Summer Hiking - Chapter 2

In my March 14, 2024 post, I mentioned the lottery process that is required for most folks to obtain their backcountry camping reservations in Glacier National Park.  And the rest of the story?  Four of us submitted lottery applications on March 15, 2024, and two of us were successful, which only means that you have a 30-minute window on a specified day in which to reserve your preferred route.  As it turned out, my husband had the earlier date (March 24, 2024), and we stopped at a Starbucks on the return from a weekend trip to Helena to complete the reservation.  We both sat and stared at his laptop for a few minutes afterwards - had we really just obtained our dream trip, and we would also enjoy the company of my nephew and his girlfriend????  We texted them the good news, and then we kept pinching ourselves for the remaining 2 hours of our drive home!!!!

The trip was planned for August 15 - 19, and one never knows how life might have other ideas.  So it wasn't until we were in Canada the day before our trip that I really accepted that this was going to happen!  (Between March and August, our nephew proposed to his girlfriend, so this trip also became an engagement celebration!)  Our prayers for good weather were (mostly) answered.  August can be prone to forest fires in this area, and what a blessing that the skies were clear of smoke for our trip.  OK, enough on the background already - let's get to the good stuff! 

We began our trip in the Waterton Peace Park, which is just over the border from Glacier National Park.  Since it is a half-day drive from our house to Waterton, we drove up the day before and left one vehicle at the Chief Mountain trailhead where we would end our hike, less than a quarter mile south of the US border with Canada.  One of the classic scenes in Waterton is the Prince of Wales hotel, which was built in 1927 by the Great Northern Railway (the hotel is on the hill in the photo below).

We took the cruise boat (which runs daily) from Waterton to Goat Haunt, the southern tip of Waterton Lake, which is actually in the US.  This cuts out 8.5 miles of hiking!!!  (This sounds so straightforward!  In reality, there were several possible wrinkles in our plan - the boat company does not allow on-line reservations - you have to buy your tickets in person, and the earliest you can do it is the day before.  Also, because you are crossing into the US, you have to register with an app called CBP Roam - of course, no one has ever had a problem with technology working properly, right?  In our case, all went smoothly.  Whew!) On the left of the lakeshore in the photo below, you can see a structure - this is a pavilion that the Rangers use to tell visitors about the Park.

We left Goat Haunt around 11 am - destination Stoney Indian Lake.  (I wasn't ready for the photo below, but our start was documented!)

 

From our previous hike together (see this post from March 14),  we had earned some trail nicknames - I am "Shoot", my nephew's fiance is "Skeeter" and my husband is "Man with Hat".  During the trip, we landed on "Fred" for my nephew. 

We traveled 8 miles in forest or tall vegetation, mostly Thimbleberry.  In the photo below, we are a half-mile from the lake.  By this point, we have climbed 3,000 feet.

We arrived at 3.45, and found ourselves alone.  The food prep area had one bear box rather than the bear hang.  We set up our tents, and eventually another 3 people came - a man from Kalispell traveling with a couple from Colorado.  Later we heard more people - two young men.

Through friends, we had heard stories about the "low rider" toilet at this campsite, and its views (a low rider means a toilet without a hut over it).  They were right on!

 From the food prep area, we could see a group of 20 goats on the mountainside (arrow in photo below is pointing to the goats).  We also spotted two Bighorn Sheep.  We didn't have much time to relax since it started thundering.  

 

We rushed dinner and were in our tents at 7 pm.  It rained heavily and for most of the night, with lightning and thunder.  There was a puddle at the bottom of the tent (on the outside) but no leakage other than some rain that ran between the tent and the fly sheet, which made the bottom of the sleeping pads a little wet.

Breakfast was lively - the two young men were energetic fellows, carrying blocks of cheese, rolls of salami, a bag crammed with animal crackers and a fifth of Jack Daniels in a glass bottle.  Between those two, Man With Hat and the talkative Kalispell man, the rest of us didn't have to say a word.

We left the site around 10.30 am; the climb to Stoney Indian Pass (basically the center of the photo above) is steep but short.  Loved looking back at the turquoise waters of the lake from above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we crested the Pass, we were rewarded with stunning views into the next valley and the surrounding mountains.  Almost speechless.

 

 

 

 

Over the next few hours, we passed numerous waterfalls.  Man with Hat remarked that Glacier is not known for waterfalls - maybe because many of them are deep in the Park and considered inaccessible for the vast majority of visitors.

 

On this section of the trail, it was down, down, down.  We met quite a few hikers going the other way, and we felt for them, knowing the elevation they would face to the top of the pass.  (The most unique of our fellow hikers was the gentleman in camo, packing a pump action shotgun.)  Not too far from the picture on the right, my hiking partners saw a black bear about 50 feet ahead of them on the trail.  It took off as soon as it saw them - so I didn't get a view ...  (Look closely at the picture - can you see all three of them - the vegetation was tall!)

It started thundering when we reached Mokowanis Junction.  Fred and Skeeter decided to run for it in the hopes that they could set up their tent before the heavens opened - that didn't work out.  We paused to put on rain gear, and I am glad we did because the heavy downpour arrived immediately after that.  When we found Fred and Skeeter, the precipitation paused long enough for us to erect our tents.  After another short rain shower, the skies cleared a bit and we could have dinner in the open.  The food prep area had an unobstructed view of beautiful Mokowanis Lake.

 

Man with Hat even had a chance to throw a line into the lake (no bites, though.)

We were in the tent by 7.30.  We woke to slugs everywhere - some had even slimed their way up the side of the tent!  Morning also brought a still lake, which made it easy to spot the Mergansers, and a Beaver with its tell-tale v-shaped wake.  We chatted with our fellow campers, three fellows who went to law school at the same time and have a tradition of camping together - one of them was kind enough to take our photo.

Further up the drainage from Mokowanis is a set of waterfalls that are a must-see, especially since it is less than a half-mile from camp!  We enjoyed this side trip, carrying only water and bear spray!

We left camp at 10.30, knowing the day's hike would clock in at 10 miles, one of our longer days.  We took a break at Glenn's Lake foot, followed by the crossing at the foot of Cosley Lake.  No footbridge here!  The sections of trail from Glenn's Lake foot through the end of this camping trip represented repeats for Fred, Man with Hat and me - we covered this ground on the trip we made in July 2021 (see posts here and here).  Not that I am complaining - we wanted to show Skeeter this area (especially Helen Lake), and Man with Hat was eager to fish again at Elizabeth Lake head.

Dawn Mist Falls is an excellent spot for a break on a hot August day, and the photo ops are not too bad either!

We arrived at Elizabeth Lake foot (our campsite for the night) at 4 pm.  We chatted briefly with the woman from Queens, her boyfriend and their other friend.  All of them had been fishing with some success - Man with Hat would not be so lucky.  Maybe his luck was reserved for our euchre match that evening by the tent - we beat Fred and Skeeter!  All five of the tent sites were filled - I estimate a total of 17 people.  We retired to the tent at 8.30 pm, and by 9 pm I had to visit the site next to us to request that they lower their voices.  I wanted to hear the owl hooting gently from nearby (wink!)

Our fourth day was designed to be the shortest (about five miles) to allow for ample fishing and beach time at the head of Elizabeth Lake.  The boys fished for at least four hours - Skeeter and I chatted and took photos.  I wandered the shore and spotted many birds, most notably Yellow Rumped Warblers, Yellow Warblers and Ruby Crowned Kinglets.

Fred and Skeeter swam in the lake - a little chilly for me, but they said it was refreshing!

 

We left our beach and arrived at Helen Lake at 4 pm.  As beautiful as we remembered it!  We set up our tents and hung our food in our customary pattern, and then Fred took Skeeter to explore the area more thoroughly.  We exchanged some stories with the three young men who were occupying the only other site at Helen; they were mellow and funny.  Man with Hat had started experiencing some pain in his left knee, and we were in our tents by 8.20.  At 3 in the morning, when we made a trip to the pit toilet, the bright red eyes of a snowshoe hare watched us intently from nearby.  A haze of clouds obscured most of the stars in the sky.

We rose at 6 with a goal to leave camp by 8.  We were all concerned about Man with Hat's knee - how would it stand up to the 14 miles that lay ahead, not to mention the 1,100 feet of elevation gain?  He taped it well and took Advil.  And Fred and Skeeter graciously took some of the weight from his pack.

 

We had pre-planned our breaks from Elizabeth Lake foot, Gable Creek and mid-way to Chief Mountain entry.  That worked very well to break up the trip, to rest and to refill water at Gable Creek. 

It was the hottest of the days, and the last couple of miles, together with the elevation, were killer.  We were all ready to be done.  Does this look like we just wrapped up 44 miles and over 6,000 feet of elevation?

***And now for an editorial comment if anyone has made it this far!  I have not been sick but I have been away from blogging and distracted by many other activities.  I am looking forward to making the rounds to all of you, my friends, to read about your happenings.  I have missed visiting with you in the blogosphere.

Linking up with Eileen at Saturday's Critters

Linking up with Michelle at Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Yogi at Skywatch

Linking to Mosaic Monday

Mosaic Monday #143: Up, Up and Away

Our final day of hiking in the Belly River area, measured at 11.72 miles, was not the longest section of our July backcountry camping trip (see first/second day and third day).  On the other hand, the 2,445 feet of elevation gain - now, that would get anyone's attention!  It was three times more than any previous day.  Using one formula I found on the web, this equates to 244 flights of stairs!  But you won't catch me complaining!  Elevation gain = extensive views!  Elevation gain = workout!  And we knew a special reward awaited us at the end.  If you want to know what it was, read on, my friend!

As I mentioned in my last post, we rose at 6 am with the intention to dry our tents and depart by 8 am.  (When hiking steep terrain, it's always better in the cool of the day.)  However, due to the rain the day before, and the time it took for the sun to peep over the mountains, drying was a slow process; it was closer to 9 am by the time we bid farewell to the Elizabeth Lake campsite that had been home for two nights.

1.6 miles into the hike, we paused at the foot of Elizabeth Lake to replenish our water and to drop a layer of clothing; we knew we would heat up quickly as the trail immediately began to ascend.  Initially winding through forest, the trail eventually emerged onto a massive red scree field that extended as far as our eyes could see.

Without trees to obscure the view, Nephew could capture panoramas such as the one below.

Redgap Creek crossed our path, offering a welcome opportunity for a break and a water refill.  This butterfly seemed to be after a drink too, perching on Nephew's Camelpack mouthpiece!

As we continued to climb, we gained a unique perspective on our whereabouts for the last two days.  The sandy bay in the picture to the right is the spot we saw the moose, and around the corner from that is our "beach".  Directly above that, high on the mountain, is Old Sun Glacier.  From down in the valley, we could glimpse only a small section of the glacier.  At this height, the ice mass is visible in all its glory.  

The vegetation became quite sparse on the upper reaches of the scree field.  It always amazes me that there is vegetation at all, and that it seems to be thriving!

Yes, the landscape below can support many forms of life.

I reveled in the blue skies and puffy clouds.  In the picture below, I love how the trail disappears around the corner.

A solo hiker passed us on our way up, and we saw no one else until just before the section of the trail that is enclosed with a stone wall.  A couple were headed down, and we carefully perched on the uphill side of the path so they could squeeze around us.  Tumbling down this scree field would not make anyone's day!

As we approached the path on the rock wall, we could see something falling from the trail.  What???  Three members of a trail crew were shoveling rock chips from the path onto the scree field below.  One winter's worth of accumulation was enough to almost fill up the path to the top of the rock wall.  Apparently, this is what kept the tunnel closed until a few days ago (as it does every summer).  The trail is not deemed safe until the chips are removed - walking on them without the protection of the wall would surely lead to a rapid slide downhill!

This is the panoramic view that the hoary marmot enjoys every day (of the summer)!

This video shows the marmot picking up a rock in one paw, and appearing to eat or lick it.  I have seen other animals in Glacier National Park licking rocks for essential minerals, and I am guessing the marmot was after the same.  Or maybe he dug up a forb that we could not see!

As you can see in the video, plants manage to find a foothold in this rocky environment.  I snapped a few of them.

The scar in the rock leads to the Ptarmigan Tunnel, built in 1930 through the Ptarmigan Wall at an elevation of 7,200 feet.  The 250-foot manmade tunnel allows hikers to avoid a strenuous climb over very steep terrain between the Belly River Valley and Many Glacier.   Two opposing steel jackhammers drilling from either side of the tunnel, and a series of ten-hole rounds of dynamite gradually broke through the mountain in less than three months.  

As soon as we reached the tunnel, I felt like Alice in Wonderland: the whole world turned upside down.  Near total isolation transformed to a return to civilization.  People everywhere.  People who want to hike only as far as the tunnel.  People carrying silver umbrellas to protect themselves from the unrelenting sun on the south side of the mountain.  "Surreal" does not seem to capture it.   We enjoyed well-deserved snacks on the Many Glacier side of the tunnel, and then we hoofed the remaining 5 miles to the parking lot without any real stops.  

It was hot on this side, and I believe I drained my Camel Pack by the time we reached Many Glacier.  I can't tell you how satisfied we were to reach the parking lot and see my vehicle waiting for us!

And even better was to find that the RTIC cooler kept the beer, cider and wine cold for 5 days, in fairly warm temperatures!  Cheers to my nephew and Man with Hat - a glorious adventure in every way!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

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