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 ‘Housing’ Category

Silver Summit: A Playground For Everyone, Makes Fundraising Push for Phase II

By Julie Emnett, Development Director, Child Care Resources It kind of started with a yellow swing. Jenny Montgomery, who is the Owner/Tasting Room Director of Montgomery Distillery, remembers coming to Mi... more

Celebrate Arbor Month with 22nd Annual Run for the Trees April 12

Register for the 22nd annual Run for The Trees on Saturday, April 12, at 9 a.m. 1-mile, 5K or 10K, races with proceeds used to help plant new trees in Missoula parks and schools.... more

City of Missoula Announces 2014 Street Cleaning Program

Spring is here, and the Missoula Street Maintenance Division will begin its street cleaning schedule on Tuesday, April 1 with cleaning take place Mon-Fri in the following zones: ... more

Tuesday’s City News: Avalanche Danger, Potholes, Flooding

City of Missoula employees are removing downtown snow berms, clearing storm drains, filling sandbags, and repairing potholes that are erupting with the temperature change.... more

Heightened Avalanche Danger on Mount Jumbo For Next 48 Hours

Police officers are visiting homes in certain Missoula neighborhoods to let residents know of heightened avalanche danger on Mount Jumbo and Mount Sentinel for at least the next 48 hours. ... more

City of Missoula Responds to Winter Storm

Mayor John Engen has directed City snowplow crews to work at maximum capacity 24 hours a day with a focus on streets designated as Priority throughout the weekend’s winter storm.... more

Love in the Winter

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we bring you those wonderful love birds – great horned owls. That's right, the most impressive owl in North America as a symbol of Valentine’s Day.... more

Heirloom Winter Farmers’ Market Back in Full Swing

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - The Heirloom Winter Farmers’ Market is back on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, January through April at the Missoula Fairgrounds.... more

Rattlesnake And Paxson School Zones Get New Safety Signals

F.Y.I. - Reduced-speed zones around two Missoula elementary schools gained new flashing yellow lights this week. ... more

Citizens Encouraged to Recycle Christmas Trees

Missoula Parks and Recreation’s Urban Forestry Division is inviting citizens to drop off their cut Christmas trees to be recycled into productive mulch. ... more

City’s Urban Forestry Division to Replace 79 Ailing Street Trees

F.Y.I. - Missoula’s urban forest is getting some much-needed attention as City arborists work with residents to replace 79 dead or dying boulevard trees throughout Missoula.... more

Leaf Collection Starts Tuesday Nov 5

The City of Missoula will begin fall leaf pickup on Tuesday, Nov. 5, starting in the downtown District #1. The schedule starts in older neighborhoods with mature trees and the highest volume of leaves. ... more

Missoula Leaders Engaged at Montana Economic Summit

By LINDA MCCARTHY - The local daily newspaper claimed that Missoula was not well represented at the Montana Economic Summit, held in Butte. In my opinion, nothing could be further from the truth.... more

Missoula’s Old Sawmill District Ready for Investment

By LINDA MCCARTHY - (PHOTO GALLERY) The Old Sawmill District – the former Champion Mill site on the south side of the Clark Fork River – is a great example of progress in Missoula. ... more

Missoula’s Annual Chip Seal Program Begins

F.Y.I. - Missoula City Street Division crews begin applying oil and chips as part of the City’s annual Chip Seal Street Maintenance Program on Monday, July 29.... more

Missoula Scientists Study Wind Flow and the Affects on Firelines

By MARK VOSBURGH - Researchers at the UM Flight Lab and the Missoula Fire Sciences Lab are analyzing birds in flight in order to understand wind flows and their affect on fire lines.... more

Oh Deer

By BRUCE AUCHLY - It was great to see seven mule deer walk by the front of the house yesterday. Why? Because they passed by the newly fenced vegetable garden in the back of the house.... more

No Fireworks on FWP Land or City Limits of Missoula

UPDATE: Fireworks are illegal on FWP lands and within the city limits of Missoula. The City of Missoula plans vigorous enforcement of the City’s fireworks laws during this holiday week.... more

Repurposing Hollow Core Doors Into Shelves

By LISA HENSLEY - Thanks to a recent remodeling projects, we have a stash of hollow core doors in our garage. They are ugly, but here's how I repurposed them into shelves for my office... more

Weekend Fun with Missoula Parks and Recreation

Join Missoula Parks and Recreation this weekend for a Kids’ Fishing Derby, Splash Montana Water Volleyball league and Adult Night, Open Ropes Course and Skateboard Mentors at MOBASH Skatepark.... more

A Return to the Ninemile Schoolhouse…an Heirloom Legacy Continues

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - Missoula's Heirloom Foodie is re-opening the Ninemile Schoolhouse and and renting the historic landmark for writers retreats, weddings and more. ... more

City Unveils Draft Site Plan for Hellgate Park

Citizens are invited to an open house to view the draft Master Plan for Hellgate Park on Tuesday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m., at the Montech Building, 1121 E. Broadway.... more

I Am An Egg Snob…

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - Until recently I thought my chickens' laying lives were over. Imagine my surprise when I discovered over a dozen eggs hiding behind a pile of outdoor furniture. These yolks are the dar... more

The Politics of food, Being an AG-Tivist

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - Why HB574 is Important: When it comes to fresh milk and dairy products, I want to be able to support the farmer(s) of my choice and procure the foods that I believe to be healthful for... more

Missoula Parks & Recreation Presents: Run for the Trees and Doggie Dash

F.Y.I. - Missoula Parks and Rec presents Run for the Trees 5k/1 mile Fun Run/Walk on Saturday April 13th and the Doggie Dash 5k/1 Mile Fun Run/Walk & Doggie Expo on May 5th. ... more

DIY Underbed Dresser and Storage

By LISA HENSLEY - We've run out of space for dressers in my boys' room, so I repurposed the drawers from an old, ugly dresser and a nightstand into two underbed storage sets!... more

Mount Jumbo South Zone Re-Opened March 15

F.Y.I. - To protect wintering elk and mule deer, much of Mount Jumbo is closed to recreational use during winter months. The Saddle Road and all points south of the road re-opened to the public on Friday, March... more

When it Comes to Mortgages, What’s in a Team?

By TRINA MURPHY - It's college basketball time...and the parallels between basketball and the team work required to get a home mortgage are really quite uncanny. Here's why: ... more

Heirloom Market Celebrates Official Grand Opening January 26th

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - On January 26th, the Heirloom Market is holding its official Grand Opening at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. Come celebrate with us!... more

When it Comes to Mortgages, Just Say NO to Acronyms

By TRINA MURPHY - APR, LOE, VOD, TILA, LTV… No wonder folks applying for a mortgage are dazed and confused. Who can blame them? OMG!!!... more

Shorten a Floor Lamp

By LISA HENSLEY - I have a preference for the kind of light that comes from torchiere lamps—you know, those floor lamps that point upward and throw the light so well? But I have limited floor space.... more

Is Black Locust the Ultimate Permaculture Tree?

By PAUL WHEATON - You can spot where the old homesteads are in Montana by the stands of black locust trees. They're famous in permaculture circles as nitrogen fixers.... more

Hand Washing Dishes Versus Dishwasher: Which Saves More Water?

By PAUL WHEATON - The misconception that washing dishes with a dishwasher saves water is an great example of how people succomb to greenwashing myths.... more

Missoula Gifts That Encourage Reuse

By LISA HENSLEY - Still have people left on your shopping list? Here are a few Missoula-centric ideas that will spread cheer and encourage people to Reuse IT this Christmas. ... more

How to Make Recycled Christmas Wrapping Paper & Bows

By LISA HENSLEY - I never have much wrapping paper on hand, but when Christmas rolls around, I get all wrapped up in the holiday spirit and make my own festive, recycled wrapping paper.... more

Horticulture of the United States of Pocahontas

By PAUL WHEATON - The foundations of sustainable horticulture seem to include permaculture, bio-dynamism, respectful harvest, and a symbiotic relationship with nature.... more

Humanure and Composting Toilets

By PAUL WHEATON - Recently, I visited Missoula’s wastewater treatment plant to learn about the reuse of treated wastewater as a source of irrigation and fertilization.... more

Compost-Based Bio-Energy Systems

By PAUL WHEATON - When done properly, composting creates a great deal of heat – heat that can be harnessed to heat water and create usable energy.... more

How to Keep Deer from Eating Your Stuff

By PAUL WHEATON - The creative ways people attempt to control deer seem endless, but they aren’t generally effective. There is ONE thing that really gets it done.... more

City of Missoula Begins Leaf Collection on Nov. 6th

F.Y.I. - The City of Missoula will begin fall leaf pickup on Tuesday, Nov. 6, starting in the downtown Special District #1.... more

This Winter, Save Energy with Just a Tiny Bit of Knowledge

By PAUL WHEATON - The real solution to energy sustainability is to get information passed as far as possible. This, friends, is saving the world with a bit of knowledge.... more

Missoula Halloween in the Grant Creek Neighborhood

(PHOTO GALLERY) The Grant Creek Neighborhood of Missoula has some of the best Trick-or-Treaters you'll find anywhere. Check out these costumes!!!... more

Solar Food Dehydrators for the Fall Harvest

By PAUL WHEATON - The fall harvest is upon us. Apples, plums, kale, and tomatoes abound. In the quest for sustainability, solar-powered food dehydrators are on the rise.... more

Replacing Irrigation with Permaculture

By PAUL WHEATON - There are scads of ideas of what permaculture and irrigation are. For me, I see a good permaculture system as one that has eliminated irrigation.... more

The Many Benefits of the Amazing Sunchoke

By PAUL WHEATON - Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem Artichokes) are one of the best homesteader crops, especially for those wishing to be self-sustaining.... more

Back to School Walking Safety

As the school year gets underway, it’s great to see more student walking to and from their bus stops and schools but we want to remind parents and drivers to do their part to keep these kids safe. ... more

Paul Wheaton on Polyculture

By PAUL WHEATON - A polyculture is a mix of plants all trading their unique goodness with other plants. All plant-eating animals are designed to eat plants from a polyculture.... more

Paul Wheaton’s CFL Video goes live

By ANDY COMMONS - Think CFLs are good? Paul Wheaton has just produced a video that says otherwise. Andy sheds light on the issue.... more

Keep Your Home Safe from Wildfire

It’s that time of year again. Here are some tips to safeguard you, your family and your home from a wildfire. ... more

Tired of Tilling? Try Seed Balls

By PAUL WHEATON - Ever thought of lobbing seeds into your field? No tilling, just a good arm? Seed balls are used in no-tilling cultivation to get seeds established.... more