Calling all Livingston-Bozeman commuters
People who regularly travel the Bozeman Pass on Interstate 90 may have the best commute in the Northern Rockies. Wildlife abounds in this area. Deer, antelope, moose, elk and even the occasional black bear share the corridor with the motoring public.
Unfortunately, commuters are also way too familiar with the site of road kill on Interstate 90. More than 230 animals are killed attempting to cross I-90 on Bozeman Pass every year.
Now a Bozeman-based environmental group wants to know about each and every one of those critters - alive or dead - that motorists see.
American Wildlands' "I-Spy on Bozeman Pass" is a geared toward ultimately making the pass safer for people and wildlife.
The goal is "to gather as many people as they can to become citizen scientists to help them record what wildlife they see on Bozeman Pass," according to Sierra Harris, a volunteer with the organization. "March is usually a pretty busy wildlife month for the area so AWL is looking for more volunteers to help kick off" the program.
The organization has posted an online form where drivers and passengers can record online whatever animals they have seen on a given day, she said.
"No special degrees or qualifications are required," according to American Wildlands' Web site. "All you need is an eye for wild animals. We want to know what species you have seen, when and where. It's that simple.
"We will map your observations to identify wildlife crossing hotspots on the pass ... (and) use this information to inform the placement of new fencing, warning signs, crossing structures and other safety features."
For more information, visit http://wildlands.org/ispy.
Happy hunting.
Fancy a drive?
Most Bozeman-area residents won't be surprised to learn that a new Web site featuring the Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rockies puts the Beartooth Highway at the top of the list.
The stunningly beautiful road through the Absaroka and Beartooth mountains gets a lot of ink, and for good reason.
"With 10,000 mountain lakes, 20 peaks reaching over 12,000 feet in elevation, and 12 national forest campgrounds, the Beartooth Highway is one of America's most scenic drives," the tease for the drive at www.drivethetop10.com gushes. "Witness the rare transition of lush forest ecosystem to alpine tundra in just a few miles on the highest elevation road in the Northern Rockies."
Three other Montana drives are highlighted:
- Montana Scenic Loop: A 400-mile loop from Glacier National Park, around the Great Bear, Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wilderness areas.
- Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Loop.
- Yellowstone-Grand Teton Loop.
Each drive has links to background information on the Native Americans, explorers and pioneers who came before. And while the site appears to be based in Orlando, Fla., it's fueled by links to local restaurants, hotels, rafting companies, fly shops and other businesses along each drive.
The six other routes are spread across Wyoming, Idaho, Washington and Oregon, British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.
What's it gonna cost you?
Gas prices in Montana are on the rise, according to AAA.
As of Sunday, the average price of regular unleaded fuel in Montana was $2.81 per gallon; 8 cents higher than a week ago; and 87 cents higher than a year ago.
And gas prices here were higher than the national average, which was $2.78 on Sunday.
"Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your outlook, the increase in fuel prices indicates renewed optimism in the short-term health of the U.S. economy," Denice Harris, AAA spokesperson, said.
But it is also predictable. Fuel prices increase in the spring because refineries are switching to summer blended fuels, and because oil investors are counting on increased travel, according to AAA.
However, while demand may be rising, it's considered "somewhat soft," and there is still a strong supply of oil. "These factors alone will likely restrain prices from drifting dramatically higher in the short term," Harris said.
Karin Ronnow can be reached at kronnow@dailychronicle.com
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