Snowshoeing Through the Wilderness

Snowshoeing and adventuring through the wilderness is one of my favorite things to do. We were blessed with a beautiful sunny warm day in Bozeman, Montana and decided that we wanted to spend the afternoon snowshoeing. We strapped on our gear and buckled in our shoes and began the journey up the mountains. The uphill trek was exhausting and we each took turns breaking first tracks through the deep powder. Once we reached the summit we each enjoyed some peanut m&m’s that we packed with us. It was a very satisfying way to enjoy the top of our climb. The trip back down was fairly uneventful and the going was much easier than our journey to the top.

When we returned home it felt nice to take off our gear and relax a little bit. The weather could not have been better and we thoroughly enjoyed the way that we spent our afternoon. I got home and turned on the NFL football games and enjoyed my time relaxing on the couch. What a perfect way to spend the day. Nothing gets me more excited than spending time outdoors and watching football haha. Until the next time we decide to snowshoe…

Best,

James

Photography and Bird Watching

What’s better than picking up a new hobby? Picking up two new hobbies at once! That’s exactly what I did recently picking up photography and bird watching. So what came first? Well, I first bought a camera. I have always wanted a professional camera, but the price has always deterred me from making the leap into a nice camera. When evaluating what camera to buy, I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of options available on the market. Thankfully my local camera store, Bozeman Camera was there to help me along the way. Their staff was extremely helpful, great at listening to my needs, and set me up with a slightly above entry-level Nikon DSLR. The D5600 model that I chose came with two lenses to help get me started on my photography journey. One 18-55mm lens for landscape photography and a 70-300mm telephonic lens for wildlife photography. Both of these lenses have their purpose and I’m so happy I decided to get the two lens kit when I purchased my camera. Thanks Bozeman Camera!

So once I got my camera I was eager to start taking some pictures with it. A friend recommended an upcoming bird watching tour and I thought it was a great idea to test out my camera skills. I wasn’t expecting to really enjoy the bird watching as much as I did, but I was completely blown away with how much fun bird watching is. We were fortunate to have two fantastic guides from the Sacajawea Audubon Society that were very kind, informative, and gave a wonderful tour around the Story Mill Community Park. We saw so many different varieties of birds and I wasn’t able to take pictures of all of them, but I got as many pictures as I could. Below is a gallery of the birds I photographed. The highlight of the entire tour was seeing a snipe and getting a really good look at the Wilson’s Snipe. This was a really cool bird that I have never seen in all my years growing up in Montana.

After our tour, I realized that I really like birding and really enjoy taking photos of the birds. It is a really fun activity and I look forward to going on more tours this spring and summer. Stay tuned for more bird watching photography updates!

Snipe Preening Wings

Red Wing Blackbirds

Morning Dove

Geese

Wilson's Snipe

Wood Duck

Cross Country Skiing in Bozeman, MT

After growing up in Bozeman and living here for 10 years, you would think I would have done a lot of cross country skiing. You’re wrong. Almost all of my time on skis has been on downhill skis and I have not spent much time cross country skiing which is a real shame. Little did I know that Bozeman has some of the most premier cross country skiing trails, minutes away from downtown Bozeman.

Recently, I had the opportunity to experience some of these trails on cross country skis and I had an absolute blast. I was surprised to see so many other people out there skiing and the different types of skiing there are. From what I can tell, there are two main types of skiing. Traditional cross country skiing and skate skiing. Skate skiers are incredibly fast and it looks like a really intense workout. Cross country skiing is a little more welcoming to all skill levels, but is also a great workout. Skate skiing typically goes around in a short circuit where cross country skiing is built for longer trails for you to explore.

I really enjoyed my day out cross country skiing and have already been again since going my first time last week. I look forward to getting more involved in cross country skiing and embracing the workout that you get from going. Below are some pictures of my first cross country skiing venture and I look forward to sharing future cross country adventures with you all.

Installing a Jeep Garvin Expedition Rack JK

As someone who loves outdoor adventures, I need a vehicle that allows me to get to the places I want to go. For me, this vehicle is a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. I’m very proud of my car and we have had some pretty epic adventures together. From scaling rough trail roads, to driving across the country, the Jeep and James Gibbon have seen it all.

Since I got the Jeep, I have always wanted to add some accessories and after market parts to the vehicle. I’ve wanted to add these not just for functionality, but also because I think they look really cool. The first after market part I wanted to add to my Jeep was an overhead cargo rack. There are a number of different cargo racks on the market, but I particularly fell in love with the Expedition Rack by Garvin. This rack stretches the full length of the car and has mounts on both the front and back of the vehicle. I think this rack looks super cool and would also allow me to carry lots of cargo on long camping/road trips.

I purchased the rack and it was on its way. The only problem now was trying to figure out how to configure and install this rack once I received it. I called some local shops and got quotes and was blown away at how expensive it would be to have the rack professionally installed. I instantly talked to my brother-in-law and he watched some videos online and told me he thought we could do it.

A week later, the rack arrived in the mail and we were ready to install. We started the process at around 10:30 AM and finished around 6:30 PM. The entire process was long and tedious, but we kept our heads down and finished the install. The process took a little bit longer because we added a ladder accessory to the driver side.

Once we completed the install, I couldn’t be prouder of the rack and the way it looks on my Jeep. It was so much more rewarding to install the rack ourselves and I’m really glad everything worked out the way it did.

If you are curious to learn more about how we installed the Garvin Expedition Rack JK to our Jeep, please let me know in the comments below and I would be happy to help in any way that I can.

Paragliding in Bozeman, MT

James Gibbon - The other day I took a hike up the M trail just outside of Bozeman, MT. At the top of the trail I found this guy getting ready to take off. I waited until he launched and caught this video of him launching off the top of the trail into the valley below. Really cool to see and he proved to me that there is obviously more than one way down the mountain. Maybe some day I will get the courage to try something like this myself, but in the meantime I’ll stick to hiking and biking down the mountain!

Fall in Montana

James Gibbon - Fall is probably my favorite season in Montana, and I imagine it is because it is the shortest season we have in Montana. Fall is a bittersweet season as it comes as quickly as it disappears. As I look out the window and see 8 inches of snow, I reflect and remember how wonderful the fall was.

Last year our fall season was cut short by a winter cold snap. We missed the fall colors as the trees went from green to dormant. This year we were blessed with a full fall season. The trees changed colors to beautiful oranges, yellows, and reds.

I was in awe of this and took many pictures of the leaves with my camera. Another great part about fall is the cooler temperatures. After a very hot August, the weather starts to cool off. This provides for some nearly perfect days with gorgeous fall colors to look at.

I spent most of my fall mountain biking, hiking, and cherishing the final moments before our long cold winter. I always look forward to this season and I can’t wait for fall next year. Until then, I have a long winter ahead of me and I am looking forward to ski season.

I just got a new pair of ski boots and I cannot wait to try them out.

Onward to winter, and goodbye to fall for now.

-James

Coffee and the Great Outdoors

If you’re anything like me, coffee is essential. Whether I’m at home sitting on the couch, at a coffee shop, or embracing the outdoors - there’s no excuse not to have a great cup of coffee. And who is to say that you aren’t able to? With today’s modern technologies, the need for electricity and a heat source is no longer a necessary element to enjoying a great cup of coffee - or even espresso.

One of my favorite online publications, Best Quality Coffee, recently wrote an article on brewing espresso while camping and you can check it out here. The article goes into detail about all of the portable espresso makers on the market and which ones you should use on your next camping trip. It is a great article and if you enjoy it be sure to subscribe to their newsletter.

My favorite way to enjoy a cup of coffee regardless of my situation is by utilizing The French Press. I think this brew method produces the best quality coffee and is a simple and easy way to brew. If I were to take it one step further and tell you my favorite blend of coffee, it would have to be the Moka Java bean. I think the flavor from this bean is very flavorful and combined with The French Press you truly get a great coffee experience.

So next time your about to hit the trail, or planning your next camping trip, be sure to check out Best Quality Coffee!

Fly Fishing the Stillwater and the East Rosebud in Montana

I recently went on a fly fishing trip to a couple rivers I had never fished before. This trip was exciting and fun. Living in Bozeman, MT we have plenty of rivers nearby to fly fish. However, it is always nice to take a trip outside of the normal areas and find new spots to fish. I decided to fish the Stillwater River and the East Rosebud. Knowing very little about about the area, I decided to stop by a local fly shop on the way to learn more about the fishing in the area. In Columbus, MT there is a small fly shop called Stillwater Anglers. Inside we learned where to fish, and what to tie on our lines. The staff was incredibly helpful and the flies worked great for what we were looking for.

Once we got on the Stillwater River I was amazed at how slick the rocks were. The river was running very low and it was hard to find deep holes. The Stillwater is a wild river very similar to the Yellowstone River. It is much smaller than the Yellowstone, but is still a very large river. After fishing the Stillwater for a couple hours we decided to pack our gear and head over to the East Rosebud. I had heard great things about this river, and the river itself was absolutely beautiful. I took many pictures of the river and you can see a couple of them below. We continued to fish this river for another hour or so and were getting hungry. We packed our lunch and headed to Red Lodge, MT to enjoy our sandwiches.

After eating our late lunch, it was time to head home. We drove back to Bozeman, MT and unpacked our gear. Even though we didn’t catch anything, we still had a blast. Nothing beats taking a Montana Fly Fishing trip!

Beehive Basin Trail - Big Sky, Montana | James Gibbon

One of the top rated hikes in the nation is within minutes of where I live. For some unknown reason, I had never hiked this trail. The trail I’m referring to is the Beehive Basin Trail in Big Sky, Montana - just 33 miles southwest of Bozeman. The trail itself is a very well maintained 6.38 mile out and back moderate difficulty with a strenuous final sector to the top. Along the way are beautiful views. I’ve gone on many hikes, but this one was one of the most scenic hikes I have ever done. Not only do you get a spectacular view of Lone Mountain in the early stages of the hike, but you get some truly jaw dropping views of steep mountain ridges in the middle sector, and at the end you have a gorgeous vista of Beehive Basin surrounded by rocky mountain ⛰ tops. I have pictures below of each stage of the hike to help illustrate.

I really can’t say enough good things about this hike and recommend it to all who are visiting, live, or planning to come to Big Sky/Bozeman Montana. The only downside to this hike is that it gets very crowded. It is a popular destination hike for many and rightly so. The views are spectacular and this means lots of people are here to take their pictures. It can be a bit irritating if you let it bother you, but the hike is still top notch. I would however recommend bringing sunscreen and bug spray. Both are needed and will make the trip much more pleasant. Enjoy the pictures of the hike below and ask any questions in the comments section!

James Gibbon - 1st scenic overlook

James Gibbon - Middle section views

James Gibbon - Beehive Basin

James Gibbon - Beehive Basin Trail

Hiking | Drinking Horse Trail | Bozeman, MT

If you live in the Bozeman area, then chances are you have probably hiked the Drinking Horse trail. The trail is situated directly across the road from the infamous “M” trail, and is just minutes away from downtown Bozeman. The trail is one of the things that truly makes Bozeman great. Within minutes you are able to experience a short 2.1 mile hike and get a great workout. I have gone up this trail a number of times now and each time it gets better and better. Today I hiked with my sister who recently just moved to Montana. It was great talking to her and catching up while navigating our way up the trail to the scenic top of “Drinking Horse Mountain”. The trail has a mix of open sunny areas, and closed shaded wooded areas. The mix of scenery is nice and keeps the hike interesting all the way up to the top.

I tracked the hike with an app I use called Strava. Strava is a great app if you haven’t heard of it and tracks your activity while you workout. The fitness app has modes for hiking, running, swimming, walking, cycling, and more. I consider it an essential app for anyone who spends time working out or outdoors. Below are some of my Strava screenshots and a picture of the trail!

Fly Fishing on the Gallatin River

This summer we have received a ton of rainfall. After a mild winter, we are getting a lot of precipitation during our usually hot and dry months here in Montana. This has caused the rivers to be flowing very intensely for much longer than usual - hurting the fly fishing season. The large amount of water flowing makes it difficult to wade in the river, and much more difficult to catch fish. However, fishing is still an option. I went fly fishing for the first time this season this week and had a blast. Although I didn’t catch anything, it was great to get a fly out on the water and practice my cast. My cast was a little rusty at first, but soon everything came back to me and I was casting great. I went fishing out on the Gallatin River in Bozeman, Montana. This river runs nearby to our town and is frequently fly fished. I was excited to try out some new Simms Fishing Products gear that I got for my birthday. One product in particular really stood out. The Simms Fishing Products, Flyweight Wet Wading Shoe. This shoe was phenomenal. Inspired by a hiking shoe, the Flyweight wading shoe performs exceptionally well on both dry land and in the river. I felt like I had suction cups on the bottom of my feet I had such good traction. I highly recommend these shoes/boots to anyone looking for a new wading shoe.

Overall, I had a great day out on the river and it was fun testing out some of my new gear. No fish, but still had a great time and hopefully will catch some trout next time!

Sourdough Canyon - Bozeman, Montana

I love exploring new trails. I’m fortunate to live in an area with an abundance of trails to explore. The most recent trail that I explored was Sourdough Canyon just outside of Bozeman, Montana. I went with my sister this time and we really enjoyed ourselves on this beautiful trail. Perhaps my favorite part of the trail is just how close it is to Bozeman, Montana. It was literally just a 10 minute drive to this gorgeous trail. We went on a Saturday, so the trail was quite crowded - mostly with mountain bikes and trail runners, with a few hikers. This was the third time that I put my new trail running shoes to the test and they performed excellently. The shoes I’m referring to are the Solomon Speedcross 5. I got these shoes recently for my birthday and use them for hiking and trail running. The shoes performed phenomenally and I was glued to the trail the entire time. I highly recommend these shoes to anyone who is looking for a trail running or hiking shoe. The traction is unlike any other shoe I have ever worn. Below are some pictures of the trail and the shoes I’m currently wearing on the trails.

Rural Bike Rides in Montana

Riding my bike is one of my favorite things to do. Whether I’m riding a single gear around the city, mountain biking on a trail, or riding on the streets - I just love being on a bike. Since moving to Montana, I live in a remote location surrounded by dirt roads and beautiful country side. The mountain views and crystal clear streams and creeks make riding a bike a very pleasurable experience. There is something about riding a bicycle outdoors that allows you to fully take in the beauty of the surrounding landscapes. I drive down these roads all the time, but it is not the same as riding a bicycle. If I had the choice, I would ride my bike over driving a car every time.

I recently have gone on a handful of rides near our place. Most of these roads are dirt roads and I use my mountain bike to ride on them. It is so majestic to ride out in Montana in June. The weather is absolutely perfect and wearing shorts and a T-shirt after a long winter never felt so good.

Below are some pictures of my rides and I hope you enjoy :)

Hiking: Corbly Gulch Trail

Hiking season without snow is just starting to begin here in Bozeman, Montana. I started my dry hiking season off with a trek up Corbly Gulch Trail. I didn’t bring my On running shoes, but I did bring my Camelbak. The camelbak was much needed and I’m glad I had the extra water. The first mile of the hike is a rocky road that many call the “jeep” road. Few people drive up this road as it is very rugged and most chose to walk or bike up it to the trailhead. Once you reach the trailhead, the 4 mile trail to the top of the lower part of the trail begins. This hike is very enjoyable and I saw many mountain bikers on the way up and down. The trail has a lot of flow to it, but by the time I reached the top, my calves were burning. There was snow blocking the trail after the first creek crossing and it got so bad that I had to turn back. I was very close to the top of the trail, but came just a bit short due to the snow.

The way down was much easier than the way up and I enjoyed looking for Morel mushrooms while I made my way down. I didn’t find any and might have been a little too early for Morels, but I still had fun having my own little treasure hunt while I made my descent.

James Gibbon

James Gibbon

Shedhorn Hunting in Montana

Spring brings on one of my all time favorite activities to do in Montana - shedhorn hunting! For those of you that aren’t familiar with the term, shedhorn hunting is about finding antlers shed off by deer and other horned animals. The method that we chose to shedhorn hunt involves driving around our hay fields in our ATV and looking for white antlers sticking out of the grass. We do this in April, before the grass gets too high, and have had great success in previous years. This year we had a little bit less success, but still found a few quality shedhorns to add to our collection. We may not of gotten all of the shedhorns this year, but you can guarantee we will be back next year to find them all! Below are some pictures of our bounty. Enjoy!

Traveling Turkeys

It is spring in Montana and we are constantly getting teased with warmer weather and scattered snowy wintery blitzes. This is a beautiful time for us as we start to get a taste of our summer. The birds are chirping, bluebirds are singing, and wildlife is starting to appear. Late last evening and early this morning we got some local visitors who cruised by our house. These visitors were 3 wild turkeys! What a cool experience to have these birds come so close to our house and strut their stuff in our backyard.

Traveling Turkeys - James Gibbon

I wasn’t able to get a picture of it, but one of the turkeys 🦃 roosted high up in one of our Aspen trees. I couldn’t believe how high up the turkey 🦃 was able to fly into the tree 🌳. Turkeys truly can fly! It was like watching a Boeing 747 takeoff and land. Truly defying gravity and physics.

The turkeys blessed us with their presence last night and early this morning and it was great to get a taste of the outdoors and wildlife so close to our home. I hope the turkeys return again soon.

-JG

Ready for Spring | James Gibbon Outdoors

It’s March 19th in Montana, and we are on the final stretch of winter until Spring. This is the time where the weather is unpredictable and constantly teases us that spring has arrived, only to snow the following day. It’s tough because I truly am ready for Spring/Summer and yet the Montana seasons just aren’t aligned with my plans. There are however, some good days that get sprinkled in during these times and it’s on these days that I do my best to get outside and enjoy them the best I can. One day the road dried up and I decided to take my mountain bike down our entrance road. Our entrance road runs about a half mile in length to the main road and is mostly downhill/uphill depending on which direction you are headed. The picture below is of me towards the top of the road after my legs gave out making the stretch uphill.

James Gibbon

What is not pictured above is the thrilling ride downhill! After a couple runs down and up the hill, we came up with the idea to use the ATV to ride back up the hill. This way I could just focus on the thrill of the downhill ride and not have to work my legs into exhaustion coming back up the hill. Overall, this was really fun. Although it only lasted one day due to the change in weather, it was a great way to spend the day outdoors and embrace the warm weather when it was around.

Another really cool thing happened since I last wrote. We had a visitor run behind our backyard - it was a moose! How cool! No idea where this moose was going or running from, but it came over a ridge and back behind our house. We had front row seats to watch this unfold, all from the comfort of our living room. How awesome to experience something like this without ever having to leave the house!

I’ll close out by sharing with you my Spring wishlist:

1. New MTB pedals

2. New grips

3. New MTB seat

4. New Camelbak

5. New Helmet

Thanks for reading and I will update you again once we are in Spring! Also be sure to check out Montana Farm Life www.montanafarmlife.com

-James

Snowshoeing Montana w/ James Gibbon

James Gibbon - There is something special about walking through a field of undisturbed snow under the glistening sun ☀️. Snowshoeing offers this special moment. In the days prior to these pictures, the weather was cloudy and snowing steady for three solid days. It wasn’t until the fourth day that the snow began to subside and the sun started to show itself. This is when I knew it was the perfect opportunity to get out the snowshoes and strap in. Here’s a list of what I needed to get started:

1. Snowshoes - https://tubbssnowshoes.com/en-us/c/snowshoes/mens-snowshoes/

2. Muck boots - https://www.muckbootcompany.com/collections/arctic-ice/products/mens-arctic-ice-tall-boots

3. Goggles - https://www.smithoptics.com/us/Root/Men%27s/Goggles/Snow/I-O/p/M0063823799MK

4. Jacket - https://www.hellyhansen.com/en_us/lightning-jacket-65547

5. Ski pants - https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-powder-bowl-ski-snowboard-pants-regular/31488.html?dwvar_31488_color=CNY&cgid=mens-snow-pants#tile-2=&start=1&sz=24

If you haven’t been snowshoeing, you should know it is a heck of a workout. For someone who does yoga a few days a week, this was a grueling anaerobic and aerobic exercise. I was completely drenched in sweat, winded, and exhausted by the end of my trek. Was it worth it? Absolutely. The views were absolutely gorgeous, weather was top notch, and it was the highlight of my day. 10/10 would recommend. Enjoy the pictures below and let me know what your favorite winter activities are in the comments below.

James Gibbon

James Gibbon

James Gibbon

Winter Hikes with James Gibbon

James Gibbon - Exploring the outdoors is one of my favorite hobbies. Living in Bozeman, Montana - I am truly blessed with an abundance of outdoor recreation areas and things to do. Located in the heart of Bozeman, is the “M” trail. This trail is easily accessible from town and provides a great hiking trail system. The most popular of these trails is the “M” trail and is 1.5 miles long to the top of the “M”. This is one of the easier hiking trails in the area, but is also the most popular due to it’s location.

James Gibbon

Hiking in the winter provides its own set of challenges. First off, it’s quite cold outside. The clothes I was wearing weren’t quite warm enough, and it pushed me to keep moving while hiking the trail to stay warm. Secondly, there is ice in parts of the trail which for me caused some issues. I was only wearing normal tennis shoes and needed to have grips or something to help give me more traction. And finally, hiking in the winter ensures there are no bears to worry about!

James Gibbon

James Gibbon

James Gibbon | Copper City Mountain Bike Trail

James Gibbon has been mountain biking for a number of years now, and the Copper City Trail system in Three Forks, Montana ranks as one of the best trail systems for mountain biking I’ve encountered. I first found out about this unique MTB trail system while taking a class at my local REI. My instructor Kyle was an avid mountain biker, and told me about this trail system on BLM land that SWMMBA (Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association) built. Kyle knew what he was talking about when it came to mountain bikes, so I was eager to try the trail out myself.

https://www.rei.com/stores/bozeman.html

https://www.southwestmontanamba.org/copper-city

The trail is about 30 miles west of Bozeman, MT and it is well worth the drive. The trail starts out with a green, then builds into intermediate and expert trails. I’ve yet to venture too far into the trails, but have found plenty of fun to be had on the green trail loop. This summer I look forward to biking deeper into the other trails.

Below are some pictures of the trail, and here are some links to my gear:

1. Trek Roscoe 6 - https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/mountain-bikes/trail-mountain-bikes/roscoe/roscoe-6/p/24011/

2. Dakine Backpack - https://www.dakine.com/collections/backpacks

3. Smith Optics - https://www.smithoptics.com/us/Root/Men%27s/Sunglasses/c/1100?inStockOnly=on

4. Helmet - https://www.rei.com/c/bike-helmets

5. Shoes - https://www.amazon.com/adidas-BY9728-Iniki-Runner/dp/B074H96WNP

1/18/2021 Update: It is now MLK day weekend in mid-January and we are still biking in Bozeman, MT. This winter has been quite unusual and while we are usually strapping our skis on to go skiing during this time, this year we are riding our mountain bikes at Copper City. It has been fun to be able to ride the trails for such an extended season this year and I hope it continues. This year, it just might be possible to ride in every month of the year out at Copper City if the warm weather continues. It leaves me split between praying for snow, or praying for dry dirt. Either way it is great to be able to have such fun activities to enjoy regardless of the weather in Bozeman.

James Gibbon

James Gibbon

James Gibbon