Trip Report: July 4 - 8

nyhiker · Post by **nyhiker** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:31 am

Just returned from awe-inspiring trip. Weather held up, folks were nicer than we could possibly have imagined. We'll be back!!

Day 1: Flew into Missoula, visited the organic mega-grocery store the Good Food Store. Bought provisions, including a "Montana Mixer" case of Big Sky beers (BF is a major foodie and that includes a serious appreciation of beers we can't get on the East Coast). Drove north... BF braved the GTTS, renovation of which was featured in the NY Times this past weekend: http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/tr ... ref=travel
The Park itself was featured in the Times' Escapes section this weekend as well.

Finally arrived at Many Glacier Hotel after 16-plus hours of traveling. Bought bear bell at gift shop. Had a late-night cheeseburger & beer at the bar (a surprisingly good food option, I must say) and marveled at the view of Swiftcurrent Lake from the deck.

Day 2: Stepped out from our hotel onto the Swiftcurrent Nature trail. Saw our first wildlife of the trip -- a wild rabbit hiding in the underbrush. Soon the trail met up with the Grinnell Glacier trail. We hiked up to the beautiful view of Grinnell Lake and eventually, the glacier. Unfortunately, the last mile (?) of the trail was inaccessible due to a snowfield that the NPS had yet to shovel. A few crazy people had crossed it earlier, as evidenced by footprints across the snow. Sat near a waterfall, ate PB&Js and looked out at the beautiful view. Descended halfway and took another trail out to the Grinnell Lake shore, where we rested our feet and watched a brazen chipmunk try to steal every last crumb of food from tired hikers. On the way back, BF noticed a sign indicating a quick hike to Hidden Falls. Hiked the 0.5km and enjoyed the waterfall crashing into a milky blue pool.

Had dinner at the Cattle Baron Supper Club. Loved the music; really mellowed us out. Waitress informed us that all steaks are an inch thick! Had the ribeye with potatoes and vegetables... delicious! Possibly best potato ever. Veggies were weirdly over-herbed, though. On the drive back to the hotel, noticed tagged, free range cattle (BF observed a few black Angus... mmmm) grazing along the road.

Day 3: Hiked the Highline Trail!!!
We took the hiker shuttle from St Mary to Logan Pass. The day was the hottest on record for Missoula (107 degrees!) but fortunately temps were slightly better in the park. On our way up, BF spotted a mother and baby mountain goat pair grazing along the trail. They ambled towards us and we kept moving. Near Haystack Butte, saw a shameless hoary marmot begging for food. Ate our sandwiches at the snow-covered mountain pass next to the Butte. Continued our hike to the Granite Park Chalet, which really took my breath away. We noted that if we stay there next time, Rooms 15, 16 and 17 seem to have a killer view. We had hoped to do the Hockey Ref hike, but the pounding heat really wore us down. So we descended via Loop trail instead; the fire damage from '03 seems like it was yesterday. Walked with a hungry-looking deer for a while (we could see his ribs!) On the shuttle ride back to St Mary, traffic slowed to a stop. Bystanders were pointing up the mountain... we followed their indications and saw a grizzly moving along the slope. Probably about 1,000 feet away.

Very hungry, we stopped at the Park Cafe. On the drive to the restaurant, crazed-looking red fox crossed our path -- BF tested the brakes on our crappy rental Chevy Malibu. They worked! Had Moose Drools on the porch while waiting for our table & chatted with a couple from Oklahoma who were celebrating their 40th anniversary with a fly-fishing tour in their new RV. We ordered nachos, veggie quesadilla and a burger. All vanished quickly. Got a slice of the famed Razzleberry Pie to go; savored it later on the MGH deck.

Day 4: Decided to mix up the pace a bit. Drove to the Two Medicine entrance. BF had informed me that Two Medicine Lake was featured in Forrest Gump ("Then I just ran..."). Hiked the short & sweet Aster Park trail through rainbow fields of wildflowers, past a tumbling waterfall, and up several grueling switchbacks to a sweeping panoramic view of the Two Medicine area. Beginning our descent, heard deep guttural noise that was either (a) wind or (b) growl of enormous unseen bear. On the way back down, heard a squeaking noise and spotted a Ptarmigan (with three chicks in tow).
On the way back from TM area, dropped by Two Sisters and had wings, cup of chili, and nachos. GREAT chili! Waitress noted that a fresh huckleberry pie had just come out of the oven -- so of course we shared a slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Tasted like blueberry pie... a very, very good blueberry pie.
Drove to the Swiftcurrent Motor Lodge and began the short trail to Fishercap Lake, in hope of sighting a moose. Indeed, only a few hundred yards onto the trail, we stopped on a footbridge where BF noticed a bull moose grazing about 200 feet away. We pulled out the binoculars and watched him for about 20 minutes. He still had the velvet on his antlers.
Once we returned to the hotel, we rented a canoe and explored the edges of our lake during the early evening hours. Stealthily followed some ducks around -- they let us get close, but not too close.
Finished the evening with some ice cold beers & chips n' salsa on the deck.

Day 5: Packed our bags, drove back west across GTTS. On the way, spotted another bighorn sheep and an elk. Elk not looking pleased with gridlock surrounding him. Dropped off car, caught flights back. Enjoyed lax TSA procedures at Missoula airport.

Btw, another piece of movie trivia (not sure if this is old news on this board): The GTTS is the road featured in the opening scene of "The Shining."

One of the best National Park experiences of my life!!!! I am officially addicted. Will figure out how to post pics in a minute.

-nyhiker

nyhiker · Post by **nyhiker** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:06 pm

Hmm, couldn't figure out how to post the actual photos -- but here's a few select goodies:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainier21/

Hockey Ref · Post by **Hockey Ref** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:11 pm

Great trip report! But I have a question: Did that food-stealing chipmunk at Grinnell Lake look like this guy? I repeatedly shooed him away from my apple, and he just kept coming back, again and again. He was trying to steal the whole thing (not just get a bite), and I was tempted to let him have it. But in the end I figured it would do him more harm than good to be fed by a human.

Kathy · Post by **Kathy** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:29 pm

Great report, nyhiker!!! - Thoroughly enjoyed reading it! - Thanks for taking the time to post it!!!

So.....I assume perhaps we'll see out there on trail another year???

Sounds like you had a GREAT trip!!!!

Rose · Post by **Rose** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:07 pm

Loved the trip report (and photos

) nyhiker! Hopefully we will see you on a trail next year!

Welcome to the world of Glacier addiction!

llholmes1948 · Post by **llholmes1948** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:50 pm

Thanks for that great report and glad your visit went well!

What was the condition of the Highline Trail? The Park service trail status site makes it sound like that trail is in tough shape and needs a lot of repair work.

Lyman

GoDucks · Post by **GoDucks** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:51 pm

Now THAT is what we are here for! Thank you NY Hiker. Those of us who will not be going to Glacier this year are happy to devour descriptive tales such as your own and use them to call up our memories of years past and help us plan for years future. I can almost taste that pie from here! Though, yes, I realize that pie has to be earned with miles of trail, but still... If it was not so hot here (100 degrees) I would go have a capucino in my Park Cafe cup right now. Please, all of this year's Glacier visitors: Keep them coming!

mtmzfan · Post by **mtmzfan** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:20 pm

Wow! You are an amazing storyteller! Made me feel like I was there. I checked out your pics and I'm about ready to hop in my car to get some of that pie!! Oh, and I hate to tell ya...but that's not an elk.

sorry...but it is a really big mule deer.

Thanks again for a great trip report!!

Kristin

smokies_hiker · Post by **smokies_hiker** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:05 pm

Thanks nyhiker! Great trip report and pictures - especially the pie! Glad you had such a great time, and I know how it feels to have that new-found Glacier itch that just has to be scratched!

Hockey Ref · Post by **Hockey Ref** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:35 am

NYHiker --

What was the condition of the Highline Trail when you hiked it? The GNP website's trail status report indicates considerable damage to sections of the trail and notes that hikers have to go off-trail and scramble over debris in some spots. A relative of mine who's hoping to do the Highline in a couple of weeks is concerned that he may not be able to negotiate the damaged areas.

Kathy · Post by **Kathy** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:35 am

Hey Ref! Check this out from the "Hiking" section...good news on the Highline!
http://glacierparkchat.com/chat/viewtopic.php?t=1318

nyhiker · Post by **nyhiker** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:27 am

I found the Highline to be in decent shape... here are a few observations:

1 - The ledge area at the beginning was maintained very well -- wide enough that someone like me, who has a crippling fear of heights, could hang on to the cable and follow BF's hiking boots without a problem.

*An older couple passed us, noticed that I was very nervous, and the woman said "We came a few years ago and turned back here. We regretted it, so we're back to do the whole thing." That, plus the INSANE trail runners, motivated me to keep going. Glad I did.

2 - Garden Wall section was pretty perfect. I felt comfortable looking around and confident that I wouldn't trip on a rock or tree root.

3 - Based on my volunteer experience with various west coast trail maintenance organizations and the National Park & Forest Services, nearly all of the trail satisfied the 18-inch width requirement for non-stock trails.

4 - BF and I observed several workers (no uniforms, so I'm not sure whether they were volunteers or NPS) actively fixing parts of the trail. At one point, four guys were rebuilding part of a waterfall section but they waved us on. Also, about 2 miles from Granite Park Chalet, a super tough woman had dug up about 10 feet of trail to resculpt the trail, and we walked through the huge piles of dirt.

5 - The scariest part (other than the narrow super-exposed switchbacks just after Haystack Butte where I felt that the wind would blow us off the mountain) was walking on teensy, 10-inch wide slushy trails of snow through steep snowfields. These were slippery and totally not maintained. But definitely doable.

nyhiker · Post by **nyhiker** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:29 am

ps - I consider these trails "Type C Wilderness," like others I've worked on, which is where I got the 18-inch requirement.

http://www.nps.gov/pore/parkmgmt/upload ... ndixab.pdf

southernguy · Post by **southernguy** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 11:43 am

I am not aware of Two medicine in the movie Forrest Gump.
In what part of the movie is it?

nyhiker · Post by **nyhiker** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:13 pm

Sorry, Two Medicine wasn't featured... it was Cut Bank and the bridge near St Mary.

http://montanakids.com/db_engine/presen ... In+Montana

Glacier National Park Chat

Trip Report: July 4 - 8

Trip Report: July 4 - 8

Photos from trip

Forrest Gump