Skiing to the Loop (almost)

Crooked Wood · Post by **Crooked Wood** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 8:37 am

A day off from work yesterday, so to The Park I went. I had seen a recent photo on Instagram of the tunnel before the loop. There were icicles hanging from the tunnel and I wanted to get some photos.
The pavement was clear during the drive to Avalanche, which was surprising because I had 4-5" at my house in Kalispell after last weeks storm.
There was a thin veneer of snow on the road after the gate up until Red Rocks. After that it got a bit deeper, but not much. I regretted not having my skate skis, because it would have been an easy skate on the thin snow.
The tunnel looked incredible with a curtain of icicles hanging on the outside of the tunnel. In the middle was a huge stalagmite icicle hanging from the ceiling. It was growing up from the road also. I wonder if they will connect.
Half way through the tunnel, the road and walkway was covered with a sheet of thick shiny ice. I had wanted to ski further, but it was impassable.
I might go back this weekend with my skate skis and crampons. Ski to the pass??

Sorry, I chose to remove these photos from the forum, but you may view them on my instagram page.

Steve
https://www.instagram.com/rabasak/

July Guy · Post by **July Guy** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 3:02 pm

dpratt wrote:That is awesome!

Yes!

Thanks for posting.

Carol Lynn · Post by **Carol Lynn** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 4:52 pm

Awesome photos Steve! Thanks for showing us something very few people get to see.

Jen · Post by **Jen** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 7:24 pm

Sometimes it can be difficult to make an impression on a group who has seen so many photos of the same place.

These are phenomenal! Well done!

Looking forward to your future posts!

Jay w · Post by **Jay w** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 9:39 pm

Great stuff.

Jay

PeteE · Post by **PeteE** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 9:45 pm

I like that first photo with all the ice hanging...dunno why.
Nice trip! I envy XC skiers

pete

al_in_al · Post by **al_in_al** » Fri Dec 04, 2015 1:16 pm

Wow!

Thanks for sharing!

calicotraveler · Post by **calicotraveler** » Mon Dec 07, 2015 2:47 pm

Great ice pic!

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:11 pm

Sweet...

Crooked Wood · Post by **Crooked Wood** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:02 pm

PeteE wrote:I like that first photo with all the ice hanging...dunno why.
Nice trip! I envy XC skiers

pete

Apparently, other people like it also.

10,000 'likes' on #GlacierNPS Instagram since last weekend!

https://www.instagram.com/glaciernps/

joybird · Post by **joybird** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 6:27 pm

Wow! Those are great! I particularly love the colors and textures on the walls on some of them.

I hope you are able to get back out there. It'd be way cool to see what those layers of icicles look like from outside the far side of the tunnel…

Stay safe and keep posting for us!

Crooked Wood · Post by **Crooked Wood** » Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:16 am

joybird wrote:Wow! Those are great! I particularly love the colors and textures on the walls on some of them.

I hope you are able to get back out there. It'd be way cool to see what those layers of icicles look like from outside the far side of the tunnel…

Stay safe and keep posting for us!

Thank you!
Yes, colors were awesome.
I had planned to get back there this past weekend. There had been freezing rain a day or two before, they had just opened the road to Avalanche when I got there. The road beyond the gate was glazed over snow. It didn't look like much fun. I hope to get back up there. We had some snow yesterday.
Instead, I hiked up to Avalanch Lake. Solitude!
Lot's of hikers coming up though on my way back.
Steve
https://www.instagram.com/p/_CIkk-AOi6/ ... by=rabasak

PeteE · Post by **PeteE** » Fri Dec 11, 2015 10:17 am

...Instead, I hiked up to Avalanche Lake. Solitude!
Lot's of hikers coming up though on my way back...

Avalanche is a nice hike when there's snow. I like doing it in the spring and then here in the late fall.'
I like to go early too and have the place to myself if possible.
The solitude, the peace and quiet, on a snowy day in a beautiful place like Avalanche lake is hard to describe.

The snow yesterday and that coming Saturday night(predicted) should make the skiing good for you.
This weekend may be the last weekend the road will be open to Avalanche.
I'm hoping they'll leave it open through Sunday so i can go one last time this year.
Hopefully, I'm getting new tires on today. Gonna go see now.

Good photos too. Keep us up to date on the back country!!!

pete

Crooked Wood · Post by **Crooked Wood** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:44 pm

I was happy to see that my tunnel photo was included in the 9 most liked photos on Glaciers instagram site.

https://www.instagram.com/p/_9degZNKsj/ ... glaciernps

I've been getting to the park quite a bit during this great winter we're having.
I'll post some photos just as soon as I get them developed

Happy New Year
Steve

PeteE · Post by **PeteE** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:54 am

Well done Steve!!

Let's hope this winter weather continues.
Recall that last year began even better than this year but turned ugly and rainy after about January 10th.
We do not need a repeat of last year!!

cheers

pete

PS See Steve's last post on Page 1

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