Yesterdays: 20 years ago Wedge Canyon Fire rages up the North Fork

70 years ago

July 24, 1953

Hollywood film stars Victor Mature and Piper Laurie were in Glacier National Park to film “Glacier Story” which would later be released as “Dangerous Mission!” The movie was about a woman who witnessed the murder of a crime boss, so she goes to Glacier to hide out. Meanwhile the bad guys are after her and a federal agent is trying to protect her. The New York Times gave the film an awful review.

60 years ago

July 26, 1963

D.F. Duvall of State College, Pennsylvania, was dismayed by the negative publicity of his incident when he encountered a sow grizzly and her cub. He was slashed by the claws of the bear. He said it would give a negative impression of hiking in the park.

50 years ago

July 27, 1973

A couple of dry, hot years was tough on saplings trying to get a start in the North Fork’s Glacier View District, the Forest Service was saying. Cone production had been poor, too.

40 years ago

July 28. 1983

Plans to widen U.S. Highway 2 through Columbia Falls were on track, with the project expected to go out to bid in September. The plan was to widen the road from the Blue Moon intersection to Columbia Heights.

30 years ago

July 29, 1993

A full-page spread featured packers John Wartnow and Jack Polzin packing supplies by mule and horse in Glacier National Park. They said it was a physically demanding job, but they got to see a lot of nice country. They also packed a lot of interesting stuff, including a composting toilet up to Sperry Chalet.

20 years ago

July 24, 2003

The Wedge Canyon Fire was raging up the North Fork and in Glacier National Park, Granite Park was preparing for the Trapper Fire when it arrived. Both would make huge runs in the coming weeks.

10 years ago

July 24, 2013

Three people were recovering from a lightning strike on the St. Mary Falls Trail. Lightning hit, but did not kill the people on July 17 as they hiked the trail in Glacier National Park.