Glacier Outdoor Center Blog

Shallow Water Crossing

We’ve got our course dates dialed in for the 2010 season! Join The River School at Glacier Raft Company to brush up on you boating or river rescue skills. Learn more about individual courses at The River School. Hope to see you on the river!

• Apr 30 – May 2        Whitewater Rescue Technician
• May 15 – 16                Intro to River Skills
• May 17 – 23               The River School
• May 28 – 30              Whitewater Rescue Technician
• Jun 7 – 13                   The River School
• Jun 18 – 20                Whitewater Rescue Technician
• Jun 26 – 27                Intro to River Skills
• July 17 – 18                Intro to River Skills
• July 29                       Level I River Sense
• July 30                       Level II River Sense
• July 31 – Aug 1         Level III River Sense

As river levels drop during the summer many paddlers give up a ride in a raft for a craft that is more agile and thrillseeking.  Inflatable kayaks, whitewater canoes and of course hardshell kayaks make for a great play time on the river.  Glacier Outdoor Center rents them all!  Try an inflatable with a guide nearby or demo a whitewater canoe on your own.  It’s all fun when you get a chance to get on the river. 

An overnight rafting or fishing adventure is a great way for families to bond.  Let a guide cook your meals, guide you down the river, set up the shuttles, so you and your family can enjoy time together without the stress of everyday life.  Spend your days sitting back enjoying the scenery and sun.  Spend your evenings enjoying the campfire, fishing or just plain relaxing.  July and August are beautiful months with consistent warm and sunny weather patterns.  Get out and play, without over exerting yourself.  This is summer time in Glacier National Park.

Join Glacier Raft Company’s River School for exciting whitewater rescue courses and general river skills courses. We’ve added another whitewater rescue technician course July 17-19. We also still have an introduction to river skills course July 25 & 26. Call us at 406-888-5454 to get signed up! See you on the river.

Glacier Outdoor Center’s annual Down River Demo Days is scheduled for July 11th and 12th.  Reps from Aire & Outcast will be on hand as well as our knowledgeable staff.  There will be some great discounts on rafts, kayaks and whitewater canoes as well as all the paddling accessories.  Our Boat Barn will be stocked full of demos, rentals and many new boats on display.  On Saturday we will have a scheduled demo departure and shuttle for those that would like to try one of our many boat options.  Come out for the free BBQ both days.  Call us with questions or inquiries.  See you July 11th and 12th!

Check out footage of everyone swimming in the notch. These are students in Glacier Raft’s Whitewater Rescue Technician course for May. Try not to get sick watching. Next time I’ll try to keep my head still while swimming. Check out the classes at http://glacierraftco.com/guide-school.htm#river%20skills. Hope to see you on the river!

On Saturday May 30th, eight current and former Glacier Raft Company guides completed the first single-day navigation of the Flathead River from the Schafer Meadows Ranger Station, located deep within the Great Bear Wilderness, to the Sportsman’s Bridge, just north of Flathead Lake.  The journey, completed as the river neared its peak flow, took just under 18 hours.  

The first 28 miles of the trip, known as the Upper Middle Fork, is located within the Great Bear Wilderness and is home to consistent class IV and V whitewater at high flows.  The two four-person crews put 14 ft AIRE rafts on the river at 5:10 am and exited the wilderness at 10:00 am, covering nearly 30 miles, that normally takes two to three days to navigate, in under five hours.  

After completing the wilderness section the paddlers still had to cover over 40 miles of class III-IV whitewater above West Glacier and nearly 50 miles of flat water between West Glacier and Flathead Lake.  The incredibly demanding trip began before sunrise and ended after sunset as the crews pulled into the take out at 10:54pm.  

Thanks to everyone who helped make this trip happen and allowed us to kick off the summer of 2009 with such a fantastic accomplishment!  

For more detailed play-by-play from the expedition check out this article from Thursday’s Daily Inter Lake.

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2009/06/04/sports/outdoor_life/outdoor_life_8755908154_01.txt

 

 

 

 

What a beautiful weekend here in West Glacier.  Memorial day tends to be a little rainy, but not this year.  Wow!!  We are running whitewater trips every day now and are still waiting for the peak of the runoff.  With the cool spring we should see some great water levels throughout the summer.  Employees are starting to show up and West Glacier is buzzing with early visitors.  Glacier Park is open to Avalanche campground on the West side and is open to foot and bike traffic for a few miles beyond. 

Spring has finally sprung here in West Glacier.  Our first rafting trip was on 5/7.  The weather held out and the sun shined.  Spring is a great time to hit bigger volume/larger rapids.  The weather can be unpredictable, but that is why we dress everyone for the occasion.  Free use of wetsuits and booties as well as splash gear help to keep out the cold. 

Here we go.  Even though it snowed 2″   here in West Glacier last night it is time to start rafting.  May 7th is our first trip of the season.  Spring rafting is normally a little cold, but the BIG whitewater is well worth some cold toes and fingers.  Lots of water, crashing waves, and some great scenery make up for it.  Mark your calendars: Mothers day to Fathers day we offer 1/2 price rafting if you book and go between those dates.  Happy rafting!