Well, after a few days of great shooting weather the rain and thick clouds have arrived. It looks like they will be arround for a few days, according to the weather forcasters.

The bear grass is in full blume up to about 6500'. This cool wet weather should slow things down a bit but I'd be ready for some great flowers when it breaks and the sun finnaly comes out again.

Finalshot

If youre interested in bear grass, I'd plan a trip to Glacier in two to three weeks. Logan Pass should be totally envoloped in beargrass blooms by then. As you know, it's only about every 5 years that bear grass becomes prolific. If you interested in the progress of the blooms on logan send me an email or stay tuned to this message board and I'll post updates as conditions improve.

Tony

Hey Tony,

Actually, I did not know this. This year seems to be a year of great blooms. My wife and I were at DWF's convention in Marh and spent some (not enough) time in Death Valley. The blooms were amazing.

-JM

BTW, Tom Brokaw was on David Letterman tonight and he was showing off pictures from Glacier National Park - he is apparantly purchasing tracks of land (with a few other celebs) around the parks as a means of helping to protect them.

It was a very interesting show. I wonder if he took those himself. If he did, he is pretty good.

-JM

The organization that he is working with is called the National Parks Conservation Association. It seems to have a very similar mission to the Nature Conservancy that Michael Reichmann was talking about in his interview (see the Artist Showcase).

http://www.npca.org/

James, I have heard a great many things about both men. There are other tv celebs who have places near the park. Letterman has a place about 60 miles south of me. Celebs in Montana are a mixed bag – kind of bitter sweet. The prarie foundaion (http://www.americanprairie.org/) uses a great stratigy to get money from the rich to buy land and put it in conservation easements. The foundation only wants the money, and the rich people only buy the land, they dont move in and bring the rest of the world with them.

So far, the flowers are remarkable this year. The bear grass is as good as anyone can remember. Time will tell if the other high country flowers materialize but if they are anywhere near as good as the sub alpine stuff, we are in for a banner year at glacier.