Glacier National Park Chat

Now here is a hike I have never thought of doing - Arrow Lake from the Inside North Fork Road passing by, or through Rogers Meadow, thereby avoiding the trials and tribulations of Howe Ridge. But here is a description of the hike from the Hungry Horse News. If you would like to avoid the crowds, this is probably one to try:

http://www.hungryhorsenews.com/glacier_ ... y_to_arrow

Just so happens that I spend two nights at Arrow Lake on the hottest days of the summer (8/9-10/2018). The valley seems to have been hammered with recent avalanches. The largest is the one just west of Arrow Lake. Two huge trees slammed the hitch rack and just missed the outhouse. The trail crews did a remarkable job opening the trail again. I agree the campsite at Arrow Lake is fine and the view up the valley is very nice. If you plan on hiking beyond Arrow Lake to Camas Lake there are several unbridged stream crossings -- not too deep or swift in late summer though. Also another avalanched blocked the trail along the north shore of Arrow Lake. The trail crew rerouted the trail along the shore at the head of the lake but there were still some trees to crawl over. The route there is indistinct as well with cairns marking the way. In spring when the lake is high that section of "trail" will be under water. There were only a few flies and mosquitos on our entire trip so, while very hot during the day, the trips was pleasant.

Well my son-in-law and I hiked out from Arrow Lake yesterday (8/11/2018). There was some lightning in that area on Saturday night and several fires were ignited. One on Heaven Peak and another on Howe Ridge. The following trails have been closed due to fire danger: Numa Lookout Trail, Trout Lake Trails, Howe Ridge and Howe Lake Trails. There was a third fire reported on Numa Peak.

Thanks for the update about an area we rarely get reports from.

But...Wow. Sounds like your timing was very fortunate. After hearing about some of the close calls in this year's fire season, I'm glad you and your son-in-law got out safe!

joybird wrote:Thanks for the update about an area we rarely get reports from.

But...Wow. Sounds like your timing was very fortunate. After hearing about some of the close calls in this year's fire season, I'm glad you and your son-in-law got out safe!

Thanks. While hiking out we met two groups backpacking in the day before the Howe Ridge fire was started by lightning. Two men in one group said they were going to Camas Lake. The second group, a couple, were heading to Arrow Lake. I thought of them when I heard about the new fire and hoped they got out safely.

Based on recent reports of the Howe Ridge Fire burning 150' feet from the Inside North Fork Road, I'm not sure how relevant this post will be in the coming years. That being said, I hiked from the Camas Creek trailhead north of Fish Creek Campground off the Inside North Fork Road all the way to the foot of Trout Lake and back in later October 2016. I found it to be a spectacular hike! Lots of wolf scat along the trail, with the first few miles traversing across open meadows and burnt stands of forest. Eventually the trail reaches one of the more beautiful places I've ever been to in Glacier... it passes by a particularly large, meandering stretch of Camas Creek with a huge oxbow turning very near the trail. The view across the watery plain up towards Stanton and Vaught is awe inspiring! From there, the trail enters a thicker stretch of forest and plods along all the way to a bridged crossing of Camas Creek, less than 0.5 miles downstream of Trout Lake. When I was there, the wooden bridge was out, and I was determined to get to Trout Lake so I bushwhacked for about 15 minutes along the west side of the creek until I caught a glimpse of Trout Lake. Naturally, I returned the way I came and although it was a little spooky hiking back (6+ hours of not encountering any other hikers in prime grizzly habitat can get to me after awhile) the trip back to the road was uneventful. Hiking the trail in late autumn was especially awesome as it the golden larches were at/near peak!



Oxbow bend on Camas Creek, Oct. 21, 2016

Anders,

Thanks for posting that great information. How many miles was that hike round trip?

Lyman