wave725

Even if you can't get overnight reservations in Sperry, take the round trip hike up to Sperry and eat lunch in their dining room. They serve up some great homemade breads, soups, sandwiches and pies!
http://hikinginglacier.blogspot.com/...or-season.html

Myer

That hike is a little too much for me. I'll have my hands full with Grinnell Glacier, Iceberg lake, etc, etc.

Took my daughter last August for too short a time so going back early this August for a longer time.

Possibly the most beautiful of the parks.

sharondi

Iceberg Lake is incredible - one of my favorite spots in Glacier. The hike along the Highline Trail is pretty amazing too. What a gorgeous park it is.

wave725

Glacier is still a well kept secret and by far my favorite national park. We'll be there the end of August and I can't wait! If you have time, explore the Two Medicine area. Dawson Pass and Scenic Point are incredible hikes...then check out Serrano's Mexican restaurant in East Glacier Park afterwards.

http://www.hikinginglacier.com/glaci...-ten-hikes.htm

Myer

I've put aside at least one day for Two Medicine.

I like waterfalls so we may try hiking along the south of Two Medicine Lake. I have to look at it some more but maybe we'll veer to Aster Falls and Aster park Overlook.

Then we'll continue to Rockwell falls. Pictures look very nice.

From there we could backtrack a bit and go to Twin Falls and Upper Two Medicine lake.

The two hikes you mentioned might be two much for old legs. Depending upon timing we could try for Dawson Pass.

I still have to review the priorities for this trip.

Thanks for the suggestions.

monpetit

Dawson is pretty but strenous...
Your programm -aster/rocckfalls and then twin falls and upper two medecine lake is sufficient to a whole day with time to do pictures, relax at every highlights...
Perhaps a back way by north shore is easier...
I will try preferently Cobalt Lake than Dawson pass if you are in good shape.
Erik

wave725

Cobalt Lake would defintiely be much easier on the knees than Dawson Pass. If you have time, take the side trail to Paradise Point on the way out, it's a great place to spot moose in the early mornings.

Myer

Erik,
Cobalt Lake is an idea if we get started early enough.

Once we get to Rockwell Falls we've already gone 2/3 of the way. Unfortunately it appears that the steepest part is after the falls.

We can always continue after the falls and turn around when we've had enough or it's getting too late.

Thanks for the idea.

Myer

Erik,
I forgot to ask. Is the hike back on the north side of Two Medicine Lake easier or very different than the South side?

If we complete Cobalt Lake and it's getting late or we've had enough we can go back the way we came (of course skipping Aster Falls and Overlook that we probably will have seen on the way there).

r we could go to the boat dock and hope there's room on the boat for the return ride.

monpetit

Not so different but it´s a diferent point of view...
It´s true that the last third is the steepest but not so steep..And the scenery is so nice that time go fast...
There are a lot of wildflowers and some small falls as the hike follows the stream a while...
For me the best is Rockwells and then Cobalt lake and back by the south shore. Every time we have seen some mooses...
If you turn back at Rockwell falls so, the best is to hike to Twin falls and then or the boat or the north shore.
On the north shore hike there are often some bears-we saw twice...
Erik
Ps wéll be at rising sun two nights, august 9th and 10th

Myer

Erik,
You're making Cobalt Lake look very nice.

If time is a problem are we better off going to Cobalt Lake and skipping Twin Falls and Upper Two Medicine Lake or skipping Cobalt Lake?

Last summer I took my daughter. She always wants less days. This time I'm going with a friend.

I'll be at Swiftcurrent the nights of Aug 4, 5, 6 and Rising Sun the nights of Aug 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

Then we're in Banff the night of Aug 12 and Jasper the night of Aug 13. In Calgary the night of Aug 14 and fly home on Aug 15th.

Maybe we can try to have dinner at the Rising Sun restaurant one of the evenings.

monpetit

I should prefer Cobalt Lake and back by the same way :
- nice hike, easier than Grinel Glacier and mix of wood,Waterfalls, streams, wildflowers and scenery,
- nice spot at the lake to have a lunch stop...
- going down gives you a totally different point of view and at some spots you can see Two Medecine lake
- The way between Two Medecine trailhead and the fork to Rockwell/Cobalt has 2- 3 ponds where we've seen everytime we made it mooses.
OK for a diner the 9th or the 10th.
We'll arrive the 9th from Glacier park Lodge,having hiked or the Dawson/Pitakaman passes or Cobalt with extension to Two Medecine pass .
For the 10th, it will depend what is possible(red eagle lake or highline even we made it last year or driving to cut bank and hiking to Pitakaman pass from there...
Erik

monpetit

In elevation/mile :
- Cobalt Lk = 259 feet/mile,for 5.7 miles;
- Grinel Glacier : 480 feet/mile for 4 miles
- Dawson pass : 521 feet/mile for 6 miles...
So Cobalt lake is really "do-able" for you...Just take your time...
Here is a good link for the difficulty level...
I find it on GNP website 2 years ago but I don't remember how I find it..By chance I keep it in favorites...
http://www.hikinginglacier.com/glaci...ark-trails.htm
Erik

Myer

Erik,
I use hinginglacier.com a lot.

My list includes:

Many Glacier:
Iceberg Lake
Grinnell Glacier
Apikuni Falls
Redrock Falls
Fishercap Lake several times for wildlife (Redrock Falls, after Iceberg & Grinnell Glacier)

Logan Pass / St Mary:
Hidden Lake Overlook
Highline (part not sure how far)
Triple Falls
Lunch Creek
Preston Park
St Mary Falls, Virginia Falls

Two Medicine:
Aster Falls, Aster Park Overlook, Rockwell Falls, Cobalt Lake
Twin Fall (?), Upper Two Medicine Lake (?), Running Eagle Falls (?)

Lake McDonald
Don't know if we'll even get there

For dinner, it makes no difference for me. You decide.
We'll be in Rising Sun for 4 full days and parts of two others.

monpetit

While in Preston park, I suggest to hike to the foot of Syeh pass and then on the way back hiking to Piegan pass.
The last part of Syeh pass is steepy and sometime windy.
There is a nice overlook on Sexton Glacier but 10-15 mn after the pass.
The hike from Preston park jonction to Piegan Pass is much easier and we find the scenery nicer. There were bighorn sheeps there and also some mountain goats.The view on the many Glacier area is terrific.The slope is gentle, very regular.
Last year we do both passes in the same day : Syeh Bend/Preston Park/Syeh Pass/Preston Park/Piegan Pass and back to Syeh Bend and Anny got enough time to swim in St Mary lake while arriving at Rising sun.
I'm quite sure we didn't have been able to do switching the passes...
This year we try to take a shuttle from Swiftcurrent when we'll be there, after Rising Sun and to do Syeh Bend/Preston/Syeh/Piegan and back to MG by Morning eagle Falls and Lake Josephine.
Preston park is really an "upper" valley which is as scenic than the one to Iceberg but much less crowded..
Erik
PS perhaps the 10th will be more interesting. If we hike the Dawson/Pitakaman loop we'll perhaps arrive a little late in Rising Sun.

wave725

Myer, your list sounds great! I would also suggest, if you don't mind the extra miles(?), to add the side trail to Ptarmigan Tunnel when you do Iceberg Lake. It's a bit of a climb to the tunnel and it's like you walk through a different world at the other end.

Also, we've learned it's always great to have a Plan B for all your hikes since they can be closed at any time due to bear activity. Always check with the ranger station the day before a hike to make sure your trail is open. Here are some suggestions for alternatives just in case.

Many Glacier:

wave725

Myer...sorry, hit the submit button too soon!

Many Glacier:
Cracker Lake - IMHO the best lake hike in Glacier

Two Medicine:
You're missing two of the best hikes in Two Medicine (and in the park) by not including Dawson Pass and Scenic Point.

GTTS Road:
On the Highline Trail I would try to go as far as Haystack Pass. But the Highline is one of those trails that has spectacular scenery, so you'll still have a great hike no matter how far you go. You'll need to get to Logan Pass Visitor's Center early - no later than 9:30 or 10AM to get a parking spot....and remember, there will be delays due to road construction.

While in Two Medicine, and if you like Mexican food, be sure to eat at Serrano's. They open their doors at 5PM and there's always a line - so get there early!

monpetit

Wave gives a really practical advice : always having a plan B and not only for bears closure...
Glacier is a mountain park and so weather can change hour by hour but also miles by miles...
Two years ago while in MG weather was rainy and cold and we drove to Cut Bank. We hikes under sun and blue sky to Medecine Grizzly Lake...
Cracker is effecticvely one of the nicest lake in Glacier...the hike is not so strenous but the first 1,5 miles is shared with horse parties. If weather is dry no problem if you hike early...if it´s mud this beginning can be boring. The lake worth this but you have to know it..
Dawson and Ptarmigan are very nice hikes but physically challenging. It can be a pleasure for some and a bad day for others...
Erik

Myer

Erik, Wave725,

It's very easy to decide I'll do anything. But I have to be realistic. I'm 69 and in good shape. The friend I'm meeting in Calgary is in pretty good shape and a couple of years older than me. So. . . .

Also, being an hobbyist photog, I also want to follow the wildlife. Fishercap Lake will probably see us several times.

I'll recheck the recommendation for the Preston Park area.

I wasn't there last summer so I only know it by the parking area.

wave725

Myer, whatever you decide you can't go wrong...Glacier is spectacular!