C-Falls students complete first cabin through Glacier program

by Daily Inter Lake
| May 11, 2020 1:00 AM

Glacier National Park and Columbia Falls High School recently announced the completion of the first cabin to be built through the School-to-Park partnership.

The program creates an “authentic learning experience that helps inspire today’s students to positively shape tomorrow’s world and build life skills they can use today,” Jim Foster, park chief of facilities management, said in a press release.

Glacier National Park commended the students who participated in the program and the completion of the first 18x26-foot cabin to be placed at the Polebridge Ranger Station area of the park. The students will have an opportunity in days to come to see the cabin and receive their professional tool belts to celebrate the hard work they invested into this cabin since September 2019.

“It was a fantastic experience working with the Columbia Falls High school students,” said Bob Jellison, a National Park Service carpenter who worked with the students. “Their dedication and focus combined with a strong work ethic made this a successful project.”

Students were selected through a competitive vetting process to participate in the School-to-Park program which focuses on building layout, material take-offs, cost-estimating, and the full spectrum of building a completely functioning house. The program helps prepare the students for careers in engineering, construction and business leadership.

Students in future years will build additional cabins to alleviate seasonal staff housing shortages in various areas of the park, the press release noted. They will also construct other buildings as needed, such as the new Camas Road Entrance Station.

“This is another great example of how the Glacier National Park community comes together to make great things happen,” Glacier Park Superintendent, Jeff Mow said. “The Glacier National Park Conservancy was a key partner in getting this project off the ground, we’re so excited about this partnership with Columbia Falls High School, and we know that several private businesses provided contributions to the needs of the program.”

Due to COVID-19, Columbia Falls High School was closed on March 16, but Jellison continued working to complete the final steps in finishing the cabin and preparing it for transport. Glacier National Park and school representatives will be at Columbia Falls High School to see the cabin begin its move to Glacier National Park on Tuesday.