I Discovered Kalispell at POMA Business Conference
Here's the latest dispatch.
Good evening,
For you newbies out there, welcome to Outsider on the Inside. I hope this dispatch from in and around the nation’s capital on underreported topics finds you well.
If you’re just discovering my musings, here’s a backgrounder.
Here’s what I have for you today.
Discovered Kalispell: Making Montana Moments
I just returned from Kalispell, Montana, where the annual Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) Business Conference took place. This was my second time in Montana. My first trip last August resulted in this report on bear conservation.
Kalispell is located in the heart of the Flathead Valley and is surrounded by the Swan Range. It’s also growing faster than Bozeman, MT per the most recent available U.S. Census Bureau data:
In new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on March 24, Kalispell, Montana was named the new fastest-growing micropolitan area in America. From July 1, 2020, to July 1 2021, Kalispell added 3,681 new residents. However, Bozeman wasn't far behind, adding 3,211 new residents in the same time period.
Montana Free Press added, “But, as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted migration patterns, the Kalispell region took Bozeman’s crown. As is the case across the state, new arrivals were the driving demographic force…Montana as a whole, in comparison, posted 1.7% population growth overall, adding just more than 18,000 people between 2020 and 2021. ”
Due to the “Yellowstone effect", many are relocating to the Treasure State. According to CNBC, this phenomenon is pitting longtime residents against wealthy newcomers.
The Trip Out West + Pre-Conference Festivities
I was fortunate to make my early morning flight to Kalispell last Sunday. Rain and scorching temperatures thankfully didn’t derail my plans.
Some POMA members recounted horror stories of flight cancellations and crazy layover times. My travels thankfully weren’t as eventful—although I walked by Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum) band members Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
When I arrived in Kalispell, I was met by a magnificent view of the Swan Range and surrounding Flathead Valley at Glacier Park International Airport.
After getting settled at the conference hotel, I took an Uber to Pine Grove Pond nearby to do some DIY fly fishing. The pond is managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and is pretty accessible to the public. It’s, perhaps, the most scenic pond I’ve ever fished at.
While I didn’t catch a trout, I did watch ospreys successfully catch some.
Conference Week
Ahead of conference festivities, my fellow POMA Board Members and I embarked on a scavenger hunt in downtown Kalispell.
Here are the places we visited:
Rocky Mountain Outfitters
The Toggery
Bias Brewery (get the Huckleberry Hard Seltzer)
Kalispell Brewery Company (order their Raspberry Wheat)
True Water Fly Shop
The Ritz Montana (James makes a mean cocktail!)
Western Outdoor Shop (I got a ‘Jackson’ Stetson Hat, which I realized is for guys. But I’ll make it work for me. Ha!)
SunRift Beer Company (order the smokey BBQ mac ‘n cheese + Hefty Nuts Beer)
The conference featured great speakers, breakout sessions, POMA Camps, Range Day, and of course, our annual auction. See what you missed out on here.
Here’s a roundup of some behind-the-scenes pictures I just posted:
With a year of Board Member (and Secretary) duties under my belt, I’m determined to help the organization grow even more following our event. We are working tirelessly to secure a 2023 conference venue. An announcement relating to securing a venue should be made in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned!
Helping Those Affected by Flooding
When I was enjoying my time in the Treasure State, many south of Kalispell in regions bordering Yellowstone National Park were displaced by historic flooding.
The footage posted by friends and social media users is harrowing to watch. Honestly, it’s hard to look at the images and videos.
But many are stepping up in a major way with relief efforts.
If you want to give back, here’s a comprehensive list of organizations helping.
ICYMI
IWF: Pausing Prescribed Burn Program Will Undermine Proactive Forest Management - June 8, 2022
Townhall: Visit D.C.’s New Museum Honoring the Victims of Communism
RealClearPolicy: Lead Ban Would Undermine True Conservation, Outdoor Access
Podcasts You May Have Missed
Catch up on District of Conservation episodes below.
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—Gabriella