Going-to-the-Sun Congestion and How to Deal with It

“Really!?!  That’s the third shuttle!”

The Highline Trail- one of the most congested hikes in Glacier

We were all frustrated as we watched yet another shuttle full of hikers pull out and head up toward Logan Pass.  We had parked at “the Loop” in hopes of getting a shuttle to the top of Logan Pass so we could hike the famed Highline Trail back down to our car.  Many of us had waited 45 minutes and seen three full shuttles go by.  Our small group of three and another group of two had a time crunch in the afternoon so without wasting more time we set off to hike the Highline Trail in reverse.  We found out later, the next shuttle arrived within ten minutes of our departure with several open seats. But by then we were long gone, enjoying the scenery, making record time and getting a great work-out while doing it.  We made it to Logan Pass, shuttled back down to our cars and arrived back to town in time to see our new niece. 

The "clean-up crew" before all the cars get to Logan Pass parking lot

A record 2.34 Million people visited Glacier National Park last year!  While that may be good news for area businesses that cater to tourists, those of us who want to travel on the famed Going-to-the-Sun scenic highway may find the roadway a little crowded.  The road is becoming so crowded that Park officails recently asked for public comment on five different proposals designed to lower congestion.  Several of the proposals include provisions for expansion of the shuttlesystem and one shuts it down entirely.  A couple of the proposals implement a reservation system for Going-to-the-Sun Highway during July and August.  Two of the proposals also include a provision for bike only days.  Whichever one they choose, it will likely look very different in a couple years, but none of these changes will take place until 2017.

So what does all this congestion mean for you, coming to Glacier this summer?  Well, you essentially have 4 choices: park shuttles, personal vehicle, cycling or the Red Bus Tour. 

In spite of the wait time sometimes involved, park shuttles are your most reliable option if you want to hike for a few hours.  This is because once you’re on the shuttle; you don’t have to look for parking.  If you take your personal vehicle and can’t find parking you don’t have the option of circling around to vulture-park because the road is too narrow to turn around! 

Siyeh Bend Pull-off early in the day

The best part about driving your personal vehicle is that you can actually stop and take pictures if (and that’s a big if) there’s an open pull-out.  You also have the option of driving through Logan Pass (meaning you don’t have to come back the way you came).  Besides the uncertain parking situation, another downside is that the driver usually doesn’t enjoy the scenery because the narrow, congested, high-consequence road demands most of his attention. 

Until they have bike only days, your best bet cycling is in the early and late hours of daylight (I have friends who bike up under the light of the full moon).  I have never biked on the road during heavy traffic, but I pray for bikers that do.

The Red Bus Tour (and by bus I mean four rows of seating) is probably the best sight-seeing option.  The drivers are informed, engaging and even funny.  There aren’t quite as many photo opportunities as if you drive yourself, but if the bus is stopped(as it often is due to traffic and construction)  you can stand up and take a picture because the roof is retracted (weather permitting). 

Written by Matt Harrington- Marketing Specialist at the BestWestern Plus Flathead Lake Inn and Suites

Spring Hikes in Glacier

When hiking in Montana in the spring, you never really know what to expect.  You might have great trail for three miles, then mud, then ice, then six inches of snow and then back to great trail.  The weather could be equally erratic: rainy, sunny and snowy all in the same day.  But despite the obstacles, the long winter and the recent sunny days are an irresistible lure for hikers to return to the mountains.  What follows are three hikes (one may require snow shoes) that can be done in either early spring or late spring.

Apgar Lookout:

This is one of the best accessible hike-with-a-view in early spring and it is a stunner.  After going through the main West Glacier entrance, you drive about half a mile and turn left on the road marked for Apgar Lookout.  The road ends in a parking lot at the trail head.  The hike starts out in trees and then goes through a burnt area with a couple pretty long switchbacks, it then winds around the front of the mountain to the lookout and a spectacular view of Lake McDonald and the mountains that climb up behind it to Logan Pass.  While the lookout is obviously not open in the spring, it makes for a great spot to eat lunch from and take in the amazing views.  My wife and I went up in late February and snow shoes were necessary for about half the hike.  That being said, the trail receives a lot of sun so by late March it should be hike-able the entire distance.  Round trip the hike is 7.1 miles.

Bowman Lake:

Yes, you can just drive here in the summer, but before the dirt road leading to Bowman Lake (from Polebridge) is open, Bowman Lake is a worthwhile hike.  The hike up has a mild elevation gain and is in the trees for about two thirds of the time.  It opens up at the campground and the view of Bowman is surprisingly stunning.  It is a long lake, stretching back with pristine mountains behind and around it.  My wife and I hiked there in early March and it was still frozen over.  I think that is the largest frozen body of water I have ever seen.   Snow shoes were not necessary, although Yak Tracks would have been advisable. 

Trout Lake:

This hike is definitely a later spring hike but is worth your time before Going-to-the-Sun is open.  Simply drive to the end of Lake McDonald and take the first road to your left at the end of the lake.  Go over the bridge along the dirt road which will eventually end at the trailhead.  The hike has some substantial elevation gain, but the reward is seeing down a large glacial valley that few have the opportunity to see.  The lake itself is crystal clear.  The first time I went with my wife, we saw lunes cruise under-water after small trout and it was fascinating to watch.  Sometimes avalanches hit the trail pretty hard during the winter, so you might have to find the trail again after an avalanche chute.  The round trip mileage is less than 8 miles but the elevation gain makes it a demanding hike.  Alternatively, you can hike to the top of the first ridge and have a great view of Lake McDonald and then return to your vehicle.

Final thoughts:

Avalanche Lake is another late spring hike, but I already mentioned it in another blog.  Also, keep in mind the uncertainty of trail conditions and changing weather.  Bring yak tracks and warm and water-proof clothes.

Top 10 Worst Huckleberry Products

If you’ve ever been anywhere close to Glacier National Park during the summer, you know that Glacier Country is Huckleberry Country.  Even if you come in the winter you’ll notice a plethora of signs offering everything from huckleberry jam to huckleberry wine.  While there are many great huckleberry products, for this blog we thought we’d list the 10 weirdest huckleberry products.  Some exist and some are only ideas.  Either way, if you’ve been looking for a huckleberry product that could really stick out from the crowded field, here are some ideas you might want to try!

1.       Huckleberry toilet paper- Freshen up the outhouse with scented toilet tissue!

2.       Huckleberry scented bear spray- Spray something that smells natural to the bear, just be sure the unnatural stuff is powerful enough to stop him.

3.       Huckleberry cologne/perfume- The opposite sex will be after you like bears in a huckleberry patch!

4.       Huckleberry deodorant- Ahh yes!  Nothing overcomes BO like huckleberries!

5.       Huckleberry toothpaste, mouth wash or floss- Your next dental cleaning appointment will be a pleasure for your dentist!

6.       Huckleberry fog machine- Watch your favorite sports team or performer come out in a mysterious cloud of purple huckleberry scented fog!

7.       Huckleberry pizza- They already make pineapple, why not huckleberry?!?

8.       Huckleberry burritos- Salty, spice and sweet (huckleberry) all at once?  I think Yes!

9.       Huckleberry flavored tobacco products- Already exist, but wouldn’t you rather have this kind of second hand smoke than the alternative?

10.   Huckleberry scented diapers- Your least favorite task just got a little sweeter and your child is well on his/her way to becoming a huckleberry kid!

Classic Glacier Hikes

As I write this, the temperature is below freezing and the cloud cover overhead is thick.  It seems like summer will never come.  Hiking in Glacier may be the last thing on your mind, but it might be just what you need to get you through the stalemate between spring and winter that we are now in.  Picture yourself in a high mountain meadow, full of blooming wild flowers and bright green grass.  The sky is a perfect baby blue and the temperature is hovering at 75 degrees.    The spectacular glacial valleys stretch in every direction and snow fields end in glacial blue lakes over each rise.  This is Montana at its finest!

Glacier has 734 miles of trail so you have a lot of potential hikes to choose from.   While there are many lesser known hikes that are worth-while, for this edition of our blog we will focus on three classic glacier hikes.  The two mid-range hikes (5-mile round trip) of Hidden Lake and Avalanche lake along with the longer Garden Wall hike are well traveled but with good reason.  If you are planning on doing any of these quintessential Glacier hikes, here’s what you should know.

Highline trail is one of the best full-day hikes there is in Glacier.  It is a loop, so you leave your car at “the bend”, take a free shuttle to Logan Pass and then hike the loop back to your car.  The first leg from Logan Pass to Granite Peak Chalet  takes you along a steep, spectacularly green hillside with a rock face on the up-hill side.  The views down the glacier valleys during the entire hike are amazing and you will often see mountain goats.  You can also add a quick side trip and see Grinnell Glacier from the top.  Things to be aware of: As with all hikes in Glacier, the earlier you can get there the better.  Shuttles coming up Going-to-the-Sun Road often are full from the stops below by the time they get to the bend, so if you get there at mid-morning you will likely have to wait for a shuttle to Logan Pass.  Start with enough water for the whole trip.  Even though there is a chalet about 7 miles from the trailhead, everything is packed in by horse, so water is expensive and there are few streams along the way.  Grizzly Bears are frequently encountered on this trail despite its popularity so be sure to carry bear spray.

Hidden Lake is a great hike and has spectacular views for the entire hike.  It is an easier hike with minimal elevation gain.  Much of the trail is on a board walk with wild flowers and green fields on both sides.  It is the type of trail where you can turn back at any point and still enjoy 360 scenic views.  If your are not sure how far you can hike, this is a good option.  The lake itself is a deep glacial blue and worth the five mile round trip.  You will often see mountain goats and bighorn sheep near the trail or even near the visitor’s center where it begins.   Things to be aware of:  If you come between 10AM and 5PM, the parking lot at Logan Pass can fill up quickly and the trail to hidden lake can become very crowded (note that just because the parking lot says “full” does not mean it is actually full).

Avalanche Lake is the most popular hike that is not connected to Logan Pass.  It is about 5 miles round trip with a mild up-hill grade.  The first part of the hike winds through a very wet almost rain-forest like climate.  The lake itself has a great view and you can see the various avalanche chutes that give the lake its name.  The trail goes around it and there are several perfect spots for a picnic.   The trailhead for Avalanche Lake is accessible long before most trailheads in Glacier are, which makes it ideal for a spring, early summer or late fall hike.  Things to be aware of:  Bears frequent this trail, especially Black Bears so be aware.  In June, before Logan Pass opens, this hike is extremely popular, so if you can avoid hiking in the middle of the day, it will feel more like a hike and less like a walk in Central Park. 

As you begin to plan your trip Jake Bramante’s website www.hike734.com has some excellent resources for potential hikes.  Jake spent a summer hiking and documenting all 734 miles of trail in Glacier and created several resources using his knowledge.  We are not paid to endorse his products, but I mention them because they are comprehensive and well worth your time and money.  

Dog Sledding- A True Montana Experience!

We seemed to fly down the powdery white trail, straight onto the ice of Swan Lake.  You could feel a stiff breeze as the wind grew teeth in the open space of the lake.  One dog gave out a bark, but most were too busy pulling and panting to give a reply.  Inuit sled dogs have been bred for centuries to pull their human masters across great expanses of frozen tundra. This little traverse around the campground was all in a day’s work for these incredible animal athletes.  At an average height of 23 inches and a weight of 60lbs, these dogs don't look like the powerhouses that you might imagine pulling sleds, but they are!

Before moving to Kalispell 2 ½ years ago, I thought dog sledding was something Alaskans did in the Iditarod.  I thought Montana didn’t have enough consistent snow, but to the few serious dog sledders in Northwest Montana, it seems not to matter.  I am involved with the Big Brother’s Big Sisters program in Kalispell, and Mark Schurke of the Basecamp Outfitters was nice enough to offer a day of dog sledding for those involved in the program.  About 20 of us showed up at his house, were introduced to the dogs and watched as he loaded the dogs into his truck.  We drove further South from his home near Bigfork, along Swan Lake where the winter storms keep snow on the ground much later than the rest of the Flathead Valley.  Everyone got a turn or two with the dogs as they ran a loop near the campground and along Swan Lake.   I think what surprised me most was the fact that Mark put two of us on the sled and just let us go.  He skied along beside the sled and was there in case something went wrong, but we were at the controls.  He even let us give signals and commands to the dogs.  The hands-on approach surprised me at first but it made the experience much more authentic and fun! 

Since that time, a few of our guests have also gone out on guided dog sledding tours with Mark and every one of them has had a terrific experience.  It’s one of those things you might not think of when planning your trip to Montana, but it’s one of those experiences you’ll never regret doing.  The thrill of watching eight elite animal athletes propel your sled through the snow with you at the controls is truly remarkable.  There’s actually a community of dog sledders within Montana and every year they conduct a race called Race to the Sky in mid February.

Unlike some Montana winter sports, dog sledding season lasts almost half the year, starting in the fall, as soon as there is snow on the high mountains and continues into the late Spring.  Ice skating, cross country skiing and resort skiing are all more weather dependent and typically end in march, but dog sledding can be done into June.  Once in the high mountains you get to see views that few people get to see: the backcountry as a winter wonderland.  This isn’t a view you can drive to, this is a view best experienced the way it has been for thousands of years, with eight huffing dogs who are ecstatic to be there with you!

You can check out Mark's company, Base Camp Bigfork and if you stay with us, you can get a 10% discount during the month's of April and May!

A Shopper's Guide to Sporting Goods Stores in Kalispell

During the winter, one of Kalispell’s main draws for out-of-town visitors is shopping and with good reason.  We have a wide variety of stores and specialty shops with better prices and wider varieties than some Canadian stores and smaller towns in Northwest Montana.  While I am not a shopaholic, when it comes to sporting goods and outdoors stores in Kalispell, I am experienced. 

The great thing about outdoors stores in Kalispell, is that they are almost always staffed by people who love the outdoors.  This is huge benefit to you, the shopper, because people who like the outdoors are more likely to use and know their products, enjoy educating customers about their products and be more friendly and helpful in general.  With that said, some stores are better at different aspects of customer service and as we all know prices and variety are also important when shopping for outdoor equipment and clothing.  What follows are the strengths of different Kalispell sporting goods stores as I have experienced them.

Sportsman’s Ski Haus

·         Best variety of winter gear (clothing, skis, etc.)

·         Best variety of camping and hiking equipment and clothing

·         Best archery center apart from the two specialty shops (Flaming Arrow and Spirit Quest)

·         Consistently have good sales, decent regular prices

Cabela’s

·         Biggest variety on hunting related items especially when you factor in local pickup option from cabelas.com

·         Cabela’s experience- no denying it, Cabela’s stores have the coolest mounts and a Cabela’s feel that other stores only try to replicate

Snappy’s Sports Center

·         Best fishing selection (ice, fly and spin) in the valley

·         Most knowledgeable fishing department staff (they even have a fishing report hotline you can call to find out about local fishing spots - 406-756-2248 – updated weekly)

·         Reasonable regular prices

Rocky Mountain Outfitters

·         Best climbing, hiking and camping knowledge available- these guys live and breathe the outdoors and love to share what they know

·         Highest quality camping, hiking, climbing and skiing equipment

Replay Sports

·         Great used equipment section ( I still have a great set of $40 snow shoes I bought from them used)

·         Most knowledgeable paddle sports staff

·         Good regular prices on paddle sports and camping gear

Army Navy

·         Best survival gear

I did not cover any specialty shops (guns, archery or fly fishing), but Kalispell has all of these too!  Hope this helps you on your next shopping trip!

5 Things You Should Know About Animals on the Road in Montana

What You Should Know About Animals While Driving in Montana

A brand-new BMW, truly a thing of beauty!  Charlie (the name has been changed for the purposes of this story) gripped the wheel with ease as he roared along the Swan Highway (US Highway 83).  He had just bought this ultimate driving machine in Missoula and wanted to take it along a highway where he could test its handling capability.  Unfortunately for him he chose one of the most heavily populated wildlife areas in Montana.

What follows is from the viewpoint of the driver of the car behind Charlie.  Going at a speed upwards of 90 miles per hour, Charlie was just beginning to test the full speed of his new toy on a straight-away, when I deer stepped out of the trees. A quarter mile behind Charlie, the driver saw the deer step out, saw Charlie’s break lights and then saw a poof of hair and a deer flipping through the air and landing well behind Charlie’s car.  Totaled.  Done.  Game over.

Montana ranks third nationally for wildlife-vehicle collisions.  Montanans have a 1 in 75 chance of hitting an animal.  We also have numerous areas that allow free range livestock grazing, so your chances of hitting a cow or horse are also high.  I personally had numerous close calls with wildlife before nailing a cow in an open range area.  Whether you are a resident or just visiting, you should be prepared to deal with the reality of animals on the road.  Here are 5 things you should know about hitting animals:

1.       Don’t swerve- Unless you have a lot of time, can slow down significantly and can see the other lane of traffic well, you are better off just nailing whatever animal is in the road.  Far more serious injuries are caused by people swerving around animals than by actually hitting them.

2.       Only comprehensive insurance covers animal collisions- Montana law requires liability insurance and if your car is financed you probably have to have collision insurance, but collision insurance does not cover wildlife collisions.  Strange, but true.  So if you live in a high-wildlife-density area, you might consider adding comprehensive to your policy and/or a grill guard if you have a bigger vehicle.

3.       Hitting livestock will usually cost you, sometimes even for property damages.  Ranchers are only liable for your vehicle damages if their animal is in an area where it’s not supposed to be and the rancher can be shown as negligent.  This is hard to prove.  Once again, only comprehensive coverage covers your vehicle’s damage.  If the animal is in an open range area, you might even be liable for property damages for the animal you hit.

4.       Your regular insurance coverage usually applies when you rent a car.  Check your policy to be sure, but typically your car insurance coverage will transfer straight across, in the event of an accident in a rental car.  Ex: if you have liability insurance, you will have liability coverage if you hit someone in a rental car.  But again, for animal collisions to be covered, you have to have comprehensive.  You can get more coverage specifically for a rental car by buying it through the rental car company or through your credit card company.

5.       You can eat what you hit and other people’s roadkill.  It may sound strange to you, but you can pick up road kill, take it home and as long as you get a free permit for it within 24 hours, you can salvage what meat isn't bad and eat it.  Last year was the first year Montana had this law and 865 permits were issued and 135 of them were issued in Flathead County (Kalispell area).