This elk is the 2nd largest harvest on record in Montana, coming it at 411 6/8ths.

The family in south central Montana who shot it generously agreed to let us display it at the Glacier Outdoor Center. Come on up this summer and take a look!

We thought we’d find you some nice tips on how to shoot great images during the winter months. If you are close to the Glacier Outdoor Center, our neighbor Glacier National Park beckons and rarely disappoints for great image opps. We like to watch the Lake McDonald Webcam for an indicator of when conditions are ripe – some of the most beautiful shots of the Park are taken right there.

So, here are a couple of quick tips before you head out into the frozen landscape, from professional photographer Jerry Monkman, and the folks at OutdoorPhotoGear.com.

• “Stay powered. Cold temperatures reduce the length of time your camera’s batteries will function. Always bring a spare or two, and use power-sapping features like auto focus, live view, and LCD playback sparingly.”
• “Stay dry. Keep snow away from your camera and lenses as much as possible. While dry, fluffy snow isn’t as bad as rain on your equipment, you should still blow or wipe it from your gear whenever necessary. Also, never bring a camera and lenses directly into a warm environment after it has been out in the cold. Pack them in your camera bag or plastic bags before heading inside and let them warm up to room temperature before taking them out. Otherwise, moisture will condense on the glass and metal surfaces, potentially damaging your gear.”

Read all of their hints and tips on their blogsite.

And Dan Bailey, at MasteringPhoto.com has some great equipment advice to keep in mind, along with some great images of outdoor adventure. Check it out here. That’s Dan’s shot at the top of this post.

You got any great winter shots yet? Send them our way, we’d love to share them.

For us, Glacier Outdoor Center is buttoned up warm and cozy for the season, all of our employee family are part of the scattering – visiting family and friends in New York, Idaho, Utah, or hosting friends and relatives here at home.

We extend to all of you our most sincere wishes for a happy holiday. We hope that you too are gathering with those you love and sharing the special connection of the Christmas season.

Merry Christmas!!

To keep you thinking of Glacier over your holiday break, we offer you some images here from our friend Chris Peterson’s website. Chris is a stunningly talented photographer, and he is one more thing we are thankful for this season!

Take a look at the Lake McDonald cam – this shot in the pre-sunrise is just getting going. Keep watching, and your eyes will thank you.

GNP has eight awesome webcams. Check out all of them here.

]]> http://blog.glacierraftco.com/glacier-national-park-webcams/feed/ 0 http://blog.glacierraftco.com/night-of-lights-parade-is-dec-2nd/ http://blog.glacierraftco.com/night-of-lights-parade-is-dec-2nd/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:29:09 +0000 OM http://blog.glacierraftco.com/?p=2592

It’s time for one of coolest parades in the Valley (and not because it’s COLD!)

This Friday in Columbia Falls is the beginning of the Night of Lights Weekend! At 5pm the town center comes alive with craft show, music, snacks and beverages, and special deals at local businesses. Details are here.

At 6:30 is the big parade, which really is truly beautiful. Santa and Mrs. Claus join the parade!

Then, Saturday morning from 9am to noon, Santa will be on hand at Glacier Discovery Square for Rotary’s Brunch with Santa – yummy food from local restaurants and caterers, HUGE silent auction, photo of Santa with the kids, music, and more!

Get the full details here.

Don’t miss it!

Also, the run Inspiration was ranked as one of the Five Best Runs in Montana.

Photo by Noah Clayton

And, here is their recent review of the resort.

THAT’S OUR BIG MOUNTAIN!

Glacier Park posted these user-submitted photos of some tracks near the West Glacier Bridge… Check out more images on their Facebook page.

Turns out, there are piranhas in the waters. Here’s a crazy post about invasive finger-biters in the waters of the Dnepropetrovsk region of Ukraine.

Here’s an excerpt:

“The piranhas are already responsible for killing off large portions of fish, muskrats, ducks and snakes. Even a few fishermen have fallen victim to these vicious carnivores, though none have died yet.”

So, we would suggest you stay closer to home and let us show you the fine waters of Northwest Montana, where the fish look like this, and your fingers are safe:

]]> http://blog.glacierraftco.com/fingers-stay-intact-with-glacier-anglers/feed/ 0 http://blog.glacierraftco.com/countdown-to-christmas-45-days-left-to-shop/ http://blog.glacierraftco.com/countdown-to-christmas-45-days-left-to-shop/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:46:24 +0000 OM http://blog.glacierraftco.com/?p=2539 Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered

image from GoogleImages

Even though Glacier Outdoor Center is buttoned down for the winter, we’re still out there in cyberspace. Our online reservation system is waiting patiently (computers are like that) for you to book your spring and summer rafting, fishing excursions, and guided wilderness trips.

Set up the relatives, the friends who are planning a visit next year, the local friends, with a gift of some serious time on the river or in the wilderness.

So, head to our website and pick an activity. Click BOOK NOW, and you are in.

If you are not on the world wide web, you can call 800-235-6781 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.

Wanna know what others think? Click that link.

Take a look at some of the productions from Trout TV. Former Glacier Anglers guides Rich Birdsell and Hilary Hutcheson take viewers to some incredible locations for big, small, strange and beautiful fishing. See some gorgeous backdrops and learn a thing or two about luring the lunkers!

And spread the word about Trout TV – the website is easy to remember: www.trouttvshow.com