![]() All in all, this was an five star hike for views, optional scrambles, treats on the trail and wildlife viewing. Another thrill of the Siyeh Pass hike! The day was not yet over, as we gorged on huckleberries along the trail down, collected some for breakfast, and gorged some more. Within a minute or two, the same bear was ran by again, in the other direction, and faster, downhill, and soon out of sight. Sure enough that bear was running across the rocks in a blurr of fur and fury, running away from something, but what? He was about to run into another surprise… hikers, as he was headed for Siyeh pass. Upon our decent, some neighboring hikers alerted us that a bear was running above us on the scree. The hike continued to the other side of the pass via several switchbacks with views of St. Siyeh Pass (where the people are) and the fin to their left While most trails out East hike to summits, not all trails do out west, unless you put away those poles and engage in a little hand-over-foot crawling. It's these little off-trail excursions that make hiking out West such a joy. That scramble was a thrill I will not soon forget. We looked around in amazement and crawled out way back to the 5-6 foot wide portion with relief. A natural fear of heights and sheer-cliffs got the best of me here and I called this my limit. We walked and crawled our way for 20 minutes or so, until we had to jump over a small gap to continue. The fin of rock started on a scree slope, goat trail, and merged into a 2-6 wide foot platform of rock, with a sheer drop on either side. Starting on the Siyeh Bend Trail, you soon end u on the CDT, and finally onto the Siyeh Pass Trail through Preston Park, over the scree-filled pass, and onto a platform with an wide-open view of a giant, U-shaped valley, iron-stained red mountains, several small lakes below, and a fin of rock that Chris and I had to scramble (having seen a few others hike it before us). The high point of the road is Logan Pass, as 6646 ft, where you can find a Visitor Center, Ranger station, and a large parking lot filled with cars by 10am. Thanks to this road, non-hikers and hikers alike can enjoy expansive views as they wind around hairpin turns and steep cliff faces, as one might on a strenuous, above treeline hike. Our first trip was recommended by the cashier at a trinket shop in West Glacier:) The hike starts at Siyeh Bend along the Going to the Sun Road, one of the more challenging feats of road-building in the early 1900s. We traveled to a variety of locations throughout the park, including the Lake McDonald area, Logan Pass Area, Two Medicine, Many Glacier, at St Marys. We had 4 days to cram as many day hikes as we could before our backpack. We got what we wanted (shocking!), and before I knew it… it was time to pack up and head to Montana. I grabbed another faithful hiking buddy and applied early for backpacking permits. So without much photographic inspiration I grabbed a guidebook (with poor photos) and started looking up backpacks and day hikes. Instead, a hiking buddy really, really wanted to go, and my boyfriend had a interest too when asked. But Glacier didn't appear in a glossy photo or enticing backpacking article. Most times I've read an article, or seen a picture that inspires me. View towards Elizabeth Lake Another summer, another trip out WestĮach August I plan a 1-week backpacking excursion in the Western US. If you're a hiker/backpacker who loves big, grande places, you're sure to fall in love. The place is gorgeous, it glows… it's mega-fauna filled, wildflower-abundant, u-shaped valley-loaded… and access to alpine areas is easily available by car - and extra bonus. Here's the thing about Glacier: pictures cannot, and will not, do it justice. View from Swiftcurrent Peak Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Goats, Grizzly Bears, Oh My! ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |