Glacier Park

I had plans to climb in the Bugaboos for a week before school started but my partner bailed (and glacier conditions up there were bad, making access to many of the classic routes difficult/impossible) so I headed to Glacier instead for a few days of solo running. 

Day 1 – snagged a site at avalanche creek and hung out for a few hours before catching a shuttle up to logan pass to run the classic 12mi highline trail.  The skies were terribly smoky but I hoped that since the run was mostly downhill, my lungs would do alright.  Thanks to the late hour, there weren’t many people on the trail but I did run into a lot of wildlife right on the trail – about a dozen bighorn sheep in total and a solo standoff with a black bear eating berries 30ft off the trail who refused to vacate his berry patch.  After a lot of shouting and clapping, I eventually gave in and dipped off the other side of the trail by a safe margin and bypassed him.

bighorn sheep (and smoke)

bear and his berry patch

At the chalet, I bumped into a runner/hiker that had been turned around by rangers closing swiftcurrent pass due to bear activity.  We ran the few miles down to the loop together, and it turns out he worked in many glacier and was supposed to work at 8pm that evening.  With swiftcurrent closed, he had a long journey of hitchhiking in from of him to get back to many glacier.  I wished him luck before catching a shuttle down to avalanche for the evening.  (run was approx. 12mi/960’ up & 3200’ down in 2:25 at casual/sightseeing pace). 

Day 2 – smoke was even worse and high chance of heavy rain/storms prompted me to take a rest day.  Was nice to relax at camp and accomplish everything on my to-do list that could be done from my truck without power/internet. 

Day 3 – thanks to rain/cold front that night, I awoke Saturday to beautiful blue skies and thus set out for the classic 20mi gunsight pass trail, that has been on my tick-list for a LONG time (initially as a backpack but now as a run).  I caught a shuttle up to logan pass, where a trace of new snow had fallen overnight.  The combo of blue skies and fresh snow on the high peaks was a spectacular sight, made all the more special by all the dreary smoke in recent days. 

fresh snow on the garden wall

On the following shuttle ride down to the trailhead, we saw a grizzly near siyeh bend, which reminded me of why I had swapped one of the bottles in my running vest for a canister of bear spray.  The initial 6 miles to gunsight lake were largely in the forest but as I neared the lake, the views steadily grew more and more remarkable. 

blackfoot mountain

I was pleasantly surprised by how flat and runnable the switchbacks were going up the pass, where I encountered a few mountain goats and pondered upon how many great wildlife sightings I’ve recently had.  My knee was bothering me on the run down to lake ellen wilson but with the perfect weather and gorgeous setting, it was pure trail bliss. 

up the pass

this baby mt. goat greeted me at the pass

a look down at gunsight lake

a look back at "the gunsight" from lincoln pass

The climb up lincoln pass to the sperry chalet was again completely runnable on a great trail.  I think the approx. 8 miles from gunsight lake to the chalet was the best/most scenic 8 miles that I have ever run.  Whether you hike, run or backpack it, everyone should go do this trail.  The 6ish mile descent from the chalet was pale in comparison.  (run was approx. 20mi/3360’ up & 5420’ down in 4:20 at moderate pace).

Day 4 – I had plans for a long day from siyeh bend to many glacier and beyond but thick smoke and an upset knee prompted me to hit the road home instead.

Rose: the incredible 8 miles from gunsight lake to sperry chalet

Thorn: smoke! 

Bud: future adventures in the big, beautiful mountains of glacier park