Glacier National Park WOW!!!!!
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I don't even know where to start. This trip, and plannig, started for me about 2 years ago and finnaly came true last week. I want to say thanks to the members before me that have posted pics and videos, one of whom was David Chenault, you have an amazing backyard to play in. This is going to be my new play ground, when ever I can afford the time and money to get out there. This trip originaly started with 8 people going, but after some people bowing out due to jobs and other constraints, we ended up with 4 total, this worked out to be the magic number. The 4 that went were, Marc Eldredge, his brother Rick, David Wage and myself. I left my house on Aug. 24th at 5:30 am and drove to Davids house in Modesto to meet up with everyone else. When I got there everyone one was accounted for and ready to start this journey. We left Modesto and headed for my sisters house in Madras Oregon where we would spend our first night. When we arrived we had a nice BBQ dinner waiting for us (Thanks sis) and beds for everyone, plus showers! The next morning we were off to Montana, oh I forgot to mention, on the way up the 99 fwy we hit smokey skies from Redding Ca. all the way to Oregon due to wild fires, when we passed Mt Shasta you could barley see it, or the lake. We got to the Glacier Park and found that all the sites were full, but we kept checking untill we found one, then we rolled out the bivy's in the dark and went to sleep. The next morning Marc payed for our site and we went to pick up the permit, and check out the park since our hike didn't start until Mon. This gave us a chance to try out the free park shuttle, have some breakfest, coffee, and of course some Huckkelberry icecream. YUUUUMMMMMM!!! Dave and I would drive the car to the loop and park it there, so after our hike we could drive it to the lodge where we would all spend the night. We took the shuttle back which was very nice and clean, and it gave us a chance to site see. Mon. morning we hopped on the non stop shuttle to Logans Pass to start our hike on the Highline trail. Now for some pictures.
This is the start to the Highline trail.
Right off the bat we seen Rams and Mountain goats.
Our first look at the Highline trail.
I fast foward to these 2 pics just to give you an idea of whats in store.
I'll post more pics later this week, I need to resize alot of them first. I'm sure once the guys see I've posted they well start posting thier pics also. I hope everyone enjoys them, but they just don't due the Park justice.
After a long drive we finally made it to Apgar and set up camp. Next morning we went to the permit station and got our permit. We then decided to take the car to the loop so it would be there when we hiked out. Lazed around the rest of the afternoon and got up early the next morning to catch the shuttle to Logan Pass. Started to hike about 9:00AM or so. The smoke from a fire in the Bob had drifted north and hazed up our view which was kind of a bummer.
Our lunch next to the Sacramento River.
Fireworks at Jack's sisters.
Sunrise from the porch of the Lighthouse.
Duomid with a Stealth Nano porch.
Trailhead at Logan Pass
Sheep at the start of the hike.
Looking across from the cable.
The cable along the Highline Trail.
Our hazy day.
Dave on a little break
Same with Jack
Looking toward Granite Park.
Our camp at Granite Park. A little cramped.
My kind of outhouse.
Back side of Granite Park Chalet.
Looking toward Swiftcurrent Pass.
A growing Cairn at the top of Swiftcurrent Pass. Kick this one down.
Rick, Dave, Jack and Marc.
Looking toward Bullhead, Redrock and Fishercap lakes.
The Swiftcurrent Pass Trail.
More Swiftcurrent Pass Trail.
Nice swimmming hole at the bottom of the pass.
Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. Nice dinner.
Nice sunrise with a little cloud cover and a couple of drops.
Was nice hiking in the cool morning with the clouds.
Along the Ptarmigan Trail.
Heading for the Ptarmigan Tunnel.
Looking down on Ptarmigan Lake from the entrance to the tunnel.
Marc and Rick at the southern entrance to the tunnel.
The interior of the tunnel. This was quite the work.
Looking out the north door.
Looking down the Ptarmigan Trail from the tunnel.
This is Elizabeth Lake. We will camp on the far side.
The northern door of the tunnel.
The cliff over the northern door.
Cliff face to the left of the northern door with part of Elizabeth Lake.
Down the Ptarmigan Trail.
More of the trail along the cliff.
Elizabeth Lake from farther down the trail.
Look up toward the trail along the cliff.
More Elizabeth Lake.
Looking toward Helen Lake and Ahearn Pass. Don't know how Dave C. did that one.
Getting closer to Elizabeth Lake.
Getting closer and closer.
Bridge to the campground at Elizabeth Lake Foot.
Dave and Jack having a little dinner.
North on Elizabeth Lake.
Dawn Mist Falls. Too bad the sun wasn't shining on them.
Rick, Jack, Dave and Marc along Glenns Lake. The swim felt good after walking through the Thimbleberry jungle.
Mt. Merritt from our swim on Glenns Lake.
Marc, Jack, Rick, Barry and Dave. We had met Barry in the permit office. We couldn't figure who was stalking who.
Falls on the way to Stony Indian Pass.
The Thimbleberry jungle. This is what we had encountered on the previous days hike and what we would encounter below Stony Indian Lake and up the Waterton Valley Trail.
Wahcheechee Mountain on the west side of Stony Indian Pass.
Another cairn at Stony Indian Pass. Kick this one down.
Stony Indian Lake from the pass.
Stony Indian Lake looking south.
Back toward Stony Indian Pass.
Looking toward the Waterton Valley.
Jack, Rick, Marc and Dave at the Patrol Cabin.
The Waterton Valley looking north.
Remnants of a structure overlooking Fifty Mountain.
Toward Fifty Mountain.
Back toward the ruined structure.
Along Flat Top Creek.
The loop. Greeted by the smell of burning brake pads.
Lake McDonald Lodge.
Lake McDonald.
On the long drive south.Rick and David waiting to load up on the non stop shuttle to Logans Pass
We seen these right off the bat.
Does anyone know what these are, and are they eatable?
What are these?
Here comes Marc.
Lots of butterflys on this trip.
Our first casmp spot. Rick is in front with Barry in the back, David is to the right and Marc is up front lower right. This is where the dear kept stealing everything that wasn't bolted down.
Someones been doing laundry, watch out for that dear!
This was the camp spot, the way the regulations state, your group of 4 must be on one pad, that made for a tight squeeze. From the left to right, My MYOG tarp new design, Marcs/Ricks Dou Mid I think, and Davids Contrail.
My dinner for the night, home made spaghetti with Quinoa pasta dehydrated at home.
Heres the thief!
More pics later.
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