List of Hikes
Silvercrest 2x Snowshoe
Silvercrest ski
747, snowshoe
Flesher Pass, snowshoe
Teton Pass, snowshoe
Jones Creek, snowshoe
Skidway, snowshoe
Silver Crest ski
RET Bridge to Bridge
Falls Creek
Ulm Pishkun
Essex
Priest Butte
Holter
Bear Paw Battle
Trout Creek York
Suzie's Cabin
Lionhead butte
Scratchgravel
Center Ridge
Swift Dam
Lethbridge Coulees
Sluice Boxes, no crossings
Rogers Pass
Eastern MT trip
Devil's Glenn
Garnett Ghost Town
Windy Mountain Loop
Willow Creek Falls
Fairview Mountain
Tizer Gardens
Bair Museum and Skidway
Ice Caves
Collar Peak and American Prairie Museum
Hoadley Pass backpack
Anaconda Hill Bitterroot hike
Sandpoint MF Judith
Feather Plume Falls and Piegan Pass
Ice Caves
Anaconda Hill
Sluiceboxes
Sperry
Crawford Creek
Rockwell
Belly River Backpack
Blackleaf Jones Creek
Seeley Swan
Piegan Pass
blackleaf canyon
Firebrand pass
Beaver Creek Park Otis
Silver Crest
Silvercrest ski
747, snowshoe
Flesher Pass, snowshoe
Teton Pass, snowshoe
Jones Creek, snowshoe
Skidway, snowshoe
Silver Crest ski
RET Bridge to Bridge
Falls Creek
Ulm Pishkun
Essex
Priest Butte
Holter
Bear Paw Battle
Trout Creek York
Suzie's Cabin
Lionhead butte
Scratchgravel
Center Ridge
Swift Dam
Lethbridge Coulees
Sluice Boxes, no crossings
Rogers Pass
Eastern MT trip
Devil's Glenn
Garnett Ghost Town
Windy Mountain Loop
Willow Creek Falls
Fairview Mountain
Tizer Gardens
Bair Museum and Skidway
Ice Caves
Collar Peak and American Prairie Museum
Hoadley Pass backpack
Anaconda Hill Bitterroot hike
Sandpoint MF Judith
Feather Plume Falls and Piegan Pass
Ice Caves
Anaconda Hill
Sluiceboxes
Sperry
Crawford Creek
Rockwell
Belly River Backpack
Blackleaf Jones Creek
Seeley Swan
Piegan Pass
blackleaf canyon
Firebrand pass
Beaver Creek Park Otis
Silver Crest
Suzie's cabin: Lake Five Fun and Funk, March 31- May 2, 2022
Suzie graciously hosted at her cabin for five days. Some insights
We tried to burn the place down (Kuntz's pullaparts overflowed, and the smoke detector went off, necessitating an oven cleaning.
We plogged the toilets.
We broke the screen door pneumatic closer
but onto the fun stuff: We hiked the Apgar bike trail into town and back with Marta, who had recently broken her wrist, so couldn't risk falling. Her husband came too as her chauffeur. We shopped at the art gallery in Apgar. We can't say how much KuntZ bought or Jerry might get mad, but the rest of us bought things too.
We hiked the loop trail by Lake Five twice, George the Shetland Sheepdog in tow. We hiked the Green Gate trail, where a biker was killed a few years ago when he ran into a grizzly. We ate well: full breakfasts with lasagne and taco-casserole dinners. Suzie played piano and sang for us, improvising as we requested songs, all played by ear. We were sad that Nora, Josy and Susan had to cancel.
Who went: Kuntz, Katie, Suzie, Sara, Gail, Sue
We tried to burn the place down (Kuntz's pullaparts overflowed, and the smoke detector went off, necessitating an oven cleaning.
We plogged the toilets.
We broke the screen door pneumatic closer
but onto the fun stuff: We hiked the Apgar bike trail into town and back with Marta, who had recently broken her wrist, so couldn't risk falling. Her husband came too as her chauffeur. We shopped at the art gallery in Apgar. We can't say how much KuntZ bought or Jerry might get mad, but the rest of us bought things too.
We hiked the loop trail by Lake Five twice, George the Shetland Sheepdog in tow. We hiked the Green Gate trail, where a biker was killed a few years ago when he ran into a grizzly. We ate well: full breakfasts with lasagne and taco-casserole dinners. Suzie played piano and sang for us, improvising as we requested songs, all played by ear. We were sad that Nora, Josy and Susan had to cancel.
Who went: Kuntz, Katie, Suzie, Sara, Gail, Sue
Swift Dam on a windless day. May 18, 2022
First time hiking with the Canadians. The flowers were pretty: pasque, glacier lilies most abundant. Five from Canada: Shawna, Laura, LaVern, Linda, Marilee and six from United States: Katie, Sue, Carol, Sheila, Bonnie, Suzie. This was the first hike since Bonnie returned from Vegas on her first with us on her new hip and cleaned up knee. She did well. Sheila and Bonnie went to Hell Roaring Springs and back while the rest of went until the first major stream crossing. We had upped the day by one as a major storm was expected. Well, we didn't miss it by much as the drops and a few flakes hit us on the way back, but the worst was the wind. The 60-70 mph gusts were so bad, they blew us off the trail at times. It was mostly at our back, so some of us were literally running as we were pushed by the wind the last half mile. But not much happened moisture-wise, just a few drops, enough to make the car a mess in some dust storms.
We left home at 7:15 and met the Canadians at 9:30, after they had a delay at the border, which doesn't open until 8 a.m. Sheila and Bonnie got back to town at 3:15 and the rest by 5:45.
We ran into a bus of 7th graders from Shelby, but otherwise no one else was there. We did have a wild ride on the road, which was being re-done. It has deep gravel in places and we got stuck behind a grader on a section too narrow to pass. it was a bit better on the way out, but we did have to pass the grader.
We stopped at Buffalo Joe's for a Wilcoxson ice cream cone before heading home since so many of us had oblgations from board meetings to book clubs that evening.
We left home at 7:15 and met the Canadians at 9:30, after they had a delay at the border, which doesn't open until 8 a.m. Sheila and Bonnie got back to town at 3:15 and the rest by 5:45.
We ran into a bus of 7th graders from Shelby, but otherwise no one else was there. We did have a wild ride on the road, which was being re-done. It has deep gravel in places and we got stuck behind a grader on a section too narrow to pass. it was a bit better on the way out, but we did have to pass the grader.
We stopped at Buffalo Joe's for a Wilcoxson ice cream cone before heading home since so many of us had oblgations from board meetings to book clubs that evening.
Sperry Chalet, Aug. 28-31
Sperry Chalet Trip: August 28-31, 2022
Who went: Doreen, Camille, Suzie, Carol, Josy, Katie
Aug. 28, 2020
Hike to Flattop Mountain
Highlights:
Highlights:
Hike over Gunsight Pass into Sperry Chalet
Highlights:
Highlights
August 31, Hike to Lake McDonald and Home
Highlights
Who went: Doreen, Camille, Suzie, Carol, Josy, Katie
Aug. 28, 2020
Hike to Flattop Mountain
Highlights:
- Josy drove us, with Thule on top for our gear.
- Katie took us up the mountain a very steep way
- Lots of downed trees to step over
- Picking huckleberries and thimbleberries
- Gorgeous display of fireweed, pearly everlasting and red Indian paintbrush (some showy asters and groundsel)
- Josy lost her phone but went back and found it
- Wind, which saved us from the heat
- Views into Glacier were pretty
Highlights:
- Suzie’s husband Mick’s pistachio encrusted halibut that he caught himself
- Suzie’s sourdough bulghur wheat buns
- Hot night—we needed those fans
Hike over Gunsight Pass into Sperry Chalet
Highlights:
- Packing the car with seven people and our gear—tight fit
- Mick drove us over the pass in the morning
- We—foolishly?—waited until 6 a.m. as the Park Service said to do while we watched most everyone else drive through the workers’ lane
- Mick created a limerick about scofflaws and us waiting
- > We left for the park before dawn
> And obeyed the red light that was on
> We played by the rules
> Only to lose
> For the scofflaws who went were long gone. - We got on trail at 7:40 a.m.
- First stop Deadwood Falls
- No moose or bears
- Lots of huckleberries and raspberries
- Passed by one couple before Gunsight Lake
- Met a few people coming out but mostly had the trail to ourselves
- Met quite a few people at the stream crossing at the foot of Gunsight Lake, including Madelon and her three hiking buddies.
- The hanging bridge was out, but we were prepared with wading shoes.
- We didn’t use the cable to help us cross as we didn’t need it, eliciting comments from those waiting in line to use the cable.
- We stopped after the crossing for lunch, dry our feet and to filter water
- Breathtaking hike up Gunsight Pass with views back at turquoise Gunsight Lake and marvelous rock formations
- Two sets of mama goats with kids blocking the trail requiring us to lump together, make noise and clack our sticks to shoo them off the trail. The trail had steep drop offs in this section, so we couldn’t go around.
- Lots of waterfalls and one very short snow crossing. Carol and Katie skirted the snow by going below on the rocks.
- We passed groups going up the pass including Madelon’s group. We saw one party at the pass, but enjoyed it to ourselves, including the emergency shelter.
- It started to get hot as we descended the pass
- More huckleberries gave us strength in this section.
- Pearly everlasting, red paintbrush and showy asters, banberries,a few fringed grass of parnassus by the waterfalls—lots of waterfalls still.
- Very hot going up Lincoln pass
- We saw the “eye” in the wall and Beaver Chief Falls as well as Lincoln Lake
- Arrived at the chalet at 5:40
- Greeted with very-welcome lemonade, but they greet you at a side window now: you do not enter the chalet and sit down
- We got situated in our side-by-side rooms: 18 and 20, one with four beds and one with two.
- At dinner, we had lasagne (meat and veggie), a huge piece of cornbread, soup and salad. WAY too much food.
- We didn’t see Madelon’s group and got worried. They arrived right as most were finishing dinner. Whew!
- We learned Madelon’s group had left the keys to McDonald Lake car in the Jackson car. They were seeking a ride to Jackson Glacier overlook. We told them we weren’t planning on going home that way as we didn’t have a car at Jackson. Suggested the shuttle, hitchhiking or calling someone to meet with another set of keys or calling a friend to shuttle them to Jackson.
- The sunset was gorgeous due to the smoky fire sky. Katie and Josy sat up to watch the stars and a satellite.
Highlights
- Katie was determined that we all get to the actual Glacier and the old sign marking the edge, which is no longer there.
- We ate the early 7 a.m. breakfast, got our hikers lunches of sandwiches, juiceboxes, fruit bar, candy bars packed and water bottles filled.
- We had a bit of smoke going up to Comeau pass but then blue skies to the north and east; smoke just to the west by Lake McDonald, so the views were awesome.
- We all did a lot of rock scrambling, with Josy leading most of the way on the route finding, looking ahead to the next trail duck and finding a way over the carved rocks and glacier morrain.
- We had several snow fields to cross, all downhill and then uphill on way back. Carol did some butt glissading.
- Marmots called to us coming and going. On the way back, one in particular had an annoying voice and he kept calling and calling.
- We saw Akaiyan and Feather Woman Falls along the way and had to cross beneath them, rock hopping.We also went by their respective lakes.
- Goats met us at the pass, one jumped over the stair case and down the side right by Carol. It has a baby that was trying to follow.
- The terrain is so other-worldly, Katie called it a moonscape, the folded rock layers showing the upthrust of the earth’s crust.
- The views once coming up through the staircase to the top of the pass is stunning, one of the most beautiful views in the park and probably the world.
- Goats seemed to be everywhere near comeau pass, many with babies and one billy
- Both yellow and pink monkeyflowers were blooming in the all the wet places
- Yellow lance-leaf groundsel were a common flower, especially near water
- It took us almost as long to hike the 8 miles round trip to Sperry Glacier as it did to hike the 13.5 the day before due to the rock scrambling and snow walking.
- We saw the weather station by the glacier
- The unreal milky aqua and turquoise of the glacier-fed ponds shocked our eyes.
- Touching the glacier was a thrill
- We ate the late dinner at 6:45 again. It was prime rib, scalloped potatoes, mixed veggies with purple and yellow carrots, salad, soup and bread. The vegetarians Katie and Camille had black bean burgers with mushroom gravy. Again, way too much food, but tasty. We felt bad about not eating a good portion of it.
- A volunteer from Elder Hostel said he would talk about bears at 8:30; Josy, Katie and Suzie went to it, but Katie and Suzie eft as the man wasn’t very knowledgeable and just wanted to tell his bear encounter stories instead.
August 31, Hike to Lake McDonald and Home
Highlights
- The next morning, no one wanted to go with Katie to Lincoln peak to look down on Lincoln lake and Beaver Chief falls, so we just ate breakfast, packed and left. We got down by noon and had lunch at Eddy’s, where we had a delightful waitress from eastern Europe.
- We were happy to get our change of shoes and clothes that we had stashed in the car.
- Then Josy drove us back to GF.