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70 years ago

July 9, 1948

The number of workers employed at the Hungry Horse Dam construction site rose above 900. Visitors to Glacier National Park were enjoying the chance to see a cream-colored bear cub described as “the blondest if all bears ever seen in the park.” The 15-pound cub was not believed to be an albino. He, his honey-colored mother and cinnamon twin brother were frequenting the Going-to-the-Sun highway.

60 years ago

July 11, 1958

National Park aquatic biologist O.L. Wallis, along with Zell Parkhurst and Mark Morton of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were in Glacier Nation Park to conduct a study on fish populations and the troubles they were facing. Two cabin boys from the Rising Sun Motel returned $300 to park visitor Myra Hoffman of Tacoma, Wash., saving her vacation. She later sent a thank-you letter and $10 money orders to each of the boys.

50 years ago

July 12, 1968

Favorable weather was leading to record visitation in Glacier National Park as the number of visitors exceeded 13,000 per day. Visitation through July 10 was at 315,971. The park record for single-day visitation at that time had been set July 2, 1967, with 16,542. It was reported that less than half of the visitors were at the park for the first time. The majority of the visitors were from Montana (24 percent), but just under 12 percent were from California. The park also reported that the majority of trails were open for the season.

40 years ago

July 13, 1978

Glacier National Park was looking into a proposal for a pilot program of public transportation inside the park. The plan was to begin running small 12-14 passenger buses between West Glacier and St. Mary the following summer. The park was also looking for a location for it’s new Apgar Visitor Center. Rangers had to “destroy” a problem black bear near Avalanche Trail. The park reported having eight pages of reports of interactions between the troublesome bear and visitors. The park had also put down a small black bear the previous week after it was struck by a car.

30 years ago

July 13, 1988

The Loop Trail in Glacier National Park was closed after a sub-adult grizzly bear was harassing hikers. The plan was to sedate the bear and relocate it to a remote area in the North Fork area. Other areas closed due to bear activity included the boardwalk from Logan Pass to the Hidden Lake overlook, the area between park headquarters and Apgar, the Snyder Lake Trail and Campground and the Rising Wolf summit area. A busy year for bears. Waterton Lakes National Park was looking into the report of rare black-footed ferrets living within the park. An observation operation was planned for later in the summer.

20 years ago

July 9, 1998

Montana Congressman Rick Hill was pushing Washington to take a look a reconstruction options for the Going-to-the-Sun Road. That project is nearing completion. A 16-year-old girl was arrested in West Glacier after stealing a beer van and driving it there from Kalispell. Michael McCulley of Hungry Horse was jailed after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase from Hungry Horse to Columbia Falls and up the North Fork Road. The chase did not end until the wheel fell off McCulley’s vehicle. A Polson woman was killed in Glacier National Park when she and her horse fell off a cliff near the north side of Ptarmigan Tunnel.

10 years ago

July 10, 2008

The Glacier National Park shuttle for hikers was changing its last run of the day from 9:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. due to escalating costs. Travel in the park’s backcountry was treacherous after late-season snow had left many trails still snow covered and wet. Skiers were enjoying the large amount of snow still piled up at Logan Pass.