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  • Mission Mountains as seen from Highway 93 near St. Ignatius, MT.
    What's happening with the glaciers in the Mission Mountains?
    A listener is curious about how glaciers are faring in the south end of the Mission Mountains, those big peaks you can see from Highway 93 on the Flathead Reservation. Learn more about them now, on The Big Why.
  • Close-up photo of a dirt road with visible washboard ridges — small, evenly spaced ripples running across the surface. The sandy, tan road is speckled with small rocks and gravel. A blue banner across the lower portion reads, “What causes washboard roads?” A circular “The Big Why” logo appears at left, and a Montana Public Radio logo is in the upper right corner.
    What causes washboard roads?
    "Harmonic rippling pattern" might seem like a description of the soothing sounds from a white-noise generator lulling you to sleep. That's close. But in this case, the noise machine is your car and the rippling pattern is the washboard road you're bouncing over. One listener wants to know what causes these washboard patterns.
  • An illustration of a landscape with snow-capped mountains in the background and a burning conifer forest in the foreground. A large plume of smoke extends upwards from the fire.
    How does winter snowpack affect summer wildfires?
    As summer heats up in Montana, so does wildfire season. This raises the question, does winter snowpack really correlate to the severity of the wildfire season? And what does a 'normal' fire season mean?
  • Writer and creative entrepreneur Megan Torgerson is working on finishing the second season of her podcast, Reframing Rural: Rewriting the Narrative on Rural America. Torgerson was raised in the town of Dagmar in northeastern Montana.
    Ag producers are aging, but passing down the operation is no easy chore
    Agricultural producers across the nation are aging out. In her podcast Reframing Rural, Montana-born journalist Megan Torgerson explores this issue and others that impact rural communities across the state. In her latest season, Succession Stories, Torgerson asks Montana farmers and ranchers one of the biggest questions they face today: who’s going to take over their land? MTPR’s Victoria Traxler sits down with Torgerson to hear what she learned
  • Chicago, Milwaukee, Saint Paul and Pacific 'Hiawatha' train from July 1938.
    Is passenger rail on track to return to Montana?
    One of Montana's passenger rail systems has been out of commission for decades, but some residents want to restore it across the southern part of the state. A listener wants to know what's been happening with those efforts. Is more train travel in Montana's future? Learn more in this episode of the Big Why.
  • Russ Cleveland speaks during a Democratic western district U.S. House candidate debate in Butte on March 10, 2026.
    Q&A: Russ Cleveland, Democratic western district U.S. House candidate
    MTPR is airing interviews with candidates running for federal office in 2026. MTPR's Victoria Traxler speaks with Russ Cleveland, a Democrat running for Montana's western U.S. House seat.
  • A man wearing glasses, a blazer and jeans sits onstage in front of a red curtain, holding a microphone and gesturing as he speaks. A small table with a water bottle sits beside him.
    Q&A: Ryan Busse, Democratic western district U.S. House candidate
    MTPR is airing interviews with candidates running for federal office in 2026. MTPR's Victoria Traxler speaks with Ryan Busse, a Democrat running for Montana's western U.S. House seat.
  • Dancers circle the floor of University of Montana’s Adams Center for the Grand Entry of the Kyiyo Pow Wow on April 18, 2025. The two-day celebration is also an effort to preserve important Native American traditions.
    Sights and sounds from the Kyiyo Pow Wow
    The 56th annual Kyiyo Pow Wow took place in Missoula over the weekend. MTPR’s Victoria Traxler has more on the sights, sounds and significance of the event.
  • Child care and education
    It's week 16 of the 69th Legislature is kicking off week 15. Lawmakers have been talking about proposals to improve access to child care and teacher pay. This is 'The Session', a look at the policy and politics inside the Montana statehouse.
  • A wheat field on a farm near Gildford, MT.
    The agriculture industry is squeezed on all sides. Options for state aid are limited
    The agriculture industry is facing acute challenges: high input costs, tariffs, and a lack of federal support. The state faces limitations as it tries to help. MTPR’s Victoria Traxler spoke with Montana Department of Agriculture Director Jillien Streit to learn more.
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