I'm heading to Montana tomorrow on a vacation/business trip and have full intentions on getting back up to Glacier to enjoy it's beauty again (I've been once and the park was PACKED... it rained... didn't hike like I wanted... plus I was solo).

My wife is going out there with me this trip and I'd like to plan it out for a day trip with a couple of hikes in there. Obviously, there'd be nothing overly substantial considering that it's going to be a day trip but, can anyone recommend a couple of 1-2 mile hikes that highlight the park? I know very little about this National Park and am anxious to discover more (especially on this 'work funded' vacation!).

I'll be checking back, off and on, over the next couple of days as I don't think we'll get up there until Friday at the earliest.

THANKS GUYS!

RP

 

Hey RP, I was up that way in Montana a few days ago. You are going to love it.
Driving over the Continental divide on the I-15 and I-90 is like one big living geology lesson.
Stop off by the Missouri River if you get a chance, the scenery is great.
As of this week, the weather was nice up there. Bring your sun lotion and bug spray.
Have fun and post pics when you get back.

 

Yeah, it's definately incredible out there. My first (and only) trip to Glacier was incredible even if it was foggy/cloudy up in the mountains. I hope it's clear when I make it up there later this week.

I've been across the Continental Divide more times than I can shake a stick at with my travels in and around that area. Fortunately, this client that we do all of this work for is a mining client and thus, our jobsites are out in the middle of NO WHERE typically (and ultimately, are beautiful typically). I absolutely love going to Montana and, more specifically, to our job sites located around Garrison, Montana as there's just about nothing within 2 hours either direction (Missoula, MT to the west... Butte, MT to the east). Even better, there's NO CELLULAR COVERAGE!

I really can see how the folks get addicted to fly fishing. That appears to be just about as tranquil as life can possibly be.

RP

 

Are you sure your firm doesn't need any help?

I planned a trip out there a few years ago, but we bought a house instead of going on my vacation. I planned on going to the west side of the park near Bowman lake, camping there and doing some backpacking.

A few years later I still haven't made it to Glacier, and the house we bought is for sale (hopefully sold - it gets getting the inspection tommorrow...)

 

Good luck on selling the house man! I bet that's been a hassle.

Not sure but the wife seems to be wanting to go down to Yellowstone rather than up to Glacier. Being a geologist and having had been to Yellowstone, I'll be honest, I really don't want to go. You can only smell so much sulfur and see steam and bubbling mud so long before it really starts getting old. Don't get me wrong, it's neat but, I understand the processes and thus, it really doesn't fascinate me. Frankly, knowing how much that area sinks every year, it frightens me.

 

Cool, I m going to be making a trip up to Montana in september. That will be my first time up there other than just in yellowstone.

Going fly fishing on the Blackfoot and Bitterroot rivers

 

travel safe, God bless America ....

https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=4362

 

Well, I'm heading to Glacier tomorrow morning. I've researched it a bit and have located a couple of fairly simple hikes where I can drag the wife along. After a bit of Geocaching today, it's going to be difficult to get her to do much that is outside of her 'comfort zone'. You see, we embarked on a 5 mile hike that was pretty much STRAIGHT UP and I haven't heard the end of it. Me... I thought it kicked serious butt and was BEAUTIFUL. Sure, I'm tired but, it was WELL worth it!

"...boo hoo, I'm sore..."

"...I can't believe I did that..."

"... I'm so tired..."

"... Do you really want to go to Glacier..."



If it were up to me, I'd drive in and park and hike the rest of the day and then camp somewhere tomorrow night. Needless to say, we'll be back at the Hampton Inn.

RP

 

Since you're a geologist I think you'd enjoy glacier NP more than yellowstone. I personally dont care for yellowstone, its just too big. It takes nearly a whole day just to DRIVE around the park (and there are only about 4 main areas, spread around the park), much less SEE anything.

Here's a pic of the lake from when we went in 2003, but I dont want to ruin anything (although Im sure the pic doesnt do the real thing justice .


We also saw a herd of bighorn at Logan pass, so that was nice.
Dont know any trails, we didnt get the chance. We were staying at West Yellowstone so it took the better part of the day to do the driving.

There were some interesting stops though.

If you ever get the chance, go see Earthquake Lake (if you havent already).
http://www.greennature.com/travel/visit3883.html

 

You make me want to go see this place ....That is some nice picture...have a banana...hell have 2 ...

 

You're definitely right on Glacier versus Yellowstone. I've actually been to both already. This trip is more to get the wifey up there so that she can enjoy it a bit.

Yellowstone is INCREDIBLY spread out. Very difficult to do the park in one day if you have any desire to get out of the vehicle. Me, I went in the west entrance and then drove due south to Teton National Park (which borders Yellowstone to the south).

I did stop at Earthquake on another occasion while I was out here on business. That's an INCREDIBLE area. The outcrops are nothing short of spectacular.

Yesterday, the wife and I took the VERY long way out to my job site along Montana Hwy 1 and enjoyed the Pintler Loop. Talk about some spectacular scenery!

Well, it's a little after 6am here and we're going to hit the road. It's supposed to be clear and sunny up there so... let the trip begin toward Kalispell!

RP

 

That settles it. I have GOT to get back out there. I have been to all three (Teton, Glacier and Yellowstone). Glacier was my favorite then the Tetons, then Yellowstone. Don't get me wrong, Yellowstone was unbelievable, but the others were just spectacular.

Man, what a great country we have. We have everything!

 

RP
While you're out there pick me up a cool specimen from the area that I can add to my collection. I'll come through Louisville sometime to pick it up.

I'm sure you've seen this before:

Top Ten Signs You Might Be a Geologist
10. You have ever had to respond "yes" to the question, "What have you got in here, rocks?" (Happened to me at an airport in Arizona)

9. You have ever taken a 15-passenger van over "roads" that were really intended only for cattle (it was actually an Escort GT, we had to use our own vehicles)

8. You have ever found yourself trying to explain to airport security that a rock hammer isn't really a weapon (I checked it in with the luggage)

7. Your rock garden is located inside your house (on the fireplace mantle)

6. You have ever hung a picture using a Brunton as a level (not yet, Bruntons are too expensive)

5. You can pronounce the word "molybdenite" correctly on the first try.

4. You consider a "recent event" to be anything that has happened in the last hundred thousand years (no comment)

3. Your photos include people only for scale and you have more pictures of your rock hammer and lens cap than of your family (People always ask my why I have pictures of my hammer)

2. You have ever been on a field trip that included scheduled stops at a gravel pit and/or a liquor store (more than one field trip)

And the #1 sign you might be a geologist:

1. You have ever uttered the phrase "have you tried licking it" with no sexual connotations involved ('nough said)

 

 

Additionally

9 - I blew out a tire on the Escrot GT in the high desert of southern, CA in the San Bernadino national wilderness. I had to replace the tire w/ a used one (no tire stores in the town) and ended up driving back to Indy on a tire that lost ~25lbs of air/day.

8 - I know a chick that recently got her HCl confiscated by airport security

7 - I also have small collection at the office, and some great ripple marks and colonial coral that decorate the landscaping in front of the house

2 - EVERY field trip I went on included a stop at a liquor store, most of the time it was the prof that led the way!

Oh how I miss those days as an undergrad...