Clips

Valentine’s Day. A time of romance and intimacy. A time to reconnect with your partner and remember why you fell in love. Unless you have kids; then it becomes a time of cutting hearts out of construction paper, managing candy overload and madly labeling little cards for every child in your child’s class.

Maybe this is the year where you get away for a night with your partner. Has it been so long that you don’t know what to do? Here are a couple ideas for a romantic February getaway.

For the history buff
Garnet Ghost Town is one of Montana’s premier ghost towns. It was named after the gemstone because of the garnet rock outcrops in the area, but it was gold, copper and silver that brought the miners who established the town.

Rent one of the wood-heated log cabins ($30/night) and spend a night among the ghosts. It’s a three or four-mile ski or snowmobile ride to Garnet (depending on the route you choose) and there are 116 miles of ski and snowmobile trails to play on once you get there. There is no electricity or indoor plumbing, but there is a propane stove to cook on. Find out more at garnetghosttown.net.

For the romantic
Dashing through the snow, under a sky filled with stars, snuggled under a blanket—sounds perfect, doesn’t it? The 320 Ranch in Gallatin Canyon offers a “Winter Wonderland” package ($200/two people) that includes a sleigh ride, dinner at their steakhouse and a night’s lodging for two.

The hour-long sleigh ride follows the Gallatin River to a warming tent and bonfire. Rides that begin at 5:30 or 7:30 p.m., known as the appetizer rides, include chili, cheese and crackers and hot drinks. The 9:00 p.m. dessert ride is the same except hot cobbler replaces the chili. Have dinner before or after the ride. The horses usually get Sundays off, but this year they are working on Valentine’s Day. Slide over to 320ranch.com for more information.

Montana Parent
February 2010

My husband and I secure our children in the sled and strap on our snowshoes. Another sled, still empty, trails behind the boys. Henry slips the sled rope around his waist and plays sled dog, pulling the boys over the snow-covered road.

A trip into snowy woods to cut down a Christmas tree has become a tradition in our family. Choosing a place, digging the sleds out of the shed, packing the hot cocoa and peanut butter and banana sandwiches, donning scarves and hats—it’s all part of the ritual that reminds us that the holiday season is here.

While you can buy a tree at a lot, venturing into the woods for a fir or a spruce can be a rewarding way to spend a December day together. And the best part? You always come home with a prize.

If you choose to embark on a cut-your-own-tree adventure, here’s what you need to know.

• Get a permit from the Forest Service or Owenhouse Ace Hardware in Bozeman, Lee & Dad’s Grocery in Belgrade, and Gateway Exxon Market in Gallatin Gateway. They’re $5 and available in Nov. and Dec. You are limited to two trees per household. Find a District Office near you at www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/?page=contactus/offices
• Trees can be cut from anywhere on the National Forest except at campgrounds, trailheads or in plantations.
• Know how tall you want your tree to be before you go. In the forest, there isn’t a good reference point for height, so even a ten-foot tall tree looks short. We know that we want a tree about as tall as my husband.
• Choose a location that is open. Trees growing in groves often shed their lower branches; trees growing in the open have a more traditional Christmas tree shape. Ask Forest Service staff to suggest a meadow or clearing the distance from a trailhead that you want to hike or ski.
• Cut the tree 12 inches or less above the ground level. Remove snow around tree base if needed. Cut off live limbs remaining on the stump. You can always cut more off the bottom if needed; it’s poor tree-cutting etiquette to leave a tall stump.
• Use a tarp or sled to pull the tree back to your vehicle.
• When you get your tree home, make a fresh cut on the butt to open up the pores that have been clogged by sap. Cut off at least one-half inch. The fresh-cut surface should be creamy-white, not yellow or brown. If you do not make a fresh cut, the tree will not be able to drink water. Put the tree in water as soon as possible.
• Decorate and water daily to keep your tree fresh.

Montana Parent
December 2009

By the time December rolls around I’m ready to don my cross-country skis and head out into the snowy woods. There may or may not be enough snow around Bozeman for Nordic skiing, but luckily you can always count on plenty of powder in West Yellowstone.

There are lots of ski trails around West Yellowstone but one of my family’s favorites is the Riverside Trail. Actually two loop trails, the Riverside Trails are easy enough for a beginner skier, but scenic enough for anyone. Another bonus is they are often partially groomed and you an easily pull a ski trailer with your little one. (There are a couple short, steep hills, but they are walkable.)

The trails start on the east side of Boundary Street between Yellowstone and Madison Avenues. Look for the trail sign through a gap in the snowbank.
From the trailhead ski east along the power line. At 1 mile you’ll reach a junction.

Downriver Loop: Veer left and head down the hill toward the river. At 1.25 miles from the junction look for a sign that reads “Cutoff”. By turning left here, you’ll have a nice hill to practice Telemark turns or a shortcut to the west section of the trail. If you ski past the cutoff, continue for 1.3 miles until the trail loops back to the top of the hill. Watch for the orange markers on the trees. It is 1 more mile to the Access Trail.

Upriver Loop: Ski to the right on the road briefly, looking for the trail through the trees on the left. Wind through lodgepoles on a bench above the river. At about 0.5 miles drop down a steep 60 yards. In another 0.3 miles you’ll reach the Madison River. Follow the river downstream to the end of the loop and a mellow climb back to the bench.

The two loops can be combined into a 7.3-mile bigger loop (including the Access Trail).

After skiing drop by Wild West Pizzeria to warm up with pizza and beverages.

What you need to know before you go:
Check in at Free Heel and Wheel, 40 Yellowstone Ave., 406.646.7744, www.freeheelandwheel.com for more information or to rent skis.
Wild West Pizzeria, 14 Madison Ave., 406.646.4400, www.wildwestpizza.com

Montana Parent
December 08

Summer makes me want to hit the road, and one of my favorite things to do is explore Montana. Red Lodge is just a few hours from Bozeman, so it makes a perfect overnight getaway.

Day 1: Drive: Take the scenic drive to Red Lodge, arriving midday.

Hike: It can be hard to choose a place to hike since there are so many great trails just outside of town. A few miles from Red Lodge, along the banks of the West Fork of Rock Creek, is the Silver Run Ski Trail system. These trails are pretty flat, scenic and can be linked together to create whatever length outing your family is up for. (From Red Lodge drive south and turn right on West Fork Road. Stay straight at 2.8 miles. Drive another 1.6 miles to Silver Run Road and turn left. Drive across the bridge and park.)

Explore: Stroll down Broadway and—if you have older kids—pop into the Red Lodge Clay Center to check out the newest exhibition. (redlodgeclaycenter.com) Kids of all ages will enjoy Magpie Toymakers where you’ll find toys powered by imagination—not batteries. Don’t forget a stop at Montana Candy Emporium, an old-fashioned candy shop.

Download a self-guided historic walking tour map (redlodge.com > adventure > self guided tours) and discover Red Lodge’s heritage while you walk.

Eat: End the day with dinner at the kid-friendly Red Lodge Pizza Company. (thepizzaco.com)

Day 2:
Mine the past: Follow Hwy 308 east. Just a few miles from town you’ll see the coalmines of Washoe and Bearcreek. Markers offer geologic and historic details, including the story of the Smith Mine Disaster of 1942.

Go Wild: Visit native animals at the Beartooth Nature Center, a refuge for animals that cannot be released into the wild. Meet bobcats, coyotes, bald eagles, mountain lions and other wild critters. (beartoothnaturecenter.org)

Know before you go

Find out about lodging, camping, rafting, horseback riding and a million other things to do in Red Lodge at redlodge.com.

Or contact the chamber at 406.446.1718 or 1.888.281.0625, email: rlacc59068@gmail.com or redlodgechamber.org.

Montana Parent
Summer 2009

View the remnants of an early Montana historic mining town at Elkhorn State Park. This once important silver mining town boomed from 1870 until the fall of silver prices in 1896. The Elkhorn mine lay idle from 1912 to 1916. From 1916 to 1971 the mine dumps and underground workings produced over $1.5 million. In addition to silver, gold and lead were taken from mines in the area.

During the boom, 2,500 people lived in Elkhorn, including immigrants from Scandinavia, Germany, France, Ireland and Holland. A few people still live in town and only two buildings are publicly owned: Gillian and Fraternity Halls, purportedly the most photographed ghost town buildings in the country.

As you approach the town watch for old mine tailings on the left. A forest service picnic area (on the right) has an interpretive sign. From there, drive, walk or ski up the main road.

Wander Main Street and read the interpretive signs explaining Elkhorn’s past. Because a handful of people still live there, stick to Main Street and remember only the two halls are public.

A cemetery lies on the east ridge above town. The dates on the tombstones belie the tough life of the miners and their families.

After exploring Elkhorn head northwest toward the town of Boulder. Three miles south of town is the Boulder Hot Springs Resort. The resort was built in the late 1800s to release tension in the muscles of gold miners. Today it is a bed and breakfast and conference center complete with an outdoor hot springs-fed pool, men’s and women’s indoor plunges, steam rooms and spa services.

In Boulder, there are abandoned mine tunnels that now serve as radon health mines. Radon in large doses is dangerous, but some people think a little exposure mellows chronic arthritis pain and other ailments.

Know before you go

Elkhorn State Park, 406.495.3270
http://fwp.mt.gov/lands/site_281892.aspx
From Bozeman head east on I-90 about 55 miles to Hwy 69 (just past Cardwell). North on Hwy 69 about 25 miles. Right at Elkhorn sign onto graveled Lower Valley Road and drive 3.2 miles southeast. Left on Elkhorn Forest Rd. 8 miles north to town.

Boulder Hot Springs, 31 Hot Springs Rd., Boulder, MT, 406.225.4339
www.boulderhotsprings.com
From Elkhorn drive back to Hwy 69, turn right (northwest) and drive a few miles to the Californian mission architectural-style resort on the left.

Montana Parent
December 2009