Glacier Outdoor Center Blog

We always love to read stories about how Glacier National Park inspires people. This piece in our local paper – the Flathead Beacon – is a great one about Andy Zimet and his quest to climb every 10,000 foot peak in the giant Glacier Park.

from Flathead Beacon - Courtesy Andy Zimet

What’s your Glacier National Park inspiration?

Ever wonder what West Glacier, Montana looks like before the spring crowds start coming?  Here are a few shot of “downtown” West Glacer.

This is our downtown office , what we fondly refer to as “your Montana Vacation Trailhead” where all daily whitewater raft trips check in!  We cover up the sign to protect it against the winter weather.

This is looking into the village of West Glacier from the bridge over the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.  Looks like a winter wonderland to me!

This is the West Enterance to Glacier National Park. Lots of new snow over the weekend make the sign barely visable.

After a few weeks of warm weather, this last cold spell has brought back the colorful icicles.

Year after year, this sight pops up in Bad Rock Canyon located just after Columbia Heights as you head toward West Glacier.  Made with food dye or KoolAid, locals color the large ice formations that hang from the rocks in the canyon near the road.  While some people think it ads color to their lives during the time of year when cabin fever is high, others say it pollutes the natural environment and is an eyesore. Either way, it’s something that certainly turns heads as folks make their way to and from the Canyon!

Work on the remodel of the retail store is coming along fine.

The new floor will be finished this week and the new service counters and displays will be installed.

The new remodel opens up the floor plan for merchandise allowing for better visibility and traffic flow. We’re very excited to debut the new look this spring.  Maybe we’ll even have a special open house to show it off before the crowds start coming!

You are probably still thinking about the winter and praying for fresh snow, but up at Glacier Raft Company and Glacier Anglers we are thinking a LOT about the upcoming spring. This kind of spring…

Thinking ahead, we are not anticipating as big a run-off as last year, but fishing should start a bit earlier and the rafting is always good. We always caution earlier season private rafters about changing river conditions and hazards – be careful and always check conditions before you put a craft into the water.

When the snow starts to melt, we will be prepping our guides with a series of pretty intense safety programs to ensure our guests are well taken care of on the river!

We’ll be ready!

These photos are of the efforts we take to maintain a healthy environment for our fish ponds in the winter time.

Aerators in the ponds keep providing the oxygen in the water and maintain open pools allowing natural light in.

When the ponds freeze we have to open them up for the air to escape creating the glacier mini “geysers”- quite confusing to the dog….

As you know, GOC has been buttoned up for the snow months, but there is still plenty of activity around here.

For example, here’s the kind of thing that’s going on outside:

And this is how pretty it is up here right now!

Meanwhile, inside the shop, THIS is going on:

Our remodel continues, under watchful eyes….

We are looking forward to seeing you in the all-new fly shop and retail center this spring. In the meanwhile, sure hope you are out enjoying this incredibly beautiful winter!

Two major magazines have recognized Northwest Montana’s Flathead Valley as a top choice for places to visit and recreate. We are proud that Vogue Magazine and National Geographic have listed the area as premier destinations.

Vogue Magazine listed Whitefish Mountain Resort and the surrounding area as one of six US Destinations of the Month in the ski town category. They had this to say:

“Enjoying a dream location, it is a half hour from the wonders of Glacier National Park and ten minutes from the heady downhill skiing at the Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Most of all, visit—by snowshoe and/or cross-country skis—Glacier National Park, impossibly beautiful, 35 miles away.”

Image from Vogue Magazine

And going even further, National Geographic put Whitefish and the Flathead on the top 25 Best Ski Towns in the World. They also chose Bozeman, Montana to include in this impressive list from all over the planet! We’ll call Bozeman our own too!

In describing the appeal of Whitefish, National Geographic has this to say:

“Whitefish, a former logging and railroad town of more than 6,000 near the entrance to Glacier National Park, has been quietly delivering glitz-free Montana skiing for over half a century.

Whitefish the ski area lives up to its family-friendly billing with good first-timer terrain and an abundance of long, wide-open, roller coaster groomers where skiers and snowboarders of all abilities can get their superhero on. A high-speed quad speeds to the mountain’s summit, which is often engulfed in clouds and studded with thickly rimmed, white trees known as snow ghosts. The ghosts make for atmospheric glade skiing.”

We agree on all counts, and hope you will come to visit our little paradise. Looking forward to seeing you on the slopes!

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!

The snow may be slow in coming this year, but that doesn’t mean there are not opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to get some beautiful photos when you are out on the trail, on the slopes, or just doing that winter drive.

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.