Olin & Shaw photo

The wolf I missed a chance to see

Jealous
October 24, 2009

All right I'll come right out and say it...I'm jealous! A friend of mine (our Museum Curator) got to see a wolf the other day. We've both been here about the same length of time and up to that point neither of us had seen one...and if I had taken the day off and gone with her like she asked, I'd have seen one too!

A mutual friend was in town and the two of them went up the Inside North Fork Road to Polebridge. If you are not familiar with that part of the park it's very primitive. There is only the one almost two-lane road and it's dirt and gravel the whole way. It travels through an area of mixed forest and meadow, and much of it has burned over the last three or four decades so the diversity of habitat is great. It's quiet up there relative to the rest of the park in the summer and this time of year you can travel a long way without seeing another soul. Perfect for spotting wildlife.

Apparently they were driving along and happened to look over and there it was, just standing there watching them as if to say "Hey, aren't all you people gone yet?" They got to spend about five minutes of quality time with it before it bounded off down the road and then secreted itself into the forest again. How cool is that? I'm green!!!

There was a time when you couldn't find a wolf in these parts no matter how hard you tried. They were all extirpated in the 20s and 30s. It was a combination of hunting pressure outside the park and a different management philosophy toward predators within the park. Back then predators were routinely shot. It was felt that was the best method to manage ungulate populations. Times change and so do management policies, but the damage was done. Glacier had no resident wolf packs any longer.

It wasn't until the 1980's that a few wolves wandered across the border and naturally reestablished themselves. They must have found those first few years a great life. All this land and no competition from other packs. Since then their numbers have grown and it's not out of the question now to see a wolf anywhere in the park...although it is still a very rare treat. Trust me, I know! Maybe the next time someone suggests I go with them I'll make the right choice.

Glacier National Park

New Trailhead Panels - click image for large PDF version of the Highline Trail.
Larch trees in the Fall

Snow and Yellow Leaves
October 9, 2009

It’s cold here today, much colder than we normally get this time of year. The leaves haven’t even fully turned yet and we already have our first dusting of snow at Park Headquarters. I’m sure if you check the webcam you will still see some white patches in the shadows of the trees. I’m not sure I’m ready for this yet. In my past experience here we don’t usually get our first snow like this until Halloween. Typically the “trick-or-treaters” are all bundled up in heavy winter coats that completely mask whatever costume they have on underneath. I’m sure it will warm up slightly again in a few days and we will get the normal Fall days with lots of good color in the trees. Over the 20 years I’ve been here it’s been my experience that October 18 is the height of the larch tree display. Highway 2 toward Essex is an especially good place to see this amazing deciduous conifer.

Last month I mentioned some of the trailheads that are being worked on. Well here is a sample. Doug, the new guy in our office, has worked very hard to come up with this great new resource for hikers. Over the next few years we hope to get them at most of the trailheads in the park.

Everyone have a great Columbus Day.

Bill