Glacier National Park - new boating rules may help protect the Park Waters from invasive species

DO NOT PLAN TO USE YOUR OWN WATERCRAFT ON EAST SIDE LAKES UNTIL JUNE 1, 2017! Lake Mcdonald and the North Fork area lakes will be open for personal, nonmotorized, hand carried boats only (NO TRAILERS WILL BE ALLOWED IN GLACIER PARK WATERS  AT ALL) on May 15, 2017 - WITH LAUNCH PERMIT ONLY!

Stormy waters on Saint Mary Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana. © Tony Bynum 

Last year Glacier National Park officials closed park waters, under an emergency order, when invasive, non-native muscles were found just east of the Blackfeet Reservation at Tiber Dam. Tiber Dam is about 120 miles east of Glacier Park and sits 10 miles south of Highway 2, between Chester and Galata - yep, between Chester and Galata . . .

A single boater on Lake Mcdonald, Glacier National Pake, Montana. © Tony Bynum

This year, although the threat still remains and likely will forever, Glacier National Park has crafted new regulations for the 2017 summer season. (link to Glacier National Park boating page with new rules). Here is an exert from the Glacier National Park boating page.

You must thoroughly clean, drain, and dry all of your boating, wading, and fishing equipment before coming to the park. A free launch permit is required to launch all non-motorized watercraft in Glacier National Park. In order to qualify for the permit, all such boats, arriving at the park, must be cleaned, drained, and dried prior to inspection by NPS staff. Boats that pass inspection will be issued a launch permit, which is valid as long as your watercraft stays in the park. It is critical that all boats be cleaned, drained, and dried or a permit will not be issued.

Boat trailers are not permitted to enter park waters. All trailered non-motorized watercraft must be hand carried to launch points.

Inspection stations for hand-propelled watercraft will be located on the west side of the park in Apgar Village (for Lake McDonald and North Fork area lakes), and the east side of the park at Two Medicine, St. Mary, and Many Glacier Ranger Stations.

Though launch hours are not restricted, inspection hours are limited. Hours vary throughout the park and will be adjusted seasonally. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, permits are available from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Apgar boat ramp (Station closure time will be adjusted as summer daylight wanes) and from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at all other locations - St. Mary Visitor Center, Two Medicine Ranger Station, and the Many Glacier Ranger Station.

Boaters wishing to launch on any North Fork lakes must obtain a permit at Park Headquarters, and then immediately proceed to their North Fork launch location after inspection.Boaters living in the North Fork area who wish to boat in North Fork lakes, should contact the Polebridge Ranger Station for inspection procedures.

Glacier National Park only provides boat inspections and permits for boaters launching on park waters. Inspections and launch permits for Blackfeet tribal waters are available on U.S. Hwy 2 between East Glacier and Browning and at Chewing Black Bones Campground, just north of St. Mary MT. (https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/boating.htm) 

This is, in my view, a logical response to the threat of waterborne invasive species. I don't like it, but it's logical and probably the best option.

There are holes and issues that still need addressing, but until the Park Services can come up with a better plan, I think caution is the better park of valor.

Issues that still need addressing publicly.

• Local boaters. What about local people who's boats only go into Glacier Park waters and never leave the area? Many local people live and recreate in the Park. Every time we leave the official boundary of the Park we have to get reinspected. There should be a special use permit for those of us who live here and regularly use Park waters with our own personal watercraft. There could be a provision that if the watercraft is used in any other water, it must be re-inspected, otherwise, it can be used. 
• Issues related to Park boundary waters like the Middle Fork (not in the park but is the southern boundary) and the North Fork of the Flathead River, and Lower Two Medicine Lake, and Waterton Lake. According to GNP Officials, Waterton Lakes also has a moratorium on motorboats but allows self inspection of hand paddled boats). The question is, how are we going to keep invasive species out of waters located in multiple jurisdictions? The "flimsy" inspection program won't be enough. It's a start but until the NPS Glacier National Park makes a real public relations push I fear we'll wind up with invasive species in the Park. The Blackfeet Tribe is requiring boat and wader inspections too! 

Option for those who want to boat Glacier Park but done/can't/won't bring your own boat. 

• Use Glacier Park Incorporated boats - expensive and now, due to increased demand, will be harder to rent. But, you can rent canoes and other paddle style boats, or take a ride on one of the historical, guided boat tours. 

Glacier Park Boat Company operates several historic boats. This is Swift Current Lake in Glacier National Park. © Tony Bynum

Happy Boating - Swift Current Lake, Many Glacier, Glacier National Park - © Tony Bynum

Link to additional Glacier National Park Photographs

Always wear your Personal Floatation Device. Happy Boating in Glacier National Park. Tony Bynum

Grizzly Bears are out - crown of the continent - you're not the top of the food chain!

Grizzly bears are out and scouring the hillsides for food and looking for love . . .  Make sure you're packing your bear spray, and more importantly, make sure you are always "bear aware."  I always tell people, grizzly bears are where you find them. If you are in the part of the country, and you ask, "where are the grizzly bears," just remember, "grizzly bears are where you find them," which means, grizzly bears are anywhere at anytime!

This boar grizzly bear proceeded to shred this small fir tree. I took this as a clear indication that he was unhappy with my presence - even though I was about 100 yards, maybe more, away. I left the area imidiatly and allowed the bear to proceed on his own. If you see a grizzly bear, be cautious and read their signals. Boar grizzly bears are out searching for sow's this time of year! © Tony Bynum Nikon d300, nikon 500mm f4 vr. 1/250 sec @f5 iso 800. 

NEVER let your guard down! Keeping on your toes is one of the reasons going into wild country is so much fun and why it often changes people's lives and perspectives. If you're out in the bush in these parts, you're not at the top of the food chain. That alone should make you think a bit different about the world. . .

Cheers, and be safe out there!

Montana Based Photographer, Tony Bynum 

Spring in Glacier National Park - grizzly bears, going to the sun road, two medicine, wild goose island

While most grizzly bears are still hibernating along the rocky mountain front, as this recent news article reports, spring is nonetheless progressing.

A grizzly bear sow with two cubs emerge from their winter slumber. Nikon D300, Nikon 500mm f4, VR TC 1.4. This is about a 20% crop, the bears were rather far away and there was no harm done either to the bears or to myself.  I grabbed a few photographs and moved on.  © Tony Bynum Photography

The Two Medicine Road recently opened from the Glacier Park boundary to Running Eagle Falls.

Running Eagle Falls, Glacier National Park. Nikon d300, tokina atx 12-24 f2.8. © Tony Bynum Photography 

The rest of the road remains open to hiker biker access only. The pavement is clear of snow and ice, so it's an easy ride into see two medicine lake if your up for it. On my recent trip I captured this image of Sinopah Mountain reflecting in Two Medicine Lake. It was a stunning spring day, probably the nicest day of the year here in Glacier National Park!

Sinopah Mountain, and Rising wolf (frame right) reflecting in Two Medicine Lake, Glacier Nation Park. Nikon d4, nikon 24-120, f16 hand held. © Tony Bynum Photography 

The days are getting longer, it's light till almost 9 PM! There are new faces showing up in town to ready the Village, the lodge, and the Park for tourist season. Things are waking up!  Make sure if you are planing to a trip to Glacier Nation Park, to bring your bear spray, a first aid kit, a water bottle, a gps and maps, a notebook, and camera! If you are traveling by air, forget the bear spray you'll have to buy a can once you land, don't worry, they are available everywhere for about $40 bucks.  When you leave, drop the can off at one of the park gates, or in one of the local shops, and ask them to share it with someone who needs it!

As a side note, I'm told by sources within the Park that the Going to the Sun Road from the mile and a half gate at Saint Mary will open sometime after June 20th this year! That's rather amazing. This mean there's no quick access to the location from which to photograph Wild Goose Island, until after June 20th.

Wild Goose Island, Glacier National Park. The wild goose island image is one of, if not the most photographed location in Montana, and certainly within glacier national park. You can hardly go by this location without seeing a horde of people standing there pointing their cameras at it.  Just bare in mine that this is about 10 miles past the gate and wont be accessible until June 20th or so 2014.  Sorry, if you have a complaint, shoot it up the chain to the Park officials. Nikon d700, nikon 24-70 2.8. Tripod, f16, 1.3 seconds, pre sunrise.  © Tony Bynum Photography 

So, in essence, if you're planning a trip to the east side of Glacier National Park, before June 20th, make sure you know that you wont be driving any farther than Saint Mary. The entire area of Two Dog flats, and Rising Sun are closed. The small camp ground at Saint Mary is open however.

Balsam springs to life in massive fields along Glacier National Park's east side. Two Dog Flats, Red Eagle Mountain, Glacier Nation Park, Montana. Nikon d3, nikon 17-35 f2.8 handheld, f16. © Tony Bynum Photography 

Here's to a wonderful spring in Glacier National Park!

Montana Based Photographer, Tony Bynum 

Make sure to follow us on Google +Tony Bynum
Twitter @tonybynum  and Facebook Tony Bynum Photography 

Can't Imagine Doing Anything Else . . .

There really are times when it all comes together.   

What are you doing with your life?  

Glacier Park Birthday, Empire Builder Cover, Help, Grizzly Bears, Construction, Great Clouds!

Happy Birthday Glacier Park! 
Yesterday was the official Glacier National Park 100 year birthday.  Jaida and I attend the celebration and had a great time!  The weather was great and the people were fantastic!


Glacier National Park Cover
the magazine "Empire Builder" picked up one of my images for the cover of its summer 2010 issue. Here's what it looks like. . .

Help Me Shoot You!
I'm looking for models to help me create images of people recreating and living in Montana and specifically glacier national park. I'd like to shoot hiking and biking. I'd also like to do some exploring around eastern Montana to so if youre from that part of the country and have an interest in making images of you doing something fun, please let me know! tony@tonybynum.com

Grizzly's and a Wolf
Check out this great footage of a grizzly sow and two cubs taking on a lone wolf - nothing gory, it's fun to watch!  http://bit.ly/d5hCcg

We're Getting New Pavement!
That's right, the underpass to the lodge on hwy 49 is being redone, and boy is it time. The guys with the state highway department are digging up the underpass hopefully this time the problems will be solved. This road is constantly being torn up and in the past one could lose an entire wheel into one of the potholes, particularly if you come here driving one of those new cars that runs on peddle power a or a plug in! Thanks Montana highway department!

Great Clouds Lately!
This spring has been a bit cold lately but that made for some outstanding clouds and micro-storms over Glacier National Park!

 Until next time, keep shooting!

Tony Bynum

I'm Giving Away A Print, It's Greening Up, Amtrack Stops, Billy Bowman at Looking Glass

The golf course in town is open, Glacier Park Incorporated cut the grass at the Two Medicine Lodge, Seranos opened, the hills all are green. . .  I saw my first yellow bells yesterday along the "cut across" road to Heart Butt, and for the first time this year Amtrak stopped in town to exchange passengers - all signs that winter's over and "summer" is just around the corner.  But I cant let winter go that easily! 

I checked out Two Medicine Lake on Saturday and it still was mostly frozen on the east end.  It's been cold and blustery here lately but believe it or not, for those that follow the weather and saw that Montana got a huge dump, we got one or maybe two inches - that's it!  The soggy cold wet stuff piled up around us, but besides for making driving difficult between East Glacier and Browning, and from Browning to anyplace, it was a false alarm storm, the "Blizzard of 2010 that wasn't."

That's quite amazing if you compare that to the Blizzard of 2009 - take a look at this.

Made my first trip, by vehicle up the Looking Glass Road.  And who should I find, none other than Billy Bowman!

Glacier Impressions Gallery is coming along nicely.  If you have not read yet, the new "Glacier Impressions" Gallery will open this spring.  It's located @ 1000 Highway 24, East Glacier Park, between the Spiral Spoon, and the Clarke Gallery and across from the Mountain Pine Motel. Be sure to stop in and see us.   

I've got an idea, I want to start a little game.  How about "guess" this location." I'll put the image up for a couple weeks and to the winner will go a print.  In other words, if you guess it correctly, I'll put your name in a hat, then I'll have my daughter or one of her friends (keep it fun for them too) draw a single winner and I'll send them a single signed print of that image. In you're guess i want at least one landmark named, and this is where it gets fun, and educational - from where was it shot - both should be listed - what's the scene, and from where was it taken. You can win one time per year. 

I would like to have enough people to make this interesting so please don't be shy about asking your friends to play along.  (I know this will potentially reduce your odds, but I want to make this fun and think about it as paying forward if you get your Glacier Park loving friends to play too!)

On a final note, I read where Glacier National Park's Logan Pass was designated an IPA - yea, an IPA - no, not a micro-brew, but the first "Important Plant Area" in Montana. Very cool!  Lets do our part by following the rules up there! 

Have a great day, Tony

Glacier National Park, Many Glacier Opens, and Billy Bowman

Many Glacier Opens
Another stellar day on the Glacier National Park's east side. Saturday the Many Glacier area opened for vehicle travel. I was anxious, as I usually am, to get up there! This year was no different, only I did wonder what to expect with all warm winter and lack of snow we've had. It was mostly as I suspected, very dry and the snow, well it will be gone very soon. . . In places where there should be several feet there is none. I've been up there when snow on either side of the road into the camp ground has 5 feet of snow on it and a narrow trench to drive in and that was in MAY! Not this year, the only place there's still snow is in the trees - about a foot or two, and in the drifts around the Many Glacier Hotel.

               Looking west up the parking lot in front of the boarded up Many Glacier Gift Shop and Cafe. 

The top photo was from yesterday april 18th, the one below it and directly above this text was from last year, notice the ice and snow?  The second image was from May 15th last year, NOT April 18th 2010! If that does not tell a story, noting can.  In fact notice that in the first image there is ice for sure, but it's thin, like less than a foot, the ice in the lower shot is think in fact even in mid May it was still several feet thick, more like bergs than lake ice . . . 

Many Glacier Hotel, Swiftcurrent Lake and Mt Wilber on the left, and the edge of  Henkel with the snow capped peak on the right . . . 

Getting There
Getting there was a breeze; I took the Duck Lake road from Browning, Montana. It's a little longer than going 89 but when it's dark that's the round I take; it's safer and quicker. On my way in from Babb, I saw two moose, each in a different spot. It was too early for any photos, and I seldom "shoot" moose when they're "ratty" and grayed-out. Like most animals spring is the time to shed hair, and moose just look awful this time of year. There's no love loss for the critter, I just seldom shoot them in the spring.

Poor light but Billy Bowman Saves the Day
Overall I had a great time. The light was not stellar but what I lost in light I gained in clouds on my way home, and the fact is, any trip into many is work the price of admission, and I’m always stoked to get into Many Glacier before they close all the trails. While the light was not that great, I'm always looking for new angles and new perspectives, and this year I brought Billy Bowman with me! But before I show you that, I must first finish with "light." There's something about my energy and enthusiasm that changes with good light. Glacier National Park to be shot well needs good light, and fortunately it's available a lot from spring though fall. On this day it was less than average which happens from time to time, so having the ability to adjust and modify your shooting is important. On this day having Billy Bowman with me helped and on my way out the clouds did their trick too to make this one enjoyable weekend (see new image at the top of the blog - Saint Mary's Lake . . . Take care!  Tony

                                Billy Bowman in front of Grinnell Mtn!

Winter's Back in Glacier Park, Billy Bowman, and I Won a Trip on Amtrak!

Winters Back! 
Three inches of new snow, colder, and the mountains are shrouded in fog.  We have returned to a more average weather pattern for this time of year - I'm grateful as we had already seen on wildfire warning and it's only April.  This moisture and snow will help things a bit and keep the plants from coming on too early.  If they come on too early they will get whacked by cold and snow.

On the down side it's a bit hard to photograph much of anything when it's too foggy or snowing.  Sure there are things to photograph but when the weather is like it now is I tend to do office work - it too has to get done.

Billy Bowman!

Before the snow flew, I managed to find Billy Bowman on a hike to Running Eagle Falls up the Two Medicine Valley, on Glacier National Park's southeast side.  The Two Medicine runs right down near the town of East Glacier Park.  Billy Bowman for those that don’t know it is a mountain goat and the mascot for the Glacier National Park Fund managed out of West Glacier, Montana by Jane Ratzlaff - a very dedicated and inspirational leader!  For more information you can check out their website: Glacier National Park Fund .

Two Medicine Road, Glacier Impressions Gallery

The Two Medicine Road to Running Eagle Falls is open but it's hiker/biker access beyond that. Things are slow around East Glacier but it won’t be long now till life is back in full swing!  In fact, I and two others are working on a new gallery (Glacier Impressions) located between the Spiral Spoon, and the Clark Gallery and across from the Mountain Pine Motel, @ 1000 Hwy 49, just down the road from the Lodge and the Amtrak Train Station in East Glacier Park.  Artists include, Tony Bynum - photography, Bob Rummel - oils and original lithography, and Gina Rink - Water Colors.  The theme of the Gallery is Glacier Park and all three artists are full time residence of East Glacier.  More to come on this subject as the spring opener nears, but rest assured we will be open by June 1, 2010!  

That reminds me, I won a round trip for two aboard the Empire Builder.  The trip will leave from East Glacier - a sleeper car is included - to Seattle for a one night stay in the Monaco Hotel (anyone know where that place is?) then returning to East Glacier Park.  I have never won much of anything so this was a real surprise and a treat.  I'll have to make an adventure out of the entire trip.  I won the tickets at the Montana Governors Tourism Conference held last week in Kalispell, Montana.  I have 6 months to use the tickets - I can’t wait, it should be a blast!   

Stay tuned, I'll be adding more in the days that follow!  

Tony 

Spring Arrives In Glacier National Park, Two Med Open to the Falls . . .

Spring is no doubt in the air! One minute snow, the next rain and all of it sideways! It is astonishing though that the snow in my yard is all gone by April 4th; I think that’s a record! So what does it all mean, and why am I telling you this? It means get outside and enjoy it before someone notices and turns on the snow machine for a week! Just a couple days ago the clouds built up over the plains out near Cut Bank, and a thunder storm developed. The rapid changes in the weather though make for some dramatic and interesting photography opportunities.

On Friday night April 2, as it was snowing on the top of Summit Mountain and falling on East Glacier, I planned to shoot the sunrise on Saint Mary’s Lake the following morning, a favorite location for photographers and one of the most recognizable images of any national park. It’s an “iconic” image made famous by – I don’t know who - but everyone who comes here wants the shot and who would blame them?

An average (typical) Iconic Shot of Wild Goose Island, Glacier National Park, MT


It’s early o’clock on Saturday morning and I woke about ½ hour before my alarm went off. I don’t sleep very well the night before a fun shoot is planned. I’m to anxious and just always want the sun to come up. I loaded up the rig and left at 5am. The drive from East Glacier to Saint Mary’s takes usually about 50 minutes but not on this day. . .

It was snowing lightly when I left town, but that soon it changed to a complete white-out blizzard starting along the Milk River and lasting clear across the pass at Divide Mountain. On top, the road narrowed to less than a lane I and had to stop a few times, the road was getting lost to snow drifts  – it’s not very well marked up there so it’s hard to see the edges when the wind is blowing the snow at 50 MPH.

Took this shot before I encountered the Blizzard on Divide. This is near Cutbank Creek on Hwy 89.

Anyhow, I finally arrived at my destination and spent the next 5 hours waiting for the weather to break; it never did, so I returned home around noon.

That reminds me, one spring I made 23 trips in a row from Browning to shoot Wild Goose Island; I kept going till I finally got the shot I wanted. . . So, just like I did that year, I returned the next day, after getting skunked on Saturday. The difference between then and this year is it’s much earlier in the season this year, so the Sun Road is still closed; I walked from Rising Sun to a suitable shooting location along the lake – which means you have to add some time to the trip . . . it’s more rewarding in my view to put down some boot rubber before you shoot . . .

So Easter arrived and it was blustery and lightly snowing in East Glacier but on that morning I could see stars and the moon – that was good enough for me . . . I arrived about an hour before shooting light, got all my gear together and headed into the huge winds and blowing snow for my Easter encounter with Saint Mary’s Lake and Wild Goose Island . . .

Shooting Data: 14mm, 1/6^th@f22, iso 100, 14 bit, raw, polarizer, Kaiser Ballhead, Gitzo g-loc tripod and a 30 lb pack hanging from the center post for stability.


Persistence pays off. Stay at it, work hard and keep shooting. Oh yea, don’t forget the bear spray, the grizzly bears are active. . . and the Two Medicine Road is open to Running Eagle Falls. Have fun till next time . . .

Tony