BC Campgrounds - The Best of the Rest?

Are you a seasoned hiker, or just starting out? Let us know your questions or experience with the backcountry permit process.

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DawsonPass62
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Re: BC Campgrounds - The Best of the Rest?

Post by DawsonPass62 »

I agree. Morningstar is a very nice place, and we saw both moose and mountain goats a few years back.

Atlantic makes the hike to/from Red Eagle much more doable, plus the walk up to Medicine Grizzly is nice, and the fishing is very good.

The hike from Red Eagle foot to Reynolds is long, but not overly strenuous. After the hike back from Red Eagle to the trail junction, there is some up as you go over a fair sized hill, and then down to St Mary's Lake. The St Mary hike is very flat, and the one time I did it, we didn't see anybody until we hit the Falls. Red Eagle to Gunsight is way too much, unless you are in great shape and get an EARLY start - it's about 19 miles.

The key is to realize you're only about 1 mile away from the Sun Road when you are at Reynolds. Stage a car at Jackson overlook with supplies/clothes. Have a couple of your faster hikers go to the car and resupply the morning after your stay at Reynolds. Then, you're only packing for two 3 day hikes, instead of one 6 day hike (or whatever). This step made both hikes easier and faster.
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Re: BC Campgrounds - The Best of the Rest?

Post by zozeppelin »

Thanks so much for the feedback. I am thinking UPT-MOR-REF-REY-ELL now, unless there is a recommendation of No Name over Upper Two Medicine.

Regarding the pit stop, we did exactly that on my first trip in Glacier: GRN-MAN-REY-GUN-SPE . Had a late arriving hiker join us at Reynolds and after MAN-REY, that cold beer and fresh hamburger was very much needed.

I forgot to mention, but advice on timing and logistics would be appreciated.

I think we did Gunsight last time right around the beginning of August, and it was awesome with all the water, especially the GUN camp bowl. I have started to prefer September because of less people and cooler temperatures.

For logistics, were thinking 2 cars unfortunately. I would like to get a shuttle to the start, but I don't think that is possible to Two Medicine? Maybe if staying in the St Mary area via GTTSR shuttle (from McDonald). Easier of course to get a shuttle to McDonald from Kalispell and drop the car at Two Medicine, but I have no desire to go up Sperry with 6 days of pack on me, and I would prefer to hike Two Medicine 'face forward' as it is my first time there.

And again, big thanks to the comments.
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Re: BC Campgrounds - The Best of the Rest?

Post by orin »

I am thinking UPT-MOR-REF-REY-ELL now, unless there is a recommendation of No Name over Upper Two Medicine.
Actually I do think No Name is nicer than UPT. The main thing though is the logistics. UPT is at the bottom of the big hill up to Dawson Pass. No Name is half way up. So if you would prefer to split that long climb in two and don't mind a climb at the end of the first day, stay at No Name. If you would rather do that hill in one big push while you are fresh in the morning stay at UPT.

There used to be an Eastside Shuttle (a Xanterra pay shuttle) from St. Mary to Two Medicine. So a free shuttle to St. Mary and then the East Side Shuttle to TM might be possible but it would depend on the timing of the connection.
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Re: BC Campgrounds - The Best of the Rest?

Post by zozeppelin »

Thanks again everyone for their feedback - I ended up submitting NON-MOR-REF-REY-ELL .

Application day coupled with the Blackfeet announcement - very exciting.

Sue, how did you end up?
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Re: BC Campgrounds - The Best of the Rest?

Post by Sue Z »

orin wrote: Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:16 pm Fifty Mountain is so nice I would put up with almost anything to get there. The trail up to Flattop is not my favorite. It is in the burn all the way and is south facing so kind of a slog on a hot day. The campground is fine but not exceptional. On the other hand I really enjoyed the trail between Flattop and Fifty. It crosses a broad relatively flat mountaintop with great views both east and west. And the Sue Lake overlook is one of my favorite places in all of Glacier.
Thanks so much for the info on Flattop, orin. I can put up with a one-day slog to get to the good stuff. I'll get going early to lessen the roasting.
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Re: BC Campgrounds - The Best of the Rest?

Post by Sue Z »

zozeppelin wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 6:48 am Thanks again everyone for their feedback - I ended up submitting NON-MOR-REF-REY-ELL .

Application day coupled with the Blackfeet announcement - very exciting.

Sue, how did you end up?
That itinerary looks fantastic, zozeppelin! Wishing you all the luck!

I'll be hiking with a group of four, so we each put in for one of the hikes under consideration, each of which would take us to someplace new to us. FLA-FIF-FIF-FLA, ELF-HEL-COS, CRA, and COB. We'll be happy with any of those, and ecstatic if we get a one-nighter plus a longer hike. If not, I still have some grand day hikes to check off my bucket list.
Sue Z
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