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In 1987, the Seeley Lake Writers Club started a project that two years later — in time for Montana's Centennial — was published as the book "Cabin Fever." This remains the best compilation of articles and interviews of the first 100 years of the Seeley Lake area. One of the key figures in the writers group was Mildred Chaffin. We have read many of the fascinating stories she wrote, but her own life makes for quite a story as well! Mildred was born in Evaro in 1908, back when Evaro seemed to be even more remote from Missoula than it is tod...
Thirty-five years ago... Thursday Dec. 8, 1988 Seeley Lake Ranger District gets third award for effort This past summer the Canyon Creek fire on the Lolo National Forest came close to consuming an award winning bridge inside the Scapegoat wilderness. In the summer of 1987, Forest Service employees on the Seeley Lake Ranger District constructed a new bridge over the North Fork of the Blackfoot River. Using materials native to the area and no motorized equipment, the bridge crew replaced three spans of the 90-foot bridge, bridge abutments and...
SWAN VALLEY - The rollout of a proposal by one of North America’s biggest ski developers to triple the size of Holland Lake Lodge and bring industrial tourism and commercial recreation to the rural, wildlife-rich Swan Valley in western Montana was a complete and utter disaster. After two months of vehement public opposition, the expansion proposal by POWDR, the Utah-based ski developer that promotes “soulful” experiences through high-impact recreation, fell to earth in flames – like the 1937 Hindenburg dirigible disaster in New Jersey. The air...
Chamber trying to regroup Chamber members and interested parties, it’s time to have the discussion as to what is next for the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber needs to reorganize to regain its 501c6 status that was lost years ago. There has been a handful of people who have expressed interest in rekindling it. A lot has changed in the last few years. For instance the Chamber no longer runs the Visitors Center, doesn’t not have an executive director and has not done any events other than the Fourth of July parade and fir...
OVANDO - Eurasian Lynx research team "LIFE Lynx" members from Slovenia and Croatia visited the Blackfoot and Seeley-Swan Valleys Sept. 11-18. They compared their large carnivore research, investigated community forests and shared their research with area schools through the Blackfoot Challenge Education Committee. The collaboration between LIFE Lynx and the Blackfoot Challenge began in 2015 when Executive Director Seth Wilson went to Slovenia for work on large carnivore projects. Wilson...
Phone number correction In the July 28 story “Reducing forest fire damage to homes with Firewise planning,” Blackfoot Challenge Forestry and Prescribed Fire Coordinator Cindy Super’s phone number was incorrectly listed. To reach her to further discuss creating defensible space around homes or to schedule a site visit call 406-544-2831 or email cindy@blackfootchallenge.org. Seeley Lake Community Park community survey and meeting Aug. 16 SEELEY LAKE – The public is invited to attend the Seeley Lake Community Park Committee meeting Tuesday...
SEELEY LAKE – "There is true grit Roger and Rhea [Johnson]," said Pyramid Mountain Lumber Vice President Charlie Parke pointing to the Johnsons at Roger's career celebration. "They survived because they care about the people." President and owner Todd Johnson said Roger Johnson's leadership, perseverance, willingness to take risks and ability to surround himself with good people that cared as much about the company as he did, built and made Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. what it is today. A...
In celebration of 36 years of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, each week we will run parts of articles that appeared in the issue 35 years ago and 20 years ago. The entire issue will be uploaded to our website seeleylake.com for you to enjoy. We hope you will enjoy the journey with us as we follow our community through the past 36 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: June 25, 1987 issue The songs are His; the rewards are ours Story Suzanne Vernon A group of about two dozen Seeley...
SEELEY LAKE – Despite temperatures barely reaching 50 degrees, the stands were packed April 28 for the kickoff scrimmage of the Seeley Lake Baseball Club. More than 85 children, three-years-old through eighth grade, registered to play for the season and the Club swept the 2022 Blackfoot Little League Tournament June 11. "For the first year we were just trying to get as much interest as possible, as much participation as possible for the most amount of kids possible," said Organizer Nathan M...
Swan Valley AARP Highway Cleanup, May 10 SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley AARP will gather Tuesday, May 10 for their Adopt-a-Highway cleanup at 11 a.m. Sack-lunch-social to follow. Contact Joe Raible for details jraible@blackfoot.net. Seeley Lake Library May News SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Community Library is hosting their Book Club May 5 and “Lawyers in Libraries” presentation May 25, 3 p.m. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend both events. The Seeley Lake Library Book Club is reading “Raven’s Gift” by Don Rearden. In “Raven’s Gi...
The Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys are home to many non-profits. All these non-profits play a vital role in our communities and most are run by volunteers. Over the next several months we will feature these various groups in an effort to highlight who they are, what they do and how to get involved. To nominate your favorite non-profit for the feature please email pathfinder@seeleylake.com or call 406-677-2022. SEELEY LAKE – Alpine Artisans Incorporated (AAI) has been in the Seeley, Swan a...
In celebration of 35 years of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, each week we will run parts of articles that appeared in the issue 35 years ago and 20 years ago. The entire issue will be uploaded to our website seeleylake.com for you to enjoy. We hope you will enjoy the journey with us as we follow our community through the past 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: April 9, 1987 issue - Part I The Seeley Lake Community Hall: The early days Story Mildred Chafin This building, our... Full story
The Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valleys are home to many non-profits. All these non-profits play a vital role in our communities and most are run by volunteers. Over the next several months we will feature these various groups in an effort to highlight who they are, what they do and how to get involved. To nominate your favorite non-profit for the feature please email pathfinder@seeleylake.com or call 406-677-2022. Seeley Lake Lions Club SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake Lions Club is an international n... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – How often do you notice when the highway is decorated with litter? However, when the roadside is free of debris, motorists are quick to take it for granted. There is an army of volunteers, from organized groups to individuals, who keep local roadways clean through the Montana Department of Transportation Adopt A Highway (AAH) Program. In the spring and the fall, they walk their adopted stretch of highway and remove the trash that was intentionally, or unintentionally, lost. "I thin...
In celebration of 35 years of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, each week we will run parts of articles that appeared in the issue 35 years ago and 20 years ago. The entire issue will be uploaded to our website seeleylake.com for you to enjoy. We hope you will enjoy the journey with us as we follow our community through the past 35 years as documented by the Pathfinder. 35 years ago: Oct. 30, 1986 issue Condon has 911 Swan Valley residents whose phones have the "754" prefix may now reach 911... Full story
POTOMAC – There is a new sign on Highway 200 that welcomes motorists to the Potomac Valley as they travel east and wishes them "Happy Trails" as they leave the valley. After the nearly two year permitting process, the Potomac Valley 4-H Club (Club) is excited to not only identify the area as people pass through and welcome them to the community but also make it known there is an active 4-H Club in the Potomac Valley and demonstrate the pride the Club has in their community. "4-H is entwined i...
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Cemetery District is celebrating 25 years of preserving the honor of the area's deceased residents this year. The conception of a cemetery in Seeley Lake came during the late 1980s and early 1990s when a group of residents met at the home of Allen and Mildred Chaffin and began working on gathering enough signatures so that development could be placed on a ballot. According to Chaffin in the article "Plum Creek land donation helps long-sought cemetery goal" run in...
SEELEY LAKE – Into its sixth year of the Change Your Pace Challenge, the Seeley Lake Community Foundation raised over $80,800 for 14 local organizations, including over $23,000 for the CYP Match Fund. The match fund was up $9,000 up from last year and had the highest number of individual donors that the program has seen since it started in 2016 with 192 families giving. "Not only did we have one of the highest match percentages [$0.49 per dollar raised], more people are getting into this," Commu...
POTOMAC - The community of Potomac has proven resilient since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Since the spring, residents have donated, participated and benefited from the kindness and generosity of friends, neighbors and strangers. Residents banded together and worked hard to guarantee support for others including comfort, food and firewood. Since March, Potomac School has been a link in the chain of giving. According to Potomac School secretary Janette Ployhar, volunteers served 110... Full story
SEELEY LAKE – This past August the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project released an economic report highlighting how public lands and water sustain the economy of the Blackfoot and Clearwater Valleys and nearby communities. There has also been a recent ad campaign launched by the Montana Wilderness Association and Mountain Mamas calling on Senator Steve Daines, R – Montana, to give the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) a hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. While Daines is being pressured to support the...
Voter Information: There are five candidates for the two open director positions on the Seeley Lake - Missoula County Sewer District. Candidates are listed in the order they filed. Candidates' responses were based on the following questions: • Biography • Qualifying experience • Why do you want to be a director? • What challenges do you see facing the Sewer Board and District in the near future? • Are there things you would like to see changed or what issues would you address if elected? • What...
SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to Seeley Lake Elementary for an afternoon of winter fun Saturday, Feb. 8 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Seeley Lake Elementary Winterfest includes open skating, games, snow sculptures, food and prizes. Everyone is invited to this free, family event. According to Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst, the idea for a winter event originated from SLE Superintendent Daniel Schrock last October during the Trunk-or-Treat. He approached the...
SEELEY LAKE - Many of us have been introduced to author Pete Fromm by reading his humorous books about life in the wilderness, such as "Indian Creek Chronicles or The Names of the Stars: A Life in the Wilds." Yet, many of Fromm's novels explore interior life as well. Novels like "If Not for This" might begin on the Snake River in Idaho, but rapidly evolve into the challenges of marriage, family and tragedy. This is vividly true of his newest novel, "A Job You Mostly Won't Know How to Do."...
POTOMAC - For the last 24 years Potomac ladies have been getting together and creating quilts. Some of the quilts are donated to hospice, raffles, families in need, Potomac Bingo night, the Greenough/Potomac Volunteer Fire Department for people displaced by fire and to veterans. In 1995 Barb Sheehy was part of the Potomac Home Extension Group, now called the Blackfoot Home and Community Club. Sheehy, who has a quilting background offered to give some quilting lessons. The group took quilting...
Meet and Greet new Seeley Lake Ranger District staff, Feb. 15 SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake community is invited to meet the new Acting District Ranger Quinn Carver and new recreation staff Matthew Walter Friday, Feb. 15 from 5 – 7 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at Seeley Lake Elementary School. Carver hopes this will be an opportunity to introduce himself and Walter to individuals in the community and have an informal venue to get to know each other. Coffee and cookies will be served. Free Movie Night at MBF, Feb. 17 SEELEY LAKE – Join Missi...
