Bison released in the Chief Mountain area

Sorry I missed this piece of news from earlier in the summer, but I thought it was important to report this:

On June 26, 2023, a small herd of around 40 bison were released back into a homeland that had not seen them in over a hundred years. The triumphant return of bison, called iinnii in the Blackfoot language, was a moment of celebration for the Blackfeet Nation and the wider Blackfoot Confederacy, who organized the reintroduction initiative. Tribal leaders released the bison onto a large (~25,000 acre) tract of Blackfeet land in the Chief Mountain area. There is hope that they will eventually expand their range to include the grasslands and woods of the northeast area of Glacier National Park.

You can read the full article on the Glacier National Park Conservancy website.



Jeff
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Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
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Tourism to Glacier National Park Contributes $548M to Local Economy

A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that approximately 2.9 million visitors to Glacier National Park in 2022 spent an estimated $368 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 5,690 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $548 million.

“Glacier National Park inspires people from all over the world to visit and experience the wonder of these stunning landscapes,” said Superintendent Dave Roemer. “Tourism to Glacier is a beneficial and sustainable component of our community and local economy, supporting more than 5,000 jobs and $548 million in revenue to communities within 60 miles of the park.”

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists at the National Park Service. The report shows $23.9 billion of direct spending by nearly 312 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 378,400 jobs nationally; 314,600 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $50.3 billion.

Report authors also produce an interactive tool that enables users to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: Visitor Spending Effects - Economic Contributions of National Park Visitor Spending - Social Science (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Glacier National Park Fall Operation Adjustments for 2023

As the autumn season approaches, operations in the park will start winding down. On September 10, the park’s 2023 vehicle reservation pilot will end.

Construction will continue along Going-to-the-Sun Road from the south end of Lake McDonald near Apgar Campground to Upper McDonald Creek Road through fall, causing delays in both directions. Visitors should check the park’s website for the latest construction updates. Although closed for construction last winter, Going-to-the-Sun Road is expected to remain open to Lake McDonald Lodge for winter recreation.

Going-to-the-Sun Road is scheduled to remain open to Logan Pass until Sunday, October 15 at midnight, unless winter weather forces an earlier closure. There will be no access to potable water at Logan Pass starting September 11. Logan Pass Visitor Center will continue daily visitor information services through Sunday, September 24.

Park shuttles will remain in operation until September 17 with reduced services. Beginning September 5, shuttle service will run from 9 am to 5 pm daily with all stops in service. Wait times may be longer as there are fewer shuttles on the road. Visitors planning to use the shuttle should check the Shuttle page for additional details.

After Going-to-the-Sun Road closes to the pass for the season, hiker/biker access will be permitted on the road closure while the GNP Road Crew is not working. A daily road crew closure will be in place while crews are working.

You can read the full schedule here.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Remains of Climber Found on Reynolds Mountain

The body of missing climber Adam Fuselier, a 32-year-old man from Castle Pines, Colorado, was found by NPS ground searchers at approximately 11 am today. Cause of death is still under investigation.

The park and Fuselier’s family would like to thank visitors for calls to the tip line that directly contributed to finding Fuselier’s remains. Credible tips from hikers who had contact with Fuselier helped narrow the search area.

The body was transported from Reynolds Mountain to West Glacier, MT by a US Forest Service helicopter based out of the Hungry Horse Ranger District.

Family last heard from Fuselier on Tuesday afternoon. Rangers were alerted on Wednesday morning that he was overdue from his Reynolds Mountain climb. Rangers located his vehicle at Logan Pass later that day.

The ground search for Fuselier began on Wednesday, August 30 in rainy, windy, and foggy conditions. Two Bear Air joined the search on Thursday as weather improved. This morning, a USFS helicopter joined air search operations. Today over 50 searchers, a dog team and two helicopters were deployed for the search.

Glacier National Park officials and Fuselier’s family would like to thank the following for their assistance: North Valley Search and Rescue, Flathead County Search and Rescue, US Forest Service, Flathead County Sheriff’s Department, Two Bear Air Rescue, NPS staff and members of the public who provided tips. Although this was not the desired outcome, the conclusion of the search was brought about in a more timely manner because of the efforts of all who contributed.

Glacier National Park staff would like to express their sincere condolences to the family and ask that the public respect their privacy.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Search Underway in Glacier National Park for Missing Climber

Search efforts are underway in Glacier National Park for Adam Fuselier, a 32-year-old man from Castle Pines, Colorado missing since Tuesday.

The vehicle of the missing man was found at Logan Pass on Wednesday. He was last heard from on Tuesday afternoon and was thought to start his climb at Reynolds Mountain in the morning that day. Rangers were alerted on Wednesday morning that he was overdue.

Rangers are searching for a 32-year-old Caucasian male with short brown hair, blue eyes, 6’2”, about 175 pounds. He may be wearing a light green rain jacket.Rangers conducted a hasty search yesterday which was cut short by inclement weather. Another search will be conducted this morning. Conditions in the park yesterday morning were rainy, overcast, and foggy. National Weather Service indicates weather becoming more favorable for searchers with decreasing winds and tapering of rainfall.

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
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park