Bozeman: is it really that bad anymore?

[psinclair]

40 years ago......looking south towards Bozeman. Solid housing developments now.

My family moved there from Miles City in the mid 60's. It was an amazing place to grow up. I left there in 1994 for Eastern Montana.

It was the best thing I ever did....

 

[SwaggyD]

56

Nice. Thought you were much closer to my age.

 

[Sytes]

Likely just about everybody feels this way no matter when they moved to Bozeman.
My wife and I have discussed where the next spot might be for us to live. We have some solid possibilities, but the honest truth is where we live now is pretty damn good. Bozeman is part of that thought process, as much as I enjoy railing on her.
But I DO believe when I arrived in the mid eighties Montana was a better place. The total outdoor experience was far superior, without a doubt. I miss that.

Same sense of thought for Flathead area. Wife's family multi generation Great Falls / Flathead. Raz the heck over past vs present and probable future. That said, it's a challenge to find a more favored State to call home / retire (4.5 year countdown). Her entire family tree is rooted in MT. However, the snow and splitting rounds are some aspects that prompt our interest in a retired seasonal southern and (or) tropical departure. The "snowbird" effect. Snow is enjoyable, to an extent.

 

[ismith]

“And I surrender it now only with great reluctance to dude ranches, the unselected inhabitants of Great Falls, and the Moorish invaders from California”.

 

[Hem]

“And I surrender it now only with great reluctance to dude ranches, the unselected inhabitants of Great Falls, and the Moorish invaders from California”.

Very interesting @ismith . I see your late night creativity shines once again.

 

[ismith]

“And I surrender it now only with great reluctance to dude ranches, the unselected inhabitants of Great Falls, and the Moorish invaders from California”.

Norman MaClean, “A River Runs Through It and Other Stories”.

 

[noharleyyet]

 

[Hem]

Norman MaClean, “A River Runs Through It and Other Stories”.

I savy...it was in quotations...but you still rallied a good one.

 

[Hem]

View attachment 336702

Parts of this conjure up wild visions.

 

[shrapnel]

The Wally Byamers used to love it here. They lost interest or died…

 

[Hem]

The Wally Byamers used to love it here. They lost interest or died…




View attachment 336706

I had forgotten about that event.

 

[Fire_9]

56

 

[Southern Elk]

“The whole shitaree. Gone, by God, and naught to care savin’ some of us who seen ‘er new. - Uncle Zeb (1830) - Big Sky - A.B. Guthrie, JR.

Every generation thinks this place has been ruined and maybe it has, but I can’t think of any place that I’d rather be right now than SW Montana.

 

[Elky Welky]

“The whole shitaree. Gone, by God, and naught to care savin’ some of us who seen ‘er new. - Uncle Zeb (1830) - Big Sky - A.B. Guthrie, JR.

Every generation thinks this place has been ruined and maybe it has, but I can’t think of any place that I’d rather be right now than SW Montana.

Great quote. A.B. Guthrie Jr. was always pretty explicit that the theme of that book was "Man destroys the thing he loves."

Change is inevitable. I don't think Bozeman has been "ruined." Is it different? Absolutely. Is it extremely expensive compared to the rest of the state? Yup. Does it feel like the town I was born in, that my grandfather taught statistics for all those years at the university, where my father, aunts, and uncles grew up, and where we used to play football on ice skates every December 26--even getting Grandpa out there up to age 84? Not at all. The mountains and rivers are the same, but the people make the place. And the people are not the same.

"Good" or "Bad," it's simply a different place now. Our 50 year family tradition of playing football on ice skates there is a good way to get lectured by some latte-wielding California Karen (true story, and why we had to stop), and people don't drive like they are from Montana. Most of them probably aren't.

If it's your vibe, it's your vibe. I grew up always wanting to live there, but now I'm pretty content to put more miles on my rig to get to where I want to hunt and fish, and not have to deal with the daily grind, costs of living, and generally aggressive vibe of new Bozeman. It doesn't feel like home.

 

[peterk1234]

Drove along the Gallatin, coming back from some Wyoming camping yesterday. Holy crap. The river is being loved to death. Piles of young adults jumping off a bridge. Fishermen every ten feet. Hoards of people rafting (rafting outfitters), don't know how, given the water level, but they are doing it. Tubers, kayaks, people just lounging around. Given the proximity to Bozeman, I'm guessing the majority recreating were from there.

I get the right for all to enjoy. And I respect the concept, I really do. But for some reason seeing that on such pristine water, one that is so renowned for it's trout fishing, is just tough for me to see. I can't imagine the trash that gets left behind. I was seeing that already on the hiking/ mountain biking trails in Bozeman.

I guess that's what bothers me the most. I grew up in a state where our access to everything outdoors has been lost. With large growth comes a lot of issues. Near and dear to us of course is outdoor pursuits. Given what I'm seeing lately, the freedoms we enjoy, cherish and respect, could quickly disappear with rules, regulations and shutting down access.

So I guess it's not the growth that is problematic for me. It's what is coming with it.

 

[Straight Arrow]

So I guess it's not the growth that is problematic for me. It's what is coming with it.

Agreed from someone who's been here for many decades. IMO Big Sky and the Yellowstone Club are the worst thing that could have happened to the Gallatin.
... and now they want to dump their shit into the river, literally. Supposedly after treating. Algae in the river the past few years is from what you described, no doubt!

 

[noisy]

I'd pick the winters in Bozeman any day over the winters in Missoula. Missoula is dark and gloomy with the inversions, and Boz has the x country skiing and downhill, plus more sunshine.

I don't think the inversions are as bad as they were back in the day of Stone Container. And I'll take skiing Snowbowl any day over Bridger Bowl. Just personal preference. Bozeman does have better in-town XC, when it has snow.

 

[Hem]

1981 at 18 years old I flew across the country to Butte. Hopped on a Greyhound with my backpack and traveled to Bozeman. Spent the night on 7th at a hotel...drinking age was 19...so the cute waitress served me. Next morning another bus ride to West Yellowstone.
I grew up fascinated with trout and running water. Don't believe I ever saw anything as beautiful( at that time) as the Gallatin in the canyon.
Can't go there anymore.

 

[Rie Bread]

40 years ago......looking south towards Bozeman. Solid housing developments now.

My family moved there from Miles City in the mid 60's. It was an amazing place to grow up. I left there in 1994 for Eastern Montana.

It was the best thing I ever did....View attachment 336617

Wild picture. Beautiful

 

[mtmuley]

40 years ago......looking south towards Bozeman. Solid housing developments now.

My family moved there from Miles City in the mid 60's. It was an amazing place to grow up. I left there in 1994 for Eastern Montana.

It was the best thing I ever did....View attachment 336617

My family came to the Root in the early 70's from Shelby country. Family there still. I like Shelby. mtmuley