Hiking Questions --Many Glacier

Old Jun 19th, 2013, 09:06 AM
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Hiking Questions --Many Glacier

We will be arriving in GNP 6/22--staying at MG hotel for 3 nights, then GTTS to Meadow Lake Resort for 2nd part of trip. I need some advice on hikes. My husband has had knee issues---good now but don't want too challenging, especially at the beginning of our trip. I've read so much about all of the hikes and just bought a book on easy hikes. I keep reading about Fishercap lake-----when looking at the hiking paths, i see that the path to redrock falls. goes to the north of the lake. The description even says that you can see some of the lake through the trees but that the hiking path doesn't take you there----My question is: how do you get to the lake? can you go off path to get to it? Since everybody talks about it---has to be easy to get to.

If we do Iceberg Lake, would it be senseless to do just part of it? I assume by far the best part of it is getting to the lake----- 9 miles might be a bit too much. We are already booked for the boat trip /hike to Grinnel Lake---can't wait.

About Logan pass hikes---i'm deciding between Hidden Lake and HIghline loop--which we wouldnt do all of for sure. Any advice?
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Old Jun 19th, 2013, 09:38 AM
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Better see what parts are still covered in snow. Don't know that trails at Logan Pass. I would be nearly 100% sure if they are open would be a lot I mean a whole lot of snow still on them. Highline is long.
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Old Jun 19th, 2013, 09:39 AM
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Meant to say Don't know that the trails at Logan Pass will be open yet.
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Old Jun 19th, 2013, 12:28 PM
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You are arriving very early in Glacier National Park! The Going to the Sun Road isn't even scheduled to open all the way through the park until June 21st because of snow removal.

As far as Fishercap Lake, you can get to the lakle by taking a very short side trail. Get there early in the morning and you'll have a great chance of seeing moose. It's not too far from the beginning of the trail to Redrock Falls. The hike to Redrock Falls is very easy and I would highly recommend it.

http://www.hikinginglacier.com/redrock-falls.htm

Another easy but incredibly scenic hike is the Swiftcurent Lake trail where you'll have another good chance of seeing moose.

http://www.hikinginglacier.com/swift...ture-trail.htm

Along the Going to the Sun Road, be sure to take the short hike to St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls. There is a very short, steep section to Virginia Falls.

http://www.hikinginglacier.com/virginia-falls.htm

On the west side of the park, check out Avalanche Lake:

http://www.hikinginglacier.com/avalanche-lake.htm
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Old Jun 19th, 2013, 03:14 PM
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Ok. This is what I would do.

Skip Grinnell Glacier. It's shorter than Iceberg Lake but steeper. You're walking up earth and rock stairs. Tough on aching knees.

Iceberg Lake is a bit long. However, other than the very start it's not steep at all. I would do that. The trailhead is at the upper parking area at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn.

Red Rock Falls. This is an easy hike. It starts at the far end of the lower Swiftcurrent Motor Inn parking lot.

Less than a quarter of a mile in there's a small sign pointing to the left and less than 100 yards from the main trail is Fishercap Lake. Every time I've been there we saw wildlife.

You can stop at the lake for a while. Then go back to the main trail and continue. Getting to the falls is a bit of an adventure. There's no sign leading off the main trail. We saw some people who told us to go left. We found it.

On the way to the falls and of course coming back you see a lake either thru the woods or directly. Mountains on the other side of the lake. Very nice scenery.

Logan Pass. Strangely, if the area with the cable doesn't freak you out (I found it quite wide even though this stuff normally gets me) do part of Highline. I found Hidden Lake more of a problem. The first part of the hike is on a boardwalk with a lot of wooden stairs. Tough on the knees.

Or, you can start and stop when it hurts.

A bit further east from Logan Pass is Lunch Creek. A nice walk up from the road along the creek.

A bit further east is St Mary's Falls. You can stop there or continue on to Virginia Falls. Nothing tough on the knees here.
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Old Jun 19th, 2013, 03:50 PM
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Thanks for all of the info---I think I will skip hidden lake--we don't need knee problems---After reading your posts and doing my research, i'm thinking we will be busy enough when we're 3 nights at Many Glacier Hotel to do just those local hikes---redrock/fishercap, swiftcurrent, grinnel lake with boat trip. I was originally going to take an evening red bus tour which goes as far as logan pass---but i might be second guessing that---anyone take that one? the others are too long! we may just get up early the day we leave for Meadow Lake----take the GTTS rd. and make our stops along the way---St. Mary/Virginia falls---and then Logan Pass and just a bit of the Highline loop---(but if we do the falls first, will be find a parking spot?) i dont think the heights will bother me----we did one with a cable near Columbia River Gorge, which was just breathtaking---scary at first but easy to get used to---

Then my plan is to take another day when we're on the West side and go back into the park and do Avalanche Lake and see Lake McDonald lodge---maybe have lunch there. I welcome any and all advice/suggestions.
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Old Jun 19th, 2013, 04:08 PM
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After Fishercap Lake you wrote Swiftcurrent. What's that?

I would go to Logan Pass first then come back toward St Mary / Virginia Falls. It's only a few minutes drive back. You want to be at Logan Pass early enough to get a parking space. It's much larger than the parking at the falls but Logan Pass fills up before 10AM. You're going quite early in the season so I don't know what it'll be like.

I think I'd put Iceberg Lake in. Spectacular scenery most of the way.

If the heights at Highline didn't bother me most people should be fine. It's quite wide.
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Old Jun 19th, 2013, 05:54 PM
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In my book, "Best Easy Day HIkes" they call the name of the trail that goes to redrock falls "swiftcurrent pass trail" We are going to do Iceberg Lake and may do the ranger led one. Did you do any of those? You have been so helpful. Thank you.
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Old Jun 19th, 2013, 06:20 PM
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I'm driving down to Glacier Park Lodge and doing the Red Bus Tour there that goes to Two Medicine and it includes a boat ride as part of the tour as well. It is a short one.
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Old Jun 20th, 2013, 12:50 AM
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The Swiftcurrent Pass trail goes past Fishercap Lake, then past Redrock Falls and continues beyond and eventually goes way uphill. We didn't go beyond the falls.

For Grinnell Glacier we did the Ranger-led hike. Since it's quite steep, and as a result quite strenuous, we should have waited a day to get used to altitude to make it a bit easier. Due to the boat rides it's a bit more structured.

The next day we did the hike to Iceberg Lake. The ranger-led hike left at 8:30 from the trail head at the upper parking lot of Swiftcurrent Motor Inn.

We didn't rush to go with them and left an hour or so later. They stop a lot to get ranger explanations so we eventually caught up to them. We got to the lake about the same time as they did.

About half the people there took the ranger hike. On the way back they were a couple of minutes behind us when we saw a grizzly right beside the trail. The ranger actually came up to check it out and phone it in.

A few people had bathing suits on and were jumping in the lake. Brrrrrr!!! They were jumping in off the icebergs in the water.

I was there with my daughter for 3 1/2 days. I never go to the west side or Two Medicine. I didn't expect to. I'm going back this August with a friend and we'll spend a week there.

We went to Fishercap Lake (it's only a few minutes walk) several times and saw wildlife each time. Male & female moose, deer and between the lake and the falls a grizzly.
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Old Jun 20th, 2013, 05:49 AM
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i think we're just going to do grinnel lake with the boat rides--not the glacier --its supposed to be easier, I hope
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Old Jun 20th, 2013, 07:49 AM
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FYI
The trail to Grinnell Glacier as of today, June 20, is closed 1 1/2 miles up from the head of Lake Josephine due to heavy snow chutes. There is a chain across the trail at this point warning of no travel at this time. Last year a hiker with an ice ax AND crampons crossed the closure and later slipped and fell to his death. HIGHLY recomended not to travel past the chain. There are great views and wildflowers up to the closure.

Iceberg Lake trail still has dangerous gullies filled with snow about a mile past Ptarmigan Falls. Crossing the snow gullies is not omly dangerous but causes resource damage. Ranger led hikes here is 7 miles to the turn around point.

This info is the latest as of June 20 and is subject to change with the weather. Check with the Rangers at the visitors center for up to minute information on ALL trails BEFORE starting out.
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Old Jun 20th, 2013, 06:35 PM
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Thanks for the warning. We definitely wont cross any closures---We knew going this early might result in a few closures. Its good that you've posted this for those who might want to try crossing on their own.
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