Glacier National Park is located in northern Montana on the border of the United States and Canada. It is nearest to Alberta and British Colombia, and has been providing enjoyment for outdoor enthusiasts for almost 100 years. It was signed into law as a national park on May 11, 1910 by President Taft, who made it the 10th national park in America after pressure from explorer George Bird Grinnell, who is also credited as first exploring it. The area was deemed as protected and was free from the threat of mining and development after the protected status was put through, and this assured visitors to the area that the more than 700 miles of hiking and alpine views would remain intact and undisturbed. This protected status may have protected the area from obvious destruction at the hands of mining companies, but we could not have predicted it’s potential loss at the hands of man from other methods. The mountain goats and wildlife that inhabit the area, as well as the thousands of outdoor loving visitors every year, may soon no longer be able to see the active glaciers that are the namesake of the park. It is predicted that they may be completely gone by 2020.
While the exact year of extinction of the glaciers in Glacier National Park remains unable to be predicted exactly, here is what we do know. Over the last 50 years, climate change has caused more than 85% of the ice in Glacier National Park to melt. This means that where there were more than 150 active glaciers at the turn of the century, there are less than 26 today. This alarming rate of ice melt means that even one hot summer could completely eliminate the active glaciers in the park, creating a tragic loss for anyone who had planned on seeing them one day. Even putting off your trip for a year could result in never seeing the glaciers from Many Glacier, the best viewing spot in the park.
We suggest that you take a private tour of Glacier right away, as we have no idea how much time is left. Our private tours are structured to accomplish the things that you and your group want to do. We allow you to name the time frames that you will tour, as well as the things that you would like to do in each area. The most popular things to do are boating and fishing, which are best from May until November each year. There are actually no permits or licenses necessary to boat or fish on the lakes, but there are limitations to the amount of fish that can be caught and kept. This prevents overfishing in the area, and protects the wildlife levels from becoming too diminished. If you are interested in a private tour of Glacier National Park, contact us immediately as this product is limited, and ultimately you can never know exactly how much longer the glaciers will even be there. The area will still be wonderful to view, but the glaciers will be lost forever.