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Remember the first time you cast a fly line on a Montana river? How about your inaugural run through fresh powder in the Bridger Range, that first bull elk in the Crazy Mountains or setting fresh eyes on Yellowstone National Park? Welcome to the Chronicle Outdoors blog maintained by Chronicle Outdoors editor and photographer Ben Pierce. We'll focus on Montana's wild places, all the adventure they provide and the hidden gems along the way. Stop back often. Share your thoughts. And have fun out there.
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Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Report :.- GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Fri Jan 27, 2012Good morning. This is Mark Staples with the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Advisory issued on Friday, January 27 at 7:30 a.m. The Big Sky Ski Patrol and World Boards sponsor today’s advisory. This advisory does not apply to operating ski areas. Mountain Weather: Since yesterday morning, 1-2 inches of snow fell near Big Sky and the Taylor Fork. 4-5 inc […]
- GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Fri Jan 27, 2012
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Latest news from Yellowstone National Park :.- Old Faithful Visitor Lodging Improvement Plan Out For Public ReviewA proposal to return some cabin units in the Old Faithful area back to visitor use has been released for public review and comment. […]
- Entry To Yellowstone Free This WeekendYellowstone National Park is waiving admission fees this weekend in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., federal holiday. […]
- Yellowstone Visitation Tops 3 Million For Fifth Straight YearVisitation to Yellowstone National Park in 2011 topped the 3 million mark for the fifth straight year. […]
- Yellowstone Invites Public Comment On Draft Progress Report To UNESCO World Heritage CommitteeThe National Park Service is seeking public comment on a draft report on progress made addressing threats to Yellowstone National Park. […]
- Yellowstone Switches to Oversnow Travel Parkwide SaturdayWith significant snowfall throughout the park over the past 48 hours, Yellowstone National Park will ring in the New Year by transitioning fully to oversnow travel beginning at 7:00 a.m. Saturday, December 31. […]
- Yellowstone East Entrance Opens For Winter Season ThursdayYellowstone National Park’s East Entrance will open to the public for the winter season as scheduled on Thursday, December 22. […]
- Current And Former Yellowstone Area Residents And Employees Asked To Share Holiday MemoriesThe Oral History Collection at Yellowstone National Park contains recordings made by people from all walks of life who have visited the park, or worked or grown up in the area. […]
- Yellowstone Opens For Winter Season ThursdayYellowstone National Park will open to the public for the winter season as scheduled on December 15. […]
- Old Faithful Visitor Lodging Improvement Plan Out For Public Review
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- Ben Pierce on Bucket List 2012: New Year’s resolutions (and destinations) for the active Montanan
- Jdarr67 on Bucket List 2012: New Year’s resolutions (and destinations) for the active Montanan
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Latest news from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks :.- Snowy Owls Are Brightening Winter For MontanansSnowy owls are putting on a real show for Montanans this winter. These stunning white owls nest and breed in the Arctic where they mainly eat lemmings, a small, mouse-like mammal. Their winter movements, called irruptions, bring them into southern Canada about once every four years—and sometimes even as far south as the United States. […]
- Pheasant Release Program Applications Due May 15Landowners interested in raising and releasing ring-necked pheasants this year through the state Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program have until May 15 to submit an application. […]
- At Tax Time Remember Your Favorite Watchable WildlifeMontana's annual income tax check-off fund for wildlife benefits the state's small wildlife species including birds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and it provides a fast, convenient tax break. […]
- Heads Up Anglers!Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is surveying resident and nonresident anglers again this year to measure the popularity of fishing on the states' lakes and streams. […]
- Heads Up Hunters!The opportunity to buy hunting licenses for 2012 arrived early this year. Because elk hunters wishing to apply for special permits need an elk license to apply, hunting and fishing licenses went on sale Jan. 16. March 15 is the new deadline for residents and nonresidents to apply for deer and elk permits. […]
- Mark Your Calendars: Important Preseason Timeline Update For HuntersMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wants to alert all hunters to important updates to the 2012 preseason calendar especially new deadline and drawing dates. […]
- FWP Seeks Public Comment On Commercial Fishing PermitMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on a proposed permit for commercial seining for carp on Lake Helena and Canyon Ferry Reservoir. […]
- Public Comment Sought On Several Wildlife ProposalsMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on a number of wildlife proposals recently approved by the FWP Commission. […]
- Snowy Owls Are Brightening Winter For Montanans
Out on patrol: Gallatin National Forest cabins offer glimpse of old Montana
Posted By Ben Pierce on January 19, 2012
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A campfire keeps, from right, Sue Bogenschutz, Andrea DeNucci, Andrew Babcock, Nando Velez, Matt Stark, Dave French and Christine Marozick warm at the Porcupine Cabin in the Crazy Mountains on Jan. 7. Located 16 miles northeast of Wilsall, the cabin has eight bunks and a wood stove. Photo by Ben Pierce.
By BEN PIERCE Chronicle Outdoors
GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST – From the front door of the Porcupine Cabin, the expanse of the Shields Valley sweeps east across pallid grassland. On the western horizon, the broken crest of the Bridger Ridge fractures the sky. Below it, in the timber, lies the Battle Ridge Cabin.
For a Forest Service ranger setting out in the 1930s, the Porcupine and Battle Ridge cabins would have served as home base while on patrol. A ranger would have traveled on horseback watching for sign of smoke, monitoring livestock and making sure timber wasn’t being poached.
Today, the Porcupine and Battle Ridge cabins are open to the public for rent as part of the Gallatin National Forest’s Cabin Rental Program. A night’s stay at one of the forest’s 23 rustic cabins is to experience a unique part of Montana’s history in some of the state’s most engaging settings. (more…)
Bucket List 2012: New Year’s resolutions (and destinations) for the active Montanan
Posted By Ben Pierce on January 5, 2012
Montana is a big state with a lot to do. From Yellowstone to Glacier, from the mountains to the plains, the Treasure State has something for everyone. In the spirit of the new year, here’s a list of outdoor pursuits to look forward to in 2012.
Bike the Bangtail Divide
The Bangtail Mountains are a small range tucked neatly between the Bridger and Crazy mountains east of Bozeman. They’re also home to one of the most spectacular mountain biking trails in the state. Completed in 2003, the Bangtail Divide Trail runs approximately 24 miles from Stone Creek to the Brackett Creek Trailhead on the east side of Bridger Canyon.
“The Bangtail Divide has elements of fast downhill riding, elements of long cross-country, technical switchbacks, it is always changing up on you,” Bozeman mountain biker Ben Donatelle said Tuesday. “No matter your skill or ability level, you can challenge yourself.”
Make it happen: Donatelle said the best time to ride the Bangtail Divide is in June when the trail has cleared of snow and the wildflowers are in full bloom. The trail can be ridden in either direction, but most riders prefer to finish at Brackett Creek. An easy shuttle eliminates the need to ride the eight miles of highway back to the Stone Creek Trailhead. (more…)
Bridger Ski Foundation seeks trail pass donations to support grooming efforts
Posted By Ben Pierce on December 8, 2011
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Tom Rowe of St. Paul, Minn., cross-country skis at Lindley Park on Tuesday. Brigder Ski Foundation, which grooms the trails at Lindley Park, is asking trail users to purchase a Community Trails Pass to support its grooming efforts around Gallatin Valley. Photo by Ben Pierce.
Gauging the popularity of Bridger Ski Foundation’s community trails program isn’t hard. Take a stroll along Bozeman Creek and the number of cross-country skiers, runners and walkers making use of the trail tells the story well enough.
What’s not so apparent is the limited funding and dogged effort that goes into grooming Bozeman Creek and other trails in BSF’s program. Last year BSF, a non-profit organization, sold just 500 Community Trails Passes which help support grooming efforts. With the high costs of grooming and more than $100,000 invested in equipment, the figures just aren’t adding up.
“These in-town venues are a terrific benefit to the community,” groomer Bob Seibert said on Monday. “Purchasing a Community Trails Pass is the only thing that will keep this going.” (more…)
Montana FWP announces River Recreation Management Plan for Madison River
Posted By Ben Pierce on November 24, 2011
By BEN PIERCE Chronicle Outdoors
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks announced earlier this month that it will implement a River Recreation Management Plan for the Madison River. A Mecca for trout fishermen the world over – and a recreation hotspot for whitewater rafters, float tubers and other users – the plan will address social issues facing the river.
The Madison, among the most heavily-fished rivers in the state, is well regarded for its scenic beauty, variety of water and abundant public access. The question is whether the river’s renown has become a detriment to the experience of those who visit it.
“A few years back FWP prioritized all the rivers in Montana and the Madison came out as the most important,” said Travis Horton, FWP Region 3 fisheries manager. “The department recognized that a plan needed to be done for the Madison River and that it would be controversial.” (more…)
Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge comes alive during annual swan migration
Posted By Ben Pierce on November 10, 2011
By BEN PIERCE Chronicle Outdoors
RED ROCK LAKES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE – The Centennial Valley was blanketed with the first snowfall of the year on Saturday as we passed through Alaska Basin and the expanse of Upper Red Rock Lake appeared through our frosty windshield. We’d packed our tents, our sleeping bags and our cook kits in the trunk, committed to camping in the cold in hopes of witnessing the migration of one of Montana’s most majestic birds.
As we rumbled along the gravel road through a curtain of snow cascading off the Continental Divide, I eyed open pockets of shimmering water resonating with the activity of birds.
But it wasn’t until I heard the muffled call of that first trumpeter swan flying overhead that my heart raced with excitement. The largest swan in North America, trumpeters are among the largest birds on the planet capable of flight. Their broad wings can span up to 8 feet and adults can weigh as much as 30 pounds. They are truly a sight to see. (more…)
EHD outbreak takes significant toll on Montana white-tailed deer population
Posted By Ben Pierce on November 3, 2011
An outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, has hit white-tailed deer populations hard in some areas of Montana this hunting season. The disease, which causes fever, organ failure and internal hemorrhaging, has contributed to massive die-offs of deer in the central and eastern portions of the state.
“This year we have heard reports of lots of dead deer in regions four, five, six and seven,” said Ray Mulé, a wildlife manager for Montana, Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Billings. “I would say we have seen die-offs in some areas that are at 50 percent or higher. When we start seeing those kinds of numbers, it is a severe outbreak.”
EHD is a virus transmitted to white-tailed deer by biting gnats. This year’s wet spring and late fall created excellent conditions for large numbers of the tiny insects to hatch and linger late into the season. (more…)
Sportsmen Against Hunger program seeks game meat donations for local food banks
Posted By Ben Pierce on October 27, 2011
For the past six years the Sportsmen Against Hunger program sponsored by Safari Club International has been helping the area’s hungry by providing nutritious wild game meat free of charge.
The program has distributed as much as 10,000 pounds of game meat per season to families in Belgrade, Bozeman, Livingston and Big Timber.
“This program fills a need,” said Sam Gesko, president of the Southwest Montana chapter of SCI. “I dare say a need that is more obvious now during the recession we have had.” (more…)
Cousteau, Bowermaster to discuss world’s oceans at Ellen Theatre fundraiser for ASC
Posted By Ben Pierce on October 20, 2011
From documenting the grizzly bear migration in the Centennial Mountains to the discovery of rare plant life on Mount Everest, adventurers and scientists are making a difference for the planet.
Helping them succeed is Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, a new Bozeman-based organization dedicated to linking explorers with scientists.
On Tuesday at the Ellen Theatre, ASC will host Cèline Cousteau – granddaughter of ocean pioneer Jacques Yves Cousteau – and Jon Bowermaster – explorer of the planet’s coastlines – for an evening discussion of the world’s seas and those who rely on them. The event is a fundraiser for ASC and a chance for the community to learn about its mission. (more…)
One wild ride: Bozeman’s Bob Allen inducted into Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
Posted By Ben Pierce on September 22, 2011
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Bob Allen of Bozeman rides the South Cottonwood Trail on Sept. 20, 2011. Allen, recognized for his photographic contributions to the sport, was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Interbike International Bicycle Expo in Las Vegas last week. Photo by Ben Pierce.
By BEN PIERCE Chronicle Outdoors
It was a daring plan executed to perfection, an image that still captivates today — Hans “No Way” Rey soaring above the gridlock on a packed 405 freeway in Orange County, Calif. Clad in a hot pink helmet and shorts, a mass of drivers aghast around him, Rey rising above, just so damn cool.
It was the image that launched the career of Bozeman photographer Bob Allen. Recognized for his photographic contributions to the sport, Allen was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Las Vegas last week.
“Hans can bunny hop a couple of feet in the air,” Allen, 50, said of the photograph. “We got him hopping on top of a car, so you don’t know if he is flying through the air or what in a pre-Photoshop world.
Montana Library’s Hunting Companion website helps sportsmen plan outings
Posted By Ben Pierce on September 15, 2011
Where should I hunt?
It’s a question every hunter faces as the season draws near. With archery and upland game bird seasons under way — and the start of the general deer and elk seasons opening Oct. 22 — the time to make a plan is now.
Fortunately, the Montana State Library and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks have developed the Montana Hunting Companion (http://msl.mt.gov/hunting), an online resource designed to help hunters plan and carry out their hunting trips. The website includes sections on “What to Hunt,” “Where to Hunt,” “When to Hunt” and “How to Hunt.” (more…)