View Full Version : Glacier National Park
tim.hiker
04-21-2015, 07:36
Has anyone every hike here, what are the best hikes for a 2 and 3 day trip ? I am looking to head there this summer..:D
I did my first backpacking trip there 10 years ago. Since then I have packed and climbed over 1,400 mile on three continents. My trip was with a guide service, expensive but a good place to start. Our hike was in the northeast corner of the park. Breathtaking.....
tim.hiker
04-21-2015, 08:16
I did my first backpacking trip there 10 years ago. Since then I have packed and climbed over 1,400 mile on three continents. My trip was with a guide service, expensive but a good place to start. Our hike was in the northeast corner of the park. Breathtaking.....
thanks nice pictures I am planning on going in July...
not sure if you mean backpacking for 2-3 days or just doing day hikes for 2-3 days. day hikes i'd say grinnell glacier. you can try for sperry but thats a tough day, or you can overnight it.
theres two VERY long, (but not as hard as the stated mileage would indicate) day hikes that are awesome and a lot of people do- swiftcurrent pass to logan pass (or vice vera, which would be the easier direction) and from jackson glacier overlook to lake mcdonald lodge. both are over 20 miles but are easy hiking for long stretches, nowhere near as hard as 20 average AT miles, and lots of people do it.
iceberg lake was kind of disappointing.
tim.hiker
04-21-2015, 09:38
not sure if you mean backpacking for 2-3 days or just doing day hikes for 2-3 days. day hikes i'd say grinnell glacier. you can try for sperry but thats a tough day, or you can overnight it.
theres two VERY long, (but not as hard as the stated mileage would indicate) day hikes that are awesome and a lot of people do- swiftcurrent pass to logan pass (or vice vera, which would be the easier direction) and from jackson glacier overlook to lake mcdonald lodge. both are over 20 miles but are easy hiking for long stretches, nowhere near as hard as 20 average AT miles, and lots of people do it.
iceberg lake was kind of disappointing. I am doing over night trips and also day hikes. I have been to Yellow Stone before but from what I heard Glacier is awesome place to go :clap
I am doing over night trips and also day hikes. I have been to Yellow Stone before but from what I heard Glacier is awesome place to go :clap
Both parks are awesome, but in different ways.
You can have a short list of backcountry campsites ready when you get to the backcountry office EARLY in the morning. Like before they open. Get in line. Wait your turn and get the campsites that are available. Be flexible. If you can't get anything you like starting that day, you can put together a trip for the next day. You will get a trip. It's all good.
Prowl around this site. Get some great information. Maybe even spend a few dollars.
https://www.hike734.com/
After Yellowstone & Glacier, you'll be ready for the Big Show: The Canadian Rocky Mountain parks in Alberta & British Columbia.
The Teton Crest Trail should also be on your short list.
Have fun!
Wayne
Feral Bill
04-21-2015, 20:17
I like the Many Glacier area for scenery and wildlife. If you want to see bears, go there.
Uhh, define best.
Do be a snob.
chiefiepoo
04-22-2015, 05:21
The park began processing back country permits on April 15. Try to pick your route now and send in a requested route. Jackson Lake overlook to Lake McDonald is known as Gun Sight Pass route. Swift current to Logan or up and over from Swift Current to Granite Park Chalet and down to the "Loop" is a good 2 day route. Also, Coming south down the Belly river route from Chief Mountain ranger / customs point and over Ptarmigan Wall is great. Use the park shuttle to get around. There is an East Side shuttle that requires a $10 per leg traveled fee that will take you from Glacier Park lodge north to Chief Mountain and into Canada if desired. You ought to be hearing from Marta about this, too.
chiefiepoo
04-22-2015, 05:24
Also, in July you will have snow pack on the routes over most passes. Snow and a steep angle slope have their challenges. be ready.
LuckyMan
04-22-2015, 09:32
I've loved every trail I've hiked at Glacier, but probably my favorite was the trail over Gunsight Pass from the east end of the park to the west side - absolutely beautiful and included mountain goats that wanted to be near me as protection from the grizzlies (also of course they were hoping for some salty urine). Got a good view of some grizzlies, which left me alone. Couldn't get a backpacking permit so did it as an all-day hike. It was right after Labor Day so no more shuttle bus, but it was an easy hitch back.
I've loved every trail I've hiked at Glacier, but probably my favorite was the trail over Gunsight Pass from the east end of the park to the west side - absolutely beautiful and included mountain goats that wanted to be near me as protection from the grizzlies (also of course they were hoping for some salty urine). Got a good view of some grizzlies, which left me alone. Couldn't get a backpacking permit so did it as an all-day hike. It was right after Labor Day so no more shuttle bus, but it was an easy hitch back.
i really dont think the goats need your protection from the grizzlies, more likely the other way around.
the goats are awesome, they come right up to you but not in a too sued to humans/grubbing for food sort of way and do in fact cautiously keep a certain distance, that distance is just a lot closer than pretty much any other wild animal. i imagine they do this a) because theyre curious and b) because they know that theyre essentially invincible when in their terrain.
chiefiepoo
04-22-2015, 14:52
Mountain lions are being seen more frequently in the park. Certain trails will have mountain lion awareness signs posted along with the more common "bear frequenting area" postings. My last year, 2012, I was going up to Gun Sight CG and had to climb over a huge avalanche debris field on the way to the CG. Also, when a ranger came by and warned me about a lion was sitting on a goat carcass in the pass itself, I went back rather than all the way to Lake mc Donald. Lots of thrills to be experienced in GNP.
tim.hiker
04-22-2015, 15:53
Mountain lions are being seen more frequently in the park. Certain trails will have mountain lion awareness signs posted along with the more common "bear frequenting area" postings. My last year, 2012, I was going up to Gun Sight CG and had to climb over a huge avalanche debris field on the way to the CG. Also, when a ranger came by and warned me about a lion was sitting on a goat carcass in the pass itself, I went back rather than all the way to Lake mc Donald. Lots of thrills to be experienced in GNP.
I have encounter black bears and was never concerned but a Mountains Loin and grizzlies are new to me.. I will make sure I have my Bear Spray plus....
From Jake at Hike 734:
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/c7f78486ed4eaa794eec8673d/images/c9875b9b-fa86-4714-b928-f3fbab368f0f.jpg
So you had you're ideal route all planned out. It was going to be the perfect trip to Glacier, but then it happened. You got the denial email from the park service. Now what?
(Now if you're one of the lucky ones who got the itinerary you submitted, you can ignore the next couple of paragraphs, or put it in your back pocked for future reference. Either way, read below for a quick favor.)
There are two more options to get a great trip. One is walk-in permits which we'll talk about in future emails, but for now, we'll talk about the regular old advanced reservation permits.
The first step in getting an advanced reservation permit after the lottery ends is to see what is available. Head on over to the Advanced Reservation (http://hike734.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c7f78486ed4eaa794eec8673d&id=81757331aa&e=c72fb80cd6) page and begin the process of clicking on the sites that you want and seeing which dates remain. Once you determine the route you want based upon availability, fill out the advanced reservation form you did for the lottery which is available on the Backcountry Camping (http://hike734.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c7f78486ed4eaa794eec8673d&id=ce04b2f0f7&e=c72fb80cd6) page, then mail, fax, or drop it off in the same way you did for the lottery.
Remember that it is now a first come, first serve game now, so if someone's permit request lands before yours and the last advanced site gets taken, you'll get denied. The good news is that you're not out your money. I'm not even sure if they're done processing all of the applications yet, so wait until you get a denial or confirmation before you send in another application.
If you can't get your advanced reservation permit, the other good news is that you can still get a walk-in permit that we'll discuss in the future.
Good luck!
Wayne
mankind117
04-23-2015, 08:48
I went there last year near the end of August, walked across the park from Two Medicine to Lake Macdonald over 6 days. It was absolutely gorgeous, probably the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Like others have said, if you go june or july you might have to deal with snow still at higher elevations and you are at the mercy of what is left after the lottery as far as campsites.
swisscross
04-23-2015, 09:23
Have not been to Glacier in over 20 years.
At that time there were only walk up as the internet as was really not around as we know it.
The two times I was there I was able to get the camp sites I wanted and was out about a week each trip.
Not too fond of the lottery and permitting system they have in place.
It is by far my favorite place I have ever been.
Might be time for another road trip.
Have a great trip.
magic_game03
04-23-2015, 11:09
Spent three (plus) weeks in the park last year just tramping around. Did Five multi-night permits.
1.) Cole/Nyack Loop,
2.) Flattop/Waterton Lake/Stony Indian/Ptarmigan tunnel/Many Glacier,
3.) St. Mary/Red Eagle/Triple Divide/Two Medicine,
4.) Swift Current/GPC/Logan Pass
5.) Rising Sun/ Otokomi Lake (for wolverines!)
Headed back to Glacier in two days (4/25) for another two weeks of fun. This time I am planning on doing the NW corner of the park (Polebridge/Bowman/Hole-in-the-wall) and then heading down to the Bob to do the Chinese wall.
My two cents (Get it now because some moderator inevitability will come by and delete this post as soon as they notice I’ve posted.) Swift Current/Many Glacier is the best front-country camping area IMO. They have considerably smaller crowds than anywhere else in the park. They have showers/laundry/& pizza. SC also has fun day hikes like Ptarmigan tunnel and Iceberg Lake. Apgar doesn’t have showers (neither does W. Glacier for that matter), St. Mary and Two Medicine are bare bones, Rising Sun does have showers and laundry but no pizza. Now, Lake McDonald has showers, laundry, and pizza (LM pizza is much better than the SC/MG pizza) but it feels like your staying at a Hilton resort. Reminds me of the Ahwahnee hotel, everybody shows up in their Bentleys and the day hikers return from the shuttle exhausted but clean, at the end of the day.
But this post isn’t about front-country stuff it’s about HIKING! My favorite part of the park was the Goat Haunt/Waterton Lake area. Probably because I saw less then ten people the entire hike in and out. That really makes the back-country feel majestic.
P.S. The inside of the park has free shuttle service so you have a variety of options off the Going-to-the-Sun road. The WEST side has NO shuttle service beyond Apgar. But here is the coolest part. The EAST side DOES have a commercial shuttle service all the way from Two Medicine to Many Glacier. I think it is $10 a stop and it starts up early in the morning specifically so people could hike that day. I saw a small contingent of serious hikers use this service (I used it to.)
P.P.S. Still doesn’t hold a candle to the JMT. I could sum-up GNP in about two paragraphs. I couldn’t sum-up the JMT in two pages.
mankind117
04-23-2015, 14:16
Hey magic_game03, I was there last year in Glacier. At the atlantic creek campsite there was a guy camping, former thru hiker, trail name magic that I think was from NC. That's not you was it? I saw there with 2 other guys and there was another group of guys that was having issues with getting a fire going ...
magic_game03
04-23-2015, 14:28
Yep, that was me. I remember you guys, camped in the spot next to mine. Hope you had a fabulous trip.
That was a big mistake telling those morons about the mattock on the back of the outhouse. (P.S. GNP hikers. all the outhouses have forestry gear in the back if you are desperate.) First they couldn't get a fire started with with a whole pile of wood. when they started going after standing trees right by our tents I just went off the deep end. :) Sorry you had to experience my tree hugger side.
mankind117
04-23-2015, 14:38
Small world, yeah the trip was great other than having to spend the next 3 nights with those guys. Two of them ended up bailing out at whatever site we were at the 3rd night that was near the going to the sun road but they really didn't get any better the next 3 nights.
magic_game03
04-23-2015, 15:05
Lol, the weekender experience. I had quite a few of those in GNP. The day I saw you three was the very first day it didn't rain on me. From that point onward every other night was the "weekender experience." The weather had gotten much better so everyone was trying to get their two-day GNP experience in. Did you see anything really cool in that section? I saw a two grizzly, an osprey, and a red tail all in one day on that section. And those views from Pitamakan Pass and Triple divide pass were absolutely awesome! Probably wouldn't say I was a big fan of Two Medicine when I finally got there. Favorite part: Morning Star Lake->Pitamakan pass.
(P.S. Also not a big fan of getting water out of Red Eagle Lake.)
I like to go there as soon as the Going to the Sun Road opens, generally in June. Maybe not so good for hiking because of snow on trails, but excellent for snow mountaineering on the high peaks, using an ice axe.
We avoid the place in late July-August. Can be quite warm and very crowded.
Glacier is also good in the late season, including October. We've climbed peaks in beautiful weather with nobody around in Oct although storms are possible.
JimmyTheSaint
04-24-2015, 03:12
I did the Gunsight pass route last year over three days. Spent first night at Gunsight lake, second night at Sperry, then hiked out third day. Yellowstone is very nice, but in my opinion Glacier is better.
My wife and I did a week of day hikes there last August. In addition to Grinnell glacier, I can recommend Ptarmigan Tunnel and Piegan Pass. Didn't get to do the Garden Wall but I hear that one is very good too.
If you show up on a busy weekend you will have to just ask the rangers what is available... because it will be limited.
Personally I like to walk from Waterton to Logan Pass on the Highline trail. You get to enter the USA from Canada without showing ID, or even talking to anybody.
In July you can put together all sorts of non-circular routes using the shuttle bus system. The whole Park is fantastic, though the various parts are quite different from each other.
If you've got time, try to do some hiking on the east side and some on the west, or arrange a route that crosses the Divide. This has been a low-snow year, but there is usually quite a bit of snow in the passes and on the peaks in early July.
Same-day permits can be easy to get, if you're not set on particular routes or campsites. The easiest permits to get are for campsites on dead-end trails, such as Lincoln Lake and Logging Lake.
Transportation can be quite a big deal. The shuttles only serve certain parts of the Park, and can chew up most of day to get from one place to another, to get from St. Mary to Chief Mountain, for instance. Just trying to get from a Backcountry Permit office to your trailhead can eat up your first hiking day.
Thanks Marta. Good to know. I imagine that asking today for a trip starting tomorrow & using the rest of today for shuttle transportation could work.
As much as I would like to fly from Texas to Montana, I'm beginning to think that driving would certainly be better once I got to Glacier. AND. Think of all the places I could visit in between.
Wayne