In the small, unincorporated community of Essex, Montana, everybody knows everybody. All it takes is a walk to the shared mailbox, and sure enough you’ll meet the whole town, including Greg Garcelon, affectionately called “Gumby” around these parts.
Essex lies beside the Middle Fork Flathead River — the southwestern boundary of Glacier National Park — and is situated squarely in the middle of nowhere. Cell service is scarce and people are too, with only the most enduring Montanans living here year-round and embracing a slower-paced lifestyle.
Gumby, originally from Maine, grew up skiing with his family.
After serving in the military, Gumby made the move to Montana a decade ago to chase some fresh powder. These days, he’s a familiar face around LOGE Glacier — formerly the Izaak Walton Inn — running the ski shop and helping visitors from all over.
After a couple of years, Gumby took over the snow program at the historic inn, overseeing the shop and its rentals, as well as the snow removal operations for the property. As he tended to the snow-covered grounds of the inn, his dog, Jake, was never trailing too far behind. Now, the shop is a full-fledged space separate from the hotel, and has plenty of room for year-round gear rentals and tune-ups alike.
LOGE Glacier boasts more than 20 miles of trails around the resort that accommodate Nordic skiing, fat biking and snowshoeing. These trails are Gumby’s domain. Whether he’s outfitting someone with the ideal gear for their adventure, or recording the conditions report for the local radio station, his work ensures the inn’s guests are able to enjoy the beautiful backcountry.
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After a year-long closure for renovation from 2023-2024, the inn is ushering in an era under new ownership, making way for visitors, old and new, to come and enjoy the updated amenities. Every part of the LOGE experience has been retailored and thoughtfully curated, with eclectic, refurbished rooms that provide comfort for you — and for your furry friends! Make sure to check out their Pupgraded package if you’re traveling with canine companions. But the inn will always be rooted in its history. Originally established in 1939 to house and feed railroad workers, the inn’s eclectic European-inspired architecture coupled with the scenic location allowed for it to become a destination in its own right, giving visitors to Glacier a quiet place of refuge outside of the bustling park for nearly the last century.
In his past few years working at the inn, Gumby’s witnessed a tourism boom, and he knows it’s only going to keep growing as more and more people discover the hidden gems that are tucked away in the land surrounding Glacier. With the influx of visitors, LOGE Glacier is able to keep its trails and shop open for the summer for the first time, making them accessible for biking and hiking after the snow melts.
Getting to help out the visitors that are making their way through the area is one of Gumby’s favorite aspects of his job. Imparting the knowledge he’s gained through his years of skiing to a visiting family and making their trip more special is something that he takes pride in.
For Gumby, the solitude and peace he’s found in the backcountry here is unparalleled.
“It’s a pretty fast-moving planet we live on. I like to hide out out here.” - Gumby
Here, he’s more than content to live in a place where it’s routine to get a couple of runs in on his lunch break and help visitors experience the magic of a Montana winter — and now, to enjoy the splendor of Montana summer as well.
Montana is rich in NPS sites both beautiful and historically, culturally and ecologically significant.
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