Montana is famous for its frozen trees on the sides of the chairlifts.

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Glacier Country: Real Dining, Real Skiing in Northwest Montana

The Northwest corner of Montana is a land of long drives, big mountains, and far-reaching plains.

It’s also an outdoor adventurer’s dream: inversion clouds dump foot after foot of snow during the winter months, guaranteeing skiing and snowmobiling through mountain passes that the locals call ‘steep and deep.’ Read more of Jaclyn Stevenson's story about food and skiing in Montana.

Riding in Montana's Mountains at the Triple J Ranch

"Montana is a small town with really long streets," said Sara Walsh, the proprietor of Latigo and Lace, a gift shop and coffee bar overflowing with Montana art and crafts in the tiny hamlet of Augusta.

Her phrase succinctly captures the feeling here in this wide open state with less than one million inhabitants over 147,000 square miles. A visiting guest feels comfortable very quickly in this legendary "Big Sky Country" that was novelist John Steinbeck's favorite state. Ditto for On the Roader Charles Kuralt who famously kept a cabin and a mistress here for decades. Read more of editor Max Hartshorne's story about horse back riding in Montana.

Skiing the light, dry Montana powder - photo by Chuck Haney

Montana's Wildest Winter Resorts

Moonlight Basin, Big Sky, Bridger Bowl and Red Lodge, in that order I braved the elements and skied my way through Montana's wildest winter resorts, restaurants and races. My video camera did the lion's share of the work capturing the charm and big-hearted spirit of some of the nicest people west of the Mississippi. Read more about Sony Stark's winter adventures in Montana.

Buffalo Soldiers: Volunteer to Save Buffalo in Yellowstone National Park

Winter is usually a quiet time in Yellowstone National Park. The crowds of summer are gone, leaving only the intermittent buzz of snowmobiles.

Thick blankets of snow have a muting effect on the vast landscape. The world's first national park seems at rest, replenishing its soul for the busier times when warm weather returns.

But for the past few winters, the lands just north and west of Yellowstone have been the site of an ongoing struggle to save the estimated 2,000 wild buffalo still alive in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. In harsh winters, bison often leave the park to forage for food near the towns of Gardiner and West Yellowstone, Montana. Read more of Julie Fanselow's story about volunteering for Yellowstone National Park.

Read more GoNOMAD stories about Montana:

Jammer Joe Behind the Wheel: Glacier's Iconic Red Buses

Chico Hot Springs Resort and Spa: A Montana Tradition