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mark steffens 
Group: Members
Posts: 36
Joined: Apr. 2007
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Posted on: Nov. 02 2012, 10:40 pm |
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i'm going to Glacier next August and i'm wondering if anyone could put up there suggestions for best long day hikes. i've been there before, and have done the highline, avalanche lake, and grinnell lake. i'd like to do something very scenic, could take all day, but not overnight
can't get out to Glacier much, so i'm looking for something stunning. in good shape, so if it's tough, that's ok. fav sights would be mountains,bears,overlooks etc. etc. etc.
maybe a top 5 or something.
thanks much
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| Post Number: 2
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hikingodS
Group: Members
Posts: 776
Joined: Nov. 2007
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Posted on: Nov. 02 2012, 11:45 pm |
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My personal favorite long day hike is the Dawson-Pitamakin loop out of Two Medicine. Awesome views, wildflowers, passes, lakes. Some people take the boat ride to shorten the trip, but I am always happy to hike the whole thing.
Gunsight Pass trail from Jackson Glacier Overlook to Lake McDonald is very fine, too, but you'll have to catch the shuttle back to where you started.
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| Post Number: 3
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hikerjer
Group: Members
Posts: 9144
Joined: Apr. 2002
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Posted on: Nov. 02 2012, 11:54 pm |
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The Gunsight Pass Trail is a long - about 22 miles I think - hike but it's spectacular and very doable in a long day. The only issue is it's a point to point hike. You'd have to rely on the shuttle or htich-hike. I always hitch and have never had a problem in the park. Another somewhat shorter hike is Dawson Pass at 15.4 miles. Just as spectacular and a perfect loop. Another hike that's close to being a loop - it can be if you don't mind about 3 miles of road hiking - is to start from Many Glacier to the Ptarminigan Tunnel, head almost to Lake Elizabeth but turn south-east and cross Redgap Pass and out to the highway via Poia Lake. Somewhat more than 21 miles - not counting the road walk - I think. I've done all of these in a long day. All three are wonderful and not really that bad if you don't mind a long day of walking and apparently you don't. Have fun. Glacier is a magic place.
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"Too often I have met men who boast only of how many miles they've traveled and not of what they've seen." - Louis L'Amour
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Eric H
Group: Members
Posts: 1781
Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Nov. 03 2012, 9:45 pm |
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Given your description of yourself, and if you're comfy with fundamental mountaineering and routefinding skills I'd start looking at some of the non technical routes in the Climbers Guide to Glacier National Park.
Dawson-Pitamakin is tops for a trail hike. Also, the crest north of Pitamakin/Cut Bank is moderate all the way to near Triple Divide. Drop the obvious scree slop there to the high bench, then walk north to the trail trail (crest further north is the Norris Traverse, a classic Glacier alpine route).
Mt. Henry loop from Scenic Pt. is very cool. Descend/return by the Henry/Appistoki saddle or ridgewalk Henry west and drop down thru the Aster Cr. drainage (w. side of creek goes best is my experience).
Luck with it.
I'd also consider hoofing up to Two Medicine Pass. Pass itself is a two mile ridge walk. Take it to its southeast end and just keep walking up the long, moderate slope to the top of Grizzly Peak, one very fine view. Return the same way.
Still got time/energy? From the northwest end of the pass (where it first ascends from Cobalt L.) follow a good game trail west around the shoulder of Mt. Rockwell, then easy terrain to the scenic bench at Aurice L.
There's also some sweet routes by Logan Pass/Many Glacier but they tend to be a bit more "climbey". Ascending the Iceberg "Wall", from Iceberg L. and thru Iceberg Notch opens up several possibilities and is a doable class 3, with one short move that could be a 4.
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| Post Number: 6
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mark steffens
Group: Members
Posts: 36
Joined: Apr. 2007
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Posted on: Nov. 04 2012, 11:40 am |
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i sure do appreciate the insight found on these forums. i've been to Glacier maybe 5 or 6 times and just did all the normal stuff. it's clearly my favorite place to go in the United States. but as i get older(53)i start to think, i have to start knocking off some of these bigger hikes while i can. as i can only get out there once every year or two. All of these suggestions are great, and it's nice to hear from people who have actually done this stuff. a trusted source.thanks.
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