Hiking Thread

[Volosaurus rex]

Here is the link to one ranking of the top ten hikes in Glacier National Park: http://www.hikinginglacier.com/glacier-top-ten-hikes.htm.

Here are their comments pertaining to some of the trails that I have referenced thus far:

Highline Loop – This world famous hike should be on the bucket list of every self-respecting hiker. The incredible views, the wildlife, and the wildflowers, all combine to make this a trek you'll remember the rest of your life. This is easily the number one hike on our list of the top 10 hikes in Glacier National Park. Note: I personally wouldn’t rank it quite that high, but it is justly deserving of high praise.

Iceberg Lake - One of the most popular hikes in Glacier National Park. And for good reason. This is a great opportunity to see icebergs floating in a gorgeous alpine lake setting. You'll also have commanding views of the Ptarmigan Wall, an arête, or thin ridge of rock separating two valleys that have been carved by glaciers.

Cracker Lake - Cracker Lake in the Many Glacier area has to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. The lake has the most magnificent turquoise color you'll ever see. If it were possible to ignore the magnificent scenery of the surrounding mountains, it would still be well worth the hike just to see the amazing color of the lake. If it weren’t for the walk through a long section of forest, I would've ranked this one a little higher.

Grinnell Glacier - Another extremely popular hike in the Many Glacier area. This spectacular hike visits the famous 300-acre glacier that sits just below the Continental Divide."

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Here is an assemblage of jawdropping photographs taken from the summits of mountains in Glacier National Park: http://enjoyyourparks.com/GlacierParkSummitViews.html. The author of this website makes a very interesting observation with respect to why the topography of Glacier is so visually impressive:

“VERTICAL EXPRESSION is what makes the dramatic appearance of a mountain, and Glacier National Park has some of the largest vertical expressions in North America! To give you an example, the north face of Mount Siyeh is a cliff that’s over 4,200 feet tall! This is one of the largest walls in North America, and is over a thousand feet higher than El Cap and Half Dome in Yosemite.

Another example is the 10,142 foot Mount Stimson. No matter how you approach this mountain, the vertical expression is 6,000+ feet from its base on Nyack Creek. This is similar to the vertical expression of Grand Teton Peak in Grand Teton National Park. Now, if you “moved” Mount Stimson to Yellowstone National Park, this peak would have an elevation of over 14,500 feet! So again, it’s the size of the mountain from its base to its summit that truly makes a mountain, not necessarily its overall elevation.”

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

WilliamDuVol, that topic is a most worthy thread unto itself. In order to prioritize how best to respond to your questions, let’s establish a few parameters. Precisely how many days do you have available for hiking in Glacier? How would you describe your current fitness level? Will you be traveling alone or with other people, whose interests and/or physical conditioning must be taken into consideration for planning purposes? Are you interested in day hikes only or would you be potentially interested in an overnight pack trip? Finally, how averse are you to the possibility of bear encounters, particularly those with grizzlies?

The reply is very much appreciated, so first I will address this part of your post to help you with any further replies. We will be in Kalispell starting on a Wednesday night, and there through Saturday. Then we will be outside of Browning for six days, about 30 minutes from the park and do plan on taking one day as a trip to Canada.

Current level of fitness, good, already training to prepare myself. Used to rigorous hikes. Did Colorado two years ago.

I will be with 5 other people, all of whom I went to Colorado with previously and are aware of how rigorous some hikes may be. One, who has been to Montana before, is pregnant, but pretty much acknowledged if we want to do something and she can't, she'll remain at the cabin or the women will stay behind with her or go to town etc.

We're renting houses on both sides of the park so we'll be doing day trips primarily. We're flying in, so we won't have the same equipment as last time.

Lastly, we want to see grizzlies. Part of the fun is seeing the wildlife, right?

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

Also I just noticed the rest of your replies, you can call me Will for short lol. I'm going to read through them now.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

William, if you haven’t already purchased them, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them at any visitor center in Glacier, but I highly recommend the following Trails Illustrated maps for planning and reference purposes:

215: Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks ($11.95) http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-map...ana/glacier-and-waterton-lakes-national-parks

313: North Fork: Glacier National Park ($9.95) http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-map...maps/montana/north-fork-glacier-national-park

314: Many Glacier: Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks ($9.95) http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-map...ier-glacier-and-waterton-lakes-national-parks

315: Two Medicine: Glacier National Park ($9.95) http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-map...ps/montana/two-medicine-glacier-national-park

The three regional maps can be purchased as a set for $25.95. http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-map...ton-lakes-national-parks-map-pack-bundle-8928

Definitely not a bad idea. My father in law is the more experienced hiker and more knowledgeable about the West. I'm going to share all of this with him this weekend.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

William, where will you be staying in and around the park? As I am sure you have discovered, accommodations are more numerous and nicer on the west side of Glacier. If, however, you are in the St. Mary area, the nicest accommodation is, by far, the St. Mary Lodge & Resort (http://www.glacierparkinc.com/lodgi...utm_content=&gclid=CKPKwp_-vdQCFQaJaQodfysOpg). A most impressive back-door view, wouldn’t you say? I highly recommend the Snowgoose Grille; they offer a fine selection of local game entrees: http://www.glacierparkinc.com/brewster_travel/media/Shared/Document/Menu/SML-Dinner-WEB.pdf.

If you prefer more rustic lodging, the St. Mary KOA (http://koa.com/campgrounds/st-mary/) is quite nice and more secluded. If you visited there in late September, I can almost guarantee that you could sit on your front porch and be serenaded at sunset by bull elk bugling up in the canyons. That’s a visitor experience not to be forgotten.

We actually found an Airbnb in that area on a working cattle ranch, right along the Milk River with a full view of rivers, lakes, mountains all around us, only 30 minutes outside the park. We have a rental car arranged.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

William, are you going to Glacier during the first half of August or the second half of the month? In terms of equipment, be prepared for a wide range of weather conditions. So, bring your fleece and raingear. The first half of August may be the most consistently ideal weather for hiking in Glacier.

NEVolFan will be able to correct me if I am in error on this point, but it has been my experience that the second half of August through the first half of September can be highly unpredictable and quite rainy, thus signaling a transitional period in Glacier from late summer to the onset of fall. In 1978, it seemed like the park was stuck in a climatic cycle for the better part of four weeks, during which two days of rainy squalls would be followed by one good day of hiking weather and then more rainy squalls. I remember being in the St. Mary visitor center one day during that period, with nothing better to do than watch the weather instrumentation. It was gusting up to 70 miles per hour, and I distinctly recall seeing one motorcyclist who, after paying his entrance fee, was broadsided by one of those gusts; it turned him completely around and he apparently decided then and there that, perhaps, it was not the best weather to push deeper into the park.

Second half of August. We are well aware of how much the temperature can vary. As I previously mentioned, my father in law and my sister in law have both been out west or to Glacier itself. The first night we camped in Colorado, it was 30 degrees, the last day we left a week and a half later, it was 90 lol.

 

[volwindy]

Thought I would post some pics of Glacier from our last visit. If anyone has a National park they are interested in seeing pics, let me know and I'll raid TO's photo gallery .

Saint Mary Lake and Wild Goose Island from the Wild Goose Island Overlook .View attachment 132415

McDonald Creek, and Heaven's Peak. This is 11.4 miles west of Logan Pass. The elevation at this point is ~3600 ftView attachment 132416

Beautiful!

 

[Volosaurus rex]

The reply is very much appreciated, so first I will address this part of your post to help you with any further replies. We will be in Kalispell starting on a Wednesday night, and there through Saturday. Then we will be outside of Browning for six days, about 30 minutes from the park and do plan on taking one day as a trip to Canada.

Current level of fitness, good, already training to prepare myself. Used to rigorous hikes. Did Colorado two years ago.

I will be with 5 other people, all of whom I went to Colorado with previously and are aware of how rigorous some hikes may be. One, who has been to Montana before, is pregnant, but pretty much acknowledged if we want to do something and she can't, she'll remain at the cabin or the women will stay behind with her or go to town etc.

We're renting houses on both sides of the park so we'll be doing day trips primarily. We're flying in, so we won't have the same equipment as last time.

Lastly, we want to see grizzlies. Part of the fun is seeing the wildlife, right?

While you are on the west side of the park, I would prioritize one day to be spent in the extreme northwestern corner of Glacier, i.e. the North Fork of the Flathead. It is as wild as any place you will find in the lower 48; it is one of the few areas left with a full complement of predators, including wolves, mountain lions and grizzlies. In fact, wolves reintroduced themselves to the area recently. I will come back to this specific topic later tonight. The area beyond Polebridge is not easy to access, but well worth the effort, especially if this is possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I promise you, however, that Glacier is highly addictive. Once you have been there, it develops a powerful gravitational pull. You will experience a degree of solitude, particularly in the North Fork area, that is very difficult to find elsewhere.

Until I address the route to the North Fork area more extensively, keep one thing in mind about Polebridge. Be sure to carve out time to stop at the Polebridge Mercantile; their pastries are absolutely legendary. And, in their case, the legend truly meets the hype. See http://polebridgemerc.com/bakery-mercantile/.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Second half of August. We are well aware of how much the temperature can vary. As I previously mentioned, my father in law and my sister in law have both been out west or to Glacier itself. The first night we camped in Colorado, it was 30 degrees, the last day we left a week and a half later, it was 90 lol.

Do you have a true wind jacket or Gore-Tex rain gear that is wind proof? The east side of the park, particularly in exposed areas or above timberline, can be very windy.

At or above timberline, it is quite common to see "flag" trees in Glacier; this is a variation on "krummholz formation, one in which branches on the windward side are killed or deformed by the almost constant strong winds, giving the tree a characteristic flag-like appearance." See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krummholz. Even the aspen on the east side are practically dwarf trees; they hug the ground rather closely, compared to the tall, stately aspen that you will find in Colorado.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

Do you have a true wind jacket or Gore-Tex rain gear that is wind proof? The east side of the park, particularly in exposed areas or above timberline, can be very windy.

At or above timberline, it is quite common to see "flag" trees in Glacier; this is a variation on "krummholz formation, one in which branches on the windward side are killed or deformed by the almost constant strong winds, giving the tree a characteristic flag-like appearance." See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krummholz. Even the aspen on the east side are practically dwarf trees; they hug the ground rather closely, compared to the tall, stately aspen that you will find in Colorado.

Yes, we do. If I recall, the elevation is slightly lower in Montana than in the Colorado Rockies, correct?

When we went to Colorado, one of my favorite hikes was the Ute Trail at almost 12,000 feet up. The tree line in the area (CO) ends at about 11,000 feet or so if I recall correctly, and the windswept trees were extremely cool.

But yes, seeing how chilly and windy it can become when clouds roll through above the tree line was eye opening for my first trip to the mountains lol.

 

[kayakonthefly]

Kalispell...in the Flathead Valley, 30 mins from Glacier Nat. Park. Postcard views in all directions.

Bought a lab (dog, not chemistry) from there. Used to live in Lame Deer for a couple of years. Miss being out there every day and more in the fall.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Will, I am going to plant a seed for future reference, just in case you or other members of your party absolutely fall in love with Glacier, which is a distinct possibility. If you decide at a future date that you want to experience the very best that Glacier’s backcountry has to offer and can carve out the time for a lengthy backpacking trip, most veteran backpackers consider the Boulder Pass Trail to be the crème de la crème. The terrain is truly awe-inspiring, but seasonal availability is limited, due to snow in the high passes, and logistical planning can be quite challenging.

Your journey would begin at the remote Kintla Lake trailhead, located at the end of the Inner North Fork Road, and traverses 31.4 miles of “God’s finest sculpturins,” to quote Del Gue from Jeremiah Johnson, en route to Goat Haunt via Boulder and Brown Passes. You will gain 3,472 vertical feet in elevation on the segment from Kintla Lake to the east side of Boulder Pass. See http://www.enjoyyourparks.com/boulderpassglacierpark.html. The photographs associated with this trail most definitely are drool-worthy.

The problem is that there simply is no easy way to make a loop out of this trip, so, if you are averse to retracing your outward bound route, you would have to make some kind of arrangement, whether it be hitching a ride, which would entail essentially circumnavigating the entire park, or parking a secondary vehicle at Goat Haunt.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Yes, we do. If I recall, the elevation is slightly lower in Montana than in the Colorado Rockies, correct?

When we went to Colorado, one of my favorite hikes was the Ute Trail at almost 12,000 feet up. The tree line in the area (CO) ends at about 11,000 feet or so if I recall correctly, and the windswept trees were extremely cool.

But yes, seeing how chilly and windy it can become when clouds roll through above the tree line was eye opening for my first trip to the mountains lol.

Elevations definitely are lower in Glacier. There are, I believe, only five peaks in Glacier higher than 10,000 feet, so hiking in Glacier will be somewhat easier on your lungs than the Colorado Rockies. Do not let those figures fool you, however. Vertical relief, i.e. the distance from base to summit, is most impressive. To reiterate what I said in a post above, “the north face of Mount Siyeh is a cliff that’s over 4,200 feet tall! This is one of the largest walls in North America, and is over a thousand feet higher than El Cap and Half Dome in Yosemite.

Another example is the 10,142 foot Mount Stimson. No matter how you approach this mountain, the vertical expression is 6,000+ feet from its base on Nyack Creek. This is similar to the vertical expression of Grand Teton Peak in Grand Teton National Park. Now, if you “moved” Mount Stimson to Yellowstone National Park, this peak would have an elevation of over 14,500 feet! So again, it’s the size of the mountain from its base to its summit that truly makes a mountain, not necessarily its overall elevation.”

Incidentally, the highest mountains in Montana are the Beartooths. Granite Peak tops out at just over 12,800 feet. The Beartooth Highway, which, in my opinion, is eclipsed in terms of natural grandeur only by the Going-to-the-Sun Highway, is the highest road in the Northern Rockies and peaks at 10,977 feet at Beartooth Pass. I literally drove through a blizzard in August 1978 on that road.

Out of curiosity, have you ever been to any portion of the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado? The Sneffels sub-range, located near Ridgway and Telluride, is, in my opinion, the most spectacular portion of the Colorado Rockies.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Will, here is the link to a highly informative webpage about the North Fork area, one that is just saturated with photos: http://www.enjoyyourparks.com/GlacierParkNorthForkArea.html. As the author of this page states, “The North Fork Area is a very rugged, primitive place that seems to have missed the 20th and 21st century.” Roads in this area are quite “primitive,” so it will behoove you to follow these directions in order to make the process as pleasant as possible:

(1) From Apgar Village/West Glacier, follow the Camas Creek Road, which is paved, for eleven miles to the Camas Creek Entrance to Glacier NP.

(2) From there, take a right, cross the bridge over the North Fork of the Flathead and you’re on the “Outer North Fork Road.” If you look at the map at the bottom of this webpage, you will see that there are two roads that parallel the North Fork of the Flathead. The one within park boundaries is known as the Inner North Fork Road and you want to avoid it for as long as possible. I traversed the portion of that road that goes from Polebridge to Kintla Lake back in 2010; it is extremely narrow, incredibly rough and will jar your spine and practically loosen your fillings.

(3) The Outer North Fork road, which you want, is slightly higher and affords better views, but, more importantly, is partially paved. The portion from Camas Creek to Polebridge covers 13 miles; those portions which are gravel actually are in pretty good condition and you certainly have more “shoulder” room than you will later experience on the Inner North Fork Road to Kintla Lake.

(4) Once you get to Polebridge, look for the Polebridge Mercantile; it looks like a storefront straight out of a Clint Eastwood “spaghetti western.” Evacuate your vehicle and savor one or more of their magnificent pastries before hitting the road again.

(5) Once you leave Polebridge, you will soon recross the North Fork of the Flathead, pass the Polebridge Ranger Station and turn onto the Inner North Fork Road toward Kintla Lake, which is fifteen miles away. Re-read my description of this portion of the road. Given current funding for the National Park Service, it is highly unlikely that it has improved one bit.

(6) About 6.5 miles after leaving Polebridge, you will pass a spur road to Bowman Lake, which is described as “quite bumpy and very steep in places. Make sure to ask a ranger if your vehicle is appropriate for this primitive gravel road.” Bowman Lake is quite beautiful, but I have not traversed this road, so I can offer no personal observations regarding its condition.

(7) Kintla Lake is nine miles farther and it will be very slow sledding to get there, but well worth the drive. Kintla Lake is absolutely gorgeous and it is about as remote a location as you will find in the lower 48. There is a primitive campground located there, as well as the trailhead for the spectacular Boulder Pass Trail.

(8) On your return route, take the Inner North Fork Road back to Polebridge, where, perhaps, your party will feel like they have earned another one of their freshly baked pastries. Cross the North Fork of the Flathead, hop back on the Outer North Fork Road and take it to its junction with the Camas Creek Road. Follow the latter road back to Apgar/West Glacier and ultimately Kalispell.

Take your time and savor this drive. It will take the better part of a day, but it will be most memorable, indeed. These directions will make more sense once you have a copy of the Trails Illustrated "North Fork" map (No. 313. See http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-map...maps/montana/north-fork-glacier-national-park).

 

[NEVolFan]

Rex...Excellent coverage of Glacier areas. Agree that the Polebridge area is special, and a bit out of the way for most tourists, so getting out there will be special.

Here is a pano I took just past Polebridge... we stopped to eat our bear claws from the store.

 

[NEVolFan]

More Glacier... this is Lake McDonald. I fished here a lot in the past for lakers. This year, the lake is closed to folks bringing in motorized boats... so I will miss out on that. There is a big concern linked to invasive species getting into the lake. Seems like some bodies of water in eastern MT are starting to have that problem.

 

[NEVolFan]

A few years ago it got so cold here that Lake McDonald froze over... this is quite unusual. This lake is 10 miles long and over 400 feet deep. Very interesting fishing with a depth finder to see how the glacier carved out the lake and how dramatic the drop offs are... going from 20 feet to a sudden 200 ft depth.

I used to fish the lake in the winter from the shoreline... was out there when it was -15 and the eyes on the rod would freeze over preventing me from casting.

 

[NEVolFan]

Lake McDonald in the summer... from Apgar... this is one of the most photographed scene in the park.

 

[UT_Dutchman]

I used to live in kingsport. Walked it a few times. Did you go to the fire tower?

That was my question and check out the planetarium? It was pretty cool.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

That was my question and check out the planetarium? It was pretty cool.

Yeah..we checked out the planetarium. It was late in the afternoon, and the young lady who was doing the show had the most boring monotonous delivery. I actually dozed off and took a nap...lol.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

A few years ago it got so cold here that Lake McDonald froze over... this is quite unusual. This lake is 10 miles long and over 400 feet deep. Very interesting fishing with a depth finder to see how the glacier carved out the lake and how dramatic the drop offs are... going from 20 feet to a sudden 200 ft depth.

I used to fish the lake in the winter from the shoreline... was out there when it was -15 and the eyes on the rod would freeze over preventing me from casting.

What is the fishing like in Kintla and/or Bowman Lakes?

This photograph reminded me of a story from the book, Crown of the Continent: The Last Great Wilderness of the Rocky Mountains, by Ralph Waldt. The following account illustrates how and why Montana has such a reputation for legendary winter weather. Waldt, a professional naturalist, was backpacking in Glacier during, I believe, very late November. The weather had been cold and rainy all day, but the change in wind direction indicated that a powerful cold front was about to make its presence felt. Waldt and his companions made camp, ate dinner, but couldn’t go to sleep. He said that they stayed up all night, awestruck as they listened to the moaning of the lake as it froze solid overnight and the rifle shot-like cracking of trees as they literally exploded from the formation of ice in crevices filled with rainwater. To quote Paul Harvey, “now, you know the rest of the story,” as to why the Lakota called December the “Moon of Popping Trees.”

By the way, Will, there are undoubtedly more recent coffee-table books about Glacier, but Crown of the Continent would make a great keepsake for your trip. See https://www.amazon.com/Crown-Contin...617864&sr=1-3&keywords=Crown+of+the+Continent.


As a matter of record, here are the five coldest days in recorded Montana history:

1. January 20, 1954 – Roger’s Pass (N. of Helena) is the location of the coldest temperature ever in the United States outside of Alaska. On Jan. 20, 1954 a temperature of -70 was recorded during one of the harshest winters in the history of the Treasure State.

2. February 9th, 1933 – West Yellowstone, MT – Not only is this the 2nd coldest temperature in Montana’s history at -66, two of Wyoming’s coldest temperatures on record occurred on the same day.

3. February 12, 1905 – Hebgen Dam – Hebgen Dam located near Island Park holds the #3 spot with a frigid temperature of -60 back in 1905.

4. January 12, 1963 – West Yellowstone, MT – Having two out of the top five coldest temperatures on the list. West Yellowstone is one of the coldest places to spend a winter in Montana.

5. February 15, 1936 – Glasgow, MT – Located in Northeastern Montana, Glasgow holds the 5th coldest temperature in the history of the state. http://xlcountry.com/the-five-coldest-days-in-montana-history/

Incidentally, 101 years ago, “the town of Browning, Montana experienced a 100 degree drop in temperature within 24 hours. On January 23, the temperature was 44°F, dropping to -56°F the next day as an Arctic cold front slammed through.

The event is recorded in the Guiness Book of World Records as the greatest temperature range in a day. While this record for temperature drop still stands, the record for greatest change was actually broken in 1972, but not immediately recognized. This record was actually broken on January 14-15, 1972, at Loma, Montana. National Weather Service cooperative observer Jim Wood recorded a temperature of -54°F at 9:00 AM local time on the 14th, which rose to 49°F by 8:00 local time the next morning, a 103 degree difference. The dramatic change in temperature was the result of a Chinook wind from a system centered over Wisconsin. Neither the observer nor the local weather office were aware that a record had been broken, and it was unknown to the National Climate Extremes Committee of NOAA, which had been formed in 1997 to make definitive rulings on weather records. It was not brought to the committee’s attention until 2002." http://onetuberadio.com/2016/01/23/january-23-24-1916-100-degree-temperature-drop-at-browning-mt/

The greatest temperature change in 12 hours happened on December 14, 1924. The temperature at Fairfield, Montana, dropped from 63 degrees Fahrenheit to -21 degrees at midnight. This 84-degree change in 12 hours stands as the greatest 12-hour temperature change recorded in the United States.

The temperature at the Great Falls International Airport on January 11, 1980, rose from -32 degrees Fahrenheit to 15 degrees in seven minutes when Chinook winds eroded an Arctic airmass. The temperature rose 47 degrees in just seven minutes, making it the record for the most rapid temperature change registered in the United States" (http://montanakids.com/facts_and_figures/climate/Temperature_Extremes.htm).

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

Elevations definitely are lower in Glacier. There are, I believe, only five peaks in Glacier higher than 10,000 feet, so hiking in Glacier will be somewhat easier on your lungs than the Colorado Rockies. Do not let those figures fool you, however. Vertical relief, i.e. the distance from base to summit, is most impressive. To reiterate what I said in a post above, “the north face of Mount Siyeh is a cliff that’s over 4,200 feet tall! This is one of the largest walls in North America, and is over a thousand feet higher than El Cap and Half Dome in Yosemite.

Another example is the 10,142 foot Mount Stimson. No matter how you approach this mountain, the vertical expression is 6,000+ feet from its base on Nyack Creek. This is similar to the vertical expression of Grand Teton Peak in Grand Teton National Park. Now, if you “moved” Mount Stimson to Yellowstone National Park, this peak would have an elevation of over 14,500 feet! So again, it’s the size of the mountain from its base to its summit that truly makes a mountain, not necessarily its overall elevation.”

Incidentally, the highest mountains in Montana are the Beartooths. Gannet Peak tops out at just shy of 12,800 feet. The Beartooth Highway, which, in my opinion, is eclipsed in terms of natural grandeur only by the Going-to-the-Sun Highway, is the highest road in the Northern Rockies and peaks at 10,977 feet at Beartooth Pass. I literally drove through a blizzard in August 1978 on that road.

Out of curiosity, have you ever been to any portion of the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado? The Sneffels sub-range, located near Ridgway and Telluride, is, in my opinion, the most spectacular portion of the Colorado Rockies.

To answer your last question, no I have not. This will be my second trip out west only. I plan on making it annual now. We are going to Going To The Sun Road, of course. My sister in law has a sticker for it on her car lol.

 

[WilliamDuVOL]

That information about the weather is fascinating. I didn't realize there were Lakota in the area. My great, great grandmother was full blooded Lakota Sioux who moved down south from the Oklahoma territory to Texas and married a Texas Ranger.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Will, Glacier is historically Blackfeet and, on the west side, Flathead territory. As the buffalo range contracted westwardly toward the Rockies during the 19th century, the Lakota had no alternative but to encroach increasingly on the buffalo plains of Montana. In the process, they seized control of much of the Crows' original territory, particularly around the plains east of the Bighorn Mountains. And, of course, Hunkpapas under Sitting Bull and Oglalas, led by Crazy Horse, along with the Northern Cheyenne, were encamped on the Little Bighorn when Custer met his fate on June 25, 1876.

As the Lakota pushed westward in the 1870s, they did finally begin to skirmish in earnest with the Blackfeet. So, they definitely were familiar with the power of winter on the Northern Plains and dubbed December the "Moon of Popping Trees."