BEAUTIFUL DAY
The
rain cleared out just before I got up, but everything was soaking wet. This time, I didn’t consider hanging around
to let my gear dry. I was eager to get
up to the alpine country around Fifty Mountain. I had breakfast, broke camp, and hit the
trail. I learned my lesson from the
previous day. This time I wore rain
pants over my hiking shorts. This was a
good move, since the overgrown trail down to the Waterton
River was soaking wet.
I
made good time, and reached the junction around a quarter before 10. I stashed the sleeping pad in the designated
place, and was getting ready to leave when I heard voices. “Hey Bear”!!
It sounded like the same couple, so I decided to wait. They arrived a few minutes later, and boy
were they glad to see me. I guess
sleeping on the rocky ground will do that!
Apparently he had tried to give her his pad, but she had refused. It had been a rough night, but they were
relieved to have the pad back.
I
also met Steve at the junction. Steve
was from Spokane, and he was hiking solo from Goat Haunt to Logan Pass. He was one of the few solo hikers I ran into
during the trip. All four of us hiked
together from there up to Fifty Mountain.
And what a glorious hike it was!
It was the most beautiful day of the trip, both in terms of the weather
(sunny but cool) and the scenery. The
views got better and better throughout the day.
Initially we hiked along the river, but before long we began a steady
climb along a bench high above it. Views
opened up to the west and south, encompassing the Citadel Peaks, Kootenai Peak,
and the rest of the Livingston Range.
The Waterton River carved the deep valley
below us, draining the remnant glaciers clinging to the highest mountains.
The
views got kept getting better as we climbed higher. Eventually we topped out in a long, rolling
alpine meadow. The views from here are
staggering. We were directly below a
wall of cliffs that forms the Continental Divide. A grassy meadow dotted with boulders
stretched away in front of us, towards a chaotic jumble of peaks and glaciers
in the distance. I’ve heard that the
area is called Fifty Mountain because 50 named peaks are visible from here.
The
finale of the day was pure delight. We
strolled past the remains of an old cabin in the shadow of the Continental
Divide. We weaved our way through a
garden of boulders, and hopped over a couple of small streams. The uninterrupted views continued all the way
to the Fifty Mountain campsite, which is in a minor draw at the edge of the
woods. The forest here burned in a major
fire a few years back. That’s the only
drawback to the Fifty Mountain campsite.
Otherwise, it’s in a great location.
A short walk uphill from camp leads to some of the most expansive views
in the entire park. It’s no wonder that
it is one of the most popular campsites in Glacier.
When
we arrived, the campsites were already occupied by a couple of other groups and
one grizzly bear. I didn’t see the bear,
but I could hear him banging around in the trees near the upper-most
campsite. I don’t know how nice that tent
site is – by the time the bear moved on, I had already set up at the other side
of the camping area, above a small stream.
Apparently the bear headed towards the Waterton
Valley, because another group of hikers encountered him on the trail down there
a bit later that afternoon.
After
the excitement died down I walked down to the cooking area for lunch. While I was eating I took a few minutes to
plan out the last day and a half of my trip.
On Tuesday I would have to hike all the way out to Going to the Sun
Road. Hiking to Logan Pass would be 20+
miles, with a fair number of ups and downs along the way. I could shave a few miles off the hike by
bailing out at Granite Park and heading down to The Loop trailhead. I also wanted to do a couple of side trips to
the Continental Divide along the way.
The first would be to an overlook of Sue Lake, and the second would be
to Ahern Pass, above Helen Lake. Each
one would add a mile and a fair bit of elevation gain to the hike. I really wanted to do the side trips though,
because they are in such a remote location.
Neither is really practical for a dayhike from
the nearest road.
It
was only early afternoon, and the Sue Lake overlook is less than 2 miles from
camp. Since I had the time, I decided to
hike it that afternoon. That would mean
hiking the first mile of the Highline Trail three times in less than 24 hours,
but it would save some time on Tuesday.
It would also be a lot easier with a small daypack. I asked Steve if he wanted to join me, but he
was inclined to spend the afternoon relaxing at camp. The other couple had already departed for
their campsite on Flattop Mountain.
The
initial climb from camp was grueling, but the views quickly opened up as I left
the trees behind. One switchback brought
me onto the slope directly below the Continental Divide. The ascent continued, on up to an unnamed
pass and a junction. I left the Highline
Trail here and headed up the spur trail to the Sue Lake overlook. This trail looks tough on the map, but it was
easier than expected. Most of the
elevation gain was on the Highline Trail, and the actual side trip was pretty
quick.
I
climbed up to a notch on the divide, directly above Sue Lake. Sue Lake is an alpine beauty, sitting in a
rugged basin tucked under the Continental Divide. The surrounding slopes feature small glaciers
and snowfields, and the view extends out across a sea of peaks to the
east. Most intriguing was Pyramid Peak,
which I’d seen from below while camped at Mokowanis
Lake earlier in the trip. The view from
here was totally different because I was at roughly the same elevation as the
summit of the mountain. At Mokonwanis Lake I was a few thousand feet directly beneath
it.
I
hung out there for a bit and took lots of photos. However, the wind was howling, and clouds
were building to the west. Conditions
were hostile enough to get me moving back to camp. On the return I ran into a solo climber that
was just starting up one of the peaks along the Continental Divide. We chatted briefly, and I asked him if he had
ever climbed Pyramid. He said that it
was a fun peak. It was mostly a walk-up,
but reaching the summit requires one tricky maneuver with serious
exposure. It sounded like more than I
would be comfortable with. Regardless, I
will hike up to the Sue Lake Basin one day.
I
returned to camp and made dinner. Later
I walked back up the hill for sunset. I
was treated to some colorful clouds before the last light faded. Then I went straight to bed, since I’d be
getting an early start the next morning.
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