Wow, what a beautiful campus! We just got back from Missoula, where we took a whirlwind tour of the University of Montana before checking Ricky in to his orientation. It’s really pretty, nestled at the base of Mount Sentinel.
![Clocktower at the University of Montana](http://mizwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_02431-1024x680.jpg)
Clocktower at the University of Montana
(Yes, that photo is a little crooked. No, it’s not you…)
![Clocktower at the University of Montana](http://mizwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_0235-680x1024.jpg)
Side view of the clocktower
I liked this shot through the pine trees. (I wish I had a scratch-n-sniff blog for you. Those pine trees lined several walkways, creating a stroll that was like aromatherapy.)
![The Grizzly statue at the University of Montana](http://mizwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_0254-1024x680.jpg)
The Grizzly statue in the center of The Oval
![Dorm at the University of Montana](http://mizwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_0279-1024x680.jpg)
One of the dorms
Sorry I don’t know which dorm that is, but they all looked really pretty from the outside — I just randomly shot a photo!
![Jesse Hall, University of Montana](http://mizwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_0278-1024x680.jpg)
Jesse Hall dorm room
Funny, these dorm rooms look EXACTLY like mine did in the 80s! I guess dorm room configuration hasn’t changed much over the decades. …
![Mount Sentinel and the Missoula "M"](http://mizwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_0287-680x1024.jpg)
Mount Sentinel and the Missoula "M"
A closer view of the Missoula “M” and the switchback that leads up to it. (You can even see some people walking up the switchback.) We heard that a lot of people watch the football games from there. (The stadium is to the left in this picture.)
![The Griz Football Stadium](http://mizwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_0293-1024x680.jpg)
The Griz football stadium, on the north end of campus
I always thought it would be cool to go to college at a place that had a football stadium right on the campus — at UCLA, we had to trek out to Pasadena to the Rose Bowl, which was always a little complicated since hardly anyone had a car. I think this will be cool for Ricky to be able to just walk over to the football games from the dorms! The view of the snow-capped mountains in the background is so pretty.
![Athletic Museum at the University of Montana](http://mizwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_0295-1024x680.jpg)
Athletic Museum at the University of Montana
They have a really beautiful athletic museum inside the athletic center (also where the basketball arena is).
![Student Union and Atrium at the University of Montana](http://mizwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DSC_0223-680x1024.jpg)
Student Union and Atrium
The student union is enclosed in an atrium (which is probably really nice in the wintertime!). They have a few small restaurants here, the book store, travel services, student services, cafe tables for studying, etc.
And that concludes our tour of the University of Montana! It’s really a gorgeous campus. Ricky was excited. Now we just have to hope that a Southern California boy can handle those snowy winters!