Curious - if you are one of the lucky ones to get a permit

[bcblues]

First overnight trip in Glacier:

PERMIT # 1014
ENTRY BLE BOWMAN LAKE FOOT (Ak
DATE CODE CAMPSITE
7/30 BOW 21 BOWMAN LAKE, HD
7/31 BRO 22 BROWN PASS
8/ 1 FRA 11 LAKE FRANCIS
8/ 2 BOW 23 BOWMAN LAKE, HD

I hope the snow is "reasonable" by then.

[bcblues]

Applied for another trip as well, but have not heard back. Do they tell you if you DON'T get your trip?

[Ear Mountain]

Applied for another trip as well, but have not heard back. Do they tell you if you DON'T get your trip?

Yep.

[dorf]

I hope the snow is "reasonable" by then.

Brown Pass isn't even above the tree line. You'll be fine.

[Cunneyworth]

My Current Permit is:

Enter Goat Haunt
7/17 Kootenai Lake
7/18 Kootenai Lake
7/19 Lake Janet
7/20 Lake Janet
7/21 Brown Pass
7/22 Lake Janet
Exit Goat Haunt

Our initial plan was to take in the view from the top of Mount Cleveland. We were very much looking for a summer hiking trip. We just recently did a warm up hike up Mount Colden via the trap dike in the Adirondack High Peaks region.

I just read the warning on the Backcountry website concerning the heavy snowfall.
My friends and I do not have experience with ice axes or snow field crossing in general. We have already booked a flight out to Calgary, should we be looking to move our trip to Banff National Park in Canada where the snow has not been too bad? (now isn't' that ironic)
Do you think there is hope for us in GNP yet?

I appreciate any comments or help. Our first trip to GNP has been in the works for quite some time and to miss the opportunity this close is devastating.

Thanks

[dorf]

Your itinerary should be fine and I wouldn't worry about needing an ice axe

Here's some webcam shots from the Summit at Big Mountain to give you an idea of how much snow is still up there though.





And another from the bottom



Closer to home, the Apgar web cam

[orin]

It is a bit unclear from your post exactly what you are planning to do. Dorf is right about your itinerary based on a backpacking trip to and from your campsites. Both lakes are relatively low elevation and those trails should not be a problem. However, if your goal is to do some mountaineering, such as an attempt on Cleveland from a basecamp at Kootenai Lakes, then you definitely do need to be prepared for steep snow travel. Compared to the Trap Dike on Colden, Cleveland is much longer and more committing and requires a wider variety of skills.

[trevbo]

Hi Cunnyworth, I don't think you need to cancel your trip to Glacier. It is finally getting hot and the snowpack will be plummetting over the next month. There very well could be lingering snow pockets that might foil a summit attempt on Cleveland, however, in a month's time there will be a number of other peak bagging opportunities available in Glacier. I think if you have some flexibility in your itinerary you should still be able to have a fantastic trip. You could alternatively stay at some of the campgrounds like at Many Glacier or St. Mary and use your campsites as a base camp for day hikes or peakbagging.

That said, if you're being flexible and considering other ideas than your idea of Banff as a backup plan is not bad, esp. if you're flying into Calgary anyway and the snow pack is less. Always good to have a few backup plans. If you are really set on doing a back packing trip with a couple of big peaks thrown in, and you need to pre-arrange everything, something like Skoki in Banff would be a great idea. You could do the Skoki loop and get up a couple of big peaks in the surrounding area. Sky's the limit. Note that snow pack is higher than average in Banff as well.

Check out the snow pillows

Flattop still has higher than most winter's depth of snow, but it ''should be'' dropping fast over the next month.
http://environment.alberta.ca/apps/basi ... ionID=FLAT

Many Glacier;s snow pillow is dry (but is located at a much lower elevation)
http://environment.alberta.ca/apps/basi ... ionID=MANY

To the north Skoki's snow pillow is more or less average
http://environment.alberta.ca/apps/basi ... ionID=SKOK

See other snow pillows here
http://environment.alberta.ca/apps/basi ... DataType=4

[Cunneyworth]

I just want to thank everyone for their helpful comments.

I haven't even had the chance to visit GNP yet, but the community surrounding it has been incredible.
My friends still seem to be worried about the potential conditions. He's looking into other opportunities such as Sequoia (found a cheap way to switch flights) but with all the planning that went into this trip, I think it may be too little too late.
We were very fortunate to get almost the exact itinerary that we asked for, and I think we should just make the best of it.

Because of work we cannot switch dates and are coming in from Calgary so have to stay relatively close to Goat Haunt.
I will just be hoping for a whole lot of sunshine and heat over the next 25 days leading up to our trip.

Thank you again for all of your help, and if there are any sweet day hikes that come to mind I'd definitely look into working them into my trip. Permit #679 above.

Cheers.

[Pocketlint]

This is from the trail status for Gunsight Pass Trail just a few mins ago.

Initial clearing scheduled for: 8/15/11 per 650

Gunsight Lake Suspension Bridge: No Install date scheduled as both abutments have been damaged beyond repair. Bridge will have to be rebuilt at a later date to be determined per 650 6/22/11

Trail from the lake to Gunsight Pass by observation is 90% snow-covered with numerous high angle snowfields 6/22/11 per 650

This isn't good news for the early hikers and backpackers for this busy trail

pocketlint

[Pocketlint]

No point in starting another thread for this one

Permit #4779
Overnight at Lower Quartz Lake.

And it didn't take much "luck" either LOLOL!!
I'd bet there are only a handful of people backpacking in the entire North Fork region this weekend.
I just hope the weather doesn't suck too bad. 1/3 chance of rain and/or Tstorms most of the weekend.
I'll build a fire for Todd ...if the wind isn't blowing too badly.
I'll find out about this pack and how it rides, etc.

pocketlint

[Selkie]

As Todd graciously gave up a Quartz Lake loop hike and acceded to my wish to climb to Numa Lookout, I'm very interested in your trip. Plus backpacking, of course!

Do you stay awake all night listing to things crunching in the underbrush a few feet from your tent?

[Pocketlint]

Hey Selkie:

Naw....I sleep pretty well camping.
Last week I loved hearing that wind howling through the trees at Upper Kintla.
I pretty much ignore most, but not all, the various night sounds if it's a quiet night. Took some adjusting when I moved out here.
"Night noises" in the mountains of VA are different. One sound I didn't like hearing was that "chewing/nibbling" noise mice made...trying to get in my bivy or tent...whatever.
Not much to worry about back there. Black bears were way too scared(being hard hunted in most places back there) of humans in most of the areas I camped in...places like Shenendoah National Park being an exception, or other places where morons fed the bears e.g. near the Blue Ridge Parkway during the October "leaf season".
I frequently read at night when camping. Picked up a new book today...right after I locked up Boss Lady II's truck by accident...and subsequently slim jim'd it open with a borrowed slim jim....story for another day
YeeeeHawwwwwwww

pocketlint