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CONDON, Mont. – After six years of leading Swan Valley Connections (SVC), Rebecca Ramsey, Executive Director (ED), will be transitioning from her role. Rebecca has become a partner in a cherry orchard on the east shore of Flathead Lake, and will be departing SVC in 2024 to steward the land, and grow a business and philanthropy plan with her business partner. The Board of Directors has released a job announcement, with the hopes of having new leadership in place by the end of 2023. Ramsey moved to the Swan to step into the role of director in 2...
A Missoula District Court Judge stopped new work on a gravel pit three miles south of Salmon Lake after area residents filed multiple lawsuits over the validity of the project. Protect the Clearwater, a nonprofit group of residents near the Clearwater River, successfully petitioned Missoula District Judge John Larson on July 17 for a temporary injunction, or hold, on LHC Construction’s permit to crush gravel and create asphalt for road projects. The temporary injunction means work on the p...
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte visited firefighters and got a bird's eye view of the Colt Fire on Aug. 2. Gianforte landed at the Seeley Lake Airport on Wednesday afternoon, and quickly changed into a jumpsuit to fly off towards the Colt Fire. The Colt Fire is roughly 6,800 acres with 19% containment. Gianforte said the Colt Fire was the number one priority in Montana. While there was good news to report - evacuations for local residents have been lifted - fire managers and Gianforte said there is...
Fire crews on Colt Fire have continued beating out flames to add containment lines and stop the spread of the to the east. The fire was mapped at 6,680 acres the evening of Aug. 1, and only increased 156 acres from the day prior. The fire is now 19% contained — all along Colt Creek Road. The high level of containment has triggered Missoula County Sheriff’s Office to cancel the evacuation order from mile markers 27 to 31 on Highway 83. There is still an evacuation warning for the area, and oth...
The Swan Valley Community Council made the main topic of its July 18 meeting about recent home appraisals, focusing on what people should do with steep tax increases for property around the Swan Valley. Michelle Staples from the Montana Department of Revenue was the main speaker for the meeting, going over the basics of taxes and answering questions from area residents. “Property taxes are an 18-month process,” Staples said. “We do a lot to assess value and make sure that it is accurate with the market.” Staples said property is divided...
“How much are the burgers?” the rather churlish man demanded. “There’s no charge” replied Bruce Rippy, pastor of the Condon Community Church (CCC), who was serving as head waiter and order taker at the food booth during the Condon Fourth of July celebration. “Well I suppose you watch how much I put in the donations bucket so the church can make a big haul.” “No,” Bruce Rippy replied. “All the money this year goes to the senior meals program, and if need be, you can take some money out of the bucket.” The incredulous man stuffed a wadded bill...
Often, I get questions from landowners about managing their forests, and about forest stewardship. Typically, one of the most important concerns and values landowners have been wildlife. I am often asked what can I do to promote wildlife habitat, while at the same time managing other things such as wildfire? We wanted to share some things that you can do while managing your forest to promote a diversity of wildlife, while still managing your fire-adapted Swan Valley forest. Snags Snags are standing dead trees, either full height or broken off...
Twenty years ago... July 24, 2003 Take a ride on the Canyon Falls and Western Railway By Patricia Swan Smith Bob Jenkins has been playing with trains ever since he was a little boy. While many abandon their childhood hobbies, Bob's just kept growing. And thanks to his love for trains, the Seeley -Swan Valley has a wonderful treat to enjoy - a passenger railway complete with an engine, two passenger cars and a caboose. "His unnatural progression with trains went from childhood to adulthood and...
An interesting and insightful “Looking Back” forest tour on the Seeley Lake and Swan Lake National Forest Ranger Districts was recently held in July. The event was very informative and reflective of the complexity and difficulty in satisfying the many desired conditions and services required in Seeley and Swan Valley forest landscapes. Topics of discussion varied widely but extensively addressed issues on forest health, forest biodiversity, wildfire, habitat for grizzly bears, Canada lynx, bull...
Keri Neal was sick of sitting in her friend’s car at the north side of Salmon Lake, so she decided to dance. Neal and her friend Jack visited Seeley Lake from Missoula for the day to sunbathe and swim. Although the two come to Seeley each year, the reconstruction of Highway 83 on Salmon Lake Road came as a shock — and a future deterrent. “I think I’ll wait to come back up when all this is done,” Neal said. “I don’t want to have to deal with this again.” Residents and visitors alike have wait...
During the 2023 Change Your Pace Challenge, The Seeley Lake Community Foundation raised $95,050.81 for 16 local nonprofits, and had its best-ever match fund percentage. The match fund stood at a record $37,795, which meant people’s individual donations were valued more than in years past. “For every dollar somebody donated, they really gave $1.82,” said Claire Muller, the executive director of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. “It’s really great to see the impact be that high.” Nearly 60 o...
Alan Muskett Editor’s note: Alan Muskett worked as a doctor in Billings for more than 20 years. While there, he wrote a column on the medical industry. Muskett now works as the Swan Valley Emergency Services Medical Director. The patient mentioned in this story was okay. The Bell 429 jet helicopter descended on the grass surface of the Condon International Airport (CIA) like a great green/blue/titanium raptor, one that had plucked an injured hiker from treacherous terrain of the high Mission Mountains. Awaiting the arrival of the patient was t...
Everything seemed to go right last Tuesday after a multitude of people swarmed Seeley Lake for Independence Day. The people of Seeley Lake showed up too, as the annual car show, pancake breakfast, parade and fireworks were highlights of the day. The fireworks show featured two barges instead of one of previous years, according to Tom Browder, one of the organizers behind the Fourth activities. The Seeley parade featured almost 50 floats. Three hours earlier in Condon, there were nearly 30 and a...
Seeley Lake - Since its founding in 1993, Clearwater Montana Properties has emphasized community-building as a key component of its company culture. Through its Charitable Giving Program, the company's agents give back a portion of all real estate proceeds to the communities in which they were earned. To date, the program has produced over $1,078,132 in charitable donations to causes throughout Montana, Idaho, and Washington and Wyoming. "Each year Clearwater and our agents give a portion of...
Missoula author Chris Dombrowski will be reading and talking about his latest memoir, “The River You Touch,” at the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon on Saturday, July 15 at 7 pm. Co-sponsored by Alpine Artisans’ Open Book Club and Swan Valley Connections, this evening is a ‘don’t miss’ for those who want to spend a vicarious day on the river with one of the most entertaining river guides and poets in western Montana. The “River You Touch” is also an intimate journey into the life of a family working hard to make a living in a rugged, Wester...
A Missoula District Court Judge has stopped new work on a gravel pit three miles south of Salmon Lake after area residents filed multiple lawsuits over the validity of the project. Protect the Clearwater, a nonprofit group of residents near the Clearwater River, successfully petitioned Missoula District Court Judge John Larson on July 17 for a temporary injunction, or hold, on LHC construction’s permit to crush gravel and create asphalt for road projects. The temporary injunction means work o...
Finding new ways to support residents in the Swan Valley took center stage last Tuesday, June 27. About 100 people met to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Swan Valley Community Foundation with a leadership award and small grants to local nonprofits. Residents ate dinner at the Hungry Bear Bar and Grill in Condon. Each had a slip of paper that SVCF President John Mercer asked the crowd to write two things: what issues the Swan Valley face, and what the community foundation can do to help. Th...
Griffen Smith of the Pathfinder Housing has become a national problem for the United States Forest Service, and both the Seeley Ranger District and the Swan Lake Ranger District are in talks of building new housing on USFS land. The Swan Valley Community Council dived into the need for housing with both Chris Dowling, the Swan Lake district ranger, and Quinn Carver, the Seeley Lake district ranger on June 20. Both rangers agreed that the lack of housing in the area is holding people off from living and working in the area. “We can’t hire tea...
On Saturday, June 10, a modest hoard of hungry folks convened at the Swan Valley Community Center for the 31st annual Chili Cook-Off competition and fundraiser hosted by the local American Legion chapter 63. Each year the competition names the best chili in the valley and hosts an auction to raise money for American Legion events throughout the year. Lindsey Glastetter won first place with a Mexican infused chili with Chorizo and enchilada sauce. Her chili had the most distinctive pepper flavor...
Whether by natural lightning or by human hands, the landscape in Swan Valley has been shaped by fire. Only in the past hundred years or so have there been organized, concentrated efforts to suppress forest fires. During the historic forest fire of 1910, over three million acres burned in the course of a few days, primarily in Washington, Idaho, and Montana, drastically changing the way the U. S. Forest Service dealt with wildfire. Pushed by strong winds, several small fires grew together,...
A somber procession gathered on the Cold Creek Bridge in Condon to remember service members who have passed. The 31st annual Memorial Day observance was presided over by Edward Klassen, who has facilitated the event for the last six years as the commander of American Legion Post 63 in Condon Klassen brought a small amplifier with a microphone to the bridge and read aloud a brief history of Memorial Day as a national tradition, wrapping a contemporary tribute in a retelling of the holiday's...
Donald "Bronc" Peterman was born in Wood Lake, MN on April 26, 1938. He was the 11th of 13 children born to Herbert and Milly Peterman. He passed away peacefully on June 1" following a short illness. Bronc was educated in MN until the end of 9th grade when he quit school to join the work force. In November of 1956 he moved to Montana to be with several older brothers. He arrived in Conrad, during a blizzard, just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. Soon after he met Lucille "Cec" Brophy of Valier....
Liz Claiborne: Educated children are a true natural resource Liz Claiborne, internationally famous fashion designer, was the guest speaker at the Salmon Prairie Elementary School graduation last Friday night. More than 50 people crowded into the one-room school building for the ceremony. Claiborne addresses the two graduates: Tara Anderson and Owen Conley. "People think of our country as being rich because of natural resources such as timber and gold," Claiborne said. She pointed out, however,...
On a mild but sunny Tuesday morning the qualifying athletes of Montana's Copper League for track and field had their final competition, the Meet of Champions held at the outdoor facilities of Missoula Public Schools Stadium in Missoula. The Copper League Meet of Champions is the highest tier of competition for middle school grades (six-eight) in track and field. Schools from the Bitterroot and Missoula County area meet to race, and throw in their final bids for top place. Seeley Lake...
Last summer POWDR Corp stationed a mobile apartment trailer at the Holland Lake Lodge campus. While the company has removed most of the other pieces of equipment, the trailer has remained. At a Swan Valley Community Council meeting in March, Chris Dowling, Swan Lake District Ranger, said that there had been permits allowing for the placement of the trailer but there had never been any permits allowing it to be hooked up to utilities. This prompted many questions about why the trailer had been br...
