Outdoor news
Forest history
The recent designation of the Big Creek Ranger Station and backcountry administrative facilities in the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Flathead River for listing in the National Register of Historic Places will be the topic during the Flathead National Forest’s no-host breakfast chat at the Nite Owl Back Room Restaurant in Columbia Falls on Friday, Feb. 27, starting at 7 a.m. Established in 1908, the Big Creek Ranger Station Historic District reflects construction dating to 1927. The backcountry sites include the ranger district headquarters, guard stations and the trails and communications systems that connect them, mostly in wilderness. For more information or to RSVP, contact Colter Pence at cfpence@fs.fed.us or 406-758-5252. Your response allows us to plan accordingly with the restaurant.
Park bike ride
The Glacier National Park Conservancy is looking for 30 individuals who will ride bikes for five days and whitewater raft for one day around Glacier Park to raise funds for the Park projects. The Climate Ride event will take place July 7-12 around the West Glacier, East Glacier and Waterton areas. Riders will commit to raising a minimum of $2,800 by the end of June, with all proceeds benefiting the Glacier National Park Conservancy. For more information, call 406-892-3250 or e-mail amy@gnpcconservancy.org or visit online at http://glacierconservancy.org.
Hunter education
All students taking Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ hunter education classes must register online by visiting http://fwp.mt.gov and clicking on “Education.” Anyone born after Jan. 1, 1985 must complete the course to buy a hunting license in Montana. Students must be at least 11 years old. In Columbia Falls, all students must attend a brief mandatory orientation at the Columbia Falls Fire Hall on Tuesday, March 24, from 6-8 p.m. Students must have their permission slip. Classes will be held at the Columbia Falls High School from 7-9 p.m. on April 9, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 and 23. The field course will be held April 25. The test night will be April 27. For more information, call lead instructor Ray Garth at 862-9100.
Weed workshop
The Flathead Conservation District will hold a weed workshop at the Flathead Valley Community College on March 4 and 11 designed for local community members who own 5 to 50 acres. Presenters will include Dawn Lafleur with Glacier National Park, Kima Caddell with the Montana Department of Agriculture, Tris Hoffman with the Forest Service, Steve Robinson with the Flathead County Weed Department, and Andy Lybec with CHS. Topics will include identification, equipment, chemicals and non-chemical control options. The workshops will take place in the Arts & Technology building from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. For more information, call Kari Musgrove at 752-4220.
Wilderness artists
The application deadline for the 2015 Artist-Wilderness-Connection program for artists-in-residence, sponsored by the Flathead National Forest, Hockaday Museum of Art, Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation and the Swan Ecosystem Center, is Feb. 28. In the program, professional working artists of various disciplines, media and styles spend up to two weeks in a remote forest cabin on the Flathead National Forest to focus on their respective art. Apply online at http://hockadaymuseum.org/ under “Artist Opportunities, Artist-Wilderness-Connection.” For more information, contact Teresa Wenum at 406-758-5218 or Liz Moss at 406-755-5268.
Sled dog race
The Flathead Classic Sled Dog Race will take place off U.S. 93 in Olney on Feb. 28-March 1. Volunteers are needed, including dog handlers, start chute assistants, parking, bag checker, trail help, snowmobile help, mutt-pull organizers, timers, set-up and more. For more information or to pre-register for the race, visit online at www.flatheadclassic.org.
Wildlife talk
Wildlife biologist and local author Doug Chadwick will speak of his experiences exploring ecosystems from Siberia to the Congo, and Canada to Northwest Montana at the Museum at Central School, 124 Second Avenue East in Kalispell, on Sunday, Feb. 22, starting at 2:30 p.m. Chadwick received a master’s in wildlife biology from the University of Montana. He is the author of 11 books and produced hundreds of articles for publications for National Geographic, Reader’s Digest and the New York Times Review of Books.
Winter lectures
The Glacier Institute will host wildlife lectures at the Conrad Mansion in Kalispell on Thursdays starting at 6 p.m. Former Glacier Park ranger Dave Shea will talk about wildlife encountered by Lewis and Clark on their “Voyage of Discovery” on Feb. 26. Glacier Institute education director Justin Barth will talk about Glacier Park’s fire lookouts on March 19. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit online at conradmansion.com or call 755-2166.