The Forest Service received notification of a purchase agreement regarding Holland Lake Lodge between Eric Jacobsen, Great Falls native and current Utah resident, and longtime owner of the lodge and holder of its special use permit, Christian Wohlfeil, and POWDR on Oct. 11.
POWDR, a company that owns and operates ski resorts across the country, owns about 20% of the assets of Holland Lake Lodge. A controversial plan to expand the lodge was rejected by the Forest Service last fall after being met with forceful local opposition.
Ivy Gehling, Flathead National Forest executive assistant, said the Forest Service has not received an application for a special use permit or master development plan — which must be approved by the Forest Service before a special use permit can be obtained — and specific purchase agreement details would need to come from the involved parties. Gehling said once the Forest Service receives an application for a SUP, internal screening will be conducted and if accepted, there will be opportunities for public involvement before a final decision is made.
“When the lodge is sold, (an) application submitted by (the) new owner and screening criteria have determined that a new permit can be issued, a new permit would be issued to the new owner,” Gehling said via email.
A special use permit is needed to conduct commercial activities, like guiding or something that charges a fee for use, on national forest land.
Chris Dowling, Swan Lake district ranger, notified attendees of the October Swan Valley Community Council meeting of the agreement between Jacobsen and Holland Lake Lodge owners on Oct. 15.
Jacobsen held a meeting on Oct. 23 to hear from community members and another will be held Nov. 20 at the Condon Community Center from 6-9 p.m.
Dowling provided an update on the Forest Service’s budget for its new fiscal year, which began on Oct. 1. The budget’s projected to be down “quite a bit,” Dowling said, as funding from sources like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Great American Outdoors Act wind down. The Forest Service has some Great American Outdoors Act money left, but it has been allocated for specific projects through 2026. One of these projects includes improvements — trail, parking, boat launch replacement, vegetation work — to the Lindbergh Lake campground.
The Condon Work Center, which the Forest Service is considering for conveyance, had its septic systems inspected and Dowling said everything is functioning properly. The only maintenance needed for those systems includes tree removal in the drainfield.
The Rumbling Owl fuels reduction public comment process will likely begin in November. Dowling said this has been pushed back due to the litigation the Forest Service is under regarding the revised Flathead National Forest plan.
Representatives from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks provided updates on hunting season, including not having the first week of the season open to hunting either sex of whitetail deer. Jake Pickens, FWP Bigfork district, said this had resulted in some confusion about tags and taking does that were not in season.
Garrett Kocab, FWP Seeley Lake district, reminded people that FWP has a new e-tag system, which allows a hunter to get carcass tags on their phones.
Both said grizzly conflicts with hunters have been low so far. They’ve had reports of hunters encountering both grizzly and black bears, but not of aggressive behavior.
Grace Siloti, Swan Valley Community Council member, is starting up a senior lunch program for Swan Valley seniors on Nov. 1. Money provided by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation will fund the program through May of next year.
Those 60 or older can fill out a small application and pick up meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Each pick up should provide about two days worth of food. Those interested can call 406-754-2387 at least by the morning of pick up.
The meals are open to anyone, Siloti said, but the discount is only available to those 60 and older.
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