CDT Update: Glacier National Park

I decided to flip up to the Canadian border and walk south on the Continental Divide Trail for awhile.

After a pleasant three week break from hiking in Santa Fe, I flew to Spokane and then hopped on an Amtrak train. The train departed about 1 AM and arrived at the small town of East Glacier about 10 AM. It was pleasant ride with large comfortable seats that were easy to sleep in. (I heard that the next day’s train was seven hours late, so it’s best not to make any firm plans for your first day in Glacier).

In East Glacier I purchase stove fuel and “Grizzly Tough” bear spray ($48!!). Since you can’t take either on an airplane you have to wait until you arrive to buy these. Then I made my way to the small area known as Saint Mary closer to the Canadian border. Saint Mary has a visitor center where you can get backcountry permits, a campground with $5 hiker/biker campsites, grocery store, restaurants, expensive lodge (one hiker stayed there and said he spent $200 a night for his room!). I shared my campsite with a group of four bicyclists who were riding across the country.

Speaking of backcountry permits, they are difficult to get in Glacier National Park. Backpackers are required to camp in established backcountry campsites and each campsite must be reserved when you get your permit, except that almost all the campsites are already taken. CDT hikers are having to do all kinds of crazy things — delaying there hike, doing really short or long days, hike alternate trails, camp in campgrounds, take extra zero days, hike northbound, hike southbound, etc. to find campsites and work through the permit process. I was only able to get a permit for three days of hiking from the Canadian border to Going To The Sun Road because of this.

Monday June 27, 2016

I took the noon GPI shuttle from Saint Mary to Chief Mountain ($30). The shuttle dropped me off at the Chief Mountain border crossing to Canada. I didn’t actually go into Canada, but hiked south from the border and I was off to my first night back on the CDT at Elizabeth Lake. It was an easy 11 miles — I started about 2 PM and arrive in plenty of time for dinner.

Tuesday June 28, 2016

Elizabeth Lake to Many Glacier via Redgap Pass

This was a very pretty day of hiking up to 7,500 foot Redgap Pass then down to the campground at Many Glacier. Apparently there is a shorter route through a tunnel, but it’s has not yet opened for the season and the doors of tunnel are locked. Not sure I can imagine what this looks like, someday I will get up there to see the trail going through a tunnel.

Many Glacier is a hub of tourist activity with several hotels and a busy horse concession. It does have a pretty good (and also very busy) restaurant where I enjoyed dinner with another hiker.

Wednesday June 29, 2016

Many Glacier marks the point I joined the official Continental Divide Trail. The previous two days I had been hiking the Chief Mountain CDT Alternate because the official CDT was closed due to snow. So far I have encountered almost no snow on any of the trails I have hiked.

Before departing Many Glacier I was able to stop by the ranger station and get another backcountry permit for three more days of hiking. It does start at a trailhead in Saint Mary, so I will have to hike about five miles to actually rejoin the CDT.

From Many Glacier I hiked up 7,300 foot Piegan Pass and then dropped down to Going To The Sun Road. The hike from the road to the pass is popular with day hikers and I probably saw 40 hikers — far more than I have seen anyplace else in the park.

Some hikers from California gave me a ride to Saint Mary campground. This time I had the hiker/biker campsite all to myself.

Thursday June 30, 2016

Saint Mary to Atlantic Creek backcountry camp

I followed the Red Eagle trail about five miles to rejoin the CDT. The trail runs near Saint Mary Lake but sadly much of it runs through a large burn area from a wildfire in 2015.

After rejoining the CDT the trail climbs up to the 7,400 foot triple divide and then along the side of a steep rocky slope above Atlantic Creek. Tiny baby mountain goats looked down at me curiously from the rocky slope above.

Friday July 1, 2016

Atlantic Creek camp to Two Medicine Campground

Today’s hike climbed up to 7,600 foot Pitamakan Pass and then followed Dry Fork Creek to the Two Medicine campground. I saw more hikers in the back country than usual as I got near the Two Medicine Lake area. Fortunately it’s not as busy as the Many Glacier area. I’m sharing my hiker/biker campsite with a bicyclist and four hikers doing short backpacking trips in the park.

Saturday July 2, 2016

Today was a short 10 mile hike from the Two Medicine Campground to the community of East Glacier. The Glacier National Park area is pretty busy due to the holiday weekend, but Brownies Hostel allows camping in their shady yard behind the hostel. I have had lunch, showered, done laundry and plan to take a day off from hiking tomorrow.