Yellowstone Country
The Montana State Park where I Refrained from Jumping Off the Cliff
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 Ramble through the Absaroka-Beartooth
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
A Night of Racing at the Illustrious Bear Creek Downs
The crowd—small yet, it is still early in the season—waits in anticipation as the racers file into the starting gate. The “Call to the Post” blares scratchily over the loudspeakers. With an ear-splitting ring, the gate bursts open. The racer in the green silks pulls ahead early…rounding the first corner…into the backstretch…and stops abruptly, snuffling … Read more
West Yellowstone Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center
Bears, when you get right down to it, are not graceful, noble creatures. Wolves now, wolves lope over the ground with thoroughbred grace. Whenever they stop, they do so with stoic aristocracy, striking poses like Greek statues. Bears shamble. At once bow-legged and pigeon-toed, they amble snuffling through the world, and run like furry bowling … Read more
Yellowstone Scavengers
Tempest videographer Mike Dreesman spent the first week of January in Yellowstone National Park. He took some stunning footage of big horn sheep, bison, eagles, and scenery, but probably his most arresting footage was of two carcasses in the snow. Mike spent nearly four hours taking video of a bison carcass which lay half submerged … Read more
11 Ways to Travel Through Montana Like My Dad
You, dear reader, will never have an opportunity to travel through Montana with my dad [name withheld because he doesn’t trust the internet]. Which is a shame, because it is one of the best ways of seeing the state. References like Names on the Faces of Montana, virtualmontana.com, this blog, and a good Montana Map … Read more