Granite Park Reservations

General Lodging information.

Moderators: teapot57, Tara

User avatar
griffin
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:50 am
Gender?: Female
Please add the numbers(11): 11

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by griffin »

joybird wrote:Congratulations to those who scored spots!

:arrow:

And to the newbies out there: please don't give up hope. There is plenty of time for the inevitable slew of cancellations to come through. Just keep watching the availability page for new openings...especially as deposit and fee balance deadlines approach!

http://graniteparkchalet.com/vacancy_g.html
This! I scored two nights at Sperry years ago by keeping an eye on their availability page. I was pretty surprised to see how often space opened up throughout the Spring and early Summer.

Also, if you see an opening, especially during the day, CALL don't email.
teapot57
Moderator & 2.1 Donator
Moderator & 2.1 Donator
Posts: 940
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 3:59 pm
Gender?: Female
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Calgary, AB
Has thanked: 89 times
Been thanked: 77 times

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by teapot57 »

I just checked the Granite Park availability page and there are currently some openings at the chalet at the beginning of July, end of August, and September. Check it out soon if you are interested!
PeteE
Posts: 3346
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 12:20 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Winter hHaven Florida
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by PeteE »

teapot57 wrote:I just checked the Granite Park availability page and there are currently some openings at the chalet at the beginning of July, end of August, and September. Check it out soon if you are interested!
Thank you Teapot!!
I couldn't get in last night to post that availability.
Still room for 2 on September 5th and 3 peeps on June 29th.
I have a feeling the late June folks will have to hike up The Loop trail.
More power to them; I wouldn't do it. 8)

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
User avatar
tibber
2.0 Donator
2.0 Donator
Posts: 474
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:50 am
Gender?: Female
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Has thanked: 75 times
Been thanked: 28 times

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by tibber »

PeteE wrote:
teapot57 wrote:I just checked the Granite Park availability page and there are currently some openings at the chalet at the beginning of July, end of August, and September. Check it out soon if you are interested!
Thank you Teapot!!
I couldn't get in last night to post that availability.
Still room for 2 on September 5th and 3 peeps on June 29th.
I have a feeling the late June folks will have to hike up The Loop trail.
More power to them; I wouldn't do it. 8)

pete :wink:
Yep, we had to hike up The Loop on JULY 24th in 2011 because the Highline Trail wasn't open yet which was very disappointing but we made the best of it. At least we didn't have to go back down it as though the Swiftcurrent wasn't supposedly officially open, we were able to hike out it and hitch rides back to get our vehicle.
llholmes1948
Donator
Donator
Posts: 5221
Joined: Sun May 20, 2007 8:48 pm
Please add the numbers(11): 0
Location: Maine
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 47 times

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by llholmes1948 »

I guess we hadn't really given it much forethought but we made a wonderful discovery when we stayed at Granite Park Chalet July 12 and 13, 2014 which was before the Highline Trail was open. I can tell you that hiking up the Loop was not something that I ever wanted to do and I was dreading that hike. However with a number of breaks and with our adult children carrying our backpacks it proved to be much easier than I had expected. We discovered that the real benefit to staying at Granite Park before the Highline is open is that the Chalet guests largely have the area to themselves. At that point there seemed to be only about a dozen day hikers who hiked up the Loop or up Swiftcurrent Pass each day that we were there. Everyone else who was around was staying or working at the Chalet.

Aside from one other hiker, we had the Grinnell Glacier overlook trail to ourselves one morning. We encountered only six hikers on the Swiftcurrent Lookout trail that afternoon and no one on the trail to Swiftcurrent Pass. There was still a bit of snow in places and we couldn't get very far on the northern highline.

Once the highline is open there are probably between 100 and 200 hikers (maybe more) passing through the area each day but in my opinion staying at the Chalet before the Highline opens is the cat's meow and I will gladly hike up the Loop to have that experience. But of course once the Highline opens the party is over and you won't find me hiking up the Loop.

And of course I want to stress that anytime a person can stay at Granite Park Chalet is a great time.

Lyman
User avatar
TnTammy
Donator
Donator
Posts: 388
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:44 pm
Gender?: Female
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by TnTammy »

Just wanted to put a plug in for going up Swiftcurrent Trail if the Highline is not open.
Brushing off the cobwebs from 2012, we think Highline was closed late July r/t bear frequenting (seem to Recall that it was for protecting a kill) but wouldn’t be surprised if it was b/c of high angle snow drift not yet clear. Perhaps Pete might help our memory.
Either way, we chose to go up Swiftcurrent Trail and had a great day of it. Lots of wildflowers. Took lunch at the switchback closest to the falls. Had beautiful views to look upon every time I needed to stop & catch my breath. Found the stromatolites near the upper cliffs section. Saw bighorn resting on a cool snowfield up near the top. Then, topping over the pass, you’re rewarded with that iconic view of the Chalet with Heaven’s Peak to enjoy all the way in. Would also give someone the chance to do the Lookout but we didn’t have the legs for it that day.


Don’t know when Swiftcurrent Trail typically opens; suspect it’s not an option for those going in late June. Just wanted to recommend that I found it very enjoyable and would do it again.
Tam
llholmes1948
Donator
Donator
Posts: 5221
Joined: Sun May 20, 2007 8:48 pm
Please add the numbers(11): 0
Location: Maine
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 47 times

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by llholmes1948 »

TnTammy wrote: Don’t know when Swiftcurrent Trail typically opens; suspect it’s not an option for those going in late June. Just wanted to recommend that I found it very enjoyable and would do it again.
Tam
I suppose it may change from year to year depending on the snowfields but my impression is that the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail usually opens before the Highline Trail. Corrections would be welcome if that is not correct. When we were at Granite Park July 12 and 13, 2014, the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail was open but there were some sizable snowfields to cross on the Many Glacier side of the Pass. The Highline was not open then. A couple of hikers that we met at Swiftcurrent Lookout had hiked up from Many Glacier for the day. They were in better condition than I was! I thought I was doing pretty well hiking from Chalet to the Lookout.

Lyman
PeteE
Posts: 3346
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 12:20 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Winter hHaven Florida
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by PeteE »

Regarding going to Granite Park Chalet...

Lyman had no choice but to go up the Loop Trail.
But I still maintain that going "up" the Loop Trail is a really poor choice for a day hike.
What view(s) there are, aren't worth talking about.
Tammy, Mike and I could have gone up the Loop Trail but we were staying on the East side---so we had to go via Swiftcurrent Pass.
TNTammy wrote:Perhaps Pete might help our memory.
I thought it was because they were late clearing the snow, but.... :mrgreen:

Tammy, my memory is worse than yours or JayW's.
"Why" is probably better left unsaid. 8)
Call it "old age" although it's possible I was with JayW on his ride with the aliens :wink:

Took a while to dig this up :mrgreen:

A truly "lame video" clip(Edit: The "video" is lame, not Tammy and Mike!!!! 8) ). Runs about 1:45
https://peteandclyde.smugmug.com/Highline/i-dKzxZXw

July 25, 2012 TNTammy adjusting JustMike's pack on the way up to Swiftcurrent Pass.
Image
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
User avatar
TnTammy
Donator
Donator
Posts: 388
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:44 pm
Gender?: Female
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by TnTammy »

Awww Pete!
Thanks for taking me back to that day....it was a beauty! We sure enjoyed that time up at Granite hangin’ with The Geezer. Funny our first experience with those paper thin walls. Many laughs and gorgeous scenery.

Highly Recommend...Swiftcurrent Trail, Chalet and Geezer :wink: :mrgreen: :arrow:
TnTam & JM
User avatar
Jay w
Posts: 1920
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:17 am
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: St. Paul, MN
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 40 times

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by Jay w »

Guess I'm late on this thread too.

I think the Highline may open before Swiftcurrent. One year, Julie and I started a Logan, and I went back for the car. Julie continued down Swiftcurrent, and before she left Granite Park, I asked a number of people if the trail was open, to which there was no good answer. Julie made it, which means it was in good shape, but that year, the Highline had no obstacles at all.

Long winded, but you get the idea.

Jay
The NSA...the only people in the government who listen.
PeteE
Posts: 3346
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 12:20 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Winter hHaven Florida
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Granite Park Reservations

Post by PeteE »

Looking at the remaining snow over here on the East side....
I hiked up to Sunrift Gorge yesterday. That whole area around Gunsight pass, Fussilade, Reynolds, etc. still looks like mid winter.
LOTs of snow still up there. I doubt Swiftcurrent pass is any different.

Unless the weather is favorably warm in the coming weeks, imo, the high passes and trails will be opening a couple weeks later than "usual"....whenever that is. :lol: 8)

I was going to stay today and leave for work Monday AM but it's gotten cloudy and wind picked up.
So I'm headed back. I have plenty of "snaps" to work on...maybe even a few good "images".

Hope to post a few tonight.

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
Post Reply

Return to “Lodging”