Distinctly Montana Magazine

Publishers A NOTE FROM THE I prefer winter… Montana's population and tour- ist traffic at a low, manageable ebb is fearsome in the outsider's imagination, filled with a Teu- tonic freeze of sturm und drang, the endless, sub-zero days of Cut Bank, torturous mountain blizzards, and one-inch thick ice on the windshield. In the minds of the uninitiated, Montana's winters are raw, untamed, and altogether frightful. We know better. Y The "shape of winter" in Montana can be a challenge, but we will tell you first-hand that our former lives in Chicago were overcast, wet, and "bone- chilling" in every sense of the phrase. When we invited a pair of (native) Montana friends for a visit one January, they commented that they had never been so cold in their lives. They may as well have added the other things that we now know in hindsight: Snow needn't be sloppy-wet; daylight may include the sun, and temperature is enor- mously affected by humidity. Montana snow is as fluffy as a down comforter, and the low dampness of the air sprouts ice flowers on our windows and splotches of skin cream to protect against our glorious, sunny days. February is one of our favorite Montana months. This year our state Office of Tourism has launched its "Shaped by Winter" promotion in various places across WHAT OUR FRIENDS ARE SAYING "I came across the Distinctly Montana magazine we brought home from our holiday to the USA in December 2010 and January this year. We have all been reading Distinctly Montana cover-to-cover to recapture the magic of our holiday. We are using it now to plan the different ski areas we will take in next time." TRACEY McGOWN, Brisbane, Australia "Distinctly Montana is a good source for business for us, which is why we advertise in every issue." MARCO DeFALCO, MONTANA RUGS, Bozeman "Distinctly Montana is a beautiful, quality magazine that presents our ads so well. We enjoy the relationship with the staff who are truly proactive business partners working for our success." LESLIE BLAIR, Manager Marketing & Planning, BILLINGS CLINIC ou might call this is- sue our ode to winter. The season that keeps OF THE LANDSCAPE. SOMETHING WAITS BENEATH IT; THE WHOLE STORY DOESN'T SHOW. ~ ANDREW WYETH the country. You won't see the promo unless you read it here, as the advertising is strictly out-of-state. But, it is not out- of-mind. As a reader, enjoy our very own "Shape of Winter," in the pages of Distinctly Montana. Reflect on your snow-shoe adventures, those long tracks down your favorite run, that steaming soak in the Boiling River, hot tea or chocolate, the warm invitation ignited by a friend's fireplace. Yes, there is pleasure in a Montana winter which is cap- tured by in incredible number of outdoor activities, but there is also that revived sense of "peace and quiet," the immutable drift of winter's stilling force, which starts with those first, few flakes drifting to your upturned face. Our winter is shaped by the invigorat- ing pleasures of the snowy outdoors and sustained by its sunny days and dreamy, star-filled nights. We love winter in Montana. It is what makes this place special. WHEN YOU FEEL THE BONE STRUCTURE Anthea George, Publisher anthea@distinctlymontana.com Bill Muhlenfeld, Publisher bill@distinctlymontana.com 10 DISTINCTLY MONTANA • WINTER 2011

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