Outdoor news
Forest planning
The Flathead National Forest will hold Forest Plan Revision Geographic Area Stakeholder Collaboration Meetings at the supervisor’s office, 650 Wolfpack Way, in Kalispell, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Topics will include the Hungry Horse, South Fork and Middle Fork areas on Wednesday, April 23, and the North Fork area on Thursday, April 24. To register, visit online at www.fs.usda.gov/flathead and follow the links.
Load limits
The Flathead National Forest has implemented temporary restrictions on roads that have become soft during the spring break-up. For updated information, call the Hungry Horse/Glacier View Ranger District at 387-3800, the Tally Lake Ranger District at 758-5204 or the Swan Lake Ranger District at 837-7500 or visit online at www.fs.usda.gov/flathead.
Glacier Institute
The Glacier Institute will hold its annual Volunteer Work Day on Saturday, May 3, at both the Glacier Park Field Camp, in Glacier National Park one mile north of West Glacier, and the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center, on the North Fork Road about 21 miles north of Columbia Falls. The workday will begin at 9 a.m. and include cleaning, painting, light carpentry, raking, sweeping and other tasks. Lunch will be provided. RSVP by calling 755-1211 or e-mailing register@glacierinstitute.org.
Wildlife babies
The Montana Wild Wings Recover Center in Kalispell will hold a free “Baby Shower” open house at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 1 office, 490 Meridian Road, in Kalispell, on Saturday, May 17, from noon to 3 p.m. as a donation-based fundraiser for the center. Birds that could be on display include a peregrine falcon, American kestrel falcon, ferruginous hawk, Swainson’s hawk, red-tailed hawk, northern pygmy owl, saw-whet owl, great horned owl, great grey owl and a northern barred owl. For more information, visit online at www.wildwingsrecovery.org or on their Facebook page.
Eco-Star award
Glacier Guides and Montana Raft Company were recently recognized by Montana State University and Gov. Steve Bullock with an Eco-Star Award for their pollution prevention efforts in 2013. This is the second year the company was presented with the award. Founded in 1983, the company focuses on waste reduction, practicing Leave No Trace ethics on all of their trips and selling more “Made in the USA” and eco-sensitive retail items.
Climate change event
“Stories of the Mountain, Songs from the Soul,” an event with artists and researchers concerned about climate change, will take place at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish on Saturday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. The event will feature U.S. Geological Survey scientists Dan Fagre and Lisa McKeon, painter Diane Burko of Philadelphia, Pa., artist Joy Von Wolffersdorff, the Crown of the Continent Choir and musicians Left Side Brains, and repeat photography of locations in Glacier National Park. Admission is $5 at the door.
Outdoor women
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will offer horsepacking and mountain bike riding classes in the Flathead as part of their Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program. The horsepacking workshop for beginners will take place at an indoor arena near Columbia Falls on Sunday, May 4, co-hosted by the Back Country Horsemen of the Flathead. The $35 fee includes lunch and the use of all equipment and packing stock. The mountain biking workshop for beginner and intermediate riders will be based at the Whitefish Bike Retreat near Whitefish on Saturday and Sunday, June 28-29. To register or for more information, call 406-444-9940 or e-mail llodman@mt.gov.
Wild Mile
The 39th annual Bigfork Whitewater Festival will take place on the “Wild Mile” of the Swan River, above downtown Bigfork, on Saturday and Sunday, May 24-25. The festival will include a whitewater slalom, down river and a boater-cross race on a challenging whitewater section rated Class IV to Class V. Raft competition and a triathlon are also planned. The film “Big Drop” will be shown at The Roost in downtown Bigfork on Saturday, May 3, at 8 p.m. as a fundraiser for the whitewater festival. For more information, visit online at www.bigforkwhitewaterfestival.com.
RAC recruiting
The Flathead National Forest is seeking people interested in serving on the Flathead County Resource Advisory Committee. RAC’s 15 volunteer members are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture for a four-year term. They recommend projects for funding that will benefit National Forest System lands within the county. Applications are available at the Flathead Forest Supervisor’s Office, 650 Wolfpack Way, in Kalispell. For more information, e-mail ewmuehlhof@fs.fed.us or call 406-758-5252.