Although the name “Big Sky” rings familiar with Montana mountain land owners and proficient skiers, Big Sky got its name from a Pulitzer Prize winning book from author Alfred Bertram Guthrie who tried to paint the vision of the western frontier and those traveling the Missouri River through the Rocky Mountains. Although it was once just a captivating and fictional portrayal of the mountains just north of Yellowstone, the reality of Big Sky being a fertile and successful land has proven to be true over time.

From the initial Native Americans that passed through the lands, to early European Trappers and American Gold Miners to the modern establishment of Montana luxury real estate and world premier skiing, Big Sky not only represents a name descriptive of this stellar mountainous area of Montana, but in particular a one-of-a-kind lifestyle that has consistently lived with it.

Big Sky officially encompasses the southwest portion of Montana between west Yellowstone and the town of Bozeman. Although the name Big Sky was created in the 1940′s the name really took off in 1973 when famous TV Reporter Chet Huntley created a magnificent ski resort which he dubbed “Big Sky.” Huntley loved the state of Montana so much that the sole purpose of him creating this establishment was to have a place for people to stay when visiting the mountainous state.

Although the creation and success of the ski resort (and later hotel and conference center) created a flood of winter and seasonal visitors, the luxury real estate market in the region was burgeoning as well. Home buyers have been seeking out second, vacation and even retirement homes to take advantage of the year round Montana beauty. The mountain land in Montana takes seclusion and proximity to a whole new level being so close to one of Montana’s biggest cities Bozeman and access to the rest of the country via the Gallatin Airfield.

Although the population of Bozeman is less than 30,000 residents, it is still one of the biggest cities in the state of Montana and has developed a very refined and sophisticated community. Deemed the most livable place in Montana, Bozeman provides a constant stream of activities that keep residents entertained and interacting. Certainly this Mecca in southwestern Montana has much to accredit its year round liveliness to the surge of Montana luxury real estate and the presence of the Big Sky Skiing.

Bozeman has seen an increase in the value of their real estate which is currently priced at an average of $163 per square foot which is an increase of 16.4% from the last period (trulia.com). With average prices of homes starting at over $500,000, the Big Sky Area has received interest from one of the worlds biggest luxury real estate companies Christies Great Estates.

With the Big Sky, Bozeman and Paradise Valley Areas of Montana getting so much attention from home buyers, it is unknown how long so many homes will stay at such competitive prices. Homes are selling at a rapid pace, in order to take advantage of the seasonal bliss so common in the region.

Big Sky is an understatement of what these Montana lands have to offer for its visitors and residents. It can’t be explained through words and only by experiencing it, will you begin to know what the region’s name encompasses. Experience what Alfred Bertram Guthrie saw in this land over 70 years ago.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/the-foundational-elements-in-the-history-of-big-sky-montana-2724246.html

About the Author

Jason Frey is an outdoor enthusiast with roots in working for a cattle ranch in North Dakota, he know combines his interests with his profession as real estate agent for the Big Sky land near Bozeman, MT. Frey takes pride in the Montana luxury homes he sells, understanding the value and practicality of ranch land and large parcels.

In 1953, an Austrian mountain guide known by the name of Hans Gmoser was determined to transform his lifetime dream into reality and set the foundations of his own mountain skiing company. As Gmoser was not a rich man, it wasn’t at all easy for him to accomplish his enthusiastic goals, but that never stopped him from persevering in his endeavors. Without any help from the outside, it took him many years to save the money needed to move to Banff, where he would pursue a career as a professional guide in the sumptuous and striking mountain scenery surrounding Mount Assiniboine, often nicknamed “Canada’s Matterhorn” by the locals. Within a few years’ time span, Gmoser became very familiar with the mountain and adjoining areas, and one after another, he uncovered and learned all the intimate secrets of the region. As his knowledge of Mount Assiniboine was growing, so did his urge to share the natural beauty of the mountain scenery in Western Canada with other people, and as days went by, Gmoser was getting closer and closer to fulfilling his ambitions. The extensive backcountry experience he had accumulated as a guide over the years enabled Hans to set the grounds for a small company called Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), a name that he would etch in the pages of history. With Hans in charge, business was going smoothly and the company was rapidly gaining in popularity, as Hans was directly involved in attracting and leading thousands of skiers and mountain climbers on fascinating, previously untouched mountain routes. More than five decades later, the helicopters rides and the skiing equipment have changed radically, but the dream inspired by Hans Moser is as vivid and authentic as ever. Nowadays, his mission is carried on further by a new generation of dedicated guides, whose main strive is to share the thrill and excitement of heli skiing BC Canada with the many thousands of winter sports enthusiasts who come to this place every year. The perfect mix between bountiful snowfall and permissive weather conditions render the region of British Columbia ideal for practicing heli skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports. Helicopter skiing operations are renowned for their quality and diversity of service, and with so many dedicated companies functioning in the region, it is easy to find one that suits your exact needs and requirements. The main differences between the helicopter skiing operations of today are in areas like lodging conditions, the types and sizes of the helicopters used, the number of skiers in a group, as well as the locations of the lodges. While some lodges are more secluded and intimate, others are situated right in the heart of towns to provide access to a larger array of entertainment options and other facilities. A number of operations have become specialized in offering daily helicopter skiing services directly from a ski resort, while others only offer multi-day packages for which you need to make bookings long in advance. Overall, British Columbia has come a long way since the 50′s, nowadays offering a broad spectrum of dedicated heli skiing services to satisfy all preferences and to meet almost any budget.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/helicopter-skiing-in-bc-canada-a-brief-history-and-outlook-2908465.html

About the Author
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Motivation, creativity, and fixing temperamental problems – these can be taken care of superbly by scavenger hunts, which is a corporate team building event. This activity is so popular that it has become an integral part of Banff Team Building activities. Be a part of these activities and you will realize how business owners can think of fostering a sense of team spirit in the company. Basically in corporate establishments it is significant that team building activities take place. When the team members are into self assessment the negative and positive characteristics are seen clearly.

Of course, communication improves in a big way, and this is the core objective handled by any Banff Team Building activity. If you have a team of employees who seem to be disgruntled with each other, which in turn is also impacting your company productivity, the best solution is to call a Banff team building activity, and allow your employees to participate.

Fun is definitely an integral part of Team Building. The basic essence of the Banff Team building act is to ensure that the employees enjoy while understanding the value of cooperating with each other. In doing so, the employees often forget the grudges they have against each other.

But, Banff Team Building activities walk a step further to fix the problems at hand. After the activity you will find that employees have turned into a motivated lot. The various activities in team building teach the employees about the team spirit factor. They tell you how to coordinate well with each other. Now if you have a productive team and the channels of communication between your team members are not transparent, it is time for you to break them.

If your idea of a holiday is less of the white sandy beaches and heat, and more of the icy cold with plenty of snow, then Canada could be the perfect destination for you.

Jasper, settled deep in the Alberta Rockies, is a great location if you like a quiet, laid back feeling,  and don’t want to holiday in an area that’s too built up. The town itself is small, with mini chalets and bed and breakfasts, while the surrounding national park is magnificently beautiful, with receding glaciers and breathtaking vistas. Jasper national park is a UNESCO world heritage site and one of north Americas largest natural areas; a site not to be missed if you are staying in Canada.

If you want to take a tour of the beautiful area, then take a guided boat tour of the glacier fed lakes and rivers that dot across the landscape, and take a trip to spirit island to see otherwise inaccessible areas. Try a trip in a canoe if you are feeling more daring!

If you prefer the busier resorts, then Banff, the most famous Canadian Rockies Park is the one for you. One of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, Banff is a great place to see wildlife in its natural habitat and really experience life. If you are interested in guided tours then take one on the history of the Bow Valley and the sights you can see. Take ice walks and explore the canyons, but make sure to wrap up warm as the Canadian snow is freezing!

Our skiing had come to an end and I allocated the last full day in Banff to explore some more local attractions while my husband headed into Calgary to do some shopping. We got going at about 11:30 am and Nigel dropped me off at the foot of the Banff Gondola. This historic attraction has been around since 1959 and the gondola was just recently reconstructed and reopened in 1998 and features a state-of-the-art gondola system engineered by a Swiss gondola construction company.

On the parking lot of the gondola you can see a big bus with oversized wheels called the “Ice Explorer”. This is the type of vehicle used to carry tourists onto the famous Columbia Icefields located between Lake Louise and Jasper National Park.

The gondola takes you from 1583 m (5,194 feet) at the base station to 2,281 m (7,486 feet) to the upper terminal on Sulphur Mountain in just 8 minutes. On the way up I enjoyed the wonderful view of the townsite of Banff, looking down at the Banff Springs Hotel.

At the top of Sulphur Mountain is a complex of visitor services that includes a restaurant called the Regal View Garden. No doubt this is a rather appropriate name since the panorama from Sulphur Mountain is truly something to behold. The summit gondola station also features a roof-top observation deck that is equipped with a variety of arrows, indicating directions and distances to major world cities.

The one kilometer interpretive boardwalk takes you over to Sanson’s Peak which is the location of the 1903 Stone Observatory. Norman Sanson observed the weather from Sanson’s Peak for every week for 30 years and recorded his observations. Near the observatory is the foundation of a designated National Historic Site: the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station that measured cosmic radiation during the 1950s and 1960s. Along this boardwalk there are a variety of informative panels informing you about local fauna and flora in this unique habitat.

The gondola brochure points out that you may actually encounter local wildlife such as Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Golden Mantled Squirrels, Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles. Although I didn’t run into any major wildlife, I enjoyed the majestic view from the mountain and the peacefulness that surrounds it.

I had a little snack in the cafeteria and sat right next to the picture window and looked down onto the townsite of Banff. It wasn’t a perfectly clear day and Cascade Mountain’s top was covered in mist and cloud, but the view from Sulphur Mountain is one of the most astounding panoramas anywhere.

After my wonderful mountain break, I took the gondola down – although I was debating whether I should take a snowy forest pathway all the way down the mountain which I kept seeing from the gondola. From the base station I walked over to the Banff Upper Hot Springs. The Canadian Rockies limestone mountains have all sorts of fissures and hot springs feed geothermally heated water right up through one of the cracks to the Banff Upper Hot Springs.

The springs were discovered in 1894 and contain steaming water loaded with minerals. Even in the winter people sit in the open-air pool and enjoy the medicinal waters of the Upper Hot Springs. The fully restored bathhouse dates back to the 1930s and also provides day spa facilities offering massage therapy, a steam room, aromatherapy and other facilities. A restaurant and snack bar are also located in the Bathhouse.

For a minute I was tempted to try the Hot Springs myself, but I didn’t have a bathing suit with me. Although the retail shop in the Bathhouse sells bathing suits I decided that rather than relaxing in the hot water I’d get a bit more exercise and I started my walk towards town.

Instead of taking the main road back to town I took a forest path that connects the Banff Upper Hot Springs with the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. It was a beautiful peaceful walk through the trees and it would have been perfect if I hadn’t been wearing the world’s most slippery boots. I had to watch every step on the sloping forest terrain to make sure I didn’t wipe out, and I finally arrived at the bottom of the hill, relieved to be back on a paved parking lot right next to the Banff Springs Hotel.

I strolled by this famous Banff landmark into town and crossed the road to explore the grounds of Canada Place, the home of the Banff Park administration since 1936. During the summer Canada Place offers free admission to an exhibit that celebrates Canada’s land, culture and achievements.

During the winter the facility is closed, but the view from the surrounding Cascade Gardens towards Cascade Mountain is stunning on a clear day. I wasn’t so lucky, for our entire week in Banff we never got to see famous Cascade Mountain completely clear and free of clouds. But never mind, the glimpses that we did catch gave us a feeling for this amazingly photogenic natural feature that is always pictured on Banff postcards.

From Canada Place I crossed the bridge over the Bow River and I visited another important landmark: the Banff Park Museum. It is one of Canada’s oldest and grandest natural history museum, housed in a historic “railway pagoda”, built in 1903, the largest and most elaborate example of early park design, using decorative cross-log construction.

Specimens inside the museum include mountain goats, deer, cougars, bisons, bears, a large variety of birds and mammals and some of these specimens date back to the 1860s. Norman Sanson, the weatherman on Sanson’s Peak, was the curator of this museum for over 30 years, and personally collected thousands of specimens for this museum.

The museum also holds a library where you can browse through a variety of books and magazines. After I had informed myself about Western Canada’s wildlife I strolled down Banff’s main street, aptly named Banff Avenue, I strengthened myself with a quick late lunch in the food court at the Cascade Plaza Shops, one of Banff’s main shopping plazas. After lunch I headed back out on the street and a very chilly mountain wind had started blowing. This was my last walk through Banff on this vacation and I was mentally saying goodbye to this picturesque mountain town.

For the entire article including photos please visit

http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/banff_sulphur_mountain.htm

Strengthening of teams in a corporate establishment is primarily dependent on professional tactics like team building activities. Self assessment techniques in team building events help to recognize the negative and positive aspects of a team. The team members can also understand each others strengths and weaknesses including coordination techniques which help the teams to operate on a common platform. The team building events also promote resourcefulness among the staff members who learn the art of helping each other with the required information they have.

The various activities involved in team building not only have certain things to teach us about team spirit and coordination but also adds to entertainment during professional trips. Going for racing events makes your corporate tour a memorable one as you get to know your colleagues better as your partners in the Banff team building games. The racing events also take you to various locations in Banff and so your purpose of touring is equally served. You can enjoy a crime investigation activity with your colleagues where you get to realize the potentials and resourcefulness of your colleagues.

Enjoy a cooking session with your staff members and realize the great chefs in your team. Learn the art of coordination as you unite with your team members to cook and enjoy the gourmet dishes. Drumming is one of the most enjoyable and learning experiences where people learn to work together on the same platform and music helps them cross the barriers of differences. Scavenger hunt being another interesting event within the various Banff team building activities allows the members of a team to work together and cooperate with each other as they are clubbed in groups to find out clues and reach to the end of the hunt. In fact, one of the key advantages of scavenger hunt is that the participants get the opportunity to visit the various locations in Banff.

Organizing a corporate picnic is a very casual yet memorable way of strengthening team unity. Banff team building events features various impressive locations in Banff where the corporate houses can arrange for staff picnics. Within these staff picnic sessions one can enjoy both indoor and outdoor games that promote not only the elements of togetherness but also strengthens the bonds among the staff members.

Banff team building has introduced a new dimension to the aspect of improving the corporate terms based on the pillars of cooperation, coordination and bonding of togetherness.

Activities related to Banff Team Building not only help to develop closeness among the members of a team, but also bring them together to work with each other and coordinate with each other.