The Story Behind the "M"

The "M" is 620 feet above the Missoula Valley floor. It is 125' feet long and 100' feet wide. University of Montana forestry students cut the switchbacks into the side of the hill in the early 1900's. The first "M" was assembled out of whitewashed rocks in 1909, and given a fresh coat of paint by freshmen every year, until 1968, when all those rocks were cemented together with concrete.

Photo by Nelson Kenter, kenterphotography.com

Archive for the ‘Recreation’ Category

Chimps, bikinis, cold beer, fast cars… I love the Super Bowl!

By SEAN BENTON - The Super Bowl is bigger than the game of football... I’m talking about the commercials.... more

ESPN Radio Comes to the Montana Radio Company

Good news, sports fans! The Montana Radio Company announces the addition of ESPN Montana at 97.5 FM to their network of stations.... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Here is a little sports trivia with mentions of UM Griz and Lady Griz Basketball standings, match-ups against the Cats and the Bengals and Sunday's Super Bowl.... more

Just Another Missoula 5K Race (or Not)

By SCOTT & DARA ROUSE - The Catchem If You Can 5K takes place on Saturday, February 11 at 9:30 a.m. It features the most unique 5K format in town - and free ice cream!... more

Whitewater Kayaking Essentials: The Roll, Part 1

By JASON SHREDER - One of the things I love about whitewater kayaking is that’s its constantly challenging. One of the biggest challenges beginners face is learning how to roll (AKA: The Combat Roll).... more

Montana Skiing Decisions? Choose Wisely, Grasshopper.

By MARK VOSBURGH - If, like me, you have Split Ski Loyalties Syndrome, you faced a lot of choices last week. Last week's cornucopia of ski options reminded me how great it is to live in Missoula.... more

The Importance of Running (and Playing)

By EVA DUNN-FROEBIG - Running is an important part of my life, but it’s easy to put it on the backburner. But I always realize when I get out and run that it makes me more efficient, creative, and energetic.... more

Keep on Keepin’ on, Lady Griz!

By BROOKLYNN LORENZEN - As Lady Griz, we’re taught not only how to play basketball at the highest level, but also how to be upstanding student-athletes, role models, and people.... more

The Big Snow Cometh: Schools Closed, 30 inches at Lost Trail

By PAUL QUENEAU - Missoula awoke this morning a foot of snow and flakes still falling. Here are the latest snowfall reports from around Western Montana.... more

Don’t Underestimate Fishing in Winter in Montana

By BRYCE MCLEAN - People often underestimate winter fishing in Montana. Sure, you might go 4 days without catching a fish, but on the fifth day, you might catch the biggest trout of your life. ... more

Hear Running Coach Jeff Galloway in Person (and It’s Free!)

By PAM GARDINER - Run Wild Missoula is bringing Jeff Galloway to town for a free talk on Wed., Jan 18. This event will inspire all runners who want to run for a lifetime, without injury. YOU CAN DO IT! ... more

The Big Storm: A Foot of Snow in Town by Friday?

By PAUL QUENEAU - It appears that winter might make up for lost time. The National Weather Service is calling for two inches overnight Tuesday followed by as much a foot in the valley by Thursday morning.... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Here is a little UM sports trivia with mentions of Joe Glenn, Brent Pease, former MSU player Dane Fletcher (now of the Patriots), former UM Basketball coach Blaine Taylor, and Alex Smi... more

Griz Grit: Tinkle and Krystowiack

By MICK HOLIEN. Following a legend once is difficult enough, but to do it twice as both an athlete and a coach and with equal success is almost unimaginable.... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Here is a little UM sports trivia with mentions of Mike Breske, Flash Gordon, Larry Kryskowiak, and Mike Montgomery.... more

Galloway Training for the 2012 Missoula Marathon

By EVA DUNN-FROEBIG - Marathon running gets more popular each year. Run Wild Missoula's Galloway Training Class uses Olympian Jeff Galloway’s run-walk-run method to finish a marathon injury-free. ... more

The 20 Best Montana Outdoor Photos of 2011

By PAUL QUENEAU - Missoula writer and photographer Paul Queneau shares his twenty favorite outdoors photos that he took around Western Montana in 2011. Enjoy!... more

I’ll Take a Pass. No. Really. I’ll Take a Pass, PLEASE?

By W.T. FUCHS - Local skier Jim Sylvester became a household name in Missoula overnight. He was on the front page of the paper yesterday, mad as hell for being denied a Snowbowl ski pass.... more

My New Year Running Goals

By EVA DUNN-FROEBIG - I've been thinking about what I want for 2012: My goal is to run a sub-20 minute 5K. There, I said it. It’s out to anyone reading this, so now I HAVE to work toward it.... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Here is a little UM sports trivia with mentions of Joe Glenn, Andy Larson, Rob Ash, John Elway, and actress Rooney Mara.... more

Lady Griz Basketball Pre-Game Rituals

By KRISTA REDPATH PYRON - I've been reminiscing about Lady Griz memories and pre-game rituals. Routines, rituals, superstitions... call them what you want, they formulate after years of playing together.... more

How I Started Running

By WALT MAX - My non-runner friends ask, "How did you get started running?" And I tell them, "It was a '69 Kawasaki 500 H1."... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN. It's time for a little UM Sports Trivia. Making this week's top mentions: Wayne Tinkle, Mike Montgomery, Blaine Taylor, the Lady Griz Holiday Classic, and more!... more

Work at a Ski Resort

By WARREN MILLER. Are you a recent college grad? Need a job? Google the “want ads” of all the major ski resorts in America. What’s wrong with working at night and skiing or snowboarding all day for a w... more

Skwalla Stonefly Season Countdown, Part One

By MATT DEVLIN AND BRYCE MCLEAN - It's almost Skwalla Stonefly season! Saying that we are excited for March 2012 to get here would be a drastic understatement. ... more

Griz Grit: The Changing Landscape of Collegiate Athletics

By MICK HOLIEN. What happened on the basketball floor recently in Cincinnati was one of the ugliest scenes I have ever seen in sports.... more

My First Last Best Place Finish

By PAM GARDINER - As 2011 winds down, I review my year as a runner. One of the most recent and noteworthy memories was my first-ever experience of finishing last in a race.... more

Holiday Gift Ideas for River Rats (aka Kayakers)

By JASON SHREDER - Just in time for Christmas, here are my top 11 gift ideas that are sure to please that river runner in your family and guaranteed to get some use!... more

FCS Playoff Scouting Report: Montana Grizzlies vs. Sam Houston State Bearkats

Publisher's note: Brint Wahlberg is a dyed-in-the-wool Griz fan. This is an excerpt from his post this week on eGriz.com. He (and we) assume you've got the 4-1-1 on our Griz team and players, so this is his sco... more

Griz vs. Sam Houston State: Playoff Trivia and Photo Contest

Chris Walterskichen is back with more Griz playoff trivia! Our Griz photo caption contest continues: Enter for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the Montana Club.... more

Montana’s Quiet Football Dynasty: The Fighting Saints of Carroll College

By DILLON TABISH - The spotlight shines bright on UM Griz football. Down in Helena, a quiet dynasty continues to reign as one of the best NAIA college football programs in the US.... more

Skyla Sisco Goes From Griz to Zebra

By SKYLA SISCO - In my college days, I was definitely the passionate, competitive type. Upon graduating, I had the suspicion that a self-imposed penance of officiating was in order.... more

The Art of Letting Go When Race Disaster Strikes

By ANNA RUSSELL - At some point or another, most runners have experienced a letdown in some form or another. The best thing to do is to learn from it and move on to the next race.... more

Photo Gallery: Montana Grizzlies Beat Northern Iowa

Photos by PATRICK RECORD. Friday night under the lights brought fireworks, a full moon, and a huge victory to Griz Nation. The Montana Grizzlies dominated the Northern Iowa Panthers in the FCS quarterfinal game... more

The Bounce of the Football – UM Griz vs. N Iowa Panthers

To help you get stoked for Friday night's FCS playoff game under the lights, we've got a Griz photo caption contest and some UM-UNI trivia, courtesy of CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN.... more

FCS Playoff Scouting Report: Montana Grizzlies vs. Northern Iowa Panthers

By BRINT WAHLBERG - The University of Northern Iowa Panthers come to Washington-Girzzly Stadium on Friday, Dec. 10 to play the Griz under the lights in the FCS quarterfinals.... more

Tyler Hobbs: Life After Griz Football

By PATRICK RECORD - Former starting defensive tackle and team captain Tyler Hobbs looks back on his years as a Montana Griz football player.... more

Elk Hunting in Montana: A Bit of History

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Thanks to conservation efforts, there are now roughly 150,000 elk ranging in Montana. Whether or not you got your elk, these are the good old days of elk hunting.... more

Photo Gallery: Montana Grizzlies Beat Central Arkansas

The Griz beat the Central Arkansas Bears 41-14 on Saturday. UM Journalism student Patrick Record was on the sidelines to capture all the action of the game.... more

FCS Playoff Scouting Report: Montana Grizzlies vs. Central Arkansas Bears

By BRINT WAHLBERG. The University of Central Arkansas Bears head to Washington-Girzzly Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 3rd and the playoffs begin for Griz Nation.... more

Considering the Light and Dark of Backcountry Skiing

By MARK VOSBURGH - It's easy for me to gush about backcountry skiing. But I've come to believe that skiing has a dark side that exists regardless of whether we choose to acknowledge it.... more

River to Table: A “Blast and Cast” Trout and Duck Harvest

By BRYCE MCLEAN and MATT DEVLIN - As big game season comes to an end, we find ourselves looking for other ways to spend our weekends. Fortunately, fishing season lives on and duck season still has two months to... more

Validation: Montana Grizzlies in Round 2 FCS Playoffs

By MICK HOLIEN - Everybody loves a winner, don't they? I fondly remember the first time the Grizzlies defeated a ranked team when they upset Northern Iowa early in Don Read's tenure.... more

Mount Jumbo to Close Dec 1 for Elk Herd Winter Range

The snow has started to fly, and that means it's time for Mount Jumbo's elk herd to return to their winter range. The North and South Zones of Mt. Jumbo will close for the winter on December 1.... more

Dreams of Running and Running in Dreams – in Missoula

By MISTY GAUBATZ - Recently, I dreamt I was running. As I ran the Turkey Day 8k last week, I remembered the dream I had and I realized I was living the dream while I was running.... more

How to Lose a Staring Contest with an Elk

By PAUL QUENEAU - Montana’s rifle hunting season is over, my freezer sits empty, but I’m more grateful than ever for this place that I live.... more

Hunting for Clarity on Thanksgiving Break

By CLAY SPRINGMEYER - Whether you're in Missoula or not, if you live or have ever lived in Montana, count yourself lucky. 20 years of Big Sky Country have taught me to be thankful.... more

All Things Lady Griz: Reintroducing Shannon Cate

By KRISTA REDPATH PYRON - Shannon Cate is Montana-made and proud of it. And she's even more than just the most talented Lady Griz player to ever don the uniform.... more

How To Thank A Horse

By DANIELLE LATTUGA - How do you thank a horse? It depends on the horse. That’s the first thing you should know. I thank Smoke every day we are together.... more

MissouLOVE: Things That Make Missoula Home

By JEN SLAYDEN - From the rivers to the mountains and all things in between, here are my 10 fave things about Missoula. What do you MissouLOVE?... more