The Story Behind the "M"

The "M" is 620 feet above the Missoula Valley floor. It is 125' feet long and 100' feet wide. University of Montana forestry students cut the switchbacks into the side of the hill in the early 1900's. The first "M" was assembled out of whitewashed rocks in 1909, and given a fresh coat of paint by freshmen every year, until 1968, when all those rocks were cemented together with concrete.

Photo by Nelson Kenter, kenterphotography.com

Archive for the ‘Blogs’ Category

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Oct 21

Happening this week: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis at the Adams Center, David Boone at Ten Spoon Vineyard Winery, Picking Circle at the Top Hat Lounge, UM vs E Washington, & More!... more

Hall of Fame Cannot Repel the KISS Army

By BOB WIRE- You may be among those who think the Hall of Fame is silly, irrelevant, phony and stupid. But for rock and roll, it’s the only way to officially enshrine its top practitioners.... more

On the Grill: Deep-Dish Pizza (VIDEO)

By PAUL SIDORIAK - Making deep-dish pizza was an impulse for me. Feeling bullish, I knew I could make the Chicago style deep-dish on the grill and invested about five hours in its reenactment.... more

It’s Time for Garlic

By ERIN TURNER - You can spend a lot of money on garlic in the grocery store--especially compared to organic garlic. So plant now (this fall), and enjoy freshly grown delicious garlic next summer! Here's how.... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Oct 14

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Chris' top mentions this week: The Griz vs Cal Poly, Kurt and Curt Schilling, Lady Griz Volleyball, Robin Pflugrad & more!... more

Yesterday and Tomorrow

By LIZ MARCHI - I feel a tug today. I left my Mom early this morning in Alabama. She is still beautiful at 82 but she is tired. She lost her last sibling last week. ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Oct 14

Happening this week: UM and Hellgate High School Jazz Band Concert, Tom Catmull, Bouzouki in Irish Music- Rober Landes, Captain Wilson Conspiracy, Antiblus, UM vs Cal Poly, & More!... more

A Casualty in the Practical Joke War

By BOB WIRE- I love a good practical joke. Over the years, sharp-eyed Missoulians have seen me driving around town with a fake foot and lower leg hanging out the bottom of the driver’s door.... more

Missoula Premier of Sherpas Cinema’s “Into the Mind” Oct 10th

By TRAVIS GOODKIND - Ski movie season is in full swing and Sherpas Cinema's "Into the Mind" is easily the most anticipated ski film of the season.... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Oct 7

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Chris' top trivia mentions this week: The the beginning days of the Big Sky Conference, Grizzly Football, Sammy the Squirrel's appearance at the Presidents Cup & more!... more

October Savings

By ERIN TURNER -October has a long list of “celebrations”. That means “celebration” items will be on sale and NOW is when you will want to stock up & save! ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Oct 7

Happening this week: James Green, Lunacy and the Moon, Krewella Seven Lions Candyland, EL-30H!, Dave Manning, The World's Largest Garage Sale at UM, and much more!... more

Man Vs. Wasp

By BOB WIRE- At last the story can be told. It’s a tale of horror, pain, insects and payback. And it’s all true.... more

Kingston Family Vineyards

WINEGUYMIKE - (VIDEO) I had a chance to sit down via Skype with Courtney Kingston, owner of Kingston Family Vineyards in the Casablanca Valley of Chile, to find out what is new with her family's wines. ... more

A Great Contrast

By DAN SAXTON - The last couple weeks have been eye-opening to me as a new resident in Montana and as a lover of the outdoors. We plunged right from 85-degree temperatures to the 50’s and have stayed there.... more

Trading the Road for the Sea in Alaska

By DONNA HULL - On the fourth and final week of our Alaska Highway road trip adventure, we parked the truck in the bowels of the MV/Kennicott and let an Alaska Marine Highway ferry captain do the driving.... more

Getting Started

By MONTE DOLACK - Getting started on new works of art is a challenge. I am just preparing the studio for a series of new paintings. This is an exciting and scary time. What will my next painting look like? ... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Sept 29

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Making Chris' top trivia mentions this week: The Griz at home for homecoming, Portland State trivia, Major League baseball play-offs, and more!... more

Homemade Cup of Soup: It’s What’s for Lunch at Hunting Camp

By ERIN TURNER - We are always trying to invent healthy, packable and good-tasting meals to enjoy during a hunting weekend and my son came up with the idea of homemade Cup O' Soup. ... more

The Devil is in the Detales

By CHERY SABOL - Hopefully, the misspelling in the headline above relieves me of further gaffes and we can move on to talk about the power of proofreading. In fact, let's test your proofing prowess. ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Sept 29

Happening this week: Caras Park Pray for Snow benefit for Missoula Avalanche, Live Music all over town, Homecoming Activities: Art Fair, Parade, Griz vs Portland State, and much more!... more

Eye Candy From the Far North

By DONNA HULL - Scenery, scenery, scenery—that’s been the buzzword for Week Three of our Alaska Highway road trip. The scenery on the Glenn Highway from Tok to Palmer topped it all.... more

The Roving Diner: Chico Hot Springs Restaurant and Resort

By BOB ZIMORINO - The 'Roving Diner' serves up a restaurant review on Chico Hot Springs Restaurant and Resort. ... more

10 Bands That Didn’t Quit When They Should Have

By BOB WIRE- Here, in no particular order, are ten bands that kicked ass for a while and then failed to call it a day when they should have. And one that did.... more

Spectrum Downtown: Bigger Location, Better Hours, Same Liquid Nitrogen Cheetos

By ANNIE GRAHAM - I love the way my kids respond when I tell them we’re going to the all new SPECTRUM science museum in downtown Missoula. It’s like they’re going to Disneyland, only better!... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Sept 23

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Making Chris' top trivia mentions this week: The Griz versus NAU, Bobby Hauck, former Osprey, Paul Goldschmidt, Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles, and more!... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Sept 23

Happening this week: The Kongos, Mike Bader Bearjam, and the Missoula Symphony Orchestra's season opener "Nordic Lights" and much more!... more

Hitting Musical Home Runs in Missoula (VIDEOS)

By BOB WIRE- (VIDEOS) A couple of Missoula musical moments this week buoyed my spirits, kindled my hope, and shined a beam of light through the fog of malaise and banality that dominates popular music.... more

The Great Wines of Tuscany

WINEGUYMIKE - Italy has been producing wine for 3,000 years and it is said that Italy is not a country, just one gigantic vineyard from the North to South. ... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Sept 16

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Making Chris' top trivia mentions this week: Grizzly Football vs North Dakota, the passing of Missoula's Mr. Baseball--Dan Wachsmuth, and Rob Ash of MSU. ... more

The Best Season of All

By TONY REINHARDT - It has been a long hot summer in Missoula, MT and we fly fishers eagerly welcome the cool weather of autumn. The next 30 days will offer some of the best dry fly fishing of the season.... more

Homemade Lunchbox Cookies

By ERIN TURNER - I always like to include a special treat when my kids take their lunch to school. This recipe for homemade Chocolate Cookies is made with a twist...... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Sept 16

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: Tons of Live Music all over town!... more

Summer Better Than Others

By BOB WIRE- This year that schizo three-month stretch of Montana heaven between Memorial Day and Labor Day was full of high points, low points, and everything in between.... more

What is Peakbagging?

By DAN SAXTON - Climbing mountains has always been my favorite activity. I am what many call a “peakbagger" - that is, one who primarily climbs mountains and has a set goal of summits to reach. ... more

Learning with Meaning: Exploring the Love of Learning

By BRANDON KENDALL - My goal this year is to supply my students with materials and then respectfully remove myself so that they might make their own discoveries.... more

The Local Technique of Missoula Singer Kira Means

By BRIAN D'AMBROSIO - Kira Means is as provincial as a quick trek up Waterworks. She is as local as Brennan’s Wave or a panoramic view of the Clark Fork River. Means is as small-town as Missoula gets.... more

Watching a Grizzly Eat Breakfast

By DONNA HULL - Welcome to week two of the Alaska Highway road trip where my husband, Alan, and I are exploring Northern British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska. ... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Sept 9

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Making Chris' top trivia mentions this week: Grizzly Football versus North Dakota, Simon Fraser University, and some pop culture involving former UM president, George Dennison.... more

Frugal School Lunches for Kids

By ERIN TURNER - What I have noticed in my research for frugal and healthy kids’ lunches is that parents are going back to what many of us grew up with…homemade! ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Sept 9

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: 24th Annual Parade of Homes, Tons of Live Music all over town & more!... more

A Prayer for Peace

By BRIAN MARSH - 7 September 2013...for the dear people of Syria...and all who live in the midst of violent conflict.... more

CHORES – It Doesn’t Have to be a Dirty Word

By ERIN TURNER - Kids doing chores is a win-win for everyone. So as you slide back into your school year routine be sure to include daily chores as part of it. Start slow but be consistent.... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Sept 2

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Making Chris' top trivia mentions this week: Grizzly Football, Dave Dickenson, Monte the Mascot, Missoula Osprey and more!... more

Riding on a Ferry to Prince Rupert

By DONNA HULL - Hello from the Alaska Highway. What is a Missoula boomer doing on a road trip in the wilderness of the Yukon, Northern British Columbia and Alaska? Come along and find out!... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Sept 2

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: Out to Lunch, Downtown ToNight, Tons of Live Music all over town & more!... more

The Big Sleep

By BOB WIRE- I like sleep. You like sleep. Everybody likes sleep. But my teenaged kids really, really like sleep. They don’t sleep so much as hibernate on a 24-hour cycle.... more

Hiking Sawmill Gulch

By DAN SAXTON - Hiking Sawmill Gulch via the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area on the north side of Missoula is a wonderful opportunity to see majestic forest country within a half-hour’s drive from town.... more

Vacating UM’s 2011 Big Sky Conference Football Title Is Wrong

By JIM O'DAY - The NCAA has redacted the University of Montana's 2011 championship from the record books. Here is why making that victory vanish into a football Bermuda Triangle is unfair.... more

Dinner Parties

By LIZ MARCHI - I love dinner parties--especially in the summer. I love setting the table, getting out the china, glasses, linens, silverware, doing flowers and planning the menu.... more