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Acceptance of diversity, and isolationism: two concepts that have been at the forefront of my mind, given the current situation in our state, our country and the world. I’ll not discuss world history or politics, but rather look at those concepts as they relate to my own past experiences and my current concerns. The first half of my life, as a child and young adult, I did not have much experience outside my immediate environment. I was isolated from diversity, had little exposure to people who weren’t like me. That changed in 1984 when I mad...
A woman recently moved to Seeley Lake. She LOVES it here. She’s so excited to get involved. Where does she go for information? Where does she go to get involved? How does she meet people? • Perhaps by talking to people around town and getting on some local Facebook pages. • Perusing fliers around Seeley Lake, like the bulletin board at Cory’s. • Hopefully, she will pick up a Pathfinder, see all the businesses and services listed and start to get a sense of the community through articles and reading about local events. • She will probably Go...
Many people are not aware that the Northern Pacific Railway Company (NP) had a significant influence on the settlement, economy and timber industry of the upper Swan Valley. Looking at a current map of the upper Swan Valley, you might ask, "What influence?" No railways are located in the valley, nor are any Northern Pacific properties listed on the current maps. A closer look at the early history of the settlement in the upper Swan Valley reveals something quite different. Maps of the early...
A grizzly bear dubbed "Lingenpolter" by local biologists caught the attention of many in Montana and elsewhere last year. Using a GPS tracker, biologists watched as the young male bear repeatedly attempted and failed to cross Interstate 90. They followed Lingenpolter's movements in an area between Missoula and Butte, watching as he traveled for miles alongside the interstate and tried to cross it an estimated 46 times from fall of 2020 to spring of 2021. Lingenpolter's story illustrates an...
Carbon Monoxide alarms are not smoke detectors! Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. It is the biproduct of incomplete combustion and it may be found in smoke. CO is in the air that we breath, this means that our bodies can handle low levels of exposure. At higher levels this gas is deadly to humans. It is known as the “silent killer” because people cannot tell when they are around it. The Carbon Monoxide Detector is a safety device that can alert homeowners of a CO leak and help them escape a potentially lif...
As the brisk January morning air settles in on the log yards in the north, the world finds yet another year has come and gone. Standing at the threshold of 2022, more than a few folks are relieved to see the prospect of hope in a New Year and many a lumber mill is glad to get another year in operation. In a year that saw record lumber prices, the small business world continued to face a challenging labor market throughout 2021. Overall, the volume of logs available last year seemed good...
Home food preservationists feel especially grateful in January, for having spent countless autumn hours canning, pickling, fermenting, drying and vacuum packaging their garden or local farmer's market produce. Ingredients are typically more identifiable and easier to pronounce than the generic commercially available or "temporarily unavailable" grocery store item. Few things compare to the gratification of consuming something that has been planted, fed, weeded, watered, picked and prepared by...
5 - THE REAL ESTATE BREAKOUT The past year has seen intense buyer pressure in the local real estate markets. Montana buyers primarily from Missoula, Helena, Bozeman and Great Falls continued buying in the Seeley-Swan Valley. Many of the Montanans coming here are seeking weekend and summer homes to bring families together for recreation. Others are seeking homes or land for their retirement. Out of state buyers primarily from Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Texas and the southeast...
Wildfire seasons are becoming longer and more destructive. The 2021 fire season in Oregon began in May, a month early, due to drought conditions resulting in low fuel moistures and a light snow pack. Typically, fire seasons come to a close in mid to late fall when we see our first snows. As climate change impacts regional weather, we are seeing devastating events like those in Superior and Louisville, Colorado, where 30,000 homes were evacuated on Dec. 30 , 2021 due to a wind-driven wildfire....
Just the other day while working at Placid Lake State Park, I observed a group of ducks gathered around a large space of open, ice-free water. Some were swimming and foraging in the shallow bottom gravel and mud, while others were situated near the edge of the ice mere inches from the cold open water. Of those birds on the ice, some were standing squarely on both feet while others were laying down; but there were three ducks who stood defiantly in the cold on one leg. One of those three even...
The New Year is a natural time for reflection and looking ahead. We hope you had a great holiday with your family and friends, and that you had time do just that. As I reflect on 2021, I am encouraged by the growing partnerships of people who share a common desire to live, work and play in the forested lands in our part of the world. Given some of the challenges we face, such as the rising numbers of people recreating in the woods, the intensity of wildfires across the West and the complexity of ecologically sound and economically realistic for...
As winter dawns over the Seeley Swan Valley, the ROCKS team springs into a frenzy of action. It is during this ever-changing and unpredictable weather season that we realize the somewhat limited control we have over this gorgeous environment, and much of the ROCKS team's time is spent watching the weather forecast. Rain? Not so good. Snow? Great for the ski trails, trouble for the ice skating rink. Cold and icy conditions? Not so great for the ski trails, fantastic for the rink. Yep – this is wh...
I can't believe I've lived to see this. It seems like it was yesterday. Maybe it was 30 years ago when I pulled my Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) pickup off the north side of Highway 200, snuck down off the grade between Woodchuck and Blanchard Creek and set posts for the sign that monuments my work out there to this day proclaiming "Hunting District 283/285 Boundary." The loneliest destination sign in Montana. Connected to no other apparent landmark. Pointing in no particular direction. Barely vi...
Grizzly bears in the Mission and Swan mountains have likely entered their dens for the winter, but an important habitat linkage for the species will remain conserved as open space next spring-and for generations to come. The Vital Ground Foundation expanded its conservation protections in the Condon area last month, purchasing 20 acres to help maintain the Upper Swan Valley's rural character and connect existing open lands. The newly-conserved acreage lies in the Simmons Meadow wetland complex,...
The smell of freshly cut limbs and trees wafts through the air as I walk through the project area. The low hum of the harvester, a large and impressive piece of logging equipment, works right over the hill. This is the first of what I, and Swan Valley Connections (SVC), hope to be many forest stewardship and restoration projects on the Swan Legacy Forest that can be used to engage students and other landowners by demonstrating examples of stewardship and property management. Swan Legacy Forest...
At the Blackfoot Challenge, we believe that the best place to learn about the watershed is in the watershed and that our best teachers are those who have experience here. That's why our education programs are outdoors, hands-on and rely on a multitude of local residents and partners willing to share their expertise with the next generation. Based on the guidance and direction provided by our Teachers Steering Council, earlier this fall we coordinated two outdoor education days focused on the...
An October day several years ago next to a lake where I was working for the government on a grizzly project… The first lavender light of day is a time when the softness of shapes can barely be seen through the mist rising from the lake… The early morning fog slowly begins to clear, revealing pastel-hued forms that seem to float on the autumn air… I’m sitting on a dock at the edge of the lake. The day promises to be clear, sunny and calm. There is no breeze so the lake’s surface is a mauve mirror. Scattered throughout the fir and pine forest ar...
Whether you are currently renting or you have rented in the past, when moving out we all eagerly anticipate the return of our security deposit from our landlord. Then, when it arrives been disappointed to see deductions. But what do these deductions actually mean? Were they legally deducted? Rental Cleaning & Damages When inspecting a vacated rental, landlords look at different categories of possible deductions. Each category has its own specific time to be considered and looked at by the...
5 in the Blackfoot River Valley proved to be another busy and productive project season collaborating with our many state, federal and private partners. This year we focused in the upper Blackfoot watershed near Lincoln on an important native trout stream-Poorman Creek. This high priority stream supports westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout and has strong potential to support spawning which will in turn provide more recruitment of trout to the upper Blackfoot River. We implemented two...
It had been a long day on the trail in 1996 as I slowly worked my way toward the top of the ridge clearing downfall from the trail. When I reached the top of the ridge, the land opened up and the views were especially beautiful as the late evening sunshine cast a golden hue across the landscape. Overhead, a few reddish, wispy clouds contrasted the deep, cobalt blue sky. A nearby hermit thrush began its melodic song. I was less than a hundred yards from a trail intersection that would lead me to my camp. I came around a slight bend in the trail...
AmeriCorps is a network of local, state and national service programs. Over the last few years, Montana has proven that national service is something that is very important for our residents. In 2015, Montana ranked in the top three states (along with Vermont and West Virginia) with AmeriCorps members. Since then, our generous state has been able to stay in the top 10, last year taking the sixth spot. In this state, there were 3,549 members and volunteers, 532 service locations and a total of...
It has been said that the only constant thing is change itself. After 72 years of operations, Pyramid Mountain Lumber in Seeley Lake, Montana has seen its fair share of change. Like most small businesses, this little mill has had to adapt, strive and grit through many seasons fraught with challenge. The lumber business as a whole has had to overcome continuous scrutiny which left many on-lookers from the sidelines. While any business would be foolish to mismanage its raw material resources into...
September is disaster preparedness month (Ready.gov). "Promoting Preparedness Through Public Involvement", is the goal of this year's national public service campaign. Natural disasters continue to make headlines accross the globe altering economies, health outcomes and food security. Locally, we continue to confront the effects of an extremely dry summer and fall with record high temperatures. The impact of climate change on extreme weather events is impossible to overlook! More than ever...
As the seasons change, the town is slowing down. Now is the time to start thinking about preparing for the winter weather. Make sure that your skirting is intact and pipes are well insulated. Also, having your furnace serviced and chimney/stove pipe inspected and cleaned will help prevent a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. Travel may be difficult at times so prepare your vehicle for the season. Carry an extra blanket and some road flares. In addition to signaling for help, they may be an ignition source for starting a campfire for heating. An...
WHAT A DIFFERENCE THREE YEARS MAKES In 2018 and 2019 the local real estate market was healthy and predictable with very moderate price appreciation. Sales were consistent with no significant market increases either in total dollar volume sold or number of properties sold. Inventories of homes and land for sale was consistent and the market was neither a buyer’s nor a seller’s market. Purchase negotiations generally had fair outcomes. Then there was COVID and the related lockdowns which began in April 2020. Many people nationwide were wor...
