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Glacier’s Grandeur: Exploring Glacier National Park |
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Program Number: |
19945RJ |
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| Start
and End Dates: |
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| Duration: |
6 nights |
| Location: |
Whitefish, Montana
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| Price starting at: |
$1,025.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city |
| Program Type:
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National Parks; Natural History
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| Meals: |
16;
6 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 6 Dinners |
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| Meal
Options: |
Vegetarian |
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From our base just outside the picturesque town of Whitefish, join us to experience the grandeur of Glacier National Park — so named because its dramatic landscape was carved by glaciers eons ago. Encounter the wonder and splendor within this “Crown of the Continent” during three full day field trips to the park enhanced by instructors, naturalists, and other experts detailing the variety of life, thundering cascades, mammoth lakes and serrated peaks in one of nature’s greatest works of art.
Highlights
• Discover rugged mountains that rise above stunning valleys, lakes and rivers that are home to an array of rare plant life and amazing wildlife from goats to grizzlies.
• Take a scenic float trip down the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and ride the gondola to the summit.
• Travel the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road as you enjoy its spectacular and breathtaking vistas.
Activity Particulars
Moderate walks of one mile and hikes of 2-3 miles over unpaved and rocky terrain. Elevations range from 3,250 to 7,000 feet.
Coordinated by Black Hills Educational Institute.
Whitefish
This community in the Flathead Valley offers breathtaking scenery, as well as small-town ambiance. Near the wonders and wildlife of Glacier National Park only 25 miles away, Whitefish is a vibrant wilderness gateway.
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Accommodations
Charming ski resort with condominium-style units.
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| Road Scholar Instructors | | These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur. | Becky Lomax
| | Becky Lomax first started hiking in Glacier National Park while in college when she worked for two summers at Glacier Park Lodge. Later, she returned to lead hiking and backpacking trips for a decade. She is the author of the Moon Handbook to the park, which is now in its third edition. Becky has also published numerous articles on Glacier’s wildlife, trails, history, lodges and more in magazines such as Smithsonian, Backpacker, Montana Magazine and Montana Outdoors. | | | | Ashley Mason
| | Ashley Mason is a veteran in the field of conservation education on Northwest Montana. Formerly a Glacier National Park naturalist, she has also worked with organizations such as The Glacier Institute, the Crown of the Continent Education Consortium, Swan Ecosystem Center, Flathead Land Trust and Upward Bound. She is currently the conservation educator for Flathead Audubon Society. Her first taste of Elderhostel was in 1992, when she was an intern at Big Creek Outdoor Education Center. Since then she has worked as a field instructor and on-site coordinator, along with her primary role as geology instructor. She received her B.S. in geology from Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C. with minors in biology and music, and completed graduate studies in environmental studies at the University of Montana. She lives in Kalispell with her husband, two daughters, cat and six chickens. She loves to make her programs as fun as they are informative! | | | | Stephanie Paidas
| | Stephanie Paidas-Dukarm first came to Montana in 1999 for a graduate program in psychology, and she fell in love with the state while earning a master’s degree. Since then, she has led groups in Glacier National Park, conducted fieldwork research in the Glacier area, and has published written works and photographs of Montana. She is currently writing a doctoral dissertation focused on ecopsychology and the psychological benefits of spending time in wilderness. Though Stephanie has been living in Alaska since 2008, she is thrilled to return to Road Scholar this summer for another season in her favorite wild place. | | | | Ed Lieser
| | Ed Lieser worked for the US Forest Service for 30 years before retiring in 2008. His expertise was in timber management planning and implementation , as well as silviculture. Ed also worked in wildfire management as a collateral duty his entire career. He has been a member of a National Incident Management Team for 15 years as a fire-behavior analyst. Ed is especially interested in forest and fire ecology of the northern Rocky Mountains. | | | | Vicki Forristal
| | Vicki Forristal is a wildlife biologist and outdoors enthusiast. She has participated in various wildlife studies, ranging from mosquitoes to birds to elk, in locations ranging from Hawaii to Alaska. Vicki came to Montana in 2006 to pursue a graduate degree in ecology at Montana State University, where her research focused on wildlife disease ecology. She spends her free time outdoors — hiking, camping, running, skiing, gardening, fly fishing and exploring. | | | | Julie Raine
| | Julie Raine has been exploring Glacier National Park on and off for more than 20 years. In her career, she has worked for a digital mapping and aerial photography firm, letting her experience Glacier from a bird’s-eye view. And in a dramatic switch, she journeyed to Antarctica and first became an accountant, then managed the US Antarctic Program’s aviation logistics for both national and international aircraft. When not on the frozen continent, Julie kayaks, hikes and gardens in Montana. | | | |
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