OUTDOORS ROUNDUP: Three mussel-sniffing dogs now on the job

Today and Friday, come meet the newest members of the Flathead Basin Commission’s aquatic invasive species detection team: mussel-sniffing dogs.

Demonstrations will be Friday at Captain’s Marine in Kalispell from 8:30 to 10 a.m.

The mussel dog program is designed to keep aquatic invasive species such as zebra and quagga mussels out of the Flathead River basin and the Crown of the Continent ecosystem. Once introduced, the tiny invasive mussels could cause millions of dollars in damages and adversely impact aquatic ecology in Flathead Lake.

The three dogs have different backgrounds, but share a sense of enthusiasm and work ethic that make them ideal for detecting invasive mussels hitching rides on watercraft and gear.

They must also thoroughly enjoy the task of searching because they will inspect far more clean boats than dirty ones at watercraft inspection stations.

The dogs are intense, highly driven and need a job to focus them to be happy and healthy.

Only one or two dogs out of every 1,000 have the right mix of these qualities to make an excellent detection dog, according to Aimee Hurt of the Montana nonprofit Working Dogs for Conservation.

The dogs also will work today from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the U.S. 2 watercraft inspection station between Browning and East Glacier Park. For more information, call Caryn Miske at (406) 240-3453.

Pedal, paddle event to benefit Glacier Trail

Gateway to Glacier Trail is holding its first summer fundraiser, “Pedal and Paddle for Paths,” on Saturday.

Gateway to Glacier Trail is a volunteer group dedicated to building a trail for bicyclists and pedestrians to connect the Flathead Valley to Glacier National Park.

This 13-mile ride will provide a beautiful opportunity to ride from Columbia Falls to Blankenship Bridge and over the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.

Ice cream will be served at Blankenship Bridge, after which participants will board rafts provided by Glacier Raft Co. and float to Columbia Falls.

A shuttle will bring the group and bicycles back to The Coop for pizza and drinks.

The ride starts June 18 at 3 p.m. at The Coop in Columbia Falls.

Pre-registration closes June 17 and costs $30 per rider, $15 per rider ages 8-17 or $50 per family.

Late registration starts June 18 and costs $40 per rider, $25 for ages 8-17 or $60 per family. Participants can register at Hungry Horse Liquor, Freedom Bank or online at www.gatewaytoglaciertrail.com.

Tour looks at Lincoln County historic sites

The Montana Wilderness Association is hosting an archaeological tour Saturday of the Kootenai National Forest in Lincoln County.

Brian Baxter and Amy Robinson will lead an easy one-mile hike to peek into a time capsule of Lincoln County history with local archaeologists.

The group will take a road tour and several short hikes into colorful slices of the past, including Native American “Indian trees” and the site of an early trading post established by fur trader and explorer David Thompson.

Additional sites may include historic logging camps, rock ovens and Native American vision quest sites.

Bring a lunch, water, proper footwear and a full gas tank. To register or to find more information about the tour, visit wildmontana.org.

Native plant group to tour garden at Kalispell museum

The Flathead Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society will host a tour of the gardens at The Museum at Central School next Wednesday.

The wheelchair-accessible outing will be led by native plant gardener Teresa Geyer Stump. Participants will meet on the north side of the museum at 7 p.m.

For more information, contact Geyer Stump at (406) 471-3786 or by email at acacia78@bresnan.net.

Birders to explore Lost Trail Refuge

Go birding with Flathead Audubon at the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge on Sunday.

Participants will join refuge wildlife biologist Beverly Skinner and tour the wetlands and grasslands of this hidden jewel.

The restored Dahl Lake is home to nesting trumpeter swans and an abundance of shorebirds and waterfowl species. The group also will see many bird species associated with Palouse prairie, riparian wetlands and larch-pine forest habitats in the 9,000-acre refuge northwest of Marion.

Birders also could catch a glimpse of one of the refuge’s rarest plants — the federally threatened Spalding’s catchfly. Participants will drive and walk along some of the refuge’s roads, with short hikes to the best viewing sites.

Meet at the Lost Trail Refuge Headquarters about 45 miles west of Kalispell, between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m. The tour will conclude at about 2 p.m.

For more information or to register, contact Skinner at (406) 858-2286 or by email at beverly_skinner@fws.gov.

For more information about the refuge, visit www.fws.gov/refuge/losttrail.

Full Moon Hike planned at Lone Pine State Park

Montana State Parks will host a Full Moon Hike at Lone Pine State Park on Monday, from 9 to 10:30 p.m.

Learn about the summer solstice, the moon and nocturnal animals on this 1.5-mile hike. Due to steep and rocky trails, this activity is not wheelchair or stroller accessible.

The hike costs $4 per person. Hiking shoes, along with a flashlight or headlamp, are recommended, but please leave your dog at home.

This event is weather dependent, so check the park’s Facebook page before arriving.

For more information, call Joan West at (406) 755-2706, extension 4, or visit stateparks.mt.gov/lone-pine.

Volunteers invited to plant nursery

Starting in mid-June, the Flathead Chapter of the Native Plant Society invites volunteers to help out at the Glacier National Park Nursery every Tuesday.

Volunteers will help with seeding, transplanting, weeding and cleaning, or they will work on research or experimental projects.

Bring a sack lunch, work gloves, clothing that can tolerate dirt, water, food, bug repellent, sunscreen and a hat, but remember to leave the dogs at home.

Feel free to drop in and work an hour, or stay the entire day.

For more information, visit www.mtnativeplants.org.

Yoga courses offered at park

Montana State Parks will be offering yoga classes at Lone Pine State Park each Wednesday, 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., from June 22 through July 27.

Julia Seaward will instruct this six-week class, focusing on improving strength, flexibility and posture.

The classes offers a chance for participants to take time out of their busy schedules to promote health and stress relief.

The class meets at the Lone Pine State Park visitor center and costs $35 per person.

Pre-registration is required, and a minimum class size must be met.

For more information or to register, contact Elisse Buhmann at (406) 755-2706, extension 4.

Pair of outdoor camps offered

Children can stay engaged and learning this summer with the Montana State Parks Junior Ranger Club and Pirate Adventure Camp at Lone Pine State Park.

Beginning June 23, children ages 8-12 can enjoy Pirate Adventure Camp, which will introduce participants to the great outdoors with a combination of science and pretend-pirate discovery.

Campers will navigate the Lone Pine wilderness while developing orienteering and map-making skills. Other adventures will include archery, hiking, outdoor cooking, crafts, treasure hunts and water games.

Pirate Adventure Camp will meet every Thursday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., from June 23 Through July 14.

The four-week camp costs $55 per child.

Younger children 4 to 7 are invited to join the Junior Ranger Club, an interactive nature education program that will get them exploring Montana’s outdoors.

Each session will include story time, a game and a craft, with topics including frogs, owls, insects, trees and bats. Kids who attend five or more of the six sessions will earn an official Montana State Parks Kub Ranger badge.

Junior Ranger Club meets each Friday, 11 a.m. to noon, from June 24 through July 29.

The program costs $5 per child per week, or $24 for all six weeks.

For more information or to register for either program, call (406) 755- 2706, extension 4.

Register online for damage hunts

Hunters interested in game damage hunts on private land or possible management seasons this year have until July 15 to register online with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Hunters from this roster may be identified for three types of hunts: game damage, management season and dispersal. The roster is used by the state wildlife agency to efficiently respond to landowners in the prevention or reduction of damage primarily caused by deer, elk and antelope.

A final roster will be randomly generated from all online registrations and will be posted by Aug. 1 at fwp.mt.gov under “My FWP.”

The hunts can take place between Aug. 15 and Feb. 15, 2017.

Prospective hunters can register online by visiting fwp.mt.gov and clicking on “Hunt Roster”.

All boaters reminded to stop at check stations

As the summer recreation season gets underway, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reminds water enthusiasts around the state to do their part in keeping Montana’s waters free from aquatic invasive species.

Boaters should make sure they stop at all watercraft inspection stations as required by state law.

After use, watercraft must be cleaned, drained of all water and dried.

“We spent last year really trying to educate boaters,” Fish, Wildlife and Parks enforcement chief Tom Flowers said in a press release. “This year we’re going to make sure and enforce the law.”

Montana is currently free of many of the aquatic invaders that have plagued other states. Once established, zebra and quagga mussels can permanently alter the ecosystem in a water body, cause damage to fisheries and recreational and municipal infrastructure and cost millions of dollars in expensive remediation efforts.

The state requirement to stop at inspection stations applies to both motorized and non-motorized vessels.

New edition looks at ‘Backroads, Byways’ of state

Backroads, byways and detours throughout Montana are covered in the recently released second edition of “Backroads & Byways of Montana.”

The book, written by Belgrade authors Jeff Welsch and Sherry L. Moore, features nearly three dozen diverse drives, ranging from the thick timber of the Yaak River country in Northwest Montana to the Indian battlefields and wide-open spaces of the state’s eastern plains. New chapters include the Blackfoot River Valley and a feature called “Side Tracks,” which highlights dirt and gravel roads unique to each of the primary routes.

Welsch and Moore are also the authors of a guidebook to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and Jackson Hole.