Wilderness group gathers in Whitefish

Outdoor enthusiasts from throughout the state are headed to Whitefish for the Montana Wilderness Association’s annual gathering Friday and Saturday.

Organizers expect 200 wilderness advocates and people from the general public to attend. Register in advance at www.wildmontana.org or at the door. Registration for the convention is free for students with current IDs.   

The theme for this year’s convention is “Wilderness on our Horizon.” This year’s convention is an official Glacier National Park Centennial activity, commemorating Glacier’s 100th anniversary.

“The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act gives Montana the best chance for wilderness designation in nearly 25 years,” said Daphne Herling, Montana Wilderness Association’s state council president. “We have worked hard on building strong alliances with our partner organizations for many years and this convention is a time celebrate our work and look toward more wilderness on our horizon, especially in Northwest Montana.”

The Friday evening kickoff will be held in the outdoor pavilion at Grouse Mountain Lodge and include a social hour, barbecue buffet and entertainment by the Belton Blues Band.

On Saturday, participants can choose from horse-packing demonstrations provided by the Back Country Horsemen, a trail maintenance project cosponsored by The Trail Runs Through It project, a Beaver Lake nature walk, mountain biking and storytelling.

The afternoon session will begin at 12:30 p.m. with presentations by Herling, Kass Hardy (Glacier Park Centennial coordinator), and Tony Incashola from the Salish-Pend d’Oreille Culture Committee.  

A panel discussion moderated by Doug Scott, policy director for the Campaign for America’s Wilderness, is planned for the afternoon.

Panelists include Jack Potter from Glacier Park, Will Hammerquist of the National Parks Conservation Association and Phil Hough from the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.

Saturday evening will have a happy hour, banquet dinner, live auction and keynote address from Chris Wood, president and chief executive officer of Trout Unlimited.

Day care and children’s activities are available. To sign up, contact Kelly Heaton at 406-270-4527.

For more than 50 years, the nonprofit Montana Wilderness Association has advocated for Montana’s wildlands. For further information, contact Laura Parr at lparr@wildmontana.org or call 406-443-7350.