We were truly in heaven on earth - focused on nothing but the environment around us and the people that were there with us. 3 | From the first campground, it is around 5 miles to the beginning of Upper Kintla Lake (again, mostly through pine and larch forest). This is our favorite stretch of this hike, and it is undoubtedly one of the premier Glacier National Park hikes. A View From Boulder Peak. Amazing and beautiful adventure, and great with hammocks. Anyone that has searched out the Waterton Glacier Lake Jumping Projects website, Welcome!! Loved the high elevation, the views, the geology and the alpine flowers. Keep me logged in all the time. Location: White Bear Lake, MN. 5 miles one-way, so around 35 miles total. Just above this mighty headwall rests the Hole In The Wall Backcountry Campground. This foldable pad by Exped is easy to pack and even easier to use. I had never been so glad that I was the driver in my whole life.
Our feet were numb by the time we crossed the creek! If you head to the left (west), you will hike to Hole In The Wall, Boulder Pass and the Kintla Lake (Foot) Campground (22. We took a break at Upper Kintla Lake, and then headed 6 more miles to Boulder Pass where we would stay the night. The next morning our spirits were lifted. I am so lucky to say that I have backpacked in Glacier National Park, and to Hole in the Wall of all places. We have become strong believers in just packing a water filter and a few water bottles when hiking and backpacking - at least when we know there is an ample amount of water available (like there is on the Boulder Pass Trail). Ridiculous that with all that forest around they didn't spread things out a little more. There were 2 other sites which also had trees large enough for hammocks, but with campers in them I didn't want to be weird taking photos of them and their tents. We laughed at ourselves, packed up camp, ate our trusty oatmeal breakfast, and headed for Upper Kintla Lake. You are absolutely right. Day 5 - Head Bowman Lake Campground to Bowman Lake Camp, and the End of the Trail. We chose a flat spot overlooking the scene for lunch, then moved on down the mountainside. Taking the high fork, your views continue to improve until you're looking down into the Bowman Valley with little views at Bowman Lake. Sure enough, a small black bear was in the trail about 30 feet in front of us.
The instant I arrived in the park and took in my first grand vista, an understanding of all of those conversations came rushing to me, and I got the feeling. A huge waterfall cascades down from the Dixon Glacier and just makes the lake a special place. View of Hole In The Wall Area from Brown Pass, Glacier National Park. Sorry, no records were found. The roads left much to be desired, flinging more than one unwanted rock up into the undercarriage. As with other areas of Glacier, biking is only permissible on certain roads and trails, so you'll want to check out the National Park Service's website for up-to-date information on the most thrilling and jaw-dropping treks. As you hike along Bowman Creek toward Brown Pass in Glacier National Park, you will begin seeing Boulder Peak to your left. We took this photo right out of our tent! Apparently one guy had to discharge his bear spray on a grizzly cub. Did a version of this back in '06 (Kintla, Boulder, Francis, backtracked a bit and out Bowman).
The first day of a backpacking trip is always the toughest. Keep it on your belt at all times, and practice drawing, arming, and aiming frequently. Pack your food separately from your sleeping bag and pad, and don't bring food into your tent at night. We had heard that Going to the Sun was the most beautiful road in the country, and it's damn hard to argue with that claim. Prepare for hot days, freezing nights, beating sun, and high winds. If you don't want to do an out-and-back backpacking trip, then you have the option to hike out from Boulder Pass towards Brown Pass (7. On your hike from the head of Bowman Lake to Brown Pass, you will get fantastic views of the spectacular Hole In The Wall Waterfall. Below is our ultimate adventure guide to backpacking the beautiful Boulder Pass Trail. Depending on the time of year there may be snow in the passes. We slept for 12 hours, listening to the rain and the wind flapping the Noah 12 tarp. SDIM0299 view of Mount Hawkins, Alberta. BUT WE BELIEVE THE BOULDER PASS TRAIL IN THE RUGGED NORTH IS ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE BEST BACKPACKING ADVENTURES IN THE PARK. I would like to point out to anyone reading this blog for the first time, that I have many past adventures to read about. Location: Kalispell, MT.
You can get your permit at 5 spots within the national park: the Apgar Backcountry Permit Center, the St. Mary Visitor Center, the Many Glacier Ranger Station, the Two Medicine Ranger Station and the Polebridge Ranger Station. In three days (August 30, 2010), there will be a documentary called Glacier National Park – Wild Spaces that will make its debut on the National Geographic Channel. Our party was feeling the side effects of carrying 40 pound packs all day through the mountains as we limped into our first camp. Night crept upon us, and once we had cooked and eaten our dinners, one by one we retreated to our tents for an early bedtime. If you head to your right on the Boulder Pass Trail, you will hike down through the Olson Creek Valley, which is home to Lake Francis, Lake Janet and end up at the Goat Haunt Ranger Station (8.
At the end of Upper Kintla Lake, you will see the second campground (also named Upper Kintla Lake). 7 | Once the trail begins to flatten out, you will see a large rocky slab in front of you and the large looming Gardner Point (7, 359 feet) behind that. I am excited for you!! All of my searching yielded zero results of anyone who'd ever taken hammocks there, and pictures of the allowed camp sites were limited. 60821° or 61° 36' 30" north. Backcountry hiking and camping take a bit more preparation than, say, the more popular Highline hike a bit further south. But more than swimming or fishing, we like to bring along an inflatable kayak, which takes up practically no space but offers a great cooling opportunity after long stretches of terrain.
Although they're nothing like Hole-in-the-Wall Falls, they provide an excellent contrast to the backcountry mountain air of Flathead County. They needed a lift back to their car at Kintla Lake, so we agreed that we would all finish the final leg of the hike together and shuttle back to Kintla with each other. One of the biggest rewards of making it to Hole-in-the-Wall is its idyllic nearby campground, which – of course – the waterfall runs right through. Finally arriving at Upper Kintla Lake campground, I was shocked to find that they have all of the camp sites immediately next to each other. 2 miles from Brown Pass. Enjoy, maybe we'll see you up there! This section was mostly rolling hills, but our legs were tired and it was beginning to rain. Huge rocks coated the landscape; towers of mountains reached for the sky above us. It was a breathtakingly beautiful hike down into the bowl where camp was, and we explored the hanging valley before any other hikers arrived. Tbone wrote:we'll be there on the 13th of August - how about you?
A stunning, barren landscape showed itself. About two hours into the hike we had our first wildlife encounter.