Category: News

Results of the August 2017 Business Meeting

The August 2017 Business Meeting was held last evening. There was a proposed by-laws amendment on the table to change the business meeting day from the first Saturday of the month to the second Sunday of the month. This proposed amendment was approved by 2/3 of the members attending the meeting last evening. The time of the business meeting was not changed. As a result, the business meeting dates for the remainder of the year are:

  • Sunday, September 10 at 8PM
  • Sunday, October 8 at 8PM

Before the September meeting there will be a presentation at 7PM be Lois Walker: The NFLA’s 70th Anniversary: Seven Decades of People, Issues and Activities.

Our new Board of Directors is as follows:

  • President Larry Wilson: e-mail (and also send a letter via the mail to Box3 Columbia Falls, Mt 59912 or Kintla Ranch Road Polebridge Mt 59928)
  • Vice President Rachel Peura: e-mail
  • Past President Randy Kenyon: e-mail
  • Treasurer Chris Heitz; e-mail
  • Secretary Dawn Olson Jacobson: e-mail
  • North Director Lynn Ogle: e-mail
  • North Director: Irv Heitz: e-mail
  • South Director Kevin Ulrichsen: e-mail
  • South Director Bill Walker: e-mail

Don’t forget to get your AIS prevention pass for anglers

As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, Montana anglers are reminded that they need to purchase a new Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass.

The AIS Prevention Pass is required for all anglers, in addition to a fishing license. The cost is $2 for residents and $15 for nonresidents. This is not a license fee increase, but rather an additional requirement from the 2017 Montana Legislature to fund the fight against aquatic invasive species such as mussels.

The pass is available at all Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks license providers and online at fwp.mt.gov. If you purchased a fishing license prior to May 19, you will need to obtain an AIS pass.

“We know this will be an inconvenience for some anglers, but protecting the health of our waterways is critical,” said FWP director Martha Williams. “The AIS program we have in place is our best chance at keeping mussels from spreading to other Montana waters and at keeping other invasive species from gaining a foothold in the state.”

Also included in SB 363 was a fee for hydro-electric facilities. The AIS Prevention Pass is anticipated to generate about $3.2 million in revenue per year. The hydro-electric fee will generate about $3.7 million.

The 2017 Legislature provided additional funding for FWP’s aquatic invasive species program after the discovery last fall of aquatic invasive mussel larvae in water samples from Tiber Reservoir. The response plan includes increasing the number of inspection stations around the state, operating decontamination stations at both Tiber and Canyon Ferry Reservoir, an expanded public education and outreach effort, and doubling the water sampling efforts for mussel larvae around Montana.

Also, because it is a separate program and not a fee increase, the pass can be purchased by non-anglers as well who would want to help contribute to Montana’s fight against aquatic invasive species.

Subscribe to the NFLA Website and Never Miss a Post

Did you know that you can now subscribe to the NFLA website and you’ll receive an email every time we post new information? Is that cool or what?

Check out the subscribe area in the side menu (over on the left if you’re on a computer), fill in your email, then confirm that email address when it shows up in your inbox. That’s all there is to it. If you ever want to unsubscribe, then that’s easy too. The notification email tells you how to do that.

Never miss another important NFLA announcement. Subscribe today!

AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species) Protocols for Glacier Park

With the advent of the aquatic invasive species introduction of mussels, however isolated, in Montana, federal and state agencies are taking strong preventive proactive measures.  This includes Glacier Park, whose mission makes this extremely important.  For those of us on the North Fork, this is having a significant impact on watercraft practices, particular to Bowman and Kintla Lakes.  Watercraft usage is limited to hand propelled vehicles only.  If trailers are utilized, they are not allowed to enter any water. Inspections are going to have a greater impact.  All watercraft are required to be inspected each and every time they enter the park, no exceptions, even for those that never leave the valley.

The only fully authorized inspection station is at Apgar.  However, the Park has gratefully taken us locals into consideration and are offering limited inspections at the Polebridge Ranger Station under the auspices of our new Ranger, Jim Dahlstrom.  He has requested boaters contact him in advance (888-7842 in case he is occupied elsewhere and unavailable, thus avoiding unfortunate inconveniences.  In addition, due to overcrowding at Bowman Lake, new protocols are in place.

Because parking on the road will no longer allowed there when the parking lots are full, vehicle traffic on the Bowman Road may be restricted until parking becomes available.  This is to ensure visitor safety and that emergency vehicles can enter the area.  They are going to do their best to give advance warning to folks, but the entrance to the North Fork at Polebridge will not be affected.  Jim asks that everyone be aware and respect these new protocols, and to contact him directly if they have any questions.

Bark Ranger Presentation

From hydroponicshighway.com

On Saturday, June 3rd, is the first NFLA Business meeting of the year, starting at 8PM at Sondreson Hall.

Before the meeting is going to be a presentation (starting at 7PM) by Glacier Park’s Dog Handler Mark Biel with Gracie “the Bark Ranger” on an innovative approach to critter control.

With the help of the Glacier National Park Conservancy, Glacier Park implemented a Bark Ranger pilot project to determine if a trained herding dog could help reduce human-wildlife interactions at Logan Pass this summer.

And Gracie, a 2-year-old female border collie, is the first.  So come meet Gracie on June 3 and learn all about the cutest ranger of them all.

Jim Dahlstrom, New Ranger at Polebridge

Jim Dahlstrom is the new Glacier National Park ranger at Polebridge. He was kind enough to provide us with a biography (see below). Jim will be coming to an NFLA business meeting early in the summer to get acquainted. Welcome Jim!

I began my career with the NPS in 1999 at Rocky Mountain National Park first as a volunteer, then as a backcountry ranger for two seasons before becoming a law enforcement ranger in 2002.  I’ve spent time working at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Pipestone National Monument, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Teton National Park, and most recently was Chief Ranger for the Niobrara National Scenic River in Nebraska.

My wife Christy (also a NPS alumni) and I met at Rocky, and were married in Estes Park.  We have an 8 year old son, Gerard, and 6 year old daughter, Medora.  We enjoy camping, canoeing, hiking, backpacking, and fishing as a family and are so excited to be coming to the North Fork.  If you are around the Ranger Station this summer and you hear someone yelling “Bear!”  keep in mind the kids might be playing with our pug.

My emphasis on serving as a NPS ranger has always been to serve the visitor, while protecting the Park’s resources.  I have had the pleasure of working in some amazing places and have always found that it is the dedicated individuals in local communities  that step up to help take care of our country’s treasures.

I first heard about the North Fork early in my NPS career, as a place of tremendous beauty and genuine rustic character.  I knew back then that being able to serve in an area like that would be my idea of heaven.  I am humbled at the opportunity to serve this area and one of the crown jewels of the NPS, and look forward to making new friends and helping take care of one of America’s crown jewels.

Glacier Eyes ‘One Car In, One Car Out’ Rules to Ease Crowding

Photo by the Hungry Horse News

The Hungry Horse News says that if the crowds of last summer continue, Glacier National Park is considering implementing a “one car in, one car out,” plan for some of its dead-end roads, Superintendent Jeff Mow said last week during a talk in Kalispell. The overcrowding problem was particularly acute at Bowman Lake, where parking would fill to capacity and people would park on the side of the narrow, dirt road. Some people last summer even rented a camping spot so they would have a place to park. Read the full story here.

NFLA Spring Newsletter and Calendar are in the Mail

It’s that time of year again… the NFLA has published its Spring newsletter and calendar for 2017. Very exciting.

In this newsletter you’ll read all about the history of the NFIA/NFLA as it celebrates its 70th birthday. You’ll also read about the long history of dancing on the North Fork, memories from Larry Wilson about the NFIA/NFLA, and the early mail service on the North Fork. There is also an update from the NFLA Fire Mitigation Committee and the upcoming Summer Interlocal.

For NFLA members who have paid their dues for the year, the newsletter and calendar should be coming to you through the mail any day now. Both the newsletter and the calendar can also be downloaded at any time from the NFLA Newsletters web page. You can also get copies of past newsletters from this page as well.

President Randy Kenyon expresses all of our appreciation to the folks who made this year’s newsletter and calendar possible including Allen Chrisman for the layout, scribes Arne Boveng, Lois Walker, Debo Powers, Molly Shepard and Larry Wilson along with Chris Heitz and Jan Caldwell. It’s our hard working volunteers that make the NFLA the outstanding community organization that it is.

Park Road Update

At Big Prarie - skiing in the Park is great funCurrently 17.0 miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road are open for travel.
Visitors can drive 11.5 miles from the West Entrance to Lake McDonald Lodge, and 5.5 miles from the St. Mary Entrance to Rising Sun.

The section of the road between Lake McDonald Lodge and Rising Sun is closed due to plowing. The East Side vehicle closure is currently at Rising Sun approximately 5.5 miles past the St Mary Entrance. On the west side, hiker/biker access is to the Logan Pit, approximately 10 miles past the vehicle closure, while the road crew is working. On the east side, there is no traffic allowed past Rising Sun including hiker/biker restrictions, though visitors need to follow the signage guiding them around the St Mary Entrance Station construction.

The Camas Road is Open!

And here is a special note from our new Polebridge Ranger Jim Dahlstrom… The road is now open going north 7 miles to the gate on the other side of Big Prairie. The road going south is not open to vehicles yet, but might be this weekend.

Randy is trying to arrange for Ranger Dahlstrom to join us at the first NFLA meeting in June.