THURSDAYTHURSDAY lonepeaklookout.com FebruaryJuly 19, 14, 2018 2019 FREEFREE VolumeVolume 2, Issue1, Issue 11 33 BigBig Sky, Sky, LONELONE PEAKPEAK LOOKOUTLOOKOUT MontanaMontana Cowboys and ski bums The best kind of culture clash BY JANA BOUNDS didn’t know many cowboys before [email protected] starting the sport, but now counts many as his friends. There’s something decidedly “Everybody is awesome,” romantic about skijoring – where Hutchinson said. “What blew my the Wild West meets modern ski mind about skijoring was the clash of technology and skilled skiers. cultures between cowboys and skiers, Single digit temperatures didn’t but everyone gets along.” keep spectators away from Big Sky Cal Douglas is a cowboy born Skijoring Association’s Second Annual and raised in Gallatin Gateway. He’s Best in the West Showdown February been skijoring for five or six years, 9 and 10. Fires were created on the taking it up after seeing the sport at snow so the hardy and the brave could the fairgrounds in Bozeman. He owns garner some warmth. horses and grew up with them, so he “When ski bums, cowboys and decided the give skijoring a proper horses mix you get one hell of a party,” chance by building his own practice skijorer Chris Plank said while taking courses. a pull from a bottle of Hornitos at a “It turned into a really good time skijoring after party. every weekend. It seems the more Skijorer Glenn Hutchinson who we do it, the more people we meet won the 2018 National Championship and become closer – like family. The for the Sports Division with rider Melissa “Mo” Ostander rides Itchy while pulling Glenn Hutchinson. PHOTO BY BENJAMIN WILSON MASON Melissa “Mo” Ostander said he Cowboys and ski bums | A2 A Big Sky love story Faith, friendship, skiing, music and love BY JANA BOUNDS marred by the loss of their me and he said, ‘It looks like mountain on Sundays and go 1992. Then the three of them– emotional gauntlet for Marjie. [email protected] partners: Marjie had a marriage we’re the only OFs (old folks) out to dinner afterward. Marjie, her husband and Roger She had classical music as spanning four decades and here.’ And I looked around and It’s wasn’t long before they – continued the musical journey comfort as she and Roger still Roger Schwer and Marjie Roger shared life with his first looked at him and said, ‘Speak discovered another shared through Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach had those symphony tickets. Toepffer’s story is one of bride for nearly 50 years. for yourself, buster!’ It was interest: classical music. So, the and many other composers. “I think we both needed a resilience in the face of loss; Marjie was 50 years old funny,” Marjie recalled of their couples purchased tickets to the They would find a home for the lot of healing time after losing hope in a time of uncertainty; and Roger 60 when they met first meeting. “We got a big Bozeman Symphony. extra ticket, often inviting Brad our spouses,” she said. and of faith in the renewing at Big Sky Resort ski school laugh out of it.” “We’ve had the same seats Lartigue along. One evening, after a night powers of love. orientation in 1992. Margie had The two became friends at the symphony since 1992. Not long after Peggy passed at the symphony, and quite They celebrate 12 years been teaching skiing there for and introduced each other to That’s something that bonded away, Marjie’s husband – Carroll unexpectedly, a friend asked, together, while jointly having one year and Roger was new. their spouses. They would join us together as couples and as – suffered from deteriorating “Hey, is there anything going on nearly 100 years of marriage They would both retire from the a handful of other couples for individuals¬ – was the love of health; in and out of the between them. The golden profession 24 years later. skiing, attend Brad Lartigue’s classical music,” Marjie said. hospital and nursing home Love | A3 years of their lives were initially “Roger sat down next to church services on the Roger’s wife, Peggy, died in before he passed away. It was an The good, the bad and the busy Powder hounds opting for multi-resort passes BY JANA BOUNDS Competitor Alterra The Ikon Pass allows Sky Resort said they were manager of Big Sky Resort, Conley said she is exhausted [email protected] released the Ikon Pass this for purchasers to ski Big using some sort of multi- Taylor Middleton, did and would pay hundreds of year and it has been a regular Sky Resort for seven days; resort pass. This shift in the provide comment. dollars for an extra day off – Vail Resorts just topic of conversation in five days are allowed with industry could very well be “Big Sky Resort has a seemingly shared sentiment celebrated the 10th Big Sky recently. Alterra the Ikon Base Pass. The a powder chaser’s dream – become a sought-after among service industry anniversary of the Epic Pass projected the company Mountain Collective Pass unless that powder chaser destination for IKON and employees in the community. – which allows for those who would sell around 250,000 allows two days at Big Sky is a local having to wait in Mountain Collective pass The usual lull – that slight purchase to enjoy skiing at passes the first year, however Resort and at 17 other significantly longer lift lines holders. Many of these guests break from people where 19 resorts for one price, and some of the Ikon passes destinations. on their home turf. are seeing our resort for the there’s just enough business with unlimited skiing at most sold replaced regular passes Big Sky resident Marjorie Big Sky Resort declined to first time and are loving it to keep bills paid – hasn’t of the available resorts. It at newly acquired resorts, Knaub said every person share any analytics regarding just like we all do,” he said. happened this winter. Big Sky was a move which created an according to a Colorado Sun she’s ridden the lift with for the number of passes used Scissorbills and Brothel industry shift. article. the past few weeks at Big in Big Sky. However, general bartender Michelle Clark- Passes | A2 287 WINDY PASS TRAIL $1,295,000 LTDRealEstate 4 BED, 6 BATH, 5819 SQ.FT 3.33 ACRES MLS#305777 Open concept living room, kitchen and dining area with spectacular views of the Ramshorn Mountain Range. Call today for a private showing. LTDRealEstate.com | 406.995.2800 LONE PEAK LOOKOUT A2 February 14, 2019 Cowboys and ski bums from A1 exciting part of it for us is that They dragged him to a trailer with the inherent risk that Deal said while gesturing to a competing and said the Sky is more dangerous than every weekend is like a family to give him an injection. comes with equines. For the section of the course. “They’ll shoes are inherently different skijoring,” he said. reunion someplace different,” The whole place was silent – most part, everyone runs with probably make it.” from summer riding and To further add to the he said. there were 2,000 spectators. care in mind for the horses,” Hutchinson got his start competing. appeal, theirs is a culture of Six-foot jumps and Everyone was crying,” he said. “As riders, our goal with skijoring through a “I try to get a hardened supportive competitiveness. breakneck speeds sometimes Hutchison said. is to help manage the risk for work friend named Rick grip like ice cleats on the shoe Douglas said sportsmanship lead to broken skiers and Still, Douglas said the our horses: Going as fast as Farnsworth. His friend had a and get those horses to know is at a very high level and horses. Hutchinson said that horses love the sport as much we can or need to, while still horse and wanted to know if that they really have traction,” something they strive to one skier in Butte had such a as the humans. maintaining control of the anyone could ski. he said. “A lot of times, it’s not maintain. Case in point is nasty spill that he broke his “The horses love it. They’re situation.” “I took my power skis the course that’s icy – it’s the Richard Weber III, who is back. He has a long route to amped. They know when The course in Big Sky’s down to Bozeman and parking lot. Everyone is trying highly competitive, but will recovery but is supposed to they’re going to race,” he said. Town Center proved more immediately knew I needed to run a horse with some form take the “time to help anyone eventually be okay. Skiers are often going difficult the second day. There racing skis. Racing skis are of aggressive traction. A horse and give advice whenever An incident in Whitefish about 40-45 miles an hour were tumbles – one skijorer short and stiff with a huge will try harder if he knows he it’s asked of him. He’ll help also reiterated the reality of when they’re getting “whipped was dragged after getting the side cut so you can carve a can maintain traction.” anyone at any level.” danger. around some of those turns.” rope wrapped around his arm. 12.5-meter radius as opposed Hutchinson has become “It’s a good time with fun “It’s hard on the horses. It Douglas said everyone One particular rough patch to my power skis which are extremely passionate about the people and good horses,” was heartbreaking seeing that involved does their best to early on the course spelled a 30-meter turn.