Forest Service asks for public input on outfitter permit renewals for raft companies; extends comment period

By CHRIS PETERSON

Hungry Horse News

The Flathead National Forest is looking to renew five commercial outfitter permits for the North and Middle Forks of the Flathead River outside of wilderness boundaries.

The five outfitters are the Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp, Glacier Guides and Montana Raft Co., Glacier Raft Co. Great Northern Whitewater Raft Co and Wild River Adventures. 

They have previously been permitted for the past 30 to 50 years, depending on the company, according to a recent scoping letter. 

River usage surged in 2021 but has since leveled off. In 2023, outfitters had about 69,592 service days on the lower Middle Fork, which is defined as being from Bear Creek to the House of Mystery. 

In 2021, that number was 101,105, as the pandemic closed the east side of Glacier National Park, compressing visitation to the west side. 

In 2022, there were 71,896 service days on the lower Middle Fork. But prior to 2021, service days on the lower Middle Fork were far lower. For example, in 2015, it was 41,387 and in 2017, the busiest year in Glacier Park’s history, it was 54,848. 

The North Fork has also seen an increase in service days, though the Upper North Fork has varied a bit. 

In 2015, the Upper North Fork saw 732 service days, while the lower 548. 

By 2023, the upper actually saw less outfitting, with 679, but the lower was more than double, at 1,220. 

 A service day is a measure of use made up of one day or any part of one day on National Forest System lands for which an outfitter or guide provides services to a client. The total number of service days is calculated by multiplying each service day by the number of clients on the trip. For example, a 3-day trip with 5 clients would be 15 service days. A two-hour trip with 10 clients would be 10 service days. 

The permits expire in April 2025. The Forest Service maintains renewing the permits is permitted under a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act. 

“Issuance of a new special use authorization to replace an existing or expired special use authorization, when such issuance is to account only for administrative changes, such as a change in ownership of authorized improvements or expiration of the current authorization, and where there are no changes to the authorized facilities or increases in the scope or magnitude of authorized activities,” the scoping letter states allows for the exclusion. “The applicant or holder must be in compliance with all the terms and conditions of the existing or expired special use authorization.” 

The Forest Service also notes the services the outfitters provided for years. 

“Outfitters and guides on the North and Middle Forks promote and teach river and bear safety practices, resource protection (such as the proper fishing techniques), river etiquette, and the unique attributes of this Wild and Scenic River. These permits are a part of both sharing and protecting this national resource,” the scoping letter states. 

The Forest Service is working on a new Comprehensive River Management Plan, a draft of which it previously said would be due out this fall. 

The new plan is supposed to take into account commercial use as well as private use on the rivers. 

The Forest Service has extended the comment period until Nov. 1.

They can be submitted electronically to: comments-northern-flathead-hungry-horse-glacier-view@usda.gov with “North and Middle Fork Flathead River Outfitter and Guide Permit Renewal Project” in the subject line. Acceptable formats include MS Word, RTF, or PDF. Or mail comments to me at the following address: Robert Davies, District Ranger P.O. Box 190340 Hungry Horse, MT 59919