Registration forms for RMOWP’s 2014 conference went out in mid-February, and they are also available here. And it’s not too early to make arrangements for lodging and transportation. The conference, with headquarters just outside the west entrance of Glacier National Park in northern Montana, takes place Wednesday through Sunday, July 23 through 27, with pre-conference activities Tuesday, July 22.
A major highlight of this year’s conference will be RMOWP’s own Tom Ulrich, an internationally-recognized wildlife and scenic photographer, who lives in West Glacier and knows Glacier National Park like the back of his hand. Tom will be hosting an opening reception cookout at his cabin and also leading field trips. The number of participants for each trip is limited to 15.
These trips include a $60 extra-cost full-day pre-conference exploration of the park on Tuesday, which will include Logan Pass, St. Mary Lake, Many Glacier, Two Medicine, and Goat Lick. If more than 15 people want to go on the Tuesday field trip we may be able to schedule another one Sunday, July 27. On Wednesday and Thursday mornings Tom will lead guided photo shoots at Lake McDonald and Avalanche Gorge, and on Friday he will lead a photographers’ hike from Logan Pass to Hidden Lake.
The conference will also have workshops on photography and writing, a boat trip on Lake McDonald, Jack Olson’s Saturday sunrise photo shoot, and guided trips in the park’s historic red buses. A tentative schedule, with the emphasis on tentative, is in the Nov-Dec newsletter.
Conference headquarters are at the Belton Chalet in the community of West Glacier, with lodging at the Belton as well as the Glacier Highland Resort, a motel next door to the Belton, or you can stay anywhere you like.
Lodging is a bit more expensive than we’re used to, and expect some noise from the trains that rumble through West Glacier. Rooms at the historic Belton Chalet, located directly across the street from the Amtrak station, start at $155 per night. Dating from 1910, the Belton’s rooms are small but comfortable. The rooms along the back of the hotel, without balconies, are the least expensive and also the quietist. See www.beltonchalet.com or call 406-888-5000, and tell them you’re with Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers and Photographers. Speaking of Amtrak, the train would be a fun way to get to the conference. See www.amtrak.com, and book early for the best rates.
Next door to the Belton Chalet is the Glacier Highland Resort, a basic modern motel with rates starting at $95 per night. Call 800-766-0811 or 406-888-5427. There are several other lodging facilities in West Glacier, which you can find through an Internet search. There’s also a KOA, with cabins, and several other campgrounds in West Glacier, as well as the campgrounds and lodges inside the park.
For additional information on what to do and see in the park see www.nps.gov/glac.