Category Archives: Commentary

Larry Wilson: North Fork interlocal meeting previewed

Commentary,

Larry’s column provides an “educated guess” preview of the upcoming North Fork Interlocal Agreement meeting . . .

The North Fork Interlocal Agreement meeting will be held Feb. 15 at the Glacier National Park Community Hall at Park Headquarters. Host will be Glacier Park, and MC will no doubt be Polebridge District Ranger Scott Emmerich. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. and is scheduled to end at 1 p.m.

The main purpose of the meeting is to encourage open discussion among North Fork neighbors, private landowners and local, state and federal agencies.

Landowners are represented by the North Fork Landowners Association, the North Fork Compact, the North Fork Preservation Association, and the North Fork Coalition for Health and Safety.

Individuals may comment at the meeting, but everyone is encouraged to contact the group that represents them with their questions and concerns. They will then notify the agency involved so that they will be prepared to answer the questions or concerns at the meeting. This is especially important if the agency representative needs to contact other people to get the information requested.

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Larry Wilson: Be prepared for winter travel

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in his column this week, Larry talks about winter recreation and the importance of basic survival preparedness . . .

I guess it’s human nature to worry about the weather, or at least talk about it. Even so, I can’t help but wonder why people don’t think, talk and worry about things that would save them time, money or even lives.

A week or so ago, the North Valley Rescue Association conducted snowmobile training in the Canyon Creek area. This is a popular snowmobiling area, with miles and miles of groomed trails and an area where snowmobilers of all abilities can really enjoy themselves out of doors.

It’s also an area where, just a few years ago, a person was caught in an avalanche and killed.

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Larry Wilson: Worrying about weather, floods and fires

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This week, Larry talks about folk’s penchant to worry about the weather . . .

Apparently we humans have an inbred need to worry about something all of the time. In the first week of January, I heard several people comment that they were worried that if it didn’t snow soon, we would have a really bad fire season next summer.

Now that we have had a week of fairly heavy snowfall (about two feet on Trail Creek, one foot in town), two people have commented that if this keeps up for two weeks, we’re likely to have spring floods.

Personally, I try not to worry about things that I can’t change or affect in any way – like the weather. Besides, a heavy snowpack does not mean there will be spring floods. Look at last winter. Record snowfall in the mountains. In many places, over 200 percent of normal. Despite the snow, we did not have severe flooding.

Same thing with fires. Many an open winter has been followed by a summer with few fires. Spring flooding and a severe fire season are usually the result of spring weather, not what happened in the previous winter.

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Larry Wilson: The North Fork Road is no longer an issue

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Larry does a retrospective on the big issues of last year, including the North Fork Road and successful efforts to terminate resource extraction activities in the transboundary Flathead Valley . . .

January is the month when everyone looks back on the previous year to see what the biggest news stories were and to make resolutions for the year that is just beginning. Hopefully, the resolutions will improve us in some way. We are no different on the North Fork.

For many years, the North Fork Road has been the biggest topic of controversy in the area – pave or don’t pave? Not in 2011. County improvements have reduced the road almost to a non-issue.

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Larry Wilson: North Forkers to be studied

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This week, Larry wraps up the year-end news and discusses the impending arrival of a group from the University of Montana Geography Department . . .

Another holiday season is over. On the North Fork, we had a great Christmas party, a collection of New Year’s Eve gatherings and 30 people gathered on the bank of the river for the annual beach party.

There was just enough snow to ride through the woods on snowmobiles and gather around two brightly burning campfires to enjoy hot dogs, baked beans, chili and an assortment of liquid stimulants, as well as each other’s company.

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Larry Wilson: North Forkers throw beach party

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Larry reports on the North Fork Christmas and New Year festivities . . .

Boy, did we have a great Christmas party. Hosts Caldwell and Heaphy must have spent most of a day decorating the hall. There were twinkling lights overhead, brightly decorated tables and counters, and a 10-foot decorated Christmas tree. Even the front porch was decorated with boughs and bright red bows, and there was a greeter (Jan Caldwell) with a funny hat.

That was only the beginning . . .

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Larry Wilson: Be prepared for winter jaunts into the Montana backcountry

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This week, Larry discusses the importance of preparedness when traveling in the backcountry during winter . . .

As I write this on the Friday before Christmas, knowing that it won’t be read until after Christmas, I still can’t help but wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

As of today, we have very little snow and only a chance that more will fall before Christmas. I know the skiers and snowmobilers are unhappy about no snow, but it fits the old fat guy just fine.

Lack of snow in the lower elevations does not eliminate outdoor recreation. It just changes it. This week, North Valley Search and Rescue responded up Canyon Creek to rescue an ATV rider. With little snow in the river bottoms, this individual tried to ride his ATV between Canyon Creek and Big Creek. Higher up, he got his ATV stuck and couldn’t get it out.

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Larry Wilson: Seeking common ground

Commentary,

Larry addresses the importance of unity in diversity when it comes to land planning and other broad community issues . . .

This week at the invitation of the Swan Valley Community organization, I traveled with Mark Shiltz, Montana Land Reliance staffer, to speak to that community about how the North Fork got involved in land-use planning.

Although we see the results of that effort every day – we now have minimum lot sizes, setbacks, interlocal meetings and other improvements – I had not thought about how it all got started for years. There aren’t many of us left from those beginnings, and I think they’re worth recalling.

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Larry Wilson: On North Fork curmudgeons

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This week, Larry starts off with a few word about North Fork curmudgeons. It’s a subject more appropriate to a short book than a short column, but he pulls it off . . .

Earlier in November, it looked like it was going to be a long winter. Snow was getting deeper and deeper, temperatures dropped below zero, and Lynn Ogle was getting grumpier by the hour.

He was almost like Wilke Hastings, who used to live in a small cabin on Trail Creek…

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Larry Wilson: The North Fork gives thanks

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Larry Wilson discusses Thanksgiving on the North Fork and tail end of hunting season . . .

As usual, the Thanksgiving dinner at Sondreson Hall was a big community success. While most of the U.S. has made Thanksgiving a family holiday, here on the North Fork it is a community event. Just like the original Pilgrims, we choose to live in a place where the weather can be harsh and there is a real need for neighbors to help each other at times. With town fifty miles away and many services limited or non-existent a good neighbor is a fine thing.

It is not unusual up here to help a neighbor get out of the ditch or to bring auto parts or groceries from town. On the North Fork, a neighbor might live 20 miles away but is still considered not only a neighbor but a friend. In the towns or cities people are more likely to look through you than at you. No so, on the North Fork.

As a result, the Thanksgiving dinner is a collection of 60-80 neighbors who are glad to see you and you are glad to see them.

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