Glacier National Park Chat

During backpacking season, the visitor center in Waterton opens at 8:00. Although I live close to Waterton, I have been frustrated getting permits there because they put me on the phone to Apgar bc ranger station. (That might have changed). If you need to get a new permit or make changes, I would su...

Our family backpacking trip has been approved:

Cos
Mol
Sto
Koo

Waterton is open again (sort of).

You can only drive to and enter the townsite, and drive the highway up to the Chief Mountain border crossing. Everything else remains closed -- including the other roads and all hiking trails.

We plan on heading to Waterton this weekend.

Many of you will have seen the Prince of Wales Hotel on the cliffs overlooking Waterton. At present, there are 50 firefighters and 3 fire engines from Calgary assigned to try to save the iconic hotel. So far, it is working. The visitor center at Bear's Hump was destroyed earlier today -- and it was ...

Sorry about the map link not working. Please try here (and scroll down):

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/watert ... fire-kenow

Trevbo, thanks for posting the map.

dpratt,

I really appreciate that you posted the photo of the Waterton fire yesterday. Most of Waterton Park burned yesterday afternoon and last night -- you captured the start of that fire storm.

Many areas north and east of Waterton have been evacuated.

It looks like the fire really ran overnight.

Good map at

https://fsapps.nwcg.gov/data/kml/conus_latest_modis.kml

Updates are posted on this Parks Canada site:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/scond/Cond_E.a ... ark=100429

Or for a broader picture:

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/watert ... fire-kenow

The reports and maps are showing that the Kenow fire has reached the north west end of Cameron Lake.

There is now a mandatory evacuation for Waterton.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/w ... -1.4281646

Good evening. Sep 14 is still a while from now. You will have to decide what is best for you and your group based on all the information you can get. Expect it to be smoky -- very smoky! You have a great trip planned, but will it be worth it if you cannot see it, and struggle to breathe? Consider: T...

There is a voluntary evacuation for Waterton.

A fire is threatening Waterton Park from the west. The weather forecast is for hot, dry, and windy conditions. All of Waterton is closed except the highway and the townsite.

Now is not the time to visit Waterton.

To the OP, it sounds like you are used to hiking somewhere busier than Waterton. In my experience, few people camp at Alderson, and it is mostly a stop on the way down to the townsite after starting a few hours earlier at Cameron Lake. Goat is a pretty enough spot, but again I have seen few people c...

Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) carries the maps, and so does many smaller shops around here.

Good afternoon, joybird: Please forgive my confusion about where you are interesting in backpacking... There are a few backcountry campsites in Waterton, but there are no backcountry trips because the park is too small. I have done every hike in Waterton as a day hike. If you are interested in backc...