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

Horse Trailer in Tow

By DANIELLE LATTUGA.We don’t have a horse trailer. If we did, we wouldn’t be pulling it with a Subaru. It’s a peculiar habit that I’ve developed, but I can’t say that it will change. Of the 11 years t... more

Discount Shopping Deals . . . Even on Vacation

By ERIN TURNER. Lately, some of my summer adventures have led to the discovery of some great discount shopping deals in unexpected places. That is always a welcomed treat in my eyes.... more

What’s Happening This Week

IT'S MAKE IT MISSOULA MONDAY. Here's what's happening the week of 7/25/11... more

The Year of the Twomper Trout

By BRYCE MCLEAN & MATT DEVLIN.Twomper is a term in fishing that you probably have never heard before. That’s because it’s a word made up, and used by trout bums from the Bitterroot Valley. It refers to an... more

Maiden Missoula Product Review: Zootown Arts Community Center

By LEAH LEWIS. Last week, I offered a few suggestions for my favorite, locally-made wedding gifts from right here in the Garden City. I mentioned the really cool wine-bottle cheese plates from the Zootown Arts... more

“Sharrow” the Road – Missoula’s New Biking Road Symbols

By BEN WEISS. If you have been out and about around town lately, you have no doubt noticed a new symbol in the road. It is a bicycle with two chevrons above it, and it is called a “sharrow”. Derived from t... more

Blackfoot River Kayaking Challenge

by JASON SHREDER. This weekend the 3rd Annual Blackfoot River Challenge will take place on the Blackfoot River. The event will include clinics, downriver race/sprints, and a whitewater slalom event. Brandon, ... more

Montgomery Distillery Making Headway in Missoula

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. If all goes as planned, Montgomery Distillery will begin construction next month to turn the 1920s car dealership (formerly the Firestone tire building) on the corner of Pattee and Main into M... more

2011 Missoula Marathon: Success in Many Forms

By PAM GARDINER. The warm glow of the Missoula Marathon and Half continues to pulsate within the running community. Nearly 4,000 of us lined up on June 10 and went the distance of our choice.... more

Camp Elke

By ELKE GOVERTSEN. When I was in college, my dream job was to be a camp director. Perhaps it still is. I was MADE for camp. One thing I never thought of was the fact that somewhere other than camp, there was ma... more

Missoula Restaurant Owners & Chefs:
Tim France – Worden’s Market & Deli

By BOB ZIMORINO. Chefs and Owners: Tim France of Worden's Market & Deli. I first met Tim France thirty years ago and since he tells of our first meeting better than I do, here is his version:... more

What’s Happening This Week

IT'S MAKE IT MISSOULA MONDAY. Here's what's happening the week of 7/18/11... more

Orchard Homes Country Life Club Celebrates 100 Years

By ERIN TURNER. Walking into the Orchard Homes’ Country Life Club on Third Street in Missoula is reminiscent of your grandparent’s house. For most Missoulians, it has been there forever--in fact it is cele... more

Cheeto Moment

By PAM VOTH. Dogs know that sometimes when you are looking for something specific, like that tennis ball that just rolled under the couch, you often find something else even more wonderful and marvelous, like a... more

The Advent of Stoneflies and 84-Years-Young

By BRYCE MCLEAN & MATT DEVLIN. Life is good. As I hooked the third or fourth fish of the day yesterday my friend exclaimed “Can you believe we live here?” The truth is some days I can’t. Bryce and I ha... more

Maiden Missoula Product Review: Made in Missoula Wedding Gifts

By LEAH LEWIS. I had a fabulous question via Facebook last week about where to find a great local wedding gift. Well, wouldn't you know it, the Maiden is gearing up for a trifecta of wedding weekends!... more

Artistic Horse Photography: When Memories & Art Become One

By SUZANNE MILLER. I thought I knew all there was to know about the features of my horse, Power. Yet, the mere act of holding a camera and trying to capture his character and beauty caused me to see him anew.... more

The Missoula Marathon – It’s More Than a Race

By ANDERS BROOKER. I know I want to write about this year’s Missoula Marathon, but I am struggling with where to start. There are stories of amazing volunteers, months of training and sacrifice, support from... more

Missoula Restaurant Owners & Chefs:
Tim Leegan – The Mustard Seed

By BOB ZIMORINO. Chefs and Owners: Tim Leegan of the Mustard Seed. I remember years ago when Tim Leegan came to work for the Mustard Seed. Over the years Tim and I have become friendly but this is my first in d... more

Renting vs Buying: What You Need to Know

The excitement and energy that Missoula’s University of Montana brings also comes with a tradeoff. As a community, we have far more renters than the national average, making the rental market even more compe... more

What’s Happening This Week

IT'S MAKE IT MISSOULA MONDAY. Here's what's happening the week of 7/10/11... more

Repurposed Lighting

RE-USE IT. By LISA HENSLEY. I was working my first volunteer event for Home ReSource a couple of years ago when I stumbled across this fantastic light fixture. It’s really heavy, old glass, and by the time we... more

Where to Find Coupons – 10 Places to “Hunt”

By ERIN TURNER. Just as a big game hunter wouldn’t head out to the woods without bullets for the big kill neither would a couponer head out to the grocery store without coupons for their “big kill”. ... more

Cooking with Lavender from Local Growers Part II

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. Part II of The Heirloom Foodie's series on cooking with luscious lavender. If cooking with lavender seems like a stretch, try creating your own Herbes de Provence seasoning mix.... more

Tackling the Pengelly Double Dip Race: Part Two

By EVA DUNN-FROEBIG. When I found myself huffing and puffing even before I got on the M Trail I worried, how was I going to make it up 2,700 feet if I was out of breath in the first few hundred yards?... more

Maiden Missoula Product Review: Flexsolate Gym in a Bag

By LEAH LEWIS. Maiden Missoula Product Review: FLEXSOLATE FITNESS IN A BAG. If you are one of the many affected by general laziness, gym phobia, running anxiety or what have you there is a company in Missoula... more

Top 10 Characteristics of a Dirt Bag Boater

by JASON SHREDER. What is a dirt bag kayaker? Am I one? Do I know any? What characteristics define the role of a true dirt bag kayaker? Trust me, I have absolutely nothing against dirt bag kayakers because if I... more

There’s Light at the End of the Missoula Fly Fishing Tunnel

By BRYCE MCLEAN & MATT DEVLIN. Well everyone, the wait for our summer fishing season is finally coming to an end. The rivers are still really big, but they are on the drop for good this time. Green drakes hav... more

Fireworked – Dogs and Fireworks

By Danielle Lattuga--DOGTOWN MISSOULA. I know, everyone looks forward to 4th of July weekend—well at least most humans in our town do. I really don’t have much use for the rest of it. And those fireworks...... more

Tackling the Pengelly Double Dip Race: Part One

By EVA DUNN-FROEBIG. Those of us in the running world have our “dream races”— a mental list of the races we want to run. One of the races on my list has been the Pengelly Double Dip, a 13.5 mile trail ru... more

Taste It Video Blog & Pork Milanese Recipe Part II

TASTE IT VIDEO BLOG WITH BOB ZIMORINO AND EMILY SEITZ. Bob Zimorino and Emily Seitz continue with their series of rice dishes when they whip up a tasty Pork Milanese.... more

The Tiny House Movement

By PAUL WHEATON. People are saving money by downsizing their house. How far can you take it? Take a look at these Tiny house. One was built for $15!... more

Save Money on Produce

By ERIN TURNER. It’s that special time of year when the vendors at the Farmer’s Markets are starting to really show off their stuff! Their tables are loaded with lots of fresh, wonderful produce. But if... more

Missoula Restaurant Owners & Chefs:
John Powers – The Ranch Club

By BOB ZIMORINO. I met John Powers in a meeting room off of the main dining room of the Ranch Club. The restaurant was built as part of the club house and as the new owners, John and his wife Colleen made their... more

Girls Choice

By CC THE TRAINED MONKEY. It's my High School Reunion this year. I went to a school called Sentinel High. One of my sisters went to Hellgate, one went to Loyola Sacred Heart and one used to ditch school with h... more

The EdgeMaster: How to Sharpen a Serrated Knife Blade

By PAUL WHEATON. Watch the EdgeMaster sharpen a serrated knife blade in record time!... more

Missouri River Fishing – Trout Mecca of Montana

ALL NEW FISH IT BLOG! By Bryce McLean and Matt Devlin. This is truly a spring runoff to remember, but there is one place that has remained fishable throughout this entire spring. The Missouri, a.k.a. the Might... more

Maiden Missoula Product Review: Dazzle Expressions

By LEAH LEWIS What's a young, hip, crafty, stylish mama supposed to do with her talents when her days revolve around a couple of busy kiddos? Well, if you are the cute-as-a-button Renee Wyman, you take your ... more

Horse Connections – Even from Afar

By DANIELLE LATTUGA. I was worried that my horse, Smoke, would forget about me the 10 days I was away. I have come to relish the incremental bits of progress that we make together — each step forward is a tre... more

Missoula Marathon 2011 – Bragging Rights to #5

By WALTER MAX. The Missoula Marathon has remained my favorite race and I’ve managed to run, hobble, or limp through all four of them to date.... more

Missoula Restaurant Owners & Chefs:
Mike Ramos – Paul’s Pancake Parlor

By BOB ZIMORINO. Missoula Restaurant Owners & Chefs: Mike Ramos and Paul's Pancake Parlor. Mike bought the restaurant from his Mom, Ellie and it has remained consistently one of Missoula’s top spots for foo... more

What’s Happening This Week

IT'S MAKE IT MISSOULA MONDAY. Here's what's happening the week of 6/27/11.... more

Save Money With Christmas in July

By ERIN TURNER. I know we just had our first day of summer but there are only 181 days, 3hrs, 29mins and 44secs until Christmas? By starting to fulfill your gift list now, you evade the inflated seasonal cost ... more

From Baby Blanket to Big Boy Pillow

RE-USE IT. By LISA HENSLEY. My mom makes these great blankies for kids: knit on one side, flannel on the other. They just get softer and snugglier the more you wash them. They don’t, however, last forever—e... more

Cooking with Beer at Missoula’s Good Food Store

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. The Good Food Store offered a cooking class last week that put two of my favorite things on the same plate – meat and beer. They prepared a spread fit for a king, with each dish prominently ... more

Taste It Video Blog & Pork Milanese Recipe

TASTE IT VIDEO BLOG WITH BOB ZIMORINO AND EMILY SEITZ. Bob Zimorino and Emily Seitz continue with their series of rice dishes when they whip up a tasty Pork Milanese.... more

Cooking with Lavender from Local Growers

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. Last Saturday I chatted with Paula Scoggins of Paula's Gardens and Lori Parr, AKA Lavender Lori - both together known as the Lavender Queendome. Lori and Paula have joined forces to wor... more

Kayaking Safety Gear – River Shoes and More

by JASON SHREDER. A few people have asked me “what is the right kayaking safety gear” and “why are river shoes so important?”. The gear really depends on what type of boating your doing. ... more

Get Out of the Weeds

By BILL CARAS. Weeds -- the bane of any landscape. Often considered Mother Nature’s unwanted children, weeds find unwanted homes in just about any landscape void. This is especially true in "yards" of newly b... more

Water, Water, Water – Fly Fishing Season is When?

ALL NEW FISH IT BLOG! By Bryce McLean and Matt Devlin. As spring gives way to, well, more spring here in Western Montana, fly rods sit collecting dust. Fishermen and Guides around the state are watching in di... more