Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w. d i s t i n c t ly m o n ta n a . c o m 45 It really struck me one day a few years ago when my brother was in town visiting. In the morning, we headed to the moun- tains to climb Sacajawea, the highest peak in the Bridger Moun- tain Range. (For such a claim, it's a very doable five-mile round trip hike that starts after a long drive up to Fairy Lake, which strips it of a lot of mileage and elevation gain.) As we approached the saddle between two prominent peaks, Sacajawea to one side and Hardscrabble to the other, we were struck by the views of the Gallatin Valley leading all the way up to the Gallatin Canyon as it heads towards Big Sky. As we trudged up the last part of the climb to the peak, along with the staggering views of the Crazy Moun- tains to the east and the Spanish Peaks and Tobacco Roots to the west, we were treated to views of grazing mountain goats. And to our surprise, they didn't even budge as we made our way right by them on the trail to climb our way to the top. Down again even before happy hour, we set out to walk down- town from my home that's just a few blocks from Main Street. We had a relaxing and well-deserved beverage outside at the Bacchus Pub before heading over to dine at Over the Tapas, a local tapas and wine bar. We topped that off with a bit of live music at the rocking Zebra Down Under. On a smaller scale, I can work all day in my office in the Emer- son Cultural Center—an oasis for artists with eclectic shops, studios and amazing food at The Emerson Grill—just off Main Street in Downtown Bozeman, and head up to Hyalite Reservoir, just 18 miles from town, for a late afternoon/evening getaway. Not only can I escape the heat of the city in summertime, but I can also ex- perience canoeing, hiking, or mountain biking as the sun sets with nothing but majestic mountain views. Or I can take the kids on a quick one-mile round trip hike to the stunning Palisade Falls and breathe in some mountain air. On days that I have more work than free time, I can still get my daily dose of the outdoors with a number of quick fixes that are located within minutes of my downtown home and office. Maybe it's a quick loop up Peet's Hill and onto the Gallagator trails (part of Main Street to the Mountains), a hike up the M or Drinking Horse Mountain, a bike ride up Story Hills right from my house or enjoy a short run through the shade of aspen trees along Sour- dough Creek on the outskirts of town. Bozeman intersects at the corner of outdoor recreation and culture. CORinnE GARCiA DOnniE SExTOn DOUG LOnEMAn COnTinUED

• Cover