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"Among the top nationally for combining academic quality and outdoor recreation." --Outside Magazine
"Best Community in the West." --Sunset Magazine, about Missoula
"Crowd pressure, generally, just doesn't exist in Montana ...." --Sports Illustrated
"Don't be afraid to fail, or work hard in college -- even if you've never had to before. Because seeing yourself improve ... really feeling you have done a good job, is far better than any 'A' you have ever gotten before. Challenge yourself!" -- Lacey Minton, student blogger
"Don't expect fashion; do expect character." -- New York Times
"Flathead sweet cherries are ... a coveted summer treat for both Montanans and the national marketplace." --Montana Almanac
"Griz football is huge ... people live and die for their football around here." --Princeton Review
"I remember the howling sound of the wind, and the fresh, crisp smell of the tamarack trees in autumn. I saw a hawk circling for a while, then set its wings straight and got whisked away into the far horizon. I felt so small and inconsequential. It was humbling." -- Renowned climbing guide Dan Mazur on ascending his first mountain -- UM's Mount Sentinel -- quoted in the Charlotte Observer.
"If you like golf -- and no waiting at the first tee -- Big Sky Country is for you." --Sports Illustrated
"If you're considering going to The University of Montana, just visit. It takes being in the middle of this crazy place to understand its charm and really fall in love with it." -- Tara Ness, student blogger
"Missoula is surprisingly easy to get around without a car and honestly, it's easier not to deal with parking on campus. I love riding the bus. It gives me time to chill out at the start of my day. ... Oh, and I almost forgot, UM students and staff ride free! It really is the way to go." -- Joan Mattelin, student blogger
"Missoula, home of the University of Montana, is the state's second-largest city, a mountain-ringed hub of collegiate culture -- and, as it turns out, an oasis in a coffee addict's desert." -- The Washington Post
"Montana is one of the last, best places for making films -- both homegrown filmmakers and major industry productions have used the state as either set or production." --Montana Almanac
"Montanans love to fish, and the state boasts an impressive number of places for anglers to go -- four million acres of coldwater lakes, 15,000 miles of coldwater streams, and 6100 miles of warm-water rivers and streams." --Montana Almanac
"No. 15 among America's 40 Best College Towns." --Outside Magazine, about Missoula
"Robert Jordan, the fictional main character in Ernest Hemingway's 'For Whom the Bell Tolls,' was a Spanish professor at The University of Montana, and lived in Missoula." -- Wikipedia
"The M Trail, which offers a stunning panoramic view of Missoula from the top of the M, is the most heavily used hiking trail in the state, more than even those in Glacier National Park." --Chronicle of Higher Education
"The World War II battle cry 'Powder River, let 'er buck!' originated in the Powder River country of southeastern Montana. The yell greets a bronc rider as he comes out of the chute." --Montana Almanac
"The concrete 'M' tattooed on the side of Mount Sentinel stands conveniently for Montana, as in University of, which sits just below its arches ...." -- New York Times
"There are hundreds of miles of trails, four mountain ranges and five major rivers, all within an hour's drive. So there are plenty of reasons to bring boots and a bike." -- New York Times
"Tiny Missoula teems with proudly independent java joints, all of them at least very good, some serving locally roasted coffee." --The Washington Post
"When summer kicks in with the force of a bucking bronco ... Missoula's 63,000 people, who know that winter is never far away, pack in as much fun as they can." -- New York Times
"A quirky mix of University of Montana students, academics, timber-industry families, outdoors and arts enthusiasts and celebrities make for a city of intriguing character at the foot of Mount Sentinel."

-- PlanetOut.com
"At Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge it is possible to see up to 1,700 nesting pelicans."

–- 50states.com
"At Egg Mountain near Choteau, dinosaur eggs have been discovered, supporting the theory some dinosaurs were more like mammals and birds than like reptiles."

–- 50states.com
"At the Rocky Mountain Front Eagle Migration Area west of Great Falls, more golden eagles have been seen in a single day than anywhere else in the country."

–- 50states.com
"Buffalo in the wild can still be viewed at the National Bison Range in Moiese, south of Flathead Lake and west of the Mission Mountains.

–- 50states.com
"Buffalo, elk, deer and other animals which in vast numbers feed upon the plains or pursue their prey, are prominent objects and strike the attention of the beholder."

-- Patrick Glass, Corps of Discovery
"Defined by a prestigious faculty, red-brick architecture and expansive lawns, the century-old school is often referred to as the Harvard of the West."

--Ski Magazine, on UM
"Downtown Missoula, stretching along the north bank of the river, contains a large number of elegant turn-of-the-20th-century brick buildings housing a buoyant range of businesses."

-- RoadtripUSA.com
"During summer there’s blue-ribbon trout fishing in every direction, and mountain bikers rule the old logging roads and ski runs above town."

--Men’s Journal
"During winter, which is generally milder than in the rest of the region, Montana Snowbowl boasts the state’s best tree skiing."

--Men’s Journal
"Equality of educational opportunity is guaranteed to each person of the state."

--1972 Montana Constitution
"Every spring nearly 10,000 white pelicans with a wingspan of nine feet migrate from the Gulf of Mexico to Medicine Lake in northeastern Montana."

–- 50states.com
"FIGs are a group of classes freshmen take with the same 20 people the first semester of college. They’re an instant way to meet other freshmen of similar interest and to sample classes in a prospective major. … My FIG is the first outstanding college decision that I made."

-- Samantha Steven, student blogger
"Fishtail is named for either a Mr. Fishtail who lived in the area or … for the Beartooth Mountain Range which looks like the tail of a fish."

–- 50states.com
"Flathead Lake in northwest Montana contains over 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline. It is considered the largest natural freshwater lake in the West."

–- 50states.com
"For a I-AA player, going to Missoula is as big as it gets."

-- Cal Poly assistant coach David Brown, SanLuisObispo.com
"For a state of small population, Montana boasts an impressive number of museum collections, community art centers, and art auctions that have gained widespread fame."

--Montana Almanac
"Glacier National Park has 250 lakes within its boundaries."

–- 50states.com
"Go up on Mt. Sentinel at night sometime and look at Missoula. It’s breathtaking."

-- Tara Ness, student blogger
"Good things tend to happen here."

--SkyWest Magazine, "Missoula: Home of High-Country Culture"
"Griz football is huge here. People live and die for their football around here."

--Princeton Review
"I chose University of Montana in the end after my whole obsessive college-search process and I have no regrets about the decision. In fact, I’m learning more and more that college isn’t about the name, but it’s all about self-gumption."

-- Samantha Steven, student blogger
"I grew up in Montana and have never regretted choosing UM for my four years of college."

-- Tara Ness, student blogger
"I hiked around town, the air sweet and dry, and was sort of overwhelmed by the perfection of it -- the old courthouse, the train depot, Mount [Jumbo] and Mount Sentinel rising up, the neon bars, the funky festivity of a college town ...."

-- Garrison Keillor
"I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it."

--John Steinbeck, "Travels with Charley"
"If you have the mid-semester blues and all you do is dream of being able to just take a semester off and travel but you don’t want to fall behind in your graduation plan, there is hope. The perfect solution is studying abroad."

-- Annette St. Onge, student blogger
"If you haven’t ridden on the carousel at least once, you have not truly lived in Missoula. I’m 19 and I still have a blast every time I go there and get the gold ring."

-- Tara Ness, student blogger
"If you like bears in your city parks and full access to winter sports, welcome to Missoula."

--Spin Magazine
"If you love lectures, there are about a million on this campus that are posted in different science buildings and are sent out over e-mail. As nerdy as it sounds, its a great way to find something you are really passionate about if you haven’t yet decided what to do with your life."

-- Tara Ness, student blogger
"If you’re crazy enough to want to float some of the whitewater sections of Montana’s rivers, you can go it alone or engage the services of dozens of whitewater rafting outfitters."

--Montana Almanac
"In 1888, Helena had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world."

–- 50states.com
"In 1908, Missoula became a regional headquarters for the Forest Service, which began training smokejumpers in 1942."

-- Wikipedia
"In Montana, the elk, deer and antelope populations outnumber the humans."

–- 50states.com
"In climbing this mountain something has changed in me. Something that can’t be put into words. On top of a peak, the upward struggle behind us, the down ahead, all that is, is. I am in a moment of being, just being. And just being in a place such as this, a summit with dramatic views encircling me, is a great place to be."

-- Joy Adams, student blogger
"In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing."

--Norman Maclean, "A River Runs Through It"
"In the 1910s, Montana’s delicious Macintosh apple became a favorite in the ’Big Apple’ market of New York City, and production was high."

--Montana Almanac
"Isolated, surrounded on every side by difficult terrain, [Missoula] is nonetheless urbane, artistic, hip."

--SkyWest Magazine
"It has been a whirlwind ride of classes, papers, and the occasional test mixed in with working at the Y, hiking, skiing, climbing, disc golf, kayaking, dancing, making music, listening to music, late nights, early mornings, sunny days, inversion clouds, coffee, tea, sweat, tears, love and joy. I can’t imagine any other program at any other school in any other town."

-- Patrick Bixler, student blogger
"It is the goal of the people to establish a system of education which will develop the full educational potential of each person."

--1972 Montana Constitution
"It’s a beautiful descent in a 737, into the Bitterroot Valley, following the Clark Fork River, on a perfect golden autumn day ...."

-- Garrison Keillor
"It’s amazing just how loud 20,000 fans can really be."

-- Grizzly defensive tackle Alan Saenz, SanLuisObispo.com
"John Updike once called Missoula the Paris of the Nineties, because of the city’s legendary population of writers, but Paris lacks three world-renowned trout rivers and proximity to Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks."

--Outside Magazine
"Life just seems to make more sense to me during the winter. Maybe it is my obsession with skiing? Maybe it’s the short days and long nights? Things seem to have an order and life becomes simple. I’m not really sure what it is, but I’m happy."

-- Patrick Bixler, student blogger
"Located in a valley surrounded by spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains, the setting can make even a scholar forget about scholarship."

--Martin Nemko on Missoula, in "How to Get an Ivy League Education at a State University"
"Looking for a small town with sophistication? [Missoula] is the place to move if you want both big-city amenities and out-and-out wilderness."

--MSN, "Best Places for Outdoor Activities"
"Miles City is known as the Cowboy Capital."

–- 50states.com
"Missoula -- it’s Montana, but it has feng shui and herbal tea."

-- Garrison Keillor, in the Missoulian
"Missoula is an engaging mix of college-town sophistication and blue-collar grit."

-- RoadtripUSA.com
"Missoula is known for its beautiful mountains and streams, which lend themselves to almost any outdoor activity."

--Princeton Review
"Missoula is located in a deep valley surrounded by mountains and is cut by three major rivers, the Clark Fork River, the Bitterroot River and the Blackfoot River."

-- Wikipedia
"Missoula is nicknamed the Garden City."

-- Wikipedia
"Missoula is one of the best places to be: friendly people, supportive faculty, a great sense of community, fantastic educational opportunities, and beautiful, beautiful scenery."

--Princeton Review
"Missoula is the birthplace of Jeannette Rankin (1880-1973), the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives."

-- Wikipedia
"Missoula really wants its students to eat food that’s both healthy and insanely delicious. The Farmer’s Market showcases this by offering organic fruits and vegetables and then treating us to homemade cinnamon rolls."

-- Samantha Steven, student blogger
"Missoula ruins so many careers. People visit, and then throw everything away just so they can stay."

--Best-selling author James Lee Burke, in Men’s Journal
"Missoula sits on a glacial lake bed at the intersection of five valleys and four rivers--two of which, the Bitterroot and the Clark Fork, slice right through town (giving Norman Maclean his title, ’A River Runs Through It’)."

--Men’s Journal
"Missoula, home of the University of Montana, is the state’s second-largest city, a mountain-ringed hub of collegiate culture -- and, as it turns out, an oasis in a coffee addict’s desert."

--The Washington Post
"Montana has 27 designated cross-country ski areas at various locations within six national forests."

--Montana Almanac
"Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states."

–- 50states.com
"Montana has the largest migratory elk herd in the nation."

–- 50states.com
"Montana is a four-season outdoor recreation playground, with 30 million acres of public lands, including more than six million acres of state forests, parks, and fishing access sites."

--Montana Almanac
"Montana is nicknamed the Treasure State."

–- 50states.com
"Montana is the only state with a triple divide allowing water to flow into the Pacific, Atlantic and Hudson Bay. This phenomenon occurs at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park."

–- 50states.com
"Montana’s Big Sky covers 145,556 square miles of land, but there are only about six people per square mile to hold up that much heaven."

--Montana Almanac
"Montana’s easily accessible climbing areas are relatively uncrowded and unknown, while the remote backcountry still holds first-ascent adventures for the intrepid."

--Montana Almanac
"Montana’s first territorial capital, Bannack, has been preserved as a ghost town state park along once gold-laden Grasshopper Creek."

–- 50states.com
"Montana’s most popular tourist attractions are Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, and the Little Bighorn National Monument."

--Montana Almanac
"Montana’s name comes from the Spanish word ’mountain.’"

–- 50states.com
"Montana’s nice scenery and the local university go a long way in a small place."

--Inc. Magazine
"Most UM students are relaxed but not lethargic, and the friendliness of the students and of Montanans in general tends to surprise out-of-staters."

--Martin Nemko, in "How to Get an Ivy League Education at a State University"
"Most scenic campus in America."

--Rolling Stone
"Near the Pines Recreation Area, as many as 100 sage grouse perform their extraordinary spring mating rituals."

–- 50states.com
"No state has as many different species of mammals as Montana."

–- 50states.com
"No. 1 Historic Small Town."

--ePodunk, about Missoula
"No. 11 small place for business and careers."

--Forbes Magazine, about Missoula
"No. 2 among small cities."

--Inc. Magazine, about Missoula in "Top 25 Places For Doing Business in America"
"North of Missoula is the largest population of nesting common loons in the western United States."

–- 50states.com
"Notable Missoulians include: retired National Football League quarterback John Friesz, comedian Dana Carvey, Pearl Jam bass guitarist Jeff Ament, and filmmaker David Lynch."

-- Wikipedia
"Often tucked away in idyllic settings, [Montana’s] sweeping expanses of granite and gneiss, craggy limestone fins and faces, and steep quartzite cliffs are gymnastic playgrounds for the vertically inclined."

--Montana Almanac
"On sunny summer days, it’s easy to find a restful campsite, an inviting body of water, or a trail with a view of heaven. Even on a starry winter night, you can be skiing or ice fishing close to home."

--Montana Almanac
"One of the ’Best in the West.’"

--Princeton Review
"One of the 50 best places for young women to go to college."

--CosmoGIRL!
"One of the best things about living in Montana is the possibility of being at a favorite trout stream, ski slope, hiking trail, or other outdoor adventure within a few minutes of leaving home or work."

--Montana Almanac
"Perhaps [Missoula’s] greatest assets are a legacy of quiet accomplishment and citizens positively smitten with their town."

--SkyWest Magazine
"Reason No. 1,548,998,479,998 Why College Beats High School: FIVE-week winter breaks!"

-- Samantha Steven, student blogger
"Sawmill workers and University of Montana professors are next-door neighbors here, sharing the town’s affordable housing and good health care."

--Forbes magazine
"Snowbowl, Lookout, Big Mountain and Lolo ... 10 days of turns since the new year and now I fully realize why I wanted to move to Missoula - a combination of higher learning and downhill skiing."

-- Patrick Bixler, student blogger
"Some 3.4 million acres of forested land [in Montana] are reserved in wilderness areas, national parks, and national monuments."

--Montana Almanac
"Some of the more common water sports on the mighty Clark Fork River, which floats gently by our campus (about 2 blocks away), include tubing, wading, dipping, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, or watching your dog chase sticks and then shaking off his excess water on you."

-- Joy Adams, student blogger
"Students at University of Montana-Missoula love the gestalt of their school."

--Princeton Review
"Students say ... ’Missoula is like nowhere else in the world.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... ’the beautiful thing about [UM] is that there really is no ’typical student.’’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... ’walking through campus one would see first a student with dreadlocks down to [his or her] waist and amazing handmade clothing and a minute later see a student wearing dress pants and a button-up shirt. Both fit in to the school and the town equally.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... ’we sure do know how to have a good time.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... ’what we lack in ethnic diversity we make up for in intellectual diversity.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... ’with all of the rafting, rock climbing, hiking, skiing and fishing, anyone who loves nature will love UM.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... Missoula ’has beautiful outdoor recreation opportunities.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... UM has a football team ’that has made four [now five] national championship appearances in ten years and has won its division nine years out of 10. Yeah, I’d say we play some pretty good football!’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... [people at UM] are generally ’easygoing and not trying to fit into a group. People mostly do whatever.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... class sizes ’are very small for a state university.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... downtown Missoula ’has great restaurants and local shopping.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... most here ’enjoy the mountains and being in Montana and have found a place to call their own at The University of Montana.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... most students ’have at least one extracurricular activity. Whether it is theater, intramural sports, or a job, UM students keep themselves busy.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... musical and cultural opportunities around campus ’are also outstanding, with concerts, plays, and galleries almost every night.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... opportunities for ’internships, TA positions and work-study jobs are easy to find,’ leaving students feeling ’very prepared to enter the job market.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... the professors ’who come to Missoula to give up the city and enjoy the mountains and outdoors,’ are ’available to students outside of class. They are amazing.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... top candidates should strongly consider the Davidson Honors College, where ’students have a great opportunity for interesting classes and an effective environment.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Students say ... you can enjoy both ’the outdoors and a great education’ at [UM], a school that ’is whatever you want it to be.’"

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"Suddenly I could see all of the mountains around the valley for the first time. I could see all of the big clouds and the vast sky. I felt like I was flying, but I did it with my own legs. I felt so happy and elated, I wanted to smile and laugh, and I felt like hugging someone."

-- Renowned climbing guide Dan Mazur on ascending his first mountain -- UM’s Mount Sentinel -- in the Charlotte Observer.
"Sushi Wednesday!!! Dollar sushi night is tonight and although it is ALWAYS packed you can’t beat cheap sushi. I mean, Rock n’ Roll and California rolls are three for a dollar. Freaking amazing."

-- Tara Ness, student blogger
"The ’Brawl of the Wild’ versus Montana State simply shuts down the entire state. ... A must-see."

-- I-AA.org
"The (Missoula) Children’s Theatre routinely has residencies in all 50 states, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy, and many other countries."

-- Wikipedia
"The Boone and Crockett Club, a nonprofit organization founded in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt, is headquartered in Missoula."

-- Wikipedia
"The Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area contains as many as 300,000 snow geese and 10,000 tundra swans during migration."

-- 50states.com
"The Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier Park is considered one of the most scenic drives in America."

–- 50states.com
"The International Wildlife Film Festival, the largest animal-themed film festival in the world, is held annually in Missoula."

-- Wikipedia
"The M Trail, which offers a stunning panoramic view of Missoula from the top of the M, is the most heavily used hiking trail in the state, more than even those in Glacier Park."

--Chronicle of Higher Education
"The Missoula Osprey minor league team (Arizona Diamondback affiliate) calls the city home."

-- Wikipedia
"The Missoula music scene never ceases to amaze me. Almost every night of the week you can find live music somewhere in Missoula. Whether it’s at an open mic night, a concert in town, or a local band playing a show, there is almost always somewhere to hear live music."

-- Annette St. Onge, student blogger
"The Montana Yogo Sapphire is the only North American gem to be included in the Crown Jewels of England."

–- 50states.com
"The No. 1 Best Small Town."

--Men’s Journal about Missoula, in "The 50 Best Places to Live"
"The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation [in Missoula] … has protected and enhanced more than 4.3 million acres of wildlife habitat throughout North America."

-- Wikipedia
"The Salish word ’Nemissoolatakoo,’ from which ’Missoula’ is derived, translates roughly to ’river of ambush/surprise.’"

-- Wikipedia
"The University of Montana is a wonderful treasure for the people of Montana, and a wonderful gift to Missoula. It’s a priceless resource."

-- Diana Davey, who earned a bachelor’s degree at age 64, quoted in the Missoulian.
"The University of Montana opened in September 1895, serving as the center of public higher education for Western Montana."

-- Wikipedia
"The Yaak community is the most northwestern settlement in the state."

–- 50states.com
"The admissions game here is relatively straightforward."

-- The Best 361 Colleges, Princeton Review
"The average square mile of land contains 1.4 elk, 1.4 pronghorn antelope, and 3.3 deer."

–- 50states.com
"The city is the namesake and center of the large, ancient Glacial Lake Missoula, which caused catastrophic floods across the Northwest in the last ice age."

-- Wikipedia
"The cultural capital of Montana, Missoula has a long-standing reputation as the state’s most progressive city. Intellectuals, East Coast transplants, international students and Russian and Tibetan immigrants join the locals to make Missoula their home."

--Forbes magazine
"The exposed cliffs of steep, compact rock along with dramatic, glacier-carved mountains are a geologic wonderland and a climber’s paradise."

--Montana Almanac
"The first catalog in which we were called Montana State University, Missoula, was published in May 1935. On July 1, 1965, [we] became The University of Montana and Bozeman became Montana State University."

-- Chris Mullin, Special Collections, UM
"The first inhabitants of the Missoula area were American Indians from the Salish tribe."

-- Wikipedia
"The first luge run in North America was built at Lolo Hot Springs on Lolo Pass in 1965."

–- 50states.com
"The heart of the campus is the tree-lined Oval, a vast lawn that serves as a Frisbee field, podium, tanning salon, study hall, even a classroom building in nice weather."

--Martin Nemko, in "How to Get an Ivy League Education at a State University"
"The hip little city of Missoula [is] often a stopover for tourists between Yellowstone and Glacier National Park."

-- Wildlifeconservation.org
"The moose, now numbering over 8,000 in Montana, was thought to be extinct in the Rockies south of Canada in the 1900s."

–- 50states.com
"The most beautiful campus in America."

--Rolling Stone
"The most visited place in Montana is Glacier National Park, known as the Crown Jewel of the Continent."

–- 50states.com
"The mountains, rivers and canyons around Missoula are Montana at its best."

-- RoadtripUSA.com
"The notorious outlaw Henry Plummer built the first jail constructed in the state."

–- 50states.com
"The state boasts the largest breeding population of trumpeter swans in the lower United States."

–- 50states.com
"The tailgate of all tailgates."

-- SanLuisObispo.com
"There were no permanent white settlements in the Missoula Valley until 1860 when C. P. Higgins and Francis Worden opened a trading post on the Blackfoot River near Hellgate Canyon."

-- Wikipedia
"There’s a unique treasure in the Rattlesnake Valley known as the PEAS farm. The PEAS farm offers opportunities for all ages of students to learn about sustainable agriculture through hands on field trips, internships and summer camps."

-- Joy Adams, student blogger
"These factors make or break college: Know all you can, plan for all you can, and then at least some aspects will be stable when life throws that bug on your windshield."

-- Samantha Steven, student blogger
"They have 25,000 fans with the Jumbotron going, music blaring, their big red [mascot] doing his dance or whatever. It’s a fun atmosphere and I’ve never experienced anything like that before."

-- Cal Poly’s Jonah Russell, SanLuisObispo.com
"Tiny Missoula teems with proudly independent java joints, all of them at least very good, some serving locally roasted coffee."

--The Washington Post
"Twenty-four percent of Montana’s land area, approximately 22.4 million acres, is forested."

--Montana Almanac
"UM breaks the state school stereotype in many ways. First off, UM is one of the smaller state schools: The number of undergraduates and graduate students here is around 13,000 …. Second, UM has an honors college reminiscent of a small liberal arts college."

-- Samantha Steven, student blogger
"UM draws a strong faculty thanks to the mountain grandeur."

--Martin Nemko, in "How to Get an Ivy League Education at a State University"
"Until the mid-1970s, logging was a mainstay industry [in Missoula] with log yards throughout the city."

-- Wikipedia
"Violent crime is low, and future job growth looks sunny."

--Forbes magazine
"Virginia City was founded in 1863 and is considered to be the most complete original town of its kind in the United States."

–- 50states.com
"We watched the sunset from atop a plateau above our camping site. Blues, reds, yellows, purples mixing into jellyrolls in the sky. Dark blues into night colors, stars shimmering and providing us with several glimpses of shooting stars."

-- Joy Adams, student blogger
"What is it like to a be a student at The University of Montana? It’s amazing. Honestly. The campus is a crazy mix of people from all over that fell in love with the mountains, the coffeeshops, or the plethora of bicycles. All a little silly but completely loveable."

-- Tara Ness, student blogger
"When I reached the summit, I felt surprised to be up there and was really taken aback by the view. It was amazing how much I could see, and the town that I thought was so huge was so small."

-- Renowned climbing guide Dan Mazur on ascending his first mountain -- UM’s Mount Sentinel -- in the Charlotte Observer.
"When Montana qualifies for the I-AA national championship, thousands of painted fans descend on Chattanooga to celebrate and party. ... You’d have to be a raving lunatic to be a fan of the opposing team, surrounded by their number."

-- I-AA.org
"Writers are an abundant species in Montana, and most have something interesting to say."

--Montana Almanac
"Yellowstone National Park in southern Montana and northern Wyoming was the first national park in the nation."

–- 50states.com
"[Missoula] appears or is mentioned in every novel written by author Chuck Palahniuk, who penned the cult favorite Fight Club."

-- Wikipedia
"[The area has] groves of cotton wood and willow along the waters intersecting the landscapes in different directions …."

-- Patrick Glass, Corps of Discovery
12,000 years ago, the waters of Glacial Lake Missoula rose 1,000 feet above the valley floor, turning Mount Sentinel and Mount Jumbo into islands. Ancient shorelines can still be seen on these mountainsides.
78 percent of all UM pre-med students are admitted to various medical schools. The national average acceptance rate is 40 percent.
Ursus arctos horribilis, also known as the grizzly bear, is Montana's official state animal.
Amtrak provides rail passenger service across the northern tier of Montana, connecting the state with Portland and Seattle to the west and Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul to the east.
At UM, "fans expect their team to devour its enemies while still alive."

--The New York Times, in an article about humorous college fight songs
Famous UM alums include actors Carroll O’Connor (Archie Bunker, "All in the Family") and J.K. Simmons (Dr. Emil Skoda, "Law and Order," and J. Jonah Jameson, "Spiderman").
Football wins against MSU-Bozeman: 65
Football losses against MSU-Bozeman: 33
Forbes magazine listed Missoula as No. 18 on its list of "Best Small Places to Open a Business."
In 2005, Street & Smith’s magazine, the bible of college hoops, named UM seventh on its list of all-time best women’s basketball programs.
In 2006, UM had 419 international students from 60 countries.
It was a perfectly clear night with tons of stars overhead and slick snow, one of those awesome Montana moments. Winter may be freezing here but the sledding and snowmen make it pretty worth it.

-- Tara Ness, student blogger
Missoula is 3,210 feet above sea level.
Missoula is a "Rocky Mountain Berkeley ... the kind of place many people hate to leave." --Martin Nemko, "How to Get an Ivy League Education at a State University"
Missoula is a "safe, friendly town with little crime and tremendous open spaces ... a rough exterior belies a surprisingly intellectual town with great skiing. Just don't tell anyone." --Ski Magazine
Missoula is so literate that "Garrison Keillor joked that locals have bumper stickers that read ’I Brake for Creative Nonfiction.’"

-- The Oregonian
Missoula was founded in 1860 as the Hellgate Trading Post.
Missoula’s "proximity to top-shelf trout fishing, mountain biking, hiking, and skiing, along with relatively mild winters, draws an eclectic mix of students, ranchers, and literati."

--Men’s Journal
Missoula’s sister cities are Neckargemuend, Germany; Palmerston North, New Zealand; and Kumamoto, Japan.
Montana has seven American Indian reservations and 11 principal tribal groups -- the Kootenai, Salish, Pend d'Oreille, Gros Ventre, Assiniboine, Sioux, Blackfeet, Northern Cheyenne, Crow, Chippewa, and Chippewa-Cree.
Montana ranks second in the nation in acres of land devoted to farming and ranching.
Montana shares 15 border points of entry with three Canadian provinces -- British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Montana’s highway system consists of more than 11,000 miles of interstate highways, primary highways and secondary roads, many of which follow travel routes once used by Indian tribes and migrating bison.
Mount Sentinel’s peak is 5,158 feet tall.
One of the "Best Buys in College Education." -- Barron's
One of the "Best in the West."

--Princeton Review
Sports Illustrated On Campus ranked UM No. 25 on its top 25 list of best college sports towns. UM is the only I-AA school on the list.
The Grizzly football team won the Division 1-AA National Championship in 1995 and 2001, and was National Championship runner-up in 1996 and 2000.
The Kim Williams Trail, which runs along the Clark Fork River at the north end of campus, is named for a late and beloved alumna, teacher, naturalist, author and NPR commentator.
The Montana Grizzlies’ fans are "the gold standard that all fans of I-AA programs should strive for."

-- I-AA.org
The School of Journalism has placed in the top 10 of the Hearst Journalism Awards Program for six consecutive years.
The School of Law’s Moot Court team won the 2000 national championship.
The University of Montana was founded in 1893.
The large rocks scattered across campus and the University neighborhood are remnants of Glacial Lake Missoula, a massive body of water that formed 12,000 years ago when ice blocked the Clark Fork River.
There are 3.1 million acres of wilderness within a 100-mile radius of campus.
Top 10 "IQ Campus."

--Forbes magazine
UM Journalism graduates have won eight Pulitzer Prizes.
UM President George Dennison has served longer than any other president in the University’s history.
UM alumna Jeannette Rankin (1880-1973) was the first woman ever to be elected to the U.S. Congress. She is also the only member of Congress to vote against U.S. entry into both world wars.
UM alumnus Jess Roskelley is the youngest American to summit Mount Everest.
UM graduate A.B. Guthrie (1901-1991) won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel, "The Way West." His book "The Big Sky" also is celebrated among western literature.
UM has "one of the premier graduate writing programs in the nation. When renowned author H.G. Merriam initiated the program in 1919, the only other similar program was available at Harvard University."

--Montana Almanac
UM has produced 28 Rhodes Scholars, 10 Truman Scholars, 12 Goldwater Scholars, and 16 Udall Scholars.
UM is No. 1 among "Schools with the Top Fans of I-AA."

-- I-AA.org
UM is No. 10 on the Peace Corps’ list of "Top Producing Colleges and Universities."
UM is among the top "schools that attract high school class presidents."

--Kaplan’s "Unofficial, Unbiased Guide to the 328 Most Interesting Colleges."
UM is among the top "schools with the most beautiful campus in an urban setting."

--Kaplan’s "Unofficial, Unbiased Guide to the 328 Most Interesting Colleges."
UM is one of the nation’s 77 "best value" undergraduate institutions, according to the book "America’s Best Value Colleges."
UM ranks 17th in the nation and fifth among public universities in producing Rhodes Scholars.
UM sits on 200 acres at the base of Mount Sentinel and is bordered on the north by the Clark Fork River.
UM’s Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library houses the earliest authorized edition of the Lewis and Clark journals.
UM’s Reserve Officer Training Corps is ranked ninth out of 271 ROTC programs in the nation.
UM’s School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences is ranked seventh nationally out of 94 schools and colleges of pharmacy in biomedical research funding. In 2003, the school brought in more than $11 million in external funding.
UM’s graduate program in Creative Writing tied for 10th place in U.S. News and World Report’s list of America’s best graduate programs.
UM’s most accomplished alumni, Mike Mansfield (1903-2001), served as U.S. Senate Majority Leader for 16 years and U.S. Ambassador to Japan for 12 years, positions he held longer than anyone else in history.
UM's Easter Eggstravaganza is the No. 3 Easter egg hunt in the nation, according to USA Today.
UM's grizzly mascot, Monte, was 2005 (and 2003) Capital One National Mascot of the Year.