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Glacier Superintendent on Temporary Detail in Denver

Jeff Mow takes over as acting Intermountain regional director for three months

By Tristan Scott
Glacier National Park Superintendent Jeff Mow discusses the Sprague Fire during a community meeting on Sept. 6, 2017. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

Glacier National Park Superintendent Jeff Mow, usually a ubiquitous presence inside the park and throughout its gateway communities, has been keeping a low profile lately.

That’s because he’s taken a 120-day detail assignment as the National Park Service’s acting deputy Intermountain regional director in Denver, according to Glacier Park Spokesperson Lauren Alley.

Deputy Superintendent Eric Smith has stepped in as Glacier’s acting superintendent during Mow’s absence.

Alley said the need for Mow at the National Park Service’s regional office stems from vacancies at a number of administrative positions higher up the pecking order, which has created a domino effect.

Alley said Mow is expected to return to his post at Glacier National Park at the end of February.

A nearly 30-year veteran of the National Park Service, Mow was named superintendent of Glacier in 2013, stepping in at a time of record crowds coupled with the ongoing challenges of climate change. He oversees the management of more than 1 million acres of parkland, a staff of about 155 and an annual operating budget of nearly $13 million.

“When Jeff left for this detail, we made him promise that he was coming right back,” Alley joked.