On May 11, 1910, President William Taft signed the bill establishing Glacier National Park; a year that shared headlines with Halley's Comet, the first public radio broadcast, and the first-ever flight over Australia (flown by Harry Houdini).
A lot has happened in the century that's passed since 1910—but even at the venerable age of 111, you look as good as ever, Glacier.
Image: Two cyclists look out over a creek at snowy mountains in the distance.
We gratefully acknowledge the native peoples on whose ancestral homelands we gather, as well as the diverse and vibrant native communities who make their home here today. 📍
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Plowing crews continue to make progress towards Logan Pass, battling deep snow and inclement weather to prepare Going-to-the-Sun Road for summer.
Image: A bulldozer excavating a snow-covered mountain road, on a snowy day.
But did you know that snow on the road—as imposing as it may be—is just one of the hazards plow crews face? Snow ABOVE the road, and the threat of avalanches, is a tremendous concern.
That's why the park works with @USGS to study avalanche risk each day before plow crews get to work. Avalanche forecasters monitor the high, snow-laden slopes of the Garden Wall in person, and through the use of weather stations and remote sensing.
Why do some trees drop their leaves every fall (deciduous), while others hold onto their leaves year-round (evergreen)?
(thread)
There are tradeoffs between the two strategies. In the winter, leaves are a liability because they vastly increase the surface area of a tree, leading to increased water loss from evaporation and providing more places for snow to accumulate.
On the other hand, having to grow new leaves every year is challenging because leaf growth requires the use of soil nutrients. In nutrient poor soils these will not be available year after year. Leaves also become less efficient at photosynthesis as they age.
Some ice is obvious—maybe you picture a glacier or a frozen lake—but other ice is much harder to find.
For example, many surfaces in the world around us are porous—able to be penetrated by water. Wood is porous, as are cracks in a mountainside or asphalt in your driveway. We can see the water on the surface, but there can be a lot of water hidden out of sight.
How do animals know when to start preparing for winter?
NPS / Jacob W. Frank
It’s not just from memory of years past—even young born that spring, who have never seen a winter, know to start readying. For many animals the answer lies in a part of the brain known as the pineal gland.
The pineal gland, which receives light information from the retina, produces melatonin only when it’s dark. As nights grow longer during the fall, melatonin will accumulate in the bloodstream. The increased melatonin levels trigger a series of changes, including the autumn molt.
Leave No Trace Principle #3: Dispose of Waste Properly♻️
Pack it in, pack it out! This saying is common among backcountry hikers, but is good advice for everyone. Whether you’re hiking or relaxing, be sure to properly dispose of all trash and food scraps. (1/4)
While it may be tempting to toss apple cores, banana peels, and orange peels on the ground, they do not decompose well in many places.
They may get eaten by wildlife, and potentially cause harm to the animal or contribute to habituation. (2/4)
If you see trash where it shouldn't be, please pick it up!
It takes everyone to keep the 🌏 clean. (3/4)