Outdoor news

Crown magazine

The autumn 2012 issue of the Crown of the Continent e-magazine is available now online at http://issuu.com/um_crown_gye/docs/crownofthecontinent-autumn2012. The new issue contains scientific articles on the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ bull trout research and on invasive plant species, historical articles about George Bird Grinnell climb to Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park and on Northern Pacific president Henry Villard’s 1883 tour of the Mission Valley, an article on animal-crossing structures and photographs by John Lambing. For more information, e-mail Rick Graetz or Jerry Fetz at umcrown@umontana.edu.

Groomed

ski trails

All trails within the Round Meadow Recreation Area north of Whitefish will be closed while timber harvest activity continues to reduce the spread and severity of a mountain pine beetle outbreak. Once adequate snow accumulates, alternate ski trails will be groomed and opened to the public about three miles west on Star Meadow Road No. 539. A parking area will be set up on the south side of Star Meadow Road at the intersection with Hill Meadow Road No. 2929. North of the parking area, more than five miles of groomed ski trails will be established on Forest Road No. 11208. For more information, contact the Tally Lake Ranger District at 758-5204.

Road closure

The Forest Service will close part of Hay Creek Road, in the North Fork, to all vehicle traffic on Monday through Friday from now until March 31. Logging trucks will be operating there as part of the Hay-More Stewardship project and is closed to snowmobiling. The closed section is on Forest road No. 376 (Hay Creek) from the intersection of the North Fork Road to Forest road No. 909 (Cyclone Creek Road). For more information, call 387-3800.

Fly-tying class

Flathead Valley Trout Unlimited will sponsor free fly-tying classes for those new to the sport or those already into fly-tying and wanting to advance their skills. The classes will be held at Kalispell Middle School library, 205 Parkway Drive, on Mondays, Jan. 7, 14, 21 and 28 and Feb. 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. Fly-tying material and hooks will be furnished. Students should bring their own tools, but some equipment will be loaned out. For more information or to sign up, contact Jim Johnson at 837-3210 or sallyjim@centurytel.net or Chris Schustrom at 260-1198 or chris@gardenwallinn.com.

Wilderness art

The Flathead National Forest, Hockaday Museum of Art, Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation and Swan Ecosystem Center invite artists to apply for the 2013 Artist-Wilderness-Connection Program. Professional working artists of various disciplines, media and styles in the program spend up to two weeks in a remote forest cabin to focus on their respective art. The program connects artists with wild lands like the Bob Marshall and Great Bear wilderness areas. More than 25 artists have participated in the program since its start in 2004. Applications and information about the program are available at www.hockadaymuseum.org. Deadline is Feb. 28. For more information, contact Teresa Wenum at the Flathead Forest at 758-5218, or Liz Moss at the Hockaday Museum of Art at 755-5268.