The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon Lake

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joey
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The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon Lake

Post by joey »

Here is a pretty awesome look at one of the more remote places in the Glacier backcountry. We hike up to Brown Pass, then climb up onto the slopes of Thunderbird Mountain. We use goat trails to traverse around both Thunderbird and the Guardhouse to reach Jefferson Pass. From there we head south along the continental divide to reach Gyrfalcon Lake, Honeymoon Lakes, and eventually drop down to Grace Lake and the Logging Lake drainage.

Probably too long of a video for most of you, but some may enjoy it. I would love to write up a trip report for it, but just don't have the time at the moment. Might be my favorite backpacking route of all time:
https://youtu.be/sBugj0g7fH0
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by Selkie »

Joey! Awesome trip; I am on my second viewing. You have several followers of your YouTube adventures here.
:D

I'm also scrutinizing the Yellowstone videos carefully. Would love to do the Thorofare ...
Jen

Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by Jen »

Joey!

I saw the length of your youtuber and thought "ugh. it's SOOO long. I will just watch for a few minutes."

It sucked me in. What a Fanfreakingtastic Trek! I watched the whole damn thing!

Some of those goat trails make the ptarmigan wall look like a walk in the park!

Well Done! Thank you so much for sharing!

:arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by PeteE »

The word "awesome" gets overused a lot, but AWESOME is the best word I know for this trip and video.
Well done. Loved it.
Sure it's long; it has to be long.
You can't describe a truly epic backpack like that in a 5 minute video/sound bite!!!!!!

pete :wink:
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by toddnick »

Wow!!!

I've only seen the first 20 minutes so far and can already tell that it will be EPIC...

Thanks for sharing views of the Park that almost no one will ever see in person...

:arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by Jay w »

It took me a few days to finish that, but what a great video and a great trip, except for the parts that sucked, or really, really sucked.

Glad you made it back and didn't slide off a cliff. Thanks for documenting.

Jay
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by isleroyaleguy »

Great stuff Joey.
Nice to see ya posting on this site too.
Anxious to hear your plans for this season.
Hope to see ya out there!
Doug and Anita
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by teapot57 »

Wow. What an amazing trip. Do you have anything planned for this summer in Glacier?

Thanks for sharing!
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by joey »

Hey thanks everyone for checking out the video, and the feedback!
Selkie wrote:Joey! Awesome trip; I am on my second viewing. You have several followers of your YouTube adventures here.
:D I'm also scrutinizing the Yellowstone videos carefully. Would love to do the Thorofare ...
Hey thanks, thats cool to know your watching. Definitely put the Thorofare on your list. My favorite place to visit out of everywhere! While it isn't grandeur like Glacier, its an exciting experience, and one of those trips that most people won't ever understand without going out there. Especially if you can get out into the Washakie or Teton Wilderness, just outside the park boundary. You never know what lies around the corner. Do it in the fall, and you will feel that "Serengeti" feeling, as it seems everything out there is on the warpath! Not the place to run through miles, but rather a place to get to camp and enjoy being there, listening and watching what is going on around you.
Jen wrote:Joey!
I saw the length of your youtuber and thought "ugh. it's SOOO long. I will just watch for a few minutes."
It sucked me in. What a Fanfreakingtastic Trek! I watched the whole damn thing!
Some of those goat trails make the ptarmigan wall look like a walk in the park!
Well Done! Thank you so much for sharing!
:arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
Thanks Jen, I appreciate that feedback. Most long backpacking videos are pretty boring to most people. As I get more into making videos, I'm trying to make them entertaining enough that people will keep watching. So I enjoy hearing your feedback! I haven't done the Ptarmigan Wall yet, but its been on my list for years. I think those goat trails might be a little more intense than the Thunderbird route.
PeteE wrote:The word "awesome" gets overused a lot, but AWESOME is the best word I know for this trip and video.
Well done. Loved it.
Sure it's long; it has to be long.
You can't describe a truly epic backpack like that in a 5 minute video/sound bite!!!!!!
pete :wink:
Thanks Pete!
toddnick wrote:Wow!!!
I've only seen the first 20 minutes so far and can already tell that it will be EPIC...
Thanks for sharing views of the Park that almost no one will ever see in person...
:arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
Thanks Toddnick!
Jay w wrote:It took me a few days to finish that, but what a great video and a great trip, except for the parts that sucked, or really, really sucked.
Glad you made it back and didn't slide off a cliff. Thanks for documenting.
Jay
Thanks Jay! There were a few parts that sucked, especially dropping down to Grace Lake from the Honeymoon Lakes area. But most of that was just for the video. We had a pretty freaking awesome time out there. Such a different experience from most other backpacking trips in the park. The time of year, combined with being off trail away from other people, made this one really special.
isleroyaleguy wrote:Great stuff Joey.
Nice to see ya posting on this site too.
Anxious to hear your plans for this season.
Hope to see ya out there!
Doug and Anita
Whats up Doug! What do you guys have planned for this year?
I'm going to be up in the Olympic Coast in June, and then doing the JMT northbound with a few guys who have done it a few times before. Looking forward to it, as I haven't been out to the Sierra's since 2009. I know you did part of the route last year, right? I'll be in the Greater Yellowstone all of July and August before spending September around Glacier and the Bob Marshall. Keep in touch, and let me know where you guys are going to be doing trips at.
teapot57 wrote:Wow. What an amazing trip. Do you have anything planned for this summer in Glacier?
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Teapot! I will be doing a few trips in Glacier this fall. I kind of always have a revolving set of "route ideas" in my head for Glacier, and it all really depends on weather and who I have to go with me. The one trip i plan to do for sure is a longer version of the Norris Traverse. I want to connect from Firebrand Pass all the way north. I'm still not sure exactly of the route, but am looking at several different options. I'd love to get from Two Med Pass over to Mount Helen without having to use the trails. I've climbed Rockwell, and i'm not really sure if I can connect the dots there. I also plan to go from Cut Bank Pass over to Triple Divide Peak without using the trail, by circling that basin above the Nyak and somehow getting around Razor Edge. Not sure how it will play out.

I'm also looking at doing a fall route in the Belly River area. I'd love to combine Ahern Pass and one of the routes over to Sue Lake. I've also been looking at climbing up from Slide Lake towards Yellow Mountain. It would be great to make that whole thing into one giant loop. Hopefully I can make that one work this year as well.

Thanks again yall for watching!
Joey
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by teapot57 »

I'd love to get from Two Med Pass over to Mount Helen without having to use the trails. I've climbed Rockwell, and i'm not really sure if I can connect the dots there.
Check this out, Joey: https://bedrockandparadox.com/2012/08/28/twomeddawson/

The author of this blog post used to post here as DaveC. The link describes the route he took from Two Medicine Pass to Dawson Pass.

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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by DaveC »

joey wrote:Here is a pretty awesome look at one of the more remote places in the Glacier backcountry. We hike up to Brown Pass, then climb up onto the slopes of Thunderbird Mountain. We use goat trails to traverse around both Thunderbird and the Guardhouse to reach Jefferson Pass. From there we head south along the continental divide to reach Gyrfalcon Lake, Honeymoon Lakes, and eventually drop down to Grace Lake and the Logging Lake drainage.

Probably too long of a video for most of you, but some may enjoy it. I would love to write up a trip report for it, but just don't have the time at the moment. Might be my favorite backpacking route of all time:
https://youtu.be/sBugj0g7fH0
Sweet video. Glad you confirm that the Logging exit contains a horrid bushwack. The logistics are tougher, but I'd recommend exiting to 50 Mountain, which is quite pleasant. :D

From the video it looks like there was little if any goat traffic along the stretch between Thunderbird and Sentinel, and maybe a bit on the next part from Sentinel to the Guardhouse saddle? I ask because when my partner and I went through there, same direction, in late July we dropped to the valley on each occasion. Sidehilling didn't seem as efficient in the total absence of any animal traffic.

You'll find any part of the southern half of the Continental Divide route in Glacier to be fairly tame in comparison.
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by Heff936 »

Wow what an epic off trail route. I'm only well into day 2 but looking forward to the rest. The second day is definitely a bit outside my comfort level, especially with a full pack but I'm stoked watching this great video trip report. Thanks for sharing.

Heff
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by paul »

I watched the video last month but never commented. Just want to add my 2 cents that it was awesome.
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Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by joybird »

Agreed. I watched it awhile back as well and enjoyed it so much that I actually subscribed to your YouTube channel. 8) (First time I've ever done that!)

And I'm glad I did because guess what showed up in my inbox a couple days ago! Grand Canyon: Escalante/Tanner/Tonto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNPom88Ogt4

(Perfect timing as, coincidentally, a Chatter friend of mine was still backpacking in the Grand Canyon herself when it arrived :D )

I know what movie I'm gonna be watching this weekend. :wink: Thanks so much for doing these, Joey!
Jen

Re: The Thunderbird Traverse to Jefferson Pass & Gyrfalcon L

Post by Jen »

joybird wrote:Agreed. I watched it awhile back as well and enjoyed it so much that I actually subscribed to your YouTube channel. 8) (First time I've ever done that!)

And I'm glad I did because guess what showed up in my inbox a couple days ago! Grand Canyon: Escalante/Tanner/Tonto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNPom88Ogt4

(Perfect timing as, coincidentally, a Chatter friend of mine was still backpacking in the Grand Canyon herself when it arrived :D )

I know what movie I'm gonna be watching this weekend. :wink: Thanks so much for doing these, Joey!
I heard the Grand Canyon episode has some suspense! I will also be watching this weekend! 8)
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