Category Archives: Around the Bozone

Around the Bozone

Between the Leaves

by Jack Taylor

When I first landed in Bozeman, I had boundless ambition to get out and explore, but no idea where to go. The immense volume of trails, hills, and mountains had my head spinning—how could I choose from so many options? To get a better lay of the land, I took up a job with Bozeman Parks & Recreation as a camp counselor, and learned an invaluable lesson: one doesn’t even need to leave Bozeman’s city limits to have an awesome adventure.

Bozeman’s Parks & Recreation department manages 77 parks and 67 miles of trails spanning 900 acres within city limits. You could spend years exploring these spaces and still make new discoveries every day, from the vibrant flowers of Langhor Gardens to the riffled streams of Story Mill Park and the beautiful winding trails linking it all together. With a dozen amped-up, curious kids in tow, I set off on a new journey every day. It wasn’t about logging miles or bagging peaks; it was about how much we could discover just by looking around. We built stick forts in the woods of Glen Lake Park, caught bluegill from the shores of Bozeman Pond, told ghost stories in the rain at Lindley Pavilion, and scaled climbing boulders all across town. I still go back to these places and let my imagination wander—it’s a way to relax, reflect, and draw inspiration, even if I just have an hour or less to get outside on a busy day.

In addition to self-led discovery of Bozeman’s outdoor spaces, Parks & Rec offers year-round activity programs for adults and kids alike. You can learn to swing dance or jam with musicians at Story Mansion, join organized leagues for badminton and pickleball, learn new skills like archery and ice skating, and even take free avalanche-awareness classes. Many Parks & Rec facilities are rentable and make great locations for birthday parties, family functions, cult meetings—whatever you’re into. As a bonus, the rental fees are reduced for Bozeman residents.

You can learn more about what Bozeman’s parks have to offer at bozeman.net/parks. Here, you’ll find a detailed, interactive map of all the city parks and trails maintained by the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. But take my word for it: the real joy comes in exploring these spaces with little direction or agenda. Ditch your phone and leave the fancy gear at home. Ride your bike or take a stroll and you’re bound to stumble on a park or trail before too long, and here, your Bozeman adventure begins.

Around the Bozone

Road Code

by Eli Fournier

Unlike other customs and etiquette around Montana, driving dirt roads is somewhat subjective and situationally-dependent. There are times when it’s okay to rally a dirt road like a redneck racecar driver, and times when it isn’t. Use the following as a guide to assess the situation and determine the proper dirt-road behavior.

Waving
Acceptable: Practice a one- or two-finger wave, and flash it over the steering wheel at other drivers who are also observing proper dirt-road etiquette.

Unacceptable: Not waving back at another driver, or flipping someone off for some minor infraction. Like the rest, use your judgement—appropriate etiquette can change depending on the situation.

Speed
Acceptable: What the hell else are dirt roads for? Letting ‘er rip on a straightaway comes naturally, so long as there’s a clear line of sight and no houses on either side.

Unacceptable: Forcing other cars off the road, cutting blind corners, and in general being oblivious or indifferent to the effect on others.

Mud
Acceptable: It’s pretty damn fun to slide around a bit on muddy roads—especially at the end of a spring or fall day when things have melted out and it’s a necessary evil to getting home.

Unacceptable: Intentionally ripping up wet, muddy roads, gouging out tracks and leaving ruts just for the sport of it.

Dust
Acceptable: If it’s hot and dry, you’re gonna dust people—no two ways about it. But use discretion and slow down, especially when passing houses, pedestrians, and bikers.

Unacceptable: Flying past bikers or hikers, leaving them blinded and choking on mouthfuls of tangy dust.

Hunting
Acceptable: Scouting for game from the road is a great, effective tactic, but don’t stop in the middle of the road to glass. Pull off to the side so other vehicles can get past.

Unacceptable: Shooting animals from the car or on the road. Step completely out of the road easement (generally, 30 feet from the centerline) before even thinking about loading the gun.

Roadies
Acceptable: Cracking a cold one when you turn off the highway or are heading home from hunting camp. Keep ’er in check, in control, and out of the ditch.

Unacceptable: Slamming a six-pack, tossing the cans out the window, and endangering other road users.

Activities, Around the Bozone

Sliding High

by the editors

Of all the outdoor activities available around Bozeman, downhill skiing is among the most celebrated. When that first dusting of snow comes in late fall, the upcoming ski season becomes the talk of the town. People come from all over the country to ski our famous cold smoke—fine, dry powder that stacks up by the hundreds of inches. It takes a hardy soul to get outside in the dead of winter here, but a fun day on the slopes with good friends makes it a whole lot easier. So whether you’re a lifelong skiing addict or a magic-carpet-riding neophyte, you’ve come to the right place.

Where to Go
Look around you—there are mountains in every direction, and every range offers good skiing. You’ve probably heard of Bridger Bowl and Big Sky Resort, and you can spark debate at any bar by asking which mountain is better. Go find out for yourself.

Outside of Bozeman’s immediate area are plenty of mom-and-pop hills to put on the list, most of which offer cheaper lift passes than Bridger, let alone Big Sky (got an extra $200, anyone?) Discovery, outside of Butte, is a great weekend trip with terrain for all levels. Other noteworthy ski areas are Maverick near Dillon and Red Lodge Mountain west of, yes, Red Lodge. Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole are also three hours away for those looking for a slightly longer road-trip. And don’t forget Showdown, the laid-back hill near White Sulphur Springs.

Backcountry adventures are near-limitless around here, and we’ll leave it to you to discover the hidden gems. But if you’re just getting started, check out Lick Creek, Goose Creek, or Telemark Meadows (full route descriptions can be found at outsidebozeman.com). All of these places have low avalanche danger and will let you get dialed in with your equipment before delving into snow science and risk assessment.

Essential Gear
There are no two ways about it: skiing is gear-intensive and it can be expensive to get started. Our local retail shops are top-notch, though, and several big sales happen throughout the year. And because Bozeman has so many skiers, there’s always a huge used market, too. Every fall, Bridger Ski Foundation hosts a ski-swap that draws in thousands of folks to buy and sell gear. If you miss the swap, you’ll still find plenty of offerings on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and secondhand stores around town.

So what exactly do you need? Of course, skis, bindings, and boots are the foundation. Skis come in all different shapes and sizes, and have changed a lot over the past 20 years. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, aim for a pair of skis about the same height as you are, and around 90-100mm wide underfoot. Don’t buy some old clunkers that your friend’s dad grew up skiing on; they’ll be much harder to learn on than modern skis. Look harder for something newer—they’re out there. If you’re buying used, the skis will likely already have bindings on them. If you’re buying new, take the shop’s advice on bindings.

Boots are the most important—and most oft-overlooked—part of the ski setup. They’ll make or break your skiing experience. Poor-fitting boots are the most common reason why new skiers don’t stick with the sport, but a good fit will keep you comfortable all day long. Ski boots come in many different shapes, and what fits one skier perfectly could be disastrous for another, so don’t buy boots based on recommendations or reviews. There’s no substitute for a professional boot-fit at a shop.

If you’re interested in backcountry skiing, things get a bit more complicated. First off, there are many more nuanced options for backcountry bindings compared with the generally-universal models for pure downhill skiing. Many folks are tempted by heavier, more-secure touring bindings that mimic the safety mechanisms of downhill bindings, but keep in mind that the extra weight is going to tire you out in the skintrack. If it’s your first pair, go for something middle-of-the-road.

The same pattern goes for backcountry boots. Heavier boots offer better downhill performance, but lighter boots—often built with a smoother walk-mode—will take less effort when skinning. A good boot-fitter will point you in the right direction.

Touring skins come in lots of varieties these days. Skins designed for SkiMo racing are the lightest and most compact, and are usually cheaper than other models due to their minimalist design. These skins will also glide the most efficiently—again, saving you energy. You can opt for bigger skins with more grip, but as your technique improves, you won’t need it.

You’ll also need a beacon, shovel, and probe for venturing into the backcountry—and some training to learn how to use them. There are avalanche-safety courses offered all winter long around here—consider the course tuition just as important as any gear purchase. And last but not least, don’t forget your helmet!

Etiquette
For better or worse, skiing has a myriad of unwritten (and some written) rules. Some are arcane, but others are worth keeping in mind to ensure you don’t piss anyone off—or worse, put yourself in danger. First and foremost, remember that we’re all out there to have a good time. Keep a positive attitude, gab with strangers, and don’t hesitate to whoop and holler from the chairlift. Ski areas have a universal “responsibility code,” which many a skier, beginner and experienced, would benefit from studying up on. Know the code and it’ll be smooth sailing at the resort.

The backcountry has its own etiquette. Within your group, make sure that everyone’s voice is heard when making decisions. You’ll learn how to render informed judgements in an avalanche class, but a less-experienced person’s opinion is no necessarily less valuable. Keep your group size small—four or fewer is ideal, not only to ease decision-making, but also to lessen your impact on other groups. People are out there to experience nature, and no one wants to reach a hard-earned summit to find 10 other people hanging out. In a similar vein, give folks plenty of space. If another group is getting ready to ski an untracked line, don’t cut in front of them. A few other pointers: don’t pee or let your dog pee (or, God forbid, defecate) in the skintrack, don’t boot-pack up the skintrack (leaving annoying pockmarks for those behind you), and make sure to let people pass if they’re skinning faster than you.

Events
Bozeman loves skiing. Here are some popular events to prove it.

November
Ski Swap – Bozeman. Out with the old, in with the new(ish). If you’re new to skiing, don’t miss this. Bridger Ski Foundation’s annual swap at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds offers huge discounts on quality gear. Drop your old gear off the day before. bridgerskifoundation.org

November
Opening Day – Big Sky. 36 lifts, 4,350 feet of elevation, and 5,800 acres to play on. Have at it. bigskyresort.com

December
Projected Opening Day – Bridger Bowl. Weather permitting, chairs will start spinning for another season of winter fun at Bridger Bowl. Whether you’re first in line or last to leave, opening day is always a party. bridgerbowl.com

 January
Community GS Racing – Bridger Bowl. See how you stack up against the rest of the local crowd in this series of two-run GS races. Categories for ski, snowboard, and telemark. bridgerbowl.com

February
King & Queen of the Ridge – Bridger Bowl. Think you have what it takes to hike the Ridge more times than anyone else? Give it your best shot at this annual fundraiser for the Avalanche Center. bridgerbowl.com

Editor’s note: dates are subject to change. For the most updated information, visit outsidebozeman.com/events.

Activities, Around the Bozone, Outdoors

Skinny Skis

by Jenny White

Bozeman’s Nordic opportunities.

No one cares if you call it cross-country or Nordic skiing, but in these parts, once the snow flies, skinny skis become as commonplace as running shoes. Bozeman’s Nordic scene has a national reputation, and while you’ll likely see both former and aspiring Olympians and Paralympians on the trails, our tracks are filled with people of all ages and abilities. The motto here is to “keep the people skiing.”

In-town trails make it easy to sneak a ski into a busy day, even in the dark, and a short drive will bring you to dozens of mountainous experiences.

For newbies: rejoice that cross-country skiing has a relatively low cost to entry, made even better by free access on many of the local trails and the nonprofit status held by all of Bozeman’s ski organizations. Plus, it is a relatively easy learning curve, even if you’ve never been on skis. The best part: you can shuffle down the trail at an easy walking pace or you can speed it up for a full-body cardio workout.

Where to Go

The Bridger Ski Foundation (BSF) grooms more than 70 km of community Nordic trails in and around Bozeman that are free and open to the public (but the Bozeman way is to buy a voluntary trail pass from BSF in order to keep their donor-funded groomers running).

In town, BSF has a new snowmaking system on nearly 5 km at Sunset Hills, next to the hospital. Cross the road for nearly 10 km of rolling terrain at Highland Glen.

Beginners often seek out the flatter trails of the Bridger Creek Golf Course, Gallatin Regional Park, or a 1 km loop on the MSU campus.

Just outside of town, Sourdough Canyon is a mecca for skiers, dog walkers, and runners. While the lower miles are often a circus requiring excellent patience, those with endurance can find solitude and miles of groomed trail going all the way to Mystic Lake (20 miles round-trip) and the Moser pass. Hyalite boasts a massive network of both groomed and ungroomed trails, with the loops at the Blackmore trailhead being a favorite place to begin.

Up Bridger Canyon, a day (or season) pass grants you access to Crosscut Mountain Sports Center’s stunning 50 km of cross-country trails, including wide groomers and narrow-gauge trails. You can also explore dozens of ungroomed trails and Forest Service roads around Bozeman.

For those willing to drive longer, the options unfold. Go west on I-90 for trails at Homestake Lodge where you can find more than 35 groomed trails offering majestic views of the Tobacco Roots. Or, head south toward Big Sky for a day at Lone Mountain Ranch’s extensive network. Keep going to West Yellowstone to experience the Rendezvous Ski Trails, which attract skiers from across the country starting in November for early-season skiing. If you’re in the area, make sure to stop in at FreeHeel and Wheel, a top-notch ski shop that can service all of your Nordic needs and more.

If you’ve made it that far, we should mention that the Nordic skiing in Yellowstone National Park is spectacular. You can also enter the Park from the north via Gardiner and ski a groomed loop around the Mammoth Hot Springs terraces for some otherworldly scenery. Also in the area is the esteemed B Bar Ranch. Here, discover an intimate adventure—ski for the day and bed down for the night.

Come spring, there’s a little-known phenomenon called “crust cruising,” in which skate skiers set off across the cold-hardened, sun-crusted snowscape and cruise without a trail, often into remote areas. (The trick, of course, is to go early, so as not to get caught four miles from your car when the snow gets soft and you start to sink in.) Fawn Pass is a popular crust-cruising destination.

You’ll find many types of ski trails around here—some for skiers only, some that allow dogs, and some that allow multiple kinds of trail users. In Yellowstone Park, that may mean you’ll share the trail with a few post-holing bison. Know what kind of trail you’re on and the rules (and safety measures) for that location.

Learning

Good technique makes Nordic skiing infinitely easier and a whole lot more fun. You can find instruction (from a few hours to winter-long sessions) with several local groups: MSU Outdoor Recreation, Bridger Ski Foundation (BSF), Crosscut Mountain Sports Center, Montana Endurance Academy, Big Sky Ski Education Foundation, and Lone Mountain Ranch. If you want to combine shooting guns and skiing (a.k.a., biathlon), check out Crosscut’s biathlon programs.

Essential Gear

The most complicated thing about Nordic skiing is the equipment lingo. Sure, you only need boots, poles, and skis, but there are binding-compatibility issues, different ski types, and some confusing terms along the way. Lean on our local ski-shop staff to help you.

There are two types of Nordic skiing techniques; each involves a slightly different boot and ski. Most beginners start with classic skiing, which is a walking or running motion. Your skis either have scales or a grippy wax on the bottom giving you the ability to “kick” yourself forward. (This is your best option if you want to keep it mellow or explore ungroomed trails.) Some classic skis are designed mainly for groomed trails while other classic skis are wider, sometimes with metal edges, and best for ungroomed trails. Then there’s skate skiing, which uses the same motion as hockey skating. It’s faster, a bit addicting once you learn, and a great way to discover your max heart rate. You need groomed trails (or crust) to skate.

MSU Outdoor Recreation lends and rents skis to students. Arcs Ski and Bike is a great place to stop in town for gear and tunes. They specialize in high-end, race-ready equipment but can provide something for everyone looking to get out on the trail. The general public can rent or buy at Bangtail Ski & Bike, Chalet Sports, and Roundhouse Sports. Both Crosscut and Lone Mountain Ranch offer rentals at their ski centers. Used gear is also a great option. Shop the BSF Ski Swap on the first weekend of November for thousands of items, as well as Play It Again Sports and Second Wind.

For clothing, dress in layers. While the clothing you might wear on a winter run is mostly appropriate, temps drop quickly and windproof layers are your savior (especially on the downhills). If you’re headed out for a longer or more remote route, add proper safety equipment: food, water, warmer layers, a navigation device, and other backcountry essentials.

Etiquette
When using groomed trails, treat those corduroy surfaces as sacred snow that needs to be preserved: Keep footprints out of the trail (unless the trail allows foot traffic) and don’t track in mud. Around here, we use the Ski Kind principles (detailed below). It doesn’t matter who is speeding along, shuffling, or just learning to stay upright, sharing the trail is key.

Ski No Trace

Leave only tracks. Don’t leave poop (yours or your pup’s) or trash near the trail.

Ski Gracious
Share the trail with all speeds and abilities. Yield, slow down, and give a friendly hello to make everyone feel welcome.

Ski Aware
Know what type of trail you’re skiing and the rules for that location. Be aware of terrain, grooming equipment, and other trail users.

Ski Kind
Bring your best self to the trail and spread the joy of skiing. Share your knowledge and help others.

Ski Supportive
Give back to the trails you ski. Volunteer. Donate to local trail organizations, clubs, and groomers. The trails don’t groom themselves, someone has to do the work to make sure the roads are plowed and things are ready for the season. If you’re looking to give back, Friends of Hyalite is a great place to start.

Ski Safe
Technically, downhill skiers have the right of way, but they still need to think of other trail users as yield signs and slow down. Before you pass others, slow down and announce yourself. Give space. Use extra caution on blind corners and downhills.

Literature
The Last Best Ski MT offers a beautifully illustrated and informative look into the nearby skiing options. The book is only half the fun as videos and interviews can be found at the many QR codes throughout the book.

Events
You needn’t be an advanced skier or a speed demon to jump into the local scene around here. Here are a few of our favorite events.

Ongoing
Biathlon Races – Crosscut. Our backyard Nordic center hosts a series of fun community biathlon races throughout the winter. crosscutmt.org.

FUNSKI Community Series – Various locations. BSF hosts one race per month during the winter, usually on weeknights. Themes range from a Santa chase to a lively two-person relay. Costumes encouraged. bridgerskifoundation.org.

Clinics – Bozeman. BSF offers Nordic ski clinics throughout the winter, providing an easy way to drop in and learn a few ski tips. bridgerskifoundation.org.

January
Hyalite Tour – Hyalite. This isn’t a race, just a great day to go ski the trails in Hyalite with friends and finish with free food & hot cocoa. Pick your distance and trail. hyalite.org.

Snoflinga – Butte. This festive three-day event hosts free skiing and and snowshoe lessons along with a plethora of other activities. Sign up here.

Women’s Skate Clinic – Homestake Lodge. Incredible coaches and a fun atmosphere. Need we say more? homestakelodge.com/events.

February
Montana Cup Race, Homestake Hustle – Homestake Lodge. homestakelodge.com/events.

March
Yellowstone Rendezvous – West Yellowstone. A good portion of Bozeman heads to West Yellowstone each March for the final races of the season with a 2k, 5k, 10k, 25k, and 50k. skirunbikemt.com.

Around the Bozone

Sound & Fury

CopperCityJumping-AshleyDunneby Adam Brown

Classic music & recreation combos.

Here in Montana, we take a few things pretty seriously. Among them are music and outdoor recreation, along with rodeos, dancing, and getting dirty outside. Even better is when we can combine them all into a day’s worth of fun and adventure. Coincidentally, it just so happens that some of the best music events happen right next to some of the best recreation in the region. Here are a few combo ideas to get the juices flowing.

Bridger Brewing, Three Forks
This is one of the area’s newest music venues, and they’ve started out strong by bringing some great shows to the region. They have an outdoor stage where talent comes, big and small, to perform with the Bridger Mountains as the stage backdrop. They also bring bands indoors all year long so you can catch local music with pub fare and a pint in winter. Beforehand, hike at Headwaters State Park, bike Copper City, or fish the Madison.

Music on Main
This is a summertime staple. Put on by the Downtown Bozeman Association, it marks the time when summer is in full force. Energy levels are high and the town is buzzing. The downtown strip closes for the evening and a stage is erected right on Bozeman Ave. Shows happen every Thursday. Before catching some tunes, consider biking Leverich, fishing the East Gallatin, or climbing in Bear Canyon.

Music in the Mountains
Another must-see during the summer season, these events are put on by the Arts Council of Big Sky. Every Thursday throughout the season, folks fill the park in the middle of Big Sky’s Town Center to dance and groove. Before the show, hike to Ousel Falls, fish the Gallatin, or bike the Mountain to Meadow trail, which ends pretty much right at the stage.

PineCreekLodgeConcert-3

Pine Creek
Pine Creek is one of the coolest venues in the area. Located in Paradise Valley, the stage is set back at the base of the Absarokas and is surrounded by woods. It’s truly a magical place, and manages to book some world-class acts. While in the area, take a whole day to fish and float the Yellowstone, climb at Allenspur, or bike Trail Creek.

Gravel Bar & Willie’s Distillery
There’s almost always something going on around the block over in Ennis. It’s a great way to mix things up and do new things, like fishing the upper Madison, soaking in Norris Hot Springs, or swimming in Ennis Lake. Burgers at the “G-Bar” are pretty dang good, too. Afterward, enjoy the bands and solo acts that grace these and other establishments several nights a week.

The Rialto / The Elm / Live from the Divide / Filling Station
When you’re looking for a chill evening in town, look toward these musical hotspots, year-round. Pair them with some outdoor excursions such as skiing Bridger Bowl, biking the Bangtail Divide, swimming in Fairy Lake, or hiking Mount Baldy. It’s tough to go wrong, even right here in town!

Around the Bozone

An Outdoor Affair

CampingCouple-MimiMatsudaby Eli Fournier

The top ten outdoor dates near Bozeman.

Ever meet a first date for dinner at 7pm, only to find yourself cooped up indoors at some generic watering hole, surrounded by other people, with someone you quickly realize you don’t even like? Fortunately, in Bozeman, there’s a plethora of other options and things to do outside—so even if you don’t hit it off, the date isn’t a waste of an evening. Here’s our list of ten great spots for an outdoor date.

Peets Hill: There aren’t many better spots to watch a sunset than on a bench overlooking Bozeman and the entire Gallatin Valley. Best part is, your house ain’t far away if you want to take things further than a walk in the park.

Driving Dirt Roads: Get lost, crack some beers, fold the seats down… maybe even let ‘em take the wheel. You’ll want good suspension—for multiple reasons.

Shakespeare in the Parks: Grab a blanket, some snacks & beverages, and settle down with your Romeo or Juliet for an evening of comic, or dramatic, relief. You can find these shows in hamlets (ha) all across Montana.

Hyalite Reservoir: Head up the canyon for an afternoon of hiking, paddleboarding, and picnicking. If things go well, you can even hop in the lake for a skinny dip.

Yellowstone Park Tour: Take a day trip to the Lamar Valley for some quality animal- and people-watching, which also makes a great IQ & compatibility check. E.g., when your date sees a bear, does he stop in the middle of the road and block traffic like an idiot? Does she take photos of coyotes, or selfies 20 feet from a bison?

Lewis & Clark Caverns Tour: Recreation’s great, but geology and history are cool, too. The caverns are dark, with many nooks and crannies to sneak away for a quick smooch.

Bozeman Pass: A nice walk from the Trail Creek parking lot to the climbing area provides plenty of time to shoot the breeze. Can his soft computer hands handle the limestone? And how deft are they—on the rock or elsewhere?

Big Timber Rodeo: Does your date dress like an obvious urban cowboy or cowgirl? Does she complain when the only drink options are Coors Light and boxed wine? Does he know how to swing dance? These are all make-it-or-break-its ’round here.

Brackett Creek: For some alone time in the woods, head to Brackett Creek for a winter Nordic ski. Does your date get cold easily? How does he perform when out of his comfort zone? These can be telltale signs of how things will work out.

Lower Madison: There aren’t many legal ways to get your date drunk and partially naked faster than a booze cruise on the Lower Madison. Put in at Warm Springs, and by the time you take out at Black’s Ford, you might know his or her darkest secrets—and kinks, for that matter.

Around the Bozone

Code of the West

by Courtney King

Many folks are moving to Montana through a great migration from cities and areas that are experiencing wildfires, riots, and hurricanes. If you are among the newbies, welcome—and help us preserve our Montana lifestyle through the Code of the West.

The Code of the West is a set of informal laws that originally shaped the cowboy culture of the Old West, and is still active today. What are these unwritten rules, and why are they important? If you come from a bigger city where it’s more acceptable not to speak to strangers and keep to yourself, know that it’s basically the complete opposite here. If you come from California and wonder why you feel shunned all of a sudden, there’s a backstory to this behavior. Previous newcomers tried to bring Californian ways to Montana that simply were not well-received.

The pioneers of the West, agree with them or not, paved the way to civilization using laws of the land. While things have changed with the times, in Bozeman we stay true to the best of those values. Statutory morals centered on hospitality, fair play, loyalty, and respect for the land and each other. We treat others as we want to be treated, and we still hold the contract of a gentleman’s agreement to a high standard. Most folks still consider a handshake a contract.

The Code’s implications can be as simple as waving to a passerby driving down your road, to striking up a brief conversation with someone out on the trail. Montana is not a hurried lifestyle; take your time and enjoy it. If you’re coming from out of state, embrace your new different life.

Back in the day, anyone who broke the Code became a social outcast. Here is a brief list still applicable today as it was back then—if not in the literal sense, at least in the figurative.

  • Don’t inquire into a person’s past. Take the measure of a man for what he is today.
  • Don’t ask a rancher how many cattle she has; that’s like asking how much money she has in the bank.
  • Close the gate when you open it.
  • Say howdy to folks on the trail (and pick up your dog’s indiscretions).
  • Never order anything weaker than whiskey.
  • Always fill your whiskey glass to the brim.
  • Do not practice ingratitude.
  • A cowboy always helps someone in need, even a stranger or an enemy.
  • Real cowboys are modest. A braggart who is “all gurgle and no guts” is not tolerated.
  • Respect the land and the environment by not smoking in hazardous fire areas, and not disfiguring rocks, trees, or other natural areas.
  • Honesty is absolute—your word is your bond; a handshake is more binding than a contract.
Around the Bozone

Idiom Index

Welcome to Montana—as you’ve probably noticed, there’s some lingo getting thrown around that you might not have heard before. Study this cheat-sheet to familiarize yourself with a few common terms & phrases, along with likely scenarios, before making a fool of yourself out there on the streets of Bozeman.

Road soda (a.k.a., roadie)
It’s Friday afternoon, you’re done with midterms or a big project at work, and it’s time to head out for a long weekend in the mountains. “Hey, pass me a roadie, would ya?”

Tag soup
You’re sitting around the dinner table, choking down the cheapest ground beef you could find at T&C, explaining to friends that you came home empty-handed from a hunting trip. “Tough conditions out there; we ate tag soup.”

No friends on a powder day
Your ski buddies stop at a flat spot to regroup and declare how great the day is. You come flying by, blasting them with snow, carving turns across the untracked meadow they were all admiring. “No friends on a power day, suckers!”

Cowboy (or cowgirl) up
Your friend’s being a ninny: “Wow, that’s a lot of whitewater! House Rock looks pretty scary. It never feels that big from the road. What if I flip?” “Aw, put on your PFD and cowboy up already.”

Whiskey ditch
You’ve got an exam tomorrow and need to slow down, but can’t leave the bar yet ’cause there’s a really hot guy who keeps checking you out. “Bartender, I’ll take a whiskey ditch.”

Ain’t my first rodeo
As you inspect your flat mountain-bike tire, blown halfway up Leverich, your new riding partner comes in hot with a patch kit and unsolicited instructions. “Easy, tiger. I got this. It ain’t my first rodeo.”

Crick (as opposed to “creek”)
You’re chatting with a rancher about hunting his place and where to leave your truck. “Should I park over there by the crick?”

Bikini hatch
Your friends want to fish the lower Madison on a blazing hot Saturday afternoon. “Are you kidding me? The bikini hatch will be full swing. You’re more likely to hook a tuber than a brown.”

You don’t have to outrun a griz, just your friends
Your friend from Wisconsin is a little worried about going backpacking in the Madison Range; she heard about all the bears in those mountains, and how fast they are. “It’ll be fine! Just remember, you don’t have to outrun a griz, just your friends.”

I’ll never leave Montana, brother
You’re a recent engineering graduate, still living on ramen and Coors Light. Your friend asks, “Where are you gonna go now, to make a pile of money?” “I’ll never leave Montana, brother.”