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

Posts Tagged ‘bluegrass’

Foghorn String Band Coming to Missoula

By MARK VOSBURGH - Hankerin' for some authentic, honest, old time, country, Cajun, Appalachia or Bluegrass String Music? Take in The Foghorn String Band at the Top Hat Lounge on Friday, May 24th at 10 pm.... more

Bluegrass Festival Season Kicks Off Saturday at Lone Rock School

By MARK VOSBURGH - Another spring is here, and another Bluegrass festival season kicks off this Saturday at Lone Rock School near Stevensville.... more

Claire Lynch Headlines at Ruby Jewel Jamboree in Missoula, April 5th

By MARK VOSBURGH - Nationally acclaimed International Bluegrass Music Association artist, Claire Lynch headlines the Ruby Jewel Jamboree in Missoula, April 5th at Ruby's Reserve Street Inn.... more

Missoula Bluegrass Picker Bill Neaves Profiled in National Flatpicking Guitar Magazine

By MARK VOSBURGH - As the editor of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, Dan Miller knows talent when he hears it. Here's what he had to say about our own local talent, Bill Neaves in January's issue.... more

That Old-Time Sound: Chad Fadely, Montana Mandolin Master

By MARK VOSBURGH - When Chad Fadely was 15, his dad picked up his fiddle and returned to playing old-time music. Predictably, for a teenager, Chad "absolutely hated" it.... more

Ruby Jewel Jamboree Featuring John Reischman and the Jaybirds

By LEISA GREENE NELSON - The last concert in the 2012 bluegrass Ruby Jewel Jamboree is Aug. 16, with the Juno award-winning John Reischman and the Jaybirds. ... more

Missoula’s Josh Farmer Band: Good Vibrations

By LEISA GREENE NELSON - The Josh Farmer Band took second place at Sean Kelly's Top of the Mic finals. To Josh, it's not where you end up, but the journey that matters.... more

Ruby Jewel Jamboree: The Growling Old Men

By LEISA GREENE NELSON - The next concert in the bluegrass Ruby Jewel Jamboree series is tonight, May 4, from 7-10 pm. Free bluegrass pickin' session afterward, too!... more

A Missoula Jamboree Family

By LEISA GREENE NELSON - Thanks to Missoulians Lou and Phyllis Erck, Missoula is now home to the bluegrass Ruby Jewel Jamboree, which starts Saturday, April 28.... more

Bluegrass Music Growing Missoula Roots

By ALANYA CHERKIS - Last month, Missoula hosted its first ZooGrass festival at the Top Hat lounge downtown. Live bluegrass has recently taken hold of the music scene in Missoula, with its upbeat energy, foot-st... more