Mission Lookout Opening Two Weeks Early for Cabin Rental Program

The Mission Lookout on the Swan Lake Ranger District will be available for rental earlier in 2013 than in previous years. The Lookout had been opening on June 1, but the district will make the cabin available starting May 15, 2013.

Like similar Forest Service Lookouts, the Mission site has experienced several face-lifts in its 75 year history as a fire detection tower. The existing structure built in 1959 consists of a 15' by 15' cabin with windows on all sides perched atop a 40 foot wooden tower. With a maximum group capacity of 2 adults and children, Mission Lookout is best suited for a couple or small family. The Tower is equipped with a small bed, fold-up cots, a propane cooking stove and simple cooking utensils. An outhouse is located at ground level. Renters will need to bring bedding including pillows, food, firewood (a fire ring is located at the base of the tower), toiletries, water, and non-open flame light source.

The Flathead National Forest has 14 cabins that are available to rent on an overnight basis. Some of the cabins have electricity, all have either wood or electric stoves for cooking and heating, one has indoor plumbing. Some of the cabins are located right on a road; others require that you hike, ski, or snowmobile into them. For a list of cabins on the Forest, see the rental information page.

The Mission Lookout and other rental cabins can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777) or on-line at www.recreation.gov.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Wyoming Results of 2012 Forest Health Survey Announced

The U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming State Forestry Division have announced the results of the annual aerial forest health survey for Wyoming. Both the mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle epidemics have declined across Wyoming in 2012. Statewide the number of new acres affected by the mountain pine beetle has declined from 719,000 in 2011 to 180,000 acres in 2012. The total footprint of the outbreak in Wyoming is now 3.4 million acres since 1996. In 2011, the total acreage for the epidemic was 3.3 million acres.

“Our actions today and in years to come will shape the forest of the future. Active forest management on both public and private lands can lead to healthier trees on the landscape and create the diversity necessary to reduce future large-scale insect epidemics.” said Bill Crapser, Wyoming State Forester.

Mountain Pine Beetle:

In south central Wyoming, including the Medicine-Bow National Forest, the aerial survey indicated a decline of mountain pine beetle activity from 378,000 in 2011 to 49,000 acres in 2012 largely due to fewer trees available for beetle infestation.

In western Wyoming, including the Shoshone, Wasatch-Cache and Bridger-Teton national forests, mountain pine beetle activity has declined from 280,000 in 2011 to 83,000 acres in 2012 in lodgepole and 5-needle pines largely due to fewer trees available for beetle infestation.

In north central Wyoming, including the Bighorn National Forest, large areas of forest remain unaffected by mountain pine beetle. In 2012, only 440 acres of mountain pine beetle activity was detected.

Northeast Wyoming, including the Black Hills National Forest, mountain pine beetle activity continues with aerial photograph interpretation detecting 730 acres additional acreage from 2011’s survey.

Spruce Beetle:

Spruce beetle activity has declined from 76,000 in 2011 to 32,000 acres in 2012 statewide. Since 1996, 558,000 acres have been affected by spruce beetle statewide leaving many areas of large dead standing spruce in the high country.

In south central Wyoming, the spruce beetle epidemic is declining leaving large areas of dead standing large spruce in the Sierra Madre, Snowy Range, and Medicine Bow Mountains in Albany and Carbon counties.

In northwestern Wyoming’s Absaroka Mountains in and adjacent to the Shoshone National Forest, spruce beetle continues to kill spruce and many areas have few surviving mature spruce remaining.

The 2012 aerial survey results for Wyoming can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/r2.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Annual Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex Public Meeting

The public is invited to the annual Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (BMWC) Public Meeting on April 13, 2013, starting at 10 a.m., at the Hungry Horse Ranger Station in Hungry Horse, Montana.

The BMWC is comprised of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Great Bear Wilderness, and Scapegoat Wilderness. Together they comprise an area of more than 1.5 million acres. This is the third largest wilderness complex in the lower 48 states. The complex is managed by four national forests (Flathead, Lolo, Helena, and Lewis & Clark) and five ranger districts (Spotted Bear, Hungry Horse, Seeley Lake, Lincoln, and Rocky Mountain).

“This is a great annual opportunity to meet with the National Forest Wilderness Managers and Montana Fish and Wildlife staff”, says Deb Mucklow, Spotted Bear District Ranger. “This year the rangers districts will be reporting on some of the results of the ongoing monitoring that has occurred over the last twenty-five years, as well as the actions that have been implemented in the past five year period.”

The monitoring and actions are a piece of the Limits of Acceptable Change for the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. The BMWC plan was developed by interested individuals, partners and agency representatives.

Recently the Forest managers and Fish and Wildlife staff prepared the annual BMWC newsletter which is available on the Flathead National Forest website. This newsletter provides BMWC background and highlights some of the information that will be shared at the public meeting.

For additional information on the meeting, please contact the Spotted Bear Ranger District at (406) 387-3800. For more information on the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, please click here.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

The difficulty in singling out any part of Glacier National Park

"The broken and diversified character of this scenery, involving rugged mountain tops bounded by vertical walls sometimes more than four thousand feet high, glaciers perched upon lofty rocky shelves, unexpected waterfalls of peculiar charm, rivers of milky glacier water, lakes unexcelled for sheer beauty by the most celebrated of sunny Italy and snow-topped Switzerland, and grandly timbered slopes sweeping into valley bottoms, offer a continuous yet ever changing series of inspiring vistas not to be found in such luxuriance and perfection elsewhere."

"And this rare scenic combination is not alone of one valley of the park, but is characteristic of them all; so that it is difficult to single out any part of these fifteen hundred square miles that is more beautiful, more remarkable, or more strikingly diversified than any other."

Most people would probably have to agree with the quote above from the 1916 Glacier National Park brochure: that it is very difficult to single out any part of Glacier that is more beautiful than any other. For those that are unfamiliar with the park, I've attempted to give some guidance with my list of the top 10 hikes in Glacier.

However, as a case in point, the hike to Gunsight Lake didn't even make my list, even though, as you can see in the photo above (of Mirror Lake), the scenery is quite spectacular.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

‘Bicycle-Only’ Season Opens For Riders On Yellowstone’s West Side

Bicyclists willing to brave the often unpredictable elements of spring in Yellowstone National Park will be able to travel 49 miles of park roads from the West Entrance at West Yellowstone, Mont., to Mammoth Hot Springs beginning at 8:00 a.m. today.

A 14-mile section of road between the West Entrance and Madison Junction is already open for the cycling-only shoulder season as plowing crews clear snow and ice in preparation for opening the route to automobile traffic on April 26.

There is no spring bicycle-only access toward Old Faithful or Canyon during this time.

A bicycle trip into Yellowstone this time of year is not to be undertaken lightly. The quickly changing weather can be challenging, and snow and ice may still cover sections of road. Bears, bison, elk, wolves and other wildlife could be encountered at any time. No services are available along these sections of road, and cyclists should expect to encounter and yield to snowplows or other vehicles operated by park employees or construction workers traveling in conjunction with park operations.

Bicyclists are required to ride single file and follow all other rules of the road. They are strongly encouraged to carry bear spray, should be prepared to turn around and backtrack when encountering wildlife on the road, and must stay out of closed areas.

Riders need to have a plan for self rescue or repair and be prepared to be out in severe winter conditions for an extended period of time in the event they experience a mechanical breakdown, injury or other emergency. Cell phone coverage throughout the park is sparse and unreliable for communicating emergencies.

The road from the North Entrance at Gardiner, Mont., to Cooke City, Mont., at the park's Northeast Entrance is open all year to cyclists and automobiles, weather permitting.

Cyclists are urged to call 307-344-2107 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays for updated road access information, or call 307-344-2113 for 24-hour weather information before committing to any park ride. Additional planning information is also available online.

Updated Yellowstone National Park road information is available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2117.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park