Glacier Outdoor Center Blog

While we’re deep in the middle of winter here at Glacier Outdoor Center by spending our time skiing and snowshoeing and generally having fun in snow, we’ve always got summertime in the back of our minds.

Ahh… summertime – those three (four if we’re lucky) blessed months of sun and fun.

Just last week, the National Park Service statistics office said that more than 2-million people visited Glacier National Park in 2009. That’s huge! It’s a 12.4% increase over 2008. According to an article in the Daily Inter Lake, GNP has more visitors at every entrance compared to 2008, but with substantial increases of 29% at Many Glacier and 10% at West Glacier.

With GOC in West Glacier, of course we’re proud to claim responsibility for at least part of that 10%! All summer long, we’re busy guiding raft and fly fishing trips down the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. And the gear shop and cabins at Glacier Outdoor Center offer a great lodging option for vacationers visiting the park.

This summer, we’re excited that Glacier National Park will be celebrating its 100 Birthday. Check out all the fun stuff the park has planned during its Centennial Summer.

April 22, 2010-Glacier Centennial Green Business Activities-Flathead Valley, MT

April 22, 2010-Glacier National Park Birthday and Program Miracle of America Museum, Polson, MT

April 23-24- Glacier Symposium at Flathead Valley Community College Kalispell, MT

April 30 and May 1, 2010-Death by Chocolate Glacier Park Murder Mystery at Conrad Mansion, Kalispell, MT

May 11, 2010- Glacier National Park 100th Anniversary Rededication at GNP Community Building, West Glacier, MT

May 13, 2010-Glacier Centennial Film Festival at Whitefish Mountain Mall Theater, Whitefish, MT

May 21, 2010- Spring for Glacier (Centennial Art is Auctioned) at Belton Chalet & Lake McDonald Lodge in West Glacier and Glacier National Park, MT

May 24 and 25, 2010-Flathead HS Choir Presents: GNP Centennial Concert Flathead HS, Kalispell, MT

June 10, 2010-Glacier Centennial Film Festival at Columbia Falls High School, Columbia Falls, MT

June 22-24, 2010 and June 26 Glacier Centennial and Glacier National Park Plein Air Paint Out at Hockaday Museum of Art in Kalispell, MT (unveiling)

June 25, 2010- Centennial Poetry Reading at the Belton Chalet, West Glacier, MT

June 26-29, 2010-Western Governor’s Association Conference in Whitefish and Glacier National Park, MT

June 27, 2010-Belton Chalet Centennial Birthday Party in West Glacier, MT

July 8, 2010-Glacier Centennial Film Festival at Lake McDonald Lodge, Glacier National Park, MT Glacier

July 10, 2010 Centennial Symphony at Rebecca Farm Kalispell, MT

July 20-26, 2010-Glacier Mountaineering Society Centennial Summit in Glacier National Park, MT

July 22-25, 2010-Centennial Heritage Days in Columbia Falls, MT

July 24, 2010-Joe Cosley Collection Unveiling in Columbia Falls, MT

July 29-August 1, 2010-Many Glacier Employee Reunion at Many Glacier in Glacier National Park, MT

July 30, August 2-3, 2010-Centennial Roadshow Hootenanny Many Glacier Hotel, Glacier Park Lodge & Lake McDonald Lodge in Glacier National Park, MT

August 11-16, and 18-23, 2010-Glacier Grand Heritage Tours, Glacier National Park, MT

August 12, 2010-Glacier Centennial Film Festival at St. Mary Visitor Center, Glacier National Park, MT

August 13-15, 2010-Centennial Huckleberry Days Whitefish, MT

August 20-22, 2010-Glacier National Park Trail Crew Rendezvous in Glacier National Park, MT

August 22, 2010-Annual National Park Service Employee & Alumni Picnic in Glacier National Park, MT

September 5, 2010-Belton Centennial Employee Reunion

More details of what’s in store for 2010 can be found at: www.glaciercentennial.org. We are looking forward to a great year and hope to see you at some of the festivities!

Wow! Thank you for helping us make our 2nd annual fundraiser for the Humane Society of Northwest Montana a huge success!

Thank you again to the sponsors, donors and supporters that helped Glacier Outdoor Center and Glacier Raft Company: Whitefish Amimal Hospital, Montana Coffee Taders, WAG, Tailwaggers, Belton Chalet, racers and spectators. We had great prizes!
For all you racers and spectators ready to mark your calendars for next year (cabins fill up fast) we are shooting for the second to last weekend of January. For the most up to date info follow us on Facebook or Twitter; or, subscribe to our newsletter  http://www.glacierraftco.com/newsletter/subscribe.htm.

And, the final results for our Doggie-cross 3k course are:
Than Pulsifer & Taz 5:18
Dena Rissman & Dinger 5:35
Billy Carrol & Jameson 5:41
Jen Carpenedo & Ander 5:52
Manolita Connor & Laika 6:00
Chris Connor & Miyah 6:06
Ryan O’Rourke & Que 6:13
Darwon Stoneman & Fisher 6:27
Nic Lee & Kila 7:21
Peter Steele & Rory 7:28
Brad Taylor & Kimo 8:02
Marcie B & Serge 8:19
Jenny & Lupin 8:19
Joe Haun & Bruce 9:05
Matt Graves & Sitka 9:10
Tye Paulson & Maggie and Buddy 9:37
Steve Lund & Ruger 9:54
Terri Stoneman & Rusty 12:10
Darryl Ibilings & Kiska 17:48
Shaun McCullum & Hershal 20:02

Many folks also came to spectate and ski our groomed trails with their dogs to help with the cause.  All dog trail fees collected over the weekend were donated.

Thank you again! We all had such a great time and it was nice to see so many smiles! Please remember if you are looking for a new four legged friend to join your family there are many dogs at the Humane Society looking for a home.  Check out our Facebook page to see all the photos! Glacier’s Facebook Page Or check out Glacier’s Flickr account if you’re not on Facebook.
And… Who let the dogs out….!

Dylan Freed having a poor day of skiing in the Wasatch.  Photo by Jay Beyer.

With all this new snow in the Flathead Valley, we have been busy grooming  and prepping the Winter Trail System at Glacier Outdoor Center.  Today, it’s official- We are open for the 09/10 Winter Season! The Winter Trail System at Glacier Outdoor Center is 10 km of Nordic groomed trail and a separate 2 km snowshoe trail.  We’ve also got a fully stocked Nordic rental shop available. Conditions are great and the winter season is here in full force.

Here are rates and additional  information:

Daily Trail Pass: $8.00 per person
Kids 10 & under ski FREE.
Daily Dog Trail Pass: $2.00
Season Pass: $50.00
Family Season Pass: $95.00
Private Warming Cabin: $119-$229 per day
Private Warming Cabin w/ HOT TUB: $269 per day
Log Cabin Accommodations in West Glacier: See Cabin Rental

And, don’t forget, we are having our Glacier Nordic Day January 2nd 2010. Bring your family and friends for this great day with specials on rentals, free trail use and activities for the whole family.

Come out and see us in beautiful West Glacier.

Our annual nordic day is fast approaching.  Saturday January 2nd we will offer free skiing on our entire 10km of groomed trails.  From 10am to 3pm rentals are 1/2 price, the bonfire will be raging, free intro to nordic skiing lessons, doggy skijoring demos, snacks and hot beverages are among the list of events and specials going on that day.  Come join us!  Later in the month we will have our annual Dog skijoring races with benefits going to the Northwest chapter of the Humane Society.  This event is on January 30th.  We invite spectators and racers.  Racers can sign up by calling Glacier Outdoor Center or stopping in.  There are some great prizes for participants.  This year we are also hosting the Western states ski festival.  This is a junior nordic race with participants from all over the western US and Canada.  This event is February 27th and 28th.  Happy holidays! 

Well, we’ve had the first snow of the season and our ginzugroomer is aching to buff out the trails. It’s not much longer now before we sill be offering classic and skate skiing in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. Interested in a guided ski or snowshoe tour into the Crown Jewel of the Continent?… Let one of Glacier Outdoor Center’s seasoned local guides show you around.

I know winter is still a couple of months off, but we are starting our prep for our ski trail system.  Last year we added a couple of km of new trails and this year we are adding more.  A new map will be available soon.  We are also enhancing and cleaning up our existing system.  This season we are planning at least three events.  Our annual open house/ski free day will be the first week of January.  Next we will again have a fundraiser doggie skijoring race to benefit the local Humane Society and finally we are hosting the Western States ski festival for Junior Nordic racers the 27th & 28th of February.  Look to our calendar of events to get the latest as we go into fall.

Summer is quickly coming to an end.  Kids are headed back to school.  River guides are off to their next jobs or college and the Glacier Outdoor Center is offering some incredible deals on rental and demo gear!  Each year the deals get sweeter as we get closer to September and October.  Aire rafts, Liquid logic kayaks and Esquif canoes as well as an array of paddling gear from Northwest River, Stohlquist, Kokatat and Sawyer are all on SALE!  Call, email or stop by the Glacier Outdoor Center to check out the deals.