North Fork and Beyond 2015

Well, tell us how your trip went. We all want to hear about your special experience.

Moderators: teapot57, Tara

User avatar
paul
Donator
Donator
Posts: 1696
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:42 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: MA
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 38 times

North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by paul »

Greetings Chatters,

Since it's now 2016 I think it's about time that I posted a TR for my 2015 Trip.

The first full day in the park I use as a warm up day. I've learned from past experience not to try to do too much. So I met up with
fellow chatter Joyce (Joybird) and we drove up to Many Glacier to do Snow Moon Basin.

On the way up from East Glacier we stopped to look at the Reynolds creek fire that unfortunately had started just the week before.

For some reason I didn't many pictures on this hike, but here are a few ...
Image

This one is looking back toward the Many Glacier Hotel.

Image
Here Joyce is climbing up the steep rocky area before the basin.

Image
Having something to eat by the second lake

Image
The first lake.

Image

Image
Weird pano created by google. Everything is kind of squished together, also the image is only half visible on the chat page.

Day 2 - Dawson Pitamakin Hike

Image
Up at the pass! It's usually very windy up there and this year was probably the windiest I've ever experienced. The entire hike had very high winds.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
A few from my gopro camera.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
Another Google picassa pano that gets cut off here.

Image
Your's truely holding on to my hat at Pitamakin pass.

Image

Image

Image

Day 3 Backpack Day 1 - Upper Kintla Lake

Image
Just a typical evening at Upper Kintla lake. This lake is in my top 5 Back country campsites.

Image

Image

Image

Day 4 Backpacking day 2 Boulder Pass and Boulder Peak
I hit the trail roughly at 9am and I had no trouble getting up to the Boulder pass campground my lunchtime. The day was again beautiful and sunny, the only issue was it was quite warm and there is very little shade at the campsite. My plan was to get camp setup and something to eat. Then when rested I would climb up Boulder Peak.

I've been up to Boulder pass probably 10 times with the idea of climbing Boulder Peak. Each time I've been there I've been thwarted by various things. Last year and other years it was due to the weather, a few years ago I got really sick, and other times I didn't have enough time. But this year I was finally able to get it right!

I waited till about 4pm before going up too avoid the tough sun.
Image
Looking back toward the campground. The campground is really not in the picture it's more to the left. What you see below is an area of
pools near the campground. It's another area at the pass that's fun to explore.

Image
Up on Boulder peak.

Image

Image

Image
Upper Kintla lake below. As you hike up to the peak you get on a mild incline that is easy walking. At this point the views are in all directions and you
are surrounded by many peaks. I think this was the highlight of my trip.

Image
Pocket Lake below

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image


After dinner I took some more pictures of the area.
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Day 5 - Hole in the wall
It's about 4 miles downhill from Boulder pass to Hole in the wall campsite. So this is an easy day.

Image
At the pass looking toward Hole in the Wall circa.

Image
It's an easy hike down, however I'll be returning in a couple of days in the opposite direction and that won't be so easy.

Image

Image

Image
The last bit looking into the campsite area.

When I arrived the last people in camp were leaving so I go the best campsite.
Image
This stream runs right by my site. The tent is the left of the stream in a little patch of trees.

Image

Image
From near the eating area.

Image
I don't like selfies but at least this one has Thunderbird mountain in it.

Image

Image
It was a really dry year most of the streams beds had no water flowing.

Image

Image

Image

Shortly after I arrived, a volunteer ranger and his wife showed up. He was there to fix on the outhouse. The outhouse is different than any other in the park.
It works with a generator and fan that was currently not working correctly.

More and more people arrived and finally a party of 4 arrived to find no campsite available for them. After talking to the ranger, they discovered that the
campground was overbooked. So at this point, it was decided by the ranger and by BC office that the group could camp in the little meadow not far from the cooking area. I guess all's well that ends well!

End of part 1
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
User avatar
isleroyaleguy
Donator
Donator
Posts: 287
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2011 1:45 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Elk River MN.

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by isleroyaleguy »

Paul,
Nice trip report and pics.
You really got some great shots.
Love the Boulder Peak stuff and the Kintla shot.
Beautiful.
Glacier is amazing.
Can't wait to get back.
Thanks for sharing .
Can't wait for part 2
IRG
Last edited by isleroyaleguy on Sun Feb 28, 2016 5:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sue Z
Donator
Donator
Posts: 455
Joined: Sun May 19, 2013 7:37 am
Gender?: Female
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Emmaus, PA
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 3 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by Sue Z »

Great photos! Boulder Pass and Boulder Peak are the best places I've ever hiked. Enjoyed reliving it through your pix.
Sue Z
User avatar
paul
Donator
Donator
Posts: 1696
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:42 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: MA
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 38 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by paul »

Thanks Doug and Sue. I think this area of the park is my overall favorite.
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
Jen

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by Jen »

Great photos, Paul! looking forward to part 2!
User avatar
paul
Donator
Donator
Posts: 1696
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:42 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: MA
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 38 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by paul »

Day 6 - Lake Francis

It was another easy day for me, 4 miles downhill to beautiful Lake Francis.
Image
Along the boulder pass trail just past Hole in the Wall camp.

Image
The scenery just keeps getting better as you go.

Image

Image
Thunderbird Falls

You may notice some haze in the pictures. This is due to smoke, not from the Renold's Creek Fire but from a fire west in the North Fork.

Image
Thunderbird Pond with the falls above.

I got to camp in no time and once camp was setup I headed down to the lake shore with my lunch.

Image
From the lake shore looking east.

Image
The waterfall across the lake.

Image

It was hot day and my tent was too hot to stay in, so I stayed on the shore the pretty much the whole day and got lots of sun. During the day, lots of people came to visit the beach. However, no one came to set up camp. As it turned I had the campground to myself that night.

Image

During the night I was startled by the sound of a large animal sniffing around my tent. I hollered at it a few times but I really didn't want to get up and see what was out there. After awhile I figured it was just deer and went back to sleep. Later in the morning I found out that I was right, there was a deer in camp.

Day 7 Back to Upper Kintla Lake
Image
The morning brought a nice sunrise to lake Francis

Image

Image

The hike from Lake Francis to Upper Kintla was toughest day. The sun beat down on me after I passed Hole wall camp and I found myself feeling weak and dehydrated as I approached Boulder pass. I found some shade behind some rocks near the Boulder pass campground and tried to get myself back to feeling normal.
I took the rest of the hike down to Upper Kintla slow and easy and was glad to finally arrive in camp.

Image
Campsite in UPK

Image
It wasn't until I went for a swim in the lake that I felt normal again.

The next day, I hiked out to the trail head. Nothing much to report except running into a black bear on the trail.
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
User avatar
paul
Donator
Donator
Posts: 1696
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:42 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: MA
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 38 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by paul »

Jen wrote:Great photos, Paul! looking forward to part 2!
Thanks Jen... Part 2 done!
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
Sue Z
Donator
Donator
Posts: 455
Joined: Sun May 19, 2013 7:37 am
Gender?: Female
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Emmaus, PA
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 3 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by Sue Z »

paul wrote:The hike from Lake Francis to Upper Kintla was toughest day. The sun beat down on me after I passed Hole wall camp and I found myself feeling weak and dehydrated as I approached Boulder pass. I found some shade behind some rocks near the Boulder pass campground and tried to get myself back to feeling normal.
I took the rest of the hike down to Upper Kintla slow and easy and was glad to finally arrive in camp.
That is a brutal day. I applaud you! A couple of years ago my group got caught short of water on the trail between Boulder and Hole. Not pretty.
Sue Z
User avatar
paul
Donator
Donator
Posts: 1696
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:42 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: MA
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 38 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by paul »

Thanks Sue, I drank a ton of water but it didn't seem to matter. I think my electrolytes got screwed up. When I got to UPK camp I met a father and his kids (probably 8 and 10 years old) they carried full packs from Brown Pass. I was very impressed and somewhat humbled.
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
User avatar
Ear Mountain
Moderator & 2.1 Donator
Moderator & 2.1 Donator
Posts: 4969
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 9:53 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: Choteau, Montana
Has thanked: 32 times
Been thanked: 34 times
Contact:

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by Ear Mountain »

paul wrote:... I drank a ton of water but it didn't seem to matter. I think my electrolytes got screwed up...
Drinking "a ton of water" without replacing electrolytes will definitely "screw up" your electrolytes.
Text and photos Copyright 2007-2023.
User avatar
July Guy
Donator
Donator
Posts: 1334
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:21 pm
Please add the numbers(11): 0

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by July Guy »

great stuff, Paul, thank you.

JG
"So how was your trip to Minnesota, or Canada, or wherever it is you go?"

~ Coworker
User avatar
paul
Donator
Donator
Posts: 1696
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:42 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: MA
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 38 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by paul »

Ear Mountain wrote:
paul wrote:... I drank a ton of water but it didn't seem to matter. I think my electrolytes got screwed up...
Drinking "a tone of water" without replacing electrolytes will definitely "screw up" your electrolytes.
Yep, I usually have electrolyte tablets with me to mix with water, but I forgot them on this trip.
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
User avatar
paul
Donator
Donator
Posts: 1696
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:42 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: MA
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 38 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by paul »

July Guy wrote:great stuff, Paul, thank you.

JG
Thanks July Guy.
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
User avatar
Jay w
Posts: 1920
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:17 am
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: St. Paul, MN
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 40 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by Jay w »

Paul, enjoyed the report. It brought back memories of my (single) trip in the area. In fact, I took the same spot at Hole.

BTW, one year I did a 90 mile bike ride in really warm weather. I had a very strong tail wind, so I was hauling ass and feeling like a pro rider. Like you, I drank a ton water but didn't take any electrolytes. At the 90 mile mark, Julie rolled up in the car while I was laying on the (gravel) shoulder of the road. "Need a ride?" The final 10 miles are the hardest of the trip with some tough mile long climbs. "No, I can make it." A few minutes later, Julie rolled up again, "They're doing road work, load up your bike."

I would have never made it the last 10 miles. That's when I learned about electrolytes. :D

Jay
The NSA...the only people in the government who listen.
User avatar
paul
Donator
Donator
Posts: 1696
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:42 pm
Gender?: Male
Please add the numbers(11): 11
Location: MA
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 38 times

Re: North Fork and Beyond 2015

Post by paul »

Thank Jay. Interesting story, in my case I didn't have a choice but to drink water, it was really hot and I was thirsty. I ate food as well even though I had no appetite.
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
Post Reply

Return to “Trip Reports”