[Copperhead Kid]

Having gone to school in Missoula in the mid-70s, I spent a fair amount of time in Glacier and will always be fond of that area. I also love the North Cascades and believe there is a uniqueness to each region that makes it hard to judge one or the other as better or more interesting. In Glacier, I loved the Logan Pass area and Clements Mt., as well as Reynolds Mt. -- very distinctive peaks. And the trail I REALLY loved was the Highline trail, which had been closed most of the first summer I visited (I went there for the first time during early Sept.) due to grizz encounters, but I hiked it just two weeks or so after it re-opened. Plus, a friend INSISTED I read "Night Of The Grizzlies" the week before I went, probably just to make me a bit paranoid. And, naturally, as I passed one of the scattered thickets/huckleberry yum-yum-hide-a-bear spots, just a bit above the trail (up towards the Garden Wall), I could have SWORN I heard a faint snort from the brush ... which helped me boogie on down the trail a bit faster, towards Haystack Butte. But the coolest thing was this: Up above the Highline Trail, a few hundred feet below the Garden Wall (with Haystack Butte behind and over my left shoulder), I looked east and saw 11 Bighorn sheep just standing around, very mellow, mingled with two or three crouching humans, one of them (the humans, not the sheep) a nature videographer taking movies of the Bighorns FROM ABOUT 20 FEET AWAY. This blew me away, and I had to check it out. Slowly moving upward, crouching and in stop-and-start fashion, I soon found myself sitting with the few quiet onlookers (and the video guy, who I think was Australian), quietly observing the sheep as they stood, ambled, and even LAY DOWN in our immediate vicinity. One of 'em even stood there, watching me as I sat quietly, his head no more than 16 - 20 ft. from my face. Cool! The only thing I could figure was they were fairly used to mellow hiker humans ... either that, or not very familiar at all. Either way, they weren't too troubled. Not so for two mountain goats two hundred feet above us, seemingly perched just below the summit ridge of the Garden Wall. One other guy and I started to move slowly up towards them, scrambling as quietly as we could, and those goats were like: "yeah, right, buckos" ... and they went "bippity-boppity-boing" and hopped on over the Garden Wall, where only the technical go ... So that's one Glacier remembrance ... CK

[philfort]

From all the pictures I've seen, the peaks in G.N.P. sure look similar to those in the cdn rockies. Together, they look different from any other mountains I've seen.

[#19]

[polarbear]

Here is a good website with photos of Glacier National Park http://www.glacierparkphotos.com/ I haven't driven through Glacier since I was little. I was really impressed with the Canadian Rockies on a trip through them a few years ago--vast and magnificent.

[philfort]

[#19]

Check out the Selkirks, Purchells, Battle Range, Valhallas and Bugaboos in BC. Kind of the like the best parts of your favorite mountain range on steroids. SOLID walls and spires (mucho granite) and just like their neighbors to the east, they have massive ice too. Sometimes this whole region is referred to as the Selkirks and the other ranges mentioned as sub ranges of it. I get confused by it, but it is nothing like what people refer to as "the Canadian Rockies". They are definatley not part of the Coast range so I assumed they were part of the greater Rocky Mountains. I must be mistaken.

[philfort]

That's right, the Selkirks, Monashees, Caribous, Purcells are not part of the Rockies. I've seen them referred to together as the Columbia Mtns. You're right, they look very different... nice country. The Cdn Rockies are technically what's east of the trench of the upper Fraser/Columbia rivers (Canoe Reach, etc...).

[Hiker Boy]

[Sore Feet]

From what I understand, the whole section between the Frazier and the Columbia / Kootenay trench to be known collectively as either the Selkirks or the Purcells. I may be wrong however. But, as said before, not part of the Rockies.

[Hiker Boy]

You're essentailly correct, the Rockies do rise over the North American Craton while the other ranges are old oceanic crust and island arcs etc that have been added later, however these ranges are thrusting or folding upwards at a faster rate than erosion whereas the Rockies are not. The Monashee's are geographically distinct from the Selkirks as are the Selkirks from the Rockies with deep trenches dividing them. It's a common and unfortunate mistake for people from outside of BC to assume that they are all "the Rockies". I picked up an interest in geology from my father who is now a retired geological engineer. I cannot tell you the number of times I got dragged along on vacations to ooooh and aaah over the striations in one rock formation or other. Later it was beneificial as I got work in mineral exploration camps doing assaying during my summers.

[#19]

[Steve]

OK, so much for minutiae. Next question: When is the best time to go to Glacier? Are the mosquitoes as bad as they are here? When does the snow melt out of the high country? I would be taking the family and would not want to slog through lots of snow.

[Erik the Nav]

Went late, but not that long after the melt. Was a big snow year, there. Skeeters didn't seem too bad, don't recall bug problems really. But then, I put them outta my mind when they're not on me, so who knows. Seriously, I don't think it was a big deal. I do remember one of the rangers telling me they were using dynamite to blast snow out of some of the trails in the backcountry, 'cause people had reservations for those trails and they needed to be open. I was rather startled by this news. IIRC, we went in mid-late August, and there was some concern about some of the trails being open, and we did cross a snowfield or two on the trails. But no long term slogging or anything. Don't forget to look into the trail/backcountry campsite reservation system. Some popular hikes people sign up for from all over the country there, don't get aced out.

[Hiker Boy]

I'll bet the incorrect assumption I made is common even with some BCers? Just a guess that everyone in Canada doesn't know everything? Why would it be "unfortunate" to make that mistake? I don't think Steve was going to end up at the wrong trailhead or mountain range because of my incorrect assumption. Alas, you're probably right. You consider broadcasting incorrect information to be "fortunate"? I am always greatful to learn more about the places I travel, especially if I'm mistaken...after all the last thing I want to be is another ignorant tourist.

[MCaver]

I was in Glacier in June 2001 and there was still some snow at Logan Pass, enough for me not to try the Hidden Lake Trail. Some people were doing it and I'm kicking myself now for not doing it. I don't know about backcountry trails, but everything else was open completely.