Have you ever been driving around Montana, looked out the window and thought, as you whizzed by, “Hmm, that’s an interesting plant, I wonder what’s growing out there”? Chances are you have, unless you’re my father or father-in-law and your secret super power is the ability to identity grass species while cruising down the interstate … Read more
It was a close race, right to the very end. Both Bannack Ghost Town and Lewis and Clark Caverns were top contenders from the very beginning, and it was fitting that those two should face off in the final. But it was far from certain which would emerge victorious. Both are remarkable and unique. In … Read more
At the moment, my wife and I are living in England. It is generally very nice. There are lots of very old things to look at; there are beautiful hills (which they insist on calling “peaks”) to walk; and you can buy a bag of French fries (err, chips) as big as your head for … Read more
Montana is a land of silver. You can tell because on our flag it says “Oro y Plata” which means “Gold and Silver.” It could potentially mean “Gold and Dishes,” but I feel pretty confident in the first translation. Butte was a silver town before it was a copper town, and Philipsburg was actually named … Read more
The transition between the days of the buffalo and life on the reservation was not easy for the Native American peoples. As the white men continued to move across the country, and settle in the west, the Native American way of life was undergoing immense changes that would forever affect the people. Chief Plenty Coups … Read more
Reynolds Creek Fire Update I’m sure many, if not all, of you have heard about the Reynolds Creek Fire that is burning in Glacier National Park. I mean it’s national news, and has even been mentioned on the Today Show. The fire has burned around 4,000 acres, but Glacier National Park covers 1.1 million acres. … Read more
In one way or another, I am sure everyone has had the experience of saying, “let’s give it one last chance.” Whether it was a relationship, hobby, business endeavor, or career path, the sentiment is far from foreign. The Four Georgians, who are to thank for putting Helena, Montana on the map, also shared this … Read more
Fatigue grips your body. You have been travelling for hours with no shelter from the elements. There is snow covering the ground and the wind is howling, freezing your extremities. In the distance you hear the cry of a bobcat, and something rustles in a bush at your feet. Along the horizon you make out … Read more
The whoop and cry of the braves. The startled bellows of the bison as they plummet to their death. The schthichk of skin ripped from flesh. The chanting murmurs of the butchers. Wood smoke. Dust. Blood crushed grass. Raw meat, slowly heating in the sun. This is the pishkun, the deep blood kettle. For over … Read more
A few weekends ago, I went hiking up Sioux Charlie trail in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, and frankly, you’re lucky that I decided to come back to work. You’re also lucky that I only posted 11 pictures, because I took exactly ten times that many. This is the Stillwater River. Presumably whoever named … Read more
