Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Intermittent closures of Teton Park Road across Jackson Lake Dam

The Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Snake Field Office, is temporarily closing the Teton Park Road across the Jackson Lake Dam in Grand Teton National Park on an intermittent basis beginning Tuesday, October 5 through Friday, October 29 to perform crane work on the dam.

Crane work will take place to set and move the bulkhead gate to inspect and perform maintenance work on multiple reservoir release gates at the Jackson Lake Dam.

The first two closures are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, October 5 and Wednesday, October 6. Additional closures and timing will be dependent on maintenance requirements and weather conditions. Closures will occur on the Teton Park Road across Jackson Lake Dam between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, for a period of up to two hours for each closure. No evening or weekend work is planned at this time. When additional closures are scheduled, they will be communicated via Grand Teton National Park’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

During this time, travelers will not be able to make a through-trip on the Teton Park Road. Those wishing to access the northern part of Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park may want to take U.S. Highway 89/191/287. Access to the Snake River, including the boat launch and fishing area below the dam will be available north of Jackson Lake Dam during this time.

Variable message boards advising visitors of the closures will be operational 24 hours in advance, staged at Jackson Lake Junction and near Signal Mountain Lodge. Flaggers will staff hard closures north of Jackson Lake Dam and south of Catholic Bay Picnic Area.

Further information about this maintenance work can be obtained from Reclamation’s Upper Snake Field Office by contacting Keith Brooks at (208) 678-0461.

Work schedules may change, or be delayed, due to weather conditions, equipment malfunction, or other extenuating circumstances.


Jeff
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Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Injured Bear Euthanized After Vehicle Collision in Glacier NP

On September 23 at approximately 2 p.m., an injured black bear was discovered along Going-to-the-Sun Road two miles east of Rising Sun.

An initial investigation by the National Park Service indicated the bear suffered unsurvivable traumatic injuries from contact with a vehicle at approximately 1:40 p.m., September 23. Rangers, after consulting with the park’s wildlife biologist, euthanized the bear.

A field necropsy revealed a severely broken jaw, an injured foreleg and a potentially damaged ribcage and lung area. The male bear was estimated to be 2.5-5 years old and appeared to be in otherwise good health.

The visitor who hit the bear did not report the incident, so the circumstances of the collision are unknown. The location of the incident was in an area with vegetation close to the road, which could have obscured the bear’s movement onto the road and may have played a role.

While traveling in the park, it is important to remember that all roadways traverse wildlife habitat and speed limits should be observed for the safety of not only people, but wildlife as well. Slower speeds allow drivers more time to react to the movements of wildlife that may be obscured from immediate view. If you have a motor vehicle incident in the park, report it to the nearest Ranger or Visitor Center to prevent further harm to other visitors who could happen upon the animal along the roadway or other wildlife who may come to scavenge on the carcass.


Jeff
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Sunday, September 26, 2021

Grand Teton hosts fourth busiest August

Grand Teton National Park statistics show that August 2021 had the fourth highest number of recreation visits for the month of August. The park hosted an estimated 696,564 recreation visits in August 2021. This is a less than 1% decrease from August 2019 (702,022 recreation visits) and a less than 2% decrease from August 2020 (710,198 recreation visits).

Camping in the park increased 13.2% in August 2021 compared to August 2019, while backcountry camping decreased 1.77%. Trail use in the park increased 20.5% in August 2021, compared to August 2019, on trails that use is counted.

August recreation visits over the last several years:

August 2021 696,564
August 2020 710,198 (COVID-19 pandemic)
August 2019 702,022
August 2018 692,074
August 2017 716,690 (Total Solar Eclipse)
August 2016 633,657 (Berry Fire)

Additional data on National Park Service visitor-use statistics is available at irma.nps.gov/STATS/.

Park staff are collecting data and conducting studies to better understand changing visitation trends in Grand Teton National Park. Historically, July and August have been the busiest months of the year at the park. Recent trends include increased visitation in the spring and fall.

Grand Teton National Park staff initiated several studies this summer regarding changing visitation, including visitor-use and experience studies at Colter Bay, Taggart and Lupine Meadows trailheads. These studies surveyed visitors in these areas to gain a better understanding of visitor demographics, visitor expectations, and more.

Researchers also placed a variety of vehicle movement monitoring equipment in the park through mid-August.

Visitor services at Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway are beginning to wind down from the summer season. All visitors to Grand Teton are highly encouraged to plan ahead, recreate responsibly and help ensure this iconic landscape may be enjoyed by future generations.


Jeff
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Friday, September 24, 2021

Glacier Park Releases Data After Ticketed Entry Pilot Program

Glacier National Park is reporting another busy year with 2,354,475 visitors through August.

A pilot ticketed entry system was implemented on Going-to-the-Sun Road for the 2021 season to; help manage high traffic volumes during a predicted high visitor season; avoid traffic back-ups onto US Highway 2 during construction; and operate with reduced staff and services due to COVID-19 mitigations. The goals of ticketed entry included shaving off the high peaks in traffic to reduce congestion on the Going-to-the-Sun Road and avoiding gridlock that could block emergency traffic.

On opening day for Going-to-the-Sun Road, there was a 10% increase in vehicles over 2019. In a July press release, Glacier National Park incorrectly reported a 41% increase of Going-to-the-Sun Road traffic over 2019 on opening day. This inaccuracy occurred because of a data error that has been corrected.

“In our attempt to use real-time data to monitor the traffic on Going-to-the-Sun Road, we discovered a data error that made it appear as though we had a larger increase in traffic over 2019,” said acting Superintendent Pete Webster. “Although the reported increase in July was not accurate, overall ticketed entry has met the goals we set out to achieve.”

Between Memorial Day weekend through the end of August, there was a 12% decrease in vehicles on Going-to-the-Sun Road from 2019, reflecting the park’s goal to shave off spikes in traffic volume.

Visitation parkwide year-to-date through August was 3.8% lower than 2019. While Going-to-the-Sun Road vehicle entry decreased this year, alternate entrances to the park saw increased visitation, resulting in frequent closures. Vehicle entry during June through August at Two Medicine was up almost 33%, the highest on record, and the North Fork almost 20% over 2019 numbers.

Construction on Many Glacier Road throughout the season caused the traffic counter to malfunction in June and July, a situation that has been remedied for the remaining season. Alternative calculations based on current and previous year trail counts and visitation needed to be developed to estimate the traffic counts, which delayed the park’s reporting on visitation statistics for June and July.

The list below shows the year-to-date visitation trends through August since 2016.

2021 – 2,354,475
2020 – 1,171,847
2019 – 2,447,377
2018 – 2,399,298
2017 – 2,803,044
2016 – 2,344,592

In 2020, high visitation on Going-to-the-Sun Road resulted in congestion and required 28 closures of GTSR between June 8-September 9 to avoid gridlock. This year, ticketed entry successfully dispersed entry and exit patterns on the Going-to-the-Sun Road at peak times, allowing the West Entrance to remain open throughout the main portion of the 2021 summer season. Based on the number of arriving vehicles, in the absence of the ticketed entry system, the park would very likely have had to close the West Entrance gate at least 35 times during the summer season. It also provided certainty to visitors with an entry ticket that they would be able to enter the park rather than being turned away due to closure of the West Entrance because of congestion and gridlock.

An average of 19% of vehicles arrived at the West Glacier and St. Mary entrances without a Going-to-the-Sun entry ticket or other reservation between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This number continued to trend downward and was closer to 14% at season’s end. Every diverted visitor was provided an opportunity to speak to a park ranger and receive information on how to experience the park without a ticket.

Now that the pilot program has ended, congestion on Going-to-the-Sun Road is being managed through temporary closures of the West Entrance as necessary. The West Entrance has had three closures, on September 7, 8, and 14 since the ticketed entry program ended.

Park officials will use the information gathered during the 2021 pilot to determine how to move forward in 2022. The park is holding discussions with stakeholders and hopes to announce a decision by late fall.

As a reminder, construction continues in and around the park. Visitors can check the Montana Department of Transportation website for updates on Highway 2 construction.


Jeff
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Wednesday, September 22, 2021

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 (you can also read her official biography):




Jeff
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Thursday, September 16, 2021

Public Input Sought on Proposed Air Tour Management Plan for Glacier National Park

The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are seeking public feedback on a draft Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) that is being proposed for Glacier National Park.

The agencies encourage anyone with an interest in or concern about air tours over Glacier National Park to review and comment on the draft ATMP. The proposed plan would authorize the existing commercial air tour operators to provide up to 144 air tours per year on defined routes. This is the three-year average between 2017-2019 for these operators. The draft ATMP also includes a provision to phase out commercial air tours through attrition, which is consistent with the Park’s General Management Plan.

Public feedback can be provided through the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website through October 3, 2021. The NPS and FAA will consider comments to help inform the final ATMP for Glacier National Park. The project website is available at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/GlacierATMP

A public meeting for Glacier National Park’s ATMP is scheduled Tuesday, September 21, 2021 at 4:30-6:00 pm MT / 6:30-8:00 pm ET and will be livestreamed via YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Links to meeting notifications and recordings will be posted to the project website.

“We encourage anyone who is interested in air tours over the park to share their thoughts on the proposed plan for Glacier National Park on the project website,” said Pete Webster, Acting Superintendent. “The draft plan continues scenic air tour activity over the park at current levels while reducing the number of flight allocations annually from what was set during the interim operating authority provided by the National Air Tour Management Act. It achieves the direction, set forth in Glacier’s General Management Plan, to eventually phase out air tour activity over Glacier National Park.”

Glacier National Park is among 24 parks of the National Park System developing air tour management plans in cooperation with the FAA. The agencies hope to complete all air tour management plans by the end of August 2022. The schedule is part of a plan approved by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for the agencies to comply with the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 within two years.

Please visit this NPS site and this FAA site for more detailed information about air tour management plans.


Jeff
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Monday, September 13, 2021

Dust abatement activities on Moose-Wilson Road September 14-16

The unpaved section of the Moose-Wilson Road in Grand Teton National Park will be temporarily closed for seasonal dust abatement beginning 4 a.m. Tuesday, September 14 and will reopen by 8 a.m. Thursday, September 16. This routine dust abatement application happens several times during the summer on the approximately one-mile of unpaved section of the seven-mile road.

During the dust abatement application September 14-16, motorists and bicyclists must plan to use an alternate route as this temporary closure will prevent making a ‘through trip’ on the Moose-Wilson Road between the Granite Canyon Entrance Station and the Teton Park Road at Moose, Wyoming.

For those wishing to reach the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve parking area or Death Canyon trailhead, access will be possible by traveling south from the Teton Park Road Junction near the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center.

Electronic signs will be placed on Wyoming Highway 390 to alert park visitors and local residents of the scheduled road closure. For travelers heading south to Teton Village from the Moose area, signs will also be placed near the junction of the Teton Park Road.

The product used for dust abatement is a slurry of magnesium chloride, the same product that is used to treat dirt roads in and around Jackson Hole. This product coats the road surface, but it can also adhere to the undercarriage of vehicles. Motorists who drive the unpaved portion of the Moose-Wilson Road after it reopens on Thursday may want to rinse off their vehicles to eliminate any residue.

Roadwork schedules may change, or be delayed, due to weather conditions, equipment malfunction, or other extenuating circumstances.


Jeff
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Friday, September 10, 2021

Popular trail in Shoshone National Forest gets upgraded

Following the completion of a month-long project, individuals using the North Fork Trail on the Washakie Ranger District of the Shoshone National Forest will see noticeable improvements. After years of overuse, which resulted in a trenched trail that would often flood during the spring, the North Fork Trail posed a danger for hikers and pack strings alike.

“We couldn’t have completed this project without funding from the Great American Outdoors Act and our partnership with the Montana Conservation Corps (MCC),” said Washakie District Ranger Steve Schacht. “Along with staff from the Shoshone National Forest, the MCC crew completed four miles of trail work to ensure the trail remains a viable access route for the Popo Agie Wilderness and the popular Cirque of the Towers.”

Some of the work completed on the North Fork Trail includes the removal of heavy brush, widening of the trail corridor, removal of berms, and installation of grade reversals, drain dips, check steps, and water bars. A 500-foot reroute was completed through dense timber to by-pass swampy a section of the trail.

The work completed on the North Fork Trail will improve drainage and mitigate erosion on the trail for years to come. This successful project will increase public access, protect valuable natural resources, and allow the American public to continue to enjoy this treasured area for years to come.


Jeff
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Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Fire danger increases to high for Teton Interagency area

Teton Interagency fire managers have elevated the fire danger rating to high for Grand Teton National Park, the Bridger-Teton National Forest and the National Elk Refuge beginning today, September 8.

A high fire danger rating means fires can start easily and spread quickly. When determining fire danger, fire managers use several indicators such as the moisture content of grasses, shrubs, and trees; projected weather conditions including temperatures and possible wind events; the ability of fire to spread after ignition; and availability of firefighting resources across the country.

Public land users can help prevent wildfires by not having a fire at all and instead dressing for success with layers and warm clothes.

Fire managers advise recreationists, particularly campers and hunters, to use caution if choosing to build and maintain a campfire. In areas where campfires are allowed, fires should never be unattended and must be completely extinguished before leaving. So far this year, there have been more than 155 illegal and abandoned campfires in the Teton Interagency Fire area. Unattended or abandoned campfires and warming fires can quickly escalate into wildfires and recreationists can be held liable for suppression costs if their campfire becomes a wildfire.

All campers and day users should have a shovel on hand and a water bucket ready for use if choosing to have a fire. Soak, stir, feel, repeat. It is extremely important that all campfires are “dead out” and cold to the touch before leaving.

To report a fire or smoke in the immediate area, call the Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch Center at 307-739-3630. Learn more about fire safety at TetonFires.com.


Jeff
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Monday, September 6, 2021

Missing Hiker Found in Glacier National Park

The body of a recently missing Richmond, Virginia woman has been located in Glacier National Park early yesterday afternoon.

Jennifer Coleman, who was reported missing Wednesday, September 1, was found deceased in a steep and rocky area near the Continental Divide.

Rescuers will extract Coleman’s body when weather conditions permit. Air operations were halted yesterday due to high winds in the incident area. Coleman’s family has been notified.

The search in Glacier started after the vehicle was found by park officials on Wednesday afternoon in the Logan Pass parking lot. The search continued through Sunday, with the search area and number of search and rescue personnel increasing as the search went on. As many as 50 personnel had joined the search by Sunday.

Cause of death is currently under investigation.

Glacier National Park thanks the public’s response to the tip line. Although the end result was not the one searchers hoped for, public tips were key to a faster resolution of the search. Glacier National Park would also like to thank Flathead County Sheriff’s Department, Glacier County Sheriff’s Department, Two Bear Air Rescue, and the Flathead National Forest for their cooperation and support.


Jeff
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Sunday, September 5, 2021

Deceased Climber Discovered on Teewinot Mountain in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park rangers responded yesterday to a report from a climber ascending Teewinot Mountain of a deceased male at the base of the Black Chimney climbing route. Rangers arrived to the scene and recovered the remains of the deceased climber. The National Park Service is conducting an investigation into the accident.

The deceased climber appears to have been climbing alone with the intent of climbing the East Face route based on the marked map found with him. Route finding is difficult in the area.

Details on the deceased are being withheld until next-of-kin notifications are completed.


Jeff
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Friday, September 3, 2021

Search for Missing Visitor Near Logan Pass Underway

Search efforts are underway in Glacier National Park for Jennifer Lee Coleman, a 34-year-old Virginia resident.

Coleman was supposed to check out of the West Glacier KOA on Tuesday, August 31 and was believed to be hiking around Logan Pass on August 30th or 31st. An extended team of ground searchers will continue searching today in cooperation with Flathead County Search and Rescue, Two Bear Air Rescue, Flathead County Sherriff’s Department, and the Flathead National Forest.

Coleman is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and approximately 128 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. She is possibly wearing a tank top, spandex pants, sunglasses, brown slip-on two toned boots, a turquoise and pink flower scarf, and a dark colored day pack.

Coleman’s last known itinerary is believed to be hiking solo on Monday, August 30 possibly to the Dragon’s Tail or Highline Trail. Her vehicle has been located at Logan Pass.

Anyone that may have information or was in the area and saw an individual that fits the description is encouraged to contact the park tip line at 406-888-7077.


Jeff
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Food-Conditioned Black Bear Euthanized near Many Glacier Campground

Yesterday, Glacier National Park staff euthanized a black bear in the Many Glacier area after it obtained human foods and exhibited behavior that put human safety at risk.

Many Glacier Campground recently restricted campers to hard-sided vehicles due to the presence of the bear. The campground is now open to all camper types again, including tents.

On Saturday, August 28, the black bear was reported moving through the Many Glacier Campground and was not readily responsive to attempts to move it out of campsites.

On Sunday, August 29, the bear returned and was observed snatching apples out of an open trunk while visitors were nearby packing their vehicle. The bear then proceeded to eat the apples at the campsite, exhibiting little fear of humans. While park staff attempted to verbally haze the bear out of the campground, the bear tried to stop at another campsite where people were preparing breakfast and after being hazed out into the woods, returned half an hour later.

Based on photographs and visitor reports, it is possible this could be the same bear that was approaching people and exhibiting unusual behavior near Grinnell Lake last week, resulting in closure of the Grinnell Lake trail on August 25th. DNA samples collected from both sites will be tested and compared to determine if the same animal was involved in both incidents.

On Wednesday, September 1, the adult female bear was trapped in a culvert trap near the Many Glacier housing area.

In accordance with Glacier National Park’s Bear Management Plan, and in consultation with park wildlife biologists, the bear was euthanized. The bear was estimated to be around four-years old and approximately 120 pounds. A field necropsy revealed it to be in otherwise healthy condition.

Food-conditioned bears are those that have sought and obtained non-natural foods, destroyed property, or displayed aggressive, non-defensive behavior towards humans and are removed from the wild. Given this bear’s behavior and successful acquisition of human foods the decision was made to remove the animal from the park. Once a bear has become food-conditioned, hazing and aversive conditioning are unlikely to be successful in reversing this type of behavior. Food-conditioned bears are not relocated due to human safety concerns.

Black bears are not good candidates for animal capture facilities such as zoos and animal parks due to the plentiful nature of the species throughout the United States.

Visitors are reminded to keep campgrounds and developed areas clean and free of food and trash. Local residents and businesses located in and around the park are reminded to secure all types of non-natural food sources including garbage, livestock feed, pet food, bird seed, and hummingbird feeders.

If you see a bear along the road, please do not stop. Stopping and watching roadside bears will likely start a "bear jam" as other motorists follow your lead. "Bear jams" are hazardous to both people and bears as they limit visibility, restrict the movement of the bear, and have the potential to increase the likelihood of the bear approaching cars and people in the future. Report all bear sightings to the nearest ranger.

Glacier National Park is home to both black and grizzly bears. Hikers are highly encouraged to hike in groups, make noise when hiking, and have bear spray accessible and know how to use it. For more information about recreating in bear country, please visit http://www.nps.gov/glac/naturescience/bears.htm.


Jeff
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