August 2016: Visiting Glacier National Park (Part 3)

Our campsite at Two Medicine

After hiking a loop over Dawson and Pitamakan passes in the Two Medicine area, Laura and I rested at the campground. Our three friends from the trail stayed with us and we had a great time chatting. The moon was gigantic and there was a bear spotted trying to enter the campground so we were up pretty late.

Moonrise

Sunrise on the way to Logan pass

The next day Laura and I got up pretty early though. We had decided to hike the Highline Trail, a very popular path that stretches between the Granite Park chalet and Logan pass. The problem: Everyone drives over Logan pass, and most want to find a parking spot there. So we got to the parking lot at the crack of dawn and ate breakfast there. There were Bighorn sheep licking salt off the pavement and we watched them until more people showed up and scared them off.

Another great view of the sunrise

Logan pass visitor center

Here we go!

Nice cool morning for a hike

We were soon sailing down the trail. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the shade as we walked.

Ready to go!

View to the left as we hiked the trail

Looking back toward the sunrise

I cannot begin to say how perfectly pristine and breathtaking the views were as we hiked! In a picture, such things look nice but it is completely different when you are surrounded by such scenery.

Looking back toward Clements and Reynolds mountains

Clements mountain

Heading down from the pass

Even at the time we started our hike, there were plenty of people on the trail and we waved hellos and chatted while hiking. The excitement everyone had to be there was infectious!

Rocky ledge above the Going-To-The-Sun road

Pretty amazing view!

Looking toward Logan pass from a distance

One of a few short climbs

It is so big! Can you find me?

As we hiked farther and farther, we would look back and see the view behind completely changed. The sun would rise more lighting the far wall, or the mountain range would alter because of our change in perspective. If I had kept every different photo from that hike, this post would be twice as long as it is now!

Reynolds mountain

Plants in the early light

This is called the Garden Wall. It provides lots of shade.

A good spot for some bouldering

We hiked over Haystack Butte, a small spur that juts a ways into the valley across the trail. It is above the Weeping Wall, a point on the road below where water oozes out of the rocks so it looks like the wall is weeping. After Haystack Butte, we were soon in sight of the Granite Park chalet. It looked so tiny perched on a bluff and surrounded by mountains!

Looking back at Logan pass!

Climbing behind Haystack Butte

Looking back from Haystack Butte

View to the west

Looking back toward Haystack Butte

Laura in front of Heaven's Peek

The rock around granite park is not granite!

I can see the chalet!

Heading down to the chalet

Heavens Peek and Mt Cannon with Lake McDonald between

Granite Park chalet

When we arrived at the Granit Park chalet, there were about half a dozen people there. We sat at a table and chatted about the next stage of our journeys. I was still feeling pretty in shape from my hike across Oregon and wanted to challenge myself to a really difficult hike. So I had suggested we split up and I hike to Many Glacier while Laura drove there. My goal: To hike to Glacier Overlook, back to the chalet, up to Swiftecurrent peak, and then down through the Swiftcurrent valley to meet Laura for dinner at the Motor inn. She would finish the Highline Trail loop back down to the road, where she would get a bus ride back to the pass, visit the center there, and drive back to Many Glacier and meet me for dinner.
   

Sitting outside the chalet

Looking back toward Logan pass

First stop: Glacier overlook

Starting my solo hike

The hike up to Glacier Overlook was about 1.5 miles of trail that steeple climbed up to a gap in the Garden Wall that we had previously hiked below. At the top, people can look down the north side of the wall and see the glaciers and lakes hiding on the other side. It was a relentless climb but well worth it once I got to the top!

Almost there

Mount Gould comes into view

Upper Grinnell Lake nestled in the mountains

At the top of the climb, I had the compulsion to climb the peaks on either side of me. They looked so close and I could imagine that amazing feeling I would have standing atop them. I also imagined how long it would take to find my body if I fell trying an off-trail ascent without notifying anyone and chose to stick to the trail.

Looking south from my perch

Heading back down

After hiking back down to the chalet, I would hike up and over the same ridge of mountains at Swiftcurrent pass, which leads down to the Swiftcurrent valley and Many Glacier. While crossing the pass I would hike to the top of Swiftcurrent Mountain. At about 8.5 thousand feet, it is one of the highest point you can get to in the park without going off trail!

Up, up, up..

Looking back toward Logan pass and the chalet

Swiftcurrent pass

Looking down toward Many Glacier for the first time

Swiftcurrent pass was a nice wide saddle with a pretty stream and little sub-alpine trees everywhere. I turned and headed up to the top of Swiftcurrent Mountain. The trail was mostly over exposed rock and was made up of switchbacks that seemed to go forever. As I climbed, the landscape below opened up even more.

View south from halfway up the mountain

Can you spot the chalet?

Communications cabin

At the top of the mountain, I met a cool guy whose job it was to sit in the small shack at the top and relay information from his high point. There is very bad reception out there and so a radio shack atop Swiftcurrent Mountain is a very useful thing. He told me stories of his experiences. My favorite description was him being in the middle of the clouds during a thunderstorm and watching the lightening travel around the cabin in the mist!

Swiftcurrent glacier with Gould mountain behind it

The valley down to Many Glacier

View to the north. Canada starts somewhere out there!

View to the west

View to the south

Panorama north and east

Panorama south and east

After a nice visit, I started my trek down to Many Glacier. I was shooting to arrive at 5 o'clock for dinner, an average pace of 5-6 miles per hour. That was a tall order and I wasn't sure I could make it but I like a challenge and began hiking down at a good clip.

Ready to head down

Heavens Peek

Heading down from the pass

This is big! Can you see the person?

Follow the chain of lakes...

Hiking below Swiftcurrent glacier

Hiking downhill may seem like the best part of any hike but that it not completely true. Hiking uphill certainly burns, using certain muscles a lot and wearing them out. But hiking downhill is often worse because it is hard on joints, not muscles, unless you are very conscious of what is being strained and adjust your stride to match it. Most people don't notice this on shorter hikes but I guarantee that if you hike downhill for and hour or two, you will understand what I am saying! One way I adjust to keep from stomping downhill and hurting my joints is jogging. If I jog, I don't have to put on the breaks and joggle so much. It also helps me to make some good time when hiking. So I literally ran down a couple of the miles to Many Glacier, feeling free and strong. I would stop for the occasional picture though.

Cool rocky ledge

Glacial waterfalls!

Nice bridge down in the valley

Swiftcurrent  glacier and peak

When I arrive in the valley below, rainy weather started to roll in. It rained a bit but I found that refreshing after all the exertion of keeping my pace! I sailed by more and more people as I approached the Many Glacier campground. I was tempted to stop and swim in some amazing looking swimming holes but it was starting to get a little chilly so I didn't give in to the temptation.

I climbed that!

Nice swimming hole!

Goodbye, Many Glacier!

In the end, I think I arrived at 5:15 or so... just a little late. But that was quite a feat! I had hiked about 16 miles in about 3.5 hours! Laura was waiting at the Motor inn and told me of her adventures. There had been a bear in the area on her leg of the trail so she stayed near other hikers for safety reasons, especially because I had the bear spray. Then she had a great ride back up to Logan pass. We both enjoyed some delicious dinner. There is nothing like eating a big meal after a long hard day of hiking!

Yummy!

Saying goodbye to our new friends!

After dinner, we headed back to Two Medicine and found that our new hiking friends were still around! They had booked a hike the following day and were taking a rest day. We told tham of our day and generally sat around and talked all evening. It was so nice to meet them and Laura is still in touch. At some point we hope that we can take them on some hikes in Washington. We also want to go to Minnesota and canoe with some of them! The next day was overcast and cool. We could no longer see the tops of any of the mountains as we went and got breakfast in the store at Two Medicine lodge. There was supposed to be a ranger there to chat with but nobody showed, which was fine. Laura and I sat and looked out the window, reminiscing about our trip.

Cloudy morning at Two Medicine lodge

Goodbye, Glacier NP!

We were so blessed to get to see Glacier National Park! It is everything people say about it and more. We were also lucky to see the glaciers there. Whether you believe in global warming or not, the fact is that there are not many glaciers left there. When the park was founded, there were about 150. Now there are fewer than two dozen left. It is estimated that they will all be gone in the next 10 years. Whether you believe that people are the cause or not, I would highly recommend visiting before there are no glaciers left!