Who was Grandma Gatewood?

In 1955, after raising 11 children, Emma "Grandma" Gatewood became the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail - at the tender age of 67!  In September of that year, having survived a rattlesnake strike, two hurricanes, and a run-in with gangsters from Harlem, she stood atop Maine’s Mount Katahdin.

Then, in 1960, she hiked it again, becoming the first person to hike the Appalachian Trail twice. And, just to prove those first two weren't a fluke, she hiked it again in 1963 - at the age of 75! After that third adventure Emma became the first person to hike the 2,179-mile trail on three different occasions.

So who exactly was Grandma Gatewood? This short video, a trailer from a documentary film project called "Trail Magic", gives a few insights into Emma Gatewood's life, tribulations & achievements:





Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Becoming an Outdoors Woman Hiking Event

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program is offering a guided hike on September 13th near Thompson Falls.

The workshop is hosted by the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program of North West Montana. The fee is $15 and includes water and a trail snack.

To register, or for more information, contact BOW event coordinator Nancy Fields at 949-412-8561. Registration forms are available on the FWP website.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Video hike along the Swiftcurrent Lake Nature Trail

Below is a video showing highlights from the beautiful Swiftcurrent Lake Nature Trail in Glacier National Park. Although a very easy hike, it's one of my all-time favorites. Outstanding panoramic views await at every bend on this trail as it circles around Swiftcurrent Lake.




For more details on this excellent hike, please click here.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

One Man's Perspective on Solitude and Wilderness

Every couple of months 68-year-old Ed Zevely rides into the Colorado high country to camp for weeks at a time, and does it completely alone. Through thunderstorms, open meadows and treacherous passes, he finds his own patch of serenity. Ed provides an interesting perspective, perhaps one that all of us should consider as we go through life.


Open Door to Solitude from Filson on Vimeo.




Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Fee-Free Day to Celebrate 98th Anniversary of the National Park Service

In celebration of the 98th anniversary of the National Park Service, all 401 national park units—including Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks—will waive entrance fees on Monday, August 25, 2014. The fee for a private, non-commercial vehicle to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks normally costs $25 for seven days. Park officials encourage visitors and local residents to take advantage of this fee free opportunity to explore Grand Teton and enjoy late summer activities; from hiking, biking and boating, to wildlife watching and photography.

To help celebrate this special day, birthday cake will be served at 12:00 noon at each of Grand Teton's visitor centers: Laurance S. Rockefeller Center, Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center, Jenny Lake, and Colter Bay Visitor Center.

In addition, a full suite of educational programs are taking place throughout the park. These programs include:

· 8:30 a.m. Inspiration Point Hike from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center
· 9:00 a.m. Taggart Lake Hike
· 9:30 a.m. Explore the Preserve Hike at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve
· 1:00 p.m. Swan Lake Hike from the Colter Bay Visitor Center
· 2:30 p.m. A Walk into the Past at the Menor's Ferry Historic District, including a ferry ride across the Snake River

A traditional guitar sing-along and evening program will take place at 9:00 p.m. at the Colter Bay amphitheater. This free public program is titled, "For Future Generations: The story of America's National Parks."



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Young Girl Falls to Her Death in Yellowstone

A young girl died Sunday morning after falling into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

The girl and family members had parked their vehicle in a trailhead parking area along the North Rim Drive, a short scenic route off the park’s Grand Loop Road near Canyon Village. The group was about two-thirds of the way down the trail to the Brink of the Lower Falls observation platform when the child reportedly stepped off the trail and then lost her footing. She fell approximately 550 feet into the canyon.

Park personnel retrieved her body around noon on Sunday.

The child’s name, age, state and hometown are being withheld pending notification of family members. The incident remains under investigation.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Body of Missing Man in Yellowstone Has Been Recovered

The body of a young man missing in Yellowstone National Park since last Monday evening has been recovered.

Twenty-two year old Darien Latty had gone tubing Monday with friends on the Lamar River near Tower Junction. Shortly after reaching the point where the Lamar River flows into the Yellowstone River, his two companions managed to get to the river's edge and get out of the much faster moving water. Latty was last seen being swept downstream, separated from his inner tube and without a life jacket.

Search efforts began Monday evening. At its peak, over 50 people were involved in the search including a helicopter, three dog teams, and several groups of searchers on foot.

Late Friday searchers spotted what they thought was a submerged body pinned to a large rock in a very steep and dangerous section of the Yellowstone River, about 1/4 mile downstream from where Latty was last seen.

A swiftwater rescue team from Gallatin County, Montana, was called in Saturday to navigate the river. Using kayaks and a raft anchored to both banks of the river, they were able to dislodge and recover Latty’s body Saturday afternoon. A helicopter was utilized to remove his body from the remote area.

The corner made a positive identification Saturday evening.

Latty, who was from northeastern Georgia community of Demorest, was in Yellowstone working as a summer seasonal employee at Roosevelt Lodge. An autopsy will be conducted to confirm the cause of death.

Floating the river is prohibited by park regulations.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Construction Work To Result In Yellowstone Road Closures After Labor Day

Two sections of Yellowstone’s Grand Loop Road will be closed due to construction after the Labor Day holiday weekend. Travel between some points will involve long detours and significantly longer than normal travel times.

The road linking Old Faithful with West Thumb and Grant Village will be closed for the season starting 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2nd, so the bridge at Isa Lake can be removed and replaced.

This road closure will require visitors traveling between the South Entrance and Old Faithful or West Yellowstone to detour through Fishing Bridge Junction and Canyon, increasing the travel time by approximately two hours.

Despite the closure, visitors will still be able to drive south from Old Faithful as far as the trailhead to Lone Star Geyser and north from West Thumb Junction to access the DeLacy Creek trailhead.

In addition, the road from Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris will be closed due to construction from 11 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, until 7 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30.

During this closure, travel between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris will require a detour through Tower Junction and Canyon, a drive of approximately 90 minutes. Visitors traveling between Mammoth Hot Springs and West Yellowstone should plan on the trip taking approximately two and a half hours.

Visitors will still be able to access the road to Sheepeater Cliff from the north and Norris Campground from the south during this two week road closure. Indian Creek Campground closes for the season on Sept. 8, before this road closure goes into effect.

Before and after the full closure, expect construction delays of up to 30 minutes on this road segment. This section of road will also be closed nightly between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. prior to the Sept. 14 full closure, except over the holiday weekend.

There is one ongoing road project immediately outside the park's North Entrance. Travelers can expect 24 hour access with brief delays on a short section of US-89 through Gardiner, Mont., starting Monday, Sept. 1.

With careful planning, those traveling from North to South or East to West through Yellowstone should experience limited impacts to their travel times. Travelers are encouraged to consult the Official Park Map to plan their travel around the road closures. The map is distributed to visitors at park entrance stations and is also available online. Detailed road information is available 24 hours a day online or by calling 307-344-2117.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Hiker Injured on Mt. Siyeh

Glacier National Park personnel responded to a medical emergency on Sunday, August 10th. Personnel met the injured party along the Continental Divide Trail in the Siyeh area. Two hikers, a father and son from Alabama, were climbing down from Mount Siyeh when a boulder was dislodged. The 21 year old son avoided the direct impact from the boulder but did receive injuries from the glancing blow of the rock and subsequent 200 foot tumble. He sustained lacerations to his head and chin, among other injuries.

In an attempt to summon aid, the father waved his arms while yelling. He then fired one gunshot toward a solid surface to indicate that an emergency was occurring. Nearby hikers reported hearing the gunshot and yelling. One hiker aided the father and son as they began hiking out. Park personnel met them on the trail before the junction between Siyeh Pass Trail and Piegan Pass Trail. Two Bear Air hoisted them to West Glacier where they were picked up by Three Rivers Ambulance and taken to North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.

The boulder was estimated to weigh 200 pounds by the father. Falling boulders can pose a serious safety hazard, especially off trail in the higher elevations. Glacier’s rock is predominantly sedimentary. Sedimentary rock can fragment easily causing rock slides. We encourage climbers to wear helmets and avoid climbing directly below one another.

Visitors are allowed to carry a firearm in Glacier National Park. Federal law, as of 2010, allows the carrying of firearms within national parks and wildlife refuges consistent with state law. Although visitors are allowed to carry firearms, it is illegal to discharge a firearm in Glacier National Park.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Make Plans Now for a Great Fall Hiking Trip to Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park is a great place to visit anytime of the year, but during the fall it's an especially wonderful time. In addition to weather that is usually spectacular, and with fewer crowds, hikers will have many options for viewing beautiful fall colors, especially those of aspens and western larch.

Roughly 55% of Glacier National Park is covered by forest. Of that percentage, roughly 90% is coniferous forest. The remaining 10% is considered to be deciduous forest, and is primarily made up of aspen, western larch and black cottonwood.

Some of the best places to see aspens, in all their shimmering golden yellow and orange glory, are on the eastern side of the Continental Divide. Towards the end of September is usually the best time to see aspens at their peak, and some of the best trails to find them include Redrock Falls, Bullhead Lake, Swiftcurrent Pass and Apikuni Falls in the Many Glacier area, Oldman Lake, Pitamakan Pass and Firebrand Pass in the Two Medicine area, the Beaver Pond Loop near the St. Mary entrance, as well as the Forest and Fire Nature Trail near the Camas Creek Entrance (just north of Apgar). Bowman Lake near the northwestern corner of the park is another great option.

Western larch:

The western and southern portions of Glacier are some of the best places to see larch as they turn bright yellow during the mid-to-late October timeframe. Although western larch, also known as tamaracks, appears to be an evergreen, they’re actually needle-bearing deciduous trees. After turning golden yellow in the fall, these trees lose their needles, and appear to be dead during the winter months.

If you wish to hike among the larch during the fall, visit any of the trails from the Sperry Chalet Trailhead near the Lake McDonald Lodge. This would include hikes up to Sperry Chalet, Snyder Lake and the Mt. Brown Lookout. On the western end of Lake McDonald, Rocky Point is another great choice. Any of the trails on the southern end of the park, such as Loneman Lookout, Scalplock Mountain Lookout or the South Boundary Trail, are all excellent options for viewing tamaracks at peak color.

The park strongly urges autumn hikers to make sure they are familiar with safety precautions while traveling in bear country, and to be prepared for variable temperatures and rapidly changing weather conditions.

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If you do plan to visit Glacier this fall, be sure to visit the accommodation page on our hiking website to help with all your vacation planning.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Search Underway For Man Missing In Northern Yellowstone

A search is underway in Yellowstone National Park for a young man from Georgia who was swept down the Yellowstone River near Tower Junction Monday evening.

Three young concession employees reportedly used inner tubes to float the Lamar River on Monday. Floating the river is prohibited by park regulations due to safety concerns.

Shortly after reaching the confluence of the Lamar and Yellowstone Rivers, two of the men got out of the water.

The third man, 22 year old Darien Latty, was last seen about 7:30 p.m. Monday being propelled downstream by the rushing water, without either an inner tube or life jacket.

Initial search efforts Monday evening failed to turn up any sign of Latty, who is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 140 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Search efforts were increased Tuesday, with a helicopter, 3 dog teams, and several small groups of people searching the Yellowstone River corridor from Tower Junction downstream to Gardiner, Montana. Approximately 50 people had been dedicated to the search effort as of mid-afternoon Tuesday.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Darien Latty is asked to call Yellowstone National Park at 307-344-2642.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Glacier Park Awards New Chalet Concession Contract

The National Park Service has selected Belton Chalets, Inc. to operate Granite Park and Sperry Chalets under a new ten year concession contract in Glacier National Park. The existing concession contract will expire on December 31, 2014, and the new concession contract will take effect January 1, 2015.

The new concession contract is for the seasonal concession operation of two backcountry chalets: Granite Park Chalet and Sperry Chalet. Granite Park Chalet is a hiker shelter providing lodging accommodations and kitchen facilities for guests to prepare their own meals. Sperry Chalet is a backcountry hotel with lodging accommodations and meals provided by the operator. Services will include environmental education programs for guests, limited sales of snacks and emergency care items, and vehicle transportation for guests to and from the trailheads leading to the chalets.

The Belton Chalets, Inc. has a long history with the chalets. They operated the chalets from 1954-1992, Granite Park Chalet 1996-97, Sperry Chalet 1999-2004 and both chalets again from 2005-2014.

The competitive process for the concessions contract was initiated earlier this year with the release of a prospectus. All offers had to be submitted to the National Park Service by May 19, 2014. An evaluation panel of National Park Service technical experts outside Glacier National Park performed a comprehensive analysis of the proposals and selected the best responsive proposal based on factors identified in the prospectus.

Both chalets can be reached from several trails, including the Highline Trail to the Granite Park Chalet, and the Sperry Trail to the Sperry Chalet.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Critically Injured Climber Rescued from Grand Teton

An out-of-state climber sustained life-threatening injuries in an apparent fall while attempting to make a solo summit of the 13,770-foot Grand Teton on Friday morning, August 8. Grand Teton National Park rangers successfully rescued Steve Markusen, 60, of Minneapolis, Minnesota from the Grand Teton; however, dense clouds and inclement weather affected the rescue operations throughout much of the afternoon and hindered a more expedient short-haul rescue mission with support by a Teton Interagency contract helicopter.

Free climbing alone—without a climbing harness, rope or helmet—Markusen had reached an elevation of 13,300 feet on the Grand Teton, and had reached a point midway between the Friction Pitch and V-Pitch on the upper Exum Ridge route when the accident occurred. Although Markusen was unable to recall exactly what happened, he believes he may have been struck by a rock, which caused him to fall or tumble possibly 100 feet down the steep, granite slabs strewn with loose rock that lie above the Friction Pitch. Markusen incurred extensive traumatic injuries during his 'tumbling' fall.

Two climbers in a separate party came upon Markusen, but did not have a cell phone to call for help. They continued to the summit of the Grand Teton, about 400 vertical feet beyond, where they located other climbers with a cell phone and called the Jenny Lake Ranger Station. In the meantime, another party of two climbers encountered Markusen and they began to provide first aid as they also placed a 911 call. The Teton Interagency Dispatch Center and Jenny Lake Rescue Cache received near simultaneous calls for help at 11:20 a.m. from these separate climbing groups.

About an hour later, while the park's rescue operation was now underway, a third climbing party with four firefighters from Boston, Massachusetts also came upon Markusen and the two climbers who were assisting him. Two of the Boston climbers had medical training and they stayed with Markusen to provide advanced medical assistance until park rangers arrived. Due to the threat of an approaching storm, all the other climbers continued to the Grand's summit.

The inclement weather, consisting of thick cloud cover, hindered visibility during an aerial reconnaissance by the Teton Interagency contract helicopter. Although Markusen's location was eventually pinpointed, because of the cloud cover high on the mountain, a ground-based rescue mission was initiated. The Teton Interagency ship flew seven park rangers and a Teton Interagency helitack crew member to the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton (elevation 11,600 feet), which was below the thick clouds.

From the Lower Saddle, two rangers made a 'blitz' ascent with minimal gear to quickly reach the critically injured climber and begin emergency medical care. Four additional rangers carried all the equipment necessary for a possible extended ground rescue. Fortunately, a break in the weather allowed for one ranger and a rescue litter to be short-hauled to the accident site. The short-haul rescue technique involves suspending a rescuer (and/or rescue gear such as a litter) on a length of rope below a hovering helicopter;the rescuer is then tactically 'inserted' onto a cliff or ledge near the patient where a helicopter cannot safely land. The ranger who was short-hauled, and inserted with a rescue litter at the accident site, began emergency medical care. He was soon joined by the first two rangers who advanced on foot from the Lower Saddle to ascend the lower portion of the Owen-Spalding route and traverse the granite wall to the accident site.

Together, the three rangers prepared Markusen for a short-haul flight off the mountain, and he was flown to the Jenny Lake Rescue Cache at Lupine Meadows on the valley floor for transport to a medical facility.

Markusen's injuries were serious enough to warrant a life-flight to Eastern Idaho Medical Center in Idaho Falls; however, inclement weather in nearby Idaho also prevented the Air Idaho flight. Instead, Grand Teton rangers, emergency medical technicians and paramedics set up a temporary emergency room inside the Jenny Lake Rescue Cache to stabilize Markusen before transporting him by park ambulance to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson, Wyoming. Markusen arrived at the local hospital at 4:20 p.m., over five hours after his fall.

Markusen was fortunate that other climbers discovered him promptly because he was dazed and teetering over a thousand-foot precipice. It was also fortunate that a rescue operation could be mounted to evacuate him to an area hospital because his injuries were life-threatening and the consequences of his accident could have been much worse.

Park rangers strongly advise climbers to wear helmets and carry appropriate climbing gear whenever making a summit attempt. Rangers also advise against solo climbing because of the added risk in the event of an accident.

The current weather pattern—involving a monsoonal flow of moisture over Grand Teton National Park and northwestern Wyoming—is causing significant afternoon thunderstorms with heavy rain over the Teton Range. Park rangers advised climbers to be prepared for these challenging weather conditions.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Happy Birthday Smokey Bear!

Tomorrow marks the 70th birthday of one of the most recognizable characters in American history. On August 9, 1944, the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Campaign published the very first Smokey Bear poster (photo below).

The Ad campaign came about as a result of World War II. Thinking that wildfires could be used as a weapon, the Japanese military in 1942 began making attempts at starting wildfires along the coastal forests of southwest Oregon. Between November of 1944 and April of 1945 the Japanese began a campaign of launching more than 9000 "fusen bakudan", or fire balloons, into the jet stream. The balloons were equipped with a 15 kilogram antipersonnel bomb and two incendiary devices, which were designed to explode upon impact. It's estimated that 300 to 1000 of the balloons made it to the United States, including as far inland as Iowa and Michigan.

Fortunately the strategy had very little impact, though six people were tragically killed. On May 5, 1945, a teacher and her school children were on an outing near Lakeview, Oregon when they found one of the balloons in the woods. While dragging it out of the forest the bomb exploded and killed the teacher, Elsie Mitchell, as well as five of the children, all between the ages of 11 and 13.

Though not successful in starting any major wildfires, the potential for mass destruction was still present. Since most able-bodied men were serving in the military at that time, none could be spared to help fight forest fires. The goal of the Smokey Bear Ad campaign was to educate the public about the danger of forest fires in the hope that local communities would prevent them from being started. Although the message has changed, that campaign continues to this day.

According to a 2009 report by the Ad Council, Smokey Bear and his message are recognized by 95% of adults and 77% of children.

To help celebrate his 70th birthday, here's a video montage of Smokey Bear Ads throughout the years:





Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Otters Attack Boy at Lake of the Woods near Kalispell

Two adult otters attacked and injured a boy on Monday, August 4th, at Lake of the Woods near Echo Lake, east of Kalispell.

The attack was reported to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks by 911 dispatch. The otters attacked the boy while he was swimming in the lake. According to FWP Investigator Brian Sommers, the boy received multiple bite wounds to his legs. Sommers said that the boy was treated and released on Tuesday from St. Luke Clinic in Polson.

FWP personnel searched the site of the attack the following night, but did not locate the otters. FWP will continue to monitor the situation. FWP spoke with residents on the lake informing them of the attack.

Otters have occasionally been aggressive. Recreationists should use caution around these aquatic members of the weasel family. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services recommends seeking medical attention and contacting your local public health department if bitten by any animal.

FWP is actively investigating the incident.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Two Fires Suppressed In Jackson Lake Lodge

Grand Teton engine companies, with support from two Jackson Hole Fire and EMS stations, responded to two fires and two alarms within Jackson Lake Lodge within four days.

On the evening of Thursday, July 30th, a flash fire broke out when a server opened the door of a “hot box” designed to keep food warm during catering events. While lodge personnel attempted to extinguish the fire with water, the building alarm activated and the building was evacuated.

The fire was contained to the hot box and responding engine companies checked the building to ensure that no other ignition had occurred. Investigation revealed that the seals on the hot box had failed, allowing pyrolysis to create off-gassing from the fiberglass insulation. The gases that had built up inside the hot box had been instantly ignited by open sterno flames in the bottom of the box when the server opened the door.

Around 2:30 p.m. on the afternoon of Sunday, August 3rd, alarms were activated in the Jackson Lake Lodge by smoke coming from HVAC vents in the Explorers Room, a large conference room capable of hosting more than 400 people.

Responding units included engines, an ambulance and a truck company. During an extended search of more than two hours, teams followed the smoke back to a heat exchanger in the HVAC system, where charred debris from an unknown source was found in the heating system. The facility was reopened to the public at 5 p.m.

There were also two fire alarms on August 3rd. One occurred in the morning, when an unknown individual pulled a fire alarm box on the rear deck of the Jackson Lake Lodge; the other occurred during the HVAC incident when an alarm activated in the Jackson Lake Lodge employee laundry for an unknown cause.

The effective responses to these incidents came about through cross training between the park and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS and Teton County, including weekly fire meetings, EMS refreshers, in-service opportunities, and county-wide emergency drills.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Guided Hike Through Scenic Little Belt Mountains At Sluice Boxes State Park

Montana State Parks is offering a guided hike through the scenic Little Belt Mountains at Sluice Boxes State Park on Saturday, August 16th at 9am.

Join Montana State Park Rangers for a guided hike through Sluice Boxes State Park, located 15 miles south of Great Falls. Enjoy beautiful scenery and wildlife viewing as you wind your way among the soaring cliffs of Belt Creek Canyon in the Little Belt Mountains. The hike is moderately strenuous with no river crossings.

Participants need to be in good physical condition and be able to hike approximately 6 miles round-trip on sections of steep, rocky, uneven ground. Hikers should wear appropriate clothing and footwear, and bring a light lunch and plentiful supply of water.

The hike is limited to 15 participants. Registration is required. The hike is FREE, though regular park fees apply. For more information or to reserve your spot, please call Richard Parenteau at (406) 866-2217.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Food Storage Violations May Force Euthanization of Black Bear(s)

Grand Teton National Park biologists and park managers implore ALL visitors to be more vigilant and responsible about food storage at all park locations, especially at the popular beach areas along String Lake and Jenny Lake, as well as Jackson Lake near the Signal Mountain and Colter Bay campgrounds. Many visitors—including a number of local residents—have neglected to safeguard coolers, day packs and/or tote bags from the reach of bears that are actively roaming these lake shore areas.

Grand Teton National Park requires all visitors to follow food storage regulations to protect both humans and bears. Picnickers and people enjoying water sports around String Lake and other lake shore beaches have repeatedly ignored park regulations and neglected to secure food items in either bear boxes and/or vehicles whenever these items are not within arm's reach.

Because of careless people, at least one bear has received multiple human-food rewards at String Lake during the past week. This bear is now subject to management action, such as relocation or euthanization.

An ice chest or picnic cooler is NOT bear resistant. Any bear searching for natural foods can easily gain access to unattended coolers or day packs, especially when these items are left unattended—even for just a couple of minutes.Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee approved bear resistant coolers are available for purchase and MUST be padlocked or bolted closed to be considered bear resistant. For more information, please click here.

Unfortunately, the failure to secure human food items and other bear attractants often leads to the death of a bear. Earlier this summer, a black bear was euthanized after exhibiting nuisance behavior in the Jenny Lake and String Lake areas. The need for euthanization is often preventable, but only with responsible actions by park visitors—locals and out-of-state visitors alike. All excuses aside, a fed bear is often a dead bear, and only appropriate food storage can prevent such an undesirable outcome.

If compliance with food storage regulations does not improve, park rangers will need to take stronger actions, including confiscation of food items and other bear attractants that are unsecured, as well as citations with fines. A ban on possession of food items at lake shore locations may also become necessary to protect bears.

In 2008, several bear boxes were installed along the east shore of String Lake to provide convenient and secure storage for food items and other bear attractants. These bear boxes were purchased and installed thanks to generous donations made to the Grand Teton National Park Foundation as part of a campaign aimed at providing bear resistant food storage lockers in all front country campgrounds and other high use areas. For anyone interested in contributing to the worthy campaign, please click here.

Grand Teton National Park Superintendent David Vela strongly urges visitors to follow park rules that are designed to protect both humans and bears, and to responsibly maintain proper food security so that bears will not become a nuisance and run the risk of an adverse management action.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

The Going-to-the-Sun Road from a GoPro Motorcycle Camera

Below is an excellent video of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, taken from the perspective of a GoPro Motorcycle Camera. It was shot by Paul Johnston just a few weeks ago. I would say the music fits the mood and the beautiful scenery perfectly:


Glacier's Unbelievable "Going to the Sun" Road - A GoPro Motorcycle Video from Paul Johnston on Vimeo.


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If you're planning to visit Glacier National Park this summer or fall, please help support HikinginGlacier.com by supporting the sponsors on our Accommodations page.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com