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 ‘Missoula’

Missoula Firefighters Host Firefighter Combat Challenge Sept. 7-8

The Missoula Firefighter Combat Challenge Team, with the current team World Record, is hosting the regional Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge in Missoula September 7- 8th.... more

CHORES – It Doesn’t Have to be a Dirty Word

By ERIN TURNER - Kids doing chores is a win-win for everyone. So as you slide back into your school year routine be sure to include daily chores as part of it. Start slow but be consistent.... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Sept 2

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: Out to Lunch, Downtown ToNight, Tons of Live Music all over town & more!... more

The Big Sleep

By BOB WIRE- I like sleep. You like sleep. Everybody likes sleep. But my teenaged kids really, really like sleep. They don’t sleep so much as hibernate on a 24-hour cycle.... more

Hiking Sawmill Gulch

By DAN SAXTON - Hiking Sawmill Gulch via the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area on the north side of Missoula is a wonderful opportunity to see majestic forest country within a half-hour’s drive from town.... more

Vacating UM’s 2011 Big Sky Conference Football Title Is Wrong

By JIM O'DAY - The NCAA has redacted the University of Montana's 2011 championship from the record books. Here is why making that victory vanish into a football Bermuda Triangle is unfair.... more

Thank You For Noticing Me

By CHERY SABOL - No matter how technologically advanced we become in matching workers to jobs, when it comes to a job search, a couple of human touches endure.... more

Fall Fun with Missoula Parks and Recreation

F.Y.I. - Missoula Parks and Recreation’s Fall 2013 Recreation Guide, featuring Currents Aquatics Center, adult sports and much more, is now available online. ... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of Aug 26

Make It Missoula posts local jobs from the Missoula Job Service. This week's jobs include: A Lead Preschool Teacher, an Automotive Technician, and an Enhanced Supervision Officer. ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Aug 26

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: Out to Lunch, Downtown ToNight, Tons of Live Music all over town & more!... more

Must-Have Kitchen Gadgets for Your Frugal Kitchen

By ERIN TURNER -If you want to save money and eat healthier then homemade is the best option! To that end, here are my list of MUST-HAVE kitchen gadgets for any frugal kitchen.... more

Prepping Kids for Grizzly Game Day

By KIM S. - In addition to dressing our kids to the nines for game day,safety is our number one priority. Here are some Grizzly game day safety tips for parents with little ones. ... more

For Outdoor Enthusiasts: The Rocky Mountain Map Gallery

By DAN SAXTON - Whether you're a hiker, climber, fisherman, hunter, or outdoor enthusiast in general, check out the incredible selection of maps at the Rocky Mountain Map Gallery.... more

Jets’ Hilliard Out for Season with Shoulder Injury

By DILLON TABISH - Former Flathead Brave and Montana Grizzly, Lex Hilliard, suffered a season-ending injury in Jets' practice yesterday and will undergo surgery next week after fracturing his shoulder blade.... more

Pinkerton Named Montana’s First Softball Coach

By JOEL CARLSON - Jamie Pinkerton, the former head coach at Tulsa and Arkansas and most recently an assistant coach at Iowa State, has been named the first head coach of the nascent Montana softball program.... more

Roots Fest This Weekend in Downtown Missoula August 23-25, 2013

By LINDA McCARTHY- The 8th annual River City Roots Festival is coming up this weekend August 23-25 in Downtown Missoula--showcasing live music, juried art, family fun, food, drink and a four-mile run.... more

Dog Days of Summer Fishing Tips

By TONY REINHARDT - August is typically one of the toughest months for visiting anglers. Hare are several things you can do to stack the deck in your favor and find plenty of Montana’s wild trout. ... more

Back to School Savings Tips

By ERIN TURNER - It’s that time of year which we can’t avoid…Back to School. But if you're smart and follow a few of these tips, you won't bust the budget.... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of Aug 19

Make It Missoula posts local jobs from the Missoula Job Service. This week's jobs include: A photographer, a delivery driver and a passenger-service agent at the Missoula Airport.... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Aug 19

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: Out to Lunch, Osprey Baseball, Tons of Live Music all over town & more!... more

Seahawks or Broncos?

By LINDA McCARTHY- Since Montana is essentially halfway between Seattle and Denver, Missoulians are oftentimes split between their love of the Mariners and the Rockies, the Seahawks and the Broncos.... more

Battle in the Big Sky: College Football Preview

By DILLON TABISH - Bobcats are back and ready to defend their Big Sky Conference Championship, Grizzlies return ready for a fresh start.... more

Griz Started Preparing for the 2013 Season Several Months Ago

By DAVE GUFFEY - When you watch the 2013 UM football players and coaches go through the tedious and regimented routine of fall camp drills, you can sense the focus, determination, and excitement.... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Aug 12

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: Out to Lunch, Osprey Baseball, Tons of Live Music all over town & more!... more

‘Throwing Down’ With Nick Dunbar of Mountain Standard Time

By EVAN CLARK - The 5-piece bluegrass/progressive rock band, Mountain Standard Time, of Nederland, CO, will be performing at the Top Hat Lounge on Aug14th in Missoula. ... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of Aug 12

Make It Missoula posts local jobs from the Missoula Job Service. This week's jobs include: A Dental Hygienist, a Concrete Finisher and a Software Engineer.... more

Johnson Leads the Way in First Griz Scrimmage of 2013 Fall Camp

Quarterback Jordan Johnson played in three series and the result was three touchdowns at UM's first scrimmage of fall camp Sun. (Aug. 11) evening in front of approximately 1,000 fans.... more

Getting Kids to a New Dentist? It’s not Like Pulling Teeth Anymore!

By KIM S. - Upon moving to Missoula, one of the first things we did is find a doctor and dentist for the kiddos. A fun dentist experience? Who knew?!... more

Does This Desk Make Me Look Fat?

By CHERY SABOL - A study by CareerBuilder revealed that almost half of the people surveyed have gained weight at work and 30 percent who have gained weight gained more than 20 pounds.... more

Missoula Symphony in the Park: Sunday Aug 11, 2013

By LINDA McCARTHY- The Missoula Symphony will host its annual Symphony in the Park this Sun., Aug. 11, 2013 This FREE event is a ‘do not miss’ event for Missoula! ... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of Aug 5

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: Out to Lunch, Osprey Baseball, Tons of Live Music all over town & more!... more

Enjoying the Great Outdoors in and Around Missoula

By LINDA McCARTHY- One of the best things about living in Missoula, Montana is the access you have to the wild open spaces and recreation places throughout the region. ... more

Homemade Pasta

By ERIN TURNER - Recently while I was treasure-hunting at a thrift store, I came upon a pasta maker just like my mom’s. I knew my next culinary adventure was going to entail homemade pasta!... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of Aug 5

Make It Missoula posts local jobs from the Missoula Job Service. This week's jobs include: Commercial Carpenters, a Maintenance Technician, and a Front-End Leader at a Missoula drugstore.... more

Top Ten Rules for a Good Yard Sale

By BOB WIRE- Pay attention to my top 10 Rules for a Good Yard Sale and you’ll make more money, more friends, and have a much smaller pile of useless crap to take to Goodwill afterwards.... more

A Midsummer Night’s Stream

By MATT DEVLIN - Picture the river as it lays in wait. In perfect veiled darkness, our finned friends hold like sails in the wind, controlling with every pitch and pull, their own place in the world.... more

DIY Window Cleaner

By ERIN TURNER - We are mid-summer right now and you know what I can’t avoid at this point? My dirty windows. Here's my simple and frugal DIY recipe for window cleaner:... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of July 29

Make It Missoula posts local jobs from the Missoula Job Service. This week's jobs include: A Clinical Coordinator, CSCT Therapists, and a Receptionist/Data Entry Worker.... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of July 29

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: Out to Lunch, Missoula Farmers' Market, Osprey Baseball, Downtown ToNight & more!... 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

Hey Bob, Go Jump in a Lake

By BOB WIRE (VIDEO) I used to be reckless--“jump from the fifth floor balcony into the pool” kind of reckless". Now, eating jalapeños on my nachos without taking a Prevacid first is as reckless as I get.... more

Montana Diva Foundation Hosts 2013 Celtic Festival of Missoula

By LINDA McCARTHY- The Montana Diva Foundation hosts the fourth annual Celtic Festival of Missoula July 26-28 in Caras Park in the heart of Downtown Missoula. ... more

The Kids Are Not Alright

By CHERY SABOL - While older workers may emerge battle-weary from the recession, will the youngest members of the work force come out permanently scarred?... more

Griz Total More than 700 Hours of Community Service

By JOEL CARLSON - UM Athletic Director, Kent Haslam announced that Montana’s student-athletes spent over 700 hours engaged in community service last year.... more

Hot Dogs on a Hot Day from Tom Dooley’s in Missoula

By PAUL SIDORIAK - It's hot in Missoula! Instead of heating up my house by cooking, this week I let the kind folks at Tom Dooley's Gourmet Hot Dog Restaurant do the cooking for me! ... more

Pair of Lady Griz Hoopsters Sign European Contracts

By JOEL CARLSON - Emboldened by the news that her former Lady Griz teammate, Alyssa Smith had signed a professional basketball contract, Katie Baker decided to look at similar options for herself.... more

Greg Brown’s Self-Explanatory Life

By BRIAN D'AMBROSIO - Legendary folk singer and song writer,Greg Brown returns to Missoula on July 27. His connection to Montana stretches back some time and no doubt he'll be doing some fishing while he's here... more

Missoula Job Service Featured Jobs | Week of July 22

Make It Missoula posts local jobs from the Missoula Job Service. This week's jobs include: A Clinical Coordinator, CSCT Therapists, and a Receptionist/Data Entry Worker.... more

Make it Missoula Monday | Week of July 22

Trail 103.3 DJs share what's happening in Missoula this week: Out to Lunch, Missoula Farmers' Market, Osprey Baseball, Downtown ToNight & more!... 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