Trailer Trash

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A little post-race recovery in Glacier NP (Read 18 times)

wcrunner2


Are we there, yet?

    After my race I scheduled 4 days of hiking in Glacier NP for recovery. I chose the Two Medicine area over St Mary's and Many Glacier because I expected it to be less crowded and it also seemed to have more choices in ranger-led hikes that were more than a 30-60 minute nature walk.

    Sunday morning the day after my HURL Elkhorn 50K race, which I DNFed because I couldn't make a cutoff time, I got up early and drove straight to Two Medicine so I could catch the hike to Scenic Point. It's a nice little jaunt up 16 switchbacks and 2350 ft of gain in the course of 4 miles to some spectacular views. Judge for yourselves.

    A waterfall early in the hike

    After a few switchbacks. Two Medicine Lake and the camp store on the shore

    A couple young hikers on an outcropping we passed

    Looking out toward the park entrance

    Almost to the top now

    Finally!

    On day two there wasn't anything near Two Medicine that compared to Piegan Pass, so I drove up to St Mary's and Going-to-the-Sun Road for the Piegan Pass Hike.

    St Mary's Lake and Wild Goose Island on the way

    Looking up from Siyeh Bend and the trailhead

    Mother grizzly and cub on the slope

    Looking up and ahead from just below the tree line

    One of several creeks we crossed

    Many Glacier Valley after we crossed the pass

    One of the marmots at the pass

    On the way down with the road where we started in the background

    The next day I was back at Two Medicine for the most challenging of the hikes, up to Dawson Pass and back climbing 2450 ft. We're headed somewhere up there.

    Cliffs looming over us after we hiked above the tree line

    Nearing the top but still a bit of a climb before the rains came

    It got a little windy, rainy, and cloudy up there

    Finally on day 4 I made the hike to Cobalt Lake. We passed some prime beaver and moose habitat

    A ruffed grouse that wouldn't get off the trail

    Yep, more clouds and rain today

    Rockwell Falls before we started gaining elevation

    Have to get a photo of me and the falls

    The weather wasn't really cooperating

    And Cobalt Lake, a good environment for pikas in the rocks on the far side, but the rain must have kept them in their burrows

    On the way down we stopped by a suspension bridge, maximum capacity one hiker, to wait for a straggler. Four of the hikers didn't want to wait and continued back on their own. When the straggler arrived he said to go ahead and not wait for him because he was stopping frequently to take photos, so I had the ranger all to myself for the last few miles. I got to hear lots of stories and ask all the questions I wanted to. We also spotted a three-toed woodpecker, which though fairly common is not seen that often. My birding friends are jealous now.

     2024 Races:

          03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

          05/11 - D3 50K
          05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

          06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

     

     

         

    mtwarden


    running under the BigSky

      Sweet trip!  Nothing like a bunch of climbing and altitude to recover from a tough race 

       

       

      2023 goal 2023 miles  √

      2022 goal- 2022 miles √

      2021 goal- 2021 miles √

       

      Queen of Nothing


      Sue

        Thanks for sharing all the pictures George...bummer on the weather. 

         05/13/23 Traverse City Trail Festival 25K

         08/19/23  Marquette 50   dns 🙄

         

         

         

         

         

        LB2


          That is amazing.

          LB2

          AT-runner


          Tim

            Looks like a fantastic trip/ Glacier and Alaska are next on my bucket list.  You got to Glacier, and Lace-up is in Alaska now, so I'm pretty jealous.

            “Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway! 

            Daydreamer1


              That looks wonderful. Crossed going to the sun road once but didn't get any hiking in.  I think the farther north you go the nicer the Rockies are.

              Sandy-2


                Really nice photos thanks!!!  Looks like a great way to recover.

                2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL

                NHLA


                  Great pics. Thanks for posting

                  wcrunner2


                  Are we there, yet?

                    Looks like a fantastic trip/ Glacier and Alaska are next on my bucket list.  You got to Glacier, and Lace-up is in Alaska now, so I'm pretty jealous.

                     

                    I've been to Alaska also. Denali is of course a must see, but Wrangel-St Elias is also great.

                     2024 Races:

                          03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                          05/11 - D3 50K
                          05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                          06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.