Jack Potter: “Conscience of Glacier” leaves lasting legacy for park

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More well-deserved kudos for Jack Potter, this time from the Missoulian . . .

Friends, colleagues and fellow conservationists call him the conscience of Glacier National Park, a fitting term of endearment for a somewhat unlikely candidate, particularly given Jack Potter’s humble beginnings.

He started his career with the National Park Service scraping dishes at a Many Glacier café and, having achieved the mantle of leadership over the next 41 years, helped shape some of the most influential resource protection policies of his time.

Vast expanses of wilderness remain rustic and undeveloped because of Potter’s influence, and his work has minimized the pressures of development along Glacier Park’s perimeter, preventing the park from becoming a “wilderness island” besieged by incompatible land uses.

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Weather Service drops flood watch; warning still in effect for Stillwater River

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The National Weather Service has dropped the flood watch for areas in northwest Montana, but a flood warning for the Stillwater River near Kalispell is still in effect. According to this morning’s forecast, “the river will remain steady at elevated levels before slowly rising again for beginning of the work week. Additional rises may be possible thereafter.”

Flooding causing problems in eastern Montana

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Things are still pretty quiet in northwest Montana, but rain in the eastern part of the state is causing flooding problems . . .

Flooding in eastern Montana has caused the cancellation of several high-school graduations, fisherman have been trapped by washed out roads, a community near Billings has a voluntary evacuation in place and a private dam failed due to high water, meteorologists with the National Weather Service said Saturday.

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More roads open up in Glacier National Park

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Glacier National Park dug out some more last week.

On the North Fork side, for anyone willing to brave the road, the Bowman Lake Road and campground are open (no potable water yet). Also, the inside North Fork Road is now open as far south as Logging Creek.

Lake McDonald Lodge opens today and Glacier Park Boat Company and the Red Buses will begin operating tours.

They’ve still got lots of plowing left to do on the Sun Road, of course.

See the official press release for details. The Daily Inter Lake also has a summary.

As temperatures rise, so do next week’s flood worries

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Still waiting . . .

From today’s Missoulian . . .

Fluctuating spring temperatures continue to keep water levels across western Montana on a roller-coaster ride.

While lower temperatures at the beginning of this week eased the most urgent flooding fears, National Weather Service officials say temperatures in the high 60s across the region over the weekend will ramp up the worry meter again early next week.

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Glacier National Park to ramp up boat inspections this year

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Due to the increased threat of aquatic invasive species transported on watercraft, Glacier Park is getting hard-nosed this year about boat inspections. Short version: If the watercraft has a motor or is towed on a trailer, it must be thoroughly inspected every time it enters the park.

See the press release for all the gory details . . .

This summer Glacier National Park will step up its boat inspection and permit program due to the rapid westward migration of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) on recreational watercraft. The consequences of an AIS infestation in park waters could be devastating to ecosystems and the local economy.  Visitors can still launch most motorized and trailered watercraft in the park, however, a thorough boat inspection is required upon every entry to the park. Hand-propelled watercraft are not required to obtain a permit, though park managers encourage all boaters to thoroughly clean, drain, and dry their watercraft and/or fishing equipment before coming to the park.

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Small stream flood advisory posted for Northern Flathead County; Stillwater River flooding near Kalispell

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Some folks are getting their feet wet down-valley. The National Weather Service has posted an urban and small stream flood advisory for Northern Flathead County and the Stillwater River is beginning to come over its banks near Kalispell. River levels are still modest on the North Fork.

For the full text of official flood advisories and warnings, click the weather graphic in the sidebar and follow the links in the “Active Advisory” section. A link to the same information can also be found on the Flood Information page.

Larry Wilson: Sondreson Hall and the Flying Farmers

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Larry Wilson reflects on the passing of Ruth Sondreson and the many contributions the Sondresons made to the North Fork . . .

Mostly, I enjoy writing this column. The North Fork is special to me, and to the folks I write about, and we have special concerns about how to best preserve the area and the things that make it special. Among those things are the fish and wildlife, the forest, the river, and, of course, the rural lifestyle. That means we often disagree on how to protect the North Fork.

Occasionally, though, I have to write about sad or even tragic events, since living in a special place doesn’t shield us from the cycle of life. This week is one of those times.

We received word that Ruth Sondreson died on April 14. Ruth was the last person I know who was instrumental in the building of the North Fork Community Hall, which was later named Sondreson Hall.

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