BOZEMAN, Mont. — The 82-year-old son of writer Ernest Hemingway says his famous father would approve of a new line of shoes named after the Pulitzer and Nobel prize-winning author that are divided into angler, literary and sportsman collections.
Bozeman resident Patrick Hemingway tried on a pair of loafers Friday at Schnee's Boots and Shoes and says the best part is he can wear them without socks, and that his father also hated socks.
Thomas Raymond & Co. is launching the Hemingway line of men's footwear and plans to distribute them to 12 different retailers around the U.S. this fall.
The Hemingway shoes are made in El Salvador using bison and calf hide and cost from $150 to $235.
Patrick Hemingway says a lot of celebrity endorsements are phony but not this one.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Ernest Hemingway's Son Approves New Line Of Shoes reposted by Jason Frey
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Bozeman Ranked #1 Place to "Live to Ski" from Powder Magazine by Jason Frey
The November 2010 issue of "Powder" Magazine ranks the top 20 places in North America to "Live to Ski" with Bozeman, MT ranked #1.
The magazine considered area population, the price of lift tickets and season passes, vertical feet of terrain available, annual snowfall and important things such as room rates and best bars. Powder says, "Bozeman is the perfect mix of ski town and skitropolis; it's more affordable that Jackson Hole, less crowded than Salt Lake City, and more of a real town than Whistler." They also comment that the area, "lays claim to three blue-ribbon trout waters all within an hour's drive, three distinctly different yet exceptional ski resorts in Bridger Bowl, Big Sky, and Moonlight Basin, Yellowstone National Park, and boatloads of backcountry ski opportunities."
Powder comments on the sub-community that is Montana State University as well. The magazine notes that "Montana State University and its 13,000-person enrollment give Bozeman a young, active, and open-minded community", and that "It's not uncommon for MSU teachers to cancel class when the BBC (Bridger Bowl Cloud) settles in overnight and drops a foot of cold smoke."
Of the town itself, magazine touts "Bozeman enjoys a rich music and art scene and a robust nightlife full of tasty eateries and copious watering holes." additionally noting that "this town retains a small town feel with bigger city options, and has world-class outdoors directly out the back door."
In regards to the area mountains, columnist John Stifter asks, "Do you want a big resort with over 4,000 feet of vert and ample elbow room or a grassroots, not-for-profit ski area that holds some of the rowdiest inbounds terrain in the States? Or how about an average of 400 inches between the two with some of the lightest, driest snow in th world?" He continues, "Big Sky's 11,166-foot Lone Peak offers a multitude of 2,000-foot-plus descents while a legitimate terrain park entertains others on the lower flanks of Andesite Mountain. As for Bridger, the installation of the Schlasman's lift last year only added to the mystique of the renowned Ridge. The new lift distributes skiers over a wider area, allowing for more stashes to remain stashes."
All three resorts are gearing up for the 2011 season, Bridge Bowl's opening date is slated for December 10th, Moonlight Basin's is December 11th and Big Sky Resort's on November 25th snow conditions permitting.
For information on Bozeman area real estate, contact Jason Frey.
All photos courtesy of www.bridgerbowl.com
All best,
______________________
Jason Frey
Agent
PureWest, Inc.
406-579-4582
jason.frey@purewestproperties.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonfreylifewideopen
Monday, October 11, 2010
Horse Properties in the American West by Jason Frey
Hand in hand with the desire to own a piece of Montana with one of its fabled rivers flowing past your open front door, is the romantic vision of exploring the landscape in much the same way as it was done 150 years ago, on horseback with the sun on your shoulders and miles of prairie unfolding like a sea around you. Montana has always been synonymous with America’s western frontier and horses were an integral part of that historical period. They remain so today, being irreplaceable on many of our working cattle ranches, helping explore portions of back-country wilderness not accessible by all-terrain vehicles, pulling sleighs full of new found friends through snowy winter evenings, or simply allowing those of us fortunate enough to call Montana home yet another form of recreation that makes our friends from farther away envious of our lifestyle.
PureWest represents a series of properties where horses are not only welcomed, they are encouraged and only add to the enjoyment of owning your own piece of paradise. Whether it be a large acreage parcel that once served as a working cattle ranch or a smaller footprint property with a community equestrian facility at your disposal, the team at PureWest has the tools at hand to help you find the perfect property to fulfill your vision. A selection of our featured properties includes:
Bullis Creek Ranch – Located in the aptly named Paradise Valley, a mere six miles south of Livingston, MT, this 6,800 acre property melds together some of the best attributes for the equestrian enthusiast. The varied topography of Bullis Creek Ranch includes high alpine forests, vast short grass prairies, grassy creek drainages lined with large stands of aspen and open sage low-lands. The opportunities surrounding the ranch are abundant as well, multiple trailheads with access to Forest Service and Wilderness Areas are located minutes from the property and Yellowstone National Park is less than one hour’s drive to the south. This property has a large log home and a series of agricultural improvements including multiple barns and irrigated crop lands.
60 E. Horse Creek – This 6 acre parcel is located within the shared ranch community of Sun West in the fabled Madison River valley. Sun West has miles of trails that serve dual purpose between horseback riding and cross-country skiing. In addition to the numerous trails, the community also has a large equestrian facility and full time ranch management, allowing you to pasture your companions and have them cared for by professional livestock managers. All manner of pursuits and services can be arranged through the ranch from guided trail rides to veterinary assistance. The home at 60 E. Horse Creek overlooks Smiling Moose Pond and has panoramic views of the Madison Mountain Range. Sun West Ranch also holds three miles of the Madison River, granting its residents access to some of the most highly coveted fly-fishing in North America.
4745 Jordan Spur Road – Situated on 5 acres in the foothills of the Bridger Mountains, 4745 Jordan Spur enjoys panoramic views of the Gallatin Valley and 5 mountain ranges. The property is fenced for horses and enjoys the quiet, country setting of a property far removed from urbanity but is less than 10 minutes from the amenities of Bozeman. A small barn offers hay and tack storage as well as a heated shop space. The home was built in 1992 and has a significant amount of updates and upgrades over the past few years. New appliances, a remodeled master bath, an expanded three-car garage, a home theater room and new roof have all been added by the current owner. An additional 12 acres is available as pasture or as a building site of its own within walking distance of this property.
Strickland Creek Ranch – Encompassing 320 acres, with a private entrance off of Strickland Creek Road, this ranch is located 10 miles south of Livingston, MT with views of the Absaroka Mountain range and Paradise Valley. With direct access to 1,280 acres of public land, the ranch enjoys a recreational component not common for properties of this acreage offered in this price point. The ranch consists of a combination of short-grass prairie, sagebrush and pine forest. Strickland Creek Road is an extremely private, county maintained access that services only three property owners past this private entrance. This ranch is a great property for the equestrian enthusiast looking to build their Montana dream.
Absaroka View Ranch – With sweeping views of the Absaroka Mountain Range and the Yellowstone River, this 564 acre Montana ranch rises steeply above the valley to enjoy near 360* views. This classic Montana ranch property shares its southern boundary with 640 acres of landlocked public ground. The varied topography at the ranch transitions from short grassy meadows to high alpine forests and lush bottomlands featuring two ponds and a seasonal creek. The ranch is accessed off of a county road and immediately into private property. The amenities and services of Livingston, MT are less than 10 minutes away. This quaint western town proudly plays host to a number of restaurants, art galleries and boutique stores.
118 Suce Creek Road - Situated in the gorgeous Suce Creek area, just minutes from charming Livingston, the property at 118 Suce Creek Road encompasses over 10.7 acres, is fenced for horses and features a two-stall barn and small round pen. The home was remodeled in 2004 and features reclaimed hardwood floors, extensive beam work and commanding views of Paradise Valley. The property also features a trout pond, close proximity to National Forest and trails as well as easy access to the Yellowstone River.
For information on these or any other Montana horse properties, contact Jason Frey.
All best,
______________________
Jason Frey
Agent
PureWest, Inc.
jason.frey@purewestproperties.com
Rat Lake – the “Eight of Spades” by Jason Frey
The changing seasons of southwestern Montana all have a very different and specific personality. Many enjoy the summers in this country, and as many revel in the “cold smoke” that charges our winters, but many find it is the Montana fall that captures their hearts. When the mornings begin to cool and the aspens transition from their summer greens into their autumn blondes and gold’s, there is a special awakening of the soul in those who are fortunate enough to spend time out of doors. The bugle of bull elk rings across the mountain glades, bears are beginning to prepare for their impending slumber, chipmunks and squirrels are topping off their winter stockpiles and preparing for season spent under snow. Fall even has its own smell. It hangs in the woods, indescribable and unique, crisp and invigorating, heavy with earth and unlike any other time of year. Spring has its own scent also, but I have always preferred the perfume of fall.
Knowing the beauties of fall in the mountains, it is difficult to let pastoral autumn days pass without a foray into nature. I had my son, Connor, draw a card from our deck of hikes this past weekend and he drew the eight of spades, Rat Lake. Nestled into the expanses of the Gallatin National Forest, about 20 miles south and west of Bozeman, Rat Lake is a very accessible hike that is generally level, gaining only 160 ft during the 1.5 mile journey. The drive to the trailhead is an experience in itself, accessing off of Hwy 191 at Storm Castle you follow the Gallatin River and its natural courses upstream where the road branches and follows Storm Castle Creek, ultimately crossing it and continuing a few miles further on well maintained Forest Service Roads to the beginning of the trail for Rat Lake and the Garnet Mountain Fire Lookout.
The afternoon was mostly sunny and 61*, a proper fall temperature for a walk in the woods. With a full afternoon of enthusiasm ahead of us we set out from the roadside parking area along a well marked and traveled trail. The road was formerly used to harvest timber, and although mountain bike, ATV and dirt bike traffic is permitted we saw only foot-traffic one our outing. The hike follows a logging cut for the first third of the journey and the sounds of cascading water can be detected from several locations along the trail. As we passed the junction for the Garnet Mountain Lookout, we greeted a young couple from Vermont on their way back to the parking area. They had been to the lookout, had a picnic lunch and were headed back down for an evening in Big Sky.
Connor and I reached the shores of the lake a short time later and the area really deserves a more attractive name than the beady-eyed rodent moniker conveys. The lake is nestled in a natural opening in the forest canopy with grassy expanses on the eastern and southern shores. We had the area to ourselves save a couple fishing the shores with their grandson. The grandmother, a woman named Barbara, quickly engaged Connor in a running dialogue about his hiking prowess and rewarded his exaggerations with a small candy bar. We visit with Barbara and her grandson Chase for a good spell before setting off to circle the lake. On our attempt to circumnavigate the area, we found frogs in a shallow pond which were cause to pause and question daddy about all things amphibian before continuing on.
As the afternoon shadows began to lengthen, we started back down the trail with muddy shoes, our new walking stick and a pocket full of Old Man’s Beard from the surrounding pines. The Storm Castle trailhead also serves as the starting point for a series of other popular hikes in this area of the Gallatin Valley and due to the short length of the hike to Rat Lake; it is an area where it is possible to complete 2-3 shorter excursions in one day while in the area.
For information on properties within close proximity to this or other hiking trails in the Gallatin Valley, contact Jason Frey.
All best,______________________