1 Week, 3 Big Hikes

[derek.larson]

A few changes to my proposed itinerary (disclaimer: subject to change on a daily basis):

The Big 3:

- Skyline Experience is still on
- Chief Mountain has been added (so long as National Car Rental has a 4wd in the lot...If no 4wd, then either Daw-Pit, Akamina Ridge or Alderson-Carthew)
- Iceberg Lake via Shangri-La, go over the Iceberg Notch, then take the Highline back to Swiftcurrent Pass to complete a loop

Other shorter, less-strenuous, hikes I'd also like to include in the week:

- Hidden Lake Overlook followed by Logan Pass to the Loop on the Highline
- Grinnell Lake

If I haven't destroyed the legs of my friends, and mine, I'd like to squeeze in the Ptarmigan Tunnel somehow, just because...

[Jay w]

Wow, climbing Chief Mountain? I'll be interested in the trip report. I seem to recall hearing (from Todd I believe) that the "trail" in there is a snake pit of trails. I think they got lost a few times hiking out from Chief.

Be sure to bring a buffalo skull for the summit.

Jay

[derek.larson]

No, I don't intend to take anything back with me after doing Chief Mountain. I imagine that would be frowned upon, and besides that, just not the right thing to do. I have collected enough trip reports, and photos, that I could probably do the hike & climb without a map with what I have memorized and gathered to this point.

[Jay w]

http://jenkinsranche.blogspot.com/2011/ ... ntain.html

I wasn't suggesting you take a buffalo skull from the summit. I was joking you should bring one to the summit.

Of course this area is quite sacred to the Black Feet, so I wouldn't even touch an arrow head if I came across one.

Jay

[pitamakan]

There's more hiking involved, but it's very straightforward (and arguably more interesting) to climb Chief from Gable Pass ... that's the route I used. That saves you from needing to obtain a tribal recreation permit, from navigating the 4WD access route to the south approach, and from any worry about leaving an unattended car out there for the day.

[il2gnp]

I see Grinnell Lake on your hiking list. Last year we were in GNP and we did Grinnell Lake about a week after doing the Grinnell Glacier hike. It was an easy hike, which is why we picked it for that day, but I was disappointed because the other hikes we did were so much better. I think I would have enjoyed it more if we had hiked it earlier in our trip.

[Jay w]

It's easy to info online and all your ideas for hikes involved high country:

-Northern traverse in a day
-MG to Goat in a day
=Skyline
=Daw-Pit
-Iceberg notch-Swiftcurrent

Chief Mt doesn't fit that MO. At first I figured you wanted to climb it because (I've heard) the road route, although shorter, is not scenic and difficult to follow. Since you don't want to climb it, then I'm wondering what's the attraction, particularly skipping Lee Ridge.

Jay

[derek.larson]

Jay,

Sorry, I guess I misread your skull joke, and thank you for breaking-down the adventurous ideas I've had in the past.

Yes, I intend to climb Chief Mountain, and am trying to take the shortest route to get there, which seems to be driving through tribal land and going up Gable Pass.

[Jay w]

...that I could probably do the hike & climb without a map...

I missed the "climb" part.

When you started posting about hiking Chief to Kintla in a day, you got my attention. That's a humpty dump.

Again, I'm looking forward to the trip report.

Jay

[derek.larson]

I suppose I've posted some crazy ideas, but I think each of them is doable. In Columbus, GA, I train with a few accomplished ultrarunners, and I may have been influenced to try to top their crazy exploits with one of my own. This forum may have brought me to my senses a bit.

[Jay w]

If you have the skill set, it's not crazy. In fact, if you have the skill set, attempt it, don't complete it, but walk out in one piece, it's still not crazy.

Jay

[southernguy]

You seem to have a lot of energy. I would suggest you add Dragon's Tail ridge line to your Hidden Lake overlook. Probably add 2 hours but it has some of the best views in the park IMHO





Have a great trip

[derek.larson]

Thanks! Hidden Lake is going to be a family hike. It might be tough to carry the two little ones (3 & 1) to that spot. I'll pass this on to my kidless companions.

[derek.larson]

I've created a reference guide for the trip, to be downloaded on a smart phone in case we need to access information about a particular hike we're doing. Other than a map, I don't want to carry along paper copies or books during our hikes. The guide can't be viewed by using this link:

[Stmarypete]

Niicely done reference guide, it could be useful for many of us.