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 ‘Pet Friendly’ Category

Outdoor Activities you Do With Your Pet in Missoula

Tucked away into a peaceful corner of the Rockies, the pet-friendly city of Missoula offers plenty of outdoor activities you can do with your pet. ... more

CBD Dog Foods and its Regulations

Here are some regulations on CBD dog foods.... more

Sustainable Pet-friendly Living

It’s possible to lead a sustainable life together with your furry friends if you know how to go about it.... more

Doggie Dash Expo and Fun Run: Sunday, May 5, McCormick Park

Join Missoula Parks & Recreation and Missoula City-County Animal Control for the 2nd annual Missoula celebration for your four-legged buddy on Sunday, May 5, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at McCormick Park.... more

Will dogs Rule and Cats Drool? The Bidding War is On!

By PAM VOTH - Will Dogs Rule and Cats Drool? The Bidding War is ON. One year of bragging rights is up for auction. So Jump In Now to Vote Early and Vote Often!... more

Missoula Businesses Tell Dogs to ‘Take a Hike’

By ALLISON BYE - Alpine Canine and Quicks Paws are two local businesses that have come up with a unique way for dogs to get their daily dose of exercise and fun.... more

Alpine Canine’s Buddy Buses Run on Time So Dogs Can Run Off-Leash in Missoula

By PAM VOTH - Alpine Canine offers hikes to over 200 Missoula dogs per week with hikes tailored to every type of dog. All hikes include pick-up and drop off in one of Alpine Canine’s buses or van.... more

Sit Happens Training and Footloose Montana Present Trap Release Workshop

By PAM VOTH - Important Trap Release workshop presented at SIT Happens by Footloose Montana, March 23 from 1-3pm. Learn important and life-saving techniques and hands on practice for releasing a pet from a tra... more

Waiting Room Jitters

By SUZANNE MILLER - For the last several weeks, I have been sitting in my own waiting room of sorts anticipating the hatching of two osprey eggs that were laid in late April.... more

For Writing Inspiration, Try the Bark Park

By BOB WIRE - Sometimes a writer needs inspiration. Sometimes he needs solitude. Sometimes he needs to commune with nature. For me, all this can be found at the dog park.... more

Introducing the West’s Best Nest Osprey Webcam

Make it Missoula, SuzAnne and Sterling Miller of Dunrovin Ranch, and the University of Montana’s Wildlife Biology Program present The West’s Best Nest osprey webcam.... more

The Healing Power of Passion – and Horses

By SUZANNE MILLER - As I recover from back-to-back surgeries, the images of me with my horses that form in my head are my lifeline back to health and inspiration to heal.... more

Pugs in Duds: Not Just Fashion Week at Missoula’s Mountain Pugs Club

By PAM VOTH - Sundays are fun days if you’re a pug living in Missoula. That’s when the Mountain Pugs Club converge in the Bark Park on Jacob’s Island to play and mingle.... more

Dogtown Without Cats

By DANIELLE LATTUGA - Three weeks ago, we said goodbye to our cat. Two of our three dogs have never known life without Minx, until now.... more

Soup & Fiddlesticks: A Simple Evening with Friends & Happy Dogs

By PAM VOTH - It was a simple congregation of good friends and happy dogs.... more

I Heart Horses

By DANIELLE LATTUGA - Horsewomen exhibit a fine balance of independence and grace. ... more

It’s Not the Snow in the Dog, It’s the Dog in the Snow

By DANIELLE LATTUGA - What makes dogs love the snow? Something is altered in them—this energy propels them forth, regardless of short legs and snowballs.... more

New Year’s Resolutions: Horse$#%@!

By DANIELLE LATTUGA - Smokey the horse is the reason I resolved to slow down. A resolution is a very personal thing. Shouldn’t it reflect where you are at one crystal moment in your life?... more

Dogsitting: It’s Not All Beer and Kibbles

By BOB WIRE - Ahh, on cold mornings like this, nothing feels better on the bare feet than a wood floor in a gas-heated home. Until you step in the dog vomit.... more

How To Thank A Horse

By DANIELLE LATTUGA - How do you thank a horse? It depends on the horse. That’s the first thing you should know. I thank Smoke every day we are together.... more

Horse Friends – When Friendships are Born of Horses

By SUZANNE MILLER - Friendships among horse aficionados can be very different from those centered on other endeavors. Horses intensify just about everything.... more

Pet Names, for the Pet

By DANIELLE LATTUGA. My dogs are old, but my youngest canine is an Australian Shepherd. At 10, he typically acts like he is four.... more

Magic Words – for Great Dog Photos

By PAM VOTH. When I arrive at a dog’s home for a photo session, I’m greeted with lots of energy. So, how to get a dog to close her mouth? Say some magic words. ... more

The Dog Days of Missoula’s Pet Ordinance

By DANIELLE LATTUGA--DOGTOWN MISSOULA. We need to get more creative about the “dog issues” that arise in our community. Responsible dog ownership doesn’t seem to be intuitive for a lot of folks. It is a l... 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

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

Ben Afraid of Thunder

ALL NEW blog by PAM VOTH--DOGTOWN MISSOULA. I approached slowly, and beckoned. He came towards me. “Do you want to go for a ride?” All dogs have magic words that make them happy. Being a Missoula dog, I gu... more

Missoula Dogs About Town

ALL NEW blog by Danielle Lattuga--DOGTOWN MISSOULA. I’ve never known life in Montana without dogs. At 22, I drove a U-haul from Vermont, my white, blue-eyed, punk rock husky riding shotgun. (He was punk rock... more

I Think I’m Gonna Like This Town

ALL NEW blog by PAM VOTH--DOGTOWN MISSOULA. The first time I met Missoula was exactly 3 weeks before I moved here permanently. My plan was just an out-and-back. Just attend the International Wildlife Film Fest... more

Maiden Missoula: This One’s for the Dogs (and Cats!)

By LEAH LEWIS. An ALL NEW blog that reviews Maiden Missoula (MADE-IN-MISSOULA) products--by a Missoula favorite--Leah Lewis! This week's product review: GO FETCH'S NATURAL DOG COOKIES.... more

Living with Wildlife

Residing in Western Montana means learning to live with wildlife. In Missoula, that often includes sharing your yard with birds, raccoons, skunks, deer, black bears, and even mountain lions. The Montana Depa... more

Pet Licenses

Have pets? City and county ordinances require all dogs four months and older to be licensed. Licenses are timed to run concurrently with dog’s rabies vaccinations. New residents must purchase a dog license... more

Take a Hike

The seemingly endless hiking and backpacking opportunities in and around Missoula offer thousands of miles of trails in wilderness areas, Forest Service lands, and BLM lands. Information on hiking in the bac... more