Restoring the Sinopah

One of the Glacier Park Boat Company’s craft saw a complete overhaul in the past year, more than 3,000 hours of work under the skilled hands of the company’s craftsmen, working in the company’s nondescript shop in Columbia Falls.

The Sinopah was originally constructed in 1926 and now glides on the waters of Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park. But that wasn’t always the case for the craft, which is listed on the National Historic Registry.

According to the registry narrative, the 45-foot long by 12-foot wide carvel planked cedar on oak frame vessel Little Chief took its name from a prominent mountain along the south shore of St. Mary Lake where the boat was originally launched.

Its name was changed to Sinopah in the 1940s when the boat was moved from St. Mary to Two Medicine.

The Sinopah, or Little Chief, as it were, was first constructed by John William (J. W.) Swanson, a Flathead Valley boat builder. But the history of boats in Glacier starts years before that.

In 1911, Frank Kelly and Orville Denny secured a boating concession to transport visitors from the stages at Apgar to the various lodgings at the head of Lake McDonald, in Glacier National Park, which was all of a year old.

As Swanson’s reputation continued to grow, the Glacier Park Hotel Company hired him in the late 1910s to operate and maintain the St. Mary, a 100-passenger launch, and the smaller 20- passenger Glacier. In addition, Swanson was contracted to construct another boat, the Little Chief (Sinopah), for use of visitor transport and cruises on St. Mary Lake.

After three seasons working with the Glacier Park Hotel Company and its St. Mary Lake launches, Swanson set about developing his own boat concession on the lakes on the east side of the park. He wrote to Superintendent Walter W. Payne on Nov. 4, 1919 with his prospectus: “It is my desire to maintain row boats for hire on Two Medicine Lake, St. Mary Lake, and McDermott (Swiftcurrent) Lake, as well as launches on Two Medicine Lake, during the coming season and a launch on Lake McDermott when facilities there permit,” the registry narrative notes.

A one-year contract was approved with the result that Swanson began operating his own boat concession in the summer of 1920.

In 1926 Swanson built the Little Chief (Sinopah) as well as the Rising Wolf on Two Medicine Lake.

By 1938, and wishing to end his tenure in the park, Swanson sold his boats and Park Service concession contract to Arthur Burch and Carl Anderson. With their purchase, the local businessmen from Kalispell planned to operate the business in the same manner as Swanson. The price of $25,000 included the Park Service concession contract, the associated boats, boathouses and other equipment. Swanson assisted the two through the first summer in 1938.

By the end of World War II, Arthur J. Burch assumed full ownership of the Glacier Park Boat Company. Soon after, the Little Chief was purchased from the Glacier Park Hotel Company, moved to Two Medicine Lake to replace a boat that was already there, the Wymufus, and with a little paintwork, the Little Chief became the Sinopah.

The last time the boat was restored was in 1990, noted company operations and maintenance boat company manager Ty Johnson.

This time around some planks have been replaced, the transom is new wood from RBM, a local mill; the canvas roof was replaced; the mahogany interior was refinished and the bulkhead was rebuilt. Ever inch of the boat will be repainted or refinished, a laborious process, as some panels require nine coats of finish, with copious sanding in between, Johnson explained.

There’s probably 500 hours of sanding alone.

After being completely out of business due to the pandemic last year, it’s full steam ahead this year for the company, which operates the historic boat tours on all of Glacier’s major frontcountry lakes.

Owner Scott Burch said 2020 was a trying year both emotionally and financially. His wife and business partner Barbara died in March of last year and the company had no income.

He had to extend credit lines to get up and running again this year, he said.

The boats will run at full capacity, though masks will be required. The Burch family, outside of Ansel Adams, heirs, is the longest running family business in the entire Park Service.

They just signed a new 10-year contract with the Park Service when the pandemic hit.

Burch holds hope. He said reservations look good and they expect a busy summer.

The Sinopah will be ready. It returns to the waters of Two Medicine Lake in May.

“It’s going to be a gem,” Johnson said. “It will be shining.”