[Steve]

I was considering taking a vacation to Glacier NP (in the summer) and wanted to know if anybody here has been there? I am also wondering which park you like better our own N. Cascades park or Glacier and why? Which trails did you do in Glacier and what was good about them?

[MCaver]

I was in Glacier NP in June 2001. I had never been there before so I spent most of my time photographing from the many roadside viewpoints. I did the hike to Avalanche Lake and the one to Victoria Falls, though. Avalanche Lake is the only rain forest like area that i've seen in the park. I've heard the Hidden Lake hike at Logan Pass is a must, but it was still snowed in when I was there due to late season snowfall. As far as comparing it to North Cascades, I really don't know. Comparing the Cascades and the Rockies is like apples and oranges, IMO. I'd say take the trip, it's a beautiful area. The Going-To-The-Sun Road through the park is easily the most beautiful drive I've ever taken. I wish I'd had more time there to do more hiking. The trail system was quite extensive.

[#19]

Years ago I ran into a guy from Austria in the North Cascades. He was traveling the US, hiking and sight seeing in our National Parks. He had just came from Glacier, so I asked him to compare where he had been with what he was seeing. I've never forgotten what he said: "It's big, it's grandiose. But vhat can you do with it!" referring to GNP with a strong accent. He was probably the first scrambler I'd ever met and he was totally excited with the abundant alpine roaming available in the NCNP. And of course, the North Cascades reminded him of home. I think he's prejudiced me forever. I have done family-touristy hiking in Glacier. It is beautiful, but for my money I'd go back to the Canadian Rockies before Glacier.

[Erik the Nav]

I'd consider going - it's different, it's nice to go somewhere different. Looked like a crappy place to climb, to me, everything is loose. But it is very pretty, and the backpacking was great, and walkup of Swiftcurrent was great. Did two hikes on trip there in '99, Packer's Roost-Flattop-FiftyMountain-Granite Park and out over Swiftcurrent. That was awesome - Fifty Mountain is a great spot, you -must- make the short side trip to Sue Overlook if you get there. Also did Gunsight Pass from the Sperry Side. Didn't have time to take the side trip up to some high glacier country out of Sperry Chalet, would like to see that, also would like to make it up Triple Divide sometime, just to go there (water drains from triple divide to the Gulf, the Pacific, and to Hudson's Bay). It is grizzly country - on my mind because a 'friend' sent me a gross graphic photo of a mauled and partly consumed human body today. We saw two griz from the road there, and I still think I smelled one while hiking. We were greeted at the park by headlines in the local paper, three mauled. Two of the folks mauled were hit by the freaked out bear running from where it had mauled the first person - they were doing nothing but hiking down the trail, and pow. Just something to think about. Oh yeah, and car campground sign at our second car campground kinda got your attention "people have been killed in this campground." But I'd go back. As a result, however, of all of that, backcountry camping is reservation only at designated spots. This means you need reservations to backpack in the park. I got some reservations before we left. One route was closed (due to bear activity). Rangers were very helpful with walk up reservations. The first itinerary was an adjustment of the original reservations, adding a different route in and using some of what we had reserved. The longer days you can, the more flexible you can be. Saw some people doing epic day-hikes to be able to see some of the country, too. There is shuttle service in the park - that was booked up one day we needed it, but we had no trouble hiring a young park employee to run us across Going-To-The-Sun. Reservations for a room at Many Glacier was great - room was maybe 100 yds from the trailhead, pretty nice way to come off the trail. Other attractions while you're in the area, if you are interested, there's a great collection particularly of early clothing at the Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning. Far more pre-bead embroidery (traditional method, dyed porcupine quills, not beads) than I've seen anywhere else. Great Falls I hadn't been to in years (Grandma grew up there), there's a new Lewis and Clark museum at the Giant Springs, closed by the time we got there, but did catch the Charles Russell Museum, which is the largest collection of his work (and of course includes his studio). Further afield, I love Butte, and we had a great time coming home via Big Hole and the memorial there, and Lolo Pass. I never finished this report, but it covers the first hike, anyway: http://www.wingren.com/hike/glacier99/index.html w/ some pics and some QTVR to give you an idea how it all looks..

[Sore Feet]

It's definitely worth going, but like everyone else has said, it's pretty different than NCNP. Glacier is pretty much the same as what you'll see in the Canadian Rockies, but a bit less rugged. I was there with my Dad for a day and a half about 7 years ago, just passing through, so we just did the Going-to-the-Sun drive through, and brief stops in Two Medicine, Many Glacier and Waterton (to see the lodges mainly). Lots of cool stuff to see along the road, but it looks like, as with any good mountain location, the best stuff is in the back country. One of these days, I'm gonna spend about a week over there.

[#19]

[Sore Feet]

[#19]

Ouchie Ped. You mooned me. But to answer your queston: No I am not happy - but thanks for asking. The character and appearance of the Rockies in Montana and those of the MANY Canadian ranges is not "the same". IMHO

[Sore Feet]

Ah, now you're stretching it. Sure the Icefields area is pretty different than Glacier, but I'm thinking more in parts of the Bow and Athabasca Valleys, a section of the Yellowhead between Mt. Robson and the Jasper townsite, a good portion of the valley in Kootenay, etc. But I guess I won't convince you. Oh well. I tried. I see definite parallels between the Can Rockies and Glacier (which is the same chain). Great shot of Snow Dome btw. It was all clouded over when I was there.

[Hiker Boy]

Having been to Glacier and having spent many summers in the Canadian Rockies I think I'll weigh in here. The Rockies of Glacier are exactly the same as those of the Canadian national parks. Same geology...folded limestone eroded by water and ice. Same wildlife...bighorn sheep, elk, griz etc. Same type of historic mountain lodges. Same spectacular scenery. The only real difference is that there is more to see in the Canadian parks because they encompass more area. Now back to the the original topic question, I think the the mountains of Glacier look more rugged and eroded than those of North Cascades National Park. I think that you're more likely to run into less people in NCNP. The scenery can be just as stunning in the right places in NCNP as Glacier. I have seen less in the variety of wildlife and the numbers in NCNP than in Glacier as well. I like NCNP better because it's closer.

[Flappy Pappy]

[Hiker Boy]

You're right, I don't know what I'm talking about. I'm just a stupid Canadian who has lived in the Canadian rockies, worked in the Canadian Rockies, plays in the Canadian Rockies in the summer and winter, and vacations the Canadian Rockies every second year. I have skied up in the northern Rockies in the Pine Pass and I have worked in a remote part of the the Canadian Rockies (Flathead Valley) right next to Glacier but alas, you're right I do indeed know nothing about them.

[Crappy Pappy]

[#19]

make that like this

[Hiker Boy]

You seem to be obcessing about snow and ice. I fail to see it's uniqueness. The North Cascades have got plenty of it.