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SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Tripp Mincey and his family were enjoying a beautiful afternoon fishing on Seeley Lake Friday, July 8. They were watching a storm brewing to the west but it looked like it was going to head north. Their weather apps said the main storm was not going to hit until 7 p.m. "I said you know what, I think we are about to get hammered. We need to get out of here," Mincey said. "We were by the Seeley Campground and as we were headed across the lake looking back you c...
CONDON – Children and adults were seen playing pick up basketball after the Condon Fourth of July parade. This was not the same sight a year ago. Girl Scout Ambassador Isabella Cruz set a lofty goal to replace the Condon basketball court located behind the Swan Valley Community Hall to earn her Gold Award. The project took over a year to plan and complete due to supply chain issues created by COVID. Part-time Condon resident Isabella, 17, will be a senior at Carrollton School of Sacred Heart i... Full story
MISSOULA – At their July 7 meeting, the Missoula County Commissioners unanimously approved the proposed Clearwater Meadows Ranch 20 residential lot major subdivision proposed approximately one mile west of Clearwater Junction. While most of the recommendations of the Missoula County Planning Board were approved, the Commissioners approved a compromise proposed by Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) and the IMEG Corp for the developer. This maintained Lot 20 as a buildable l...
I must respond to the letter from Don Larson re: two recent Supreme Court decisions printed in the July 7 issue of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder. Both decisions were exactly the same, they merely defined what was in the Constitution, therefore in the purview of the FEDERAL government, and what was not in the Constitution, therefore left to the jurisdiction of the people (STATES). Roe -- simply put, did not “trash” (as Mr. Larson states) the right of abortion. It only stated it is not a constitutional right contained in the Constitution, but a stat...
It's Wildfire Smoke Ready Week in Missoula County! I know - after such a cool start to the season, it's challenging to shift gears and start thinking about wildfires. But this week of warm, sunny days is ushering us closer to our traditional wildfire season in Western Montana and that means smoke. Smoke season in our area spans late July through early September. Happily, it is rarely smoky during that entire period but even a week or two of smoke can be a major bummer. In addition to obscuring...
SEELEY LAKE – Business owner Richard "Ted" Steiner has filed a petition along with all adjacent landowners requesting a portion of Cottonwood Lane in Seeley Lake be abandoned. A physical site inspection was conducted June 22, according to Carrie Sokoloski, representative for Steiner. The final hearing for public comment regarding the petitions is set for July 21 at the Missoula County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting. The section of proposed roadway for abandonment is the easterly p...
SWAN LAKE – The 41st annual Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival is looking for bakers of all ages to enter the festival's Huckleberry Baking Contest. The contest features an adult category along with a separate category for children age 12 and under. The valley's original Huckleberry Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Swan Lake Day Park near mile marker 72 on Montana Highway 83. The rules for both children and adults are the same. Baking contest entries must be huckleberry-based w...
SEELEY LAKE – On June 20, Seeley Lake Ranger District Fire Management Officer Phil Shelmerdine officially handed off his duties to incoming FMO Adam Carr. While District Ranger Quinn Carver said, "Phil leaves some big shoes to fill," Carr is up to the task. "I'm happy to be here. I still have a lot to learn," Carr said. "Phil has a lot of years under his belt in this community and has been through some pretty large events that were publicly and politically challenging." Carr grew up in Libby, Mo...
As I set to compose this article, I am also considering the devastating news from a dear beloved friend who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. One of the most difficult questions any pastor can be asked is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” I still remember the phone call from my niece to inform me that my only sister had been called home due to ALS. I recall the agony in her voice when she said, “Uncle Bruce you are a pastor. Please tell me why God allowed my mother to suffer this way?” There are theological answers,...
SEELEY LAKE - During the Change Your Pace Challenge (CYP), the Seeley Lake Community Foundation raised $103,591.61 for 17 local organizations, including $26,633 for the CYP Match Fund. This was 28% higher than the $80,818 total raised through CYP in 2021. The highest number of individual donors gave since the program started in 2016 with 209 households making a gift. The match percentage ended at $0.40 on the dollar for eligible donations. SLCF Executive Director Claire Muller said, "This was...
SEELEY LAKE - Norm Baier's "girlfriend" of 71 plus years passed peacefully from this life on June 29. Rose was born in Virginia City, Montana on Dec. 19, 1931. A fourth generation Montanan, Rose's roots dated back to the days of her great-grandfather Benjamin Charles Williams. He was a member of the original Vigilantes who reasserted order in crime-ridden Virginia City and Bannock during the prosperous, but dangerous, gold mining years of 1863 and 1864. Rose's parents were divorced early in her... Full story
CONDON – The Swan Valley Saddle Club held their O-Mok-See event July 4 at the Swan Valley Arena. Lillian Boyd and Maya Davey tied to win the All-Around Trophy with 24 points. There were nearly 20 participants. The O-Mok-See was called during the final barrel racing event due to thunder and lightning said Kellie Auchenbach, event organizer. Results from the event: Age 7-under 1st place – Maya Davey Age 8-11 1st place – Lyla Davey 2nd place – (Tied) Jolene Auchenbach & Annalynn Schreiner 3rd pla...
SEELEY LAKE – The results from Montana Newspaper Association's Better Newspaper Contest (BNC) are in and the Seeley Swan Pathfinder continues to be recognized as an award-winning newspaper. The Pathfinder received 14 Division 1 awards including seven first place awards. Division 1 encompasses weekly newspapers with a circulation of 1,250 or less. Though many of the awards for articles and photos were earned by Pathfinder owners Andi and Nathan Bourne, reporter Henry Netherland also garnered s...
SEELEY LAKE - Ethnobotany is the study of the interrelation between traditional knowledge and customs of a people concerning plants and their medical, religious and other uses. The Salish people have a culture thousands of years old consisting in part of interrelations with native plants in the Seeley-Swan area. Tim Ryan, Department Head of Culture and Language Studies at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana, shared his knowledge of the Salish people on an Ethnobotany Walk along the Clearwa...
SEELEY LAKE - The votes are in for the Seeley Lake Parade People's Choice Award. Luis Caro and his 1978 Camaro Z28 received 57 "likes" followed by Faith Chapel Youth Campout float with 46 "likes." The Rich Ranch Color Guard with Kiley Layman and Nikki Scheer took third with 41 votes. The People's Choice Awards were sponsored by the Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber appreciates everyone who participated in the parade and voted....
SEELEY LAKE – Canvas's by Jeanette offers photographic prints on canvas and acrylic for shoppers at the Seeley Lake Market. Jeanette Coleman, Seeley Lake, has been selling prints for the past three years. "I used to offer them online," Coleman said. "Shipping costs are now higher than what I charge for prints." This is her first year at the Summer Market. She will be present at the market July 17, Aug. 7 and Sept. 4. Coleman takes pictures as she explores Montana's back roads. Coleman r...
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: July 16, 1987 issue Bizarre events follow logger's death A bizarre series of events occurred in the Swan Valley last... Full story
SWCC Seeley Field Tour, July 20 SEELEY LAKE – Join Clearwater Resource Council and the US Forest Service for a Southwestern Crown Collaborative (SWCC) Seeley Field Tour July 20 from 1-4:30 p.m. followed by a social at the Trailhead Pavilion, one mile east of Highway 83 on Morrell Creek Road across from the Seeley Lake Nordic Trails. The SWCC brings together citizens, businesses, government agencies and conservation organizations to consider creative solutions in the management of National Forests in the Blackfoot, Clearwater and Swan River v...
