Like the last few days, today started with a big climb up Piegan Pass. The mom of the big family on trail told us that this was her favorite pass of the whole trail. It started off in the woods but eventually opened up and it was pretty spectacular.
Today was really the first time we got to see some of the bigger glaciers. There were also some signs about how the glaciers were shrinking.
Coming down the pass was also pretty incredible. There was a lot of water and still a lot of snow and ice around. I haven’t seen any significant snow like that in over a month.
After the pass we made it to Many Glacier, one of the villages in the park. I needed to get some food for the next couple days and we all wanted some drinks and lunch.
Soon after arriving, we found out the restaurant was closed so we had to make due with what was in the store. I bought a couple of mediocre sandwiches and some drinks. The food for the next couple of days was also very expensive, but at least it beats carrying it there.
This area of the park was full of people and we actually saw tons of day hikers today. They love warning you about bears and other animals on trail. We went along a couple lakes and even took a quick dip before beginning another climb up Swiftcurrent Pass.
This climb was really spectacular. It was cut into an extremely steep mountainside, giving you the feeling that you were rock climbing more than hiking. After the climb, the day hikers thinned out quite a bit too.
The Swiftcurrent Glacier created some massive waterfalls down the mountainside. I’m not sure how you measure the official height of a waterfall, but these were considerably taller than Niagara or other big falls I’ve seen.
After coming over the pass we found the Granite Park Chalet. It’s sort of a primitive hotel in the backcountry. I had no idea it was a hotel, I thought it was just a little store with some snacks. They were out of Gatorade, the only non water drink they offered…
Tomorrow we’ll make it to the Canadian border. It’s been a long journey to get here and even though it’s not truly the end of the trail for me, it still marks a major moment in the trail. Glacier has been spectacular and I really can’t imagine a better way to finish.
I’ve spent a lot of time the last few days reflecting on the people I’ve met along the trail. It’s amazing how quickly you make deep connections out here. After hiking so much of the second half of the trail alone, it’s nice to have found a good group to finish with. Hopefully I get to see my other friends after I get back, before they finish.