View Full Version : Glacier National Park, Backpacking, Fishing and Hanging Questions August 2015
Our family is planning a 10 day trip to Glacier in August to (*gasp*) backpack in to remote fishing spots. I gasp because I am really the only big backpacker of the group, including my teenage kids, my DH, his sister, and her grown son and his wife. Right now I am a little overwhelmed by the possibilities, so would appreciate some advice by people who have some backcountry time there.
Half of us are hangers - 3 hammocks. The other half tenters - 3 tents... Do we need to reserve 2 tent sites or 3 because of the hammocks? I know there are 2 tents allowed per site, right?
Can anyone give me suggestions for a 50-60ish mile backpacking trip. I want to avoid an out-and-back so we can see more. A loop or even a shuttle with a pick up along Going to the Sun Road is great. I am thinking 8-10 miles per day for 5 or 6 days.
Also, I know fishing folk keep their prize spots close to their chest, but if you have any suggestions, can you PM me if you don't want to put it on the forum?
Bannerstone
01-27-2015, 08:05
Thanks Demeter for posting, if you don't mind me going to school on your planning process. I've only day hike and fished from road accessible locations but it certainly put the hook in me for a return trip someday. Just as an aside, if you follow facebook at all, Glacier has a page that will push a daily picture of the park to your news feed, it's just eye candy but really good motivational stuff for your planning. I find I'm starting to become more familiar with the park as a whole.
David
Look at the Glacier map with the back country campgrounds. Most of the hikes look great, I have only done a few miles but never back country camps. You may be limited to campsites with hanging but looked like most have decent trees at the tent pads. Look at google maps, zoom into Glacier park and type "campgrounds" in the search box. Most of the back country campgrounds will show on the map. I zoomed in and was picking the ones with decent looking trees.
We stayed a few nights at Many Glacier campground and a few at Two Medicine. Both had great trees for hanging and we just did day hikes.
Also check out Hike734 on youtube. He has hiked every mile in Glacier and has videos on just about every trail.
Have fun, it is a magical place to visit. August will be very busy but the weather will be great.
Thanks Demeter for posting, if you don't mind me going to school on your planning process. I've only day hike and fished from road accessible locations but it certainly put the hook in me for a return trip someday. Just as an aside, if you follow facebook at all, Glacier has a page that will push a daily picture of the park to your news feed, it's just eye candy but really good motivational stuff for your planning...
David
Definitely join in the forum fun! The news feed sounds like a great carrot to dangle in front of the family :)
Look at google maps, zoom into Glacier park and type "campgrounds" in the search box. Most of the back country campgrounds will show on the map. I zoomed in and was picking the ones with decent looking trees....
Also check out Hike734 on youtube. He has hiked every mile in Glacier and has videos on just about every trail.
Excellent idea about Google Earth! I am def going to do it.
Thanks so much for the Youtube channel. I need to check it out right now!!
SnrMoment
01-27-2015, 17:22
Make sure everyone has bear spray and follow the recommended protocol.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb108/itileman/SANY0006.jpg (http://s210.photobucket.com/user/itileman/media/SANY0006.jpg.html)
This (http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Glacier-Waterton-Lakes-National/dp/0762772530) might also interest you.
And This (http://www.hikinginglacier.com/glacier-national-park-hiking-books.htm)
A great loop is to start at Many Glacier up through the Ptarmigan tunnel to Elisibeth Lake . Then take the Belly River trail to Mikiwanis Lake. Then up Stoney Indian Pass to Stoney Indian Lake . Go down to the Highline Trail and head south to Fifty Mountain. This a great place to do a layover day. the day hike up to Sue Lake overlook is worth it . Continue south on the Highline Trail to Granite Park Campground. There is the Granite Peak Lodge just 1/4 mile away, they have Snickers and Cokes for Sale! This would also be a great layover with side trips to the Grinnell Glacier overlook and the Swiftcurrent lookout tower. Last day go down the Swift Current trail . Lots of hanging glaciers and waterfalls. The lakes in the valley are your best chance to see moose . This will take you back to Many Glacier where there is a campground, Showers, a restaurant , and the best of all Huckleberry Ice cream and Beer . Try the Scape Goat Lager, it is the best !
I hiked from Chief Mountain to Bowman Lake last summer and had a fantastic time. I had a 4 minute stand off with a mountain lion on day two that was pretty dang amazing!
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=94824&d=1413256878
Fronkey
Fronkey-
Looks like that mountain lion had an abscess on his left cheek/neck area. Also looks darn skinny-
My guess is that he was looking for any easy meal. :)
And I second Snrmoment on the bear spray and having a solid bear plan.
I've actually been pseudo planning the trip Skyline just suggested to the northern area of the park for late August / early September. I have read and heard from a coworker many great things.
Fronkey-
Looks like that mountain lion had an abscess on his left cheek/neck area. Also looks darn skinny-
My guess is that he was looking for any easy meal. :)
And I second Snrmoment on the bear spray and having a solid bear plan.
He definitely had something going on with his check. A ranger said it could have been a snake bite when I showed them the video I shot. He was crouched on the trail when I walked up to him and I barely saw him.
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=94825&d=1413256878
As for bear spray, I never saw a bear in Glacier, but there was plenty of their poo around. A guy got attacked a week after I left and another a week before near Polebridge. I actually didn't carry bear spray when I was in the park which I very much regretting. I ended up buying some immediately after getting out of GNP on my west on the PNT.
Fronkey
As for bear spray, I never saw a bear in Glacier, but there was plenty of their poo around. A guy got attacked a week after I left and another a week before near Polebridge. I actually didn't carry bear spray when I was in the park which I very much regretting. I ended up buying some immediately after getting out of GNP on my west on the PNT.
Fronkey
We saw four. Two grizzlies and two black bear.
Also came within 20 yards of a moose. He was hiding in some trees and we didn't see him until we were just about past. Lucky he was a nice moose.
We saw four. Two grizzlies and two black bear.
Also came within 20 yards of a moose. He was hiding in some trees and we didn't see him until we were just about past. Lucky he was a nice moose.
That's awesome and I'm super jealous! It's funny how easy it is to walk up on something that huge. lol
Fronkey
The moose was a much scarier event. They are so big and we were real close when we spotted it. Kind of like the cat you saw, you know they can take you down if they want to.
I'd rather be surprised by a mountain lion than a Moose- Both are incredible encounters because no one was hurt... The moose would really get me going just because there is more of a chance of trouble.
Bears are whole different deal- even if you are hunting them and prepared for an encounter.
As a side note- Don't ever think because there are "only" black bears in your woods that you are safe. The black bear is less predictable than a brown and for that reason many think more dangerous than its bigger cousin.
mountainhanger
01-29-2015, 18:03
Demeter check out David gray on you tube he has some outstanding video of his hikes one on east and one on the west side he even goes thru getting the permit and ite nary too
I saw a black bear and cub that visited our campsite at Mikawanis Lake . Also saw a Grizzly above Fifty Mountain on a day hike up to Sue Lake Overlook. he was at least 200 yds away above treeline , going the other direction . That is what I call a PERFECT Grizzly encounter ! I saw another Grizzly on my hike up to Grinnell Glacier Overlook. I guess I was lucky to have this many Bear sightings in 7 days ! I was glad I had Bear Spray and a Judge 410 Polymer Revolver with a big game load !
Make sure everyone has bear spray and follow the recommended protocol.
This (http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Glacier-Waterton-Lakes-National/dp/0762772530) might also interest you.
And This (http://www.hikinginglacier.com/glacier-national-park-hiking-books.htm)
I have the book and map. Good stuff. The map at the GNP backcountry site is also great because of the trail mileage.
We are very bear aware. I camp in black bear country all the time, so always bear conscious! Two of the hikers in our party are gun-toting law enforcement as well...
A great loop is to start at Many Glacier up through the Ptarmigan tunnel to Elisibeth Lake....
Thanks so much Skyline. This is exactly the kind of trip suggestion I am looking for!
I hiked from Chief Mountain to Bowman Lake last summer and had a fantastic time. I had a 4 minute stand off with a mountain lion on day two that was pretty dang amazing!
Fronkey
Fronkey, I always enjoy your trip reports and videos. I remember your report of the mountain lion. Good thing it wasn't hungry for a hiker! :)
I've actually been pseudo planning the trip Skyline just suggested to the northern area of the park for late August / early September. I have read and heard from a coworker many great things.
Cool! I think September would be an amazing time to visit with the lower crowds!
Demeter check out David gray on you tube he has some outstanding video of his hikes one on east and one on the west side he even goes thru getting the permit and ite nary too
Thanks so much for the info! I love Youtube :)
Anything around Many was great. Ptarmagan tunnel and Iceberg lakes are must see places. If you have two vehicles available you can do some really cool hikes from east to west side. There are shuttles you can take advantage of on the east side and on the Going to the Sun road. Also if you have passports you can access the Goat Haught area via the Waterton lake cruise. The cruise itself was really fun.
Two Medicine was way less crowded, it's worth going. There are great hikes, some really good waterfalls and good backcountry. We hiked out 10 miles around Two Medicine lake for a da hike. Then took the boat back to the campground. Well the boat broke down in the middle of the lake, wind blowing 30mph knocked us into the rocks on shore. Had to wait and hour for rangers to come with another boat and pull is in. It was quite entertaining.
Playapixie
06-18-2015, 16:39
8-10 miles a day in Glacier for non-backpackers sounds really ambitious to me. Every hike I've done there has had substantial elevation gains and losses. It's rugged country, and all the hikes start at enough elevation to feel (at least for folks like us who live at sea level.) If it's a fit and motivated group, you're probably fine, but I found my hiker boyfriend was whining at the end of just 10 mile days even when we were only day hiking (though he did insist on carrying ALL of his camera gear.) ;-)
Yes to bear spray, the large can size, for each person. The only bear we saw was from the road, but we sang and clapped ourselves silly all over Glacier to avoid surprising them. Many trails we hiked had grizzly spottings the days we were on them, some campgrounds were closed, and some campgrounds were closed to tent camping and soft-sided trailers. Everyone carries bear spray. We were advised to keep it on our person at all times in the backcountry by the Rangers.
We pitched a combo of tent and hammock. Not every backcountry camp site had trees appropriate for hanging, though some did. The car camp grounds we stayed at had good trees. Glacier requires backpackers to stay at designated backpacker camps (and cook and hang food at the designated kitchen sites) because of grizzlies, so you don't really have the (legal) option of finding spots off-trail. To find trees for three hammocks you'll probably want multiple camp spots (I think your assumption that you need three for the 6 of you is probably right, both for following the "2-per" rule and for more hanging options.) Book your backpacking itinerary well in advance. We didn't, and all of the backcountry camps long hikes we hoped for were booked, so we ended up piecing together a combination of day hikes and shorter backpacks (so I can't recommend a long through-hike, since we weren't able to do one.)
Weather changes rapidly and can be windy, and it's difficult to get up-to-date forecasts in the park. Cell phones don't work most places and wifi is only available in a very few spots. A tarp with good coverage is probably wise.
Glacier is truly amazing. Do take the time to do some of the day hikes to see glaciers if you can; estimates are that they will all be gone within a few years (how few depends on who is doing the estimates.) Many of the best hikes in the park for seeing glaciers don't have any backcountry camping and can only be seen via day hikes. Siyeh Pass (off of the Going to the Sun Road) is one of the best day hikes I've ever been on anywhere. Truly stunning. And Grinnell Glacier, out of Many Glacier, is worth sharing with the swarming crowds. It's jaw-dropping.
Post trip reports when you come back! I'd love to go back and do a longer trip, too, ideally with hammocks. :-)
My avatar pic is from Otokomi Lake in Glacier. That's not our camping spot, it's just a place we pitched the hammock for sunset and stargazing. :-) The other folks there were fly fishing and they looked like they were having a lovely time.