Outdoor news
Survey work
Forest Service and contract employees will be conducting 8-13 minute long voluntary surveys at developed and dispersed recreation sites and along roads across the Flathead National Forest from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2015. Forest officials say well-trained interviewers will ask about why people are visiting the national forest. All information is confidential and will be used for Forest Service and local tourism planning. For more information, visit online at www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/nvum.
Canyon raptors
Kathy Ross of Flathead Audubon will lead a field trip to the Fishing Access Site on U.S. 2 just west of Bad Rock Canyon on Sunday, Oct. 5, from noon to 4 p.m. to view the annual eagle and hawk migration. Expect to see golden eagles, bald eagles, hawks, accipiters and possibly migrating or resident peregrine falcons. Bring binoculars, scopes, chairs and appropriate clothing. Call 837-3837 for more information.
Map class
Montana Wilderness Association and Snappy Sport Senter will sponsor a free class on “Reading map, compass, tracks and sign” at Snappy’s conference room on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Instructor will be Brian Baxter. Topo maps will be available for $8 and Snappy’s will have compasses on sale. Students are asked to bring a pencil, ruler and calculator. Register online at www.wildmontana.org/walks or by calling 406-291-2154.
Polar bears
Flathead Audubon will host a talk by Frank Tyro about his trip to the “Polar Bear Capital of the World” at the Gateway Community Center, off U.S. 2 West, in Kalispell, on Monday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. Tyro became an Arctic traveler with the Great Bear Foundation in 1984, accompanying Charles Jonkel to Churchill, Manitoba, to learn about and observe polar bears, other mammals and the ecology and geology of the Arctic. Tyro has since visited the Churchill area more than 34 times.
Fall burning
The fall open burning season runs from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30. Anyone wishing to burn must call the Ventilation Hotline for restrictions at 751-8144 before burning. For more information, visit online at www.flatheadhealth.org.
Whitefish race
The fourth annual Whitefish Legacy Run will take place Sunday, Oct. 5, at Stillwater Mountain Lodge with 20K, 11K, 4.5-mile and 1.5-mile family fun run options. The course follows a variety of terrain on the Whitefish Trail, winding through single track and dirt roads. Runners can register online at http://whitefishlegacy.org/legacy-run and pick up race packets at Whitefish Therapy and Sport Center, in Whitefish, on Friday, Oct. 3, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit online at http://whitefishlegacy.org or call 862-3880.
Border closing
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office and the Canada Border Services Agency closed the Port of Chief Mountain border station on Sept. 30. It will re-open on May 15, 2015.
Geocaching
Flathead Valley Community College and students in the Natural Resources Conservation and Management program will offer their second annual Geocache Adventure on the FVCC campus on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Geocaching is an outdoor recreational scavenger hunt using global positioning system (GPS) coordinates. The course will be designed for families and children ages 12-and-under with 10 caches hidden around the immediate campus. For more information, contact Relyea at 756-3946 or crelyea@fvcc.edu. More information on geocaching can be found online at www.geocaching.com.
Carnivores
Science writer and wildlife ecologist Cristina Eisenberg will talk about “Saving all the pieces: Large carnivores in the Crown of the Continent and beyond” at Montana House in Apgar Village in Glacier National Park on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 4 p.m. with time for questions and a reception to follow. She will talk about wolves, grizzly bears, lynx, jaguars, wolverines and cougars on a 7,500-mile wildlife corridor from Alaska to Mexico. Seating is limited, so call 406-888-5393 for additional information and to reserve seats.