Glacier National Park is home to stunning alpine meadows, pristine waterways, peaks carved by glaciers, and dense forests in the northern Rockies. It is situated on the continental divide and offers extensive experiences for students to learn about the environmental, ecological, and management challenges facing this unique national park. Students engage in substantial service and citizen-science projects for the park, often in remote backcountry areas, with some strenuous hiking.

Participants of this Partners project engage in ecological service projects for the park--past years have included remote huckleberry research, loon and goat surveys, and invasive weed interventions. Students will camp out under the stars, in either front or backcountry campsites, and spend days hiking rugged trails at elevations above the tree line. This can be a physically challenging week. Glacier-fed lakes are popular for swimming after a day out on the trail. Due to the limited group size allowed in the wilderness areas of the park, enrollment numbers for this project are limited to 9 students. Participants fly in and out of the small Glacier International Airport located in Kalispel, Montana.

• Students arrive to Kalispell airport throughout afternoon/evening All Stay night at America’s Best Value Inn, Kalispell.
  

Monday, August 5 (Trip begins) 8:00am Travel to Park

• Meet with Volunteer and Parks staff at the learning center. Bear safety and identification. Huckleberry phenology, and Climate issues?
• Lunch around noon
• Group Campsite at Apgar
• Dinner
• Short hike north side of McDonald and Evening Reflection/Writing
  
  

Tuesday, August 6

• Breakfast
• Additional Citizen Science Training?
• Lunch
• Service Project—hike for Huckleberry/Goat surveys. Dinner
• Group Campsite at Apgar
• Evening Reflection/Writing
  
  

Wednesday, August 7

• Breakfast
• Going to Sun Road (citizen science—huckleberry phenology in backcountry?)
• Travel to East side of Park. Set up new campsite at Two Medicine. Evening Reflection/Writing
  

Thursday, August 8

• Backcountry Citizen Science
• Evening Reflection Writing
  

Friday, August 9

• Backcountry service projects.
  

Saturday, August 10

• Leave for Kalispell/Airport after breakfast

If you have any questions regarding your trip specifically, please contact your trip facilitators listed below. They will be sending you more information regarding what to pack, and any supplies you may need for your trip.

Trip Facilitators

Brian White, Graceland University

Dr. Brian White teaches English and serves as the Honors Director at Graceland University in Lamoni, IA. He has served on the NCHC Finance Committee for many years, and he has led Partners in the Parks trips for NCHC on an annual basis since 2011. He is also one of the co-founders of the NCHC-sponsored undergraduate research journal, UReCA. He has also served as the President for the Upper-Midwest Honors Council, and been elected as it's treasurer for over a decade.

Karen Gergley, Graceland University

Karen Gergely is a socially engaged artist and educator who teaches social engagement, art history, and studio art at Graceland University. She spends her summers engaged in community art projects, murals, adventuring, and biking and thru-hiking. She has co-lead the previous Glacier Park Partners in the Parks trip, and she serves on the board of the Upper-Midwest Honors Council.