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

The Name Game

By ROB BREEDING - I used to correct people when they used the A word. Pronghorns are not true antelope, I’d explain, and are actually an animal in a family all by themselves.... more

This Week’s Missoula Arts & Culture Scene

A recap of all things Arts & Culture--for the week of 7/28/14-- brought to you by the Missoula Cultural Council.... more

Mid Summer Missoula Fishing Report

By TONY REINHARDT -The season is flying by! The fishing has been great in Missoula so far this year, and with plenty of water still in our rivers that should continue through the rest of the season. ... more

Save Money With DIY Haircuts

By ERIN TURNER- With 3 boys, haircuts occur quite frequently around our house. Even if we just went to Cost Cutters we'd spend a fortune every month. Instead, here's a frugal, DIY haircut option. ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of July 28

Check out the various bands and live music all over town sprinkled with an occasional farmers market and fundraisers. ... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of July 28

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN-Grizzly football fans are hoping for a winning streak for the Griz after Paul McCartney’s concert just like the program had when the Rolling Stones appeared at Washington Grizzly stadi... more

Hill and Sullivan Not Done With Basketball Yet

By JOEL CARLSON-Torry Hill and Jordan Sullivan, seniors on last year’s Lady Griz team, both were raised on basketball, and even though their college playing days are over, their basketball careers are not. ... more

Kidsfest 2014 Slated for July 29 at Caras Park

Join Missoula Parks and Recreation for Kidsfest 2014, a free summer celebration for Missoula families at Caras Park on Tuesday, July 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.... more

Wayne and Kathleen Newton Set Up Shop in Lakeside

By JUSTIN FRANZ-Kat’s Korner is one of several new shops and restaurants that have popped up in the small community of Lakeside and Wayne Newton, 72, said it’s no surprise the town is growing.... more

Visit Yellowstone Before it Blows Up

By BOB WIRE- One way to get around Yellowstone is aboard one of the Historic Yellow Buses. They can sometimes be seen roaring around a corner and scaring the bejesus out of some poor buffalo.... more

Henderson Named to CFPA’s 2014 Watch List for FCS Kickoff Returners

By DAVE GUFFEY - Montana's Ellis Henderson has been named to the 2014 CFPA Kickoff Returner Award Watch List, as announced by College Football Performance Awards.... more

UM Dining Wins NACUFS Grand Prize for Sustainability

UM Dining’s commitment to limiting our impact on the environment earned national recognition at the 2014 National Association of College and University Food Services Conference.... more

Missoula’s Annual Chip Seal Program Begins

City of Missoula Street Division crews begin applying oil and chips to city streets on Monday, July 28, in the City’s annual Chip Seal Street Maintenance Program. Missoula annually seals the surface of ab... more

Flies Really Bite. Are they Bugging the Cows?

By PAUL WHEATON-Biting flies can sure make life miserable for cattle, horses and even people! Big or small, those insects can inflict painful sores. Here are a few solutions for getting rid of biting flies:... more

Washington-Grizzly Stadium Undergoing Upgrades

By JOEL CARLSON-People who attend a Montana Grizzly football game this fall will notice three major upgrades to the stadium, all added to enhance the fan experience.... more

Going Home Again

By ROB BREEDING - I went back to one former home recently, my old stomping grounds in the Bitterroot Valley.... more

Earning Return Business

By MARK RIFFEY - When you make client service decisions, do you weigh the cost of losing the client?The incremental cost of service is usually tiny compared to losing the client.... more

All 12 Griz Football Games in 2014 to be Televised

All 12 of The University of Montana’s football games in 2014 will once again be televised this season, by either Cowles Montana Media or ROOT Sports, announced UM Athletic Director Kent Haslam today (Tue... more

Monte Dolack: Nature of Art

By MONTE DOLACK-My personal creative and restorative touchstone to nature is not far from our Missoula home. It is The Crown of the Continent ecosystem and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. ... more

This Week’s Missoula Arts & Culture Scene

A recap of all things Arts & Culture--for the week of 7/21/14-- brought to you by the Missoula Cultural Council.... more

Volunteers Needed to Help Install All-Abilities Playground

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Due to some last-minute changes in the construction schedule, volunteers are needed to help install the new All Abilities Playground later this week.... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of July 21

Check out the various bands and live music all over town sprinkled with an occasional farmers market and fundraisers. ... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of July 21

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN-This fall the Montana Grizzly football team will face a lot of first-year head coaches. Four of the Grizzly’s first 6 games will be against teams with new head coaches.... more

Budget Friendly Fruit Fly Killer

By ERIN TURNER-Love having the fruit sitting out for a quick walk-by snack for the kids but hate the the fruit flies? Here's a sure-fire and frugal way of killing them:... more

Single Game Tickets for the 2014 Season go on Sale July 21

Single game tickets for the University of Montana’s 2014 football season home games will go on sale Monday, July 21 at the Adams Center Box Office. ... more

Rock the Hood: ZACC puts the ART in Block pARTy

By MATT ANGLEN-I love block parties. There’s something about sipping a beer and eating food from a truck in the middle of a normally busy street that just screams freedom.... more

Do the Right Thing

By ROB BREEDING - The fish that were in Montana first are worthy of our best conservation efforts.... more

Peach Pie and Pecan Crumble

BY CHEF HOWARD KARP-For the short time while peaches are in season, this recipe might just become your favorite fruit dessert, especially with this ultimate crumble-top.... more

This Week’s Missoula Arts & Culture Scene

A recap of all things Arts & Culture--for the week of 7/15/14-- brought to you by the Missoula Cultural Council.... more

Griz Picked to Finish Second in Both Preseason Polls

The Montana Grizzlies have been picked to finish second in the 2014 Big Sky Conference preseason polls by both the league coaches and media.... more

Five Griz Named to Preseason All-league Team; Wagenmann Vote Defensive MVP

By DAVE GUFFEY - Montana had five players named to the 2014 Big Sky Conference preseason all-league teams and one player tabbed the preseason MVP on defense.... more

UM Sports Trivia | Week of July 14

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN- Griz fans will be conflicted on which game to attend on Feb 29th--when Larry Krystiowiak’s Utah UTES take on Wayne Tinkle's OSU Beavers. ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of July 14

Check out the various bands and live music all over town sprinkled with an occasional farmers market and fundraisers. ... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of July 14

Jobs this week: A Warehouse /Parts runner, Substitute Teacher for Pre-Kindergarten student, Environmental/Housekeeping Director, Dispatch Assistant/Carrier Developer and more.... more

Families Invited to play All-Abilities Baseball at McCormick Park

Missoula Parks & Rec is teaming up with the All-Abilities Playground Project to host free baseball games for people with and without disabilities on 7/19 and 8/2.... more

It’s Hot Outside: How Animals Cope With the Heat

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Tales and Trails is a twice monthly natural history column. This week's topic: How animals cope with hot weather. If they don’t stay cool, they die.... more

I Love Me Some Grass

By BOB WIRE- Ahhh the final glory days of a nice, green lawn. The current heat wave will surely have our yards as crispy as hash browns from the back of the griddle by the end of July.... more

Zack Wagenmann Named to 2014 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List

Zack Wagenmann is one of 20 players who has been named to the 2014 Buck Buchanan Award (Football Championship Subdivision’s defensive player of the year) Watch List.... more

20 Tips for Staying Cool and Saving Money in the Summer

By PAUL WHEATON-It’s hot! So it is perfect timing to talk about how to stay cool on the cheap – both long term and short term. Here are 20 tips on staying cool this summer and saving money too.... more

Vote With Your Fork

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - One of our very core rights as human beings is challenged in this country on a daily basis. That is the freedom to choose the food(s) that we wish to raise, buy and consume.... more

Consistency is Critical to Repeat and Word-of-Mouth Business

By MARK RIFFEY - What inconsistencies can you address to increase repeat and word of mouth business?... more

The Missoula Arts & Culture Scene – Week of July 7/7

A recap of all things Arts & Culture--for the week of 7/7/14-- brought to you by the Missoula Cultural Council.... more

Summer Dry Fly Season in Missoula

By TONY REINHARDT - It seems that we have gone from spring to summer overnight in Missoula and the fly fishing transition has happened just as quickly--now is the time to get into the river.... more

Jordan Johnson Named to 2014 Payton Watch List

University of Montana quarterback Jordan Johnson has been named to the 2014 Walter Payton Award Watch List, The Sports Network announced today (Monday, July 7).... more

FWP, Anglers Work Together to End Illegal fish Introductions

Montana fisheries officials and major statewide angling groups signed an agreement recently aimed at curbing the spread of illegal fish introductions into state waters.... more

Healthy, Frugal Spinach Smoothies

By ERIN TURNER-I’ve had lots of people asking me for my recipe for Green Smoothies. Since spinach season is at its peak right now, I thought I'd share my recipe.... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of July 7

Check out the various bands and live music all over town sprinkled with an occasional farmers market and fundraisers. ... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of July 7

This Week's Jobs: An Executive Director of a non-profit, Marketing/Development Director, Human Resource Coordinator, Chinking & Staining Laborer, Delivery Driver, Nusery Worker & More.... more

Things To Do In Las Vegas When You’re Dead

By BOB WIRE-Broke, that is. Dead broke. I think we are all familiar enough with Sin City's over-the-top entertainment torrent to know that there is no end to the list of stuff to do in Las Vegas.... more

Helen McAuslan: The Kent State Paintings

On loan from the Museum of the Rockies, these important paintings were produced following the Kent State tragedy by Montana artist Helen McAuslan.... more