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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:09 pm
by TamandKev
Pete,
I’m so glad you are okay after sliding on icy roads looking for a property. I hope the next time you scope it out it will be better conditions.
We were able to get a room at Many Glacier for my mom. I think she will love it! We booked rooms some time back and it’s a good thing we did. They are very hard to find now. She was wanting to go into Canada and possibly up to Banff but I’m not sure that will be possible this year. So we have reservations all around the park to give her a great overview of GNP and surroundings. She is excited!!!
Craig,
You will love the East side of the park. It has some of our very favorite hikes and the wildlife is amazing. I can’t wait to hear about your trip. It looks we will be returning home a few days before you arrive.
Dreaming of warmer weather, bluebird skies and my favorite place GNP.
Take care!
Tammy and Kevin
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:53 pm
by PeteE
crh24 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:52 am
Hello Pete, Tammy, and Kevin.
I am glad you are all doing well. Pete, glad your eye procedures are done and went as planned. Yeah, driving in snow/icy conditions isn't fun, which I can attest to, as well...although, the drop-offs around here (WI) aren't as bad, clearly... Spring is here.
Yes, I do plan on visiting summer 2021. I will be arriving in GNP sometime on 7/30 and departing 8/13 or 8/14. All of my reservations are on the East Side: MG/SwiftCurrent, East Glacier, and Rising Sun. Looks like there's a fair amount of road construction in the area this year. I also see there are rumblings of instituting ticketed access to the GTTSR this year. Being early folk, (prior to 6:00AM gate staffing), shouldn't be an issue for us, if timed ticketing is implemented...
Pete, thanks for sharing all of your photos. I enjoy looking at them and reading about them. I tend to be quiet and don't say much, but understand people do enjoy them and appreciate your time and effort sharing with others.
Hey Craig:
Glad to know all is well in Wisconsin. You're dates are normally good weather for hiking.
I had forgotten you haven't seen the East side. There are some very good hikes over there.
I'm not sure what will be going on during your stay. I have a number of backpacking permits submitted.
Hopefully we can do a hike together...assuming you can tolerate my slow pace
I'll stay in touch.
cheers
pete
Best,
-Craig
TamandKev wrote: ↑Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:09 pm
Pete,
I’m so glad you are okay after sliding on icy roads looking for a property. I hope the next time you scope it out it will be better conditions.
We were able to get a room at Many Glacier for my mom. I think she will love it! We booked rooms some time back and it’s a good thing we did. They are very hard to find now. She was wanting to go into Canada and possibly up to Banff but I’m not sure that will be possible this year. So we have reservations all around the park to give her a great overview of GNP and surroundings. She is excited!!!
Craig,
You will love the East side of the park. It has some of our very favorite hikes and the wildlife is amazing. I can’t wait to hear about your trip. It looks we will be returning home a few days before you arrive.
Dreaming of warmer weather, bluebird skies and my favorite place GNP.
Take care!
Tammy and Kevin
Hi Tam and Kev:
I'm replacing front drive shaft tomorrow AM with help from my work mate. So 4x4 should be good.
Then I'll head back up to check out that property for my friend.
I know where it is now so I won't need to drive that sketchy stretch of road again.
I'm glad you got your Mom a room at Many Glacier Hotel. She will love that place.
It'll be the perfect spot for her to relax while y'all are out hiking.
Bummer about Canada because she would love seeing the Prince of Wales Hotel.
Fingers crossed for no fires and good weather!
Cheers
pete
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 8:44 pm
by MarxMN
Pete,
We have been on Grave Creek Road near Eureka. We did some exploring in that area in November 2017. We did not go high enough to hit snow and ice but I remember thinking that road itself could be challenging in bad weather. and you were on a driveway off Grave Creek Road. I am glad you were able to get out of there and I hope your tip back went better.
Bill
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:51 pm
by PeteE
MarxMN wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 8:44 pm
Pete,
We have been on Grave Creek Road near Eureka. We did some exploring in that area in November 2017. We did not go high enough to hit snow and ice but I remember thinking that road itself could be challenging in bad weather. and you were on a driveway off Grave Creek Road. I am glad you were able to get out of there and I hope your tip back went better.
Bill
Hey Bill!
Yeah, I've been across the Whitefish range on Grave Creek Rd(FR114) 4-5 times but not recently. It comes out at Trail Creek on the North Fork Rd.
It gets really rough up around the Whitefish Divide where it goes through bedrock. It's not a road for the feint of heart. I wouldn't advise taking a rental car, even some SUV's.
If you breakdown out there, good luck. There's not a lot of traffic that goes as far as the divide--from either direction.
It's a beautiful drive though with a couple nice day hikes off FR114. I liked the Mt Hefty hike to the fire lookout and then on to the CA border. Great views.
The area I was going was a on FR756 (Therriault Pass Rd) It intersects Grave Creek Rd. roughly five miles in from US93. Grave Creek is still paved at that point and pretty flat. Then 756 is a good dirt/gravel road pretty much the next 11 miles all the way over to where it eventually intersects Glen Lake Rd. The property my friend is looking at is only about 3 miles in on 756 from Grave Creek Rd. I believe I missed the gate and sign for the property last week because the sign was under snow and I was looking at the valley view when I drove past the gate. The gate is about 50ft off of the road up hill.
No problem finding it this time. No snow and nice day.
I sent my friend the videos and pics and he is driving out here as I type. We'll probably go up Thursday or Friday. He's going to be talking to some people from the county about septic tank issues as well as solar array contractors, well drillers, and excavation contractors.
He does like the property based on my pics and video.
I talked for a couple hours to a guy who lives about 1/4 mile away from the property. He turned out to be a really interesting, and nice guy who's my age. He served in the USN just before me. We both were ETs and went to same electronics schools!
We had a great time telling our "sea stories" His wife wasn't around.
He and his wife have lived full time out there since 2012. So he was ,and will be, a great resource for my friend.
later
pete
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:50 pm
by teapot57
Great photos, Pete! So nice to see the east side. Did you camp over there? The improvements to US89 look great and like you said, much safer. Were there many people out?
Friday and Saturday were gorgeous days in Calgary with temps in the high 60’s low 70’s, but today we got 4-6 inches of wet snow. That’s ok- we need the moisture. I hope our yard starts greening up.
Thanks for sharing.
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:52 pm
by MarxMN
Thanks for the eastside pictures. It has been along time since anyone has been able to post pictures of the park from Highway 89.
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:04 am
by PeteE
teapot57 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:50 pm
Great photos, Pete! So nice to see the east side. Did you camp over there? The improvements to US89 look great and like you said, much safer. Were there many people out?
Yes, I camped Friday night at a tiny little campground, The Leaning Tree, on Duck Road just off US 89. Pics later and yeah it was cold. Ice on tent Sat AM
Friday and Saturday were gorgeous days in Calgary with temps in the high 60’s low 70’s, but today we got 4-6 inches of wet snow. That’s ok- we need the moisture. I hope our yard starts greening up.
We got about 1" last night here in Kalispell from same storm. St Mary looks like it got several inches.
Thanks for sharing.
MarxMN wrote: ↑Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:52 pm
Thanks for the eastside pictures. It has been along time since anyone has been able to post pictures of the park from Highway 89.
You're welcome! It has been a while hasn't it? They really did a nice job on US89. I like the view from up on the hill above St Mary.
I have some pretty lame video from Friday and Saturday I'll put up later today. Gotta get to work.
pete
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:53 pm
by calicotraveler
Appreciate the eastside photos! Also good to get an update on the roads on that side of the Park.
Thanks!
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 3:18 am
by JayAndersen
Thanks for the East side update and photos Pete! Love the shot off the Rising Sun dock. The improvements to US89 are nice. Pretty much all new from Choteau through Browning to mile 21 now, or close enough to it?
5 more weeks of waiting and I'll be out there
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 5:34 am
by crh24
Like everybody else, thanks for sharing the photos Pete. We are all excited to visit again - especially after you share your photos.
-Craig
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:06 am
by PeteE
Thanks Michelle, Jay and Craig!
It was nice to get out and go somewhere other than Lake McDonald.
Here's a little "lame video" from Friday at Leaning Tree Camp Ground.
They were not really open for the season yet but let me stay anyway.
Leaning Tree is a very small CG> However, they do have a small store and all the basic amenities.
The cabins are new, not on the website, and look very nice to me. They are building a laundromat which will be great.
While I found it fine for me, Leaning Tree won't appeal to everyone.
Since it's located right on Duck Lake Rd, the highway traffic noise will bother some people.
There is a cow pasture across the road. Lots of cows mooing
. Maybe they move the cattle in the summer.
The convenient location worked for me. $25/night for tent spots.
https://www.leaningtreecampgroundandcabins.com/#home
Lame videos
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-b6F ... m-1920.mp4
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-fcK ... 8-1920.mp4
Dinner
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:12 am
by al_in_al
Chiming in a little late to say thanks for the east side pictures! Great shots, even the windshield ones.
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:31 am
by calicotraveler
Nice to see there is another option for camping and nice little cabins in that area. I'm going to send this info off to a friend who is looking for just that sort of thing. You eat well when you camp!
Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 8:45 pm
by PeteE