Nourished by the towering peaks and the peaceful rivers, the Bitterroot Valley is a town of cowboys, writers, professionals, and youthful energy. The people who are happiest here are those who love the outdoors - those who notice a whitetail deer along the side of the road or passing cloud patterns against the big blue sky. Time moves slower here - mountain time.

The nearest big town to the Bitterroot Valley is Missoula. The name Missoula is derived from the Salish Indian word Mis sou let ka meaning "the rivers of awe." The town is the site of the confluence of three major rivers—the Bitterroot River, the Clark Fork, and the Big Blackfoot. Missoula is the location of the University of Montana and received the Great American Place Award by American Heritage Magazine. (see October 1999 addition) As the article states "Missoula is a place where coastal cosmopolitan meets western chic..." The July 1995 Le Point magazine puts it this way: "A coup d'etat has taken place in the American literary world without anyone noticing. Forget New York, Los Angeles or Chicago, the new literary capital of the United States is called henceforth Missoula. The town of approximately 58,000 (98,000 in Missoula County) counts more writers per square foot than any other town in the north American continent, Greenwich Village included. An international airport is located west of town.

The Bitterroot Valley is located about 20 miles south of Missoula. The valley floor is dotted with small ranches and homes and scattered commercial development along U.S. Highway 93. The foothills of the Bitterroot Range and the Sapphire Mountain Range flank the valley floor on both sides as the Valley moves south and eventually becomes Idaho. If you look at a map of Montana—the western boundary looks like a face. The Bitterroot Valley is the nose on the face. The scenery is uncommonly beautiful, the recreational opportunities diverse, and the people folksy and friendly. The challenging economy is due largely to its relative lack of a primary industry. There are log home manufacturing companies, service industries, and farming and ranching, but no real high-paying industries that promote growth. Yet, Ravalli County remains one of the fastest growing counties in Montana - about 15,000 additional residents in the past 25 years.

Once you have the Bitterroot Valley under your skin, you're infected, and you'll want to stay. 39,000 country residents call the Bitterroot Valley their home. The County seat and largest town in the Bitterroot Valley is Hamilton, located about 40 minutes south of Missoula. It's a place that has a few espresso bars, a micro brewery, and a few eclectic restaurants. The rest of the town is pretty western ordinary - shops with western clothes, sporting goods, flower and gift shops, and grocery stores.

Farm and feed stores dominate the outer landscape with tractor dealers, modular home sales, and pawnshops. Just about everything you need can be purchased in the Bitterroot. Some folks go to Missoula only a few times a year. Be prepared to see the neon casino signs—there's some legal gambling in Montana. Poker machines are located in almost every watering hole. Hamilton has an extremely nice health club, tennis courts, and new recreation facilities. The fair grounds host the County Fair in September, the Good Nations Pow Wow, Bluegrass festivals, and many other events throughout the year.

One of the area's small towns is Stevensville, which was the first white settlement in Montana. Father DeSmet founded St. Mary's Mission in 1841. Each small community within the Valley, Darby, Victor, Corvallis, Sula, Conner, Florence, and Hamilton is as different as the people who live there. A new Tom Fazio designed private golf course (Stock Farm) is now located on a portion of a ranch once owned by Marcus Daly. Marcus Daly was a wealthy entrepreneur who first came to the Bitterroot Valley in search of timber for his copper mine in Butte and stayed to become a founding father of the town of Hamilton.

WEATHER

Montana weather is as changeable... as the weather. Just wait a few minutes and look outside again. The Bitterroot Valley is located on the west side of the Continental Divide, and thus avoids the northern winds and climate influences of Canada. The weather patterns come from the west from Seattle and Spokane—the weather that can survive the high range of the Bitterroot Mountains, that is. The common statement that the Bitterroot is the "Banana Belt" of Montana is a bit misleading. The summer days in the Valley are in the 80's and 90's. The summer nights are cool and breezy. Fall is long and lasts well into November with some rainy weather. We usually have snow at Christmas, but not always. The snow depths are moderate and most areas don't require plowing. The Valley floor is usually clear of snow or at a depth of 4-6 inches with lots of snow in the higher elevations for recreation and stream flows in the summer. Spring is a teaser. Warmer days followed by cooler ones. Bring your fleece and don't pack your turtlenecks away until April. Full circle: there is a lot of sun, a little rain, enough snow to make it mountain country and lots of moderation to let you anticipate and love every season.

The Bitterroot Valley is a place for flannel shirts and sweaters, hiking shorts, fleece and jackets. With only 12-16 inches annual precipitation the high mountain deserts of the Bitterroot Valley would be dry and brown without irrigation. But there is such an abundance of water in the Valley and it is so well distributed that the area looks like a sunny oasis. Come and see for yourself. May is green, splashed with mountain wildflowers, contrasted with snow covered peaks and blue skies. July and August are for fly fishing and long summer nights (it doesn't get dark here until 10:30 p.m.) October is the ultimate month for color, and late December is winter white with the lights of town at Christmas. January and February are the coldest months - where you need gloves and hats and a warmer coat. Unlike other places, it's never so cold that you can't get around or can't breathe. There is little wind here, which makes a big difference. The mountains shelter the Valley below. It's the best climate in Montana...but we don't have any bananas, despite local legend.