Photo: Yellowstone National Park

We at Matador were psyched when Travel Montana approached us as a sponsor. This is a place in the world that we feel sells itself — and has a lot in common with Matador.

Travel in Montana is all about getting outside and exploring mother nature, living a healthy, sustainable life, and having authentic experiences in comfortable little towns that haven’t changed much in the last 50 years.

In the coming months we’re going to reach out to local experts and community members who know Montana as well as they know themselves — people who have sniffed out the very best experiences Montana has to offer. Let Matador point you in the right direction and make the Montana experience yours in 2009.

If you’ve had an incredible travel/living experience in Montana, please let us know at editors@matadornetwork.com

Matador Montana Experts

Eric Warren

“Expert on Montana, having lived in Missoula, Big Sky, Bozeman, and Billings for 25 years. I have spent substancial time in Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, Absaroka/Beartooth Wilderness, Bitterroot Wilderness and most other Montana locations. I also spent about a year in the Grand Junction, CO, Moab, UT area, mostly mountain biking.”

Brian French

“I have been paddling the waters of western Montana and the surrounding area for about seven years now. I am committed to river stewardship and currently serve as the president of the board of a local watershed education nonprofit here in Missoula, MT. I know the logistics for most stretches of water in the state of Montana and am happy to share what i know. I also really enjoy canoeing and rafting, and there is something for everyone in the Big Sky State.”

Adam French

“A lover of the remote, rugged and rowdy–and the lack of crowds that result–I feel at home nowhere quite so much as western Montana. From the granite peaks of the Bitterroot to the bar scene of Missoula to the bear country of Glacier, I can offer insights into exploring Big Sky country in an array of styles including climbing, biking, hiking, boating, skiing and hunting. Although Missoula and its surrounds are what I know best, I am familiar with sweet spots all over the state.”

Chrystine Olson

“I’m a gregarious loner who still camps in a tent with the dogs. My schooling in wildland ecology at the University of Idaho, subsequent jobs with natural resource agencies, a Masters from the University of Nevada-Reno and a genuine lifelong passion for the outdoors has allowed me to explore the interior American West on foot, horseback, skis, snowshoes.”

Teresa Ponikvar

“I know Missoula and the surrounding area extremely well, especially the Clark Fork, Bitterroot, and Blackfoot rivers, as well as the Missoula nightlife and cultural scene. I’m fascinated by the story of Glacial Lake Missoula and can give you suggestions about where to search for the geological evidence of this amazing, long-gone lake.”

Brianna Randall

“I have been Water Policy Director at the Clark Fork Coalition since 2007 and also oversee the grantwriting and public relations programs. I previously spent 3 years at the Montana Water Trust where I diversified funding sources, facilitated instream flow projects, conducted public relations, and wrote outreach materials, all while writing freelance for various publications. At the Coalition, I navigate the intricate world of state, federal and local water policies, ensuring these water quality and quantity rules are working on behalf of a clean and healthy river. I am on several boards, including the Montana Smart Growth Coalition, the Enviropreneur Institute, and the Montana Conservation Voters.”