Keith Hammer introduces keynote speaker Stewart Brandborg. (Keith Hammer and Ross Montgomery photos).
A good showing of Swan Rangers attended a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act at the Flathead County Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 20, 2014!
The day's festivities included a moving invocation by Kootenai Tribal Member Dr. Vernon Finley, followed by a "call to arms" keynote address by Stewart Brandborg, who worked alongside Howard Zahniser for eight years to pass the Wilderness Act in 1964!
The event was well attended and many thanks go out to the numerous federal agencies, state agencies and nonprofit groups that pulled together to celebrate this landmark piece of conservation legislation!
Click here to learn more about Stewart Brandborg and the Go Wild Flathead celebration.
Stewart Brandborg urges the crowd to secure more Wilderness land designations by "pouring the hot oil of public opinion down the backsides of their congresspersons!"
Groups and agencies were on disply in the Expo Building, while wilderness skills and mule strings were demonstrated outdoors.
We were so busy we failed to get a good photo of our Swan Ranger/Swan View Coalition booth, which displayed a slideshow of the Swan Crest and collected postcards urging the Flathead Forest Supervisor to recommend in his revised Forest Plan that it be designated Wilderness.
The Moonshine Mountain Band, above, entertained during the morning and Fresh off the Vine entertained in the afternoon!
The Swan Rangers meet every Saturday at the Echo Lake Cafe for breakfast at 7:30, leaving at 8:30 for a partial day outing in the northern Swan Mountains and foothills (except when celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act).
They carpool from the Swan River School parking lot next to the Cafe.
When hiking in bear country, remember to carry bear spray and avoid the 3-D's: dawn, dusk, and darkness.
Everyone is welcome!