Sharing the Fascinating Ice Age Floods Story Since 1995
The source of the massive flood waters responsible for J Harlan Bretz’s 1922 “Outrageous Hypothesis” of catastrophic floods having carved the central Washington basin, was not generally recognized until Joseph Pardee’s 1940 publication of his research on Glacial Lake Missoula.
Pardee described ancient wave-cut benches, giant megaripples and many other features that indicated a giant lake had once occupied much of western Montana, and that the lake had drained catastrophically through Eddy Narrows, directly into the area of central Washington that Bretz described.
IAFI’s Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter has placed a number of “high water markers” around the area of the lake, and is actively collaborating with other local organizations to tell the story of Glacial Lake Missoula and the Ice Age Floods.
IAFI’s Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter serves the greater western Montana area
Chapter Meetings
We meet the third Wednesday of the month as needed at the Montana Natural History Center, 120 Hickory Street in Missoula. Contact Jennifer Robinson at (406) 327-0405 or email glm@montananaturalist.org for more meeting or event information.
E-mail or call Jim Shelden (406) 728-1860 for more information about the chapter
Please see the Events Calendar for a listing of all chapter meetings and events.
We’re reaching out to ask for your help. As we work toward our mission of promoting public awareness and education
Two glacial erratics in the Bitterroot Valley, the Lone Rock School erratic and the Rome Lane erratic, were deposited during
One of Montana’s other floods has been tickling the curiosity of some of our members.. This grew into a desire
A field trip to Sandpoint ID to visit geologic sites related to the ice dam(s) that blocked the Clark Fork
In the early days, the IAFI and National Geologic Trail were mainly good intentions and lacking in ways to communicate
An 8 ton erratic left behind by Glacial Lake Missoula in the Bitterroot Valley on the property of a local
Upcoming IAFI Events
Upcoming Chapter Events
This chapter studies the entire area of impoundment of the Clark Fork River from just southeast of the ice dam to the furthest extent of the lake, including the waters of the Flathead, Bitterroot, Clearwater, and Blackfoot Tributaries.
Chapter Accepted by IAFI Board in 2003
Presidents
2003 – 2007 Larry Lambert
2007 – 2009 Norm Smyers
2009 – present Jim Shelden
Chapter has hosted two IAFI Annual Meetings
September 26, 2008 Ice Age Floods Institute 2008 Annual Meeting. Field Trip: Quaternary glacial geology of the Flathead Lake Area. Trip Leader: Dr. Marc Hendrix, Department of Geosciences, University of Montana
September 24, 2016, Ice Age Floods Institute 2016 Annual Meeting. Field Trip: Glacial Lake Missoula and Ice Age Floods Features of Western Montana. Trip Leader Richard Chambers
SOME HIGHLIGHTs
Chapter Focus on Pardee rather than Bretz: The chapter focuses most of its attention on the Glacial Lake Missoula part of the floods story. For this reason, Joseph Pardee is more commonly discussed than J Harlan Bretz. Pardee’s discovery of the giant current ripples in the Camas Prairie Area was key to understanding the effects of the rapid draining of glacial Lake Missoula. Later 60 major areas of giant current ripples have been found throughout the floods area. The chapter has been able to get access to many of the papers of Joseph Pardee. They have also been given access to many of his lantern slides.
Relationship with Montana Natural History Center – Developing partners is important to the telling of the floods story. For the Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter, the major partner is the Montana Natural History Center. In 2019 the chapter applied jointly with the Natural History Center for a Montana Tourist Grant to finish lake video and remodel display. Received grant which resulted in seven new lesson plans and videos for the Lake. Also, one introduction to the lake, a floods video.
Glacial Lake Missoula High Water Markers: Since 2010 the chapter has installed a number of engraved stone monuments near popular hiking trails and attractions. These monuments are placed at 4200-ft elevation, the highwater mark of Glacial Lake Missoula at maximum capacity.
Creation of chapter brochures: The chapter has developed three different brochures: 1) May 2018 A map and guide to ice age floods in Montana, 2) The IAFI wide project of all chapters, and 3) in 2024, the current version was completed.
Work with National Bison Range – Because of the diversity of floods sites found there, the chapter has worked with people from the Bison Range, before and after the Tribe assumed management of the area.
School Programs: The chapter has conducted many high-quality school programs such as the Bozeman Science camp in 2023 and School Science3 and art project in 2019.
Travel to Sandpoint: During 2024 the chapter traveled to Sandpoint, Idaho where the Coeur du Deluge Chapter hosted the visit and led field trips to prominent floods sites in this area. In 2025, the Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter will host the Coeur du Deluge Chapter and show them floods sites in western Montana.
Ice Age Floods Institute is a registered non-profit educational organization devoted to publicly sharing the ice age floods story.
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