BackCountry Permits 2022

Are you a seasoned hiker, or just starting out? Let us know your questions or experience with the backcountry permit process.

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zozeppelin
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by zozeppelin »

Sorry to hear that Scott. I find it really hard to believe those sites aren’t available late September, with standard application numbers and the increased availability. Eagerly anticipating a snapshot of what is left.

I’m skeptical they’ll ever fix the website. This feels similar to the issue last year, where it’s not just advanced availability, it’s everything (trails, roads, etc). Story from the ranger then was licensing or something to that end- if it isn’t fixed by now ….

I’m curious as to how many no shows there will be.
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by wnysteve »

Sue Z wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 5:30 pm
I'll be there in early August. Planning to spend day 2 hiking in the Hudson Bay Creek Valley. Open to suggestions!
Are you going to day-hike from REF to Triple Divide Pass on Day 2? That is a pleasant approach to access the Pass.
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by paul »

sbosecker wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 12:04 pm Just got my "Unable To Confirm Any Of Your Reservation Choices" email from Glacier.

Not a total surprise as I had picked some routes with bottlenecks but I also had a date spread from August 8th to September 22nd as well as campsite substitutions on the routes I had requested.

Requested itineraries were:

GAB-MOL-MOL-GAB
GUN-GUN-ELL-SPE
ELF-HEL-GAB-GAB
FLA-FIF-FIF-GRN

I really thought the Sept 22nd end date would allow something to be awarded ...even though I suspected we might not be able to actually do the trip due to weather.

Scott
Sorry about that Scott. I bet if you went in the BC office in mid September this year you would get something close to GAB-MOL-MOL-GAB. I can't imagine it would be that tough to get something in the area that time of year. I bet you anything there will be a ton of no-shows and cancellations this year.
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by Sue Z »

wnysteve wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 8:57 am
Sue Z wrote: Tue May 10, 2022 5:30 pm
I'll be there in early August. Planning to spend day 2 hiking in the Hudson Bay Creek Valley. Open to suggestions!
Are you going to day-hike from REF to Triple Divide Pass on Day 2? That is a pleasant approach to access the Pass.
That's a possibility, although it's a long day. I'm wondering if there are any interesting side hikes to lakes or waterfalls, or maybe to a mostly class II summit.
Sue Z
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by zozeppelin »

Looks like they're done with processing the initial batch and the advanced availability site is back up and working well. Walk-in is not, but trail status and closures are.

Mind blowing how few are left, especially all the way to end of schedule (September). GRN, STO completely gone. FIF might as well be. I take that as a good sign the rangers did well to pack in as much as possible (no dangling sites).

I did a capture prior to the start of most of the processing (3/20), and there were 14,300 site-nights available. As of today, 5,300. So 9,000 site-nights reserved, for 4,000 permits. I'd assume about 1/4 rejected, so 3 nights per successful reservation seems reasonable.

My recollection was more availability (mid-late September always available), so with the additional site availability (up to 80%) and an average number of permits, the result is puzzling.

I'm going to see if I can track no-shows this year.

Since my permit was rejected, I was hoping to scoop up a creative route with hopes of a walk-in adjustment, but I couldn't find compelling route and time combinations. I'll be keeping an eye on availability to see if there are any cancelations. Here are two I was considering:

9/16: PAR, ISA, COB, OLD, UPN, BEA, COA
9/21 MAN, HEL, GLF, KOO, FIF, FLA (walk-in improvement of GLF->MOL/GLH, KOO->STO, FLA->GRN with GRN being the most important).

Availability screen dump link.
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by sbosecker »

zozeppelin wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 5:32 pm Looks like they're done with processing the initial batch and the advanced availability site is back up and working well. Walk-in is not, but trail status and closures are.

zozeppelin

Thanks for posting this...

I had a link from years ago for the Backcountry Advanced Availability page. Apparently they've changed the URL to

https://www.nps.gov/applications/glac/b ... bcmap.html

I've sent in an itinerary for the Glenns Lake area beginning on September 15th. GAB-GLH-GLH-GAB

We'll see what happens.

Logistically I'm hosed at the moment because there are no cars for rent in Kalispell (at least at the airport) for the week I would need one.

I also did a quick check of lodging at St Mary & the Many Glacier area on September 14th. Nothing available at this time.

Jeez....

Scott
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by teapot57 »

Something is not right. When I look at the Backcountry Availability page, it is showing lots of green. Just about every possible route available!

I still have an application out there that I have not heard back on and haven’t received a refund yet . . .
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by Sue Z »

Yup, it's messed up again. It only worked for a couple of days.
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by sbosecker »

teapot57 wrote: Tue May 24, 2022 9:28 am Something is not right. When I look at the Backcountry Availability page, it is showing lots of green. Just about every possible route available!
teapot57,

Perhaps it's an effort to increase revenue by having unaware people apply for "ghost campsites". I thought "Bait & Switch" was an illegal marketing tactic. HA!

Best regards,

Scott
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by sbosecker »

Well it's a week later and the Advance Backcountry Availability webpages are still showing beaucoup sites available. Even weirder is that some of these are showing sites "missing" - as if they've been awarded to folks trying to get a reservation.

Has anyone here brought this situation to the attention of Glacier's staff? If I don't see any affirmative responses here in the next 24 hours, I will rattle their cage and see what's going on.

Best regards,

Scott
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by zozeppelin »

Looks like you carry a big stick Scott- availability ‘back’.

Now can you get them to fix Many Glacier missing from the trail status page?
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by sbosecker »

zozeppelin wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 2:54 pm Looks like you carry a big stick Scott- availability ‘back’.

Now can you get them to fix Many Glacier missing from the trail status page?
zozeppelin,

Hmmpft... They did it to mock me... HA!
The itinerary I requested beginning on Sep 15th, GAB-GLH-GLH-GAB now has a hole on the 16th that can't be filled (GLH not available).

However, there's still hope! I kept my original Aug 8th to Sep 22nd "window" and also allowed campsite changes along the route.

GLH has two nights back to back on Sep 19 & 20. GAB has an opening on the 18th but not the 21st...
but COS - for the moment - has an opening on the 21st.

That would work and I think it meets the criteria of my request.

I'll take on the Trail Status Page if I get an itinerary. HA!

Best regards,

Scott
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by zozeppelin »

Good deal, when you're done fixing the MG trail status page, can you do the walk-in availability page as well?

I did notice this open:
08-10-22 SPE
08-11-22 GUN
08-12-22 REY
08-13-22 ELL
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by Jay w »

I haven't really read this thread, just skimmed it. Let me see if I have this correct.

In theory, it's possible to cobble together a walk up permit, but from a practical point of view (getting a reasonable, enjoyable backpack), it's not possible.

Asking for a friend :D

Jay
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Re: BackCountry Permits 2022

Post by paul »

Jay w wrote: Fri Jun 03, 2022 5:44 am I haven't really read this thread, just skimmed it. Let me see if I have this correct.

In theory, it's possible to cobble together a walk up permit, but from a practical point of view (getting a reasonable, enjoyable backpack), it's not possible.

Asking for a friend :D

Jay
I think there's still some pretty good options open for advanced reservations. From a previous post I see that Ellen Wilson lake was open on 08-13-22. (it might be gone now, didn't check). That's a short but sweet place to go backpacking. Fantastic scenery most of the way. There's other places in the park that have advanced reservations available. Like Logging lake, grace lake, Adair. I've never been there but that's an option.

Walk-ins might be tough to come by on routes like the Northern circle or up in the North Fork. But it's probably not too bad other places. I think there would be availability for Red Eagle lake, Atlantic Creek. I also think there's going to be cancellations and no shows too. So there is hope for getting something.
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