Matt, while we disagree on many issues, you are correct regarding "underfunding" of the NPS.
Yes, it is sad. There's no going back to the better days.PeteE wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:27 pmI understand your point of view Paul and I'm sympathetic to it, but...
The "cat's out of the bag" regarding the Dragon's Tail---another victim of social media imo.
There are already "a lot more people" going out the Reynolds trail.
There is now an obvious worn path from the Hidden Lake trail over to the beginning of the Reynolds trail--and it encourages people to follow it.
It's no longer "peaceful" like it was 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago. LOTs of people climbing Reynolds as well as going out to the DT.
Glacier is becoming more and more like Yosemite or Yellowstone--packed with people like never before.
It is STILL crowded at Glacier as of last week. I went over after work last Thursday afternoon about 2pm.
PACKED! parking was non existent at both Avalanche Creek and Logan Pass. Same for most of the pullouts.
GNP will never be "peaceful" again imo unless you backpack in to areas unreachable as a day hike.
And then you have to deal with the a$$holes who steal campsites without a permit.
Sad, isn't it?
pete
According to Ruhle's 1972 Guidebook at page 116, this trail is called the North Fork Belly River Trail and runs from Threemile campsite to Miche Wabun Lake, a distance of 10.4 miles. I don't recall ever seeing a trip report from someone who has hiked this trail and it seems to get pretty low status for trail maintenance.llholmes1948 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:45 pm If I recall correctly, Ruhle's last guidebook indicates that the newest trail in the Park (which he takes some credit for) is the trail to Miche Wabun Lake which I believe comes off the Belly River Trail at some point. It is listed in the trail status reports but never seems to get much attention or respect.
Orin,orin wrote: ↑Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:19 pm A quick search on "Miche Wabun" pulls up some information. Not surprisingly for those of us who have been here for awhile, Ear Mountain had something to say about that area more than a decade ago.
http://www.glacier.nationalparkschat.co ... 664#p46533
It sounds like a large rock slide took out the upper part of the trail before then. Between then and now the Park Service must have either fixed it up enough to justify keeping it on the trail list or simply never got around to deleting it. In any event it seems unlikely that a 20 mile out and back with no campground at the end would appeal to anyone except the most adventurous.
The West Lakes trail began near the northeast end of Lake McDonald and crossed Howe Ridge to reach the Camas Valley. That section of trail is still identified as the West Lakes Trail on many GNP trail maps. Of course many of us have hiked that still section. The trail continued north eventually ending at Kintla Lake. Many sections of the West Lakes trail are still shown on the older 7.5 minute USGS Maps. Sometime in the latter half of the 20th Century I identified several sections of the old trail.wnysteve wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 10:43 amI think the longest trail that was abandoned was the West Lakes Trail. That trail could take one from Lake McDonald to Kintla. Today, if you take the trail from Bowman Lake to Akokala Lake, you will come to a "T" in the trail. The right-hand trail takes you to the Lake. To the left is a little-used but still Official trail that goes to the auto road that leads from Polebridge to Kintla. There is no option to continue straight, but back in the day that is what the West Lakes Trail did, taking the hiker as far as Parke Ridge and down into Kintla. If that trail were still open today, it would solve the transportation problem encountered by those who hike the Kintla-to-Bowman horseshoe and only have one car to return to their starting point.zozeppelin wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:44 pm
Interesting. Any recommendations on where to learn more about historic trails? I have seen some references from the trail status pages about trails NW from Kintla and N from Belly River, but nothing too exciting.
Here is a link on the subject of lost trails, written by one who has a deep knowledge of Glacier, past and present.
http://www.glacier.nationalparkschat.co ... 165#p25165
My map shows the Dry Fork Trail separating from the Boundary Trail Here:tibber wrote: ↑Fri Oct 08, 2021 7:53 pm Just to let you know, I think it's fun to hear about the old trails so thx for all the info. I'm sure that the '64 flood did cause some changes in trails as that was quite the flood.
I was noticing that the Dry Fork Trail intersects with the Pitamakan Pass Trail and it comes from Two Medicine Entrance station. I'm surprised it doesn't join up with another trail or go somewhere else. Altho according to Ralph, it used to be part of the Boundary Trail.