Goal: Owner Todd Mcnu*tt says whether trimming hooves or shoeing horses and mules, he takes his time with each one at every visit. He tries to make it a positive learning experience and to build a strong foundation of trust with each animal he services. History: In 2001, Mcnu*tt began shoeing horses while he was working as a guide for Swan Valley outfitters. When they were 20 miles back in the wilderness his horseshoeing skills were invaluable to the outfitters when a horse or mule lost a shoe....
Community Briefs
May 12, 2016
Free Developmental and Preschool Screening, May 13 SEELEY LAKE - A free Developmental and Preschool Screening Clinic for children ages 0 to 5 for Seeley Lake and Swan Valley School Districts will be held Friday, May 13 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) School. Please call SLE at 406-677-2265 to schedule an appointment for your child’s screening or to receive more information. This free screening will include gross motor, fine motor, language concepts, communication concepts, communication skills, hearing and vision s...
Katie Wright Chili Champ
Colleen Kesterson, Pathfinder|May 5, 2016
SWAN VALLEY - American Legion Post No. 63 held their 26th annual Chili Cook-Off Saturday April 30 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. Nearly 50 people participated in tasting and choosing their favorite among 18 entries. Swan Valley resident Katie Wright gained the most votes with her mom's secret white chicken chili recipe. She took home the traveling Chili Champ trophy and $150. Wright said she called her mom, Heidi, in Indiana and gave her the good news. She said her mom was delighted. "This...
SSHS Expansion to Start in June
Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|May 5, 2016
SEELEY LAKE - The addition of the Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) stage and other improvements was discussed at the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) board meeting, April 26 in Seeley Lake. The construction is being put out to bid this week (see page 14 for the Bid Notice). It is scheduled to begin June 11, the day after the last day of school, and be completed in August before school resumes. The improvements to SSHS are funded by the MCPS bond that was passed last November. Jake Zander, with CTA Architects Engineers, presented the plans...
Survey Highlights Voter Preferences in Missoula County
Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|May 5, 2016
MISSOULA - The Missoula County Elections Office, in partnership with the University of Montana Political Science Department, conducted a January telephone survey of 605 registered voters in Missoula County. The intent was to examine voter behaviors and preferences, assess Missoula County election practices, efficiency and ease of the voting process. UM Assistant Professor of Political Science Dr. Sara Rinfret and her team presented the results to the Election Advisory Committee at their April meeting. Those surveyed included active, inactive...
POTOMAC - There are more than 100 individual Canada geese (Branta canadensis) and 250 individual greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) nesting and hatching their eggs near Potomac waterways. Surveys are not conducted in Potomac for Canada geese numbers but they are completed for sandhill cranes. "In the Blackfoot-Ovando area, sandhill crane numbers have been increasing over the last 15 years, as indicated by an aerial survey that is done each year in September," said Central Flyway...
Primary Candidates Forum at Next Council Meeting
Submitted by the Seeley Lake Community Council|May 5, 2016
SEELEY LAKE - Four days before absentee ballots will be mailed out for the June 7 primary, the Seeley Lake Community Council will hold a Candidates Forum, so that voters will have a chance to hear the candidates, question them and make informed choices. The Forum will take place at the Seeley Lake Community Hall Monday, May 9, starting at 5:30 p.m. with pizza and soda. The council decided to invite not only the primary contestants but also their opposite-party challengers, so that all candidates would enjoy equal exposure. These are the offices...
BBB Warns Consumers Before Hiring Movers
May 5, 2016
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving the Northwest is reminding consumers to be cautious when hiring a moving company or they could end up with a business that can’t deliver. Movers doing business in Washington must have a permit from the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission in order to legally provide residential moving services. Idaho companies are required to be registered with the Idaho Department of Transportation. In Montana, local movers are required to have a valid Public Service Commission (PSC) number issued t...
Locals Take to the Stage this Friday
Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|May 5, 2016
SEELEY LAKE - Alpine Artisans, Inc. (AAI) presents their first Alpine Review: Art Auction and Community Talent Show May 6 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Attendees can enjoy local entertainment ranging from original to traditional musical selections to cowboy poetry while supporting AAI’s youth art grants and scholarships. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Harpist Janet Whitesell and guitarist Kal Kovatch will perform solo pieces for the first time at a public performance in Seeley Lake. Whitesell started playing the harp at the age of 10. She a...
Keeping Clear Water
Betty Vanderwielen, Pathfinder|May 5, 2016
SEELEY LAKE – One of the goals of the Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) is to protect and sustain the waters of the Clearwater River drainage system. To this end, CRC has a number of projects in place that have gathered a large amount of scientific data. "There's a lot of good stuff going on that we're very happy about and that is really remarkable but nobody really knows about it," said Bruce Rieman, CRC Outreach Committee member The Outreach Committee decided to resolve that problem by c...
Community Briefs
May 5, 2016
Toast to Trail Creek, May 12 SEELEY LAKE - The community is invited to the Toast to Trail Creek at the Homestead Cabin on Double Arrow Ranch Thursday, May 12 at 5 p.m. Residents can see how the new fish screen and stream enhancements help ensure a healthy stream system and provide water for the golf course. The project was completed during low water conditions late last fall. Now with more water flowing participants will be able to see how everything works. Hiking Season Kick-Off Party, May 12 SEELEY LAKE - The community is invited to a party...
Searching for Hidden Treasure
Betty Vanderwielen, Pathfinder|Apr 28, 2016
SEELEY LAKE – Another 21st Century Grant-funded activity for Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) students and their parents was declared a success by the participants. Saturday, April 16, SLE teacher Michele Holmes led a small group of bikers on a geocaching outing. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt game using maps, compasses or Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates. Holmes, who has enjoyed geocaching with her family for more than 10 years, said it always made hiking trips more fun for h...
Clarke Named Fulbright Scholar, Heads to Nepal
Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Apr 28, 2016
SWAN VALLEY - Lily Clarke, former resident of Condon, is one of five alumni from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. to receive a Fulbright Scholarship. She will spend a year working on a research fellowship in Nepal conducting ethnomycology (combining anthropology and mycology, the study of mushrooms) and assessing the current state of community-managed forests. Clarke attended Salmon Prairie School through eighth grade and graduated from Hellgate High School. She became interested in biolo...
Forest Service Signs Decision for Watershed Restoration in Swan Valley
Apr 28, 2016
SWAN VALLEY - Jim and Cold Creek watersheds in the Swan Valley provide important bull trout spawning and rearing habitat. Thirty years ago logging and road development activities impacted watershed conditions and reduced fish habitat quality. As a result, Montana Department of Environmental Quality classified Jim Creek as “impaired” and other groups expressed concern about Cold Creek as well. In recent years a number of activities such as replacing culverts and bridges and eliminating certain point-sources of erosion have been implemented resul...
Johnson and Beall Named Most Inspiring Students
Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Apr 28, 2016
MISSOULA - Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) junior Quinton Johnson and senior Tanner Beall were recognized as two of Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Most Inspiring Students at a banquet April 21. The Most Inspiring Students Banquet has been held for the past five years. Every year SSHS teachers and staff choose two students who they feel are an inspiration. "The staff recognizes students that have overcome circ*mstances, worked really hard and become a better student because of that," said...
Free Mental Health Services Continue in Seeley Lake
Kelly McGuire, Healthy Relationship Project Coordinator|Apr 28, 2016
SEELEY LAKE - Kaitlyn Ahlers and Heather Halko will be offering free mental health services in the Seeley Lake community for the next two years. These services are available to adults and children with current or previous experiences of relationship distress, abuse (including children who have witnessed abuse), sexual violence and/or stalking. This service is made possible by a partnership between the Missoula City-County Department of Grants and Community Programs and the University of Montana...
Bear Resistant Garbage Containers Available
Colleen Kesterson, Pathfinder|Apr 28, 2016
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley Connections (SVC), formerly Swan Ecosystem Center, has bear resistant garbage containers that can be placed on Swan Valley residents’ property to lessen the chance of bear conflicts. The bears have emerged and are searching for food. Since there have been bear sightings reported in the Swan and near Seeley Lake, it is a good idea to make sure attractants are properly stored or located far from the house. According to Fish Wildlife and Park’s (FWP) Be Bear Aware website, bear attractants include: • Bird Feeders • Hou...
Study Tracks Spending Patterns of Montana Visitors
Apr 28, 2016
MISSOULA – During 2015, an estimated 11.7 million nonresident visitors traveled in Montana. Each year, the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) at the University of Montana surveys a sampling of these visitors in an effort to provide information about the “who, what, when, where and why” of their travels. ITRR recently completed an analysis of this data intended to distinguish high-spending vacationers from lower-spending vacationers. Ideally, it is preferable to have visitors who will spend more while visiting the state, so un...
Candidates Respond, More Information Needed on Wild and Scenic
Colleen Kesterson, Pathfinder|Apr 28, 2016
SWAN VALLEY - Three candidates running for two vacant Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) seats spoke and responded to a question during the SVCC regular meeting Tuesday, April 19. The Swan River’s eligibility to become a Wild and Scenic River under the Wild and Scenic Act of 1968 was also discussed. Candidates Elda (Ellie) Greenough, Lacey Mcnu*tt and Henry S. Westra spoke about why they were qualified to win a seat on the SVCC. Greenough moved to the Swan Valley in 1978 from the Midwest where she was raised on a farm. She has held many j...
Pinchot Journal: Sleeping under a Spruce with One Blanket to Share
Upper Swan Valley Historical Society|Apr 28, 2016
Gifford Pinchot, who later became chief of the U.S. Forest Service, was working for the National Forest Commission in 1896 when he traveled south through the Swan Valley with Jack Monroe, a trapper and guide. In the first installment of the 7-part series, they had arrived at a cabin inhabited by a trapper named Wood, who sent them on their way with venison and a sketch map to a deserted cabin where they could find flour. That night we spent with another trapper, who took us, in the morning, across the river on a jam of trees, roots and all the...
Tackle the Waters Expands Local Tradition
Andi Bourne, Pathfinder|Apr 28, 2016
SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake residents Jim and Connie Betson purchased Gary's Lures from owner Gary Ikerd this past spring. They changed the name to Tackle the Waters LLC. They look forward to offering the famous spinner baits Gary's Lures was known for as well as expanding their inventory to include a larger variety of lures, colors and sizes. The Betsons have been fishing since they were children. They used Ikerd's spinner baits on numerous occasions and like the product. Ikerd owned and o...
From Cross Cut Saws to Mechanized
Colleen Kesterson, Pathfinder|Apr 28, 2016
SWAN VALLEY - Neil Meyer, longtime Salmon Prairie resident, said that making a living as a logger in the early days was hard work in the Swan Valley. He shared stories about how logging was flourishing and was unhindered by regulations and big business as it is now. He said the pace was slower, many residents had their own small sawmills and the tools of the trade were less expensive and complicated. Meyer grew up in Ferndale, Mont. He worked with his father farming and cutting firewood with...
SLE Board Adopts Five-Day Calendar
Nathan Bourne, Pathfinder|Apr 28, 2016
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Elementary board adopted the 2016-2017 calendar at its April 19 meeting. Students will attend school five days a week starting Sept. 6. Summer break begins June 2. Christmas break will only be one week this year. A four-day week was not discussed. In other business, Superintendent Chris Stout said that he would have recommendations for a new second grade teacher at the board’s May meeting. The current second grade teacher Julie Little is out on maternity leave and will not return next year. All other teachers a...
Community Briefs
Apr 28, 2016
Seeley Lake Library News SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Library Book Club will be discussing Elizabeth McCracken’s “Thunderstruck and Other Stories” Thursday, May 19 at 11 a.m. This book is a collection of nine stories that navigate the fragile space between love and loneliness. Widely acclaimed, this collection has been described as brilliant, funny and heartbreaking. All are invited to join in the discussion. Books are available at the checkout desk. The Seeley Lake Library has life jackets in various sizes available for checkout. Stop by th...
Board Continues to Negotiate Funding Offer
Nathan Bourne, Pathfinder|Apr 21, 2016
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Sewer District (SLSD) board had a special meeting April 15 to discuss details of a funding offer they received in March. The board is currently negotiating some aspects of the offer in attempt to lower the projected monthly rates. Representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD) were on hand to further explain the offer. The funding package consists of $5.7 million in grants and $4.4 million in loans for the construction of the proposed wastewater treatment plant and Phase I...
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