volume 1, issue 19 lone peak lookout · lone peak lookout big sky, montana thursday...

LONE PEAK LOOKOUT Big Sky, Montana

lonepeaklookout.comTHURSDAY

April 12, 2018

FREEVolume 1, Issue 19

Scenarios | 7

Property | 6

Worst case scenariosWhat’s next for the “corner property”?

[email protected]

There’s not a lot of room and chasing a stick up here isn’t a good idea, but that’s not a problem for Albert Gallatin—or Alby—a 10-month-old English cocker spaniel who flew recently over Big Sky accompanied by his nearly identical brother, Jim Bridger. They’re the official mascots of Endeavor Ballooning. See more photos on page 10. PHOTO BY COLIN GRAHAM

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CONTENTS

Numbers on record snow year ....................................................... 2Linking road upgrades and surfing speed .................................... 4Call for local hunting educators ..................................................... 4Spring cycling in Yellowstone ........................................................ 5Status of cougars around Big Sky ................................................. 7Dan Pluth spots waterfowl in the river .......................................... 7Tourism’s digital crystal ball ........................................................... 10Time to sign up your softball team ................................................ 11Crossword ....................................................................................... 12The Blotter: Cracking down on campers ...................................... 14FOBSE scholarship winners announced ....................................... 15Meet Layla, Pet of the Week .......................................................... 15Wild Rivers Film Tour ...................................................................... 16

Units of measurement

BY DAVID MADISON

The available numbers detailing Big Sky’s tourism industry

indicate it’s been a good winter. But when people ask Candace Carr Strauss with Visit Big Sky—“How many visitors does Big Sky attract?”—all Carr Strauss can do is guess. “I get asked every day and I don’t have an answer,” said Carr Strauss. “We have no gauge on visitations.” Instead, there’s a curious collection of data and indicators that don’t add up in a quickly digestible way if you want to know exactly how many visitors pour into the community at specific times. These data points range from spikes in the amount of water flushed through the sewer system on peak days to how Skyline saw demand for bus service go up 7 percent for local trips in Big Sky and 10.7 percent for travel between Big Sky and the Gallatin Valley during fiscal years 2016-17. Another gauge is the 4 percent

lodging tax. In its breakdown of revenue collected as 4 percent of lodging prices paid by visitors to Big Sky, the Montana Department of Commerce shows in 2012, $1.2 million was collected. This nearly doubled by 2017, with $2.3 million collected. In its presentation of the data, the Department of Commerce specifically tells readers to understand these numbers, “should not be considered an equal correlation of increase or decrease in the number of travelers.” So again, the lodging tax offers another statistical window into the local tourism industry, but not a defining picture of exact visitation numbers. Same goes for local resort tax collections—which are also on the rise. This is a likely but unverifiable sign more people are visiting Big Sky. It may also show visitors and locals alike are spending more. The numbers reveal a steady uptick in collections from

around $3 million in 2013 to an estimated $7.6 million this year. The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana offers an interactive report generator where you can get a glimpse of who’s coming through town. For Big Sky, it taps a sample size of 85 nonresident survey respondents who spent a night in Big Sky and it contains some helpful info nuggets.

•Average length of stay in Montana: 7.31 nights.•72 percent are on vacation. •1 percent booked through Airbnb. •58 percent came to ski and snowboard. That percentage could grow as more data is collected detailing the epic winter of 2017-18. Chelsi Moy, public relations manager with Big Sky Resort, said, “It was a busy year because of all the snow. Snow

They called themselves “The Dark Overlord Solutions” and this

overseas hacking group terrorized public schools across Flathead County in 2017. Columbia Falls Superintendent of Public Schools Steve Bradshaw responded to a barrage of threats by saying, “It’s the first time in my career that I’ve ever moved a gun to my bedroom.”

The heart-breaking ordeal shattered any perceived barrier between isolated Northwest

Montana and the outside world as more than 30 schools were forced to close and the FBI swooped in to investigate this cadre of cyber criminals making threats and seeking ransom. While law enforcement and school administrators managed the investigation, Lisa Jones and Brian Schott went to work on an effective communications strategy. Jones and Schott will share what they learned from the experience on Tuesday, April 17 during the Governor’s Tourism Conference. Titled “Crisis Communications in a Wild World,” their presentation will outline productive steps toward a solution that helps protect public safety and a resort community’s brand. Other case studies will include last summer’s raging wildfires in Glacier National Park, the destruction of Sperry Chalet and an unfortunate showdown between neo-Nazis

and the town of Whitefish. The Nazis threatened to stage a march in Whitefish during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, when skier numbers jump. Racist protests are never a good look for a community, especially a charming ski town during a busy weekend. Jones and Schott worked with other local organizers to effectively get many in the community to turn away and ignore the neo-Nazis. They did this by staging a separate event and serving 400 bowls of matzo ball soup. Thankfully, the hate demonstrators never showed up and hundreds had their spirits warmed by peaceful fellowship and a delicious winter meal. “The neo-Nazi march was right in ski season,” remembered Jones during a recent phone interview. “We had to warn visitors because we didn’t want them on the street and we didn’t want them scared.”

BY DAVID [email protected]

BY DAVID [email protected]

It anchors the entrance to Big Sky at the corner of Highways 191 and

64 and it’s the current home of the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky, the community’s destination marketing organization. At the April 9 Big Sky Resort Tax Board meeting and the next day before the chamber board, Chamber CEO Candace Carr Strauss was given the green light to pursue purchase of the corner property. The chamber board went into executive session to discuss financial details, then emerged to present an architectural rendering of what a new visitor center on the property might look like. “This could be a world-class visitor center,” said Chamber Board Member Sarah Phelps, holding up a printout of the

rendering, produced by local Bechtle Architects pro bono. The current plan is to apply to the resort tax board for additional funding and combine this money with funds from the VBS marketing budget.

“There’s no better marketing dollars that could be spent by VBS than to get the 1.2 million visitors who drive by to pull in and realize Big Sky exists,” said Board Member Kevin Germain, who went on to pitch the new visitor center as helping to

Visitors | 6

LISA JONES

CONTENTS

Not a good spot for...

fetch

Pinning down visitation numbers for Big Sky is part data collection, part horse trading

And how to handle them in tourist towns

LONE PEAK LOOKOUTEstablished in 1982 BIG SKY, MONTANA

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Cooke City takes the cake for April 8 snow water equivalent levels while Lone Mountain pulls up the rear. The depths are tracked by NRCS STOTEL (snow telemetry) stations that measure water content, snow depth and more. One inch of snow water equivalent equals about a foot of snow. GRAPH COURTESY OF GNFAC.

All information contained herein is derived from sources deemed reliable; however, the content contained herein is not guaranteed by Lone Mountain Land Company LLC or its affiliated or parent companies, subsidiaries, officers, managers, employees, agents, brokers or salespersons and none of the foregoing make any representations

regarding the accuracy of such information. Any floor plans, square footage, photos, illustrations/renderings, maps and features and amenities described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are subject to change without notice. Offerings are subject to error, omissions, prior sales, price changes or withdrawal without notice. Prospective

purchasers are urged to independently investigate the property. No governmental agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. This material shall not constitute an offer to sell in any state or other jurisdiction where prior registration is required and shall not constitute a solicitation if you are working with another real estate agent.

© 2016 The Big Sky Real Estate Co.. All rights in and to the content are owned or controlled by The Big Sky Real Estate Co.. Any unauthorized reproduction is expressly prohibited.

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PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

Angler Ben Baker works the Gallatin River near the confluence of Hell

Roaring Creek on Sunday, April 8. It was his first day out in 2018 and he counseled his fishing buddy to not let start-of-the-season rustiness cause them to “whip it too hard—you’ll lose your fly. You know that snapping sound? And your fly is suddenly gone?” Baker said you have to let

the momentum in your line build gracefully during the back cast, then fluidly unload forward across the water. Ideally, this will present your fly to hungry fish. On Sunday, Baker caught two rainbows using a rubber legs. In anticipation of the coming runoff when the Gallatin will no longer be fishable, Baker was trying to get in as many casts as possible

before the weather heats up. His company, Reworks, does high-end renovation and specialty building projects for clients from Bozeman to the Yellowstone Club. He’s also refurbishing a family cabin up Storm Castle Road, making the stretch between Hell Roaring and Storm Castle creeks a favorite and convenient place to fish. —DM

Lone Mountain on track for record-breaking snow year

[email protected] JOLENE PALMER

Whipped into shape for new fishing season

If you listen to ski stories from longtime Big Sky locals, you’ll hear of the

fabled winter of 1996-97—the season the powder just wouldn’t quit. Official snow records back up the claim it was the “best winter ever” in terms of snowfall. And now, the opinion that this winter has been the snowiest since then is backed up by snow data as well. Lucas Zukiewicz, the NRCS Montana water supply specialist, said Big Sky might be on track to beat the 1997 snowfall record. Zukiewicz checked the Lone Mountain SNOTEL station on the

afternoon of April 9 and found the snow water equivalent was reading 27.8 inches—just .8 inches less than the record-breaking 1997 level. “And, with another month of spring precipitation, even normal precipitation, it would not be out of the ordinary for Lone Mountain to get record accumulation,” Zukiewicz said, noting snowpack levels at higher elevations don’t typically peak until mid-April or May, and Lone Mountain already holds the second highest recorded snow since records began 27 years ago. “So there’s more to come, much to the

chagrin of some people.” Snowfall records on the NRCS website paint a picture of consistent snowfall throughout the winter in Montana and the Gallatin River Basin. Cold air from Canada frequently collided with storms coming in from the west and northwest, creating the perfect conditions for snow to stack up. “While many areas have been setting record (snowfall) lows, Montana is looking at breaking record highs,” said Zukiewicz, who’s been studying the snowpack all winter in order to predict what spring runoff and summer water supply will look like. (The answer? Looking good.) One of those record-setting areas is Cooke City, where the white stuff has piled so high Zukiewicz said the community is running out of room to move it around. So they are taking loads to the local dump. The Gallatin River Basin hasn’t broken any top records yet, but winter inasmuch as snowfall

is concerned, is far from over. Long-range predictions by the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center continue to forecast above average precipitation and below average temperatures through the end of April. The NRCS will issue another snow survey report May 5, one that Zukiewicz expects will paint an even better picture of how record-breaking this winter has been. Another entity consistently keeping an eye on snowfall is the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. The organization’s team of avalanche forecasters recently wrapped up its daily advisories, issuing them only on Mondays and Fridays until the end of April. GNFAC Director Doug Chabot has been analyzing snowpack in Southwest Montana for more than two

decades, and agrees this winter’s snowfall is special. “This is the longest winter I can remember,” he wrote in an email to the Lookout. “The first snows came on September 18 and it never really let up. There was no Indian Summer, just cold and snowy. The last time it was this snowy was the winter of 1996-97.” On April 9, the GNFAC sent out a graph highlighting snow water equivalents from around the advisory area, with Cooke City clearly taking the lead. Lone Mountain came in last, but not by posting a low

number. It’s received 10 inches more snow water equivalent than last year at this time. GNFAC continues to advise backcountry users to use caution, watching for wind loaded slopes as fresh snow keeps falling, as well as wet avalanches with temperatures and sunshine exposure increasing. Cornices, described as being “behemoth” and “Winnebago-sized,” have been seen around the advisory area, including Taylor Fork. They are best left alone. Chabot may love the snow, but like many he’s ready for warmer days. “I have been craving a trip to the desert to rock climb for a couple months now,” he wrote. “I dream of wearing shorts and flip flops and won't miss my skis one bit.”

The Gallatin River Basin may not have the highest snow water equivalent in the state, but at 44 percent above average, it’s still a near-record breaking season as of early April. The region has also seen consistently steady snowfall, a good sign for stakeholders, agriculturists and tourists who hope for a summer season on the Gallatin with plenty of water and low fire danger. Also, check out the note about staff cuts in the yellow box in the top right corner. MAP COURTESY NRCS.

April 12, 20183LONE PEAK LOOKOUTApril 12, 20182LONE PEAK LOOKOUT

Could TIGER construction also bring better internet service?

BRIEFS

The Greater Yellowstone Coalition and Montana State University’s

College of Letters and Science will co-host the symposium “Our Shared Place: The Present and Future of Recreation in Greater Yellowstone,” in the ballrooms of Montana State University’s Student Union Building, April 23-24. The Greater Yellowstone area comprises 34,000 square miles with Yellowstone National Park at its center and is “one of the largest nearly intact temperate-zone ecosystems on Earth,” according to the National Park Service. The area is also a destination for large numbers of recreational users including hunters and anglers, whitewater enthusiasts, hikers, campers, skiers, motorized vehicle users, tourists and vacation-home owners that contribute significantly to the area’s economy while also putting strains on its environment, wildlife and infrastructure. “We know Greater Yellowstone is becoming a more popular place to visit, live and play, yet, there is surprisingly little data on recreational use in the region,” said Brooke Regan, special projects organizer for Greater Yellowstone Coalition. As the nearest public, land-grant university, MSU has

been engaged in a wide range of research and scholarship on the area over the decades, said Nic Rae, dean of MSU’s College of Letters and Science. “From its geology and ecology, to its complex wildlife interactions, to its importance to Native Americans, to its history with early white explorers, to its future in terms of climate change, land development and economic development the Greater Yellowstone has been a giant laboratory in which our faculty and students have learned and explored,” Rae said. “MSU has been, and continues to be, committed to providing objective and insightful research and scholarship on the Greater Yellowstone to help its many stakeholders understand and steward the area,” Rae said. The two-day symposium will include perspectives from the outdoor industry,

land managers, researchers, recreationists and more. The symposium runs from 8:30 a.m., Monday, April 23 through noon, Tuesday, April 24. The symposium is free to students and $99 per person for all others. A complete agenda and registration can be found at: www.greateryellowstone.org/events/symposium

—MSU, GYC

This alpha female from the Canyon pack was photographed in the Lower Geyser Basin. Yellowstone National Park reminds bicyclists they should prepare to encounter bears, bison, elk, wolves and other wildlife at any time. It’s illegal to approach wildlife, within any distance that disturbs or displaces the animal. Riders are strongly encouraged to turn around if they encounter wildlife on the road and carry bear spray. Riders must stay out of closed areas. PHOTO BY NPS/JIM PEACO

BY DAVID MADISON

“If we want to be a world-class

community, we've got to have great

broadband.” —Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Board

Member Kevin Germain

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“This symposium will explore what we know and don’t know about recreation in this vast area. From that we hope that all the stakeholders in this area can work together in crafting plans for its stewardship and conservation,” said Brooke Regan, special projects organizer for Greater Yellowstone Coalition, describing the upcoming program at MSU.

At its April board meeting, the Big Sky Chamber of

Commerce discussed finding ways for other infrastructure to piggyback on upcoming construction funded by the $10.3 million TIGER grant. “Maybe this is the time to shoot for the moon,” said Board Chair David O’Connor, spurring a conversation about coordinating with the Big Sky Water and Sewer District and local telecommunications providers so any infrastructure projects tied to local roadways can be done at the same time. “The trench is open,” commented Board Member Britt Ide, indicating the upcoming construction provides a cost-savings opportunity to potentially install fiber optic lines, sewer pipe and other infrastructure. “A lot of the pushback to those types of improvements are costs,” some associated

with tearing up asphalt and concrete, said O’Connor. “We can take all that away or a good chunk of it.” Looking down the road, Chamber CEO Candace Carr Strauss said the infrastructure

conversation is well-timed because now, following the TIGER grant award, the community should be thinking about, “What is the next big thing?” Board Member Kevin Germain spoke

up for better internet service. “If we want to be a world-class community, we’ve got to have great broadband,” said Germain, imagining a community-wide upgrade. “When you turn the corner (off of Highway 191) you’ve got Big Sky Wi-Fi.” Board Member Sarah Phelps chimed in, adding, “If we’re going to go broadband, we need to talk cell service.” Discussion led Germain to make a motion to form a telecommunications taskforce

with the goal of possibly making improved internet and cell service “the next big thing”

when it comes to developing local infrastructure.

[email protected]

A telecom utilities trench in Westfork Meadows. Could future TIGER grant construction open more trenches and opportunities for the expansion of broadband internet service? PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

Montana State University’s 10th annual conference

designed to help develop and strengthen women’s professional and personal success will be held Thursday, May 10, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Jabs Hall on the MSU campus. The Women’s Circle of Excellence conference will include sessions on giving productive feedback and empowering a team, marketing, integrative negotiation for professional and personal success, and challenging decisions related to families and legacies. Presenters include Amanda Tebay, assistant director of MSU’s Family and Graduate Housing; Jessica Burch of Betula Creative; Amber Raile, MSU associate business professor; and Marsha Goetting of MSU Extension. A panel discussion on women in the workplace will take place before lunch, and the Outstanding Woman Mentor Award—given to a woman in the business community who has demonstrated strong leadership and donated time, inspiration, expertise and friendship to others—will be presented prior to the keynote. A PechaKucha-inspired presentation focused on the

theme of “She Inspired Me” will follow lunch. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online at montana.edu/business/wcoe by April 14th to be considered for a speaking slot. The conference’s keynote speaker is Sherry Winn, who will discuss “Unleash the Winner Within You.” The session is intended to equip attendees and their team members to become agents of change. Winn is a motivational speaker, coach, former handball player who competed in the 1984 and 1988 summer Olympics and author of five books, including “Unleash the Winner Within You: A Success Game Plan for Business, Leadership and Life.” Early bird registration is $89 and is available until Sunday, April 15. Regular registration is $99. Registration includes educational sessions, event materials and a networking reception with hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Proceeds from the silent auction help fund a scholarship to benefit a business student. Up to 7.9 CEU and CPE credits are available. For additional conference information and to register, visit montana.edu/business/wcoe or contact Anna Reardon at 406-994-6195 or anna.

[email protected]. The conference is hosted by the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship. Sponsorship support is provided by BlueCross BlueShield of Montana and Northwestern Energy, with additional support from Amatics CPA Group, PayneWest, Sky Federal Credit Union, First Security Bank, PrintingForLess.com and Foundant Technologies. —MSU

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Select roads open for spring bicycling

Jessica Burch of Betula Creative is one of several presenters scheduled to appear at MSU. In her work she helps other women who are “looking to grow your business, live life on your terms, and positively impact your world.” PHOTO COURTESY OF BETULA CREATIVE

Deep dive on Yellowstone recreation

Hunter education instructors needed

in Big Sky

Bicyclists willing to brave the unpredictable elements of spring can cycle select roads in Yellowstone National Park. Road segments

include Mammoth Hot Springs to Willow Park and the West Entrance to Roaring Mountain. Until conditions improve, it will not be possible to bicycle between Mammoth Hot Springs and the West Entrance because the road—about five miles between Willow Park and Roaring Mountain— is

under construction, unpaved, deeply rutted, and muddy. As conditions allow, bicycles will be permitted from the East Entrance to the east end of Sylvan Pass, and the South Entrance to West Thumb. There is no bicycle access to Old Faithful or Canyon until those interior park roads open to public motorized vehicle access on Friday, April 20.

A spring bicycle trip into Yellowstone must be taken seriously. Quickly changing weather can be challenging. Roads may close temporarily due to weather conditions. Snow and ice may still cover sections of road. Tall snow banks may line roads and pullouts may be snow packed. Wildlife may be on the roads. Bicyclists will likely encounter and must yield to snowplows and other motorized vehicles operated by park employees or construction workers readying the park for spring opening. Bicyclists are required to ride single file

and follow all other rules of

the road. No services are available along these sections of road. Cell phone coverage throughout the park is sparse and unreliable for communicating emergencies. Riders should plan for self-rescue or repair, and be prepared to spend an extended

period of time in winter conditions in the event they experience a mechanical breakdown, injury or other emergency. Cyclists can call (307) 344-2109 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays for updated road access information. —YNP

Registration is now open for Bozeman’s spring hunter education course.

Online registration is required, and students under 18 years of age must have the consent of a parent or guardian. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks also invites Big Sky residents interested in teaching a hunter education course to contact the region three office for more information about volunteering. Andrea Jones, information and education manager at FWP, said her agency hopes skilled hunters in the Big Sky area will volunteer as instructors so they can teach hunter education classes locally. “We’d love to have new instructors,” said Jones. “We could always use some people who are based there.” The Bozeman class will take place evenings May 7 through May 11 at Chief Joseph Middle School (4255 Kimberwicke Street). Students will also complete a field day on Saturday, May 12 at the Logan Range. A morning or afternoon time for the field day will be assigned to students in class. Students may register for this course by going to FWP’s website at fwp.mt.gov, clicking

on Education, then Hunter Education, then “Find a Class or Field Course.” Students must print, sign and bring the Student Agreement Form the first night of class. If the student is under 18 years old, a parent/guardian must sign the agreement. After online registration, classroom materials must be picked up at FWP’s regional office in Bozeman (1400 S. 19th Ave.). Classroom hunter education courses in Montana are free to students. Students must be at least 10 years old to register. Please visit http://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter/instructors/ for more information. —FWP

Annual Women’s Circle of Excellence conference to be

held May 10 at MSU


The season for hunting mountain lions with hounds ends April 14. Around a dozen cougars were harvested this year in hunting districts between Gallatin Gateway and West Yellowstone. PHOTO COURTESY OF MSHA

Visitors from 1

Scenarios from 1

BY DAN PLUTH

In addition to providing Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks with valuable intel about cougar numbers, the Montana State Houndsmen Association also assists with mountain lion research in Yellowstone National Park. “MSHA members and their skilled hounds have been key assets to ecological studies in Yellowstone National Park through safe capture, biopsy darting and GPS collaring of cougars over the last couple decades,” said Dan Stahler, Yellowstone Park biologist. “Through these efforts, long-term data on the population and predator-prey dynamics in a multi-carnivore, multi-ungulate system is yielding valuable information that aids conservation and management. Such collaborations and shared passion between biologist and houndsmen are prime examples of public and private partnerships that promote and enhance knowledge of carnivores, their role in ecosystems and ultimately their conservation.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF MSHA

YOU’RE NEVER

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[email protected] DAVID MADISON

I saw my first bluebirds of the season this past week. They were checking out nesting boxes to see

if any were the “right home” for them. The return of mountain bluebirds is always a sure bet it’s spring… right? On the drive up the canyon I noticed the Canada geese were paired up and some of them already were sitting on-nest. Look at the head and tail points of the islands and you can make out the shape of a bird on a nest. The mallard ducks have been paired for some time so the hens will be on-nest and the drakes will be hanging out in bachelor groups along the river. The Barrow’s goldeneyes, the black and white divers making all the splashing below riffles on the Gallatin as they search for mollusks and snails, are also pairing up and the courtship antics are fun to watch. Common merganser, orange colored sawbill (the males have dark green heads) are also looking for mates between dives for small fishes.

This is the type of spring that may offer the opportunity to see the Harlequin duck. Rare in Montana, but they do nest here in the small mountain streams. I have spotted them in the past sitting on the Gallatin waiting for the snow to melt so they

can access their nesting areas. Best keep watch for them in areas between the 35-mph. bridge by the Lava Lake Trailhead and Deer Creek. Males look like they are dressed in a blue tuxedo. They do stand out. As the snow recedes and we get

some more open meadows, the sandhill cranes will return to the high country. I have seen lots of pairs in the Gallatin Valley and they soon should be trumpeting to the rising sun in the mountain meadows. As you head up into the Meadow Village area, look and see what kind of birdlife the water and sewer district holding ponds have on them. These offer great viewing of many different species of birds from swallows to swans.

The sediment pond—also known as Little Coyote Pond—on Little Coyote Road is always worth

checking out. A flock of American avocet sifting through the mud flats for invertebrates or a pair of trumpeter swans may make the day. The sounds and colors of spring will be here soon!

Dan Pluth runs Animal Control Solutions (www animalcontrolsolutionsmt.com) and is an avid wildlife watcher.

What are you seeing out there?

Send your wildlife encounter stories

and photos to editor@

lonepeaklookout.com or call

(406) 548-7628.

does help in driving business. And this year we had a lot of it. We surpassed 500,000 skier visits this year.” By comparison, Aspen Skiing Co.’s skier visits fell 19.5 percent for the season through December compared with the same period in 2016. While there was a slight dip in the total number of tourists coming to Montana between 2016 and 2017, the 12.2 million nonresident visitors who made the trip last year spent more per visit than the previous year. For Big Sky, it’s also encouraging that an impressive chunk of visitors flying into Montana come through the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN). It handled 1,199,537 passengers during 2017—up 8.3 percent compared to 2016 and it was the eighth consecutive year of record-breaking passenger traffic at BZN. The Gallatin Airport Authority reported in January that passenger traffic at BZN has increased by more than 500,000 passengers since 2010 and BZN now accounts for 30 percent of all airline passengers traveling to and from Montana, making it the busiest airport in Montana. Projected growth at the local airport is a helpful sign of potential growth in the number of visitors coming to Big Sky, but again, it’s not a precise headcount of how many visited and how many more might come in the future. When conjuring a guess about how busy Big Sky will be this summer, there’s some insight to be gleaned from horse traders in Billings. Every

March, Jann Parker hosts a sale for dude ranch owners and outfitters looking for good recreational horses to take on trail rides and pack trips. Surveys show 24 percent of nonresident Big Sky visitors hire an outfitter, so when outfitters head to the Billings Livestock Horse Sales to buy more horses, that could be a sign that Montana’s guest ranch industry is in for a busy summer. This March, Parker saw 513 animals sold, with some outfitters going away empty handed because demand exceeded supply. “People are having to pay good money for a nice horse,”

said Parker, who in a typical month will take in horses from 22 different states and parts of Canada, then see buyers come from just as many different places to purchase the animals. “We market the sale at Billings as a destination horse sale,” said Parker. “We want people from all across the U.S. They want the mystique of the West and this is it.” “Mystique” is a quality even harder to measure than visitors to Big Sky. Managing a destination’s mystique—its intangible allure—and getting a good census of tourist visits are common challenges faced by resort communities everywhere. The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research’s Norma Nickerson said, “Visitor

count numbers are very tricky, especially for communities. Big Sky could invest in a research project similar to one we did a long time ago—late 1990s—for Virginia City and Nevada City where we used traffic counters and then sampling days where we stopped a sample of vehicles on random days throughout the season and found out the ratio of locals to non-locals. It’s a big project, but it worked!” In addition to helping local businesses plan according to fluctuations in visitor numbers, having a reliable accounting of all tourist visits would be helpful in a few ways. For instance, it could inform

debates over local infrastructure needs and whether or not Big Sky is getting loved to death. Visit Big Sky’s Carr Strauss explained, “There’s constant conversation at the resort tax board that

we’re battling ‘over-tourism.’” By “over-tourism,” Carr Strauss means some claim Big Sky is attracting too many tourists, an argument she doesn’t necessarily buy. “Really, how do you know? What gives you the ability to say that there’s too much pressure on the system?” asked Carr Strauss, saying there are four months out of the year during the shoulder seasons when guest occupancy might be between 5 and 10 percent. Then, continued Carr Strauss, “We have three weeks where we’re at 75-85 percent occupancy. That’s three weeks. That’s not ‘over-tourism.’”

“We have no gauge on visitations.”

—Candace Carr Strauss with Visit Big Sky

THURSDAY

January 25, 2018


LONE PEAK LOOKOUT Big Sky,

Montana

lonepeaklookout.c

om

A �sh conservationist

ll d to serve

Weighing in on

what to tax and

how to collect

the last Big

Middleton attended the second

annual Resort Tax Summit,

o�ering his two cents on the

question of whether private

club membership dues should

be subject to the 3 percent

resort tax.

“Currently, in Big Sky,

some skiers and golfers pay

the tax, and other skiers and

golfers don’t pay the resort

said at the

doesn’t pass the straigh

test to the local voters

might not be constitu

in the state of Monta

United States to tax

Either no skiers or g

should pay the tax

and golfers should

But this current si

Sky where only so

golfers pay the ta

�at speci�c

J d Hinkle pitches himself

b i g

Flying down the slopes

of Moonlight Basin,

Belgrade High School

sophomore Kami was o�en

leaving her Big Sky Youth

Empowerment crew in the dust.

But they didn’t seem to mind,

since it gave them the option

to catch up, make a quick stop

and blast her with snow.

Kami, along with more

than 100 other BYEP kids,

were back on Jan. 21 for their

�rst day of the 2018 BYEP ski

and snowboard program at

Big Sky Resort. Judging by the

frequent whoops and hollers

coming from the runs and li�s,

“byyyeeeeppp!” they were all

enjoying the bluebird day to

the fullest.

“She’s an all-around badass,”

BYEP volunteer mentor David

Biesel said as he, Kami and

fellow BYEP’er and classmate

Luz rode up Six Shooter. “And I

don’t know if she knows it, but

I’m happy to remind her on a

regular basis.”

Not surprisingly, Kami

agreed snowboarding is her

favorite BYEP activity. “It’s

awesome,” she said, looking

up at the Headwaters as they

zoomed closer into view.

“Double blacks and blacks are

pretty fun. Halfway through

the season we’re going up to

the ridge.”

In the summer, Kami takes

part in the BYEP climbing

program. “You’re a strong

climber,” Biesel told her as she

was clearly downplaying her

skills. She laughed, “Not really.”

“No, she’s a strong climber,”

Biesel reiterated.

Biesel has been with BYEP

for two years. He heard about

the program via a counselor h

been seeing for several years

who was involved with BYEP

eventually transitioning from

Youth program

kicks o� season

You

A day on the slopes at Big Sky brings out a big smile from Cale, Belgrade High School junior. It is BYEP’s policy for participants to be referenced

only by their �rst name. PHOTO COURTESY OF BYPE

Talking life, snow sports and

mentorship on Six Shooter

By Jolene Palmer

[email protected]

By Jolene Palmer

[email protected]

Resort tax round tabl

Contact Rachel today to place your ad! [email protected] | (406) 995-3575

ADVERTISE WITH US.Big Sky's only weekly newspaper!

Jones added that given Big Sky’s proximity to Yellowstone National Park and ongoing

growth, it’s likely there will be some kind of crisis in the future and the community shouldn’t get caught flatfooted when it comes to communicating with

the public about what’s going on. “It could be a tanker spill in the canyon or a wildfire,” said Jones. “You want to be ready.”

create a “more robust, year-round tourist economy.” “Control the corner,” added Chamber Board Chair David O’Connor. “We as a community need to control the corner.” The property—which is currently under contract with an unnamed potential buyer—is listed by L&K Real Estate at $3.24 million. It includes three commercial buildings and one rustic cabin, which sit on what

marketing materials describe as an "unbeatable location.” Carr Strauss said the money being pooled by the Big Sky Chamber and Visit Big Sky is intended for the “purchase and or improvement” of the property, if the current sales contract goes through and the chamber and VBS remain tenants. “We’ve expressed since the day I got here our desire to be

part of the future of this parcel,” said Carr Strauss. “We’re staying on this track and we’re doing what’s in our control to see that that happens and we’re just trying to plan for multiple futures.” One scenario might be the land is purchased and owned by the nonprofit Big Sky Gateway Foundation, but the financial details of that arrangement are still being ironed out.

Property from 1

Not the kind of earned media resort towns are looking for, but Whitefish rallied around positive messaging when neo-Nazis attracted national attention from outlets like BuzzFeed. IMAGES COURTESY OF BUZZFEED

Who’s coming to Big Sky for the annual Governor’s Conference

on Tourism and Recreation?

A recent rendering of a “world-class visitor center” at the intersection of Highways 191 and 64. IMAGE COURTESY OF BECHTLE ARCHITECTS

“It could be a tanker spill in the canyon or a wildfire. You want

to be ready.” —Lisa Jones, LJ Communications

Levinski Ridge rises from the east bank of the Gallatin River near the intersection of Highways 191 and

64. It’s adjacent to the Gallatin Wildlife Management Area and mountain lion hunter Ross Feenstra said it’s home to a healthy population of cats. So when drivers are stopped at the light by the Conoco, gazing across the river at the cliffs and outcroppings on Levinski Ridge, they’re staring into prime lion habitat. Sometimes Feenstra covers his boots with plastic trash bags and slogs across the Gallatin to begin a hunt almost within shouting distance of the Lone Perk coffee hut. He also tracks cougars on the open slopes above Big Sky’s holding ponds near Meadow Village. “It’s a very stable population,” said Feenstra. “There are quite a few cats that live between Deer Creek and Dudley Creek. And on that front face where the water treatment facility is.” Feenstra said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks sets high quotas in the hunting district running from Deer Creek to Dudley Creek because wildlife managers worry too many lions in the area will eat too many bighorn sheep, so the high quotas are meant to keep sheep and cat numbers in balance. “Honestly, that quota will never get filled,” said Feenstra, who lives in Gallatin Gateway. “That’s a sheep unit. They put the lions at x amount to get hunters into that area.” It’s known as mountain lion district 311 and this year the quota was set at seven cats. As of April 11, only two were harvested. That’s partially because the area is steep, mostly roadless and difficult to hunt. Feenstra took one cat this year out of the nearby Asbestos Creek drainage with help from Josiah Funk, who lives in the Paradise Valley. Funk is president and Feenstra is chairman of the Montana Houndsmen Association. They were part of a group of hunters and biologists who gathered on March 22 in Three Forks for a

mountain lion state-of-the-union discussion about

the overall health of the species in Montana. Takeaways from the meeting were mostly positive, said Funk. “The houndsmen seem to be happy with the number of cats. Everybody was pretty happy except for some guys in the Elkhorns,” explained Funk, recalling concerns raised by hunters living in the Boulder area. “Some guys in the Elkhorns think there aren’t as many lions as there should be.” Houndsmen generally measure success by how many days it takes to tree a lion while tracking it with dogs. In the Elkhorns, said Funk, it took local hunters 30 days to tree five cats. By comparison, around the Paradise Valley, Funk caught 23 lions in 40 days. “I’m mostly treeing cats and taking pictures,” said Funk. “We harvested a few big cats out of this country. Those big old toms are hard on elk and hard on kittens.” Feedback gathered at the March 22 meeting between biologists and lion hunters will help inform the forthcoming statewide mountain lion management plan, which FWP plans to release for public comment in August.

Andrea Jones, information and education program manager for FWP, said houndsmen bring first-hand knowledge of what’s happening with cats and that’s valuable to wildlife managers. “Our biologists can’t be everywhere,” said Jones. “And while we fly every winter looking for deer and elk and we note the animals we observe incidentally, having the extra eyes and ears on the ground from houndsmen provides invaluable information.” Feenstra said there are solid lion numbers up and down the Gallatin Canyon, from Storm Castle to Red Cliff and Buck Ridge. Up Swan Creek, said Feenstra, there’s also a healthy number of bobcats and moose. And at the top of the Taylor Fork drainage, in a big stand of fire-killed trees, hunters are seeing lynx tracks. “There’s been quite a few people who’ve seen it,” said Feenstra. “Cat tracks way high up. There’s a family of lynx for sure in that old burn.” Feenstra and his regular hunting partner Joe Beebout explored the forest and burn areas up Storm Castle April 8, following an overnight blanketing of wet snow. They arrived at the trailhead

early, then after treeing one lion, raced out around noon as the snow turned to mud along the gated Forest Service road leading out of the backcountry.

Local lion population healthyArea hunters contribute to conservation efforts statewide and in YNP

A mountain lion track photographed in Yellowstone National Park. PHOTO BY NPS/JACOB W FRANK

New homes, new nests for local songbirds and waterfowl

You can spot common mergansers like these bobbing in eddies along the Gallatin River, like this one near the “Green Bridge” leading to the Deer Creek Trailhead. PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

This breakdown from the Montana Department of Commerce reveals the backgrounds and expertise of those attending the conference April 15-17 at Big Sky Resort.


Fields are under snow now, but softball season is just around the corner. PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

S P O R T S

Build community around the diamond

The Big Sky Co-ed Softball League is getting ready for

another action-packed season. Team sign-ups are being accepted now. There are limited spots available and they fill up quickly, so act fast! The sign-up deadline is May 15 and cost is $600 per team. Forms can be downloaded at www.bscomt.org/softball or picked up at the BSCO office located at 32 Town Center Ave #B1. League games will start late May (weather permitting) and run through August. If you have questions, please contact Leisha at [email protected] or call the office at (406) 993-2112. Last year, the season champs were the Hillbilly Huckers and the tournament champions were the LPC Golden Goats. —BSCO

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Hillbilly Huckers, last year’s season champs. PHOTO BY KENE SPERRY

Tournament champs the LPC Golden Goats. PHOTO BY KENE SPERRY

Hot air on a chilly morning Continued from 1

Endeavor Ballooning Senior Pilot Colin Graham—pictured here firing “the burner”—takes his balloon for a quick solo off-season mission on the morning of April 10. He partners with Big Sky Build, who takes clients to the sky. Graham also offers three-hour sunrise trips to the public in Big Sky for $295 per person and Bozeman for $250. Why so early? Sun up is when surface air is at its calmest and visibility is typically good, especially during the summer.

Call (406) 600-8999 or email [email protected] for more information.

Behind the outward marketing of Big Sky, there’s an emerging digital science tracking visitors and predicting occupancy rates. PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

Visit Big Sky pays for a digital marketing product called DestiMetrics. It collects and

analyzes a stream of proprietary numbers and information forecasting the ups and downs of Big Sky tourism. The info is provided by a confidential group of local businesses, which essentially open their books to the DestiMetrics team. In return, Visit Big Sky receives regular briefings about the health of the local tourism economy. Tom Foley, vice president of business intelligence for Inntopia—which markets and sells DesiMetrics to Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs)—said the participating businesses in Big Sky do so, “On a volunteer basis, providing us with fairly sensitive forward-looking data, so we have very locked down privacy.” This proprietary information flow helps Big Sky’s hospitality community make strategic decisions about staffing, ordering and other expenditures. “We can report out on how occupancy is performing compared to previous years, average daily rate and something called RevPAR. This is a metric showing what they need to hit to be profitable per room,” explained Foley during a phone interview. “This lets people truly know whether or not they have enough beds in a town. At some point, do they run out of beds? The technology is now there to measure it quite accurately.” It’s all powerful information, and different DMOs handle it differently. “We deal with a lot of destinations across North America and this is really highly competitive data,” said Foley. “I bet Jackson Hole would be pretty interested in how you guys are doing.”

Take Aspen. It’s “extremely closed lipped” about their visitor data, said Foley. “Others will report the history only, not the on-the-books statement”

of current business, continued Foley, saying, “There are a few that will expose forward-looking data on a regular basis.” In Big Sky, VBS issues a regular “Retail Report,” which offers a 60-day advance view of expected occupancy that’s “on the books” with the sample set of local hospitality businesses providing data to DestiMetrics. The Retail Report released on Feb. 28 provided a statistical spotting scope ahead to the Easter holiday and out into the tapering end of the year. It predicted end-of-season occupancy in late March and early April would peak around March 29 at about 60 percent, then see a remarkably strong finish in the final week of the ski season with occupancy rates potentially twice what they were last year just before

the lifts stopped running. This kind of intel is something Chris Romer, with the Vail Valley Partnership, said by email that his group regularly issues, “To better

understand our business trends over time (backwards, and forward pacing); we often will pivot our marketing messages toward a need time, or use historic data to share with local officials to help fund events to push lower occupancy periods. We actively review future pacing to understand the impacts of holiday

schedules (Christmas, Easter, July 4th) on vacation booking patterns, and use the ‘Guest Profiler’ to have a better understanding of the booking patterns of our key markets (when they book, how long they stay, etc).” Romer continued, “Simply stated, DestiMetrics helps us to be better marketers, to better understand customer habits, to identify trends with enough time to adjust tactics, and to identify how our market compares to others in the industry.” When asked why his DMO takes an open book approach to releasing tourism data gleaned through DestiMetrics, Romer said, “Our local business owners find it useful. They use it for varied reasons including to determine staffing levels, hours of operations, and even product ordering (restaurants). We have business owners who call every month asking when the reports will be released so they can plan ahead.” —DM

Terms of the trade

RevPAR: Revenue per available room (RevPAR) is a performance metric used in the hotel industry. It is calculated by multiplying a hotel’s average daily room rate (ADR) by its occupancy rate. It may also be calculated by dividing a hotel’s total room revenue by the total number of available rooms in the period being measured.

ADR: Average Daily Rate (commonly referred to as ADR) is a statistical unit that is often used in the lodging industry. The number represents the average rental income per paid occupied room in a given time period. It is common in the hotel industry for the ADR to gradually increase year over year bringing in more revenue.

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“We deal with a lot of destinations across North America and this is really highly competitive data. I bet Jackson Hole would

be pretty interested in how you guys are doing.” —Tom Foley, vice president of business intelligence for Inntopia

—which markets and sells DesiMetrics to DMOs


The Yellowstone Club CommunityFoundation serves as a resourcefor nonprofits in the greater BigSky and Gallatin Valley area.

This week the Lone Peak Lookout would like to give a gold star to a pair of Big Sky School District leaders, Superintendent Dustin Shipman and Lone Peak High School Principal Alex Ide. Their leadership alongside an impressive team of teachers, staff and dedicated volunteers has created a school district we are honored to cover—from performances at WMPAC to up-and-coming sports teams, trips around the world and in their “big backyard,” local students are doing great things every day. —LPL

BIG HORN OF THE WEEK IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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Announcement.Volunteers Meet Wed 4/18 10:00 am

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BIG HORN 42- Highly desirable 3BR/3B condo- Ski-in/ski-out w/ heated attached garage- Fully furnished & walking distance to amenities

$639,000 | MLS 312145

TBD WHITE OTTER ROAD- .96 acre lot on White Otter Rd bordering greenbelt- Adjacent to ski access on groomed trails to chairlift- Spectacular southern views of Lone Mountain

$349,000 | MLS 305535

PORCUPINE PARK, LOT 36- 6.75+/- acres with a paved road to the lot- Excellent building site and lots of trees- Horses allowed & sensational views

$499,000 | MLS 215272

BUCK RIDGE RANCH - LOT 32A- 39.66+/- acre tract that allows horses- Direct access to Forest Service Land- Gated road insures privacy & quiet living

$685,000 | MLS 156618

BLACK EAGLE #8- 3 bedroom, 3 bath condo w/ ski-in/ski-out access- Best stream side location & sold furnished- Views of Lone Mtn & short walk to shops

$1,949,000 | MLS 210575

HILL CONDO 1307- First floor corner unit with private deck- 440+/- sf studio with Lone Mountain views- Short walk to ski runs, shops & restaurants MOTIVATED $152,000 | MLS 315810

RIVERVIEW RANCH - Remarkable 20 acre property in Riverview Ranch- Head on views of the Porcupine Elk Refuge- Paved road to a lovely forested lot

$595,000 | MLS 300947

Becky & Jerry Pape - Broker/Owners406-995-4848 (Office next to the Exxon)

406-995-4883 (Anytime) | www.triplecreek.com

MEADOW VILLAGE - LOT 24 - .25 acre lot w/ million dollar views- Located in the heart of Meadow Village- Building site overlooks the valley

$168,900 | MLS 301071

MOONDANCE LOT- 4.15+/- acre lot with a great homesite- Lot overlooks the South Fork of the Gallatin- Beautifully treed & great wildlife viewing

$350,000 | MLS 220756

MEADOW CENTER COMMERCIAL LOT- Best & only lot left in Meadow Village Center- Unobstructed views of Lone Mtn & golf course- Ample parking & access to all shops & businesses

$695,000 | MLS 302492

BIG HORN 38- 3 bedroom, 3 bath condo w/ ski-in/ski-out access- End unit with heated attached garage- Walking distance to all Mtn Village shops

$649,000 | MLS 303659

NEW LISTING - CASCADE LOT 217- 1.45 acre Cascade Mountain Village lot- Ski-in/out from the nearby lift, Lone Mtn views- Spacious building envelope tucked in the trees

$479,000 | MLS 314627

FRANK ROAD - BELGRADE- 60+/- acre tract at the end of Frank Rd- Can be subdivided. Flat tract of land.- Great Bridger mountain views!

$1,770,000 | MLS 218112

14 PARK PLAZA, BOZEMAN- Exceptional, contemporary golf course home- Showcase kitchen w/ flawless craftsmanship- Spacious 4,823 sf floor plan w/ 2 master suites

$999,000 | MLS 314365

BEAVER CREEK - 20 ACRE LOT- Must see 20 acre property in Beaver Creek- Private gated entry subdivision- Charming pond attracts lots of local wildlife

$597,000 | MLS 301032

PENDINGPENDING

TBD HALE BOPP, BELGRADE- .59+/- acres at the end of a cul-de-sac- Located on the outskirts of Belgrade - Mountain views & modular homes allowed

$109,500 | MLS 312772

PENDING

FOLLOWUSon Instagram!@lonepeaklookout

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OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 7AM-9PMWWW.BIGSKYBLUEMOONBAKERY.COM

THURSDAY

January 25, 2018


LONE PEAK LOOKOUT Big Sky,

Montana

lonepeaklookout.c

om

A �sh conservationist

ll d to serve

Weighing in on

what to tax and

how to collect

the last Big

Middleton attended the second

annual Resort Tax Summit,

o�ering his two cents on the

question of whether private

club membership dues should

be subject to the 3 percent

resort tax.

“Currently, in Big Sky,

some skiers and golfers pay

the tax, and other skiers and

golfers don’t pay the resort

said at the

doesn’t pass the straigh

test to the local voters

might not be constitu

in the state of Monta

United States to tax

Either no skiers or g

should pay the tax

and golfers should

But this current si

Sky where only so

golfers pay the ta

�at speci�c

J d Hinkle pitches himself

b i g

Flying down the slopes

of Moonlight Basin,

Belgrade High School

sophomore Kami was o�en

leaving her Big Sky Youth

Empowerment crew in the dust.

But they didn’t seem to mind,

since it gave them the option

to catch up, make a quick stop

and blast her with snow.

Kami, along with more

than 100 other BYEP kids,

were back on Jan. 21 for their

�rst day of the 2018 BYEP ski

and snowboard program at

Big Sky Resort. Judging by the

frequent whoops and hollers

coming from the runs and li�s,

“byyyeeeeppp!” they were all

enjoying the bluebird day to

the fullest.

“She’s an all-around badass,”

BYEP volunteer mentor David

Biesel said as he, Kami and

fellow BYEP’er and classmate

Luz rode up Six Shooter. “And I

don’t know if she knows it, but

I’m happy to remind her on a

regular basis.”

Not surprisingly, Kami

agreed snowboarding is her

favorite BYEP activity. “It’s

awesome,” she said, looking

up at the Headwaters as they

zoomed closer into view.

“Double blacks and blacks are

pretty fun. Halfway through

the season we’re going up to

the ridge.”

In the summer, Kami takes

part in the BYEP climbing

program. “You’re a strong

climber,” Biesel told her as she

was clearly downplaying her

skills. She laughed, “Not really.”

“No, she’s a strong climber,”

Biesel reiterated.

Biesel has been with BYEP

for two years. He heard about

the program via a counselor h

been seeing for several years

who was involved with BYEP

eventually transitioning from

Youth program

kicks o� season

You

A day on the slopes at Big Sky brings out a big smile from Cale, Belgrade High School junior. It is BYEP’s policy for participants to be referenced

only by their �rst name. PHOTO COURTESY OF BYPE

Talking life, snow sports and

mentorship on Six Shooter

By Jolene Palmer

[email protected]

By Jolene Palmer

[email protected]

Resort tax round tabl

Contact Rachel today to place your ad! [email protected] | (406) 995-3575

ADVERTISE WITH US.Big Sky's only weekly newspaper!

Answers are on page 14

Impressive Leadership

Resort Tax applications for funding the fiscal year starting July 1, 2018 are due to the Resort

Tax office by Monday, April 30th at 3:00p.m.

Questions? Contact Kristin Drain at [email protected]

Superintendent Dustin Shipman

Lone Peak High School Principal Alex Ide

SUMMER 2018 POSITIONSBIG SKY, MT

Please apply today at:www.montagehotels.com/careers

Restaurant SupervisorServer

BartenderLine Cook

Housekeeping Room AttendantSecurity Officer

Member Services AgentGolf Services Attendant

Golf Course Maintenance Operator


BLOTTER

HELP WANTED

Herbicide sprayer needed mid-May to August. Wage DOE. Call Bart at C.S. Enterprise, Inc. at (406)995-7450. Please leave a message

CLASSIFIEDS

April 3, 2018

g A 911 call with a possible location in the Big Sky area was actually coming from Florida.

g A property manager accidentally set off a sprinkler system alarm at a Wildridge Fork home at around 3 p.m.

g A motorist was stopped and warned for making an illegal pass on Lone Mountain Trail at 5:35 p.m. It was later determined that the vehicle had to make the pass because the other motorist was stopped.

April 4, 2018

g A soda delivery man found the back door of a Village Center Lane business open, setting off the burglar alarm just after 8 a.m.

g Bighorn sheep in the roadway were causing problems on Lone Mountain Trail at 9 a.m.

g Resort security asked a deputy to speak with a man who was highly intoxicated the night before at a hotel. A deputy checked on the man just before 11 a.m. and he reported he had consumed too much alcohol and had to be assisted to his room by security.

g A driver was warned at 11 a.m. for failing to use turnouts while traveling on a highway since they were not going the speed limit and there were four or more vehicles behind them.

g A delivery truck driver who was blocking three parking spots with their truck on Black Eagle Road was given options by a deputy to mitigate the situation.

g Two metal fencing panels were reportedly stolen from a horse business in the past month. They were being used to keep elk out of a haystack. The reporting party stated they may have surveillance video and that it’s also possible someone may have “borrowed” the panels.

g An assault involving an employee reportedly took place at a Gallatin Road bar the night before. The victim reported the issue but did not wish to pursue charges.

g A woman was stopped and advised after a deputy witnessed a mattress tied to the top of her car that was very close to falling off. She re-secured the mattress and continued on her way.

April 5, 2018

g The man who reported the theft of metal fencing panels updated a deputy—the panels had been located and he no longer needed assistance.

g A power employee who was involved in an altercation six weeks ago—in which a Gallatin Road homeowner shot a rifle out of their back door—requested a civil standby when they reattempted to shut the power off.

g People camping in their vans at the Community Park were warned and instructed to move on just before midnight.

g Two motorists were fixing flat tires on Gallatin Road after striking a rock at around 2:40 p.m.

g A man who had been evicted from employee housing was seen on security cameras at the Mountain Lodge.

April 6, 2018

g A flash drive with surveillance footage was returned to its owner.

g A mother called to report her son had lost his state ID on the mountain and requested a report from a deputy so the son could fly home.

g After becoming angry at another motorist at around 5:45 p.m., an angry driver followed the motorist, ending up at an apartment where the angry man threatened the other man with a gun. The victim did not wish to press charges.

g A false elevator alarm went off at Ophir School just before 8:30 p.m.

g An intoxicated man was trying to get into an ambulance at 9 p.m.

g A man willingly left an employee parking lot when asked to by a deputy at 11:30 p.m. after he was seen by a citizen camping in his car and urinating nearby.

April 7, 2018

g Very large rocks slid onto and were blocking both lanes of Gallatin Road near Cascade Creek just before 5 a.m.

g A Florida man lost his ID.

g Adeputy removed bighorn sheep from Gallatin Road at 12:50 p.m.

g A deputy learned a person they were attempting to serve civil papers to had moved out of Montana.

April 8, 2018

g A heavily intoxicated man called 911 just before 1 a.m., but could not tell dispatchers where he was, except that he could see a tree. Big Sky Resort security assisted, the man made it back to his room and he was ok, but “over the toilet.”

g An intoxicated male customer at Big Sky Resort would not leave and was trying to steal things at around 12:30 a.m. The man, who was wearing a grizzly t-shirt and a backwards hat, became angry and tried to fight people before leaving on foot headed towards Montana Jack.

g Just before 2 a.m. a caller reported that her 23-year-old friend went to the bathroom an hour and a half ago and had not yet returned. The woman was eventually found in a commercial building passed out in the basement. She was evaluated by medical personnel and released to a sober party.

g After noticing a water leak and removing drywall, a caller discovered an electrical fire at around 4 p.m. on Sitting Bull Road. They were able to put it out.

g A lost dog was returned to its owner.

April 9, 2018

g The driver of a black sedan with front-end damage left the vehicle on Lone Mountain Trail and fled the scene just before 1 a.m.

g A caller did not stop when they witnessed a man waving his arms trying to get someone’s attention on Gallatin Road at around 4 p.m. A deputy learned there was a vehicle off the roadway over a bank and that all occupants were OK.

BEST OF THE BLOTTER

Cheers to correcting recordAfter stopping and warning a driver on Gallatin Road for making a questionable pass near Portal Creek, a deputy went back to the scene and determined the man had actually made a legal pass. The deputy called him back and apologized for pulling him over.

HOME | AUTO | FARM/RANCH | HEALTH | LIFE | RENTERS | MOTORCYCLE/BOAT/RV

FOR ALL of YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS

Offices in big sky and ennis | insuringthe406.com | Call (406) 993-9242

Agency Insurance.qxp_Layout 1 11/14/17 12:03 PM Page 1BLOTTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Alcoholics Anonymous can help ifyou think you might have a drink-ing problem. Call 888-607-2000to talk to a member of A.A. or goto aa.montana.org for meetingtimes and locations.

A.A.Alcoholics Anonymous

Buck’s T-4 offers benefits and is currently hiring:Hotel Guest Service

RepresentativesHousekeeping AttendantsHousekeeping Inspectors

Experienced Banquet CookContact Bethany@buckst4.

com or 406-993-5230

Howie Robin accepts the Bartoszek Scholarship for a Scholar Athlete from Lydia and Ray Bartoszek and the Spanish Peaks Community Foundation Scholarship from John Haas. Robin was still deciding where to head to school, either in Colorado or Washington for political science or journalism. He’s currently working with his family to organize his father, Mark Robin’s, extensive writing, preparing the words for publication. Mark passed away in December, 2017 from ALS. PHOTO BY JOLENE PALMER

FOR SALE

2013 Toyota Prius II. Winter Grey Metallic, 85,000 miles, one owner, very good condition. Great gas mileage, tons of space inside. This has been an extremely reliable car! $11,500.406-596-0661

Big Sky Community Food Bank HOURS:

Tuesdays 3-7 p.m. & Fridays 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Big Horn Shopping Center on HWY 191

(406) 995-3088Emergency Food and Social

Services. Donations Welcome.

Real Estate– Northwest Montana – Company owned. Small and large acre parcels. Private. Trees and meadows. National Forest boundaries. Tungstenholdings.com (406) 293-3714

BOYUM FARMS RETIREMENT AUCTION Sat., April 21, 11a. m., Fairgrounds, Havre, MT. JD 9770 combine, Versatile 535 tractor, 2012 ATX700 70' air drill, 3 semis’, 3 grain trailers, grain cart, hay & livestock equip. Full listing: www.ShobeAuction.com UNITED COUNTRY - SHOBE AUCTION & REALTY (406)366-5125 or (406)366-0472

Montana FWP is hiring seasonal employees for AIS Watercraft stations at Tiber, Wibaux, Hardin and Tongue River Reservoir. $13.02/hr. Some accommodations may be available. Must be 18 with a valid driver’s license. Apply online at www.statecareers.mt.gov

Nuverra is hiring for CDL Class A Truck Drivers. Drivers can earn a $1500 sign on bonus. To apply call (701) 842-3618, or go online to www.nuverra.com/careers. Nuverra is an equal opportunity employer.

Northwest Community Health Center (NWCHC) is looking to add a full time Dentist to expand its dental services to underserved families. If you are interested in this practice opportunity please inquire with Maria Clemons, Executive Director. [email protected] or (406) 283-6919

Hi, I’m Layla! I am a people lover with big ears and a great smile and nothing makes me happier than to be by your side. My favorite things are treats, cuddles, going for walks. I tend to be higher energy so I would love a home that likes to be active, play and have

fun outside, but is quiet and low-key when inside so I can rest. I am good at using my crate and love learning new tricks! I am looking for a new best friend and would love it to be you! Adoption counselors are able to introduce you to Layla any day of the week from 11:30am-5:00pm. You can meet her at 1549 East Cameron Bridge Road or call (406) 388-9399 to hear more about her.

SERVICES

Authentic Timber Framed Barns. Residential and Commercial Timber Packages. Full Service Design - Build Since 1990, (406) 581 3014 [email protected], www.bitterroottimberframes.com

It’s not as easy as just pulling over and passing out. Camping is restricted not only in Big Sky, but up and down Gallatin Canyon at pullouts like this one next to the Gallatin River’s confluence with Swan Creek. PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

Northwest Community Health Center (NWCHC) is looking to add a full time Financial Officer to manage and provide oversight in all aspects of finance operations. Full job posting at http://northwestchc.org/jobs/. To apply please submit resume and/or public sector applications at http://northwestchc.org/jobs/.are interested in this practice opportunity please inquire with Maria Clemons, Executive Director. [email protected] or (406) 283-6919

200 PRIVATE TREATY ANGUS BULLS 150 Yearlings, 50 Two Year Olds. Fertility Tested & Ready to Work!Proven Calving Ease & Performance Genetics. STEVENSON’S DIAMOND DOT – Hobson, MT. Clint Stevenson: (406)366-9023

If you are reading this ad, you can see that classified advertising works! Reach over 400,000 readers in Montana. To get results, contact this newspaper, or the Montana Newspaper Association at (406) 443-2850 or email [email protected] or [email protected]

WHERE BIG SKY COMES TOGETHER

residential and commercial development [email protected] | bigskytowncenter.com

Bozeman natives, the Simkins family has been responsibly guiding the planning anddevelopment of the Town Center neighborhood for over 20 years, always supporting theircommitment to leave a legacy of which the community and their family can be proud.They have owned the land in Big Sky since the early 1970’s.

bus schedule Town Center Mountain Village

your link to big sky life! skiing • shopping • dining • events

Town Center to Mountain Village Bus Schedule (Heading Up)

DITCH THE DRIVE - HOP ON THE BUS!

EXPLORE MORE AND LEAVE THE DRIVING TO US WITH THE FREE SKYLINE BUS

SKYLINEBUS.COM

Mountain Village to Town Center Bus Schedule (Heading Down)

Departing Town Center: 5:50a / 6:25a / 6:55a / 7:40a / 8:35a / 8:45a / 9:15a / 9:35a10:30a / 10:35a / 11:35a / 12:35p / 1:35p / 2:35p / 3:35p / 4:35p / 5:35p / 6:35p / 7:35p

8:35p / 9:35p / 10:35p / 11:35p / 1:35a

Arriving Mountain Village: 6:05a / 6:40a / 7:10a / 7:20a / 7:55a / 9:00a / 9:30a / 10:00a10:45a / 11:00a / 11:50a / 12:00p / 1:00p / 2:00p / 2:50p / 3:00p / 4:00p / 5:00p / 5:50p

6:00p / 7:00p / 8:00p / 8:50p / 9:00p / 10:00p / 10.50p / 11:00p / 12:00a / 2:00a

Departing Mountain Village: 7:15a / 8:15a / 9:15a / 10:15a / 11:15a / 12:15p / 1:15p / 2:15p3:15p / 4:15p / 5:15p / 6:15p / 7:15p / 8:15p / 9:15p / 10:15p / 11:15p / 12:15a / 2:15a

Arriving Town Center: 7:35a / 8:35a / 9:35a / 10:35a / 11:35a / 12:35p / 1:35p / 2:35p / 3:35p / 4:05a 4:35a / 5:05a / 11:35a / 5:35p / 6:35p / 7:35p / 8:35p / 9:35p / 10:35p / 11:35p / 11:55p / 12:35a / 2:35a

Pest Control

[email protected] JOLENE PALMER

Friends of Big Sky Education Foundation Vice President Anne-Marie Mistretta announces the recipients of the foundation’s scholarship program on Thursday, April 5. PHOTO BY JOLENE PALMER

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HELP NEEDED! CORRAL BAR STEAKHOUSE NEEDS YOU! WAITSTAFF/BARTENDERS/PREP COOKS. START TODAY! COME IN TO SIGN UP OR SEND RESUME [email protected] FOR APPLYING! MANY BENEFITS.

STATEWIDE CLASSIFIEDS


Musselshell County is accepting applications for a full time EMS provider / admin staff position. This full-time position involves Scheduled work hours and some variable call hours. Job description and application may be Picked up at 704 First St East, Roundup,MT 59072 or can be Mailed Upon request. Contact Ron Solberg @ (406)323-3554 or [email protected]. Applications accepted until Position is filled.

Smaller independent First Congregational Church of Laurel seeking a full-time Pastor. Send resume to Search Committee, c/o Reiter at 650 Longview Road, Laurel, MT 59044. Submit by June 1, 2018 Website: FCCLaurel.org

Installer/Carpenter. Experienced or will train. Must be good with your hands. Possibility of some fun travel. Great company. Growth Opportunities. Aaron (770)406-8175


Some students were chosen for their prowess on the stage. Others, for their athletic success on the field, or their community service in developing countries. They’ll go off

around the U.S. to study environmentalism, marine transportation, journalism, community service and much more. The 23 recipients of the Friends of Big Sky Education 2018 community scholarship funds may have a wide variety of special attributes and future plans, but they all share at least one thing in

common: a gratitude for the many scholarship opportunities made possible by Big Sky individuals, businesses, foundations and organizations. During the 2018 Friends of Big Sky Education Foundation Community Scholarship Award Ceremony the seats of the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center were filled with representatives of those local interests, many known for their service on community boards and leadership as business owners. “Volunteerism is a

critical component of making Big Sky run,” said FOBSE Vice President Anne-Marie Mistretta during the ceremony before announcing the awards. “That’s why we call this project the community scholarship program.” Forty-two scholarships added up to $70,000 in funds this year, the fourth in the program’s short history. Five scholarships

targeted financial need, four will replicate the following year, and most were merit-based—awarded by academic performance, participation and community activities. FOBSE was founded in 2004 to support secondary education in Big Sky with the goal of opening a high school. That goal was realized in 2009 and the group refocused to support all things education, K-12, as well as the community at

large. The group also succeeded in bringing the WMPAC to Big Sky. Mistretta and her husband Jerry started the scholarship program in 2014, offering a scholarship of their own in memory of their son who died in a car accident. In the community-supported program’s first year, $32,000 was raised for the class of 2015. Four years later, donations have more than doubled and so have senior class sizes. “The Big Sky community is proud of Lone Peak High School and its students,” Mistretta said. “They are eager to say that they are proud of the students’ hard work, college acceptances and career choices.” “In cases where a student is the first child to head to college, the parent and the student are just realizing some of the ‘hidden’ costs of college,” Mistretta added. “It's not just tuition and board. It’s a new computer. It’s transportation, and books and spending money for the snacks no longer provided by mom and dad. Because we live remotely here in Big Sky, it’s rare that a student lives here and commutes or telecommutes to college. Most LPHS students will go away to college, and that costs money.”

Funding our future

VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

PET OF THE WEEK IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

At the brink of their high school careers, Lone Peak seniors receive community-funded scholarships

American Legion salutes education—and bingo

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACK HUDSPETH

The American Legion Post 99 family established a $2,000 yearly scholarship

through FOBSE (Friends of Big Sky Education). Commander Ken Alley presented the Legion Scholarship to KP Hoffman (pictured), who will be attending Miles Community College in Miles City, Montana. Also, the Big Sky American Legion will hold the first of four off-season bingo events at the Gallatin Riverhouse Grill on Tuesday, April 17 at 6 p.m. Ten games plus an “Early Bird Game”

will give participants a chance to win substantial cash and gift certificate prizes. Plan on being there for an enjoyable time.


This bucolic scene along Gooch Hill Road is experienced by an increasing number of Bozeman commuters on their way to and from Big Sky. From South Bozeman, it’s a faster route than S. Cottonwood Road and not as hectic as Huffine Lane. But growing amounts of traffic cut into its quiet charm and judging by the potholes, more cars equals more wear and tear. PHOTO BY DAVID MADISON

BIG SKYLivingPresents

Floating down the Gallatin River on a warm, sunny summer day is part of the Big Sky experience. Head to the Lone Peak Cinema April 12 at 6 p.m. for the Wild Rivers Film Tour, a celebration of the rivers we love. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WILD RIVERS FILM TOUR

ThursdayAPRIL 12

3:30 p.m. g Live music: Dan Dubuque at Scissorbills Saloon

3:30 p.m. g Live music: Kent Johnson at Big Sky Resort’s Montana Jack

4 p.m. g Al-Anon at the Big Sky Chapel

A support group for friends and families worried about someone with a drinking problem.

4 p.m. g Live music: Lauren & Jeff at Big Sky Resort’s Chet’s Bar

4p.m. g Live music: Kenny Diamond at Big Sky Resort’s Carabiner Lounge

6 p.m. g Film: Wild Rivers Film Tour at Lone Peak Cinema

Now in its third year, the WRFT celebrates our love for clean water and free-flowing streams. Six films carry the audience through 100 minutes of emotional and exhilarating cinema. American Rivers and Greater Yellowstone Coalition host the Wild Rivers Film Tour in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act—a national river protection designed to keep rivers clean and free-flowing. $10, doors open at 6 p.m. and films start at 7 p.m.

7 p.m. g Live music: Tom Marino at Gallatin Riverhouse Grill

From Cash to Keen and a little hippie in between.

8 p.m. g Alcoholics Anonymous at the Big Sky Chapel

FridayAPRIL 13

3:30 p.m. g Live music: Parvin at Scissorbills Saloon

4 p.m. g Mike Haring at Big Sky Resort’s Carabiner Lounge

4 p.m. g Live music: Milton Menasco Duo at Big Sky Resort’s Chet’s Bar

7 p.m. g Live music: The Sugar Daddies at Gallatin Riverhouse Grill

8 p.m. g Live music: Heatbox and Frogleg at Lone Peak Brewery

SaturdayAPRIL 14

Sunset Saturday at Big Sky Resort

Enjoy an extra hour on the slopes—Ramcharger spins until 5 p.m.

7:30 a.m. g Alcoholics Anonymous at the Big Sky Chapel

9:30 a.m. g Wild Skills Junior Ski Patrol at Big Sky Resort

Girls ages eight to 18 are invited to attend this day camp where they’ll learn mountain safety and first aid while working with the strong women of the ski patrol community. Intended for intermediate to expert skiers/snowboarders, girls are taught a range of outdoor skills that are utilized by ski patrollers to keep the mountain safe. Participants will work alongside female patrollers and volunteers to learn more about the many facets of mountain safety and first aid. For more information

and to register, visit www.shejumps.org. Day-of registration in the Mammoth Room of the Mountain Mall.

3:30 p.m. g Live music: Telemark Tom at Scissorbills Saloon

4:30 p.m. g Live music: Brian Stumpf at Choppers Grub & Pub

5:00 p.m. g Live music: John Parvin at Rainbow Ranch Lodge & Restaurant

7:00 p.m. g Live music: Double Barrel at Gallatin Riverhouse Grill

This dynamic duo is sure to please. Country, honky-tonk and red dirt music.

8:00 p.m. g Film: Big Sky Shootout at Lone Peak Cinema Watch and vote on ski films created at Big Sky Resort from March 30 to April 8. After party with music by the Magpies. $10.

SundayAPRIL 15

Headwaters and Lone Tree lifts at Big Sky Resort close for the season.

Sunday services at Big Sky Chapel

8 a.m. g St. Joseph’s of Big Sky - Catholic Mass

9:30 a.m. g All Saints in Big Sky - A shared ministry of the Episcopal and Lutheran (ELCA) Churches

11 a.m. g Big Sky Christian Fellowship

Sunday services at Big Sky Resort

1:30 p.m. Big Sky Resort Ministries Outdoor Church -Meet just below Powder Seeker lift.

3 p.m. Big Sky Resort Ministries Outdoor Church -Meet at the top of the Six Shooter lift on skiers’ left.

8:30 a.m. g Ladies Shred Day at Big Sky Resort

Women ages 10 to 17 are invited

to join in. Learn more about freeride skiing, gain confidence and have a great day out ripping with the ladies. No previous racing or freeride competition experience required. The Big Sky Freeride team will be featuring an all-lady coaching staff for the day and will be focused on having fun, while skiing some of the best terrain Big Sky Resort has to offer. Our coaches will help the campers with skiing confidence and will show campers what it’s like to be on the Big Sky Ski Education Foundation Freeride team. BSSEF freeride info session to follow from 4-5 p.m. For more information and to sign up visit [email protected]. $30 per person.

3:30 p.m. g Live music: Stumpy Sundays at

Scissorbills Saloon

4:30 - 7:00 p.m. g Montana Artisan Showcase at Firehole Lounge in Big Sky Resort Huntley Lodge

A free event for all ages featuring local artists, photographers, culinarians as well as distillery, brewery and winery tastings and a Greater Yellowstone ecosystem multimedia presentation.

MondayAPRIL 16

3:30 p.m. g Live music: Lauren & Jeff at Big Sky Resort’s Montana Jack

4 p.m. g Live music: Mike Haring at Big Sky Resort’s Carabiner Lounge

TuesdayAPRIL 17

Don’t forget! Today’s the last day to file your income taxes. According to the nonprofit Tax Foundation, in 2016 Montana ranked 32nd in the country for state tax collections per capita, at $2,530. Vermont came in first at $4,950.

3:30 p.m. g Live music: Kenny Diamond at Big Sky Resort’s Montana Jack

4 p.m. g Live music: Lauren Jackson at Big Sky Resort’s Carabiner Lounge

5:30 p.m. g Alcoholics Anonymous at the Big Sky Chapel

5:30 p.m. g Class: Are You Well Aware? At Big Sky Water and Sewer District office

This interactive, two-hour course is designed to educate private well owners on best practices for protecting their drinking water. Homeowners will learn how to conduct an assessment of their well’s condition, potential contaminant sources and other factors that can affect water quality. Proper septic system maintenance and potential impacts on ground water will be discussed. Well water test kits available to take home after the course. Once participants have had a chance to conduct their own well assessment, Gallatin Local Water Quality District staff will follow up after the course to provide recommendations. $10, register on the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce’s event page.

Saturday, April 14

10 a.m. g Sweat for the Vets 5K at Lindley Park in Bozemank Join the Warriors and Quiet Waters Foundation’s sixth annual Sweat for the Vets 5k - an event established by Montana State University’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 450 and organized to give all race proceeds to nonprofit veteran assistance foundations. $25, sign up at www.runsignup.com/Race/MT/Bozeman/SweatfortheVets5K

Sunday, April 1510 a.m. g Astronomy and Aerospace Day at the Museum of the Rockies MSU’s Montana Space Grant Consortium hosts a day of hourly planetarium presentations, lectures and demonstrations suitable for all ages. Free admittance for 17 and under and for MSU students, included with museum entry fee ($14.50 for adults) for others. 10:30 a.m. – “Juno: Unveiling Jupiter's Mysteries” Space Public Outreach Team presentation11:30 a.m. – “Accreting Black Holes: Predators of the Sky” presentation by Professor Anne Lohfink12:30 p.m. – NASA internship student presentations by Ayla Grandpre, Levin Mullaney and Baleigh Doyle1:30 p.m. – “Juno: Unveiling Jupiter's Mysteries” Space Public Outreach Team presentation

Down in the

Valley

Menasco, seen here with his band the Big Fiasco—Daniel Boteler and Dustin Van Ry, has a scaled down, two-member performance at 4 p.m. on Friday at Big Sky Resort’s Chet’s Bar. PHOTO COURTESTY OF MILTON MENASCO AND

THE BIG FIASCO

The Big Sky Shootout is back on April 14. Check out past entries, including the very first winner, “Higher Love—Love and Danger on Lone Peak” by searching Big Sky Shootout on Youtube. It’s been viewed more than 25,000 times. PHOTO COURTESY OF LONE PEAK CINEMA

April 12, 201816LONE PEAK LOOKOUT

volume 1, issue 19 lone peak lookout · lone peak lookout big sky, montana thursday...

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