It’s been only a few weeks since the announcement that Montana firm Barnard Construction would be taking on the huge task of removing the two dams that block salmon from swimming up the Elwha River. The dams were installed in the early 20th century to provide power to the local residents and businesses in the area, but they no longer are needed.
Monthly Archives: September 2010
Upcoming outdoors-related events
Looking for some outdoors-related events to keep you busy when you aren’t hitting the trails? Check out these upcoming film festivals in the next month.
Review: Pelican 1200 Case
Pelican has been a big name in the professional photography industry for years. I’ve personally used one of their larger cases (1610) for storing my camera equipment for the last 5 years or so. So, we were quite happy to see Pelican at Outdoor Retailer this year looking to expand into the consumer market. The…
Save the date: National Public Lands Day
Mark you calendars: Saturday, September 25th is National Public Lands Day. The annual celebration of our public lands was started in 1994 as an opportunity for the public to volunteer, improve, and maintain our public green spaces. Last year, over 150,000 volunteers joined together with the help of eight federal agencies and state and local lands to work on projects in their communities.
Pine butterfly threatens Bitterroot National Forest
The white-winged pine butterfly has decided to make the forests of Montana, specifically Bitterroot National Forest, their new home. This summer, National Forest officials have received a large number of calls regarding the increased pine butterfly population.
Trail Report: Iron Horse Trail – Washington Creek
A long hike without a lot to see.
NPS plans to increase climbing fees for Mt. Rainier and Denali in 2011
If you’re planning on climbing Mt. Rainier or Mt. McKinley next year, be prepared to shell out a more cash for your required climbing permit. The National Park Service will be increasing both permits considerably; Mt. Rainier permits are expected to increase from $30 to $50 and Mt. McKinley permits will go from $200 to $500.
Yellowstone NP breaks summer visitor records in 2010
This summer, Yellowstone National Park saw people coming to the park in record numbers. Between the months of June and August, 2.5 million people visited the park. Compared to last year’s numbers, visitors increased by 200,000. Not only did Yellowstone break their summer visitor record, but these numbers also put them on target to beat their overall visitor numbers for the year.
Quagga mussel threatens entire Lake Michigan ecosystem
The entire ecosystem of Lake Michigan hangs on the fate of a microscopic phytoplankton, which just happens to be the favorite snack food for the quagga mussels that have invaded the lake’s waters. The disappearance of the phytoplankton would affect the entire food chain, collapsing the whole ecosystem. An abundance of the phytoplankton was first…
US Forest Service trying new techniques in wake of bark beetle
A massive outbreak of the small bark beetle in Wyoming and Colorado has led to the damage of over 3.5 million acres of national forest land and the US Forest Service is trying to find ways to keep the damage to a minimum. One of the most dangerous after-effects of the beetle is the falling of dead trees (attacked by the beetle). USFS is now proactively addressing the issue and will be working to clear dead trees that pose safety and access issues.