Photos by Cynthia Baldauf

Saturday

1st, Jabe Anderson and Clay Martin (37.37); 2nd, Don Reese and Josh Boka(40.59); 3rd, Don Reese and Clay Martin(40.95); 4th, Blake Huntley and Monica Thomas (41.33)

Sunday

Ski-joring competition Clay Martin of Dillon turned in Sunday's fastest time with Jabe Anderson at 18.18 seconds in ski-joring at Wisdom. The event attracted 24 teams — one horse rider and one skier — on Saturday and 25 on Sunday at the 2009 Big Hole Winterfest, sponsored by the Big Hole Tourism Association. More photos under Area News.

Courtesy of Montana Standard.

Lodging will be available at the following local establishments:

Nez Perce Motel 406-689-3254
Pioneer Mountain Lodge 406-689-3229
Jackson Hot Springs 406-834-3151
Wisdom Cabin 406-689-3800
The Sandman 406-689-3218

“Honey! You’ll never guess what I bought!”

Formal dress is optional but welcomed. The brightly colored chiffon and cheese cloth tutus worn by previous entrants have blended surprisingly well with the natural tones of knapweed and cow pie groundcover on the back-nine. We know that in past years, a few of our participants may have mistakenly identified golf as The Sport of Queens. Nevertheless, we cherish our reputation for welcoming fashionable golf cheats of every stripe.

If you even think you are a golfer, this is your day!  What other Golf Tournament offers these imaginative innovations: A shotgun start. Eleven to fifteen holes of marginal golf. A Golf Cart Parade and prize for the “Most Original Golf Cart” and “Most Original Golf Attire”. Prizes for the first AND last place entrants.

The Pasture Fee is $25.00 per person in advance, or $30.00 on the day of the tournament. Obtain more information by calling Big Hole Tourism at (406) 834–3264 and get teed off at 10AM on the morning of the tournament.  

The Big Hole Cow Pasture Open Golf Tournament is made possible only through the continued support of sponsors who donate thousands of dollars each year for the rare honor of having their names misspelled in the list below. 

They Include:

Fred Hirschy Ranch, Dan and Geri Coon, Harrington Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company, Thompson Distributing, Inc. and the Big Hole Tourism Association Membership: Beartooth Plateau Outfitters, Big Hole Crossing Restaurant, Fetty’s Bar and Café, Jackson Hot Springs, Jackson Mercantile, Larry’s Automotive and Diesel Service, Nez Perce Motel, Wisdom Market, Wisdom River Gallery, Jackson Salon, Steel Creek Traditions, Big Hole Petroleum, Heel Guard, Shepard’s Garage, SMT, Steel Creek Bed and Breakfast, Buffalo Gal Hat Company, Pioneer Mountain Lodge, Roses Cantina and Café.

For photographs of previous years competitions, cover your eyes and go here.

“Should you not start school because it takes twelve years to complete it?”, he chortles. “We gave in to these same excuses twelve years ago which guaranteed this crisis. In 1977, after just three years of construction in Alaska we had oil flowing through that line”,  which back then supplied 17% of our nation’s oil needs. “Cut the flap-doodle and start drillin”, Daryll understated. “We’ve already got the pipeline. We just need a short hose to connect to Prudhoe and then rip that spigot open. Preservation of our endangered Caribou herd now demands that we goose up their love lives with the warm glow from that pipeline.”

And with that the High Sage Cowboy left the crowded restaurant through the swinging doors, leaving the cheers  behind him. More Wisdom as it happens.

Here is an excerpt from the June 28^th article: On The Big Hole: The Hatch is ON

“Babineau netted a dozen brown trout from 16 to 20 inches while wade fishing one day earlier this week, and one 22-inch brown Monday while using his F150 salmonfly pattern.”

If you need something to cheer you up in light of the gas crisis, just remember that higher gas prices mean there will be fewer out-of-state waders on our rivers.  This should be a fine year for the locals to reclaim fishing rights.

Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives.

Kay Jacobson talks about the upcoming Lost Trail Ski Area Snowmobile Hill Climb on March 15, 16:

Christopher Lloyd

Eighty miles north of Wisdom is the historic town of Philipsburg, Montana, and during the past week Philipsburg added to its history as Hollywood came knocking. Christopher Lloyd (Doc of “Back to The Future” fame) stars in “Call of the Wild”, an update of Jack London’s wonderful adventure novel. Read the whole story in the Montana Standard.

If you need a great story to warm up your chilly winter heart, take the time to read this wonderful article out of Kalispell today as published in the Montana Standard. “Hikers rescue puppies in burned-out log”.