Tag Archives: Glacier National Park

Park reiterates opposition to North Fork Road paving and concerns over rail shipments

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Jeff Mow, Superintendent of Glacier National Park, reiterated the park’s opposition to North Fork Road paving and expressed a lot of concern over the safety of oil shipments along the park’s boundary . . .

Glacier National Park superintendent Jeff Mow said last week he is not in favor of paving the North Fork Road to the Camas Road, a project strongly supported by Columbia Falls city officials.

The goal of paving the North Fork Road has been debated for years, but now Columbia Falls business and civic leaders are pitching the idea not only to boost tourist traffic through town but as an emergency route for West Glacier in case of a rail disaster.

City leaders told Sen. Jon Tester on March 20 that the Park supports paving the North Fork Road, but Mow disagreed.

Read more . . .

Park biologists say they’re getting ahead of the lake trout problem in Quartz Lake

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Looks like Glacier Park is seeing success in eliminating non-native lake trout from Quartz Lake . . .

Since 2009, biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey and Glacier National Park have been netting non-native lake trout from Quartz Lake to help preserve one of the Park’s last remaining strongholds for endangered bull trout. The effort, biologist Carter Fredenberg was pleased to report last week, appears to be working.

Last fall, biologists counted an historic high 66 bull trout redds in the upper stretches of drainage. Redds are spawning beds fish make in the stream bottoms. The more redds, the better the population is doing.

“That is extremely positive,” Fredenberg said during a public talk last week.

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Model quantifies meltwater contribution from Glacier Park’s glaciers

Environmental Issues, News,

A recent study puts some hard numbers on the amount of meltwater contributed by the glaciers in Glacier National Park . . .

A recent study to be published in the University of Colorado’s Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research journal quantifies for the first time the amount of meltwater from Glacier National Park’s glaciers.

The peer-reviewed scientific study presents a model quantifying the contribution of the Park’s 39 named glaciers to local watersheds. Total glacial coverage in the Park has declined by 35 percent over the last half-century as an increasingly warm atmosphere outpaces the rate at which new precipitation allows glaciers to grow.

The research effort began about five years ago with Whitefish native Adam Clark’s graduate thesis at the University of Montana Geosciences Department, where he studied under another one of the study’s coauthors, Joel Harper. Clark now works for the U.S. Geological Service’s Northern Rocky Mountains Science Center with Dan Fagre, the other co-author of the study.

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Public invited to brown-bag presentation about World Parks Congress

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This might be interesting.

From the official press release . . .

The Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center at Glacier National Park is hosting a brown-bag luncheon presentation about the recent World Parks Congress on Wednesday, January 21 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the park’s community building in West Glacier.

Glacier National Park Superintendent Jeff Mow and US Geological Survey Research Ecologist Dan Fagre will share their experiences from the 2014 IUCN World Parks Congress, held in Sydney, Australia this past fall. Mow and Fagre attended the conference and will present their observations on how Glacier National Park fits into the world of global conservation. The presentation is free and open to the public.

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Glacier Park snowshoe walks begin January 10

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Glacier Park is again offering their popular snowshoe walks this year starting Saturday, January 10. Here’s the core of the press release . . .

Glacier National Park is offering winter snowshoe walks every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. beginning Saturday, January 10, Winter Trails Day. This day is celebrated throughout the country as an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and discover the fitness and social benefits of outdoor activities. The snowshoe walks will continue through Sunday, March 22.

The public is invited to join the two-hour, ranger-led snowshoe excursions into the park’s winter environment. The program is free. Participants are encouraged to bring snowshoes or they are available to rent for a nominal fee at the Apgar Visitor Center. Participants should wear sturdy winter boots, dress in layers for a variety of winter conditions, and bring water and snacks.

This year, the walks will begin and conclude at the relocated Apgar Visitor Center. There is no group size limit and reservations are not accepted. The snowshoe walks are suitable for varying ages and abilities, but are not recommended for children under age 6.

The snowshoe walks are presented in partnership with the Glacier National Park Conservancy…

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Climate change imperiling Glacier Park stonefly

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Climate change is threatening the survival of the west glacier stonefly . . .

Climate change is imperiling a rare aquatic insect found only in Glacier National Park, scientists said in a study that underscores how high-elevation species could be particularly vulnerable to global warming.

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey, Bucknell University and the University of Montana reported on the plight of the western glacier stonefly in the journal Freshwater Science.

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Glacier Park to get new Chief Ranger

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Glacier Park is getting a new Chief Ranger . ..

Paul Austin has been named chief ranger for Glacier National Park, the National Park Service announced Nov. 24.

Austin, the current chief ranger at Saguaro National Park in Arizona, will oversee the law enforcement, fire and trails programs, among other duties within the park’s visitor and resource protection division.

He will begin his new duties in mid-December and is replacing Mark Foust, who stepped down in spring to become superintendent at Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah.

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NYT: Climate change threatens to strip the identity of Glacier National Park

Environmental Issues, News, Photos & Images,

This morning’s New York Times has a survey article — with a photo spread — discussing the potential impact of climate change on Glacier National Park specifically and the Northern Rockies in general . . .

What will they call this place once the glaciers are gone?

A century ago, this sweep of mountains on the Canadian border boasted some 150 ice sheets, many of them scores of feet thick, plastered across summits and tucked into rocky fissures high above parabolic valleys. Today, perhaps 25 survive.

In 30 years, there may be none.

Read more . . .

Study estimates 36 wolverines in Glacier Park

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A recently concluded study found Glacier Park to have the third highest density of Wolverines in North America . . .

Results from a multi-year DNA study of Glacier National Park’s wolverines show a relatively high density compared to other regions where the rare carnivores are known to exist.

Park biologist John Waller, along with about 50 volunteers, set up “hair traps” for wolverines from 2009 to 2012.

The traps consisted of a deer leg from roadkill bolted to a pole. Wire brushes were attached to snag hair from any animal that tried to climb the pole to gnaw on the leg.

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Glacier Park getting on top of bull trout recovery

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Glacier Park is showing good success in recovering a depleted bull trout population . . .

Glacier National Park, historically one of the last best strongholds for native bull trout, has seen its wild populations decimated by the explosion of invasive lake trout, reducing Montana’s aquatic darling to an imperiled icon and pushing the species toward the brink of extinction.

But biologists with Glacier Park and the U.S. Geological Survey have pioneered a new effort to suppress lake trout in remote backcountry lakes and reintroduce dwindling bull trout populations, with recent results showing strong evidence of success, and indicating that the efforts could be applied to other invaded habitats and broader ranges.

“New results are promising. The park is kind of spearheading these innovative and proactive ways to save bull trout,” Clint Muhlfeld, an aquatic biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), said. “It’s been so rewarding to have our science apply to on-the-ground management and leading conservation efforts in Glacier.”

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