Independence Day Exploration in the Crazy Mountains

July 4th is a great time to celebrate America's independence, but it is even a better time to get out for a few days in the mountains. Mike and I always manage to do something memorable over the Independence Day holiday and this year was no exception. Our destination, the Crazy Mountains.

First Impressions of Chamonix

So this is Chamonix I thought as I stared out my hotel room window at the tall and jagged mountains outside. Wow! Huge, rocky, icy, rugged, dramatic. So many superlatives and that was only one side of the valley. It was a "So this is Yale" moment for sure.

Missoula Road Trip: Montana's Urban Paradise

To me, Missoula has long ranked as one of Montana's most dynamic and lively towns.  I have always felt it has a certain je ne sais quoi making it feel like a much more urban place than Bozeman. While it is bigger (69K people compared to Bozeman's 41K), I don't think the population difference is enough to give it a more urban feel then Bozeman yet it certainly has one. I got to experience the vibrancy and urban-ness of Missoula once again as Mike and I made a quick trip there this past weekend.

Summertime Done, Come and Gone, My Oh My!

(Post title courtesy of the Grateful Dead, U.S. Blues)

Ross Peak, Northern Bridgers

Finally! It is starting to feel like winter in Bozeman. Each year I hope to make my first ski turns in October but that didn't happen this year. October came and went. While early November brought some unusually cold weather and snow, the month passed with little additional snow and unusually warm weather. November is often the worst month of the year with hit or miss ski conditions and increasingly muddy and icy trails that make hiking and biking no fun.