Hiking Clubs around Billings Montana???? (Shelby, Conrad: club, pine, station)

[redhead]

Doesn't seems that the Sierra Club is active in Billings. Joined their website and last posting was around 02 so does anyone know if there's an active hiking club in Billings. I'm a backpacking from long ago and want to do some hiking but decided not a good idea for a woman to go out alone on trails in Montana. Not worried about people but due to lots of bears your more likely to tangle with the wildlife if a lone hiker. Just interested in doing day hikes.

[Rickers]

I don't know of hiking clubs in the billings area but any place where wild predatory animals can be found there is a possibility of being attacked. I always carry a pistol when in the woods alone. The photo below is a woman who was recently killed by coyotes while on a walk alone in the woods on Nova Scotia.

[redhead]

ya i heard about her and also the jogger up around kalispell who was attacked by wolves or a bear cant remember which, but she must have been new to the area because i can't believe a local would go out jogging in the wilderness alone. you're just asking for it. i don't like carry guns, ok for others not anti gun or anything, but just don't want to deal with them so i guess pepper spray is the next best thing. i also have a small dog i take with me and i'm told dogs are sorta 'baite' for bears. read also the grizs are out further then normal due to pine infestation has impacted their grazing areas.

[Gman2007]

Even on the eastern side of the mountains we're seeing more reports of grizzlies roaming more out into their old stomping grounds!

http://billingsgazette.com/news/stat...tml?mode=story

[Rickers]

Yup, I remember the one last summer that made its way to just north of Loma and they moved it back into the mountains after it killed a couple of sheep.
As far as the Sierra Club goes I have a feeling that the vast majority of the folks in Montana are not particularly fond of that organization for various reasons.

[redhead]

i know it's politicaly polerizing. but nevertheless they have great hikes!!! and i'm a socialist anyway so there!!

[Rickers]

Originally Posted by redhead

i'm a socialist anyway so there!!

So there ? Hike away, but don't get too lost.

[redhead]

i might have to just hike my local greenway after reading all the hiking books for this area...........or take a kitchen pan to beat while hiking through the mountains if i don't want my little dog to be an afternoon snack for a mountain lion or grizzly.

[ElkHunter]

Kind of related to this. Yesterday in the local paper they were talking about the Grizzly wandering further off beaten trails then ever before this year. It's getting bad enough that they are going to have seminars for the local folks in Conrad and Shelby.

Bears have been there before, but this year they are seeing a trend that the number are going to increase dramatically and the people need to be educated on do's and don'ts.

It didn't mention any other areas, just up through Conrad and Shelby.

[redhead]

ya that's a ways away. the gazette had an article about those talks to the locals, but wasn't familiar with all the area they were talking about......montana's a BIG state. so does this mean the billings area is bear free?????