newbie questions on backcountry sites
Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:48 am
Hi,
I've been living vicariously on this site for about a year and I'm determined to make it up there this year. I had a couple things that I'm not sure of, or that I think I know, but am not sure. Any help would be appreciated:
1. The reservations are by campsite. So, does it matter if I have one or four people, as far as getting an itinerary? I'm not sure who is going to be going with me.
2. The pictures I've seen seem like the spots will generally accomodate 2 2 person tents. Would we have to double up if we had three or four people?
3. What do you do the night before your hike? Like in Yosemite, they have backpackers camp areas that you can stay in the night before and the night after your hike. If you're hiking out of Kintla or Bowman, do you have to just start your hike when you can get up there, or is there somewhere to stay?
4. I've seen people say to get any permit, then try to change it on walk-up. What is the advantage to that? You just have to wait in the walkup line whether you have an existing permit or not, right?
5. if I decide to get in line at some ungodly hour (4 AM or something) and am first in line, there is still no guarantee I get the sites I want, because people on longer trips that have already started may have grabbed those sites. Is that correct?
6. Is there much of an opportunity to see off trail waterfalls or lakes? I know you have to stay at established campsites, but can you wander on your way there? Or does the terrain dictate how you get there (assuming no mountaineering, etc)?
7. As far as the backcountry goes, is there a difference in the amount of people you run into between August and September? I would guess that assuming the campsites are all full, once you get out of day hiking range, it would be constant?
8. This is probably a dumb question to ask, but are there surrounding areas that are comparable to Glacier for backpacking that are less crowded, or less of a production? I don't mind the people or the paperwork, but sometimes there are places outside park boundaries that are almost equally beautiful.
Sorry for the length, number of questions, and lack of knowledge . Any help on any of this would be super helpful
Thanks,
Sean
I've been living vicariously on this site for about a year and I'm determined to make it up there this year. I had a couple things that I'm not sure of, or that I think I know, but am not sure. Any help would be appreciated:
1. The reservations are by campsite. So, does it matter if I have one or four people, as far as getting an itinerary? I'm not sure who is going to be going with me.
2. The pictures I've seen seem like the spots will generally accomodate 2 2 person tents. Would we have to double up if we had three or four people?
3. What do you do the night before your hike? Like in Yosemite, they have backpackers camp areas that you can stay in the night before and the night after your hike. If you're hiking out of Kintla or Bowman, do you have to just start your hike when you can get up there, or is there somewhere to stay?
4. I've seen people say to get any permit, then try to change it on walk-up. What is the advantage to that? You just have to wait in the walkup line whether you have an existing permit or not, right?
5. if I decide to get in line at some ungodly hour (4 AM or something) and am first in line, there is still no guarantee I get the sites I want, because people on longer trips that have already started may have grabbed those sites. Is that correct?
6. Is there much of an opportunity to see off trail waterfalls or lakes? I know you have to stay at established campsites, but can you wander on your way there? Or does the terrain dictate how you get there (assuming no mountaineering, etc)?
7. As far as the backcountry goes, is there a difference in the amount of people you run into between August and September? I would guess that assuming the campsites are all full, once you get out of day hiking range, it would be constant?
8. This is probably a dumb question to ask, but are there surrounding areas that are comparable to Glacier for backpacking that are less crowded, or less of a production? I don't mind the people or the paperwork, but sometimes there are places outside park boundaries that are almost equally beautiful.
Sorry for the length, number of questions, and lack of knowledge . Any help on any of this would be super helpful
Thanks,
Sean