My second trip to Glacier 9/4/14 - 9/13/14

[SwampRat]

My Second Trip to Glacier, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Snow.
As soon as I returned from Glacier in September 2013, I began planning my second trip. I was stoked when I got backcountry permit reservations for the Gunsight Pass Trail and for a route from Lake St. Mary over Triple Divide Pass. I invested in a lightweight backpack (Osprey Exos 58) and a lightweight tent (Sixmoon Designs Lunar Solo), and began regular and rigorous training to get my 52-year old flatlander body in shape for the adventure.
My friend, Bryan, and I arrived and parked at Two Medicine on 9/4/14 and picked up our backcountry permits. The ranger informed us that the Eastside Shuttle would not pick us up at the Cutbank Campground at the end of our first backpack trip, as we had hoped. So, we revised our itinerary to bring us out at Two Med instead, adding 10 miles and a couple thousand feet of elevation gain over Pitamakan pass to the third day’s walk. We did so with the knowledge that we might change our minds after carrying our packs for two days.

The Eastside Shuttle ride from Two Med to St. Mary was interesting. Our driver was a fellow Louisiana native, a friendly and talkative sort. Also on board were two young guys from Illinois who had just finished a long backpack. They told us that their hike over Dawson and Pitamakan passes had taken place during a snow storm, with knee-deep drifts and very limited visibility. This sounded scary to a couple of novice backpackers from the South, but the weather forecast called for warm, dry weather.

Our hike from St. Mary to the Red Eagle Lake (foot) camp site was an easy, level 8 miles. About halfway in, we stopped to talk to a young guy from the Blackfeet Reservation, who was searching on horseback for two horses that were missing and last seen in the area. The trail is mostly through an area that burned a while back, and doesn’t offer much in the way of scenery until you reach Red Eagle Lake, which is beautiful and visible from all of the tent pads and the food prep area. Speaking of which, we dined with a nice couple from Chicago who had packed in a 2-liter box of wine. Yes, really.

Click here for pictures taken 9/4/14 : https://plus.google.com/photos/10350521 ... 3572783009

That night, my Marmot Sorcerer sleeping bag, which is rated for 20 degrees, wasn’t warm enough for me. My breath had condensed and frozen on the walls of my tent.

While filling our water bladders at the lake the next morning, 9/5/14, we spotted a brown bear on the opposite shore. It was too far away to identify it as grizzly or black. Bryan coughed, and the bear looked up and quickly turned and disappeared into the woods. We hit the trail, heading south along the eastern shore, and soon noticed four large brown animals on the distant south shore. Thinking they were bears, we were a bit concerned, since the trail was taking us toward them. But we soon realized that they were moose – a cow with two calves, and a bull. All had disappeared by the time we reached the end of the lake.
From the foot of Red Eagle Lake, it’s 8 miles to Triple Divide Pass. Most of that is pretty easy, and the views go from nice to spectacular as you approach the pass. The final mile or so is pretty steep, but well worth the effort. When we reached the top of the saddle, we’d climbed 2,700 feet. To the north, we saw the numerous peaks surrounding the Hudson Bay Creek and Red Eagle Creek drainages, and to the southeast, the lovely emerald-green Medicine Grizzly Lake nestled between Razoredge Mountain, Medicine Grizzly Peak, and James Mountain. Several waterfalls cascade into the lake’s western side. We lingered a while, enjoying the warm sun, cool breeze, and the amazing views.

The descent from Triple Divide Pass to the Atlantic Creek backcountry campsite drops 2000’ over 4 miles, most of which clings to the steep south flank of James Mountain. All the while, we savored the view of Medicine Grizzly Lake. The campsite is nothing special; it’s surrounded by dense forest and has no views. But we were too tired to care. After a good Mountain House dinner, we collapsed in our tents, and went to sleep with the bugling of bull elk echoing in the forest.

Click here for pictures taken 9/5/14: https://plus.google.com/photos/10350521 ... 7040221777

By the time we walked into that campsite, the pain in our knees had forced the realization that we shouldn’t attempt Pitamakan Pass the next day. Those of you who run, bike or hike long distances have probably heard of or suffered iliotibial band syndrome. It’s basically tendonitis on the outer side of the knee, and it’s a real bitch on downhill grades. So, the next morning, we hiked the easy 4 miles out to the Cutbank Campground, with the hopes of begging a ride back to our vehicle at Two Med. We were successful, almost. A couple who were staying in East Glacier gave Bryan a ride in the backseat of their little pickup truck to the intersection of Highway 49 and the Two Medicine Road, at which point they said they had to drop him off because they had a 2 p.m. tee time at the golf course. Bryan began walking toward Two Med with his thumb out, but none of the 30 or so cars that passed stopped. He ended up walking the entire 7 miles to the camp store. Not anticipating that walk, he had left his water and bear spray with me at Cut Bank. By the time he made it back to Cut Bank to pick up me and our gear (3.5 hours after he started the journey), he was not a happy camper. We were both surprised and disappointed that so many people had refused to give him a ride. I tried to make him feel better by telling him that it was just because he looks dangerous (even though he doesn’t).

That little incident delayed our drive back to the Kalispell airport to pick up my nephew, so once there, we decided to spend the night at the Red Lion Hotel and make the long trip back to the east side of the Park the next day. The Red Lion has an impressive “free” breakfast buffet, by the way.

Sunday, 9/7/14, the three of us took our time crossing the park on the Going to the Sun Road. The weather was sunny and the visibility was near perfect. Bryan and my nephew, Rad, had never been on the GTS Road before, and were amazed by its grandeur. We arrived at Johnson’s Campground in St. Mary in the early afternoon. The lady at the front desk mentioned that some cold weather was on its way, and we were stunned when we saw the forecast calling for snow and temps in the 20s by Tuesday. We were planning to start backpacking the Gunsight trail Monday, but we realized that it would be neither fun nor safe in a winter storm. That was a huge disappointment.

We decided to hike to Iceberg Lake Sunday afternoon while the weather was still nice. The first quarter mile of the trail is a little steep, but the rest (9.6 miles roundtrip) is mostly level. The setting sun brought out the beautiful red colors of the mountains. As we approached the lake, we passed pools of water along Wilbur Creek. Iceberg Lake itself is nestled in a cirque, surrounded by 2000’ cliffs. As in most years, the lake had many icebergs in it when we visited. We were also lucky to see two mountain goats grazing near the lake’s northeast corner. On the return hike, we spotted a bull moose feeding in the bushes about 75 yards away.
Click here for pictures taken 9/7/14: https://plus.google.com/photos/10350521 ... 2474237185

I think it was that afternoon when I spotted my friend Todd at the Swiftcurrent Motor Lodge. Todd (“toddnick” on glacier.nationalparkschat.com) is a very experienced and knowledgeable Glacier hiker, and a Travelocity Trip Advisor on the Park. He’s also an all-around nice guy. I had the pleasure of meeting and hiking with him last year, and we have stayed in touch.

Monday, 9/8/14, we arose early and immediately drove to the ever-popular Many Glacier Campground, where campsites are first-come, first-served. We scored a beautiful campsite at the back near the creek, with an unobstructed view of Grinnell Point towering over us. This would be our home for the next 5 days and nights.
After lunch, we embarked on the Grinnell Glacier Trail, which may be the most beautiful trail I’ve ever hiked. It starts on the Many Glacier Road near the Many Glacier Hotel, and skirts the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine as it passes through the forest. After about 2.5 miles, the trail begins a steady climb along the southern flank of Mt. Grinnell, through steep meadows of wildflowers, with abundant and sweet huckleberries in easy reach. The views are outstanding, with Lake Josephine and, higher up, Grinnell Lake, and the surrounding peaks. Grinnell Lake is especially beautiful, with vivid turquoise water and a water fall at its head. We saw numerous bighorn rams, some of which grazed within 20 feet of the trail. Other hikers told us that they had seen a grizzly foraging in a meadow, but despite our best efforts, we never spotted it. Another 2.5 miles of climbing, often on narrow paths carved into the side of near-vertical rock faces, and we reached a saddle overlooking Grinnell Glacier. Unfortunately, by that time the forecasted cold weather system was arriving in the form of low clouds, which obscured our view of the glacier. We descended a rocky path down the face of the moraine left by the receding glacier to the small lake of meltwater. The toe of the glacier was just visible across the green water, and chunks of ice floated just out of reach. It was a strange and beautiful scene. The fact that the glacier was mostly hidden was a minor disappointment when compared to the scenery we had just experienced.

Click here for pictures taken 9/8/14: https://plus.google.com/photos/10350521 ... 6768396849

The return hike was misty and cold, and we donned our rain gear while grilling steaks at the campsite. That night, we heard wind and grainy snow hitting our tents, and the temperature dropped sharply. We were glad we weren’t camped higher up at Gunsight Lake, facing a 1600-foot climb to Lake Ellen Wilson.
Tuesday, 9/9/14, dawned damp and cold. Wednesday brought snow from dawn to dusk. The high temp both days was 35 F, and we spent our time in restaurants, gift shops, and hotel lobbies. The Park Café in St. Mary makes a rockin’ Reuben sandwich and heavenly huckleberry pie.

Thursday morning, the snow had stopped, leaving an accumulation of about 6 inches at Many Glacier. The mountains were even more beautiful than before, with their fresh white covering. After a hearty breakfast at the Swiftcurrent Motor Lodge, we set off on the Swiftcurrent Pass trail for an out-and-back day hike. First stop: Fishercap Lake. A well-known moose hangout, it did not disappoint. A cow stood belly-deep in the frigid water, grazing on aquatic plants and ignoring the hikers and our cameras. A mile or so further on is another beautiful lake, and then Redrock Falls.

Several hikers who passed in the opposite direction told us that a grizzly had been seen near the trail up ahead of us. Some had heard that a hiker had sprayed the bear because it approached him on the trail. Though we saw several large piles of bear scat on the trail, we never saw a bear. Judging by the scat, the bear was too busy gorging on huckleberries to make another appearance.

We continued down the snow-covered trail, passing Bullhead Lake. As we got close to the slopes of Swiftcurrent Mountain, we spotted two bighorn rams, and shortly afterwards, a whitetail buck and doe. When the trail began its climb to Swiftcurrent Pass, we stopped and had lunch next to the creek, once again savoring the views of the snowy peaks around us. Then, we reluctantly headed back to camp.

Click here for pictures taken 9/11/14: https://plus.google.com/photos/10350521 ... 9193573121

Friday, 9/12/14, Todd joined us for a morning hike to the Ptarmigan Tunnel. From the trailhead, it’s 10.5 miles to the tunnel, and 2,400’ of elevation gain. Most of the climbing occurs in the 8.3 miles from the junction with the Iceberg Lake trail to the tunnel. The trail was covered in snow, which had been packed down by previous hikers and refrozen overnight. This slippery, uneven surface made hiking a little more difficult, especially for Rad, who was limping on a sore foot. So, I lent him my hiking poles, and relied on luck and my Vibram-soled Vasque Taku boots (love ‘em!) to keep me upright. Though the temperature never made it out of the 40s, the wind was calm, and we were quite comfortable. Todd patiently adjusted his normally blazing pace to allow us to keep up with him. As we emerged from the trees, Ptarmigan Lake became visible up ahead, as well as the switchbacks on the Ptarmigan Wall leading to the tunnel. Todd reassured us the tunnel really was there, even though it’s invisible until you’re 20’ away from it. Turning around, we were treated to a gorgeous view of the mountains to the south of us.
The switchback trail became a narrow trench in the deep snow, and required careful footwork, but we made it to the tunnel without incident. The tunnel entrance was festooned with big icicles. We walked the 250 feet through to the north door, and when we emerged, we were rewarded with a stunning view of the Belly River Valley and Elizabeth Lake. The snow on that side of the Ptarmigan wall was quite deep, and a ranger told us the next day that several groups of backpackers attempting to descend that trail northward Friday had to turn back.

On the return hike, we took a lunch break creek side above Ptarmigan Falls. When I stood up from my seat on a boulder, I slipped and fell. Oh, the irony! No injuries, fortunately.

Click here for pictures taken 9/12/14: https://plus.google.com/photos/10350521 ... 1546416433

Saturday, 9/13/14, the sky that had been gray and cloudy since Monday afternoon became brilliant blue, just in time for our departure. Heading West on the GTSR, we were enjoying the scenery one last time when we noticed a guy walking a bike uphill in the road ahead of us. We were quite surprised when we passed him and realized that the bike was an old-fashioned “pennyfarthing,” with one big wheel in front and one small wheel in back. Its rider was wearing a tall helmet like those worn by London bobbies. I immediately pulled into a turnout and we jumped out to talk with him. His name is Joff Summerfield, and he is a Londoner on a quest to ride his bike around the world. He said he started this leg in Toronto. Click here for a picture of Joff: https://plus.google.com/photos/10350521 ... 4333514801. We gave him a cold Coke and wished him well. After that, the trip home became long and boring, so I’ll end this report here.

[Selkie]

A great trip report, and quite the picture gallery! Thanks for posting.

Boot shot, beautiful lakes, blue skies, snow and ice, views of moose, dining at Park Cafe -- sounds like you had the full experience!

[Jay w]

Love the snow pics. Also, #20 up at Grinnell is a great one. The snow is beautiful, but its hard to stay dry and warm when you're sleeping outdoors. Good job.

Jay

[Ear Mountain]

When my wife and I are backpacking we always have wine before dinner. I thought everyone does that?

[tibber]

thank you! for a wonderful trip report though it looked way too cold for me. The commentary and pictures were great.

I have booked time off to visit Glacier in the Fall after Labor Day hoping to see fall colors, NOT the white stuff down at hiking level .

[joybird]

So sorry the weather prevented you from doing the Gunsight route...I can certainly relate.

But it looks like you didn't let that keep you from having a wonderful trip anyway. Good for you!

Some fabulous photos in those albums. In addition to the one Jay mentioned, I loved the colors on that striped rock and the rock with the lichens. Not to mention that close-up of the bighorn. And how cool to see the icicles on the tunnel!

Thanks for sharing such a great report.

[kimmar]

Awww SwampRat! So fun to see your trip report - you have some amazing shots here, you need to start a Glacier Gallery and get some of these framed. Glad you got to hike with Todd, and Ptarmigan is one spectacular hike. Makes me cold just looking at those pics, even here in Florida!

Please say hi to Gary and Roger, would just love to get in on another political debate and hear those two go at it. Sure added an entertaining twist to the Highline Trail.

[Jen]

When my wife and I are backpacking we always have wine before dinner. I thought everyone does that?

I thought the same thing

[PJ]

Ummmm...actually, no, we lightweight backpackers take high proof whiskey. Wine is pretty heavy for its alcohol content. But - really enjoyed the trip report - great perseverance in spite of tough weather conditions.

[Jen]

Wine is my only "luxury item".