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 ‘All Featured’ Category

Benefits of a Pantry Challenge

By ERIN TURNER- If the idea of cleaning up and eating up your pantry appeals to you then you are ready for a Pantry Challenge! ... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Jan 26

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- Apparently Kryskowiak and Wayne Tinkle were paying attention at practice to the teachings of Mike Montgomery and Stew Morrill...... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of Jan 26

Jobs this week: A Delivery Driver, Real Estate Loan Processor, Seasonl Firefighters, Dentist, Industrial Electrician, Mill Laborers, Glass Installer, Front Desk Agent and more! ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Jan 26

Check out the various bands and live music all over Missoula sprinkled with an Independent film or a fundraiser. ... more

Montana Wins at Southern Utah, Sweeps Road Trip

By JOEL CARLSON - The Lady Griz team completed an impressive sweep of the NAU and SUU road trip with a physical 59-37 victory over the Thunderbirds Saturday night.... more

Grizzlies Edge Thunderbirds 58-56 in Tense Big Sky Contest

By DAVE GUFFEY - The Grizzlies had four players score in double figures and narrowly defeated the Southern Utah Thunderbirds 58-56 Saturday evening in UM’s Dahlberg Arena.... more

Pengelly Ridge

By CARLY STINSON - I love hiking, but as I spun in circles running from class to class this semester, I just couldn’t find time for the Pengelly Ridge Trail hike.... more

Gregory Scores 31 Points to Lead Griz to a 64-57 Victory Over NAU

By DAVE GUFFEY - Jordan Gregory scored a career-high 31 points to lead theMontana Grizzlies to a hard-fought 64-57 Big Sky Conference victory over NAU.... more

Winter Carnival and Snow Races at Marshall Mountain

Join Missoula Parks & Rec for the first annual Marshall Mountain Winter Carnival and Snowshoe/Ski Races on Sat., Feb. 22 at Marshall Mountain, from 10-4 p.m.... more

Smokejumpers’ Trail

By COLIN BRUST - We trudged up the steep and rocky path, leaving the Kim Williams riverside trail below us. Even though there was a great view of the Missoula Valley behind us, I felt uneasy.... more

The Bar Gig From Hell Part 2: The Revenge

By BOB WIRE- The bartenders poured stiff drinks. That’s what got us through another night of pop country requests, complaints about the disco balls, and a general absence of love in the room. ... more

Life is One Big Adventure

By NADIA WHITE - This last fall, 21 first-semester freshmen joined me at UM's School of Journalism in a class about adventure writing. We defined adventure loosely, and they wrote stories that described who the... more

New Year Low-Fat Carrot Muffins

It’s that time of year when most of us resolve to take better care of ourselves. These muffins are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without leaving you feeling too guilty.... more

Do I Really Need to Exhibit At Trade Shows?

By MARK RIFFEY - Trade shows are focused gatherings of clients, prospects and vendors. Why bother?... more

This Week’s Arts & Culture Scene | Jan 19

Here's a look at what's happening this week in Missoula from music to dance, theatre to museum exhibits and more--brought to you by our friends at the Missoula Cultural Council.... more

Frugal Diamond Ring Cleaner

By ERIN TURNER- Here is a quick, easy and frugal way to clean diamond rings at home!... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Jan 19

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- The Montana Grizzlies 62-47 win over the MSU Bobcats Saturday marked the ninth straight win in the series for UM.... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of Jan 19

Jobs this week: Legal Assistant/Receptionist, Firefighting and Fire Management jobs, Bookkeeper, Infant/Toddler Assistant Teacher, A Conveyor Belt Technician, Forestry Nursery Workers, and more! ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Jan 19

Check out the various bands and live music all over Missoula sprinkled with an Independent film or a fundraiser. ... more

Breunig & Dunn Lead the Grizzlies in a 63-48 Win Over Bobcats

By DAVE GUFFEY - Forward Martin Breunig and guard Mario Dunn combined for 34 points as the Montana Grizzlies defeated MSU 63-48 Saturday evening in UM’s Dahlberg Arena.... more

Lady Griz Pull Out 62-48 Victory over Bobcat

By JOEL CARLSON - MSU built a 43-35 lead midway through the second half on Montana Saturday afternoon, but the Lady Griz rallied back for a 62-48 victory in front of a season-high crowd of 3,535.... more

The Bar Gig From Hell, Part I

By BOB WIRE- My ego was beaten like a dirty throw rug this weekend, when we played a double-header in a new bar in unfamiliar territory. I overheard someone say, “who the hell is Bob Wire?” ... more

Griz Softball Begins Practice

By SAM WALDORF - The Montana Griz softball team had its first practice of the spring Monday, Jan. 12. Montana went 7-1 in its inaugural fall season, winning its last seven games in a row.... more

Fire and Ice–Wildland Firefighting Recruitment Begins Mid-Winter

By CHERY SABOL - If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to explore work as a wildland firefighter this summer, hopefully another resolution was to not procrastinate.... more

MCT Announces Audition for The Rainmaker

The Missoula Community Theatre is holding an open audition for The Rainmaker on Sunday, January 25th at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts from 12:30-4:00 p.m.... more

The Shortcut To Easier Sales

By MARK RIFFEY - The Shortcut to sales starts with a simple question: Who is the ideal person for your product/service? Who's Your Target Audience?... more

Griz Dominate the Oildiggers 86-44

By DAVE GUFFEY - The Grizzlies dominated in all phases of the game, resulting in an 86-44 victory over visiting Montana Tech Tuesday evening in UM’s final non-league game of the season.... more

This Week’s Arts & Culture Scene | Jan 12

Here's a look at what's happening this week in Missoula from music to dance, theatre to museum exhibits and more--brought to you by our friends at the Missoula Cultural Council.... more

Restoring Household Order

By ERIN TURNER- This last week I spent packing up the Christmas decorations, cleaning the house after all the holiday parties and of course, hitting all the after Christmas clearance sales.... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Jan 12

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- On March 7, 2009 Brad Huse’s Bobcats downed the Griz 56-54 in the Big Sky quarterfinals ending UM’s season. Since then, Montana has taken off having won 116 games to MSU's mere 71 w... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Jan 12

Check out the various bands and live music all over Missoula sprinkled with an Independent film or a fundraiser. ... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of Jan 12

Jobs this week: Level 3 Mechanic(s) and Welders, Line Technician, Evironmental Health Specialt and more! ... more

Montana Makes 15 Three-Pointers in 90-64 Win at Idaho State

By DAVE GUFFEY - The Montana Grizzlies nailed 15 three-pointers on their way to a dominating 90-64 Big Sky Conference victory over Idaho State Saturday evening at ICCU Court in Holt Arena.... more

Lady Griz Finish Weekend Sweep with 77-65 Victory (Photo Gallery)

By JOEL CARLSON - Kellie Cole Rubel led all scoring with 23 points and Montana shot a season-best 54.2 percent in a 77-65 victory over Idaho State Saturday afternoon at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula.... more

Baked French Onion Soup

By CHEF HOWARD KARP - French onion soup is a wintertime favorite, but making this dish true to its roots does have some secrets. ... more

Griz Post Another Strong Semester in the Classroom

By JOEL CARLSON - The Montana football team had a GPA of 2.87 in the fall, a solid effort for a group of 103 student-athletes whose season began four weeks before the first day of class and ended the weekend be... more

The Guitar that Invented Rock n’ Roll

By BOB WIRE- The Fender Stratocaster is to rock and roll what the basketball is to basketball. Its importance to rock music can’t be overstated.... more

How To Make a Good Upsell

By MARK RIFFEY - When someone asks me how to make a good upsell, I suggest that they focus on being helpful.... more

Register Now For Frost Fever 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk

Join Missoula Parks and Recreation for a wintery fun run/walk along the Riverfront Trail System on Saturday, January 24. Choose from the new 1-mile fun run or the traditional 5K route. ... more

Lady Griz Host Weber State, Idaho State This Week

By JOEL CARLSON - The Montana women’s basketball team will host Weber State and Idaho State this week at Dahlberg Arena as the Big Sky Conference enters week two of 10 of its league schedule. ... more

Frisco Is Great Location For FCS Championship Game

By JIM O'DAY - I was part of a small committee assigned to look into the facilities and communities being considered as the site for the NCAA Division I Football Championship title game starting in 2010. ... more

Liz Marchi: Paper Bliss

By LIZ MARCHI - As much as I love to clean and organize, my husband loves to keep every piece of paper that he's ever owned. Whatever your bliss is, nurture it, edit it and own it in 2015!... more

Griz at Weber State Jan. 8th

By DAVE GUFFEY - The Grizzlies play their first their Big Sky Conference road games of the season, Thurs. Jan. 8, against the preseason and defending league champion Weber State. Tip-off is at 7:05 p.m. ... more

Missoula Community Theatre’s Production of Clue: TheMusical open Jan. 23

The Missoula Community Theatre is set to open Clue: The Musical on Friday night, January 23rd for a two-week run of silly situations, campy music, and a mystery of course. ... more

This Week’s Arts & Culture Scene | Jan 5

Here's a look at what's happening this week in Missoula from music to dance, theatre to museum exhibits and more--brought to you by our friends at the Missoula Cultural Council.... more

Couponing in 2015

By ERIN TURNER- While I still am passionate about saving money and getting the very best deal available, how I save money looks different than it did 5 years ago. ... more

Citizens Urged to Call 911 to Report Mount Jumbo Trespassers

Parks & Rec Reminder: Mount Jumbo is closed for the winter and with the new snowfall Avalanche Danger is HIGH. Cititzens are urged to call 911 to report Trespassers.... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of Jan 5

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- It was 40 years ago this weekend that the University’s first sanctioned women’s basketball team (The Honey Bears) took the floor for its opening weekend of play.... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Jan 5

Check out the various bands and live music all over Missoula sprinkled with an Independent film or a fundraiser. ... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of Jan 5

Jobs this week: Field Assistants for Geophysical Surveying, a Janitorial Suprvisor, Baker, Store Supervisor, and a Portable Restoom Service Tech in the Bakken oilfields. ... more