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SEELEY LAKE - After taking a break in 2020 due to COVID-19, The Bob Marshall Music Festival is back with an entirely new set of dates. Instead of taking place in June, the festival is scheduled for Aug. 6 and Aug. 7 and will continue to take place during the first weekend of August moving forward. Early bird tickets will go on sale at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 14. Max Pigman, festival organizer and Lewis & Clark Brewing Company owner, said they decided to push it back this year to allow time for...
HOW WE GOT HERE Between the years of 1970 and 2001, the Seeley-Swan Valley real estate market was a consistent market demonstrating slow upward trends in values and sales. Land sales in 2000 were between $2,000 and $4,000 per acre. Beginning in the early 2000’s, real estate in the Seeley-Swan Valley experienced increased awareness from buyers from around the world due to the proximity to two major airports in Missoula and Kalispell, mountain views, scenery, wildlife and wilderness access to the Bob Marshall and Mission Mountain Wilderness a...
OVANDO - Trixi's Antler Saloon will venture into a new phase as co-owners Cindy and Ray Francis pass the bar and restaurant to their son Ryan Zavarelli and his wife Tiffanie April 1. Cindy said they are excited for Ryan and Tiffanie to take over because it will allow the business to stay in the family for the third generation in a row. The saloon has been operating in Ovando since 1960. The building was originally an old barrack from Fort Harrison that the original owner Trixi McCormick paid $1...
SEELEY LAKE - Sydney Young recently began her new position as Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) game warden for Seeley Lake and its surrounding areas. Young's main goal is to make sure hunters are aware of boundaries, respect private land, and are hunting safely and ethically. She hopes to maintain "a happy balance" between humans and wildlife. Young began her position on Oct. 24, taking over for Jake Barzen. FWP Region 2 Game Warden Captain Joe Jaquith said Young and Barzen both applied for...
SWAN VALLEY - The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame (MCHF) and Western Heritage Center (WHC) inducted Leonard Moore of Condon into their 13th class of the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame. According to a press release, inductees are chosen from a field of candidates nominated by the general public. They are honored for their notable contributions to the history and culture of Montana. Every year one living candidate and one legacy candidate are chosen from each of the 12 districts. "The Hall of Fame...
We hear again about the availability of the public lands for use by the owners of that land ––the PUBLIC. Both candidates for Montana Senate seat indicate they feel public lands need to be open to the public. Who exactly are they talking about? The term public to me tends to be inclusive and not exclusive. The Bob Marshall Wilderness is considered by many to be “public” lands. The Bob Marshall is classified to be public but that is not really true. The elderly and handicapped (27% of the public) are categorically denied access to the Wildern...
Grizzly bears are highly intelligent, but as far as we know they can't read maps. When a bear living in Glacier National Park sets out in search of food or a mate, it doesn't know when it crosses the park's invisible boundary. When it does, it enters a different, more dangerous reality. While Glacier is part of a sprawling wildlands complex including the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Canada's Waterton National Park, it also lies near areas that are rapidly developing. Protecting habitat buffer zon...
Author John Fraley has spent years capturing the stories and history of those who have ridden and hiked through the Bob Marshall Wilderness. In his newly released book, "Heroes of the Bob Marshall Wilderness," Fraley covers a plethora of figures involved with the region, but the longest section is dedicated to the work of Montana outfitter Joe Murphy. The second chapter, "Wilderness Cowboy," covers Murphy's life from his birth in 1890 to his death in 1972. Fraley describes him as "the first big...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana Senator Jon Tester’s Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act was heard in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing Wednesday, Sept. 16. The U.S. Forest Service spoke in support of the BCSA and shared concerns after representatives expressed that they would work together towards the act’s intended goals. The next phase will be a vote among all committee members that has not been scheduled yet. If passed, the BCSA will move on to the full Senate for a vote. Tester’s office said he is encouraged by the h...
Horse packers and mountain bikers spend less time together than we should - it sometimes seems like we’re in the woods in search of different things. But the truth is that we’re all drawn to the backcountry for the same reasons: to enjoy Montana’s wild places, to connect with the natural world and to restore our spiritual health. We all value this landscape and deserve a place on it. It’s that understanding that has allowed us to come together as part of the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project. Discussions weren’t always easy but we re...
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...
Nowadays, politics in Washington creates a lot more problems than it solves—we’ve been led to believe that every issue, big or small, is an all-out battle for the soul of our country. But, quite frankly, when you take a step back from the dysfunction coming from the Capitol and spend some time in the great outdoors, these knock-down, drag-out fights start to fall apart at the seams. You find out that the neighbors you disagree with usually want the same things you do. And that’s why the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act is so special: it br...
SEELEY LAKE – If you have been out on the lake this summer or plan to hunt this fall, chances are you will have the opportunity to meet the new game warden for the Seeley Lake area. Jake Barzen started as the new game warden in early July following Bill Koppen's retirement last year. Barzen looks forward to getting to know people in the community and working to protect the exceptional resources in the area. "I want folks to be comfortable talking to me so everyone can take part in protecting o...
SWAN VALLEY - Flathead National Forest firefighters are working on suppressing a fire in a remote area of the Swan Mountain Range. The Lion Creek Fire was reported Tuesday, Aug. 11, burning in heavy fuels on steep slopes. The lightning caused fire was 110 acres as of Monday, Aug. 17. With the hotter, drier weather, fire managers expect to see more active fire behavior in the coming days. The fire is burning approximately one mile outside the Bob Marshall Wilderness and four miles from other land ownership (DNRC). At 10:50 a.m. Aug. 11, a...
Directions: Drive north on Highway 83 approximately 28 miles from Seeley Lake, or two miles south of Condon (mile marker 39). Turn east onto Rumble Creek Road. Follow the road four miles to the parking area, just past the Cooney Lookout. Elevation: 5,633 foot gain (9,356 total) Distance: Five miles to the peak Difficulty: Advanced Disclaimer: This trail is not a US Forest Service trail and some sections of the trail can change or become hazardous. The hike Holland Peak is truly a must hike for...
SEELEY LAKE - Construction for the Smokes Cabin bridge replacement project will begin at the end of July and last through Sept. 1. The Smokes Cabin bridge crosses the North Fork of the Blackfoot River via Hobnail Tom Trail #32 at milepost 3.1. The current bridge has reached its appropriate lifespan and needs to be updated. During construction, the bridge crossing will be closed for public safety. The District’s goal is to complete the project ahead of the majority of hunting season. Trail #32 will remain open for use. Outfitters and the g...
KALISPELL – USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen recently honored The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, the nonprofit partner that coordinates with the Forest Service in stewardship of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, with the Chief’s 2019 “Enduring Service” award. In total, more than 73 nominations in five categories were considered nationally for the 2019 USDA Forest Service Volunteer and Service Award that recognizes public contributions to citizen stewardship & partnerships, cultural diversity, enduring service, and leaders...
SEELEY LAKE – Multiple bridge and culvert replacement projects are in progress or scheduled to begin within the next 2-3 weeks on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. Temporary road closures will be in place for public safety due to heavy machinery operations and temporarily impassable road segments in the project areas. “We thank the public for their patience and understanding as we work on these critical repairs,” said Quinn Carver, Seeley Lake District Ranger. “These repairs will ensure recreational access and long-term road integrity as well...
A Bozeman man who landed a helicopter in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in May has paid the maximum $500 fine, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said June 16. Samuel L. Schwerin, 48, of Bozeman, received the notice for the violation, a federal misdemeanor, after landing a helicopter on the South Fork of the Flathead River in the Bob Marshall Wilderness on May 16. The U.S. Forest Service investigated the incident after receiving a report on May 19 by a person traveling on horseback and who saw a helicopter parked on a gravel bar on the South Fork of the...
The “Hungry Horse News” reported that, “Two horsemen on a recent trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness said they found something they never expected: A couple fishing on a sandbar of the South Fork of the Flathead after allegedly landing a helicopter there.” https://hungryhorsenews.com/news/2020/may/28/forest-service-investigating-helicopter-10/ It was May 16, the opening day of fishing season. The owner of the helicopter Sara Schwerin is a former NYC banking executive now living in Montana. When questioned by the horsemen “what makes you...
SWAN VALLEY - Leonard was born in Pablo, Mont. May 29, 1926 to the parents of George and Fern Moore. He was the the oldest of three siblings. He had a long and adventurous life in the Big Sky country. He grew up in the Flathead, Blackfoot and the Swan Valleys. On Dec. 11, 1943 at the age of 17, he married Ethel Minster. In 1944, he took his new bride and a team of geologists, via horseback, into the Bob Marshall Wilderness where they spent their summer. He would transport rock samples out and...
KALISPELL – Professional working artists from various disciplines, media and styles are invited to apply the Artist Wilderness Connection, an artist-in-residence program where artists stay in remote forest cabins for one to two weeks to create art. Applications are due Feb. 25. Artists will be notified by March 27. A collaborative project managed by Flathead National Forest, Hockaday Museum of Art, Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation and Swan Valley Connections, the Artist Wilderness Connection is now in its 17th year. Two artists will be s...
SWAN VALLEY - In Montana's Swan Valley, grizzly bears, wolverine, moose and wolves cross the roads and backyards that lie between mountain ranges. Separating the Mission Mountains and the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the rural valley is both a crucial wildlife corridor and a blueprint for collaborative conservation. Two hundred acres in the heart of the Swan are now protected forever as open space and habitat after The Vital Ground Foundation completed a conservation easement with the Quinn Family o...
SWAN VALLEY - Many of us will gather with extended family or friends over the Christmas holiday to share gifts and good will. It seems the way we celebrate Christmas is rooted in Christmas past. A review of the yuletide traditions and events of yesteryear reveal a simple lifestyle of the residents of the region. Over 100 years ago in 1907 Joseph J. Waldbillig and Ethel Lynn were about to exchange wedding vows on Christmas Eve at the Lynn home near Ovando when an unexpected turn of events caused...
PLEASANTON, CALIF. – Frank Bonde passed away peacefully at the age of 90 with his daughters at his side. Frank was born and raised in Pleasanton, California by his parents Hans and Nina Bonde, alongside his brother Hannie. As part of a farming family, he learned the importance of hard work and instilled these values in all that knew him. He served in the Army during WWII. Later, his interest in farming and construction equipment led him to have a long career with Peterson Tractor Company, w...
