A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Well, tell us how your trip went. We all want to hear about your special experience.

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A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by al_in_al »

Glad to see some recent activity in the trip reports section - you've inspired me to add mine!

I spent my summer working at Swiftcurrent! I posted trail status updates to Tripadvisor, but didn't have the bandwidth (mental or otherwise) to keep up here. Figured I could post my status blurbs (these are slightly lamer than my usual trip report details, and less useful now that summer is over), and add a picture from each day.

I was in the park from May 24 - September 12, and over that time I managed to hike 703 miles! I was *not* messing around when I said I came to hike.

May 24 - Avalanche Lake trail - 7.4 miles (7.4 total)

I woke up in Conrad, MT that morning, after 4 days of driving from home (with hiking stops at Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin and Theodore Roosevelt National Park). I arrived in GNP a day before check-in for work specifically to hike Avalanche Lake. Since I would be working on the east side, I figured this would be my best opportunity to hike it in the early season and before it got super crowded. I even spent some time exploring beyond the end of the trail to see a nice waterfall. While sitting at the lake before heading back, I realized that this first hike of the summer was also my first hike in GNP ever, 9 years ago. Very fitting start to this adventure.

There was plenty of parking at 9:30am on a Tuesday. It was a lot more crowded than I expected when I returned from hiking around 2:30pm, but there was still parking available (especially since the Avalanche campground [which is closed for camping] is open for extra parking). Signs at the shuttle stops have not been updated for 2022.

The trail to the foot of the lake is clear, no downed trees (there was a huge one down that looks like they recently cut away from the trail). First 1.5 miles or so of the trail is a little damp, but not muddy. The last section has a little mud and very little snow (will probably be gone soon), but none of it is that bad. The trail from the foot of the lake to the head of the lake has 3 trees down (one quite large that you really have to climb over). There is also more snow and mud on this section, but it's all passable. This section has more flowers blooming (glacier lilies). You can access the lake at a couple of points before having to climb over the big tree. I still like the views from the foot of the lake the best.

There is still lots of snow in the mountains surrounding the lake, so there aren't the big waterfalls yet that will be there later in the season.


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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by teapot57 »

That is a LOT of miles! Looking forward to more!
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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by al_in_al »

May 25 - Many Glacier Road

The Many Glacier road is much improved. It is paved and in great shape from Babb until the park boundary, and then from the entrance station to the end of the road. But the middle (~2.5mi) section between the park boundary and entrance station is nicely graded gravel, so you still have to drive slow through that area.

They did not repave the Grinnell Glacier trailhead parking area, but they did fix the giant dip as you exit the Many Glacier Hotel parking lot.


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2022 was a pretty high-snow year, especially in Many Glacier. For some reason, I have it in my head that the amounts of snow I saw on the trail were probably 2 weeks "later" than in a typical year, if that makes sense.

May 26 - Swiftcurrent Lake Nature Trail and South Shore to Lake Josephine - 6.0 miles (13.4 total)

The Swiftcurrent Lake trailhead entrance at the Many Glacier Hotel was covered with big snow drifts, so I started from the Grinnell Glacier trail parking lot, where the trail was clear at the start, and hiked the loop counter-clockwise. There were a few easy-to-step-over trees down along the nature trail, and there was intermittent snow, increasing as you approached the boat dock at the head of the lake - the hill between the two lakes was completely covered in snow, so I did not go that way.

The South Shore trail to Lake Josephine was mostly snow covered, but not steep drifts. There were quite a few trees down that you had to climb over, and a few stream crossing snow-bridges that will probably be melting away soon. I stopped at the shelter/boat dock at the head of the lake, and did not continue towards Grinnell Lake since the Cataract Creek seasonal bridge is not installed yet (according to the sign at the trailhead). It’s a hard slog though the snow, but definitely worth it if you are able.

Finishing the Swiftcurrent Lake trail, there were patches of clear trail, and patches of STEEP snow drifts as you approach the hotel that were difficult to climb. The trail from the hotel back to the parking lot (by the road) was clear.


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My "new" favorite view of Josephine Lake on the South Shore trail, I returned here many times. It's possible that in all my trips to GNP, I'd never actually hiked past this viewpoint (except for the one time I was at the end of a through hike from Piegan Pass, coming the opposite direction, so it makes sense that I would have missed it).

May 26 - Swiftcurrent Pass Trail to Red Rock Falls - 4.1 miles (17.5 total)

There was patchy snow along the trail, with more coverage after the first mile, and maybe 2 small trees down. The big issue is that parts of the trail are now a river due to snowmelt. You can get around most of it by walking on snow beside the trail, but that is rapidly melting and the trail will be very wet. There is steep snow to climb after the falls, so I did not continue.


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The trail leading down to Red Rock lake, an old favorite view of mine.

May 27 - Running Eagle Falls - 0.6 miles (18.1 total)

The seasonal bridge over the creek is not installed yet, so you can’t get close to the falls, but the view of the falls is still good - lots of water right now, but you can still see both levels of the falls.

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Fun fact - I never made it to Running Eagle Falls after the seasonal bridge was installed.

May 27 - South Shore trail / Aster Falls - 4.0 miles (22.1 total)

The South Shore trail has patches of snow and lots of downed trees, same with the side trail to Paradise Point. The flat meadow section is snow free and has some early season wildflowers starting to bloom. The Aster Park trail has increasing snow and a couple larger drifts to get to the falls - which are nice, but there isn’t really anywhere to enjoy the view except on the snow banks. I tried to reach Aster Park, but turned around before reaching the top because I wasn’t comfortable with the snowfields. A sign at the trailhead indicates that the Paradise Creek seasonal bridge is not installed, so other destinations on the South Shore trail can’t be reached.

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Rainbow (kind of faint in the picture) on the drive in to Two Medicine.

Side-note - did you see the videos of the grizzly-moose encounter at Many Glacier? I was there for the drama. Day 1 was May 27 - I had heard there were two baby moose at the lake, so I went to check it out after dinner. I did not expect to see that a grizzly was stalking the mama and 2 newborns. Day 2 was May 28, my first day of training. Before lunch the grizzly snatched one of the babies - I was training in the Lucerne room nearby, but thankfully didn't see it. In the afternoon we see the grizzly stalk by the training room (it stopped to stare at us through the windows). I was reluctant to go watch from the balcony because I didn't want to see another slaughter, but I'm glad I did, because I made it in time to see the mama moose chase the grizzly - which promptly smashed into the gift shop window right near where I had been standing a minute earlier.

Stalking
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2 babies
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Oops, only 1 baby now
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Looking at the tasty human treats behind the glass
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Back to stalking
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"Hiding" in the water, which didn't work out so well last time
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I don't know if the second baby survived. I like to think that it did - I saw a moose pair later that could have been these two, but who knows. There is a theory that the baby died due to infection because the bear injured his leg.

May 31 - Iceberg Lake trail to Ptarmigan Falls - 5.3 miles (27.4 total)

The trail starts out with a short muddy section, but is fairly dry afterwards except for the seasonal stream crossings. Flowers are blooming on the earlier parts of the trail - glacier lilies (really nice large displays), pasque flowers, paintbrush. There is intermittent snow, and then full snow for the last mile. Sketchiest part is right before you reach the falls, where poles/extra traction are helpful.

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Last edited by al_in_al on Thu Oct 06, 2022 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by al_in_al »

We finished training 5 days before we opened, so I had a lot of off days to hike.

June 1 - Grinnell Glacier trail - 3.9 miles (31.3 total)

The trail is closed 2 miles from the trailhead due to snow. That gets you to the end of Lake Josephine, but not any farther. Until they open more of the trail, I would probably just stick to the trails around Josephine if you are okay walking on snow.

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I miss the easy bighorn sheep sightings of the early season.

June 2 - GTTSR Road Walk and St. Mary/Virginia Falls - 14 miles (45.3 total)

The vehicle closure on the east side is still at Rising Sun - the boat dock parking is open, and so are the flush toilets there! It’s about a half-mile walk (one way) along the road to the Wild Goose Island Overlook, 2 miles to the St. Mary Overlook, and 3.75 miles to Sun Point.

I continued on to St. Mary and Virginia Falls (for a 14 mile RT hike - much easier if you can bike to the trailhead instead). From the St. Mary Falls trailhead, the trails to the two falls are COMPLETELY free of snow (what a relief to get a break from it!) and downed trees. Trails are in great shape - dry and maybe one small small section of mud. There is lots of water flowing out of both falls - I’ve never seen them so early in the season so that was a treat. It was also special to have both completely to myself.

On the return trip, I took the trail to Sun Point, which has one large snow drift to negotiate between the St. Mary trail junction and Baring Falls, but it is a short section. No snow in the Sun Point area.


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I did not start out this day intending to go to Virginia Falls! My priority was seeing Wild Goose Island Overlook - but when I realized that would only be 1 mile round trip, I just kept walking, and I didn't hate walking the road at all! And then I started thinking about how it would probably be the only time in my life I could possibly have the falls to myself... Luckily, I had a good lunch and lots of water with me. This ended up being one of my favorite days in the park.

June 3 - Red Eagle Lake - 16.3 miles (61.6 total)

The trail is snow free (yay!) and no downed trees, small sections of mud. Both suspension bridges are in. A really nice hike (reminded me of Yellowstone with the trek through the burn areas) and a great destination lake if you want a 16 mile day hike.

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Incidentally, this is one of only 2 hikes I got to do with my co-workers. Since we were short staffed, our off days couldn't overlap at all.

June 5 - Apikuni Falls + Swiftcurrent Falls - 2.8 miles (64.4 total)

Dry and free of downed trees. Some snow as you approach the falls, but easily walkable. There is a giant snow bridge at the falls that looks pretty dangerous, but the trail side is clear to climb up for a good view of the falls.

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June 5 - Swiftcurrent Pass Trail - 7.0 miles (71.4 total)

First mile of the trail is in good shape (trail down to Fishercap Lake is pretty muddy), but after that it is VERY wet. There is still some snow, more as you get towards Bullhead Lake, but you can’t access the lake because the Windmaker Creek seasonal bridge is not in yet.

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An instance where a little knowledge can get you in trouble - I was headed to Bullhead, and I knew the bridge was out, but I really thought the bridge was AFTER you reached the lake. Oops.

June 6 - South Shore trail to Lake Josephine and 0.5 miles on the Grinnell Glacier trail - 6.2 miles (77.6 total)

There are still giant piles of snow starting at the trailhead near the Many Glacier Hotel parking lot. Most of the snow has melted on the trail along Lake Josephine. Lots of water and mud. A downed tree or two in snowy areas near the boat dock. The trail from the boat dock that connects to the Grinnell Glacier trail is free of snow, as is the half mile that’s open from the trail junction. The trail is closed at a giant pile of snow - before you get to any views of Grinnell Lake.

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June 7 - Iceberg Trail Sunset - 1.8 miles (79.4 total)

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It was a rough opening day at work, so I needed this walk.

The day Many Glacier Hotel opened, a bunch of people tested positive for Covid, and they got sent to Swiftcurrent to quarantine. Not surprisingly, a few days later, everyone at Swiftcurrent started testing positive. Within the first few days we were open, we had to shut down ***all*** the motel buildings to house employees! 62 rooms! It was nuts.
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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by tibber »

so much snow. Fun to see the pictures of it. Kind of sad to hear about the bear/moose drama but it is part of the cycle.
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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

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June 9 - Grinnell Lake trail - 7.4 miles (86.8 total)

The Cataract Creek suspension bridge is not up yet, so you can’t follow the trail to the lake. But as long as the snow is still deep, you can get to the lake over the snow. It’s also possible to get up the Hidden Falls side trail.

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Confession, Grinnell Lake might be my least favorite destination in the park.

June 10 - Beaver Pond Loop and Rising Sun trail - 4.6 miles (91.4 total)

There are nice wildflower blooms in the multiple meadows along the trail. Lots of birds. I saw an owl (possibly a Barred Owl), and also a moose at the beaver pond.

GTTSR is now open to vehicles to the Jackson Glacier Overlook on the east side. The hiker/biker/avalanche closure is at the same spot for the weekend. St. Mary Falls parking was jammed when I drove by at 2pm.

Also it’s apparent from the drive into Many Glacier that the snow is in fact melting up at Grinnell Glacier, BUT it is nowhere near close to being ready to hike.


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June 11 - Rockwell Falls - 7.2 miles (98.6 total)

The Paradise Creek suspension bridge is in (and the creek is roaring!), so I was able to make it to Rockwell Falls. The South Shore trail is free of snow up to the junction, but the Rockwell Falls trail has patches of easy-to-cross snow. There are also quite a few trees down. Decent amount of wet/mud since I was hiking in the rain most of the day.

Two Medicine was empty when I started around 10 am but PACKED when I left at 2 - they were forcing people into the overflow lot. No ranger was at the entrance gate on my way in or out, and they weren’t restricting access.


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There were a TON of rainbows on the drive down to Two Medicine. Like, so many rainbows that by the time I got to Two Medicine I resented that there was one there too that I had to stop to take a picture of.

June 12 - Cracker Lake trail - 3.4 miles (102 total)

Don’t bother right now. I was trying to hike the Cracker Flats loop, but water was flowing so high, it’s not passable. The trail is flooded at the 1.4 mile mark. I got my feet wet and tried to go farther, but at 1.7 miles the creek is running over the footbridge there and not safe to cross.

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Yeah, I'm not crossing that. I didn't make it to Cracker Lake until July 5! :(

June 13 - Ptarmigan Falls - 5.3 miles (107.3 total)

Most of the snow has melted, so it’s fairly easy to get to the falls now. There is still an NPS warning about dangerous conditions on the way from the falls to Iceberg Lake. Nice wildflowers blooming in the meadows along the trail.

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June 16 - Swiftcurrent Pass trail to Red Rock Falls - 5.5 miles (112.8 total)

Wow - what a difference since the last time I was on this trail! The river on the trail is GONE, even after the recent rain/snow event. Most of the trail is dry. There are a few patches of water and mud, but it is MUCH easier to navigate than earlier in the month. The latest NPS update (posted around the valley) says that the suspension bridge to Bullhead Lake isn’t in yet, but I saw what looked like a trail crew hiking out today, so maybe that status will change soon.

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June 17 - Huckleberry Lookout trail and Huckleberry Nature Trail - 9.4 miles (122.2 total)

The ranger at the Apgar Visitor Center didn’t have any updated information about the trail status, so I decided to give it a try. Mosquitoes were getting in my car as I was getting ready, so I used my bug spray to help keep the nuisance down on the trail. The trail was clear for the first 4.25 miles, with sections of mud and water, but not too bad. There was snow in the saddle at 4.25 miles, with steep slopes on the other side, so I didn’t make it to the lookout. Luckily, there are really nice views from the trail starting from just before the 4 mile mark, so I did get to enjoy those.

West Entrance - They had a ranger checkpoint to make sure you had a vehicle reservation before you reach the entrance station. There was a small line-up at each point at 9am, but it was very quick to get through. I accidentally exited the park at exactly 4pm - there was a line of cars stretching all the way to Hwy 2 from the entrance gate. So yes, expect a wait if you show up exactly at 4, though it did seem to move pretty quickly.


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I was really impressed by the uniformity of the trees on the ridge opposite the Huckleberry Lookout trail. I only did the nature trail because I still had a lot of time. It was really not worth the bother, except to cross it off my list.

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Duck Lake Road view.

June 18 - Gunsight Lake - 14.3 miles (136.5 total)

Wow, the lake is absolutely gorgeous right now. Tons of waterfalls streaming into the lake. The lake is still partially frozen, with ice floating around (the “new” iceberg lake), and the water is a light minty-blue color. The trail is snow-free until the last mile, with alternating (flat) snowfields and bare trail. The campground is still snowed-in [I thought it was one that traditionally opened early, but it's actually a 7/15 campground, so that makes sense]. There are sections of mud on the trail as well as small stream crossings that will get your feet a little wet while they are running high. The trail is a little overgrown in sections - got my pants pretty wet in the morning from brushing against vegetation (but they dried quickly once the sun was up). This trail is a great option if you are looking for a long hike before the more popular ones are accessible.

I also tried to take the side trail to Florence Falls, but there is a stream crossing where the stream is flowing over the footbridge. It might be possible to cross, but would require soaking your feet, and I wasn’t interested in that.

The Jackson Glacier Overlook parking (end of the east side GTTSR access for everyone right now) was completely empty at 8:15am, and completely full at 4pm. Same can be said for the St. Mary Falls trailhead parking (only 2 cars there around 8:15am).


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Love love loved this hike with all the snow. I originally was just going to the falls, then decided why not head to the lake instead - great decision.

June 20 - moose in the employee cabin area

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June 21 - Grinnell Glacier trail - 5.9 miles (142.4 total)

They opened more of the trail! You can now get to great overviews of Grinnell Lake! The signs noting how far open the trail is are a bit off - my gps measured just under 3 miles from the trailhead to the closure sign. There is no snow on the open portion. There is some mud and a lot of water near the end from seasonal streams/waterfalls.

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June 22 - Iceberg Lake trail - 3.7 miles (146.1 miles)

Walked the first 1-1.5 miles - Great wildflowers, no mud, only water issues are seasonal springs, but it’s possible to use rocks to cross.

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I also wandered around on the trails that connect the Swiftcurrent area to Many Glacier. I was scared of these trails because they seem to be in a very bear-y area. So, of course, I saw a grizzly rooting around in some scree. Vindicated!

June 23 - Cracker Lake trail - 3.4 miles (149.5 total)

The horses have definitely been out. There is a stream crossing 1.7 miles in that I’m still not comfortable crossing.

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Sherburne was really blue.

June 24 - Scenic Point (and Running Eagle Falls) - 8.5 miles (158 total)

Such a great hike! The sign at the trailhead is off - I think it said 3.1 miles to Scenic Point, but my GPS said it was closer to 3.9 (or 7.8 miles RT). This is definitely a strenuous hike. Make sure you go to the actual Scenic Point - if you don’t see the sign, you stopped too early. There were still two small snowfields left, but they were safe to cross. No mud or water issues (most of the trail is rock, not dirt). There were tons of bighorn sheep on the trail today (blocked the path for a good while), as well as lots of marmots.

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June 25 - Iceberg Lake and Ptarmigan Lake - 13.3 miles (171.3 total)

Both lakes are ice-covered, and would not be my priority when hiking in Many Glacier. There are several steep snowfields on the way to Iceberg, the trail is unclear as you approach the lake, and the seasonal bridge over the outlet creek is not in. The lake is vastly better when it starts melting. There is a lot of snow still on the way to Ptarmigan Lake - most of it is not steep, except for a short section as you approach the lake.

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I don't remember why, but I was mad about doing this hike. I didn't really care for Iceberg Lake when it was iced over, but I guess it was neat to see it that way, in hindsight. It was really nice to be there without anyone around (there were occasional hikers in the area, but I was mostly alone at the lake).

June 26 - Ranger Led Wildflower Walk - 1.3 miles (172.6 total)

No worthwhile pictures to report.

June 28 - Bullhead Lake - 8.3 miles (180.9 total)

The Swiftcurrent Pass trail is snow-free to Bullhead Lake and the suspension bridge was put in several days ago. Trail is also pretty dry right now - no problematic water or mud. There were swarms of flying bugs around the lake, but once swatted away, they didn’t really bother me as I sat to snack. There is beargrass blooming on the early parts of the trail. I have not spotted a moose at Fishercap Lake yet - water is still pretty high there (and side trails to the lake still have some mud).

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I had forgotten how pretty Bullhead Lake is.

June 29 - Swiftcurrent Lake "plus" - 4.4 miles (185.3 total)

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Another stop at my Lake Josephine view.

June 30 - Grinnell Glacier trail - 6.9 miles (192.2 total)

The trail is open even further - about 3.5 miles from the trailhead, including the first set of switchbacks, and best views over Grinnell Lake. Trail is clear of snow except for one patch near the end - it’s not particularly steep but can still be slippery. The rangers seem to be doing a good job of moving the closure up as the snow melts. Some nice flower displays along the way - lots of paintbrush then glacier lilies up higher.

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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

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July 1 - Upper Two Medicine Lake and Twin Falls - 10 miles (202.2 total)

I started from the South Shore trailhead in the campground. Trail is clear of snow until one last patch at the very end between the pit toilet and the lake. Lots of beargrass blooming along the trail. Some mosquitoes were out early, but nothing bothersome at the lake right now. I made the short side trip to Twin Falls on the way back, though it’s probably my least favorite falls in the park - at least it’s a nice cool spot if the day is warm.

Plenty of parking at 8:30am in Two Medicine - no rangers manning the gate. Leaving at 2pm there was a sign that said the road was closed due to full parking and a ranger was positioned to control traffic (no line waiting to get in as I was leaving).


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I really wanted to visit Upper Two Medicine Lake after getting a glimpse of it from Scenic Point the week before. It's a little underwhelming for a 10 mile hike (if you don't use the boat), but I climbed a snow bank to a nice rock where I sat in the sun and enjoyed the solitude for a while.

July 2 - Belly River Trail to Bear Mountain Overlook - 18.4 miles (220.6 total)

The lower elevation trails in the Belly River area look like they’ve been free of snow for a while. Small patches of mud, but overall very dry. Great varied wildflowers blooming. This is an extremely long day hike (19+ miles) - most people on the trail will be backpackers.

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So. I didn't make it all the way to the actual overlook. In my notes, I had the distance as 16.6 miles, but it is actually over 19. I don't know why I got this wrong. So I stopped approximately a half mile from the top, because I was worried about having enough water, worried about the 700+ ft climb out at the end, and worried about making it back in time for dinner. In hindsight I could have made it, but I was happy with my hike.

July 4 - Iceberg Lake trail - 4.2 miles (224.8 total)

The wildflowers in the first 1.5 miles of the Iceberg trail just keep getting better.

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July 5 - Cracker Lake! - 11.5 miles (236.3 total)

First two miles are fairly miserable with the mud from recent rains - horses have torn up the trail, and it’s not fun. After the 2nd Cracker Flats junction, the trail gets much better. The Canyon Creek crossing is running a little high right now (the bridge is not sufficient). There are still a few small snowfields starting at about 4.75 miles, but none are steep (just be careful of ice early in the morning). Lake is melted.

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Squeezed this in as a pre-work hike. Only went to the first viewpoint, but could have made it all the way to the rock outcrop.

July 7 - Bullhead Lake - 7.4 miles (243.7 total)

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July 8 - Medicine Grizzly Lake - 14.6 miles (258.3 total)

The Cut Bank entrance is finally open! But the road to the campground/dayhiker parking is not, so you have to park in the overflow area across from the ranger station (which has space for about 3 cars), and walk an extra mile RT. No snow, no downed trees. A little mud, but not much. There is one unbridged stream crossing that is almost knee deep about 2 miles from the trailhead. Nice flowers blooming in the meadows, I assume they will continue for a while.

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There was one guy in the parking area this morning (he was SO glad to see another hiker), but after I declined to hike with him, I saw no one the rest of the day. Pretty sweet.

July 9 - Jackson Glacier Overlook to Logan Pass - 11.5 miles (269.8 total)

Logan Pass is open to hikers/bikers when the road crew isn’t working! It’s 4.5 miles one-way from the vehicle closure to the Logan Pass parking lot on the east side. Highly recommend, it’s a beautiful walk - I loved the chance to get out there with no cars around. There are tons of glacier lilies blooming at Logan Pass behind the visitor center. I went an extra 0.8 miles to reach Oberlin Bend and some views of the west side of the continental divide.

Rangers were out in full force getting the parking lot and visitor center ready. Based on the east side road conditions, it seems reasonable that the road could open on the 13th, BUT I did not see the west side of the road.

The Hidden Lake trail appears to still be 100% covered in snow. I didn’t attempt it (maybe next week). As for the Highline (as viewed from across the road), the rim rock section looks like it’s free of snow, but there are a few steep snowfields right after that. The Haystack Pass area is also buried in snow. Don’t know what this means in terms of an opening date.

There was plenty of parking at Jackson Glacier Overlook at 7:30am, but it was jam-packed at 1:30pm.


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Another favorite day. I was SO HAPPY that the timing worked out and I got to walk to Logan Pass. My favorite shot was probably the "danger overlook" - not quite ready for tourists at Oberlin Bend.

And more pictures from that awesome day.

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No sandwiches available to take for lunch, so I had to settle for steak and potatoes leftovers.
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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by tibber »

really enjoying your report and pictures. How wonderfull! Thank you.
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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by al_in_al »

July 10 - Apikuni Falls - 2.4 miles (272.2 total)

No snow left on the trail or around the falls.

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July 11 - Grinnell Glacier trail - 7.2 miles (279.4 total)

Trail closure is still about 3.5 mi from the trailhead - lots of snow right after the closure. Beargrass blooming on the middle elevations of the trail right now.

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July 12 - Iceberg Lake - 10 miles (289.4 total)

Seasonal bridge is in! There is still lots of snow around the lake, but nothing steep/dangerous any more - just make sure to stay on the trail marked by orange stakes. Ice is starting to break up in the lake - there are some great big "snow boulders" sitting on the ice that are pretty neat.

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July 16 - Upper McDonald Creek and Johns Lake - 6.7 miles (296.6 total)

Great trail - I’m glad the GTTSR was fully open or it might have been more crowded. Plenty of parking at the McDonald Creek parking area at 10am. No issues with the trail except for a little mud near Johns Lake.

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July 17 - Hidden Lake Overlook - 2.8 miles (299.4 total)

Arrived at Logan Pass just before 7am from Rising Sun - plenty of parking available (note that Highline was still closed). The trail was about 70% snow covered this day. I had poles and grippy boots, and didn’t feel like traction devices were necessary. The trail route was not marked (easy enough to follow exposed parts of boardwalk and footprints), but it looked like a ranger was headed out with the markers as we were wrapping up the hike. It was easier to walk in the early morning before it started getting slushy (mid-morning). We had a very close grizzly encounter at the overlook (mama and two cubs) that made us leave early (the bear didn’t threaten the humans in any way).

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July 17 - Aster Park Overlook - 4 miles (303.4 total)

No traffic restrictions arriving at Two Medicine at 1:30pm. Overflow parking was in use, but spots were still available. Trail is in good shape.

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July 18 - Sun Point Waterfall hike - 4.8 miles (308.2 total)

Very easy to park at Sun Point at 9am. Trail is in good shape, and while there were others hiking, it was not overly crowded (maybe because rain was in the forecast). Waterfalls are still full of water.

GTTSR Shuttles - Be prepared for long waits, especially if it starts raining. East side shuttles were arriving about every 20 minutes, but they had no or limited space (they are using the small buses between Sun Point and Logan Pass). Have a plan to split up/have one person go get the car, or park at your end point and shuttle to the beginning of your hike if possible. Also ALWAYS carry warm clothes and rain gear - lots of people seemed surprised by the weather, even though rain was in the forecast. A poncho over short sleeves/shorts will not be warm enough in a mountain downpour.


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Last edited by al_in_al on Sat Oct 08, 2022 7:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by al_in_al »

tibber wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 10:45 am really enjoying your report and pictures. How wonderfull! Thank you.
Thanks! It looks like we (my BF was visiting me) hiked Hidden Lake Overlook on the same day as you! You must have been there later than us, since your TR mentions some route marker stakes already being up, but there definitely weren't any first thing that morning.
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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by al_in_al »

July 20 - Red Rock Lake - 3.4 miles (311.6 total)

No good photos today.

July 21 - Grinnell Lake - 7.4 miles (319 total)

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July 22 - Highline / Loop hike with Grinnell Glacier Overlook - 13.8 miles (332.8 total)

I arrived at Logan Pass at 6:50am and there was plenty of parking. It looked like a line of west-side cars got in around 7:05, and by the time I started the trail at 7:15 there were a lot of cars in the lot. I would not be surprised if parking filled by 7:30am.

There are still a few small patches of snow on the trail; none are particularly dangerous (it looks like they blasted/dug out one deep bank), but the one at Haystack Pass is probably the worst/largest. There are lots of varieties of flowers blooming on the trail, including intermittent beargrass and some big patches of glacier lilies. There were a lot of marmots on the trail.

The Garden Wall trail to the glacier overlook is completely snow-free. The trail crew was out today working on the grading. It’s still as steep as ever. Upper Grinnell Lake is still mostly ice, with just a few blue patches showing through.

The Loop trail is also completely snow-free. This was my first time on the Loop, and I enjoyed the views on the way down. I did pick a cloudy day on purpose (it was warm but never got too hot), so it wasn’t too miserable.

The shuttle was extremely convenient today. I only had about a 5 minute wait when I finished the trail at 3pm. The first shuttle that arrived couldn’t take everyone in line, but according to the reports that came in over the radio, everyone waiting at the Loop was on a shuttle 25 minutes later, so I doubt anyone waited more than 20 minutes.


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I mean it this time, I'm never going to the Grinnell Overlook again!

July 23 - Swiftcurrent Pass trail to Swiftcurrent Lookout - 17.1 miles (349.9 total)

Seasonal bridges are all in - no issues with water crossings. There is one small patch of snow up near the pass - not dangerous at all. No snow on the lookout trail. There are not many flowers blooming at lower elevations on the trail, but the little alpine flowers on the lookout trail are pretty great right now! It’s a tough climb to the lookout, but the views all the way up are just incredible (I much prefer the Swiftcurrent Lookout trail to the Grinnell Glacier overlook trail I took yesterday). Intermittent nuisance bugs all along the trail today.

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I love Swiftcurrent Lookout - since I can't handle climber's routes, it's one of the few mountain tops I can reach.

July 25 - Iceberg Trail - 3.0 miles (356.4 total)

Flowers on the first 1.5 miles are past their peak now, but there are still a few varieties blooming.

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July 27 - Grinnell Glacier trail - 6.3 miles (362.7 total)

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Still not open all the way to the glacier! It was too hot to go all the way to the trail closure in the afternoon after work.

July 29 - Two Medicine Pass - 16.7 miles (379.4 total)

The bear closure on part of the trail was finally lifted. No mud or snow (okay, one little snow patch on the ridge, but it’s completely flat and no danger at all). This was my first time on the trail, and I found Cobalt Lake a little underwhelming (perhaps because it was hot and the trail up was a bit of a slog). The trail from the lake to the ridge had some great wildflower displays and was more enjoyable. There were some alpine flowers on the ridge, but I’m not sure if they get better than what is blooming now. The ridge walk was nice - no need to go all the way to the actual pass, but go to at least the big cairn on Chief Lodgepole Peak.

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Sunrise over Sherburne.

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I liked Rockwell Falls a lot more this time (with less water flowing).

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July 30 - Piegan Pass - 14.5 miles (393.9 total)

Did this as a through hike from Siyeh Bend to Many Glacier - I’m really glad I didn’t do an out-and-back from MG - it was a hot day and I was glad to avoid some elevation gain. Shuttling to the trailhead can be a pain (I started on the 7am hiker shuttle from Swiftcurrent, and didn’t make it to the trailhead until 10am), but it was worth it. The hike from the pass down to MG is just spectacular.

There was only one patch of snow on the “GTTSR” side - it was steep, but passable mid-day with the help of poles. No snow on the “MG” side. There was a lot of mud on the section of trail that’s shared with horses. You can avoid it by taking the trail down to Grinnell Lake, and hiking back from there. Though unpleasant, the upper trail does have some nice views towards the Grinnell Glacier trail and over Swiftcurrent Lake near the end.


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July 31 - Iceberg Lake - 10.5 miles (404.4 total)

Lots of icebergs near the shore of the lake this morning - great time to see it. Still some glacier lilies blooming up there, but no snow left on the trail.

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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by Jay w »

Wow, I'm up to June 18th and loving it. I don't think anything like this (a very long trip report) has ever appeared on these pages. Well done (in retrospect and advance). Hiking really does revolve around the bridges being put in place and waterproof boots.

Just filled up the tires with air (currently packing).

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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by al_in_al »

August 3 - Highline - 9 miles (413.4 total)

No snow left on the trail. While there were still some small stream crossings, overall the trail is hot and dry and dusty. The air was a little hazy, but not what I would call smoky.

Logan Pass parking was full when I arrived just before 3:30 pm. I circled for 5-10 minutes and found a spot. The trail was crowded with people returning to Logan Pass for the first 2.5 miles, then practically empty - surprisingly, I had the Haystack area all to myself, and was able to eat dinner on the "best" rock in the area. I did meet a few groups on the way back who I assume wanted to be on the trail for sunset.


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August 4 - Red Rock Falls - 4.4 miles (417.8 total)

August 5 - Grinnell Glacier - 12.4 miles (430.2 total)

Trail crews removed snow from the trail except for 1 small spot, where it’s not an issue (could be icy early in the morning, though). The waterfall crossing has a lot of water right now, but no trouble if you walk carefully - just protect any sensitive electronics and plan to get a little wet. Could be welcome - even on a cool day the trail heats up in the sun. Beargrass is past blooming, but there are a ton of wildflowers in the last mile or two of the trail, it’s really beautiful right now. Upper Grinnell Lake still has a lot of ice.

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Started early to watch sunrise at the foot of Lake Josephine.

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Was surprised about the flowers displays right at the glacier.

August 6 - Otokomi Lake - 12.5 miles (442.7 total)

No issues with the trail. While the trail there is not the most interesting, the lake itself is just beautiful - make sure you cross the outlet stream and walk along the lake.

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I really enjoyed Otokomi Lake - I'll definitely make return trips here.

August 7 - Hill behind MGH Dorm - 5.9 miles (448.6 total)

Not that exciting.

August 8 - Bullhead Lake and berry picking - 7.4 miles (456 total)

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Loved having the opportunity to pick berries! I wish I had had kitchen so I could make some tasty huckleberry treats. My favorite use was a peanut butter and huckleberry bagel.

August 11 - Hidden Lake Overlook - 3.5 miles (459.5 total)

No snow left on the trail, wildflowers are blooming. Mountain goats and bighorn sheep right near the trail. I was there 1 day too early - the trail down to the lake was still closed, but it reopened August 12. Logan Pass parking was full at 3:30pm.

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August 12 - Dawson/Pitamakan Loop - 18.1 miles (477.6 total)

No snow on the trail. Also lucked out on a near windless day, so that was nice. Trailhead parking filled at 7:30am, but there was more parking further down the campground. I hiked counterclockwise because I enjoy spending more time at Pitamakan Pass (over Dawson Pass). I logged 18.1 miles (did not make side trips to Oldman or No Name lakes). Wildlife was sparse - I saw 1 bighorn sheep near Dawson Pass and one “hidden” moose near the boat dock junction (would have missed it if I hadn’t heard it splashing through a creek).

It was a slightly smoky morning to the east - sunrise was a little weird, and smoke was getting in the way of distant mountain views from 464. However, the Two Medicine valley seemed mostly unaffected by smoke, and the views on the ridge walk were excellent.


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I was surprised that this hike felt easier than when I had first done it in 2016. Perhaps all my hiking is making a difference!

August 13 - Cracker Lake - 13.8 miles (491.4 total)

The mud has dried up and the trail is not as torn up as it was in July, which makes the first 2 miles a little more pleasant. There is still a lot of horse poop to step around. The lake was beautiful today, and there were a lot of people there.

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I walked over to the abandoned mine equipment this time.
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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

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August 14 - Iceberg Lake - 10.6 miles (502 total)

There is still ice in the lake, but the picturesque icebergs were not present today. However, the wildflowers right at the lake were at peak bloom, which was nice to see.

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Iceberg has never been a favorite trail of mine, but dang it for being such an easy way to get 10 miles in before going to work. I made it to the lake 4 times over the summer - I might have gone once more if it hadn't been closed due to bears so frequently in Aug/Sept.

August 17 - Swiftcurrent to Many - 3.3 miles (505.3 total)

August 18 - Bullhead Lake and more berries - 7.0 miles (512.3 total)

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August 19 - Siyeh Pass Loop - 11.9 miles (524.2 total)

No snow or other issues. Trail crew was out banging on rocks. Flowers are definitely past their peak, but a few blooms are still holding out to add color to the scenery. Waterfalls still have lots of water. There are some nice ripe huckleberries about 9 miles in (or about 1.25 mi from Sunrift Gorge) - I made bear calls while I picked a few, but wish I had my berry container with me.

There has been some smoky haze lately, but nothing that obscures views yet.

Shuttle details: I parked at the Siyeh Bend trailhead just after 7:30 am. Plenty of parking. At the end of my hike at Sunrift Gorge, I could see the road and saw a west-bound shuttle pick up two hikers at 2:33pm. Bummed to miss the bus, but at least I would be first in line for the next shuttle. But the next one came only 7 minutes later, after I had been waiting for only about 2 minutes! It was one of the large buses with only 3 people on it, and the A/C was blasting. None of the buses I passed on my way out looked full, and no lines at any of the shuttle stops on the way back (I did not see Sun Point). The parking lot at the St. Mary Visitor Center was as full as I’ve ever seen it in the afternoon (around 3:30), but there were still spots available.


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I took a side trail to get closer to Sexton Glacier, and climbed the tallest part of the moraine, but didn't get up to the glacier. I get nervous about being off trail for too long when I'm hiking alone.

August 20 - Poia Lake - 15.5 miles (539.7 total)

This is a horse tour trail, but it doesn’t seem to be used too frequently. The trail is pretty boring, with a lack of views most of the way up. But the lake itself and surrounding area is pretty. I walked past the lake and up the valley a little to enjoy the (finally) open views. Smoky haze continues.

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I had intended to hike to Poia Lake earlier in the season when the wildflowers were nice at the start of the hike (it would have made the meadows on the way up more interesting at least), but something else always took priority. But I wasn't going to leave the MG valley without hiking all the trails there. I enjoyed following a path up behind the lake where I could get a nice view of the outlet falls.

August 21 - Hidden Lake - 5.6 miles (545.3 total)

I arrived at Logan Pass just after 7am, and there was still a good amount of parking. I didn’t stick around to find out when it filled, but 7:30 is my best guess. Lot was packed when I left at 10:30am.

With the various trail closures, this was my first opportunity to hike down to the lake. There were a lot of gnats at the actual lake, so I took my rest break higher up the trail, but enjoyed the quiet morning reflections on the lake for a few minutes first. Flower blooms were past peak on the overlook to lake section - it looked like not much beargrass had bloomed this year (my visit 2019 was a good year for it).

A few hours after I was done hiking, the whole trail was closed for bear activity. I didn’t see any bears on the trail, but there was a lack of goats and sheep, so I was wondering if there was a bear in the area keeping them away.


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August 22 - Lake Josephine Viewpoint - 6.2 miles (551.5 total)

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There were some great reflections today.

August 24 - Red Rock Falls - 4.5 miles (556 total)

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August 25 - Swiftcurrent Lake Nature Trail - 5.0 miles (561.0 total)

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August 26 - Gunsight Pass through-hike - 19.9 miles (580.9 total)

The bridge to cross the outlet of Gunsight Lake is out (noted on GNP’s trail status page) and the stream crossing is about knee-deep (I hate stream crossings but did it just for this hike). There is only 1 snow bank still covering the trail before you reach the pass and it was very slick with no footprints - I scooted across on my butt at a narrow point, but it might have been possible to find a route around. The waterfall crossing is pretty sketchy as well. I soaked one boot (water ran in the top), but a change of socks helped immensely. Saw a bunch of mountain goats at Lincoln Pass. Since I got an early start, I saw no one on the trail until Sperry Chalet except for a few backpackers.

The tricky part of the hike is shuttling back to your car at Jackson Glacier Overlook. I started the hike at 6am, and finished just before 3pm (faster than I anticipated, for sure, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss the last shuttle [which I thought was around 4:30, but actually was possibly 5:30]). I waited about 10 minutes for a shuttle at Lake McDonald, and it was empty when it arrived so everyone was able to get on. At the transfer stop at Avalanche, there was a line, so I didn’t make it on the first shuttle (already waiting), but got on the 2nd 10-15 minutes later. The Loop was extremely crowded with people waiting for shuttles, and only a small fraction got on ours. At Logan Pass, the westbound line was backed up, but I was about to get on the first eastbound shuttle (about 5 minute wait). All in all, the shuttles worked very well for me, and I was at my car by 4:30 (1 hr 40 mins after I finished hiking).


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Epic day, but I really wish it hadn't been so overcast. It was basically a marathon of things I hate - having a time limit, starting out with a headlamp, water crossings, and steep snow crossings. And I would do it again.

August 27 - Firebrand Pass - 10.5 miles (591.4 total)

I forgot how great this hike is - a nice option in the mid-range for miles (just over 10). No issues on the trail - there were some horseback riders out today so I had to avoid some horse poop on the walk back. Flowers are in the sad brown stage except for a few alpine blooms. But there was some great berry picking (saw a black bear up on a hill with similar thoughts). The valley views are pretty great. I didn’t get to enjoy the mountain views from the pass as much as I would have liked because of the wind - it would literally not let me get to the middle of the pass. I ventured out a few times for some pictures and some glimpses, but could not stay for long due to the force of the wind.

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Still bummed I couldn't hang out here. But at least I ended up with a lot of huckleberries.

August 28 - Apikuni Falls and Fishercap Lake hikes - 3.4 miles (594.8 total)

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Better day for this tree picture.

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"Just" a black bear making noise heading straight for me until I yelled enough at him, but whatevs.

August 29 - Ptarmigan Tunnel - 12.2 miles (607 total)

The Iceberg/Ptarmigan trails reopened last night, after being closed for 10 days due to bears. The bears didn’t get all the berries, though - there are some nice ripe serviceberries about 2 miles in, and then lots of really nice huckleberries in the first section after the trail splits to Ptarmigan Lake/Tunnel. The trail is in good shape. Ptarmigan Lake was calm and had nice reflections in the morning. I was surprised by the number of people who walked through the tunnel, took a picture, and turned around. The trail work is very interesting and always draws me down the trail, and walking an extra half a mile or so gives you views of Old Sun Glacier on Mount Merritt.

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I waited a long time to do this hike because I wanted to do it as a through hike from Chief Mountain customs to MG. But I kept forgetting to ask around about getting a ride, and then gave up on the idea.

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August 31 - Swiftcurrent Lake Nature Trail - 3.7 miles (610.7 total)

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Re: A Whole Summer in Glacier - 2022

Post by zozeppelin »

Absolutely incredible - thanks so much for sharing. I'm going to re-read several times. That had to be really cool seeing the season progress.

Must have felt great growing your trail legs and reaping the rewards later in the season - just saw gunsight pass in one day - hat tip on that one.

Not to diminish the epic summer, but when I first read 700 miles I thought you were going to say you hiked every trail in the park this season as I believe that is roughly the current count. Truly incredible considering you were working at the same time.

Maybe not a trip report, but would be interested in hearing about the work arrangement and day in day out perspective from an employee (vs a visitor).
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