Not Glacier: Lamar-Heart (Yellowstone NP)

Have you visited another National Park, you would like to share, although most are Glacier Fanatics, we love to visit any National Park, let us know about your experience here!

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DaveC
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Not Glacier: Lamar-Heart (Yellowstone NP)

Post by DaveC »

Sometimes Glacier gets a little boring and you have to go somewhere else.






:P :wink:

If you live in the Flathead driving to Yellowstone is like driving to Mason City from Chicago. It seems close, but isn't something I manage to do near as often as I'd like. Back in March three friends and I plotted a week-long route from the Lamar river TH to Heart Lake, going through Hoodoo Basin and around the east and south shores of Yellowstone Lake. Last week we did it. Some thing went according to plan, some things did not. Many things went better than planned.

It's interesting to contemplate why Glacier gets so many more backcountry user days than Yellowstone. The more accessible scenery is surely one reason. The more accessible trail logistics another (not too many obvious loops on trail in Yellowstone, and the point to points are long). I do think there are good reasons to be a bit more nervous about bears in the GYE, but otherwise I'm stumped. The hiking in Yellowstone tends to gentler and easier, and the layout of the BC sites is frankly better than Glacier in every respect (each party gets their own, no designated tent pads filled with dust). The scenery is more subtle, but the wild feel is much bigger. Yellowstone makes you appreciate how simple the terrain in Glacier is.

In any case, words and photos for your consideration:

http://bedrockandparadox.com/2013/08/05 ... ur-part-1/

http://bedrockandparadox.com/2013/08/06 ... ur-part-2/
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Re: Not Glacier: Lamar-Heart (Yellowstone NP)

Post by isleroyaleguy »

I Never thought I would see the words "Glacier" and "Boring" in the same sentence.
I have never been to YNP. I always have the picture in my head of big crowds and viewing wildlife from your vehicle.
Maybe I should take a second look.
We live quite a ways from both so we can only make it out there once a year. But I know all the planning a preperations and anticipation of our trips to Glacier are all part of its magic to us.
I will definitely check out Yellowstone for sure someday. But I think we set the bar too high when we came out to GNP.
Oh yeah.. ..cool trip report and pics.
Thanks for sharing
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Re: Not Glacier: Lamar-Heart (Yellowstone NP)

Post by DaveC »

isleroyaleguy wrote: I have never been to YNP. I always have the picture in my head of big crowds and viewing wildlife from your vehicle.
Maybe I should take a second look.
The traffic is horrific in places, especially in the afternoon and evening. Avoid the Lamar between 9 and 9.

On the other hand, discounting Heart Lake and the first 4 miles out of Lamar we saw six people on the trail. Three were archeologists, and one a BC ranger. Hard to say the same for Glacier this time of year.
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Re: Not Glacier: Lamar-Heart (Yellowstone NP)

Post by Heff936 »

I've done one 65 mile route in Yellowstone many years ago. I think my memory was impacted by awful foot problems I had on that trip. It did seem very remote ( the Thoroughfare) and we saw very few people on the trip. The scenery was nice but not as inspiring as I find Glacier. We saw very little wildlife on the backpacking portion of the trip. All the wildlife sightings were from the road. I would certainly consider another trip to Yellowstone, but I haven't been compelled to plan one that way Glacier always seems to call to me. I'm sure it's different when you live in the area rather than in the flatlands of the Midwest

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Re: Not Glacier: Lamar-Heart (Yellowstone NP)

Post by Tara »

I love Yellowstone enough that I now have a hard time going just to Glacier without also going to Yellowstone. I've been to Yellowstone in May, June, July, August and January. In the summer, yes, there is a lot of traffic but if you can get on the roads early and late, you'll avoid a lot of it. Otherwise you just need to plan to deal with it and not cover a lot of ground. I also agree that far fewer people seem to hit the trails in Yellowstone. It's a fabulous, unique, very special park and worth a trip! And it is a great drive between the two parks...doesn't matter if you go the east side of the front or the west (I prefer the east though).
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Re: Not Glacier: Lamar-Heart (Yellowstone NP)

Post by Tsmith »

Amber has great teeth ... :wink:
Visit my Glacier NP Photo Gallery and leave comments if you like, thanks!
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