So, what’s going on with the Wise River Club?
Well, it seems that the local rumor mill has been running full speed for a couple of months now about the Wise River Club and it's change of ownership. And in Butte and Southwest Montana, the rumor mill sometimes runs consecutive 8-hour shifts around the clock. Here at the radio ranch, we get mostly questions rather than answers. "Did you hear that the Wise River Club was sold? Did you hear who bought it?" We get a lot of that. We also get a few educated guesses that are passed off as fact which also helps lead to the maelstrom of misinformation that inevitably ensues. We're also getting a lot of that. Some of you unfamiliar with the area may also be asking, "what in the hell is the Wise River Club"?
The Wise River Club has been a staple of the Big Hole Valley for generations. To get there you head south from Butte on I-15 to the Divide exit and head just a few miles west on Montana Highway 43.
The Big Hole Valley and River are among the most breathtaking places you will ever see. The winding river nestled against the soaring mountains along with the rock walls that somehow form a corridor at points, you can see how this area is prime not only for hunting, fishing and floating but for hiking, skiing and motocross.
The Wise River Club is right in the middle of all of this and has been known to offer a cold beverage or a hearty meal to weary travelers as well as a cozy bed for hunters, fishermen or snowmobilers. It's also known as a fantastic watering hole where you can get a stiff drink or a cold beer, play a game of pool or shuffleboard and maybe try your luck on one of the machines.
And as the sign says out front, the Wise River Club has been officially sold.
The rumor mill is now saying that our own Tim Montana is an owner. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, with whom Tim holds a close friendship, has also been mentioned as has Tim Montana collaborator Kid Rock. But Tim Montana has a lot of friends in high places and the bigger the names, the bigger the rumors. So, what do we know for sure? All we know is that at this point the only way to find out for sure is to show up on Friday night and see what happens.