Glacier Raft’s Commitment to our
Community and our Environment
Glacier Raft Company has a 33 year history of providing safe and responsible tours to the public in and around Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Our livelihood is based on the land and its resources, therefore, we constantly strive to practice sustainable methods in all of our business operations. Our goal is to leave this area just as we found it for future generations to enjoy.
The following are ways that Glacier Raft Company strives to set a responsible example.
Our Responsibility to the River
- All of our guides practice Leave No Trace ethics on all of our trips. Additionally, we take time to break up fire rings and collect trash at common campsites along the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead to maintain a Wild & Scenic experience.
- Our fishing trips utilize only barbless hooks and practice catch and release to minimize impact on native trout populations.
- We partner with the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation by providing trips to help raise money as well as transporting their volunteer trail crew down the river and out of the wilderness area.
- We are a member of the Federation of Fly Fishers, an organization dedicated to the betterment of the sport of fly fishing through Conservation, Restoration and Education.
- We are a member of the Burlington Northern Environmental Stewardship Area. This program strives to conserve wildlife, fish, and their habitat along the BN corridor adjacent to Glacier National Park.
Our Commitment to our Community
- We partner with the Northwest Montana Humane Society in our annual dog skijoring races to find homes for dogs in need.
- Glacier Raft employs primarily local Montana residents with extensive knowledge of the local history, flora, and fauna.
- Glacier Outdoor Center retail store carries goods produced by local manufacturers when possible. Made in Montana is a common theme at the GOC.
- Glacier Raft Company purchases fresh fruit and vegetables from local farmers to provide guests with the freshest, healthiest food options while helping to stimulate the local economy and reduce transportation costs.
- Glacier Raft Company partners with First Descents to provide whitewater experiences to promote emotional, psychological and physical healing for young adults with cancer.
- We work with the Sherriff’s office, Flathead County Search and Rescue, and Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol to provide a response service to our active community.
- We work with the Flathead National Forest and The National Park Service to provide nature tours in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Glacier National Park.
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Our Efforts as a Business
- We minimize shuttles and bus use by having a location close enough to the river that there is only one shuttle needed.
- We combine shuttles and put an extensive amount of time into planning where we float in order to reduce the amount of shuttles needed.
- We try to use our propane-powered bus on every launch possible to reduce harmful effects of running diesel engines.
- Glacier Raft recycles all possible items that we use as a business or that our guests consume. We also have chosen to sell drinks in recyclable containers as there is no option to recycle glass in our area.
- We only offer photos to our guests in a digital format in order to cut paper waste.
- Glacier Raft has installed low flow toilets in all of our facilities to reduce water consumption.
- We have installed all compact fluorescent light bulbs to reduce electrical consumption.
- We use electronic correspondence when possible to reduce paper waste.
- We have reduced water and electric consumption by laundering linens only in between guest stays or at a guest’s request.
- We have constructed all of our buildings with locally harvested and milled timber.
- We use recycled asphalt as a dust control for our roads as an alternative to Magnesium Chloride (A chemical control for dust).
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