My First Day as a Glacier Park Volunteer (AND I SAW A BEAR)

Okay.....I'm nervous. I'm waking up at 2:30, 3:30, and then 4:30AM. And why? Because today is my first day as a volunteer in Glacier National Park. I applied to be a volunteer last October, and was excited when they said they would use me. Now I'm working side-by-side with the Rangers in the Apgar Visitor Center.

When they told me I should start working on May 22, I already had something on my schedule, like "ranch sitting" for my friends in Polson. So I told my new "supervisor" that I couldn't make it until 11:00 AM (vs. the 9:00 AM I am scheduled to work). As a friend said, "What a way to start a job -- telling them when you can arrive, " to which I said...."I'M A VOLUNTEER -- I DON'T GET PAID!"

I've had a career in sales with IBM, worked as a consultant with some very large companies, and organized conferences for 2500 customers. But I'm nervous about talking to visitors at Glacier. Mostly because I'm NOT a Ranger, and I don't know all the hiking trails in the Park (over 700 miles of trails), and I'm afraid I'll look very uninformed (or as you might say, stupid).

BUT I HAD A BLAST!! Today was not a busy day in the park -- the "Going-to-the-Sun Road" is only open 15 miles on either end, and probably won't have the snow removed until the end of June. The park has had and continues to have avalanches with the soft snow, and for the most part, the lodges, hotels, boat rides, etc., don't even open until the middle of June (Sperry Chalet was hit by an avalanche and is buried under the snow). So this was my chance to shadow the Rangers on duty and listen to them talk so knowledgeably about the hikes, the camp grounds, what roads/trails are open and which are still snowed in -- and of course, the big question asked by most people.....WHERE CAN I SEE A BEAR. So I learned a lot today.

The fun part is talking to the visitors, and trying to help them decide what to do when they only have half a day to spend, or can only drive 15 miles up the road. There are so many areas and attractions that I really enjoy in Glacier, and I got to tell everyone about them.

I should get a commission for the # of people I told about the fabulous bakery in Polebridge (translation -- middle of no where) where you can get huckleberry bear claws (and several had tasted those wonderful pastries). Or the most beautiful place in the park -- Many Glacier (see blogs from 2010), where you can see big horn sheep or mountain goats.

One lady I talked to is an author, and she came to spend 5 weeks in Glacier, taking in the unspoiled wilderness, the wildlife, the "peace" that is Glacier, and to put her feelings on paper. She told me she wanted to find places where she could take her pen, pad, and chair and soak up the park. Of course, I had a dozen places where she could sit and take in the beauty of double waterfalls, majestic peaks, the endangered glaciers, and of course, the animals. So I hope I pointed her to some inspirational locations.

And I was very pleased when Ranger Michelle said she enjoyed listening to me painting Glacier in terms of my memories and stories (I like that Michelle). So I will continue to listen to the Rangers to gain the knowledge that is not found in the brochures, continue to explore the parts of the park I haven't seen, and to share it with the visitors to the park.

But for my best story of the day -- I SAW A BEAR!! I almost never see bears, so I guess having the "inside info" on the latest sightings do help. Several ladies talked to Ranger Bill about things to do, and they came back with pictures of a grizzly bear they saw on Camas Road (the Park does ask people to report grizzly sightings, as they use the information to track the population). As I left for the day, I decided to drive down Camas Road to see where I had sent people -- and to look for a bear. And I found one!! A black bear -- not the reported grizzly. Now doesn't that say something for the # of bear in the park.

I'm including a few pictures. Damn that "point and shoot" camera. It used to take good pictures, but something must be wrong. With my poor eyesight, I've relied on the camera to do the focusing, which it has done well. Lately I can take picture after picture where I hear the "beep" (means in focus), and they are not. I took about 30 pictures (don't you just love digital), and not one was well focused. So please forgive my shots. Guess I'll need to start carrying my NEW Nikon D3000 which does a much better job of focusing. And I'll need to get that telephoto lens. You really don't want to get close to a bear -- not even one that looked as cute and cuddly as this one did.