Winter scene from Apgar Lookout

This photo was taken from the Apgar Lookout webcam last year. Look in the lower right hand corner and you'll see the snowman someone built. The trail to Apgar Lookout is usually one of the first higher elevation trails to be free of snow in the spring:

Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

US Senate approves maintenance on pipeline in Glacier National Park

Earlier this week the U.S. Senate passed a bill that protects Kalispell's natural gas supply. The city receives its natural gas supply from an aging pipeline that runs through Glacier National Park. The National Park Service currently does not have the authority to issue a permit to Northwestern Energy to upgrade and maintain the 50 year old pipeline.

Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus' bill allows the Park Service to issue a permit to perform maintenance on the pipeline, allowing Kalispell to safely receive needed energy while protecting some of Montana's most treasured lands.

Specifically, the bill allows maintenance work on a 3.5-mile section of pipeline that parallels U.S. 2 on the southern boundary of Glacier National Park.

The Montana Power Company constructed the pipeline in 1962 and received its first special use permit in April of that year. The permit was renewed through 1990, but the Park Service later determined that it did not have the authority needed to grant permits.

The pipeline runs 118 miles and carries natural gas to 25,000 consumers in the Flathead.

The House of Representatives passed a similar version of the measure in December and the President is expected to sign the bill into law.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Winter in Yellowstone National Park

Here's an older (but classic!) video of Yellowstone National Park from the National Parks Traveler that I just ran across:







Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Winter Trails Day in the Flathead Valley

The Flathead Community of Resource Educators (CORE), a network of individuals and organizations working together to increase awareness and understanding about the natural, historical and cultural resources of the Flathead Region, is celebrating Winter Trails Day on Saturday, January 12 with several free outdoor activities.

These free activities are a great way to enjoy the outdoors in winter and discover the fitness and social benefits of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in Northwest Montana. All activities are suitable for beginners and families. Be prepared with warm clothing and wear sturdy hiking shoes or boots.

* Ranger-led snowshoe hikes at Glacier National Park will be hosted at 10:30am and 1:30pm. Each hike will last approximately two hours and reservations are not required. Snowshoes are available for hike participants. Visitors need to purchase a park entrance pass. Please meet at the Apgar Visitor Center. Call 888-7939 for more information.

* A snowshoe walk on the Flathead National Forest, hosted by the Swan Lake Ranger District and Flathead Audubon, will be at the Blacktail Mountain cross-country ski trails near Lakeside, 10am-Noon. Participants may bring snowshoes, or a limited number of children and adult shoes will be available by reservation. Please meet at the upper trailhead parking area. Reservations are not required. For more information or to reserve snowshoes, please contact the Swan Lake Ranger District at 837-7500.

* Explore Lone Pine State Park on snowshoes. From 10am to 5pm, park visitors can borrow snowshoes and explore the many park trails. Adult and children’s snowshoes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A ranger-led snowshoe walk takes place at 1pm. Please contact the park at 755-2706 for more information.

* Join Whitefish Legacy Partners, Stillwater Mountain Lodge and Ravenwood Outdoor Learning Center for a day of cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fun winter games from 10am to 2pm at Stillwater Mountain Lodge and the Whitefish Trail, Beaver Lakes Trail Section, north of Whitefish. Participants can ski on the Stillwater Nordic Center’s groomed trails or snowshoe across the road on the Beaver Lakes Trail Section. Bring your own equipment or use the provided demo equipment. For more information contact Whitefish Legacy Partners, 862-3880.

* A short snowshoe hike for ladies new to the sport will be offered by the Swan Ecosystem Center from 10am to 12:30pm in Condon. Snowshoes are available. Participants will learn about snowshoe basics and the guided hike will take participants over gentle terrain through open and forested areas. From 2pm to 4pm more experienced snowshoers are invited to join a guided four-mile hike. Please meet at the Forest Service Condon Work Center, 6887 Hwy. 83. Call 406/754-3137 to sign-up and for more information.

For more information about local events and Winter Trails Day visit www.wintertrails.org.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Advanced Avalanche Awareness Classes Offered

The Flathead Avalanche Center (FAC) is hosting an Advanced Avalanche Awareness class which is a free course and is open to the public. No registration is needed. The 2013 classroom sessions will also be held at the Flathead National Forest office in Kalispell from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the following days:

Monday, January 7th
Wednesday, January 9th
Monday, January 14th
Wednesday, January 16th

The two field Sessions will be held at the Whitefish Mountain Resort from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the following days:

Saturday, January 12th
Saturday, January 19th

For additional information on avalanche education classes and avalanche conditions, please visit the new Flathead Avalanche Center website at flatheadavalanche.org. You can also sign up to follow the center on Twitter at twitter.com/FACAvalanche. Avalanche advisories are issued weekly on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. The phone number to call for recorded avalanche advisories remains the same: 406-257-8402.

For additional information please contact FAC coordinator Tony Willits at 406-837-7546.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park