Field Reports: Iowa woman dead after fall in Glacier National Park
A 73-year-old Iowa woman died after falling from the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park on Wednesday.
National Park Service officials identified the woman as Diane Bunker of Muscatine, Iowa.
The fall happened around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, according to a park news release. Bunker tripped and fell off the edge of the trail between Big Bend and Triple Arches, out of sight from the large group with which she was hiking.
The Going-to-the-Sun Road was closed from Logan Pass to Big Bend for about an hour for the recovery. Two Bear Air searched for her and found her below the trail.
She fell roughly 450 feet and suffered traumatic injuries, according to the release. An investigation is ongoing.
The death came the same day a separate hiker was injured by a bear near Lake Janet.
The 34-year-old woman was hiking west with another hiker when a “medium brown colored bear” charged toward her, according to a park news release.
The bear swiped at her and injured her shoulder and arm. Her hiking partner used bear spray to scare the bear off.
Glacier officials have no plans to take action against the bear, according to the release. Its subspecies could not be determined.
Washington conservationist to appear at Auntie’s
The founder of one of Washington’s most prominent conservation organizations will be talking about his new book at an event in Spokane this week.
Author and prominent conservationist Mitch Friedman will be at Auntie’s Bookstore on Wednesday to celebrate the release of his memoir “Conservation Confidential: A Wild Path to a Less Polarizing and More Effective Activism.”
Friedman is the founder and executive director of Conservation Northwest. His book, published by Latah Books, tracks his evolution from a radical Earth First activist to a more pragmatic, coalition-building strategist, according to a news release.
The book tells stories from Friedman’s years working on a variety of issues, including protecting old growth forests and supporting gray wolf recovery.
The event is at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. He’ll be introduced by Spokesman-Review columnist Ammi Midstokke.
Outdoor clubs planning fall meetings
With a busy summer nearly in the books, outdoor clubs are restarting their regular meeting schedules.
The Spokane Audubon Society will meet at 6 p.m. on Sept. 10 at the Shadle Park Library at 2111 W. Wellesley Ave. The meeting will feature a presentation by Elliot Robison about how botany complements birding.
Robison is a member of Spokane Audubon and serves on the board of the local chapters of the Washington Native Plant Society and the Eriogonum Society.
The meeting will also be streamed via Zoom. More information is available at spokaneaudubon.org.
The same night, the Spokane Fly Fishers will meet at the St. Francis of Assisi Church at 1104 W. Heroy Ave. starting at 6 p.m.
The group’s meeting will feature a presentation from Grant and Lottie Richie of Minam, Oregon, on fishing the Wallowa and Grande Ronde rivers.