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

Getting my (camping) mojo on!

March 15 marks the day we can enter a lottery for back-country camping reservations in Glacier National Park, and I am caught up in memories of picturesque pit toilets, gourmet meals on a camp stove and wine as an end-of-hike treat.  What better way to celebrate this moment than to highlight an epic trip from last year?  Hoist your backpack and come along with me!

My nephew and his girlfriend embarked on this pilgrimage with us, an epic trip covering 37.3 miles and 10,090 feet of elevation gain in the first 4 days of August 2023.

Does it look like we left the house at 4.45 am?  That's what you do when you want to make sure to get a parking spot in Glacier National Park!  Here we are, fortified with breakfast burritos and ready to go at 7.15 am!

This is Mineral Creek with Heavens Peak in the background.  Below is a picture of my nephew on a seasonal bridge - this means that every fall the Park Service takes it down, and every spring it is re-installed.  From this point, the trail rises to Flattop Mountain, and along the way we passed through the thickest huckleberry bushes we have ever seen, and every one was laden with luscious fat hucks.  We already have a plan to return here this summer!

As we reached the plateau that is Flattop Mountain, a delightful waterfall (see video below) greeted us and provided soothing pools for our feet in the afternoon heat of August.

Not long after, we arrived at the campground.  My nephew, in the lead at the time, shouted "I see a pit toilet!"

A forest fire that went through this area (in 2005, I believe) meant there was little shade to be had.  Flattop Creek had a few trees, and cooling waters - a pleasant respite from the relentless Montana sun.  The flowers thrive there too!

We closed the day with a few hands of cards, and a chicken and curried rice dinner, a specialty prepared by the father of our nephew's girlfriend.  Delicious!

Day 2: since the day held only 7 miles of hiking and the least elevation gain of the trip, we had a leisurely start.  The crisp morning gave way to shorts and light shirts as the sun moved overhead and numerous jagged mountains came into view. Around the cooking area that night, a Park Ranger would tell us that the area is called Fifty Mountain because you can see fifty peaks on a clear day!

 Getting closer.

We paused at this dry creekbed for a break, and I couldn't stop taking pictures of the flowers that lined its banks in undulating waves of Arnica yellow and Aster purple, with an occasional splash of Paintbrush red.

August in the high country can pose water supply challenges, and although we had verified with the back country office that water is available at Fifty Mountain campground, hearing it first-hand from a fellow camper is priceless.  Three fellows described the location of the water source in detail, which enabled us to choose the prime campsite when we arrived to a deserted campground.  Hubby and I came up empty with our goat observations, while the other two went on an excursion.  As the sun dropped, more hikers arrived until 3 of the 4 sites were taken.  The latest arrivals were making quite a racket until Spousal Unit got of our tent to hush them up!  We wouldn't normally do that, but we had our sights set on an early morning departure, and we needed some shut-eye.

Day 3: the moon hung over the cooking area/food hang when we emerged at 6 am, planning for a 7.30 am start.  It must have been the slow gas canister, or watching the pot boil, that turned into an 8.15 am kickoff!  As we trekked the 12.5 miles and 3,283 feet of elevation gain that day, we were easily distracted by the jaw-dropping views around every twist in the trail.

Up we go.

 Toward Cattle Queen Creek.

This waterfall came right out of the rock!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Can you see my nephew and his girlfriend standing the creek-bed of Cattle Queen Creek?  And he is 6 feet 7 - these mountains are GRAND!

If you look carefully at the photo below, you can see a trail descending the far mountain - we came from over there!

In 2021, I wrote several posts about our first Glacier hiking trip with my nephew (July 25, 2021, August 8, 2021 and August 15, 2021).  In the August 8 post, Helen Lake - a veritable slice of paradise - was featured.  Wouldn't you know that this current hike offered a spur with an overlook of Helen Lake?

And did I mention it was our anniversary?

It may not be apparent from the photo, but the overlook was peppered with about 20 people, more than we had seen in the previous 48 hours!  We were tickled that we timed our departure to have this refreshing stream to ourselves.

 

 

 

 

 

We were glad of cool feet as we finished our ascent to the Granite Park campground, arriving around 4.30.

Water was scarce there - we had to walk upstream quite a ways to find even a few small pools.

We weren't late to bed - as they say, early to bed, early to rise!

Day 4: We improved our process, and we left camp 25 minutes earlier than the day before.  Our destination?  Swiftcurrent Lookout, almost 2,200 feet of elevation in a couple of miles!!!  And why?  For goat observations, of course.  And for the views.  Except, the day dawned with low clouds and rolling mist.

 

It was surreal and a tad disconcerting to see my hiking partners disappear into the clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

Momentarily, the Lookout peeked out from the mist. (It's the little square on the top of the mountain.)

Check out this video of the clouds rolling over the mountains.

Despite the mist, we were able to observe 3 goats.  Yippee!  

And even more special, a little pika entertained us at the lookout.  We heard a squeaking among the rocks, and a little patience earned us a photo of this adorable critter.

And then it was down, down, down to the Loop, our starting point three days before.  In August, the last three miles are a dusty, dry, downhill slog - the views don't change and you are ready to be done.  Inevitably, we see people on this stretch who are dehydrated and not faring well.  We gave them electrolyte tablets and a bottle of glucose water and advice to take it slow.  Almost everyone rejoices with a splash in the pool below the bridge, just a quarter mile from the parking lot.  We add some adult beverages to round out the picture!

So, here's to winning another extraordinary back-country trip in Glacier!

*****

Joining LeeAnna's I Like Thursday.  Prompt this week: "What is your favorite spring flower?  Do you try to grow them in your house or yard?"  Since moving to Montana, my favorite is the Glacier Lily.  I have a few in my yard, but they occur naturally - I have not made any attempt to plant more.  Maybe in the future, someone will get to see a blanket of them in my yard, such as the picture below, taken on Beartrap Mountain in May 2017.  Happy Spring everyone!

Linking to Mosaic Monday