Sunset over Bozeman

I spent this week in Bozeman, Montana for work.  After this past weekend with temperatures over 80 in Raleigh, it would take a bit of acclimation to get used to the Montana winter.  There were a few hiccups in Denver, but finally I made it to Bozeman.  After checking in at work, I headed over to the College M Trailhead for a sunset hike.  There's a hard way and easy way to get up to the M.  Either way, it's 850 feet of elevation gain.  The hard way goes up in 0.5 miles, while the "easy" way goes up in 1.5 miles.  With all the snow and ice on the ground, I opted for the easy way this time.  Hiking up wasn't too bad.

The trail was covered in snow, but traction was good enough in most places.  There were a couple of slick spots, but I picked up a hiking stick at the trailhead, so it wasn't too bad.  Up at the M, the views over Bozeman were great, especially nearing sunset.

I took a rest up here and got some pictures.  A couple who came up after me had a very friendly dog who I played with for a bit.  The couple was very friendly and I enjoyed talking to them for a couple minutes - the guy had just gotten back from Anchorage and the lady was from Asheville, NC.  After talking with them for a bit and getting some pictures, I headed back down.

Near the bottom, as the sun was setting behind the mountains, the sky lit up with some fantastic colors.

I got a few more pictures, then headed back.

Grotto & Arch Falls

Thursday was my last day in Bozeman. After work, I headed south back into Hyalite Canyon, but this time heading to the trailhead for Grotto Falls. A lovely trail followed Hyalite Creek upstream to this waterfall.

I presume there is a cave behind the waterfall, but the water level was really up today so I couldn't really see it. I stopped here to get a couple pictures, but wasn't ready to head back yet. A map at the trailhead indicated Arch Falls was just a little further up the creek. So I continued on the trail to try and find this waterfall. Looking across the gorge, Twin Falls was visible in the distance.

This gorgeous double waterfall was very high. But it was hard to find a good place for a picture and I’m not sure how to get closer. A Forest Service sign indicated that it was a location for ice climbing, so there must be a way. But the creek level was way up today, so no way to cross. I didn't really have time anyway. It was just a short ways further to Arch Falls.

I had to climb down a steep cliff to the base of this amazing waterfall. Although only 15 or 20 feet high, the water cascades down and flows under a natural rock arch. I’m so glad I continued on to see this one – I think it was my favorite of the week.

It was really cold down in the little ravine with this waterfall. The fast moving water created a natural air conditioning. I climbed back up and started making my way back. There were lots of lovely little trout lilies blooming along the forest floor.

Unlike the trout lilies in North Carolina, these didn't have the trout-patterned leaves. I think that they're Glacier Lilies.

It was just a little further back to the car and back at the hotel, I started getting packed up to head home in the morning.

Another Hike up the M

Wednesday, I had a dinner to attend after work, so not a lot of time for hiking. I headed back to the M and this time took the easy way up, or at least started that way. In about a half-mile from the trailhead, I turned right on College M Shortcut (#512). Again today, I enjoyed seeing the countless wildflowers blanketing the mountainside as I hiked up the mountain.

Unfortunately, the wildflowers bloom due to the lack of shade and it was another hot day today. Along the shortcut trail, there was a rock outcrop that provided some shade for a short ways.

Soon I made it to the M and stopped for a break to enjoy the view.

After a quick break, I started heading back down, staying on College M Trail (#511). Near the bottom, I turned right on Bridger Foothills Trail (#534) and went a half-mile or so to see some more wildflowers.

Heading back, I stopped one more time to see some beautiful lupine, then finished the hike back at the trailhead.

Then I headed into town and met my coworkers at Feast for dinner.

Hiking the College M

After work Tuesday, I headed to the “M” – perhaps Bozeman’s most popular hiking spot. I thought College M was a strange name for a National Forest hiking trail. Driving towards the trailhead on I-90, I saw the giant M on the side of the mountain and realized where the name came from. When I was here in February, the mountains were covered in snow and it wasn't visible. I parked at the trailhead, which was almost full and got ready. As I started hiking, there was a split and the sign indicated the easy way and the hard way. Of course I had to take the hard way. Gaining 850 vertical feet in a half-mile, this trail was exceedingly steep. The high temperatures and bright sunshine in Bozeman didn’t help. There was almost no shade on the trail. Although it seemed longer that it actually was, I made it to the top in about 20 minutes and stopped for a rest on the bench.

The views of Bozeman and the Gallatin Valley from here were just phenomenal. Looking up, I saw a guy on top of the M. He whipped out a parachute and jumped off, paragliding down to the valley.

Now that's something you don't see every day. Well, maybe in Bozeman. Telling coworkers this the next day, they didn't seem to think it was too uncommon. After this, I started heading back down, taking the easy way this time. Beautiful wildflowers were blooming all along the trail.

The penstemon were particularly beautiful. But the most abundant were the arrowleaf balsamroots.

There must have been thousands of these pretty yellow wildflowers blooming on the mountainside.

As I was heading down, a storm rolled in.

In a matter of minutes, I could no longer see Bozeman - it was getting slammed with rain.

Fortunately, I was heading down so I picked up the pace, making it back to the car just as the rain was starting here at the Bridger Range. By the time I drove back into Bozeman, the rain stopped and I had dinner at Copper Whiskey, then returned to the hotel for the evening.

Palisade Falls

This week I headed to beautiful Bozeman, Montana for work. The last time I was here was in February and there was limited daylight. But this week, the sun didn’t set until after 9 so I tried to get out and see a little of the area after work each evening. I arrived at Bozeman at 1 local time and headed to the office. Getting off at about 5, I decided rather than going straight to the hotel and checking in, I would head south into the Hyalite Canyon area of Gallatin National Forest to see Palisade Falls. The drive in was absolutely beautiful. After passing the reservoir, I turned left on the gravel road and went about a mile to the trailhead for Palisade Falls. It was just a short hike on a paved trail to this stunning waterfall. The water tumbles down around eighty feet over some beautiful volcanic basalt cliffs.

I got a couple pictures and then started heading back. On the way back, I saw a couple hiking up and thought the guy looked very familiar. Turns out it was my coworker Mark and his girlfriend, also heading up to the falls for an after work hike. Back at the car, I started heading back, making a quick stop at the Hyalite Reservoir. The views over the lake were just stunning.

Despite high temperatures in the upper 80s, snow-capped mountains were visible in the distance. After a brief stop, I headed back to into Bozeman and checked in to the Holiday Inn Express, my home for the week, and retired for the evening.

Highline Trail

Friday was out last day in the park. Going to the Sun Road had opened to Logan Pass and the Highline Trail was now open, so we were excited to be able to do this epic hike before our trip was over. We arrived at the Loop shortly after 7, planning to take the shuttle to Logan Pass and hike back to the cars. Unfortunately, most of the shuttles were full or had limited seating. The recent reopening of Logan Pass had greatly increased the crowds. We finally got four people on a shuttle, then drove the rest of us in the van to Logan Pass. After getting our stuff together, we set off on our hike. The Highline Trail is certainly one of the most spectacular trails in the park, running roughly parallel to and high above Going to the Sun Road right below the continental divide. The views over the mountains, bathed in early morning light, were fantastic.

This is a popular trail, however, so there were a lot of other people on the trail. At one point, the trail narrowly circumnavigated a steep cliff wall, with just a garden hose attached to the cliff for a hand rail.

In about 2 miles, we stopped at a rocky open area for a snack. We were soon greeted by several Columbian ground squirrels, who came out of the rocks, looking for a bite to eat.

Continuing on, we could see Lake McDonald, Heaven’s Peak, and several other features of the park.

Heaven’s Peak was visible for nearly the entire hike.

Along the Garden Wall, wildflowers were blooming all along the trail in a rainbow of colors.

Just off the trail, we saw a spruce grouse pecking around in the brush along the trail.

As we continued along the Garden Wall, we came to a split in the trail and turned right on Garden Wall Trail to head up to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook.

Gaining over 1000 vertical feet in less than a mile, this is the steepest trail in the park. But so worth it. Going slow and steady, the climb wasn’t too bad, and soon we reached the top where we had an amazing view of Grinnell Glacier and Upper Grinnell Lake from far above.

We stopped to have lunch here and then spent some time taking pictures from this phenomenal overlook. From here, we could see the four lakes that we had passed on our Grinnell Glacier Hike – Upper Grinnell, Grinnell, Josephine, and Sherburne.

Looking down far below, we could see where we had hiked up to the edge of the glacier and lake. On the other side of the mountain, we could see the smoke from the Reynolds Creek Fire, which had unfortunately picked up a bit in the last day or two.

As we were getting ready to head back down, we spotted a mountain goat far below on Salamander Glacier.

Then, we started making our way back down to the Highline Trail. There were more beautiful wildflowers blooming along this last stretch before Granite Park Chalet.

Shortly after getting back on Highline Trail, we spotted a large bear up above. He was digging at an old log, presumably eating ants or termites.

We initially thought he was a grizzly, but after looking at the pictures closely, I think he was a brown black bear.

After getting some pictures from a safe distance, we continued on to Granite Park Chalet.

This chalet does not have running water nor lemonade, but we were able to purchase some cold bottled water. From here, we just had to hike back down to the Loop. Since we had to pick up the other car back at Logan Pass, Sandy, Dan and I hiked very quickly back to the parking lot while the others could take their time.

We made the four-mile hike in just over an hour and drove up to Logan Pass Visitor Center. We had hoped to get some cold drinks at the gift shop, but it was already closed, so I filled up some water bottles from the drinking fountain.

We had passed the roadside Oberlin Falls just before Logan Pass and I wanted to stop quickly for a picture. As we were driving to it, we had to stop as several mountain goats were in the road.

As the goats got off the road, we drove past slowly to get some great pictures of these beautiful creatures.

It was two adults and three kids, grazing along the side of the road and hopping back and forth across the stream below the waterfall. I was so excited we got to see some mountain goats up close.

Watching their climbing skills is always so amazing. After some pictures, we drove back to the Loop just as the others were finishing up the hike. We got everyone back in the car and then headed to Apgar for dinner at Eddie’s again. After dinner, we headed back to the house and got our stuff packed to head home after a wonderful time in beautiful Glacier National Park.

Sperry Chalet

Thursday morning, most of the group woke up and left at 5 to hike the Swiftcurrent Pass Trail, but I wasn’t feeling great and wanted to sleep in a bit. So Sandy and I headed to McDonald Lodge a little later in the morning to hike to Sperry Chalet. We parked at the lodge and started our hike around 930. Before we left the parking lot, we met an older gentleman named Jack, who was also hiking up to Sperry Chalet. He joined us for our hike and we enjoyed talking with him along the trail. Good conversation made the rather steep trail a little better. Heading up Gunsight Pass Trail, it was mostly forested, but a couple places to pop out and see the Snyder Creek Valley and Lake McDonald in the distance.

In just under two miles, we crossed Snyder Creek and continued on Gunsight Pass Trail up towards the chalet heading into the Sprague Creek Valley. The trail was steep and steadily increasing, but we had started early enough that it wasn’t too bad.

Most of the way was in the shade at least. In another couple of miles the trail started to open up and soon we passed Beaver Medicine Falls, an impressive looking waterfall, but it was too far from the trail for a good view.

Shortly after passing the falls, we could see Sperry Chalet from the trail high on the cliff above.

At one point, we had to stop and get off the trail to allow a mule train coming down the mountain after delivering supplies to the chalet.

There are no roads up to the chalet so all goods must be carried up by mules. We were fortunate to be on the trail when they passed. Finally, the trail started to level off as we approached Glacier Basin. From the footbridge over Sprague Creek, we could see Akaiyan Falls in the distance.

Hiking a little further, we could see Feather Woman Falls, a beautiful waterfall tumbling down in two streams.

In higher water, there are even more streams to this falls. We made the final ascent up to the chalet and stopped in for lunch. They have a limited menu, so we got sandwiches and a pitcher of lemonade. I don’t think lemonade has ever tasted so refreshing! We finished the entire pitcher and refilled our water from the chalet. After lunch, we headed outside and enjoyed the view from here. McDonald Lake was visible far below.

Then we started making our way back down. We spotted a patch of Lewis' Monkeyflower blooming near Glacier Basin.

A little further down the trail, we saw a cute little golden-mantled ground squirrel digging a hole right along the trail.

When we passed Beaver Medicine Falls, I tried a couple times to bushwhack to a better view of the falls, but had no luck.

The area is incredibly steep and overgrown with impassable cliff faces blocking any chance of getting to a good view. Once I gave up, we continued making our way back down. It was easier going downhill, but it was much hotter than it had been in the morning and there was a much less shade along the trail. Right before we reached the bridge over Snyder Creek, Sandy thought she saw a waterfall. Hoping for better luck on this one, I got off the trail and bushwhacked to this small unnamed waterfall for a couple of pictures.

Then we finished our hike back to the parking lot at McDonald Lodge and said good-bye to Jack. Looking across the street, we could see Mount Brown and the lookout tower far above.

We had passed by the extremely steep trail that leads up there.

We swung by the gift shop at the lodge for a few minutes and I got some pictures outside of the totem pole as well as the “jammer” buses that provide tours.

Then we headed back to the house. Everyone else had returned already from their hike and since it was much earlier than previous days, we cooked a big group dinner together.