Distinctly Montana Magazine

d i s t i n c t ly m o n ta n a • s U m m E R 2 0 1 4 10 Valerie Harms has edited this magazine since 2005 and says it is like throwing a party every season. A writer as well as editor, she is the author of 10 books and numerous articles. A graduate of Smith College, for seven years she was an editor at the National Audubon Society in New york City. She has taught writing and given workshops around the country, plus in Greece and Canada. in 1995 she moved to Montana to see wild animals in their habitats and explore the mountains and rivers. For more info see her Web site at www. valerieharms.com. Email queries to valerie@distinctlymontana.com. Robert Rath collects hyphens. Currently, he's an illustrator-designer-author-art director-dog walker living in Bozeman. he's illustrated many children's books, including the award-winning First Dog: Unleashed in the Montana Capitol, and yellowstone's hot Legends and Cool Myths. his clients include Lucasfilm, The history Channel, Scholastic Books, Farcountry Press and many others. he isn't allergic to anything, can't remember birthdays, likes to cook, can wiggle his ears, and hates writing bios. HorSE PaCkINg 101 page 19 Dan aaDlanD breeds and trains mountain-bred Tennessee Walking horses and gaited mules on his ranch in south-central Montana. his eight books include in Trace of TR, The Complete Trail horse, and Sketches from the Ranch: A Montana Memoir. information about Dan's books and clinics can be found at www.my.montana.net/draa. MoNtaNa IN 30 yEarS: StatE aND NatIoNaL ParkS page 22 ChaS Van gEnDErEn has been the Administrator for Montana State Parks since 2009. he has made preservation and promotion of Montana's natural, cultural, and recreation heritage top priorities. Chas' experience in Parks and Recreation spans nearly three decades. Working for Montana State Parks since 1998, Chas received a 2014 'Our Montana' Leadership Award, a 2014 'Visionary Award' from Parks' Division staff, and the 2012 Governor's Award, an additional special recognition for his outstanding leadership. his leadership has been instrumental in sustaining and growing revenues through vehicle registration, implementing an online campsite reservations program, working with the legislature to develop the new Montana State Parks & Recreation Board and much more. Chas lives in helena with his wife, Liz. They have two college-aged daughters. he is an avid hunter and angler and an all-around outdoor enthusiast. SuMMEr SkIINg page 24 SEan McSPaDDEn grew up in Bozeman, Montana. he is an avid skier, ski instructor, and writer. EN PLEIN aIr: art oN tHE WILD SIDE page 36 aaron thEISEn is a Spokane, Wash.-based outdoors and travel writer. he is currently working on the book Day hiking Mt. St. helens. Closer to home, he and his wife enjoy getting dirty in the outdoors with their 2-year-old son. a MoNtaNa CoWboy'S trIP to INNEr MoNgoLIa page 41 WylIE guStafSon is a writer, horseman, rancher, and leader of the popular western music group "Wylie and the Wild West." tHE kItCHEN guy: My bErry faVorItE SEaSoN page 44 ChEf JIM gray is a culinary instructor and restaurant and menu consultant based in Missoula. he also owns and operates the Kitchen Guy Cooking School. Contact him at chefjimgray@gmail.com. MoNtaNa SuDS page 47 ryan nEWhouSE is a full-time freelance writer, beer blogger, and founder of MontanaBeerFinder.com and Missoula Craft Beer Week. he holds an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana-Missoula. he is an active member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) and his work has been published internationally. EMPHEraL DESIgN page 67 EMIly VarMECky and Mark PEllEtIEr are co-owners of Greenovision home Design in Bozeman. They custom design beautiful, exceptional, and energy-efficient homes. See www.greenovision.com. (rEaLLy) SMaLL HouSES uNDEr tHE bIg Sky page 82 JoE ShElton is a Montana-born and MSU graduate whose work has previously been featured in Distinctly Montana and their Montana Writers blog. his weekly column can also be read in the Get Out section of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. MoNtaNa rEaL EStatE: HEaLtHy aND HEaDED uP page 87 robyn ErlEnbuSh is a third-generation Montanan who lives in Bozeman. She owns ERA Landmark Real Estate with offices in Big Sky, Bozeman, and Livingston, as well as NAi Landmark Commercial and intermountain Property Management. Erlenbush can be reached at robyn@eralandmark.com. HELENa froM tHE toP DoWN page 94 JESSICa SolbErg was born and raised in Montana. She is an editor and freelance writer who likes to climb to the tops of things. for tHE LoVE of... bIg Sky youtH EMPoWErMENt ProjECt page 103 PanDora SChaff, a junior at Bridger Alternative School in Bozeman, has lived in various places, from Montana to Texas and quite a few in between. "Five brothers and one sister taught me how to argue, without getting heated, and how to use my words. My freshman year i found my love for writing." CoNtrIbutorS CoNtrIbutorS our CoNtrIbutorS ALExiS PiKE

• Cover