Several construction projects will be underway this summer in Grand Teton National Park. Here's a rundown of what to expect this summer:
Trails
The 2016-2017 winter saw above-average snowfall in the Teton Range, which means many trails will not be snow-free until much later than usual. The high moisture content and weight of this snow means park trail crews will be busy during the first part of the season repairing bridges and clearing debris such as fallen trees and rocks. As the season progresses, they may reroute small portions of some trails to avoid problematic areas.
Roads
The Signal Mountain Summit Road will be closed from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday from May 15 through early June to support a fuels reduction project. Visitors may also encounter 15-minute delays along U.S. Highway 89 throughout the park during May as road crews will be re-striping the road. Motorists on the Pacific Creek Road will encounter 15-minute delays in July and August as road crews resurface the road.
Historic Buildings and Districts
The University of Wyoming will replace the Berol Lodge roof beginning in late August. Also in late August, two Lupine Meadows cabin foundations will be replaced. The Mormon Row interpretive path, the Murie Residence, and Menor’s Ferry Store will all experience minor repairs this summer.
Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Center
Removal of the front porch roof which was damaged this winter began May 1 and is expected to last two weeks. Once the roof has been removed, potable water supply restored, and building safety checks completed, the building will open to the public—likely by early June. The work is being funded by Jackson Hole Preserve, Inc. and completed by Dembergh Construction of Wilson, WY. The area around the building is closed to the public during the construction activities.
Moose Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
Replacement of the aging and inadequate water system which supplies the Moose and Beaver Creek areas is continuing this summer. The contractor, RSCI Group of Boise, Idaho, and their subcontractor, Westwood Curtis Construction of Jackson, Wyoming, are replacing the water transmission line from its origin at Taggart Creek to Moose. The contractors will install water distribution lines at 4 Lazy F Ranch and Moose, as well as replace the storage tank at Taggart Creek.
Construction of the new Moose wastewater treatment plant is also underway. The new plant will be located just northwest of the Moose Post Office. Visitor impacts associated with the Moose water projects include potential 15-minute delays on the Teton Park Road, a temporary reroute of the multi-use pathway between the Moose Entrance Station and the Chapel of the Transfiguration Road during July, trail reroutes near the Taggart Lake Trailhead, and closure of the 4 Lazy F Ranch Road during May.
Pilgrim Creek Water Infrastructure
Installation of a new water supply system for Jackson Lake Lodge and Colter Bay Village and placement of a new water transmission line to Jackson Lake Lodge will continue this summer. Bairco Construction, Inc. of Lovell, Wyoming, will remove the Pilgrim Creek wells from the floodplain and bring the entire water supply system closer to the developed highway corridor. The Grand View Point Trailhead may be closed for one or two weeks, and visitors to this trailhead may experience brief delays throughout the summer (you can use this trailhead instead).
You may also want to note that the entire Moose-Wilson Road has opened to motor vehicles for the season. Schwabacher and Deadman's Bar roads opened over the past couple of weeks, and of course the Teton Park Road opened on May 1. Other roads such as the Grassy Lake Road and Signal Mountain Summit Road will open when road and weather conditions permit, which will likely be early-June.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
Friday, May 12, 2017
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with a Ranger
Grand Teton National Park will host a bird-watching caravan on Saturday, May 13, 2017 to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day. Led by park ranger and skilled naturalist Andrew Langford, the caravan will visit areas throughout the park that provide the best opportunities to locate, identify, and record birds. The activity is free and reservations are not required.
Anyone interested in birds is welcome to participate in the bird-watching excursion, which begins at 8:00 a.m. at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose. The tour through the park will end by 4:00 p.m. at Christian Pond near the Jackson Lake Lodge.
Throughout the day, participants will take short walks at various locations. Participants may join the caravan anytime during the day—a schedule of the times and locations visited can be found at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose or by calling 307-739-3399.
Those attending should wear comfortable shoes and bring a lunch, drinking water, warm clothing, and rain gear. Bird field guides, binoculars, and spotting scopes are also recommended items.
International Migratory Bird Day is observed each year in May to celebrate and support avian conservation. The event serves as the hallmark outreach event for Partners in Flight, an international conservation program whose goal is to reverse declining populations of migratory birds by bringing attention to factors that contribute to worldwide declines.
The theme of this year’s International Migratory Bird Day is "Stopover Sites: Helping Birds Along the Way." The journey between non-breeding sites across the Americas and the Caribbean to nesting sites in the United States and Canada can be a long one. Birds need to rest and refuel at stopover sites along the way. The health and safety of these sites is critical to the survival of migratory birds.
Participants in the caravan are reminded that park entrance stations are open, therefore a park pass is required for travel through these fee stations.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
Anyone interested in birds is welcome to participate in the bird-watching excursion, which begins at 8:00 a.m. at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose. The tour through the park will end by 4:00 p.m. at Christian Pond near the Jackson Lake Lodge.
Throughout the day, participants will take short walks at various locations. Participants may join the caravan anytime during the day—a schedule of the times and locations visited can be found at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose or by calling 307-739-3399.
Those attending should wear comfortable shoes and bring a lunch, drinking water, warm clothing, and rain gear. Bird field guides, binoculars, and spotting scopes are also recommended items.
International Migratory Bird Day is observed each year in May to celebrate and support avian conservation. The event serves as the hallmark outreach event for Partners in Flight, an international conservation program whose goal is to reverse declining populations of migratory birds by bringing attention to factors that contribute to worldwide declines.
The theme of this year’s International Migratory Bird Day is "Stopover Sites: Helping Birds Along the Way." The journey between non-breeding sites across the Americas and the Caribbean to nesting sites in the United States and Canada can be a long one. Birds need to rest and refuel at stopover sites along the way. The health and safety of these sites is critical to the survival of migratory birds.
Participants in the caravan are reminded that park entrance stations are open, therefore a park pass is required for travel through these fee stations.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
Friday, May 5, 2017
Waterton and Glacier Achieve International Dark Sky Status
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, with the support of its partner the Glacier National Park Conservancy, announced last week that it has achieved provisional Gold Tier designation as Waterton-Glacier International Dark Sky Park through the International Dark Sky Association.
Dark skies are integral not only for human health and enjoyment, but play an essential role in wildlife health. Unnatural light can disrupt migration and other natural processes, putting wildlife at risk. Night skies are also important culturally, and are prominently featured in regional tribal creation stories. Recent studies suggest that upwards of one-third of the world’s population is unable to see the Milky Way due to light pollution around populated areas. The park’s night sky programs are the most popular programs in the park with some Logan Pass star party programs attracting upwards of 700 participants to a single programming event.
To achieve the designation, each park completed a significant number of lighting improvements to reduce light pollution as well as committing to completing further lighting retrofits in the coming years. The parks will also continue to educate visitors about the importance and significance of the dark night sky resource. The provisional designation means that the two parks will now have three years to attain a 67% retrofit rate of their non-compliant lighting fixtures.
To date, Glacier National Park has retrofitted approximately 29% percent of its fixtures. The park received significant philanthropic support from the Glacier National Park Conservancy to make this designation a reality, including: 1) completing the lighting inventory required in the application process, 2) completing the joint application for both park areas, and 3) funding continued retrofits of lighting fixtures. The Conservancy will kick off a campaign this summer to raise funds for the remainder of the needed improvements that must be completed by 2019.
Parks Canada and the National Park Service have been working cooperatively to achieve Dark Sky Status since 2006, but with the support from the Glacier National Park Conservancy, the parks overcame the final hurdles required to submit their application to the International Dark Sky Association last year. “The night sky provides perspective and inspiration, allowing us to reflect on our humanity and our place in the universe,” said John Donovan, Glacier National Park Conservancy Board Member and donor to the dark sky designation program. “Dark skies have become an endangered resource in their own right, and we are incredibly proud to help preserve and protect them to be enjoyed and experienced now and by future generations.”
As part of the application, the City of Columbia Falls, the City of Whitefish, the Waterton Natural History Association, University of Redlands, and members of the Big Sky Astronomy Club wrote letters of support.
“This is another significant step forward in our ongoing partnerships with Waterton Lakes National Park and the Glacier National Park Conservancy,” said Glacier National Park Superintendent Jeff Mow. “In a time when one third of the world’s population can no longer see the Milky Way, protecting this resource is essential. Through this partnership, our sister park to the north will join us in pursuing dark sky friendly infrastructure and programming. Here in Glacier, our philanthropic partner Glacier National Park Conservancy has served as a steadfast supporter of dark skies, supporting not only our application, but also our ongoing star parties, solar viewing, and other dark sky initiatives.” This coming year, the Conservancy will support the popular solar viewing and night sky viewing parties that regularly see 30,000 visitors each year.
"Dark night skies are a source of awe and wonder that many people cannot experience in cities and are integral to the health of nocturnal wildlife," said Waterton Lakes National Park Superintendent Ifan Thomas. "Parks Canada is proud to collaborate with the U.S. National Park Service to achieve the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park's provisional designation as the first trans-boundary IDA International Dark Sky Park. We are committed to protecting and presenting the natural wonder of the night skies."
International Dark Sky Association Executive Director J. Scott Feierabend commented that “the International Dark Sky Places Program has been a program of many firsts in its history, but today’s joint announcement of Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park as a provisional IDA Dark Sky Park is a first of special significance. In the spirit of the peace park and its history, we’re especially pleased that dark skies are a shared resource that furthers the sense of amity and goodwill between the United States and Canada. The new Dark Sky Park is the embodiment of the sense that all of humanity shares just one night sky that knows no limit at international boundaries.”
As a Dark Sky Park, collectively Waterton and Glacier will serve as a leader in dark sky preservation, promoting public dark sky programming, engaging with neighboring cities about the importance of dark skies, and continuing to upgrade and install night sky friendly lighting fixtures within the parks.
This summer, the parks will host a series of star parties and solar viewing programs for the public to learn more about this new designation.
About the IDA Dark Sky Places Program:
IDA established the International Dark Sky Places conservation program in 2001 to recognize excellent stewardship of the night sky. Designations are based on stringent outdoor lighting standards and innovative community outreach. Since the program began, 15 Communities, 46 Parks, 11 Reserves, 2 Sanctuaries and 3 Dark Sky Friendly Developments of Distinction have received International Dark Sky designations. For more information about the International Dark Sky Places Program, visit http://darksky.org/idsp.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
Dark skies are integral not only for human health and enjoyment, but play an essential role in wildlife health. Unnatural light can disrupt migration and other natural processes, putting wildlife at risk. Night skies are also important culturally, and are prominently featured in regional tribal creation stories. Recent studies suggest that upwards of one-third of the world’s population is unable to see the Milky Way due to light pollution around populated areas. The park’s night sky programs are the most popular programs in the park with some Logan Pass star party programs attracting upwards of 700 participants to a single programming event.
To achieve the designation, each park completed a significant number of lighting improvements to reduce light pollution as well as committing to completing further lighting retrofits in the coming years. The parks will also continue to educate visitors about the importance and significance of the dark night sky resource. The provisional designation means that the two parks will now have three years to attain a 67% retrofit rate of their non-compliant lighting fixtures.
To date, Glacier National Park has retrofitted approximately 29% percent of its fixtures. The park received significant philanthropic support from the Glacier National Park Conservancy to make this designation a reality, including: 1) completing the lighting inventory required in the application process, 2) completing the joint application for both park areas, and 3) funding continued retrofits of lighting fixtures. The Conservancy will kick off a campaign this summer to raise funds for the remainder of the needed improvements that must be completed by 2019.
Parks Canada and the National Park Service have been working cooperatively to achieve Dark Sky Status since 2006, but with the support from the Glacier National Park Conservancy, the parks overcame the final hurdles required to submit their application to the International Dark Sky Association last year. “The night sky provides perspective and inspiration, allowing us to reflect on our humanity and our place in the universe,” said John Donovan, Glacier National Park Conservancy Board Member and donor to the dark sky designation program. “Dark skies have become an endangered resource in their own right, and we are incredibly proud to help preserve and protect them to be enjoyed and experienced now and by future generations.”
As part of the application, the City of Columbia Falls, the City of Whitefish, the Waterton Natural History Association, University of Redlands, and members of the Big Sky Astronomy Club wrote letters of support.
“This is another significant step forward in our ongoing partnerships with Waterton Lakes National Park and the Glacier National Park Conservancy,” said Glacier National Park Superintendent Jeff Mow. “In a time when one third of the world’s population can no longer see the Milky Way, protecting this resource is essential. Through this partnership, our sister park to the north will join us in pursuing dark sky friendly infrastructure and programming. Here in Glacier, our philanthropic partner Glacier National Park Conservancy has served as a steadfast supporter of dark skies, supporting not only our application, but also our ongoing star parties, solar viewing, and other dark sky initiatives.” This coming year, the Conservancy will support the popular solar viewing and night sky viewing parties that regularly see 30,000 visitors each year.
"Dark night skies are a source of awe and wonder that many people cannot experience in cities and are integral to the health of nocturnal wildlife," said Waterton Lakes National Park Superintendent Ifan Thomas. "Parks Canada is proud to collaborate with the U.S. National Park Service to achieve the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park's provisional designation as the first trans-boundary IDA International Dark Sky Park. We are committed to protecting and presenting the natural wonder of the night skies."
International Dark Sky Association Executive Director J. Scott Feierabend commented that “the International Dark Sky Places Program has been a program of many firsts in its history, but today’s joint announcement of Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park as a provisional IDA Dark Sky Park is a first of special significance. In the spirit of the peace park and its history, we’re especially pleased that dark skies are a shared resource that furthers the sense of amity and goodwill between the United States and Canada. The new Dark Sky Park is the embodiment of the sense that all of humanity shares just one night sky that knows no limit at international boundaries.”
As a Dark Sky Park, collectively Waterton and Glacier will serve as a leader in dark sky preservation, promoting public dark sky programming, engaging with neighboring cities about the importance of dark skies, and continuing to upgrade and install night sky friendly lighting fixtures within the parks.
This summer, the parks will host a series of star parties and solar viewing programs for the public to learn more about this new designation.
About the IDA Dark Sky Places Program:
IDA established the International Dark Sky Places conservation program in 2001 to recognize excellent stewardship of the night sky. Designations are based on stringent outdoor lighting standards and innovative community outreach. Since the program began, 15 Communities, 46 Parks, 11 Reserves, 2 Sanctuaries and 3 Dark Sky Friendly Developments of Distinction have received International Dark Sky designations. For more information about the International Dark Sky Places Program, visit http://darksky.org/idsp.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
South Jenny Lake Area Temporarily Closed for Helicopter Operations
Beginning today, May 3, a temporary area closure will be in effect for the South Jenny Lake area of Grand Teton National Park. The temporary public closure is necessary to ensure public safety during construction activities involving helicopter transport of heavy material to trail locations on the west side of Jenny Lake. The duration of the temporary closure is weather-dependent and may last through Friday, May 5.
The following locations will be temporarily closed to all public access during this time: the south Jenny Lake developed area; the multi-use pathway north from Lupine Meadows Road; and trails to backcountry locations including Moose Ponds, Hidden Falls, and Inspiration Point. Signs will be posted throughout the closure area, and park staff will be positioned to suggest alternate routes to those visiting the area.
Areas not affected by this temporary public closure include: Cascade Canyon access from the String Lake Trailhead, Teton Park Road, Jenny Lake Scenic Loop Road, Lupine Meadows Trailhead, and the String Lake area. The Teton Park Road, which is the primary access route to the south Jenny Lake area, is open to motor vehicles.
Additional closures will be implemented over the summer in the south Jenny Lake area as construction continues. Park managers appreciate the public’s cooperation in observing all posted closure notices in the area.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
The following locations will be temporarily closed to all public access during this time: the south Jenny Lake developed area; the multi-use pathway north from Lupine Meadows Road; and trails to backcountry locations including Moose Ponds, Hidden Falls, and Inspiration Point. Signs will be posted throughout the closure area, and park staff will be positioned to suggest alternate routes to those visiting the area.
Areas not affected by this temporary public closure include: Cascade Canyon access from the String Lake Trailhead, Teton Park Road, Jenny Lake Scenic Loop Road, Lupine Meadows Trailhead, and the String Lake area. The Teton Park Road, which is the primary access route to the south Jenny Lake area, is open to motor vehicles.
Additional closures will be implemented over the summer in the south Jenny Lake area as construction continues. Park managers appreciate the public’s cooperation in observing all posted closure notices in the area.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
Monday, May 1, 2017
Bear Awareness Program at Montana WILD
Do you trail run or mountain bike? Hike or backpack? Camp, hunt or fish? Float or trail ride? Join us at MT WILD in Helena for an update on the latest in bear awareness. Bill and Marti Cook, MT WILD volunteers, will be teaching about new, state-of-the-art bear safety products and the latest research on defense against bear attacks. Plus, hands-on instruction on how to use bear spray and information about grizzly populations.
Program is for youth 9+ years-old and adults. The free event is set for 6 – 7:30 p.m. on May 24 at the Montana WILD Education Center at 2668 Broadwater Ave. No reservation required. For more information call Montana WILD at 406-444-9944.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
Program is for youth 9+ years-old and adults. The free event is set for 6 – 7:30 p.m. on May 24 at the Montana WILD Education Center at 2668 Broadwater Ave. No reservation required. For more information call Montana WILD at 406-444-9944.
Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
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