# Billings, MT



## phlyingfish (Nov 15, 2006)

Buzzards,

Has anyone lived in Billings? 

How did/do you like it in terms of boating, skiing (inbounds and backcountry), and mountain biking? 

Anything you wished you knew about the town when you moved there?

Is it as bereft of culture as it seems from the highway?

I'm a kayaker with a class V skill set who also enjoys playboating. My wife is a class III paddler who dabbles in big-water IV. We both snowboard and bike. 

-Mark


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

My neighbor lived their most his life and talks about kind of a shitty nightlife seen with too many tweakers. Montana is all about driving large distances. A 4 hour drive is not considered long by most Montanan's. While many goods can be had in under a 4 hour drive from Billings it's worth considering. Billings is 2 hours from Bozeman and Cody which both have vastly better opportunities for outdoors activities. If you make friends in these towns I think you can do alright with weekends crashing on couches. The red lodge area seems to have options as well which would be day trip material. Unfortunately it looks like it's over an hour for any whitewater boating or skiing.


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## Bpsig (Mar 7, 2012)

If you are moving to MT skip Billings. Check out Bozeman instead. Much better access to white water as well as skiing.


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## montuckyhuck (Mar 14, 2010)

If your set on Mantana Bozeman or Missoula are the places to look if you want any sort of social life. Bozeman has better skiing (although lost trail is sick), Missoula has better climbing. Boating is kind of a toss up. Bozeman has Gallitan, Quake, Bit T, Yellowstone, Bear Trap, Stilly, Sweetgrass, close to Jackson and Henrys Fork, West RB.... Missoula has Prospect, Trout Creek, Kootanai Creek, Bear Creek, NF Blackfoot, Blackfoot, Boulder Creek, Rock Creek, some other crappy stuff in the Bitterroots, Clarks Fork, also closer to Kootanai River, Yaak River, Salmon, Selway, Two Med, Swan, Flathead, Lochsa which counts for a lot if you like 5 weeks of big water, although Bozeman is closer to THE BOX which also counts for a lot.


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## stillwaterpaddler (Nov 16, 2003)

Billings is a decent place to live, all what you make of it. I live an hour south in Red Lodge, there is plenty of boating within a couple hours of here plus the Beartooth's are a stones throw from here...something most Montanan's forget about, but all the better, yes you should move to Missoula or Bozeman


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## sean_d_85 (Apr 23, 2012)

*billings*

I've heard the stillwater is pretty bad ass and have always wanted to get over there and run it. I did live in Billings for a few months and that was my only regret. I just started working in North Dakota and will be trying to run it, and also will be making as many trips as I can back to Missoula and Bozeman area to run the the whitewater over here, as mentioned in the above posts. Hit me up closer to spring and we could rideshare if you don't mind rolling with a catarafter.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Pm mttodd, he lives there.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

Mark I'd visit first. The whitewater is so so.. Nothing like the north fork. I'd go more towards bozeman or Missoula. Bozeman has some really good creeking, crazies, hyalite creek, dearborn is close as well as some stuff in the tobacco roots. Bear trap is sick quake runs year round at about 800-900 thru winter 2k range in the summer. Gallatin river is super quick and easy to grad and super fun lots good granite boulders. Beartooths do have some whitewater, some looks like there could be some more exploratory to do.. If you want to check out bozeman sometime you got a place mark. Bozeman is good place cause you open your range east and west & south and north(glacier) 5 hours to Casper 3.5 to Jackson 2 hours to Mesa, 1.5 hours to big timber campground, hyalite is 10 minutes, gallatin is like 30 minutes. If you lived in billings min commute to the beartooths is not quite as easy even though the pots are there.. I'd try and grab a copy of Surf Montana if possible. As for bitter roots def not the quality of some of the other creeking in the state like big t. Big t is the shit I got on it 7 times this year.

Pretty sure I meet you at the rendezvous rodeo many years back. You and David Schmitt started your midnight run down the snake and lost the rest of the group, you guys missed the take out, and you and Schmitt paddled down to the narrows where you both climbed up to the road and hitch hiked.. True story Mark?

Bozeman def has the goods in terms of skiing. If you combined yellowstoneclub big sky and moonlight basin which you can ride a lift from big sky and eventually work your way to moonlight. Can't compare anywhere else that's three mountains, big mountains, plus Bridger bowl and the several other ski resorts within 3 hours red lodge, and a couple other mom and pop powder stashes


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## phlyingfish (Nov 15, 2006)

Thanks for all the feedback. We kind of figured that after work paddling options were scarce. Mike, I have no idea what you're talking about. But Dave Schnidt was a cool guy -- way more sack than anyone else at that rodeo. 

Any thoughts on the mountain biking options?


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## floatingk (Aug 5, 2008)

stillwaterpaddler said:


> Billings is a decent place to live, all what you make of it. I live an hour south in Red Lodge, there is plenty of boating within a couple hours of here plus the Beartooth's are a stones throw from here...something most Montanan's forget about, but all the better, yes you should move to Missoula or Bozeman


Shout out to Nate Dawg!

Nate is right, Billings is pretty alright but it certainly is an industrial town loaded with crackies. Stillwater is super fun but dont go there or itll get too crowded. Redlodge is the bees knees. 

As for Bozeman, its so damn popular (california) that it has less than 1% unoccupied rentals. Damn near impossible to get a job, and the prices of property is stupid. 

Missoula is way more down to earth but the winter inversion sucks bad. Missoula is truely the center of the whitewater community for all the salmon and selway and lochsa trips.


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## spack171 (Mar 6, 2011)

Go to Bozeman. I lived in Billings for a while.


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## spack171 (Mar 6, 2011)

Or go to Boise. I lived there too, prefer it to Billings.


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## floatingk (Aug 5, 2008)

I dont know if its just me but does it seem like most or all later in life boaters end up moving to boise?


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

floatingk said:


> I dont know if its just me but does it seem like most or all later in life boaters end up moving to boise?


Boise or Salida


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## Iron Goat (Oct 5, 2011)

Lived in Bozeman and Missoula and IMHO bozeman beats out missoula for skiing and mountain biking. As for paddling, as stated before its a toss up. But missoula does have brennan's wave which is a sweet two feature playpark downtown that runs all year. I think caspermike works at the barn in bozeman, who is owned by the garcia bros dad, mike. give him a visit at the shop and if hes not in front he might be out back giving the garcia bros handjobs for LL hand me-downs. But either way he will help you get into the bozo paddling community. Also, missoula is also a close drive by MT standards.


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## acb5 (Oct 25, 2012)

I grew up in the Flathead, 2 hours north of Missoula, and I love that place. Never heard much good about Billings, and my dad lived there for something like 4 years. I sadly didn't learn to boat until after I left MT, so I don't know much about the WW opportunities, but there are pretty dedicated biking and skiing communities up that way. Plenty of backcountry opportunities in the winter, and Big Mountain *ahem* Whitefish Mountain, is 20 minutes from the town of Whitefish. Glacier Nat'l is at your back door. I haven't been back in something like 6 years, but I'm pretty sure cost of living is lower up that way. Columbia Falls is pretty much small town working class, Whitefish is a tourist town and a bit swanky, and Kalispell is the "metropolitan" area.


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## burnor (May 13, 2010)

*I actually live in Billings*

So I actually live in Billings... and probably are on the same way length as you...

*So Billings as a city:* Not where I'm gonna be long term. Lack of a sense community, lame night life, lot's of blue collar folks who have never even been to the beartooth mountains. Do not get me wrong there are some beautiful spots in Billings along the Rims. While there are some good folks around, the per capita the type of progressive or outdoor minded folk I prefer to hang with... the concentration is pretty small and disappointing. Art scene... negligible. Music... hope you like hick cover bands that can't fathom original music. The town just doesn't feel young, fresh, or alive most of the time.

*Boating:* I'm creeking mostly and I actually would argue access to class V is pretty good in Billings and often overlooked by Bozeman folk. this past season I got 7-9 laps down the woodbine section of the Stillwater and mostly after work (here's some video of after work stillwater this year: The Stillwater River on Vimeo). There's the west stillwater as well as the pots sections. The rock creek and rosebud drainages are right there too... more laps than I can count on those 5 separate runs. Then we get over to the Clarks Fork area as well... honeymoon, day stretch, lower clark's, crandall creek, sunlight creek.. and of course: the box. You go a little farther you get... the Boulder River, Big Timber. Most of this is within an 1.5 hrs of Billings and it's only 2 hrs of to Boz town. The paddling community is small... there only a couple of us "locals" trying to get after it and admittedly I'm in/near red lodge 90% of the paddling season. All in all, I count more than 10 IV-V creeking opportunities within an hour of here!

If you are looking for playboating... thin pickings. I have yet to find something worth getting on somewhat nearby. High quality stuff is only around for a short time and hard to access. It's pretty frustrating in a playboating sense.

*Mtn Biking:* Good shit right in town.... lots of sandstone slick rock. Plenty of stuff for me to take some good diggers on. Decent bike community around here for sure. The entire Rim for miles has Mtn Bkiing trails snaking all over it.

*Skiing:* If you are looking for resort skiing... stay out of Billings. While red lodge is a great little resort with a small town feel and support. Those who want the big resort feel and amenities should go to Bozeman. But then again you do your fair share of yuppie dodging over there. That being said, that's not what I want. However, the backcountry access from Billings is good. I'll be on my snowmobile getting after laps in cooke city most weekends and come spring... Bozeman folk flock to the Beartooth pass in Red Lodge... was skiing laps till 4th of July up there two seasons ago. So if you want backcountry skiing... it's amazing, but requires a sled.

*Ice and Rock Climbing:* Some of the best ice in the world is in Cody, WY... only 2 hrs from here. Lot's of ice climbers in Billings who get out and get after it. Tight little community. Rock climbing is in town and real good bouldering... but poor quality sandstone. Lot's of folks make the drive to Tensleep for sport climbing abound!!! There is alpine trad and first ascent to be had in the beartooths for sure! 

Thankfully, you have a wife...which makes Billings even more tolerable. the women out here: they leave a lot left to be desired...

So as one of the few Buzzards living in Billings currently... that my two cents in the matter. Happy to answer more questions...


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## COLDFEAR (Apr 20, 2004)

Mark give me a call and I can give you some details !


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## ootek34 (Mar 27, 2007)

So how do you really feel Burgess...I actually ran into Mark and his wife after you left the Taproom the other eve and gave him a bit of the scoop...small world. Good luck with your choice Mark


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

I grew up in Great Falls, went to school at MT State (Bozeman), and have lived in Missoula and Kalispell.

Sadly, I didn't take up boating until after I'd left Bozeman. 

Great Falls, like Billings, is an industrial town. It's a good place to be "from". 

Bozeman has better skiing and a lot more creeking opportunities. Your wife will enjoy the Gallatin, Madison, and Yellowstone.

Missoula has so-so skiing (I hate SnowBowl, and Lost Trail is a 1.5hr drive). The Selway and Lochsa are a 2 hour drive.  Missoula has a lot better sense of community than Bozeman, IMHO.



glenn said:


> Montana is all about driving large distances. A 4 hour drive is not considered long by most Montanan's. While many goods can be had in under a 4 hour drive from Billings it's worth considering. Billings is 2 hours from Bozeman and Cody which both have vastly better opportunities for outdoors activities. If you make friends in these towns I think you can do alright with weekends crashing on couches.


All true!



acb5 said:


> I grew up in the Flathead, 2 hours north of Missoula, and I love that place. Never heard much good about Billings, and my dad lived there for something like 4 years. I sadly didn't learn to boat until after I left MT, so I don't know much about the WW opportunities, but there are pretty dedicated biking and skiing communities up that way. Plenty of backcountry opportunities in the winter, and Big Mountain *ahem* Whitefish Mountain, is 20 minutes from the town of Whitefish. Glacier Nat'l is at your back door. I haven't been back in something like 6 years, but I'm pretty sure cost of living is lower up that way. Columbia Falls is pretty much small town working class, Whitefish is a tourist town and a bit swanky, and Kalispell is the "metropolitan" area.


A lot less jobs here. Also not much Class IV that his wife might enjoy. The North Fork is a gorgeous II, and the Middle Fork Flathead is a really great III. The Yaak is supposed to be pretty decent for a IV+, otherwise you'll be driving to/through Missoula to get her on challenging water for her. If you want an after-work Class V, look no farther than the Swan River (wild mile) in Bigfork.


Could you handle a commute? Live in Red Lodge and commute to Billings?


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