Greetings, Beacon readers! Maggie Dresser here, and I just landed back in the Flathead Valley after a trip to Boston and the Maine coast where I took advantage of wicked good fresh seafood, Fenway Park, hot dogs and my first ever espresso martini. While my taste for mystery meat and lobster rolls was acquired in my youth, I’m currently brainstorming ways to concoct this classy, caffeinated cocktail on river trips for an elevated experience.
Speaking of rivers – water levels are fluctuating daily as the seasonal springtime identity crisis ping pongs back and forth between winter and summer conditions. After a high-elevation snowstorm last week, 70-degree temperatures are on tap for the weekend as the weather keeps everybody on their toes.
As spring runoff continues, folks at the Flathead Rivers Alliance (FRA) are working hard to inspire river rats with a full calendar of events lined up this boating season.
Following an Earth Day cleanup and a river safety fair this past weekend, the River Rundown Speaker Series kicks off tonight at Sacred Waters Brewing Company, featuring a presentation focused on the wildlife that inhabits the North, Middle and South Fork corridors of the 219-mile Flathead River system. Glacier National Park Natural Resources Program Manager Mark Biel will educate the audience about his role managing the wildlife within the Wild and Scenic River-designated corridors and the species and habitats he helps protect.
Enjoy libations at Sacred Waters Brewing Company, connect with fellow river lovers and let out your wild side from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Next up is the Paddling Film Fest on Saturday, May 2 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
Co-presented by FRA and the Montana Kayak Academy, the 21st annual festival showcases a slew of paddle-centric films featuring whitewater descents, sea kayaking and environmental stories filmed across the world.
After looking at the lineup, a film called Nocturne captured my attention, which features whitewater kayaker Heidi Walsh illuminated in what looks like an LED light skeleton suit as she paddles the Ottawa River at night. In Big Water Theory, film crews follow French kayaker Nouria Newman, who became the first woman to run the Rondu Gorge on the Indus River in Pakistan.
The fundraiser benefits both conservation nonprofit FRA and Montana Kayak Academy, an organization dedicated to whitewater kayak courses for boaters of all ages. Opportunities include kid’s camps, roll clinics and new this year – a kid’s swiftwater training class and a rafting skills course.
Just Outside Glacier National Park, Volunteers are the First on Scene at Emergencies From Badrock Canyon to Marias Pass
Volunteer firefighters from three departments respond to a variety of crises, ranging from wildfires to car accidents and plane crashes. With rising tourism and a growing population of year-round residents in the region, the departments have joined forces to expand their reach when responding to medical emergencies.
FWP Lays Preliminary Plans for 20,854-acre Stimson Timberland Conservation Project
The proposed easement would protect timberland in Lincoln, Mineral and Sanders counties. It is part of a broader 230,000-acre effort to conserve Stimson's inland timber base in Washington, Idaho and Montana.
Lincoln County Releases Kootenai River Recreation Plan
The cross-jurisdictional planning framework identifies specific infrastructure investments to improve recreational access and safety from the Libby Dam to the Idaho border
‘It’s Not Perfect, But We’re Proud of This Plan’: Agency Specialists Detail Revisions to Wild and Scenic Flathead River Strategy
An "unrestricted, unlimited" permit system would produce key monitoring data to support long-range user-capacity thresholds and management triggers, while restrictions on motorized camping, human waste and fires aim to improve conditions in the near-term. The draft plan is up for public review until March 13.
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