The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Jackson Hole Winter Wonderland, a weekend of holiday shopping and cheer, which will be held Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8 in Jackson Hole.

Local shops will feature a magical holiday atmosphere and extended hours, until at least 8:00pm, just in time to shop for Christmas! Enjoy caroling, sleigh rides, cider, hot chocolate, and cookies in the glow of festive Christmas lighting.

Ride upon the Gallatin with some of Montana’s most educated and experienced guides that really know how to have a good time! The Gallatin is a small river that winds through beautiful canyons among the Rockies. The river is a combination of calm stretches and exciting rapids, making it a fun and challenging experience for all. The Gallatin changes significantly from June to August, and Montana Whitewater changes accordingly offering different levels of trips  to suit your desire for adventure.

Montana Whitewater doesn’t stop with rafting either.  Top of the raft trip with a combination package; lunch, dinner, horseback riding, casting, and zip lining could be added to your rafting excursion to make it the perfect day for you. Packages range from half day, full day, to over night.

It is never to early to start planning your fun in the sun! Book your trip online today at www.montanawhitewater.com!

Gallatin River office is located at mile 64 on highway 191 between Bozeman and Big Sky; North of West Yellowstone, the West Entrance to the Park. This is their meeting place for Gallatin or Madison River Trips. 

The first sight I had of the flaming Gorge was off US191 just outside of Vernal, UT. Even at dusk, it was captivating. The Flaming Gorge encapsulates over 200 thousand acres of land and water that are almost equally divided between Utah and Wyoming. It rises over 50o feet above bedrock. The Flaming Gorge Dam is what holds in the waters of the Green River to form the reservoir, which extends just over 90 miles to the north. The elevation of the Flaming Gorge is at  6,045 feet. It’s water is cold, even on hot summer days. This is not only great for all kinds of water sports, but amazing for fishing as well. More specifically, the trout love the cold water. That is why Flaming Gorge is famous for its trophy lake trout. Many trout of 30+ pounds  are caught each year. The Utah record went 51 lb 8 oz, and there may yet be a bigger one swimming in the reservoir.  Kokanee salmon and smallmouth bass are also said to be popular in the gorge. There are five full-service marinas to this spectacular sight that provide launching, storage, and maintenance. Along the side of the Gorge is the Ashley National Forest .The forest is thick with evergreen trees, pinyon pines, and junipers that grow down to the waters edge of clear blue. Also found at the Gorge are petroglyphs (rock art), created by ancient tribes and still viewed by both modern tribes and visitors to the Gorge. The Flaming Gorge got its name by and explorer named Major Powell. After he and his men saw the sun reflecting off of the red rocks, he deemed it the “Flaming Gorge”. I can tell you from experience, the sunset and the reflection of the clear water is still as beautiful today. Whether it is to water-ski, jet-ski, boat, relax, or fish, the Flaming Gorge should be a destination on everyone’s list!

Summer in Big Sky is filled with a world of fun and exciting things to do with the whole family! Starting with free concerts downtown every Thursday, beginning on the 4th of July. Locals say one of the big hits every year is “Cold Hard Cash”; a johnny Cash cover band which will be playing on August 30th. Before then, on  Aug 7th, enjoy Shakespeare in the Park or classical music on Aug 10th,11th, or12th. The best part? ALL OF THESE EVENTS ARE FREE! They are all paid for by Arts Council of Big Sky/Resort Taxes! These are just a few of many things besides great shopping, fine dining, and a world of outside activities there is to do in Big Sky. For more information visit the chamber of commerce website at BIGSKYCHAMBER.COM.

A few days ago on my journey north up US 191, I passed through St.John, AZ.; a quaint town in the white mountains that is all about community. There I met Estelle White who owns an amazingly diverse shop called 2nd Hand Treasures. The shop sells both new and used items and definitely has something for everyone. Inside you will find antiques, a man cave as well as a women’s side (all clothing sold here is washed prior to display), local art, and  home-made arts and crafts including jewelry and little jewelry music boxes made from real eggs! These items and much much more make 2nd Hand Treasures  a great stop for all. Aside from being a unique shop for tourist and locals alike, there is a lot more to this store front than meets the eye. Estelle teaches art classes in the back of the shop and also offers her students an outlet to display and sell their art right there at 2nd Hand Treasures.

Estelle spoke very highly of the community and gave reference to several scenarios where the people in St.John have pulled together to help one another when the economy dropped out. Often on the weekends you can find most locals at the city park facility. This offers  a picnic area,  tennis, swimming in an indoor pool,  raquet ball, horseshoes, a playground, and even a place to grill for outdoor events. This paste weekend on May 19th was St John annual classic car show and chili cook off! (which Estelle won last year). This event and others brings in a great crowd to St John, AZ.

Apart from owning a unique store, teaching art, and being involved in the community, Estelle also gives back by donating many items from the store to veterans in need. Her knowledge and involvement does not stop there though; she also sells real estate in the white mountain area. There are several amazing ranch homes in and around this area for those looking to get away. If interested please contact Estelle at www.mountainvalleyrealty.org.

Estelle was very pleasant and knowledgeable to speak with on all fronts and even took the time to tell me about other

Realtors in the area as well as referring me to the Arizona White Mountain magazine, the local Apache County Historical Society Museum ( which houses a variety of prehistoric woolly mammoth tusks and camel leg bones est to be over 24,000 years old), Frankies restaurant (affordable and wonderful food) , and several places to play golf around the area.

Within an hour of St John Arizona you will also find the Lyman Lake State Park,the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, the Petrified National Forest which boarders the painted Desert and is not far out from the Grand Canyon, as well as many Apache, Zuni, and Navajo reservations.

St. John was a personal favorite of the White Mountain towns that I stopped in and definitely worth the visit to those who are planning to explore Arizona. Don’t miss out on all that this beautiful area has to offer!

Nothing took my breath away like standing on the top of the 308 foot tall water fall in West Yellowstone park! Billions of gallons of water cascading over the cliff right beneath you every second creating a giant mist below! To add to the magical view from this spot, the sun blazes into the mist forming a rainbow that is the start of the “Grand Canyon” of Yellowstone Park.  Looking out from on top of this massive water fall, the water zig-zags between the cliff walls of the rocky mountains in the park. The lower falls are actually taller than the upper falls in height, they are only lower in elevation. This place reminds people just how small we really are…and just what a beautiful place this world really is..naturally

Truly a must see!