All posts by nfpa

Grizzly bear population rising in Northwest Montana

Environmental Issues, News, ,

Probably not a big surprise to long-term residents, but it’s nice to have some recent numbers on the increased griz population. From yesterday’s Flathead Beacon . . .

The number of grizzly bears in Northwest Montana is on the rise, according to the National Park Service.

John Waller, wildlife biologist for Glacier National Park, said data being collected in the area of the northern continental divide – approximately 7 million acres between Missoula and the Canadian border – shows the bear population has risen by 3 percent annually since 2004, when there were 765 grizzly bears. Today the number is estimated to be about 950.

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Shuttles extend Going-to-the-Sun Road access

News, , ,

From today’s Daily Inter Lake . . .

Glacier National Park will be hard-pressed in avoiding a record late opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road over Logan Pass, but the park is gearing up its free shuttle service for expanded service this weekend beyond the vehicle closure gates at Avalanche Campground.

Despite having rotary plows and other heavy-duty snow removal equipment, road crews have found this year’s persistent snowload to be daunting.

Besides a July 15 inaugural opening in 1933, Sun Road’s latest opening over Logan Pass was June 10, 1943, when the park was short-staffed because of World War II.

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Glacier Park weekend update: Logan Pass stays closed, shuttle running on Sun Road, a few new facilities open

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Here’s the meat of today’s “weekend update” from Glacier National Park . . .

Park Officials announce the Going-to-the-Sun Road Transit System will begin operation on July 1 through September 2, 2011. Limited shuttle routes, stops and times are offered. Additional openings for the holiday weekend are horse rides at the Lake McDonald Corral and camping at Quartz Creek primitive campground. Granite Park Chalet will begin operation on July 2. Chalet guest can access the trailhead utilizing the Going-to-the-Sun Road transit system.

Due to high water a few closures exist. Currently, the Avalanche Creek Trail is closed due to the creek running over the trail. Trail crews are attempting to mitigate the flooding so the trail can be reopened this weekend. Visitors are asked to inquire about current trail conditions at a visitor center or ranger station to receive the most up to date information. The Quarter Circle Bridge Road is closed due to water over the road; this is caused by high water flows on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Logging Creek Campground will open on July 8 at the earliest due to water in the campground. The Inside North Fork Road remains closed at Fish Creek and Logging Creek due to flood damage in three separate areas.

In past years, on the 4th of July, the Two Medicine Rangers have been able to provide additional picnic areas to meet increased holiday demand. This year, due to lingering snow in Two Medicine, there will be fewer picnic sites available for July 4th. Most of the campground will be available for camping.

Plowing continues on the Going-to-the-Sun Road (Sun Road). On the west side, crews have reached the Logan Pass and are at the Big Drift. The Big Drift is the last snow obstacle to be cleared on the Sun Road and this year the drift is estimated between 50-60 feet, a depth normally seen on Memorial Day weekend. Today, crews from the west side will begin to pioneer the Big Drift so they can be joined by the east side crews to “punch through” the last section of the Sun Road.

Motorized vehicle access beyond the Avalanche Creek closure to the Loop will be provided only by the Going-to-the-Sun Road Transit System. Parking is limited at Avalanche Creek, therefore it is recommended to access the transit system from the Apgar Transit Center. On the east side, the transit system will operate from the St. Mary Visitor Center to Sun Point. Visitors are reminded that until the Sun Road is open in its entirety, the shuttle system schedule will be modified. Visitors should inquire at a visitor center, ranger station or transit center to obtain more information. Hiking and biking beyond the vehicle closure is allowed from Avalanche Creek to Bird Woman Falls, approximately 11 miles on the west side and from Jackson Glacier Overlook to Siyeh Bend, approximately two miles on the east side for the holiday weekend and the following week. Hikers and bikers should be alert for transit shuttles and construction vehicles when traveling beyond the vehicle closures. Construction work will resume on Tuesday July 5. Night work, from Big Bend to Logan Pass, continues Tuesday night through Friday morning from 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. and no travel will be allowed through the construction zone.

Logan Pass not open yet, but shuttle service on Going-to-the-Sun Road starts July 1

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From a press release posted today on the Glacier Park web site . . .

Park Officials announce the Going-to-the-Sun Road Transit System will begin operations on July 1. On the west side of the park a modified shuttle schedule will operate daily, from 7:00am to 5:00pm, until the entire Going-to-the-Sun Road is open to vehicles and the full transit schedule can begin. On the east side of the park, shuttles will service all regular stops between the St. Mary Visitor Center and Sun Point at 30 minute intervals from 7:00am to 7:00pm.

Starting Friday, shuttles will operate between the Apgar Transit Center and Avalanche Creek every hour, with stops along the route in Apgar, Sprague Creek Campground, and Lake McDonald Lodge.

Starting Saturday, enhanced visitor access to the Going-to-the-Sun Road, beyond the vehicle closure at Avalanche Creek, will be provided through an expansion of the shuttle operation. In addition to the shuttles operating between the Apgar Transit Center and Avalanche Creek, shuttles will depart from Avalanche Creek to “The Loop,” every 10 to 15 minutes.

During this modified schedule the last bus to “The Loop” from Avalanche Creek will depart at 4:00pm. The last bus from the Apgar Transit Center, that will make it to Avalanche Creek in time for the 4:00pm departure to “The Loop,” leaves the transit center at 3:00pm. The last return bus will be at 5:00pm.

Visitors are encouraged to park at the Apgar Transit Center, as parking at Avalanche Creek is extremely limited.

Also, hikers and bikers may still enjoy the lower section of the Going-to-the-Sun Road past Avalanche Creek. Construction vehicles and shuttles may also be using that section of the road so caution is advised. On Friday, July 1 the hiker/biker closure will be located 3½ miles beyond the vehicle closure at Avalanche Creek. Starting Saturday the hiker/biker closure will be located 11 miles beyond Avalanche Creek, near Bird Woman Falls Overlook. Adjustments to these closures may be prompted by changing weather and road conditions.

Larry Wilson: Summer arrives in North Fork

Commentary, News, ,

Larry talks about the arrival of summer on the North Fork and some of the upcoming activities and social events . . .

Deadline for turning this column in to the Hungry Horse News is noon on Monday. Consequently, I usually write it on Sunday afternoon and, rarely, early Monday morning. This week it’s Monday morning.

I’m trying to get used to the idea that it’s almost the Fourth of July. First it seemed that the snow would never melt in my front yard, and when it did – in late May – it has seemed as if the weather would never warm up.

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Logan pass won’t open this weekend

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From today’s Hungry Horse News . . .

Glacier National Park plow crews are closing in on Logan Pass, but they still have a good week of work ahead of them. As of presstime, crews on the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road were just below Logan Pass near Rimrocks.

On the east side, plow crews were at the base of the Big Drift, a huge snowdrift just east of Logan Pass that can reach 100 feet deep. Cutting through the Big Drift and clearing the Logan Pass parking lot usually takes several days. Plow crews are working five 10-hour days per week.

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Aggressive mountain lion in the upper McDonald Creek valley

News, ,

From a press release posted today on the Glacier National Park web site . . .

Aggressive behavior has been displayed by a mountain lion in the Upper McDonald Creek Valley near areas highly frequented by visitors. Rangers are requesting visitors to be on alert for mountain lions and report all sightings to the closest National Park Service (NPS) facility.

On Tuesday June 23, a woman and her niece were confronted by an adult mountain lion, dark in color on the Sperry Trail near the Lake McDonald Lodge. The lion was crouched adjacent to the trail with its ears back when the visitors saw the lion. The visitors spoke firmly to the lion and eventually the lion left the area. On Sunday June 26, rangers received another report of a very large hiking group that encountered a mountain lion with a similar description on the Upper McDonald Creek Trail, between the North McDonald Road and the horse bridge across Upper McDonald Creek. The lion was spotted less than five feet off the trail and did not show any signs of being frightened by people.

Rangers are actively patrolling these trails and are requesting visitors to report all sightings immediately to the closest NPS facility or Park Ranger. Visitors are also reminded that unlike bears, if an attack seems imminent, act aggressively, do not crouch or run away. Park Officials advise hiking in groups and do not recommend solo travel on trails. More details on mountain lion sightings in Glacier National Park is available in the park newspaper or online at http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/mtnlionsafety.htm.

Temporary road access closures in the North Fork area

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From a press release posted to the Flathead National Forest web site . . .

Release Date: Jun 28, 2011

Public access on the Moose Creek Road, Forest Road #210C, and the Moran Creek Road, Forest Road #5241, both located north of Columbia Falls on the Flathead National Forest, will have temporary access changes beginning Friday, July 1.

The Moose Creek Road will be closed approximately 1mile before the Moose Creek Trailhead, Forest Trail #9, and the entire length of the Moran Creek Road will be closed.

The temporary closures are designed to mitigate disturbance to grizzly bears while activities of the Red Whale Fuels Reduction Project are taking place. The roads will open when the fuels reduction work is halted this fall. The temporary road closures will be implemented again next summer when the fuels reduction project continues.

For more information, please contact the Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District at 387-3800.

Federal officials to visit Wyoming to talk wolves

Environmental Issues, News

Looks like Wyoming is slowly edging towards a deal with the feds on wolf management. From today’s Missoulian . . .

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is headed to Wyoming to meet with Gov. Matt Mead and others to discuss removing wolves from the endangered list in the state.

Sen. John Barrasso says Daniel Ashe, President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, also will be traveling to Wyoming.

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