Montana

What happened in history in 1889? An awful lot, that's what. Montana and three other states entered the union, but so many other interesting pieces of history came together too. History buffs, prepare for The Year Montana Became a State.

Snow will continue to fall across most of Montana through at least Friday morning. Higher elevations are getting lots of snow, while the valleys are seeing less but frequent light snowfalls. Thursday night is expected to bring lots more snow, along with some wind.

What is designed to be a great tool to see snow removal progress across Bozeman has become an unexpected moment of Zen when I need a break. There's an online map that lets you view the most recent activity of the City of Bozeman snow removal crews.

The higher elevations of Montana could see well over a foot of fresh snow by Friday. Most counties have a storm warning or watch in effect, and the valleys are expected to get 5" to 10" inches as well. Travel may become a serious issues during this storm.

Something that Montanans can be incredibly proud of is the enormous pool of musical talent that has created symphony orchestras across the entire state.

Skiing and riding at resorts is fine, but Tuesday is NOT the day to explore the new snow in the backcountry near Bozeman and other areas of southwest Montana. Avalanche danger is extremely high, and the risk of triggering a huge slide is very real.

There are lots of fun, interesting things to do this week around the Bozeman area. If you want to be social and really engage with other people, not just "go out", these events might help fill your social calendar.

Seattle is a fantastic city to visit for people from Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington itself. There's so much to do as a tourist, but it can get expensive VERY quickly. When you know a few insider tricks and secrets about the best things to do around Seattle, you'll have more fun and avoid spending money on things that aren't worth the price.

Chinese New Year. Lunar New Year. Spring Festival. It's an ancient celebration that is packed with legends. The Chinese Zodiac Calendar is often talked about during this festival as people wonder "What Chinese New Year Animal Am I?"

It would be genuinely difficult to find a Montana State alum who hasn't spent some celebratory time in this historic Bozeman home. Many a keg has passed through it's doors and it might actually be the most common denominator among generations of Bobcats.

Lots of mountain snow is falling in Montana, which is great news. Montana is still very far behind normal average snowpack levels and drought concerns are still big. Towns and valleys can expect some snow, but high elevations across Montana are expecting 4" to 8" of fresh snow, with up to a foot in some locations.

I'm shocked and embarrassed that I've never been to this really gorgeous piece of Montana. It's so close, incredibly beautiful, inexpensive to visit, and right up my alley. Perhaps 'tourist attraction' isn't the right term for this Jefferson City gem.