Going-to-the-Sun Road now open as far as Avalanche

News, Snow Conditions, , ,

According to Glacier Park’s road status page, Going-to-the-Sun Road is now open to general traffic as far as Avalanche Campground on the west side and to Rising Sun from the east.

Here’s the official write-up:

Currently 21.0 miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road are open for travel.

Visitors can drive 15.5 miles from the West Entrance to Avalanche, and 5.5 miles from the St. Mary Entrance to Rising Sun.

The section of the road between Avalanche and Rising Sun is closed due to plowing. On the West Side, Hiker/Biker access is to Packers Roost, approximately 6 miles from the Avalanche Gate – while the road crew is working. On the weekends, there are no restrictions. On the East Side Hiker/Biker access is to Jackson Glacier Overlook, approximately 8 miles from the Rising Sun Gate – while the road crew is working. On the weekends there are no restrictions.

North Fork River monitoring and patrol — sign up by May 21

News, ,

Rachel Potter thought people might be interested in helping Glacier National Park and the U.S. Forest Service with river management, so she passed along the following information. “North Fork River monitoring and patrol” sounds like a pretty neat volunteer opportunity, but anyone interested needs to jump on it pretty quickly . . .

Description: River monitoring is part of the Glacier National Park (GNP) Backcountry Patrol volunteer program.  Duties include:  visitor educational contacts, pulling weeds, picking up trash, conducting surveys, and completing River Use monitoring forms.

Date/s time: Spring-Fall.

Registration Deadline: Contact Kyle Johnson ASAP but you must be signed up before training starts May 21.

Where:  All segments of the North Fork Flathead River

Sponsor: Glacier National Park

Web page: http://www.nps.gov/glac/supportyourpark/volunteerdescriptions.htm for general Glacier volunteer info and application.

Contact: Kyle Johnson kyle_johnson@nps.gov, 406-888-7838

Training dates/info: You need to be certified as a GNP Backcountry Patrol Volunteer first and then additional river training in conjunction with the USFS will be conducted. Those without extensive experience will be in an apprentice program until skills are developed. Backcountry Ranger Training is May 21-23. River training dates are loose, but will be roughly June 25-28.

What to bring/equipment needed: You will need your own boat, lifejackets, etc. for your own patrols, or ride along with agency staff.

Who should participate: Excellent fitness as well as strong swimming and boating skills are required, especially during high water.

Minimum Commitment: Your involvement is flexible but you may be expected to commit at least 1-3 days/week.  Check with Kyle.

Larry Wilson: Don’t trust government for advice

Commentary, ,

Larry talks about common sense flood and fire precautions . . .

The last few weeks, I have been amused (again) by the “experts” from various state and federal agencies regarding the possibility of flooding and/or a major fire season.

Common sense (why do we call it that when it is so uncommon?) will tell you that no one — even government experts — can tell what will happen in a month from now. If you don’t believe me, just listen to the five-day weather forecast and see how often the weatherman gets it right. Full-time paid government employees can study past trends, put information into a computer and create a model. In the end, that is the best they can do.

Continue reading . . .

Cutthroat trout’s ear bone reveals its life history

Environmental Issues, News, ,

This recently released study on westslope cutthroat trout migration tracking is pretty interesting stuff . . .

Like a tree’s concentric growth rings, a small bone within a fish’s ear reveals a history of its growth. And according to a new study of westslope cutthroat trout in the Flathead River system, the bone also contains a record of its migration pathways – a kind of geochemical diary of its life.

The bone, called an otolith, acquires a new ring every day of the fish’s life. All fish have them, and for decades scientists have counted the bands of the bone to determine the age of a fish, as well as estimate population growth.

But a study published last week by a slate of Montana researchers in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences brings to light new information that the ear bones also contain a unique fingerprint of the water chemistry where the fish swims on a given day, which can be used to map the entire life history of a fish within a river network.

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Another sign of spring: deer counting

Environmental Issues, News, ,

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks people are out in the field gathering data on deer populations . . .

Hunting deer in springtime resembles its fall cousin in everything but the weaponry: Get up before dawn, go far away from other people, creep quietly to avoid scaring the quarry.

The only difference is that the big scopes don’t have rifles attached. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Jay Kolbe has his mounted to his pickup window. As the morning light shifts from blue to yellow, he drives from one patch of new grass to another, counting every whitetail adult and fawn he can spot.

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Glacier Park hosting community meetings

News,

Glacier Park will be hosting two information meetings to discuss upcoming park activities. Superintendent Chas Cartwright will be there, as will Assistant Superintendent Kym Hall. If you’ve got questions for those people, these meetings are a good opportunity. Here is the official press release:

Glacier National Park is hosting two community meetings to share information about park activities and provide an opportunity for personal dialogue between park management and local community members and neighbors. A west-side meeting will take place Tuesday, May 15, 5:30-7 p.m. at Discovery Square in Columbia Falls and an east-side meeting will be Wednesday, May 16 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier.

The format of the meeting will include presentations by Glacier National Park Superintendent Chas Cartwright and Deputy Superintendent Kym Hall. Following the presentations, there will be a question and answer period and opportunity for informal conversations.

Cartwright and Hall will share updates regarding 2012 park programs, including Going-to-the-Sun Road Rehabilitation, spring plowing, Apgar Transit Center Parking Lot Expansion, aquatic invasive species management, Lake McDonald Cabin Management Plan, and the role of social media with the park. Community members are encouraged to attend and learn more about what’s happening at the park.

Young grizzly captured north of Columbia Falls; released in Whale Creek area

News, , ,

From the Flathead Beacon . . .

Wildlife officials captured a young male grizzly bear Friday in a residential area north of Columbia Falls, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The 4-year-old bear was caught in a trap set for a much larger grizzly that was getting into garbage in the area.

The young male was relocated Saturday in the Whale Creek area of the North Fork of the Flathead River drainage . . .

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Northern Rockies could have mild wildfire season

Fire Information and Status, News

This is a bit like discussing the World Series after the first few games of the regular season but, for what it’s worth, there’s a chance we might have a mild fire season around here this year . . .

It looks to be a busy fire year, but not around here.

Continuing drought and poor snowpack have the nation’s southern states and large parts of the Midwest bracing for smoke and flames as spring moves into summer, according to Ed Delgado of the National Interagency Fire Center. Delgado heads the center’s National Predictive Services Program.

“One of the things we’re having to deal with is the uncertainty in global circulation patterns,” Delgado said during a national teleconference on Thursday. “Whether we transition into a neutral or an El Niño pattern will have dramatically different outcomes for the potential for fire.”

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