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{{Short description|Building in Montana, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Sperry Chalet
| status = Rebuilt
| owner = [[National Park Service]]
{{Infobox NRHP
| embed = yes
| name = Sperry Chalet
| coordinates = {{coord|48|36|16|N|113|47|08|W|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = Montana#USA
| nrhp_type = nhldcp
| nocat = yes
| image = SperryChaletBW.jpg
| caption = Sperry Chalet - The initials under the gable are "GNRy," for Great Northern Railway
| nearest_city = [[West Glacier, Montana]]
| area =
| built = 1913
| builder = [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern Railway]]
| architect = Cutter & Malmgren
| added = August 2, 1977
| refnum = 77000115<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref>
}}
| altitude ={{convert|6560|ft|m|abbr=on}}
}}

'''Sperry Chalet''' is located about seven miles east of [[Lake McDonald]] in [[Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Montana]]. The chalet was opened in 1914 by the [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern Railway]] and was a [[National Historic Landmark]] contributing property, being one of five structures in the [[Great Northern Railway Buildings]] National Historic Landmark. Along with [[Granite Park Chalet]], Sperry Chalet is one of the two remaining backcountry chalets in Glacier National Park, both operated by Belton Chalets, Inc.
[[File:Sperry Chalet on fire.jpg|thumb|left|Sperry Chalet on fire the night of August 31, 2017]]
The chalet is reached only by trail, via hiking or horseback. One of the two trails leading to the chalet is the Sperry Trail, which starts at the [[Lake McDonald Lodge]] parking lot and stretches 6.7 miles to the chalet, climbing 3200 feet in the process. The trail passes along the base of Mount Brown and over the west ridge of Mount Edwards, with views of [[U-shaped valley]]s along the way. A side trip to [[Sperry Glacier]] is also possible, being a 4-mile hike (8 miles round trip). The other means of accessing the chalet is via the Gunsight Trail, which is a 12.1-mile hike from the Jackson Glacier Overlook on [[Going-to-the-Sun Road]]. This hike averages 9 hours.<ref>{{cite web|title=Location & Trails|url=http://www.sperrychalet.com/location.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010410214251/http://www.sperrychalet.com/location.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 10, 2001|publisher=Sperry Chalet|access-date=September 5, 2015}}</ref>

The chalet, nestled in a glacial [[Cirque (landform)|cirque]], consists of two buildings from the Great Northern era: a two-story hotel building and a kitchen/dining room building. A restroom facility was added, but was not part of the historic landmark designation. The dormitory building, completed in 1913, was built with random rubble masonry, providing a feel of architectural ruggedness, and was topped with a large gable roof that had two dormers on either side. The kitchen building, completed in 1912, is also made of random rubble masonry, but used smaller stones and appears less striking in its design. The kitchen building is topped with a lower gable roof.

Unlike Granite Park Chalet, Sperry Chalet provides traditional meal service: dinner, breakfast, and either a trail lunch or an ala carte lunch in the dining room. The guest rooms are private, but in line with the backcountry experience, there is no electricity or heat. There is running water at the restroom facility.

On August 31, 2017, the hotel/dormitory building of Sperry Chalet burned during the [[Sprague Fire of 2017|Sprague Fire]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Sperry Chalet Lost Due to Sprague Fire|publisher=Inciweb|url=https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5510/39578/|date=August 31, 2017|access-date=September 1, 2017}}</ref> The wood portions of the main chalet burned, gutting the structure, but the surrounding outbuildings were saved.<ref name="Erickson">{{cite web|last1=Erickson|first1=David|title=Fire that gutted Sperry Chalet was first noticed coming from inside the building|url=http://missoulian.com/news/local/fire-that-gutted-sperry-chalet-was-first-noticed-coming-from/article_2503ad94-1f26-5858-bb78-126ea34d3e85.html|website=missoulian.com|access-date=28 September 2017|language=en|date=September 1, 2017}}</ref> After the fire, [[United States Secretary of the Interior|U.S. Secretary of the Interior]] [[Ryan Zinke]] stated that rebuilding the Sperry Chalet would be a top priority and an engineering firm had already inspected the structure and was preparing a proposal on how to reinforce the stone walls for the upcoming winter and other stabilization efforts. A fund for stabilization was established, overseen by the [[Glacier National Park Conservancy]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Franz|first1=Justin|title=Zinke Vows to Rebuild Historic Glacier Chalet Destroyed in Fire|url=http://flatheadbeacon.com/2017/09/16/zinke-vows-rebuild-historic-glacier-chalet-destroyed-fire/|access-date=September 18, 2017|publisher=Flathead Beacon|date=September 16, 2017}}</ref> Work to brace the stone walls to prevent their collapse was scheduled to begin in October 2017, with supplies brought in by helicopter.<ref name="Backus">{{cite web|last1=Backus|first1=Perry|title=Glacier Park plans to begin stabilization efforts on Sperry Chalet in October|url=http://missoulian.com/news/local/glacier-park-plans-to-begin-stabilization-efforts-on-sperry-chalet/article_d47b2a89-8e93-55b1-9172-9b0639d56423.html|website=missoulian.com|access-date=28 September 2017|language=en|date=September 25, 2017}}</ref> After an environmental impact statement was completed National Park Service authorities determined that the chalet would be rebuilt using the original stone exterior and aside from some minor modifications to meet current building codes, have all the same design as the original structure. The rebuilding process was expected to last during the summers of 2018 and 2019,<ref>{{cite web |title=Sperry Chalet Environmental Assessment Complete |url=https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/news/18-17.htm |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=June 6, 2018 |date=May 17, 2018}}</ref> and is scheduled to reopen in July 2020.<ref name="Wells">{{cite web|last1=Wells|first1=Sean|title=Glacier National Park officials celebrate reopening of Sperry Chalet|url=https://www.kpax.com/news/local-news/flathead-county/glacier-national-park-officials-celebrate-reopening-of-sperry-chalet|access-date=2 April 2020|date=26 February 2020}}</ref>

The National Park Service awarded two contracts to Dick Anderson Construction to complete the rebuild project in two phases during the summers of 2018 and 2019. Subcontractor work was performed by Anderson Masonry of Kalispell<ref>{{Cite web|last=Peterson|first=Chris|date=July 23, 2020|title=Opening Day at Sperry Chalet|url=https://whitefishpilot.com/news/2020/jul/23/opening-day-at-sperry-chalet-9/|access-date=September 14, 2020}}</ref> with redesign efforts led by Anderson Hallas Architects.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Casillas|first=Larisa|date=March 13, 2018|title=Architects meet public for Sperry Chalet redesign|url=https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/architects-meet-public-for-sperry-chalet-redesign|access-date=September 14, 2020}}</ref>

On July 18, 2020, Sperry Chalet opened its doors to guests for the first time since it was burned in the Sprague Fire. Reservations can be made online beginning in January for the subsequent summer season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sperry Chalet Reservations|url=https://www.sperrychalet.com/reservations.php}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Sperry Chalet Campground Sign.jpg|A sign at the campground located beside the Sperry Chalet
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}



{{Glacier National Park}}
{{NRHP in Glacier NP}}
{{National Register of Historic Places}}
{{Huts}}
{{Montana}}

[[Category:Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Montana]]
[[Category:Mountain huts in the United States]]
[[Category:National Historic Landmarks in Montana]]
[[Category:Great Northern Railway (U.S.) hotels]]
[[Category:Hotel buildings completed in 1913]]
[[Category:Rustic architecture in Montana]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Flathead County, Montana]]
[[Category:Historic district contributing properties in Montana]]
[[Category:1913 establishments in Montana]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Flathead County, Montana]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Glacier National Park]]
[[Category:Burned hotels in the United States]]
[[Category:Rebuilt buildings and structures in the United States]]
[[Category:Swiss Chalet Revival architecture]]

Sperry Chalet - Revision history

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