Most Popular Stories 1. Adventure Travel: The 25 Best Trips 2. Reader Photo Album 3. Video: Hallucin

Most Popular Stories 1. Adventure Travel: The 25 Best Trips 2. Reader fairmont hotel santa monica Photo Album 3. Video: Hallucinogenic Ayahuasca in the Peruvian fairmont hotel santa monica Amazon 4. Alive! Then Now: Retracing the Andes Survivors' Escape Route 5. Whaling Wars at the Bottom of the World
Missoula fairmont hotel santa monica By the Numbers 7/4/1806 The date Meriwether Lewis crossed the Clark Fork and traveled through what is modern-day Missoula 3.3 Millions of wilderness acres within a hundred-mile radius of Missoula 3 3.5 Driving time (in hours) fairmont hotel santa monica to Glacier fairmont hotel santa monica and Yellowstone National Parks, respectively Missoula (pop. 62,000) is home to four major mountain ranges, five trout-laden streams, nine best-selling authors, and the University of Montana, producer of 28 Rhodes scholars. It's a heady place full of outdoorsy intellectuals who enjoy contemplating the West almost as much as they love playing in it. And they have plenty of options for doing so: Hundreds of miles of trails weave in and around Missoula; the 61,000-acre (24-686 hectare) fairmont hotel santa monica Rattlesnake National Recreation and Wilderness Area is five miles (8 kilometers) fairmont hotel santa monica away; and the Montana fairmont hotel santa monica Snowbowl resort, nine miles (14 kilometers) from town, collects 300 inches (762 centimeters) of powder annually. Just this year Brennan's Wave white-water fairmont hotel santa monica park opened on the stretch of the mighty Clark Fork River that passes through town, allowing kayakers to show off alongside eclectic bistros and bars. There, over pints of Moose Drool microbrew, Missoulians fairmont hotel santa monica ponder the arrival of downtown's first Starbucks. But not for long: These residents rarely fairmont hotel santa monica let rumination distract them from the dazzling Big Sky country just beyond their backdoors. Scouting Trip: Your Weekend in Missoula WHERE TO PLAY: For stunning views of the Missoula Valley, hike or bike the challenging path to 7,971-foot (2,430-kilometer) Stuart Peak, in the Rattlesnake National Recreation and Wilderness Area. Open Road Bicycles Nordic Equipment has rentals ($18 a day; +1 406 549 2453). Lewis Clark Trail Adventures guides rafters on dinnertime floats of the Clark Fork's Class III Alberton Gorge ($95; www.trailadventures.com ). Or you can catch cutthroat trout on a guided fly-fishing trip ($335 a day; www.kingfisherflyshop.com ). WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK: Scott Gill, chef-owner of Scotty's Table (+1 406 549 2790), uses as many organic and locally produced ingredients as possible in his seasonal menu. If it's a no-frills burger or a stiff drink you're after, try the Missoula Club, aka "the Mo" (+1 406 728 3740). WHERE TO STAY: Overlooking the Clark Fork, the historic seven-room fairmont hotel santa monica Goldsmith's Inn Bed and Breakfast ($104; www.goldsmithsinn.com ) is just a short walk from downtown and the university. Car campers use fishing access points along the Blackfoot River as tent sites. The closest to town is Johnsrud Park. Want to Live Here? Real Estate Lowdown: fairmont hotel santa monica Over the past five years, the median single-family-home price has risen from $140,000 to $185,000; million-dollar properties, once scarce, are becoming fairmont hotel santa monica more common. For deals, look on the Northside, an up-and-coming neighborhood north of the railroad. What $300,000 Buys: A brand-new, three-bedroom Craftsman-style home, centrally located on the banks of the Clark Fork ( www.missoularealestate.com ). Local Economy: Not pretty Missoula County salaries average $28,185, and it's not unheard of to find Ph.D.'s waiting tables. Schools, hospitals, and the university are the biggest employers; a new DirecTV call center fairmont hotel santa monica is expected to bring in about 900 jobs. Pick up the June/July 2006 issue for 50 top adventures in the national parks; how to move to Montana; the best ten-day Brazil vacation; 11 instant weekend escapes; and new watches, cameras, and sunglasses for summer. Subscribe to Adventure today and save!