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 ‘Mount Sentinel’

Mount Sentinel to Close Friday Due to Fire Danger

Due to significant fire danger and Stage II fire restrictions, open space on Mount Sentinel will be closed for 24 hours this Friday and Saturday.... more

Best Entertainment Places in Missoula

There's something available for everyone when you visit Missoula! Here are just a few: ... more

Saint Mary’ Peak Trail

By CHAUNCEY LISTON-How did I get into this fix? It started with my packing. That afternoon I decided I was going to climb the 9,300-foot peak that is Saint Mary’s in the Bitterroot Mountain Range. ... more

MacLay Flats Nature Trail

By MALLORY KERENSA WELLS - It was a quiet Thursday evening and after a long week I knew that a hike was not only a wanted but a needed.... more

Tower Street Trails: A Bold Dinner Date

By BRENDEN SPERR - I see trees. Trees and squirrels everywhere, squirrels that are so bold they get right next to me then turn and run as if they’re playing chicken.... more

Blue Mountain Folf Course: Too Much Fun to Hike Past

By DEVIN SLATER-It seems like if there is anything you want to do outdoors you can find it at Blue Mountain. But honestly, I wouldn’t know those trails. I never get past the folf course. ... more

The Clark Fork River Walk (VIDEO)

By CATHERINE ORFANOS: The Montana campus was quiet. The Oval, empty. Puddles formed across the sidewalk and my path through campus zigzagged between them. ... more

Rattlesnake Valley: Wood’s Gulch to Sheep Mountain

By REBECCA KEITH- I lean up against Jasmine; my red, secondhand mountain bike and stew in frustration. The 11-mile ride from Wood’s Gulch to the top of Sheep’s Mountain was kicking my butt. ... more

Kim Williams Trail: The Unexpected Wilderness in My Backyard

By MARTHA KREBILL- Walking the Kim Williams Trail that night had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, and I was captivated by the natural beauty of what I can describe literally as my backyard.... more

Rattlesnsake Recreation Area

By MEGAN FRANZ - I made it to the Main Rattlesnake Trailhead, locked up the bike, swung my beat up sack over my shoulder and started trekking along the old road that follows the creek. ... more

Greenough Park Trail: A Journey Into Art and Nature

By PARKER BRIXEY - I’m cruising into Greenough Park on my bike, entering the park at its southern end, closest to town. I’ve got my headphones in, and Wiz khalifa bumping loud. ... more

Randolph-Moon Homestead Trail: Pushing Back Against Doubt and Disease

By GARRETT SLADE - It wasn’t until I had topped the final crest in the North Hills that my anxiety about the day fled. From my vantage point over Missoula the stress of the past two weeks began to melt away.... more

Mount Jumbo – Daylight Turns to Dark, Marvel Fades to Fear

By By NICK MERTES- Our eyes locked. He reared back and then quickly struck the ground with his hooves, like he was revving his engine, looking to fight. He was ready to go, but was I?... more

North Hills – Making Peace With the Rural-Urban Medley

By BELLE GASH-GILDER - There are a number of different places to begin to explore the North Hills. I started at Mountain View Trail which literally literally starts in someone’s yard. ... more

Mount Jumbo – Rising Above a Rude Awakening

By HENRY CRIST- Sometimes, little adventures change your entire perspective, and you’re a different person because of them. My adventure wasn’t a heart racing one, but it was just what I needed.... more

Crazy Canyon – An Easy Climb in Nature’s Cathedral

CHARLES EARLY - I decided to hike Crazy Canyon with a friend in early Fall. Although this is a popular hike, we didn’t see another person, which only added to the beauty of the trail.... more

Ch-paa-qn Peak

By KIAN BERTIN - People from all over the world have summited this mountain. “Pride of Britain,” one of the rocks has written into it. Another one reads, “I hate this damn wind.”... more

Crazy Canyon

By LIONE CLARE - I was happy to be back in the woods about to climb a mountain, an activity much more accessible and frequent in my hometown of Sitka, Alaska.... 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

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

Mount Jumbo Wildlife Closure Begins December 1

Mount Jumbo's North Zone is closed from December 1 until May 1. Trespassing during the wildlife closure is prohibited and violators may be fined up to $500. ... more

Stage I Fire Restrictions to Begin Thursday

The City of Missoula will join other West Central Montana fire agencies in enacting Stage I fire restrictions early Thursday morning August 7.... more

Mount Jumbo South Zone Closure Extended to April 7

To protect wintering elk, most of Mount Jumbo’s south zone will remain closed through Sunday, April 6. However, the “L” trail will re-open to the public on Tuesday, April 1. ... more

A Great Contrast

By DAN SAXTON - The last couple weeks have been eye-opening to me as a new resident in Montana and as a lover of the outdoors. We plunged right from 85-degree temperatures to the 50’s and have stayed there.... more

What is Peakbagging?

By DAN SAXTON - Climbing mountains has always been my favorite activity. I am what many call a “peakbagger" - that is, one who primarily climbs mountains and has a set goal of summits to reach. ... 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

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

Enjoy the Silence of Missoula

By ANNIE GRAHAM - I live 20 minutes from downtown Missoula and I am blessed with silence. I can hear the crickets chirping in the fields and my son can talk to an owl while he weeds the garden.... more

Mount Sentinel: The Landmark of Missoula, Montana

By DAN SAXTON - The best way for me to get a feel for a new place is to climb the most prominent local mountains, and for Missoula, Mount Sentinel perfectly fits that bill. ... more

Multimedia: The Sights of Spring in Missoula

By JEN SLAYDEN - I get a little weary during spring, wanting Mother Nature to hurry up and let the sun shine. While we wait, here are a few early Missoula spring sights.... more