Outdoor news
Park volunteers
The Glacier National Park Volunteer Associates will hold their annual work day and meeting starting at the Community Building at Park Headquarters on Saturday, May 16, at 8:30 a.m. The meeting is open to members and the general public interested in volunteer projects in Glacier Park. Following a continental breakfast, volunteers will work on selected short work projects, including at the native plant nursery, Lower McDonald Creek boat launch and Avalanche Campground buildings. Bring a sack lunch. For more information, contact Nancy Barrus at 406-387-4516 or nbarrus1033@gmail.com.
Avalanche talk
Erich Peitzsch, a physical scientist with U.S. Geological Service, director of the Flathead Avalanche Center and an avalanche specialist for Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road snowplow crews, will give a talk on “Understanding Dragons: Avalanches in Glacier National Park” at Montana House in Apgar Village on Saturday, April 25, at 4 p.m. There will be a reception after the presentation. Make reservations by calling 888-5393.
Forest Plan talks
Flathead National Forest officals will talk about the proposed action for the Forest Plan revision at the next Flathead Forest Friday event at the Nite Owl Back Room Restaurant in Columbia Falls on May 1. The no-host breakfast chat will start at 7 a.m. The proposed action includes management direction for the next 15 years or the life of the plan. The Forest is also releasing an amendment to integrate the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy into the forest plans for the Helena, Kootenai, Lewis and Clark, and Lolo national forests. For more information or to RSVP, contact Colter Pence at cfpence@fs.fed.us or 406-758-5252.
Bear meeting
The Flathead National Forest will host the upcoming spring Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem grizzly bear management meeting at the Hungry Horse Ranger District Office in Hungry Horse on Wednesday, May 6, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There will be updates from NCDE members on the Draft NCDE Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy, work plans for the coming year, educational tools, bear mortality rates for 2014 and bear management spring activity. For more information, contact the NCDE chairwoman Deb Mucklow at 406-387-3800 or visit online at www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/grizzly/continentalindex.html.
Forestry Expo
The 26th annual Family Forestry Expo will take place at the Trumbull Creek Educational Forest, midway between Columbia Falls and Whitefish, about two miles north of the U.S. 2 and Highway 40 intersection, on Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hosted by F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co., the event will feature educational displays; a free logging camp lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; demonstrations of mule string packing, logging equipment and a portable sawmill at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; and hands-on activities all day of cross-cut saws and paper making. For more information, visit online at www.familyforestryexpo.org.
Birding in Kila
The Flathead-Kootenai Chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association will host a free outdoor class on Wings, Tails, Tracks & Trails on Saturday, April 25, in Kila. This engaging outdoor program will take participants across several field sites to focus on species habits, habitats, field recognition and identifying characteristics, with an emphasis on spotting nests, tracks and signs of birds of prey, as well as identifying passerines, waterfowl and exotic species. Meet at the Kila Pub on U.S. 2 west of Kalispell at 9 a.m. with cameras, binoculars, spotting scopes, lunch and water. Register by contacting Brian Baxter at b_baxter53@yahoo.com or 406-291-2154 or by e-mailing asouth@wildmontha.org.
Mission Valley birding
Flathead Audubon, Janene Lichtenberg of the Salish Kootenai College and Amy Cilimburg of Montana Audubon will lead a trip to the Mission Valley to learn more about birds and conservation initiatives there on Sunday, April 26. First stop will be the Montana Waterfowl Foundation, where participants will walk through the spruce fen forest and visit trumpeter swans and other waterfowl. This will be followed by a tour of surrounding habitats. Participants will meet at the Salish Kootenai College parking lot in Pablo at 9 a.m. To sign up or for more information, e-mail Janene Lichtenberg at janene_lichtenberg@skc.edu or call 406-212-5473.
Obstacle course
The Kalispell Athletic Club will host its annual Obstacle Course Race on Saturday, April 25, starting at 9 a.m. at Sportsman Ski Haus in Kalispell. Participants will start the 3-mile race in pairs every two minutes. For more information, visit online at www.kalispellathleticclub.net.