Badgerhiker's 2018 Trip Report
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 7:49 pm
I spent 10 days hiking in Glacier from July 23 to Aug 2. The weather was great, the scenery of course was even better though it did get a little hazy the second week I was in the park. I was lucky enough to see 3 grizzlies, 1 black bear, 3 moose, 16 elk, and too many goats to count. I also saw 42 big horn sheep at Logan Pass on the last night of my trip! I like to go out with a bang.
July 21 Theodore Roosevelt National Park
From Wisconsin this park makes a great stopping point half way to Glacier.I had 2 to 3 hours before sunset, so I drove the loop road. I'm glad I did, the skies were gorgeous from a huge thunderstorm rolling in. Plus I saw about 200 buffalo on the short drive.
When I drove around the next corner another herd of buffalo was walking down the road. The buffalo calf's still had their orangish-red coats so seeing that was a first for me.
I have one question. If a buffalo sticks his tongue out at you first can you harass it back?
When the storm hit I found a pullout to wait the pouring rain out. I think a car was broke down up the road because another car picked him up and they pulled in behind me. They must have been wondering why I was sitting there because a teenage girl ran over to check if I needed help. I explained I was hoping for a good sunset after the storm passed. It was nice of them to check on me but the poor girl got soaked. They could have waited for the rain to stop. I wasn't disappointed with the sunset.
When I left the next morning I got some more pictures of wild horses on the plains.
July 23 Triple Divide Pass
I woke up at 5:45, made breakfast and headed to Cutbank campground. I was staying in St Mary's campground by the way. Turning onto the road to Cutbank, I saw three groups with tents and pull behind campers in a cow pasture surrounded by cows. A sign on the gate said camping $20. I guess that's better than nothing. At the trail head another guy was camping in a little teardrop camper. When I was getting ready a park employee? (he was driving a park service truck) woke him up and warned him to take off before a ranger saw him.
This was a good first hike for my trip. I wanted to do some mountain climbing later in the week so this had decent elevation and a nice steady climb to the pass. Once the trail started climbing Medicine Grizzly Lake was below me the whole time. It was a very scenic lake with five or six waterfalls flowing into it from snowfields above.
I just hate bad hair days!
At the pass I started chatting with two backpackers while they were drying their gear out. I asked how long they were backpacking for. They said how ever long it takes to get to Mexico. They were planning on doing 30+ mile days to beat the snow in Colorado. To me that sounds like a forced march vs a fun backpacking trip but to each his own.
One last pic on the way down. I'll try to post a couple more days tomorrow.
July 21 Theodore Roosevelt National Park
From Wisconsin this park makes a great stopping point half way to Glacier.I had 2 to 3 hours before sunset, so I drove the loop road. I'm glad I did, the skies were gorgeous from a huge thunderstorm rolling in. Plus I saw about 200 buffalo on the short drive.
When I drove around the next corner another herd of buffalo was walking down the road. The buffalo calf's still had their orangish-red coats so seeing that was a first for me.
I have one question. If a buffalo sticks his tongue out at you first can you harass it back?
When the storm hit I found a pullout to wait the pouring rain out. I think a car was broke down up the road because another car picked him up and they pulled in behind me. They must have been wondering why I was sitting there because a teenage girl ran over to check if I needed help. I explained I was hoping for a good sunset after the storm passed. It was nice of them to check on me but the poor girl got soaked. They could have waited for the rain to stop. I wasn't disappointed with the sunset.
When I left the next morning I got some more pictures of wild horses on the plains.
July 23 Triple Divide Pass
I woke up at 5:45, made breakfast and headed to Cutbank campground. I was staying in St Mary's campground by the way. Turning onto the road to Cutbank, I saw three groups with tents and pull behind campers in a cow pasture surrounded by cows. A sign on the gate said camping $20. I guess that's better than nothing. At the trail head another guy was camping in a little teardrop camper. When I was getting ready a park employee? (he was driving a park service truck) woke him up and warned him to take off before a ranger saw him.
This was a good first hike for my trip. I wanted to do some mountain climbing later in the week so this had decent elevation and a nice steady climb to the pass. Once the trail started climbing Medicine Grizzly Lake was below me the whole time. It was a very scenic lake with five or six waterfalls flowing into it from snowfields above.
I just hate bad hair days!
At the pass I started chatting with two backpackers while they were drying their gear out. I asked how long they were backpacking for. They said how ever long it takes to get to Mexico. They were planning on doing 30+ mile days to beat the snow in Colorado. To me that sounds like a forced march vs a fun backpacking trip but to each his own.
One last pic on the way down. I'll try to post a couple more days tomorrow.