does anyone have experience being re-routed

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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McKee80
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does anyone have experience being re-routed

Post by McKee80 »

We have the following itinerary starting on Friday the 7th: COS-MOL-MOL-KOO-FRA-BOU-HOL-JAN

With the Goat Haunt closures, its looking like that isn't going to happen. I talked to the ranger station and they said they will re-route us or give us a new itinerary. I'm sure we will get something, although we won't get anything that gets us both Margaret Lake and Hole in the Wall. We get into Calgary around noon on the 6th, so I guess we'll haul ass to St Mary before the permitting closes for the day. I know it depends on what walkups are available and I know about the what's available tonight page. We've decided to just show up and make the best of whatever we get. That being said, I had a couple questions

1. Has anyone been in that situation and how did it turn out?
2. Will they overbook campsites? I see on the site that some are overbooked sometimes. I wonder if that is because of other campsite closures
3. As far as re-routing, I guess we have a couple options: a) south over stoney indian to FIF-GRN and come out Logan Pass or MAN b) double back to Elizabeth and Helen and back out at Chief Mountain c) double back to Elizabeth and Helen and out Ptarmigan Tunnel (if open) or POI. A and C would require some transportation to figure out. Anyone have any thoughts on the relative merits of those options? I'd love to figure out a way to get to HOL, since that is what got me interested in Glacier, but I don't see how I can do it without burning days on the trip getting to the other side and back.

Thanks for anything anyone has to offer. Getting really excited. We're staying flexible, its going to be an adventure for sure.

Thanks,
Sean
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Re: does anyone have experience being re-routed

Post by teapot57 »

I think any of the options you mentioned would be good, but I would go for your option a, ending with MAN if available. FIF seems like it would be the next best alternative to HOL. And your only options for getting to HOL right now would mean starting from square one with a new itinerary and the front end of your trip is really good— I wouldn’t give it up!

Margaret Lake, Stoney Indian Pass, the Fifty Mountain area, and the view down Swiftcurrent Pass . . . That would make for a first rate trip. And the changes to your current itinerary are at the back end, giving you a better chance of there being open campsites. Save HOL for next summer. Just my 2 cents.
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Re: does anyone have experience being re-routed

Post by teapot57 »

(Deleted)

Post written before I had enough coffee. :D
llholmes1948
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Re: does anyone have experience being re-routed

Post by llholmes1948 »

teapot57 wrote:(Deleted)

Post written before I had enough coffee. :D
Tina,

We are waiting for your contribution to this discussion once your mind begins working properly :lol:

Lyman
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Re: does anyone have experience being re-routed

Post by teapot57 »

Haha! :D

I am now properly caffeinated.

I was going to suggest a loop route that would get him back to his car at Chief, but I forgot a campsite and it would require more nights than the original permit.

Something like: COS MOL MOL STO FIF GRN MAN POI ELF would work if you could add a night, and you would only have to carry enough food to get you to MAN, where you could restock for the last couple days.

If the Tunnel opens, you can do it in 8 nights as originally planned by skipping POI.
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Re: does anyone have experience being re-routed

Post by orin »

It looks to me that your reroute will be fine. You have lots of options and the backcountry won't be quite as crowded in mid September. I agree with Teapot that A would be the best of 3 really nice options. It looks like you have 5 nights to reprogram. If you got lucky, STO FIF GRN MAN ELF would get you back to Chief if you don't mind a couple of longish days at the end.
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Re: does anyone have experience being re-routed

Post by Sue Z »

You might be able to reroute yourself now using sites that are still available for advance reservations. https://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/ ... bcmap.html You could maybe pick up single nights at some sites now, then have the ranger combine the permits when you get there. I've had good luck with this. Once they had to call over a ranger who knew how to do it. You would, of course, have to pay for each res.
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Re: does anyone have experience being re-routed

Post by McKee80 »

Thanks all! I hadn't thought about coming all the way around back to Chief Mountain. That would be ideal. The What's Available page looks like it might be tricky to get into Stoney Indian and Granite Park, but we'll see. Otherwise, we may do the Belly River thing and try to get a separate permit for Two Medicine once we get out. Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll get to do something cool. I did look into reserving in advance and piecing something together, but all the possible spots are full for those dates.
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