Montana

5 days and couting til I'm off to Glacier National Park for some backcountry fun for 2 weeks. No bathrooms, no electricity, and no cars...just me, the mountains, and some critters probably. I'm hoping to see some bears while I'm out there...just hopefully from a distance, a LONG distance. Here's the rundown:

The Trip


We will be working among the towering peaks, majestic forests, and alpine lakes of Glacier National Park, which was created in 1910. President Taft set aside 1.4 million acres along the Continental Divide in Montana to protect and preserve the natural beauty of the area from mining and development. In 1932, the park joined with Canada's Waterton Lake National Park to form Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park.

True to the park’s name, glaciers abound here in the shadows of towering peaks. Abundant wildlife, including mountain lions, grizzly bears, wolves, and moose roam the park. We'll likely be working in the western part of the park, which has a wilderness feel and older trails than other parts of Glacier.

The Project

We'll be on the west flank of the Continental Divide in the Middle North Fork area of the park. The name comes from a fork in the Flathead River, which limits entry into the area. We'll need to ford the river when we hike in to our campsite (remember to bring Tevas or water shoes in addition to hiking boots). Our work will be mostly trail restoration: building turnpikes, water bars, drainage work, and brushing. We will work hard on the days we work, and play hard on our off days!

Itinerary

The closest commercial airport is in Kalispell, Montana, about 45 minutes from the park. Amtrak stops in the town of West Glacier, near park headquarters. Flathead-Glacier Transportation can provide shuttle service to the park as well. Call (406) 892-3390. You are responsible for arranging your own transportation to the group campsite, but information will be provided for those who wish to carpool. We’ll meet and provide the first official "get acquainted" dinner at a group campground near the park headquarters, in West Glacier, on day one. Please arrive no later than 5 p.m. The specific location and map to this group campsite will be provided later.

Breakfast the next morning will be at the campsite, after which we will shuttle to the trailhead for the hike in to our base camp. On that first day, we'll hike to base camp, set up our tents, and get oriented. The hike in will be approximately 4-7 miles, with just a small amount of elevation gain and will require fording the wild and scenic Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Water shoes will be required. Over the next eight days we'll work five days, taking three full days off for resting and exploring the surrounding area. We'll hike out on day 11; lunch that day will be the last meal of the trip.

Accommodations and Food

We will use our own tents during the trip at a group campsite the National Park Service will select. All meals and plenty of snacks will be provided. The menu will be largely vegetarian and participants will take turns assisting the cook. Group water will be provided for camp use, but please bring your personal water filter. We will use a park cabin nearby to store our kitchen, food, and personal items. If you have special dietary concerns or food allergies, make sure to include this information on your trip application.

Trip Difficulty

Overall, this trip should be considered strenuous due to the type of work we will be doing. It entails extensive use of shovels and pulaskis to install tread and turnpikes on trails in the park. The hike into our campsite, though moderate, will entail a water crossing. Participants should have had some past experience in hiking, camping, and backpacking, and be in great shape. Novice backpackers are welcome on this trip.

Equipment

In addition to your regular backpacking gear, you must bring at least one pair of leather work gloves and a day pack to carry your lunch, water, work gloves, raingear, sunscreen, etc., to the work site. We will provide food and the gear for cooking and a first-aid kit for emergencies. We will also supply water purification for camp and commissary use, but we request that you bring a water pump for personal water when you are away from camp. Our campsite will have a nearby water source. The leader will provide a detailed equipment list later.

Get outside!

Good Song: OK Go - Hello My Treacherous Friends