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Winter on the North Fork There is plenty of beautiful snow to go around this holiday seaon. Here are some photos by Pat Cole that we hope you will enjoy. |
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Updated Dec. 17—Several members of the NFLA have reported that mail sent to our mailbox (P.O. Box 1603 in Columbia Falls) has been returned as undeliverable. This is apparently caused by a computer glitch in Billings and the NFLA mail box is not the only one affected. The U.S. Post Office is working on a fix, however the problem persists. Valerie Cox, the NFLA Secretary/ Treasurer, advises that if you continue to have problems sending dues and/or NF patrol signup forms to the Columbia Falls P.O. box, these can be sent directly to her using:
The Postmaster at Columbia Falls has promised to continue his efforts to permanently fix this problem. Further information regarding will be posted on the website as it becomes available. Lost dog Posted Nov. 30—I can’t drive past a lost dog, a dog on the road that just plain looks like it’s in the wrong place. It drives my husband crazy, but I just can’t help it. What I hate is what happened on a recent Saturday afternoon as I was driving down to Columbia Falls. There on the left, immediately north of the turn off to the Camas bridge was a brown and white cocker spaniel. The day was cold and blustery and there wasn’t another vehicle anywhere to be seen. This dog did not belong there. He was resting his head on his red-stained feet, maybe blood. I got out and tried to coax him but he wanted no part of it, or me. I went back to the car and got a handful of treats, which I still carry in my car even though my pups are no longer with us. I tried again, hand outstretched and got closer but he scampered down the embankment to the river. Where’s an elk bone when you need one?? I followed for a ways, sat down only about 15 feet away, and decided to wait him out. He looked frightened and utterly miserable. But my attempts to draw nearer frightened him more and finally I had to leave him. This beautiful little cocker spaniel was doomed and I was miserable. I wasn’t done though, and that’s the point of this story. I called the Sheriff’s office and told them where the dog was, explained that he had a collar and that I was sure he was someone’s special friend. The dispatcher said they’d send someone up to get the dog. Right. The next day, Sunday, late afternoon, I got a call from the dispatcher; she was sure I’d want to know. They had found the dog and the young man who owned him. He had had a wreck up on the road two days earlier and his dog had somehow gotten lost in the confusion. The Sheriff Department reunited them. A happy ending! Many, many thanks to the Sheriff’s Department! Moral of the story? Please call if you see/find a lost dog. They really will try to help and you can help turn a sad story into a happy one. County matches RAC funding for dust abatement Posted Nov. 23—Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty announced that the county will take advantage of their dust cost share program to match $10,250 of Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) funding for dust abatement on the North Fork road. The county plans to use these funds to apply magnesium chloride between June 15th and June 30th to 1.5 miles of the road north of Camas, 1 mile north of Coal Creek and 1.5 miles north of Hay Creek. The county will use this opportunity to evaluate how well the magnesium chloride planned for this effort performs with the new gravel (with bentonite added) as opposed to those sections that will not be treated. Thanks to Margaret Heaphy, Chairman of the Road Committee, for keeping us well informed on improvements to our road. NFLA Weed Committee Update: RAC Grant Approved Posted Nov. 20 —On Tuesday, November 10 USFS Weed Coordinator Tris Hoffman and NFLA Weed Committee members Valerie Cox and John Frederick presented a grant application to the Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) at the Forest Supervisor’s Office in Kalispell. President Betsy Holycross attended to lend NFLA’s support. The purpose of the grant is to accomplish GIS mapping of weed infestations and small pockets as they occur in the Forest/private land interface, on trails, and over closed roads, to mitigate weeds and replace them with native species on federal land, and to assist North Fork landowners with weed identification and knowledge of treatment options. Hoffman praised the NFLA as an exemplary model of motivation and cooperative spirit. RAC member Larry Wilson echoed this praise. Our grant application is supported by the NFLA, the North Fork Preservation Association, the North Fork Compact, and the National Parks Conservation Association. The RAC committee has notified us that the grant has been approved with no amendments or reduction in monies requested. A Weed Roundup to be held in the North Fork in July will kick off the project. Our NFLA Weed Committee is made up of the following members: Valerie Cox, John Frederick, Will Hammerquist, Steve Weber, Annemarie Harrod, and Carol Vuchetich. Wolves poached on the North Fork Updated Nov. 4—Three wolves were poached on the North Fork in late October. Randy Houk from Columbia Falls pleaded guilty for two of them and was fined a total of $1,135. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is offering up to a $1,000 reward for information on the shooting death of the third poached wolf found on Oct. 25 in the Red Meadow drainage. If you have any information regarding this third incident or any suspicious activity that might be related to poaching, please call 1-800-TIPMONT to leave an anonymous tip. For more information, see the full story in the Hungry Horse News dated Oct. 28. For more information about the effects of wolf poaching, see an article in the Missoulian dated Nov. 1. NFLA newsletter in the mail Updated Nov. 4—The NFLA fall 2009 newsletter has been completed. Jon Elliott, newsletter editor, reported that the printing has taken place and the newsletters delivered. The newsletter may also be reviewed and/or downloaded from the Newsletters page. Past newsletters have been archived and are available via links at the bottom of that page as well. Notes for Ruth Sondreson Posted Oct. 16 (from the newsletter)—Ruth Sondreson would like to hear from her friends and past neighbors. Besides providing and milling the lumber for the hall, she and her husband Loyd were the co-sponsors of our “Thanksgiving Dinner” tradition which began in 1975 with 27 participants. Food drive a big success Posted Oct. 6—A proposal was made at the NFLA's Sept. meeting that food and donations for the Columbia Falls Food Bank be collected at the October meeting. Answering the call, members came to the October meeting ladened with boxes and bags of food. Bob Grimaldi, the organizer of the event, reports that the gross weight of food items donated came to 327 lbs and the total amount of cash collected was $290. The food and checks will be delivered to the Columbia Falls Food Bank on Tuesday, Oct. 6th. Last minute donations are welcome and can be dropped off at Mr. Grimaldi's in Polebridge through Monday. Many thanks to NFLA members Bob Grimalid and Jan Caldwell. Mr. Grimaldi proposed the food drive and organized the event. Mr. Caldwell volunteered to help with pickup and delivery of the food. And many thanks to the members of the NFLA who contributed. Their generosity helped the NFLA get involved in a community service project, improve our image and provide others with a small share of our good fortune.
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Updated Dec. 17—The ban on opening burning is once again in place. Open burning without a permit is prohibited from Dec. 1, 2009 through February 28, 2010. Open burning (meaning no permits are required) will resume March 1, 2010 through April 30.
Improvements on the North Fork road above. Road improvements completed Updated Dec. 17—Dave Prunty, Public Works Director for Flathead County, reports that the Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) project for North Fork road improvements has been completed. There are some spots, however, that the county knows to still be "soft". Their plan is to monitor these areas and complete maintenance in the spring after breakup. Prunty also reported that the county is performing routine maintenance on the NF road culverts this winter including, in some instances, replacing and installing. For more information about activities related to the North Fork road, see the North Fork Road webpage.
Albino black bear trapped Posted Nov. 4—A rare albino black bear was trapped by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) on October 21st near Olney reported Tim Manley, Grizzly Bear Management Specialist. Manley estimates that this male bear was four years old and weighed approximately 150 pounds. Manley said that the released later that same day at Packers Roost in Glacier was uneventful adding "We raised the door and the bear ran off into the woods." Take care of our bears Posted Oct. 21—The Rockies are deep in the swing of the season and winter snows are on the way. For bears, that means hurry up and eat as much as possible and put on enough fat to weather the winter denning period. For landowners in grizzly and black bear country, it means be extra vigilant about bear attractants. Carrots should be out of the garden (actually, September 15th is the magic carrot cut-off date), meat should be hung in secure buildings, bird feeders should be brought in (it’s best not to have them out at all, even in summer), and porches need to remain free of dog food, garbage, and other food attractants. We’ve all heard it before, but we’ll say it again: A fed bear is a dead bear. Bears that have received food rewards from people also present a much greater risk to human safety. In late September, Patti and Betsy, the North Fork’s two best known management grizzlies, were busy up in the alpine huckleberry patches. Tim Manley, the grizzly bear management specialist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) got a good look at them from the airplane while tracking the signals from their radio collars. Manley said the two bears looked “good and fat”. But now that huckleberry season is over, the siblings have been seen by landowners in the valley bottom. If the bears wander near your house or are hanging out on the side of the road, Manley says “make them leave by yelling and banging pots and pans, or honking the horn.” If they act like they don’t want to move off, then the best thing you can do for them is to contact Manley right away. He can then respond quickly and apply booster aversive conditioning treatments to discourage them from hanging around people and developed areas. Patti and Betsy are still young bears, and so are prime candidates for Manley’s aversive conditioning program. But consistency is essential, and landowner reports are Manley’s best way to stay on top of teaching the bears the lesson that could very well save their lives and keep them in the wild. Tim Manley can be reached at (phone) 406-892-0802 (cell phone) (406) 250-1265 or email tmanley@mt.gov. NFLA Historical Committee opens for business Posted Oct. 16 (from the newsletter)—The NFLA Historical Committee held its inaugural meeting on October 6, 2009. The committee is co-chaired by Debo Powers and Morgan Hart. The meeting was well attended with 7 members gathering to discuss ways in which the NFLA can locate, duplicate, categorize and store aspects of the rich historical heritage of the North Fork. The collective activities of the committee, its members and any interested affiliated individuals will be referred to as The North Fork History Project for external communications purposes. Potential project areas discussed by the committee included: oral history, a timeline of the North Fork with associated reference materials, Indian trails, history of fire, homesteader biographies, art history and culinary history. There are a great deal of artifacts in the form of oral histories and stories; documents such as diaries, journals and letters; photos and maps as well as locations of buildings which need to be captured before they are lost. Our old timers aren’t getting any younger and deteriorating source materials should be collected, duplicated and stored as soon as possible. Efforts were initiated to locate these artifacts with initial priority given to locating and conducting interviews with senior North Fork residents and former residents. NFLA Weed Committee gets underway Posted Oct. 16 (from the newsletter)—The NFLA Weed Committee met on September 30th with members Valerie Cox, John Frederick, Will Hammerquist, Annemarie Harrod and Steve Weber present in order to set goals and to assign tasks for our first year. The group initially reviewed weed identification booklets provided by Glacier National Park's Weed Management Coordinator, looked at the U.S. Forest Service's Weed Plan and examined some of the available pamphlets from Montana State University Extension Service. Members focused on invasive weeds known to be present in the North Fork. The committee targeted service to North Fork landowners through education that will broaden weed identification skills and present to them a variety of options for weed treatment. With the help of federal, state and county agencies, the committee will pursue grant monies to assist in mapping and mitigating the North Fork's weed infestations. A fun and educational "Weed Rodeo Day" is planned for mid-July 2010. So all of you weed wranglers and weed vigilantes, get ready to have a good time, good food, and good advice on corralling your weeds! NFLA Road Committee working hard Posted Oct. 16 (from the newsletter)—In September, 2008, President Molly Shepherd appointed Margaret Heaphy, Betsy Holycross, Ed Heger, Steve Berg and Steve Weber to the road committee which was charged with examining the background of past actions on the North Fork Road exploring the range of options going forward and making that information available to the North Fork community. The committee held its first meeting December 12 and met monthly thereafter through June 2009. Committee members agreed to meet with the federal, state and local agencies which are or have been involved in North Fork Road decisions and actions and subsequently met at least once or communicated with:
A brief summary on the road committee's activities may be found in the Fall 2009 newsletter and reports of these meetings were made to the NFLA (June meeting) and NFRCHS (August meeting). 2009 schedule highlights Updated Oct. 19—The remaining of this year’s social calendar has the traditional Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Steve Berg.
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