Birthday Present 2017

Well, tell us how your trip went. We all want to hear about your special experience.

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TnTammy
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Birthday Present 2017

Post by TnTammy »

Hi there Fellow Chatters,
Been a long time since i posted a trip report and am way overdue considering how much i've enjoyed reading yours over the years. Recently Selkie brought up the subject of a blog and i mentioned to hubby that i thought it was a great idea :idea: , then let it drop there.
So i received a little birthday surprise from Mike (JustMike) recently and together our first entry is a trip report from this summer's little adventure: "Justa' Walk 'Round The Park".
My naarative style is long-winded (can't help thinking everything about the park is noteworthy) so there's plenty there for anyone with hours to kill! :shock: Won't hurt my feelings if you just want to scroll through the pics and skip the prattle. Some of my favorite shots are more toward the middle and end.
Thanks to Selkie and Joybird for their support throughout the year and great friendship.

Here Tis: "TNTammy.com"

:arrow: :mrgreen: :arrow: :mrgreen: :arrow: :mrgreen: :arrow:
Would welcome your thoughts!
Tam
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by JustMike »

I'll post the trip report here too. I'm working on resizing the photos.

More to follow...........
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by JustMike »

Part 1

Justa’ Walk ‘Round the Park – Montana, Summer 2017

Howdee! Good morning from my comfy couch after a grrrreat night’s sleep. On my second cup of coffee, yay! Where a middle of the night moment to pee doesn’t involve a headlamp, getting on a jacket & shoes, and the chilly unzipping of the moist tent. I believe I may have almost all the dirt out from under my fingernails….and with it washes too far away all the simple pleasures and observations that two weeks of living in the woods gifts one.

Shall I begin at the beginning?


Sun, Aug 13th
Great Falls to Glacier National Park


After free breakfast its off to Walmart for last minute essentials: camp stove fuel, lighters, snacks etc but they didn’t have Bear spray. The local sports store Scheel’s (where we’d gotten it last year) doesn’t open on Sundays til 11:00. Mike remembered that we’d gotten it one year at The Big Bear Sports Center, which was open and had UDAP bearspray on sale for $25 ($10 savings)…we’ll take two. Now for some driving, but very wary given the scene out the windshield. Wheat fields and smoke are staples to Shelby, then Browning as we close the gap between us and the mountains.

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More wary is the scene arriving at St. Mary.

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We stop by the St. Mary Visitor Center and they confirm our fear, they are not issuing any backcountry permits. Off to Many Glacier with similar ghosts of mountains. We check in to Swiftcurrent disheartened.

So…we’re looking at leaving in the morning for a 3 night stay at Granite Park Chalet minimum, but also have to be prepared if they do issue the backcountry permit for the additional 8 nights. We pack both a short stay bag and big bertha pack for the long haul. It takes the whole evening to whittle down as much as I think we could possibly live without for 12 days. Packing is usually OCD Heaven but I find I’m halfhearted b/c our prospects appear dismal for the Permit & what good will Granite be in all that smoke? It’s cold and rainy outside with the addition of clouds reaching near ground level. About 10pm we wrap it up. But could this drizzle help us?


Mon, Aug 14th
Swiftcurrent Motor Inn to Logan Pass to Granite Park Chalet
Day 1, 1st night at Granite Park Chalet
7.6 miles, 200 ft ascent

Up at 5:00. Last shower for ? many days. Tight list of what absolute essentials need to be moved from the short stay bag to the backpack if Permit comes through. Close out Swiftcurrent tab and send off a few last minute emails in lobby on snail wifi. At Many Glacier Ranger Station before 7:00; wait with other hopefuls.

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At 10 minutes til, the Ranger comes out and gives the word, “Folks, we will be issuing Backcountry Permits today”, I literally shout out a WooHoo and do a little jump for joy! Ok, that’s all we needed to hear. Off to Swifty parking lot. Get out Big Bertha. Make sure everything…ev-ver-ree-thing is with us; especially critical are passports (I’ll explain later), wallets, & Mike’s pain meds. In line at 7:15 for St. Mary Shuttle. A sense of glee infects the morning as we load up and are on time to St. Mary Visitor Center. Mike finds himself in a line of 10 awaiting a BC Permit. I fill the time posing our clean packs and hoping about the days ahead.

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Took an hour, including calls to Apgar to figure out submitting a permit that follows a stay at the Chalet, and making Mike watch this year’s new backcountry film. Our overall trip route is shown highlighted in pink.

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We are 2nd in line for the Park Shuttle to Logan and finally really truly on our way. All passengers are headed to Logan so we jettison through the other shuttle stops. Ceremonial start photo: it’s official!

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Today’s route from Logan Pass to Granite Park Chalet, 7.6 miles, 200 feet of ascent.

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There’s a good chill in the air, 50’s, and breezy, enough to make us get going. Moist clouds bring hopes that we won’t have fire.

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Enjoying the southern Highline Trail though the Garden Wall is a little sad for color after the drought. Fireweed flourishes still.

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Lunch at Haystack Butte, and now for the Highline that I haven’t seen before. The Chalet is a welcome sight…boots are giving me quite some trouble. Right big toenail hurts as bad as days of old, in bad ski boots. Left little toe smashed. Right heel blister…little worrisome. A mule deer in velvet totally nonchalant.

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Shown to our old room, #6, on the balcony of the Chalet. What a View!

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Our 3 evenings of food had arrived by mule, so dinner was the 1st of 11 freeze dried meals. Kung Pao Chicken. The after dinner talks by our 4 hosts at the Chalet were delightful and informative regarding Park & Chalet history, wildlife, glacial recession, and Native Americans. Sunset is Glacier’s signature magic.

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Off to bed on comfortable mattresses and indeed, as always, every little sound from other rooms seems amplified. 10pm is quiet hours. Earplugs are a must.

(Note: Please let me know if there are any problems with the photos, like the right hand side being cut off. Thanks)
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by tibber »

looking and sounding good so far. I didn't realize you could have the mules carry food up for you. That's great. Nice room you have too!
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by teapot57 »

Eleven nights in the backcountry? You two are rock stars. I have to admit, I’m a little worried about the foot situation, but anxiously await the rest of your report!

Tina
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by TnTammy »

tibber wrote:looking and sounding good so far. I didn't realize you could have the mules carry food up for you. That's great. Nice room you have too!
Hey Tibber,
Yup, Granite Park has a menu to order from. Several Freeze Dried offerings and Ramen for dinner, Oatmeal and maybe Mtn House Eggs for breakfast. We ordered some cookies also. Someone might also be interested in the giant size Snickers and a favorite of mine Cheetos. :D
That room #6 is one of 4 up front with a great balcony, highly recommend. People pulled their chairs out to enjoy wine with sunset.
Tibber, was so excited for you that you got to do Boulder Pass this year....looked like a wonderful trip!
Tam
teapot57 wrote:Eleven nights in the backcountry? You two are rock stars. I have to admit, I’m a little worried about the foot situation, but anxiously await the rest of your report!

Tina

Hi Tina,
Have followed your posts for a long time and enjoy all the Waterton/Canada references, so thanks!
Yes, eleven is decadent! :P The trip was padded with some rest days that we always benefit from. So many backpackers in Glacier can really knock out the miles, regardless of age it seems. It was surprising the number of folks doing 16-18-even 20 mile segments. For Mike and I, and our conditioning, that twelve mile day to Fifty followed by the 8.5 to Stoney was our 'heavy lifting' so to speak. So some rest days in the Belly really added alot to the trip. But I'm getting ahead...
Super lucky with the Permit this year.
Thanks for following!
Tam
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by NDjason »

Can't wait to hear more. We were on the trail for many of the same days, so excited to see how close we were to crossing paths!
~ jason
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by TnTammy »

NDjason wrote:Can't wait to hear more. We were on the trail for many of the same days, so excited to see how close we were to crossing paths!
Loved your trip report of your journey with your Dad, Jason. Must have been so special with him. I really empathized with some of his tough days as will be apparent on our trip. What a trooper he was. Looked so memorable!

We're ready with next couple of days and trying to post but the site says we may need DaveParker's help. Will keep trying!
Thanks for viewing, Tam
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by joybird »

And they're ba-a-a-ack!
And with their trip report too. Woot! Woot! :arrow:

Tee hee! I suspect this is gonna be even more fun for me to read the second time around.
(I love how the website came out but a trip report is always extra special when there is some of that friendly Chatter chatting added in for good measure... :wink: )

Popcorn, anyone? :D
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by TnTammy »

joybird wrote:And they're ba-a-a-ack!
And with their trip report too. Woot! Woot! :arrow:

Tee hee! I suspect this is gonna be even more fun for me to read the second time around.
(I love how the website came out but a trip report is always extra special when there is some of that friendly Chatter chatting added in for good measure... :wink: )

Popcorn, anyone? :D
:lol: If folks only knew that you had endured getting your email box bombed with 11 installments of this during an incredibly busy fall. Need Angel Emoji :mrgreen:
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by paul »

I'm enjoying your report, Tammy. Can't wait to hear about that solo backpacker you met on the trail to Stony Indian Pass :lol:
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by TnTammy »

paul wrote:I'm enjoying your report, Tammy. Can't wait to hear about that solo backpacker you met on the trail to Stony Indian Pass :lol:
Ahhhh Yesss, I believe he makes an appearance in Chapter Five. :arrow: :wink: :arrow:

Still vigilant trying to get next installments posted but there is an 'error' message that hopefully we can get beyond. If you'd like to continue on our journey, we're at "TNTammy.com". There's no advertising or sales, just fun for us. We'll play catch up by trying to get it all on Chat. Hail to the Mothership! :D
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by daveparker »

Hi Folks,

I don't know what happened, but if it continues to happen, do me a favor, when you get the error, do a print screen and then save as a file, or copy the error and send to me via email and I will see if I can track it down, I might have to do some more work on the database again, but I need to see the error, or the error codes to know which direction to go.

Thanks, by the way, sounds like you had a great time!

:arrow: :arrow:
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by daveparker »

Well folks, I have been checking every single thing I can today and have not figured out why this error is happening, but Deb and I will keep looking!

:shock:
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Re: Birthday Present 2017

Post by TnTammy »

daveparker wrote:Well folks, I have been checking every single thing I can today and have not figured out why this error is happening, but Deb and I will keep looking!

:shock:
Hi Dave,
Thank you for trying to work out the kinks in our posts. Hopefully Mike’s message got through with the error codes.

Appreciate the Chatters hanging in there with us and hope to have something for you in the coming days.
Tam
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