Backpacker Magazine has recently published a pretty good video that offers some sound tips for making your winter camp a little more comfortable. If new to winter camping, you might benefit from this video:
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
2012 Sees Sharp Increase in Visitors to Glacier National Park
After a relatively dismal year in 2011, Glacier National Park saw a sharp rebound in the total number of visitors in 2012. This past year saw a total of 2,162,034 visitors to the park, which represents a 16.4% increase over the prior year.
The 2012 year saw the 4th highest number of visitors in Glacier history. 1983 still holds the record when just over 2.2 million visitors entered the park.
Here's a look at annual visitation trends since Glacier became a national park in 1911:
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
The 2012 year saw the 4th highest number of visitors in Glacier history. 1983 still holds the record when just over 2.2 million visitors entered the park.
Here's a look at annual visitation trends since Glacier became a national park in 1911:
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Skier Sustains Significant Injuries in Avalanche in Glacier National Park
Two skiers triggered an avalanche on Elk Mountain in Glacier National Park yesterday afternoon. Park dispatch received a call at approximately 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8th, indicating that two skiers were involved in an avalanche and one skier was injured. Park rangers and local emergency personnel organized and responded to the incident.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. park rangers found the skiers and transported them to a nearby trailhead. The Glacier County EMS Ambulance transported the injured skier to a medical facility and the other skier was released at the scene. The skiers, male age 34 and male age 35, both from the local area, were skiing a ridge of Elk Mountain, just west of Marias Pass, when one of the skiers fell and triggered an avalanche. The skier was carried with the slide and partially buried. The other skier was skiing below when the avalanche occurred and was able to escape from the avalanche slide path, and then help rescue his companion. The skier that was partially buried sustained significant injuries.
Emergency personnel assisting Glacier National Park Rangers included members of the Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff's Office, Flathead County Sheriff's Office, Flathead County Search and Rescue, and North Valley Search and Rescue.
All backcountry recreationists are highly encouraged to be prepared for winter conditions, including awareness and understanding of avalanche terrain, mountain weather, snowpack conditions, current avalanche advisories, as well as being prepared with appropriate equipment such as beacons, probes, poles and shovels. Recreationists should have the knowledge and skills to safely utilize the equipment as needed.
An excellent resource for all winter outdoor recreationists is the Flathead Avalanche Center website, flatheadavalanche.org. The website provides avalanche information, including three advisories each week, educational opportunities, and snow observation conditions. Upcoming educational programs include an advanced avalanche awareness class that continues through Saturday, January 19 with the Flathead National Forest, Level 1 Avalanche Course in Libby January 18-19, and Level 1 and Level 11 Courses at Whitefish Mountain Resort in January and February. Please visit the website for more information.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
At approximately 6:30 p.m. park rangers found the skiers and transported them to a nearby trailhead. The Glacier County EMS Ambulance transported the injured skier to a medical facility and the other skier was released at the scene. The skiers, male age 34 and male age 35, both from the local area, were skiing a ridge of Elk Mountain, just west of Marias Pass, when one of the skiers fell and triggered an avalanche. The skier was carried with the slide and partially buried. The other skier was skiing below when the avalanche occurred and was able to escape from the avalanche slide path, and then help rescue his companion. The skier that was partially buried sustained significant injuries.
Emergency personnel assisting Glacier National Park Rangers included members of the Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff's Office, Flathead County Sheriff's Office, Flathead County Search and Rescue, and North Valley Search and Rescue.
All backcountry recreationists are highly encouraged to be prepared for winter conditions, including awareness and understanding of avalanche terrain, mountain weather, snowpack conditions, current avalanche advisories, as well as being prepared with appropriate equipment such as beacons, probes, poles and shovels. Recreationists should have the knowledge and skills to safely utilize the equipment as needed.
An excellent resource for all winter outdoor recreationists is the Flathead Avalanche Center website, flatheadavalanche.org. The website provides avalanche information, including three advisories each week, educational opportunities, and snow observation conditions. Upcoming educational programs include an advanced avalanche awareness class that continues through Saturday, January 19 with the Flathead National Forest, Level 1 Avalanche Course in Libby January 18-19, and Level 1 and Level 11 Courses at Whitefish Mountain Resort in January and February. Please visit the website for more information.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
Glacier Park Lodge Centennial Celebration
Mark your calendars for June 22, 2013. The Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier will be celebrating its 100th year anniversary that day.
To celebrate, the lodge will offer a Centennial Celebration Dinner, which will feature the same items that were served at the original opening celebration for the Glacier Park Lodge on June 22, 1913. In addition to great food, live music will also be on tap.
Constructed by the Great Northern Railway almost a century ago, the lodge was built around a three-story lobby that measures 200 feet by 100 feet, and is lined with Douglas-fir columns 40 feet tall, and between 36 and 42 inches in diameter. Each column was brought in by rail from the Pacific Northwest because trees in Montana rarely grow so large. A total of 60 such trees were used, with Douglas-fir in the lobby and cedars for the exterior. The lodge was loosely styled as a Swiss chalet, similar to other lodges and backcountry chalets built by the Great Northern Railway between 1913 and 1917.
Here are a couple of photos from around the lodge:
For more information on the centennial event, please click here. To make reservations for overnight lodging, please visit our accommodations page for East Glacier.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
To celebrate, the lodge will offer a Centennial Celebration Dinner, which will feature the same items that were served at the original opening celebration for the Glacier Park Lodge on June 22, 1913. In addition to great food, live music will also be on tap.
Constructed by the Great Northern Railway almost a century ago, the lodge was built around a three-story lobby that measures 200 feet by 100 feet, and is lined with Douglas-fir columns 40 feet tall, and between 36 and 42 inches in diameter. Each column was brought in by rail from the Pacific Northwest because trees in Montana rarely grow so large. A total of 60 such trees were used, with Douglas-fir in the lobby and cedars for the exterior. The lodge was loosely styled as a Swiss chalet, similar to other lodges and backcountry chalets built by the Great Northern Railway between 1913 and 1917.
Here are a couple of photos from around the lodge:
For more information on the centennial event, please click here. To make reservations for overnight lodging, please visit our accommodations page for East Glacier.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
Monday, January 7, 2013
ULA Discount Offer on Sleeping Bags
Ultralight Adventure Equipment (ULA), maker of ultralight backpacking equipment, is offering $55.00 off the purchase of a 20-degree Down Sleeping Bag (regular $185) with the purchase of any of ULA backpack.
If you've never heard of ULA, their website states that nearly half the hikers completing the 2650-mile Pacific Crest Trail are carrying a ULA pack. Since ULA only very seldom promotes discounts, I thought I'd bring this to your attention in case you're in the market for a new sleeping bag and/or backpack.
For more information, please click here.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
If you've never heard of ULA, their website states that nearly half the hikers completing the 2650-mile Pacific Crest Trail are carrying a ULA pack. Since ULA only very seldom promotes discounts, I thought I'd bring this to your attention in case you're in the market for a new sleeping bag and/or backpack.
For more information, please click here.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
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