishing Access, Montana Hunting Access, and onWater. The first two are activity-specific and produced right here in Bozeman by Mountainworks Software; the latter is a leading map for fishing access, flows, and reports all in one place.

Websites
You’ll find plenty of information online to learn about local outdoor opportunities. For a collection of general resources, head to outsidebozeman.com and poke around–all day, if you’re not careful. Looking for specific trail descriptions? Check out outsidebozeman.com/trails, gvlt.org/trails/featured-trails, or trailforks.com. For updates and news in the world of mountain biking, including suggested rides, take a look at southwestmontanamba.org. Climbers, head to swmontanaclimbers.org for access information and stewardship projects. If you’re heading for the rivers, check out waterdata.usgs.gov for water levels, bigskyfishing.com for angling info, and fwp.mt.gov for fishing regulations. In the winter, if you plan on heading into the backcountry, stay updated with avalanche forecasts from mtavalanche.com. For general tips & tricks regarding outdoor safety and skills, check out outsidebozeman.com/skills.

Stores
Nothing beats a well-stocked retailer for hands-on gear comparison, along with free advice from local professionals. Southwest Montana teams with outdoor shops; stop in and hit ‘em up for tips and guidance. Just be sure to buy something while you’re there; Montanans are a friendly, helpful lot, but nobody likes a freeloader.

Uncategorized

Higher Calling

August 15, 2019 pocket@dmin

by the editors

A climbing adventure guide for the rookies and the vets.

Living in Bozeman, you’ve probably noticed that the Rocky Mountains are aptly named. Limestone, sandstone, granite, gneiss—we’ve got rocks galore, and that means tons of climbing opportunities await. Getting vertical is in our DNA here, so whether you’re new to the sport, or a veteran looking to tick off the classics, read on for a primer on where to go, what to bring, and how to learn to climb safer and harder.

Flexin’ up the mountain.

Gear

Check out Spire Climbing Center to pick up essential gear locally. A 60-meter rope is sufficient for most Bozeman-area climbs, though longer routes are going up in places like Wolverine Bowl, where a 70-meter rope may become handier. And dust off those tricams—they can be super helpful for protecting pocketed limestone routes, of which there are many.

If you’re just getting started, take a lesson or attend a clinic at Spire—the good folks there will help you select the appropriate shoes, harness, and belay device to get you climbing quickly and safely. Do NOT buy used climbing gear at pawn shops or on Craigslist—it’s beyond sketchy, as you never know what it’s been through. You can also check out the Outdoor Rec Center on campus for gear.

A classic summer sight around the Bozone.

Crags/Routes

Right off Hwy. 191 near the 35mph bridge, Gallatin Canyon has dozens of routes and bouldering problems, great history, beautiful scenery, and easy access. The canyon is largely traditional climbing, but there is a smattering of bolted climbs as well. Many of the older routes are appropriately sandbagged, so climb with gusto. Skyline Arete (5.6, six pitches) is a classic crowd-pleaser, and shouldn’t be missed. Step up to the ultra-classic, perfect parallel cracks of Sparerib (5.8, two pitches), Diesel Driver (5.9) or virtually anything on Gallatin Tower (5.8-5.13 options).

Bozeman’s pet crag, Practice Rock, delivers a convenient pump after class or before work. Head up S. 19th, turn on Hyalite Canyon Rd. and continue for 3.1 miles. Park in the pullout on the right, and slog up the talus. Forgot your trad rack? Most of the routes can be top-roped by hiking around to the right; just use caution when doing so. Hundreds, maybe thousands of climbers have experienced their first climb or trad lead on routes like Strawberry Crack (5.7), Jerry’s Route (5.8+), and Rosebush Crack (5.9). Make sure to check out the splitter gear line of Theoretically (5.10c)—it’s a must-send.

If clipping bolts is your jam, head to Bozeman Pass. Limestone routes from 5.6-5.13 are clustered among fins and faces, with relatively quick and easy access off I-90 at Trail Creek Rd. You may also want to check out Bozeman’s coolest—both scenery-wise, and temperature-wise—sport-climbing crag at Wolverine Bowl, in the Bridgers. It’s a longer drive and about an hour-long hike to the base of the climbs, but the steep limestone has some of the best friction around, and route development has been progressing nicely here (though mostly at harder grades). Check out The Beat Connection (5.10b) and Hate Street Dialogue (5.11b) for sure.

Live-action cliffhanger.

Events

Want to meet some new partners? Get together and spray with like-minded rock nerds? Drink beer and climb rocks? So do we. There are several events each year in southwest Montana that bring the climbing community together. Here are the highlights.

September 21
Tour de Hyalite – Hyalite Canyon. In September, competitors run 14 miles up to Hyalite Peak and back, then climb the five hardest routes they can at Practice Rock to reduce their time—the harder the routes, the faster your time! Details here.

September [Exact Dates TBD]
Butte Bouldering Bash – Butte. If cruxing out is more your style, check out the annual Butte Bouldering Bash in October. There’s a competition, raffle, food, and a LOT of awesome granite boulders. Check it out on Facebook here.

November 9
Full Gravity Day – Bozeman. Before getting lost in a sea of finals, solve some boulder problems at Spire. This is the largest bouldering event in the Northern Rockies, so even if you aren’t competing, it’s worth checking out for the scene. Take a look at last year’s finals here.

December 11-15
Bozeman Ice Festival – Bozeman. Trade chalk for ice axes, and shoes for crampons, at the 22nd annual Bozeman Ice Fest. Expect on-ice clinics in Hyalite, gear demos from industry leaders, an adventure film festival, and much more. Details here.

April [Exact Date TBD]
Spring Fling – Finally, kick off the spring climbing season at Spire, with their Spring Fling rope competition. There are adult and youth classes, and spandex is encouraged—it’s that kind of event. Details will be posted here when the date is announced. Meanwhile, get psyched watching 2017′s competition.

For an up-to-date list of events around town check out Outside Bozeman’s event calendar.

Uncategorized

Pack Mentality

November 5, 2018 pocket@dmin

by Taylor Burlage

Clubs and Orgs for the outdoor oriented.

As a Bozemanite born and bred, fighting for wild places has always come naturally to me. As I’ve grown older, I’ve found that this penchant for outdoor activism is as easy as breathing for many Montanans. In the spirit of this great state, MSU has fostered a vibrant community of student groups and organizations dedicated to enjoying the recreational opportunities we have here, while simultaneously fighting to protect those public lands for future generations.

Students gathered for a club meeting.

Whether you hunt, ski, fish, climb, hike, or just want to get outside, there are a handful of student-led groups comprised of people from across the country that are worth checking out. Here are a few:

Montana Wild Collective members take action by inspiring their peers to get outside and advocate for wild places. Often meeting up in the woods for an after-school hike or a weekend cabin trip, they know how to get wild.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers promotes engagement in, and advocates for, backcountry hunting and angling, the conservation of public lands and wilderness, and the protection of fish and wildlife that rely on clean water and wild habitat. BHA holds loads of fun events that are both educational and fun, whether you are new to hunting and fishing, or an old hat at both.

Backcountry Squatters is an all-ladies club that aims to encourage engagement and leadership in the outdoor community by creating club outings and clinics that are focused on increasing the skills, connections, and support necessary for women to reach their full potential in the natural world.

SNOW (Sustainability Now) aims to provide an atmosphere for students to define and accomplish projects with a sustainability focus. Reducing food waste, banning plastic water bottles, and advocating for biking in Bozeman are just a few examples of what SNOW does.

These are just a few of the many outdoor-oriented student-led clubs. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Click here for more information on student organizations.

Taylor Burlage is an MSU junior and the campus coordinator for Outside Media Group.

Uncategorized

Great Escapes

October 22, 2018 pocket@dmin

by the editors

Some suggestions this road trip season.

Road-trips are a quintessential college experience: plan the route, gather the crew, pack the rig, and hit the highway. While most big trips are reserved for the freedom of summer, Montana is full of weekend escapes for every season.

Fall

After settling in for the semester, plan a circumnavigation of the Madison Range. Leaving campus Friday afternoon, your first stop should be a campsite in Gallatin Canyon, along Storm Castle Creek. There’s a Forest Service campground with several spots, but push past it and set up further upstream. If you bike, spend the evening pedaling the dirt road up the burned-out drainage. Prefer hiking? Backtrack to the Storm Castle trailhead and make your way up this Bozeman-area classic.

Back at camp, cook something hot and hearty; you’ll need the energy and by this time of year, evening temps can dip below freezing. Build a roaring fire and pass the hot cocoa to the left-hand side.

Odds are, a cold morning will have you up early. After cooking eggs and bacon over an open fire, and mixing up some cowboy coffee, head south toward Big Sky. Climbers should stop at Gallatin Tower right along the river, or head across the river and climb the Waltz. Anglers will be relieved to see that the tourist hordes of summer have largely dissipated. The Gallatin is once again a locals’ playground.

If you bike, head for the Porcupine trailhead, just south of Big Sky. There are a few several-mile loops you can put together, but keep it short and sweet as lunch will be calling. If you’ve dawdled, hit up the Gallatin Riverhouse Grill. They don’t open until 3pm, but their ribs are worth waiting for. If it’s earlier in the day (and hopefully it is), backtrack to Sola’s Big Sky location for sandwiches and salads. If you can stand it, book it to West Yellowstone and lunch there. After eating, stop in at Freeheel and Wheel for a coffee before getting back on the road.

It’ll be late afternoon at this point, so head west past Hebgen Lake and find a spot at the Beaver Creek campground, or along any Forest Service road at a dispersed site. Beaver Creek boasts impressive aspen groves, and by this time of year, they’ll be bright yellow or blaze orange. Plus there’s the added benefit of camping on Quake Lake, which is full of trout.

The Gravelly Range near Ennis, MT

In the morning, make haste for Ennis, about 45 miles north on Hwy. 287. Grab breakfast in town before picking a trail to hike. There are lots of options on the west side of the Madison Range, but this is serious griz country, so have your bear spray handy. After exhausting yourself with a strenuous foray into the wilderness, a soak at Norris Hot Springs is a welcome reward. Once adequately loosened up, it’s just a short hour drive back to Bozeman.

Winter

A winter road-trip is a great way to keep things interesting during the monotony of Bozeman’s longest season, and Red Lodge is the ideal destination.

For one, it’s relatively close. Leaving campus on Friday afternoon, you can pull into town before nightfall. Book a room at the Yodeler Motel for some classic ski-town décor, then walk downtown to Foster & Logan’s for some hearty pub fare. Don’t overdo it, as you’ll want to rise early for a full ski day at Red Lodge Mountain. On good snow years, there’s interesting terrain for all skill levels. When Mother Nature isn’t cooperating, embrace the local ski-hill vibe and the steep, long groomers.

Apres at Fosters & Logan’s.

Once you’ve gotten your vertical fill, check out Mas Taco on Main Street. Pick and choose from their extensive taco menu, or fill up on their burrito special. Pass the evening soaking in the Yodeler’s hot tub.

In the morning, make the rounds at the Red Lodge Nordic Center. They groom trails for skiers of all abilities and rentals are available in town at the Sylvan Peak Mountain Shoppe. On your way out of town, grab an early lunch at Café Regis. If it’s later in the day, take the long way home, making a pit stop in Roscoe at the Grizzly Bar. Think meat and lots of it. After gorging yourself, cruise to the interstate for the straight-shot drive back to Bozeman.

Skiing at Red Lodge Mountain

Spring

By the time spring rolls around, most Bozemanites are itching to ditch the snow for some desert sun. While we can’t blame them, we’re satisfied with the Treasure State’s outdoor offerings, and you will be too.

Instead of driving ten hours to Moab, head west on the interstate for 30 minutes toward Three Forks. If you bike, stop at Copper City a few miles north on Hwy. 287. If you climb, continue on to Pipestone, where the Queen and King crags await. This is also a great place for early-season camping, as the ground dries out before most mountain sites. There are dozens of trails for motorized and non-motorized users alike.

Camping with a view at Pipestone

Pipestone can handle bigger crowds, so make a party of it, making sure to clean up after yourselves. Bring the grill, as much meat as you can possibly eat, and all the car-camping luxuries you can think of.

You’ll likely sleep in Saturday morning, and that’s okay—your next stop isn’t far. Hop on I-90 and head west into Butte. If you’re already in need of some lunch, stop at Metals Sports Bar & Grill for massive burgers. Well-fueled, push north on I-15 to Helena. This is Montana’s mountain-biking mecca. There are miles of trail that tend to dry out early, and many end at Blackfoot Brewing. If you aren’t 21, fret not—the Capital City has other excellent food-and-drink options. Also, non-bikers shouldn’t be discouraged from using Helena’s trails; they’re great for trail running and early-season wildflower viewing as well.

Like most Montana cities, Helena is surrounded by public land. Head up any Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management road to find a campsite. If you prefer having a picnic table and a fire ring, book campground sites ahead of time here.

A pack of pals enjoying the singletrack

In the morning, take Hwy. 287 south to Townsend, making sure to stop for some fishing on the Missouri River or canoeing on Canyon Ferry Reservoir. This time of year, waterfowl abound and this a great place for watching them in their element. Lunch at the Full Belli Deli is highly encouraged—their sandwiches are fantastic, and you can pick up a bag of jerky for snacking on later.

Continue south along Hwy. 287 until you make it back to Three Forks—but before making haste for Bozeman, check out Missouri Headwaters State Park. Here, the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin rivers converge to form the Mighty Mo. The park has trails and interpretive signs with historical information, and the river-bottom cottonwood groves provide cover for moose, deer, and other critters.

Cap the weekend off with steak fingers at Sir Scott’s Oasis in Manhattan before rolling back to campus.

Back to Bozeman we go

For more road-trip ideas and summer options, check out Outside Bozeman’s weekender guide.

Uncategorized

Watchable Wildlife

August 8, 2018 pocket@dmin

by the editors

Animals of the Montana forests.

Montana is a wildlife hotbed. Unless you’re from the Serengeti, the wildlife-viewing opportunities around here probably surpass anything you’ve seen before. Any given hike can produce half a dozen megafauna sightings, and all the major species seen by Lewis and Clark are still around. Here are some of the usual suspects.

Deer
Hike, bike, run, or ride any mountain trail between Big Timber and Dillon, and you’ll likely see mule deer. Their ubiquity doesn’t make them any less impressive. These ungulates are built for mountain travel. Tell them apart from white-tailed deer by their black-tipped tails, donkey-like ears, and hopping gait. Whitetail tend to stick to the agricultural lowlands, and when spooked, their fluffy white tails flare straight up as they bound away.

Mule deer raise their heads from grazing.

Elk
While it’s rare to see elk on the trail, it does happen, especially if you hike in the sage-flecked meadows of Yellowstone Park. More likely, you’ll see huge herds on your way to and from the trailhead, often grouped on private land in the valleys, safe from hunters’ bullets. Dawn and dusk, fall, winter, and spring are the best times to spot elk, and Paradise and Madison valleys are both full of them.

A bull elk in velvet.

Birds of Prey
Eagles, falcons, and hawks enliven Montana’s big, blue sky, and fall is an excellent time to observe them in huge numbers. Many hawk species migrate along the Bridger Range in October, so hike up to the ridge and bust out the binos. Along our many rivers and streams, look for bald eagles, a formerly endangered species that has made a huge comeback. Out in the open fields, hawks and falcons perch on power poles and fencelines, looking for rodents scurrying through the grass.

A common sight along Montana’s rivers.

Canines
Foxes and coyotes are fairly common sights around these parts. They’re similar in size, but the former’s bright-orange coat makes it unmistakable. While folks new to town might see coyotes as majestic wildlife, many locals see them as a nuisance. Still, watching one lope across an open field as the sun sets on the mountains is a sight to behold. Wolves are far less common, especially outside Yellowstone Park. Inside the Park, if your goal is to see Canis lupus, head in early and follow the naturalist tour-guide vans. The Lamar Valley is a good bet.

A fox looks back after trodding through the snow.

A red fox sizing up the risk.

Small Mammals
Small critters get much less fanfare, but they’re worth mentioning. A few standouts are marmots, pikas, and gophers (aka, Richardson’s ground squirrels). Marmots are fairly common in the alpine, and you can find them by following their high-pitched chirps. Their call is a warning cry, and they’ll start screaming as soon as you’re on their radar. Pikas are far less common, and indeed, they’re in trouble, due to warming temps. They occupy large rock clusters and if you spot large splotches of white droppings, odds are a pika is inside. Gophers are the pigeons of southwest Montana. From spring through mid-summer, they’re everywhere and no local would fault you for picking off one or two with a pellet gun.

Small animal tracks through the snow.

Ursines & Felines
The “coolest” animals are usually the toothiest. Around here, that means bears, cougars, bobcats, and lynx. Our area has good populations of grizzly and black bears, but odds of seeing a grizzly are pretty low outside of Yellowstone. Black bears are far more common. Tell them apart by the shape of their faces and the telltale hump above the griz’s shoulder. Bobcats are also fairly common, but far stealthier than bears. For one, they’re much smaller—about the size of a medium-sized dog—and they tend to stalk their prey silently, whereas bears are primarily scavengers, wandering around from smell to smell in search of their next meal. Cougars and lynx are extremely hard to see in the wild. Their stealth is unrivaled in the animal kingdom, and if you see one, count yourself among the lucky few.