Food + Beverage

Spirit of the Frontier

Savoring wildly local sips at Spotted Bear Spirits Article by Marko Capoferri | Photography by Forrest Mankins For the intrepid Montana adventurer, a trek to Spotted Bear Ranger District ought to be at the top of any list. Fifty miles of washboard will get you to this little haven tucked between the Swan and Lewis mountain ranges, where the South Fork of the Flathead River spills clear from the glaciated heights of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. “It’s one of my favorite little pockets,” says...

Arts + Culture

The Maiden's Mark

The art of sisterhood at Original Skin Tattoo Article by Sydney Ludden | Photography by Nikity Nak Creatives There's a moment, if you've ever walked into a tattoo studio and felt immediately out of place, where you quietly talk yourself out of it. Maybe the music is too loud. Maybe the energy is too sharp. Maybe you just didn't feel like you belonged there. Sammy Connell knows that moment well, because she lived it herself. "I found my style because I worked in very male-dominated spaces that...

Sports + Recreation

Rhinestones and Rapids

Brooke "Minnow" Hornbeck sprinkles rafters with glitter and grit Article by Kate Heston | Photography by Allison Weis and Eva Goodwin Brooke Hornbeck’s first year raft guiding was roughly seven years ago, when 15-year-old Hornbeck welcomed a group of Girl Scouts onto her raft.  At the time, Hornbeck was the only female guide at her company in the Adirondacks of New York state. What was a day of laughter, stoke and fun on the water turned into a meaningful experience for the new raft guide...

Health + Wellness

A Blueprint to Healing

No more one-size-fits-all for chiropractic care Article by Sydney Ludden | Photography by Nikity Nak Creatives Dr. Tanner Klein’s journey to chiropractic care began in a world far removed from clinics and adjusting tables. As a Navy Diver in the Special Warfare Division, he tackled construction engineering projects under high-pressure conditions, until a sudden back injury on deployment shifted his life’s trajectory. “I went from a super active job in the Navy to working on a job site...

Home + Design

Paths That Last

The quiet investment of trail building in Montana Article by Sydney Ludden | Photography by Nikity Nak Creatives I keep thinking about how investment isn’t always about money. Sometimes it looks like a man walking among the trees with a shovel slung over his shoulder, listening for what the land wants to become. That’s the feeling I had after talking with Darren Pfeifle, owner of Montana Made Trails. Darren has been carving paths through Montana for 26 years. First in Glacier National Park...

Home + Design

The Palette of Preservation

How Joshua Morin is restoring the Flathead Valley’s homes Article by Julie Schnieders | Photography by Nikity Nak Creatives As thankful as I am for this rugged Montanan beauty, I understand the cost of it. The elements here are unforgiving. Snow, wind, fire, and the friction of daily life are the trade-off of the gorgeous, jagged ridges that surround us. When wood fades and leather cracks, as it inevitably will, Joshua Morin leaps into action. When these materials threaten to fail, his refined...

Travel

From Pasture to Purpose

Saint Agnes Farmhouse’s Highland cows help spread joy Article by Kate Heston | Photography by Nikity Nak Creatives If you look out the back window of Catherine Owens' Saint Agnes Farmhouse, one will see geese flapping their wings, families of deer frolicking about and two black-nosed sheep lounging near a gate. But the stars of the show are just south of the action—two orange, mid-sized highland cows named Betty and Judy. Owens never intended for her property to be a place for entertainment or...

Home + Design

Go West, Young Homeowner

How Westcraft Homes is steering the future of residential development Article by Julie Schnieders | Photography by Brian Beck and Clint Ekern Passing the threshold of our homes. We do it everyday, and yet, we take the significance of the event for granted. A roof over our heads, hardwood floors, and a sunset in peace. And this feeling is amplified times 100 when you’re not just a renter. This is YOUR home. But let’s be real: finding that feeling in the Flathead Valley lately has been tough...

Life + Culture

Growing Home

The Sunflowers of Life with Saenz Family Farms Article by Sydney Ludden | Photography by Nicole Macias Amanda Saenz didn't grow up homesteading. Sure, she grew up in Spokane, connected to animals and nature, but it was nothing like what her life would become. Her husband was born and raised in Montana. His parents had a small farm and the whole family did 4-H. When the two married, they bought five acres in Columbia Falls with a few horses and a vegetable garden. Pretty normal, Amanda says. ...

Home + Design

The Steel That Forges a Home

The spirit of structure at Copper Creek Welding Article by Kelsie Ring | Photography by Copper Creek Welding The winding of a staircase banister, the glow of a custom light fixture, or the silhouette of a balcony against a pink and orange mountain sunset—these are the imaginative visions that turn a soulless structure into a dream home.  Koby Green, owner of Copper Creek Welding, knows this well. He is a craftsman who understands both the significance of structure and the soul of details...