Glacier Park ChatOk, anyone familiar with this route
Goat
to
KOO
to
MOL
to
COS
to
ELF
to
POI
to
AFE?
Like, how are these campsites?
Permit # 649!
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dorf
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Hey, it's hikeratwill 
Good to see you doing your research.
Heff is pretty much right on but i take exception with his assessment of COS. COS is a great site. You'll be sleeping literally 40' from the lake. Great views back towards Stoney Indian Pass and interesting strata visible across the lake.
POI is unremarkable but does have a nice view back towards REdgap and the outlet is quite picturesque.
Mileage and Elevation +/- taken from my permit except for a short 1 mile segment from MOJ to MOL which I had to guess on.
Goat Haunt to KOO 2.8 mi 200/0
KOO to MOL 12.1 mi 2975/2410
MOL to COS 5.5 mi. 0/60
COS to ELF 4.2 mi 290/240
ELF to POI 10.2 mi 2718/1815
off 6.4 415/1300
Here's a link to our trip which is almost exactly what you'll be doing...http://www.dorfworld.net/glacier_2004/trip_1_map.html
Other info you'll find useful in no particular order...
Yeah, you're almost guaranteed to see Moose feeding in Kootenai Lake. The sites are just feet from the lake which means you'll probably have some 4-legged guests very close. The two times I stayed there (July 2004 and late August 2005) I had no problems with the skeeters
Stoney Indian Pass is drop dead gorgeous but a bit of work to climb. Most of the way up to the lake is through thick brush after you get to the trail junction at the Waterton River. you will not forget climbing the headwall from the lake up to the pass. Might even have goats visit you on the trail. Once up to the pass it's like your in another world. This is the spot where I felt the most isolated in the park. you'll love it. The climb back down gets you a beautiful view of a perfect U-shaped valley holding Glenns and Cosley Lakes. Once you get back down to the trees it's rather mundane until you get to Mokowanis Lake. Mokowanis lake pretty much sucks as you can see from the pic below. Too bad you got stuck with it...
There's an "offtrail hike" back up behind that waterfall across the lake. Check it out. You'll find yourself at Margaret Lake if you follow the stream far enough. Might be able to do this one before leaving for Cosley
Once you get to Cosley you have a couple of options to dayhike if you haven't done Margaret in the morning. Gros Ventre Falls which is only a couple of miles east, or the Bear mountain lookout. Or do both.
Easy hike to ELF the next day. If you fish, great. you should have good luck. If you want to see another great cirque lake, get over to Helen Lake.
Your hike to POI will begin climbing as soon as you cross the bridge over Elizabeth's outlet. you'll get some great views of Helen and Elizabeth. Redgap Pass itself is beautiful. To the east is the prairie, to the west more of what you've been hiking through. Look for Kennedy lake to the south. The trail follows Kennedy Creek to Poia.
The hike out will get you some great views of the Swiftcurrent valley once you climb Swiftcurrent Ridge.
This is a great hike. Yeah, it's not what you wanted but it's pretty damn good. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Good to see you doing your research.Heff is pretty much right on but i take exception with his assessment of COS. COS is a great site. You'll be sleeping literally 40' from the lake. Great views back towards Stoney Indian Pass and interesting strata visible across the lake.
POI is unremarkable but does have a nice view back towards REdgap and the outlet is quite picturesque.
Mileage and Elevation +/- taken from my permit except for a short 1 mile segment from MOJ to MOL which I had to guess on.
Goat Haunt to KOO 2.8 mi 200/0
KOO to MOL 12.1 mi 2975/2410
MOL to COS 5.5 mi. 0/60
COS to ELF 4.2 mi 290/240
ELF to POI 10.2 mi 2718/1815
off 6.4 415/1300
Here's a link to our trip which is almost exactly what you'll be doing...http://www.dorfworld.net/glacier_2004/trip_1_map.html
Other info you'll find useful in no particular order...
Yeah, you're almost guaranteed to see Moose feeding in Kootenai Lake. The sites are just feet from the lake which means you'll probably have some 4-legged guests very close. The two times I stayed there (July 2004 and late August 2005) I had no problems with the skeeters
Stoney Indian Pass is drop dead gorgeous but a bit of work to climb. Most of the way up to the lake is through thick brush after you get to the trail junction at the Waterton River. you will not forget climbing the headwall from the lake up to the pass. Might even have goats visit you on the trail. Once up to the pass it's like your in another world. This is the spot where I felt the most isolated in the park. you'll love it. The climb back down gets you a beautiful view of a perfect U-shaped valley holding Glenns and Cosley Lakes. Once you get back down to the trees it's rather mundane until you get to Mokowanis Lake. Mokowanis lake pretty much sucks as you can see from the pic below. Too bad you got stuck with it...
There's an "offtrail hike" back up behind that waterfall across the lake. Check it out. You'll find yourself at Margaret Lake if you follow the stream far enough. Might be able to do this one before leaving for Cosley
Once you get to Cosley you have a couple of options to dayhike if you haven't done Margaret in the morning. Gros Ventre Falls which is only a couple of miles east, or the Bear mountain lookout. Or do both.
Easy hike to ELF the next day. If you fish, great. you should have good luck. If you want to see another great cirque lake, get over to Helen Lake.
Your hike to POI will begin climbing as soon as you cross the bridge over Elizabeth's outlet. you'll get some great views of Helen and Elizabeth. Redgap Pass itself is beautiful. To the east is the prairie, to the west more of what you've been hiking through. Look for Kennedy lake to the south. The trail follows Kennedy Creek to Poia.
The hike out will get you some great views of the Swiftcurrent valley once you climb Swiftcurrent Ridge.
This is a great hike. Yeah, it's not what you wanted but it's pretty damn good. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
So many mountains, so little time.
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Guest
Thanks
Dorf,
Thanks for the info...very informative and detailed (as always).
I am certain it will be the trip of a lifetime, but my hiking partner already dropped out (seems he couldn't wait to log his vacation time) and some of that frustration has carried over.
Either way, my 13 year old son is now going with me!
So, one door closes......
Jim
Thanks for the info...very informative and detailed (as always).
I am certain it will be the trip of a lifetime, but my hiking partner already dropped out (seems he couldn't wait to log his vacation time) and some of that frustration has carried over.
Either way, my 13 year old son is now going with me!
So, one door closes......
Jim
-
dorf
- Posts: 1124
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 3:42 pm
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- Location: Manitowoc, WI
- Contact:
Your son will remember this trip forever. He's lucky and so are you---not many teens think it's "cool" to hang with their day for a week in the woods. This is a great trip for a kid once you get up to Stoney Indian. By the time you get to Redgap he'll practically be sprinting up.
So many mountains, so little time.
