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John Maclean stood next to a rather old looking cabin outside of Seeley Lake and reminisced. It used to be a wonderful place for him and his sister to play. Six-foot piles of sawdust would leave traces in their hair, clothes and teeth. It also served as a summer landing spot for his father, renowned writer Norman Maclean. "It looks like it's old," John's niece said after seeing the ice house earlier this spring. "The jokes on her," Tom Attard, owner of Burlyman Creations and contractor for the...
A missing swimmer was found drowned near the west end of Seeley Lake on Aug. 5 shortly after 8 p.m. The swimmer was identified as a 15 year old male from Washington state. 911 dispatch received a call reporting a missing swimmer near the west end of Seeley Lake at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 5, according to a press release from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the Seeley Lake Campground to search for the missing swimmer. Missoula County Search and...
Editor's note: Shortly after this story was published, fire danger was reduced to moderate in Missoula County. Fire danger on the Lolo National Forest was also moved to moderate. Stay up to date on fire danger, restrictions and evacuation notices at mtfireinfo.org. In the last few weeks, Missoula County has seen an increase in precipitation and cooler temperatures. The change in conditions caused fire danger in Missoula County to be moved from extreme to high on Aug. 5. The decreased fire danger...
Saturday Aug. 3 found 147 triathletes preparing to hit the water at River Point Campground. This year’s race had a bit of a twist for the bikers, no Boy Scout Bridge. After a little creative work we came up with a route. Down Boy Scout to Highway 83, down 83 to Riverview Drive, across the Dogtown bridge, turnaround at Snowmass Drive, back across the Dogtown bridge, down our driveway, through the fence, through multiple private yards, across Cabin Lane, down Back Cabin Road to Lars Kramen, to Boy Scout Road and back to the campground. WHEW! I h...
Condon residents unhappy with Missoula County government should consider the real fact Lake County would probably reject their offer to join that county. It would be a far reach for Lake County to offer the required fire, road and other emergency services.It has plenty of problems of its own. I know I now reside in both Missoula and Lake Counties. Because the Tribal government does not pay its full share for government services it enjoys and it recently took the Kerr Dam out of the Lake County tax base, the county government is strapped. A far...
Alpine Artisans would like to give a big shout out of thanks to the Seeley-Swan and Blackfoot Valley communities for making our 24th Loon and Fish Festival a big success! Why do we call it a success? We rely on the sales of raffle tickets to fund our ambitious Youth Grant and Scholarship Fund, which awarded over $5,000 in grants to seven youth grant recipients and three senior scholarship winners in the last year. Next year will be even better. Your support of the raffle this year set a record in sales, enlarging our budget for these youth...
We learn about people in different ways. Some we read about, some we have met in person, and of course in this digital age we meet people virtually. I was a seasonal worker at the Seeley Lake Ranger District in the 1960s, and one person that I knew only by voice over the Forest Service radio was Dorothy Taylor. It seems strange in this day of fire patrol planes to learn that in 1966 the Seeley Lake District alone had four fire lookouts: Falls Point, East Spread, Morrell (built in 1962) and Double Arrow. Dorothy was our Double Arrow lookout...
The Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) will soon be distributing its second round of property tax rebates to eligible Montana taxpayers as part of a property tax relief package signed into law by Governor Greg Gianforte in 2023. The property tax rebate is a rebate of up to $675 of property taxes paid on a principal residence. To qualify, you must have owned and lived in a Montana residence for at least seven months of 2023 and paid the property taxes on that residence. Properties owned by an entity and irrevocable trusts are not eligible for...
The Nevada Creek 4H Club has 13 kids going to the Tri-County Fair in Deer Lodge this year. Two of the members are brothers living between Avon and Helmville. Michael and Payton Goettle live on the family ranch and have both animal and craft projects in 4H. Michael, age 15, is continuing with his breeding beef project. The star in his project is BB, a heifer he was awarded in 2022 through the Rocky Mountain Stockgrowers Association Investment program. BB is now two years old and Michael will be...
Jon is a great kid. When my grandson Silas invited Jon to join us on a fishing and camping trip I couldn't have been more pleased. Silas is a great kid, too. I knew they'd bring a sense of adventure, enthusiasm, laughter and just enough delightful mischief to keep each other busy. I wouldn't have to do much but direct traffic, pass out chores and enjoy my time with them. Jon and Silas are both 13, and have known each other since they were babies. Their moms are best friends and their children, J...
Fifty years ago, a new law significantly altered the landscape of wildlife conservation in the U.S. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) turned 50 on Dec. 28, 2023, providing an opportunity to reflect on its lasting impacts for species of all kinds, including grizzlies. After two centuries of willful persecution of wildlife in North America, the ESA formalized into our federal structures a counterforce of conservation. Environmental historian Dan Flores, who gave a webinar for Vital Ground last...
