Recently, winter stormed back onto the southwest Montana landscape. A March 24 storm left almost a foot of snow on the slopes high above Big Sky, with a few inches dusting the meadows and canyons closer to the Gallatin River. On the morning of March 25, our...
Dear Friends, The past week has been a trying one for all of us here in Big Sky, and indeed across the globe. From closures and cancellations to social distancing and self quarantine, we've been challenged in ways we never thought possible only a few days ago. Here at...
Though Big Sky’s full-time population is rapidly growing, this is still a tourist town. As such, there are a variety of inns, lodges, hotels and motels, all catering to visitors itching to enjoy southwest Montana’s natural beauty. While AirBnB-style rentals are...
So far, this season has been a mild one. While the Natural Resources Conservation Service is reporting a Gallatin watershed snowpack that’s 121 percent of normal, it didn't feel much like winter until the last week of storms. Even with snowfall, temps have remained...
In a salt-based system, healthy calcium and magnesium are replaced by equal parts of sodium, and the significant volume of water used in this process is flushed down the drain.
Technology is ubiquitous in our 21st-century lives. It permeates our socializing, our shopping, our banking and even our driving. Why not use it to maximize our water conservation? That’s exactly what the Big Sky Water and Sewer District is doing with the...
Groundwater study to impact water management. BY Kristin Gardner, Executive Director Groundwater quality and quantity is threatened by the proliferation of septic systems and individual wells in the Upper Gallatin Canyon. This could lead to the degradation of...
Over the past year, sustainability initiatives have been gaining momentum across Big Sky. After recently participating in a two-day workshop on sustainable tourism and the inaugural meeting of the Big Sky Sustainability Committee, I have been ruminating on water sustainability in Big Sky.
This fall has turned out snowier than average, but it also came with several days of temperature highs over 70 degrees Fahrenheit in Mountain Village. Overall, October had a mean temperature of 34 degrees, 10 degrees cooler than the 44-degree average.
We need you to call the Montana delegation to voice your support for clean, free-flowing rivers. The draft Montana Headwaters Security Act would designate new Wild and Scenic rivers to ensure the highest form of protection for Montana’s most crucial rivers on public lands. Currently, less than half of one percent of the rivers in Montana are permanently protected as Wild and Scenic. However, the Montana Headwaters Security Act proposes to designate 37 new Wild and Scenic Rivers and streams in the state.
