Dear Santa: Hi, it’s us. Your favorite rafting, hiking, and fishing guides over at Glacier Guides and Montana Raft. We’ve been pretty good this year, Santa, and we tried to give Glacier National Park support in everything that we did.
The Nice List
For example, we caught and released a lot of fish, Santa, especially on the Smith River. Then we hiked a whole heckuva lot of the 792 miles of trails in Glacier National Park. And every day this summer, we happily navigated rafts down the whitewater of the Middle and North Forks of the Flathead River.
Kids catching fish on the Smith River, Montana.
We taught our guests about Leave No Trace principles, and practiced them everywhere we went. In addition, we crafted them gourmand meals in the backcountry and showed them how to hang their food, filter their water, and have an amazing experience learning about self-reliance. Most importantly, we espoused ecologically sound practices in support of Glacier National Park, and of all wild places.
Backcountry shrimp stir fry with coconut curry sauce, anyone?
We remembered our reusable coffee cups and water bottles most days. Also, we shopped locally and reused and recycled everything we could. And we tended to our eco-friendly Glacier Guides Lodge and tried to leave only footprints in its operation.
We had a lot of fun, too, Santa, and that’s important as citizens of the world. We took the good times we had at work out into our individual worlds, and tried to be joyful partners and parents and friends.
Jump for joy!
And no matter if we were white water rafting Glacier National Park, or simply running to town for supplies, the park provided our constant backdrop.
Glacier National Park Support
So, Santa, this December, we’re showing our support for our backyard national park via our favorite nonprofit partner, the Glacier National Park Conservancy. The Conservancy provides the funding for an amazing number of projects in the park. Some are incredibly exciting, like re-introducing a bison herd on Glacier’s east side.
Bison on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, just outside of Glacier National Park, Montana. Bearstar Photography.
Some are incredibly boring, but completely necessary, like providing print materials for a mostly cell-phone-service-less park. It’s hard to use Google Maps to find a trailhead when there’s no service. Print materials aren’t sexy, but they are important, Santa.
Glacier National Park Rangers with educational print materials at the entrance station. Photo courtesy Glacier National Park Conservancy.
Now through December 31, the Conservancy’s Board is matching all gifts up to $50,000. Click here for details.
We’ll see you in Glacier next summer, Santa!
Love,
Glacier Guides + Montana Raft