Greetings Chatters,
Since it's now 2016 I think it's about time that I posted a TR for my 2015 Trip.
The first full day in the park I use as a warm up day. I've learned from past experience not to try to do too much. So I met up with
fellow chatter Joyce (Joybird) and we drove up to Many Glacier to do Snow Moon Basin.
On the way up from East Glacier we stopped to look at the Reynolds creek fire that unfortunately had started just the week before.
For some reason I didn't many pictures on this hike, but here are a few ...
This one is looking back toward the Many Glacier Hotel.
Here Joyce is climbing up the steep rocky area before the basin.
Having something to eat by the second lake
The first lake.
Weird pano created by google. Everything is kind of squished together, also the image is only half visible on the chat page.
Day 2 - Dawson Pitamakin Hike
Up at the pass! It's usually very windy up there and this year was probably the windiest I've ever experienced. The entire hike had very high winds.
A few from my gopro camera.
Another Google picassa pano that gets cut off here.
Your's truely holding on to my hat at Pitamakin pass.
Day 3 Backpack Day 1 - Upper Kintla Lake
Just a typical evening at Upper Kintla lake. This lake is in my top 5 Back country campsites.
Day 4 Backpacking day 2 Boulder Pass and Boulder Peak
I hit the trail roughly at 9am and I had no trouble getting up to the Boulder pass campground my lunchtime. The day was again beautiful and sunny, the only issue was it was quite warm and there is very little shade at the campsite. My plan was to get camp setup and something to eat. Then when rested I would climb up Boulder Peak.
I've been up to Boulder pass probably 10 times with the idea of climbing Boulder Peak. Each time I've been there I've been thwarted by various things. Last year and other years it was due to the weather, a few years ago I got really sick, and other times I didn't have enough time. But this year I was finally able to get it right!
I waited till about 4pm before going up too avoid the tough sun.
Looking back toward the campground. The campground is really not in the picture it's more to the left. What you see below is an area of
pools near the campground. It's another area at the pass that's fun to explore.
Up on Boulder peak.
Upper Kintla lake below. As you hike up to the peak you get on a mild incline that is easy walking. At this point the views are in all directions and you
are surrounded by many peaks. I think this was the highlight of my trip.
Pocket Lake below
After dinner I took some more pictures of the area.
Day 5 - Hole in the wall
It's about 4 miles downhill from Boulder pass to Hole in the wall campsite. So this is an easy day.
At the pass looking toward Hole in the Wall circa.
It's an easy hike down, however I'll be returning in a couple of days in the opposite direction and that won't be so easy.
The last bit looking into the campsite area.
When I arrived the last people in camp were leaving so I go the best campsite.
This stream runs right by my site. The tent is the left of the stream in a little patch of trees.
From near the eating area.
I don't like selfies but at least this one has Thunderbird mountain in it.
It was a really dry year most of the streams beds had no water flowing.
Shortly after I arrived, a volunteer ranger and his wife showed up. He was there to fix on the outhouse. The outhouse is different than any other in the park.
It works with a generator and fan that was currently not working correctly.
More and more people arrived and finally a party of 4 arrived to find no campsite available for them. After talking to the ranger, they discovered that the
campground was overbooked. So at this point, it was decided by the ranger and by BC office that the group could camp in the little meadow not far from the cooking area. I guess all's well that ends well!
End of part 1