Outside article on GNP, difficulties for thru-hikers

[Selkie]

article

The title has the author's take (and disposition): "Continental Divide Trail: What the Park Service Gets Wrong at the Start of the CDT."
A lot of verbiage on difficult of getting permits. (That is not unique to CDT through-hikers.)
Some verbiage on NPS should Do Something about the situation.
Feels broadly entitled, and a bit of a grumble from a CDT-first person:
"The process, however, no longer serves the needs of the increasingly trafficked CDT and, consequently, the park itself."

The Park has other needs, and serves other users.

'

[orin]

Yeah, a pretty intemperate response. Perhaps there are some reasonable accommodations that could be made but the author makes hardly any attempt to identify them. The limited backcountry resources are in high demand and I see little reason why CDT hikers have any more right to them than anyone else. Nobody is preventing them from competing for spots just like I do.

[zozeppelin]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing. I’m usually in the park in September, so lots of CDT interactions.

In general, I empathize with the CDT’ers that how can one possibly plan months in advance when they’ll arrive for a permit, and multiply that times however many parks they cross. But NPS is for everyone, so all visitors should be treated equally.

GNP does try their best to accommodate the masses from my observations, often overbooking sites or finding creative ways to stash them. I’ve heard the stories from rangers about how MG turns into tent city into the meadows.

Keeping in mind these are 20-30 mi per day hikers, so not many sites are needed. There are definitely pinch points, especially Many Glacier. That said, one could just use hiker/biker all the way up to belly river, at which point there is a plethora of options: TMC to SM to MG to BR.

It seems the story is about southbound travelers. First thought Is why would one go southbound. Second thought is that if you’ve planned a 2000 mi itinerary with resupply packages, etc you should be able to get permits like the rest of us since the start date is known. Third is why are they not unable to weave something through hiker/biker - seems like an effort and desire issue - doesn’t bode well if this ‘adversity’ can’t be overcome. Lastly, starting southbound amplifies the issue as not everyone who starts finishes, so there are just more people.

[Ear Mountain]

I too have had quite a few interactions with CDT through hikers. Most recently I hiked the CDT in the northern part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. We started at Marias Pass and hiked south. Our goal was to see some new (to us) country. It was not to hike 20-30 miles per day. Our first day was 15 miles from US 2 to near the Badger cabin. We camped there with no company. Our next day included a lot of elevation gain but only 9-10 miles. When we camped near the North Fork of Badger Creek we were accompanied by 10-12 other campers. The following days through hikers passed us regularly on the trail and we never camped alone. In Glacier (at Morning Star and Poia Lake) I've seen through hikers camp out side of designated sites. And both in Glacier and the Bob it seems common for through hikers to prepare meals inside their tents. Requiring through hikers to go through the same permit application process the rest of us must use actually spreads out through hikers a little. That may be a good thing for areas immediately south of Glacier.

Our Badger Creek camp in the early morning after a particularly nasty evening thunderstorm and rain most of the night.

[paul]

The writer sounds obnoxious. Why should CDT hikers get special treatment over other hikers? It's like somehow they have a higher purpose which is BS. It seems like the CDT hikers who were trying to get permit in June didn't do enough planning and are paying for it. But who's fault is that? I also agree that it would be better if they start at the southern terminus and head north. That would allow the high elevation snow to be cleared away and there would be far less traffic in late September and early October.

Ear Mountain, I read trail blogs from through-hikers sometimes and it seems like the people doing the blogging don't practice safe food storage and handling.

[Jay w]

1. I'm not convinced that the primary priority of the NPS is visitors. There are many things the NPS could do to improve the visitor experience that are not being done.
2. Through hikers have (it seems) turned backpacking into a competitive sport; we ran into a bunch of them last week. Closely related, is the purpose of visiting Glacier. I don't think we can make value judgements on the purpose, but showing your visit on social media seems to have exploded visitation to National Parks.

Jay

[zozeppelin]

Jay, you hit on a good point that I’ve been meaning to make a post on. The purpose of the NPS isn’t completely for visitors “today”, rather:

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations

There is a GNP podcast called Headwaters - it’s pretty good in spots. In one of the episodes they discuss the balance of present enjoyment with preservation for future generations. No strong opinion here beyond that is a tough job where everyone is a critic, but I have been disappointed with the process changes since Covid (ticketed entry on a shaky basis, Rec.gov FCFS for permits, etc).

Your second point is good as well and something I struggle with. Not fair to pass judgement on the reason or utilization of the visit - whether finishing the CDT or for Instagram pictures never leaving the parking lot- everyone should have equal opportunity.

My interactions with CDT’ers has generally been positive, although these are northbound ones, so the herd had been thinned and they were at the end of their journey.

[Ear Mountain]

1. I'm not convinced that the primary priority of the NPS is visitors. There are many things the NPS could do to improve the visitor experience that are not being done.
2. Through hikers have (it seems) turned backpacking into a competitive sport; we ran into a bunch of them last week. Closely related, is the purpose of visiting Glacier. I don't think we can make value judgements on the purpose, but showing your visit on social media seems to have exploded visitation to National Parks.

Jay

Definitely agree here.

Northbound hikers who plan on completing the entire CDT must start early enough to reach Glacier before heavy snows close passes to hiking. This can happen near the end of September or early October in many years. That early start has to be tempered by the fact that snow in Colorado must melt out before they reach those mountains. So too early will result in problems in Colorado.

Southbound hikers must wait until trails in Glacier are snow free enough for safe travels.

Given those constraints most through hikers travel northbound but I believe there are good reasons to do the route southbound. In any case I don't question their choice. I do feel that CDT through hikers don't have any more right to permits in Glacier than anyone else.