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...

Home + Design

Hunter & Company's Style Guide

Your essential interior design blueprint for 2026 and beyond Article by Summer Zalesky | Photography by Gibeon Photography and Longview Studios Sometimes I have an interior design idea in my head. I act on it. And I instantly regret it. Thank goodness for second-generation designer Hunter Dominick and her team at Hunter & Co for these practical tips! As a member of both the American Society of Interior Designers and the Green Building Council, Hunter shares an experienced outlook on what she's...

Sports + Recreation

Riding Behind at 40 Miles Per Hour

Whitefish skijoring: Montana's extreme winter sport Article by Sydney Ludden | Photography by Porsche Jean Photography and Whitefish Skijoring When Leah Mitchell tells me that Whitefish Skijoring started as a bar bet, I can't help but smile. Because of course it did. What else would inspire someone to strap on skis, grab a rope attached to a galloping horse, and launch themselves down a course dotted with jumps and gates at speeds that would make most of us reconsider our life choices? "It...

Wellness

Kicking it at Quinn's

A deeper look into Quinn's Hot Springs Resort Article by Summer Zalesky | Photography by Mary Kate Teske If you've been lucky enough to sit in the mineral-rich water of Quinn's Hot Springs Resort, then you know just as well as their General Manager, Denise Moreth, the restoration that comes from a soak. In this interview, Denise was kind enough to share not only the experience of Quinn's, but some of the science and history behind the magical resort as well.   How do you monitor and protect...

Local Services

The Impact of Adoption

Tails from the Humane Society of Northwest Montana Article by Kelsie Ring | Photography by Lost Creek Photography Scratches on the door, paw prints in the dirt, slobber on the walls, and fur on the couch—pet owners know these signs well. Whether cleaning up after my Saint Bernard’s slobber or taking my Cocker Spaniel on the boat, I have countless tales that remind me these animals aren’t just pets, they’re family. The Humane Society of Northwest Montana is a heartwarming organization...

Life + Culture

Fun with Dick and Jane

Celebrating 71 years of marriage with the Solbergs Article by Julie Schnieders | Photography by Summer Zalesky Sitting down with Dick and Jane Solberg, who have been married for 71 years, was like stepping back in time in their home on Whitefish Lake. Their love and conviviality were present during the two-hour-plus interview. Jane, at 90, is quick-witted with a contagious laugh, and Dick, at 93, is sharp as a tack, whose quiet demeanor speaks volumes.   Jane reminisced that their property...

Beauty

Nurturing Your Inner Glow

The mind, body, and soul connection of skincare at Wellness Bahr Article by Sydney Ludden | Photography by Porsche Jean Photography Rebecca Bahr didn't set out to open just another beauty bar. She moved to Montana from Georgia to care for her father-in-law during his battle with prostate cancer, taking shifts with her mother-in-law through chemo treatments and the difficult days that followed. It was during this time that Rebecca enrolled in aesthetics school, watching how skin conditions...

Beauty

Hands on Healing

Individualized healthcare at Physio Whitefish Article by Sydney Ludden | Photography by Physio Whitefish Devin Harms was in her twenties, shortly out of grad school, and found herself working as a physical therapy clinic director in San Francisco. "I didn't know a thing about management, but I ended up managing 10 people and learned a ton about marketing, finances, and running a business," she says. "But I got overwhelmed." She ended up seeing way too many patients a day and running herself...