Marc Ankenbauer's 10+ year quest to jump in every named lake in Glacier and Waterton National Parks for charity.
168 lakes. Only 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ZERO LAKES LEFT!!!
-- Marc jumped into Fisher Cap Lake on Sunday September 8th, 2013 to complete his goal! --
Read about Marc and how this project started...

Welcome to Antarctica

Hello all,

I left the U.S. on the 18th of October and flew from Missoula to Salt Lake, Los Angeles, Sydney, Christchurch NZ and eventually to McMurdo Research Station on Ross Island off the coast of Antarctica.

It is spring in New Zealand, so the mountains were still covered in snow as we flew overhead.

Welcome to Antarctica 01 - Glacier Explorer

Christchurch is the home base of the Antarctic Program and a very lovely city.

Two years ago it was hammered by a very major earthquake so the downtown portion was fenced off and essentially ruined.

Welcome to Antarctica 02 - Glacier Explorer

The people of the city are trying their best to keep their heads up and recreate their world.

We got delayed on our flight out to McMurdo so I used my free day to roam the city in the rain and check out the botanical garden.

It was without question the most amazing garden I have ever seen in my life.

Welcome to Antarctica 03 - Glacier Explorer

Most of my time was spent being given my ECW (Extreme Cold Weather Gear) and going through orientation.

Welcome to Antarctica 04 - Glacier Explorer

When we finally left we boarded a C-17.

Welcome to Antarctica 05 - Glacier Explorer

The U.S. Airforce does most all the flying around Antarctica so these military planes are very common.

Maybe it was because it was my first time down on the ICE but it was a pretty surreal experience to be flying in a huge military plane.

Welcome to Antarctica 06 - Glacier Explorer

The pilots let us go up into the cockpit and all you could see was clouds and dials.

I’m sure glad they know what they are doing.

Once we finally got visual of the continent I took a few pictures out of the small porthole windows.

Welcome to Antarctica 07 - Glacier Explorer

As far as you could see was expansive, unending white.

Welcome to Antarctica 08 - Glacier Explorer

We landed on the sea ice just outside of the station which will eventually melt to be open water as summer progresses.

Welcome to Antarctica 09 - Glacier Explorer

When we got off the plane we boarded a bus which like every other vehicle down here is humongous.

Welcome to Antarctica 10 - Glacier Explorer

My dorm while I’m in McMurdo is called the Mammoth Mountain Inn.  It is the middle building just below the small mountain in the back that’s called Observation or OB Hill.

My dorm is right next to a pavilion that flies the flags from all the countries that fund research in Antarctica.

Welcome to Antarctica 29 - Glacier Explorer

Antarctica is a continent but its not a country.

It’s no ones.

It is all of ours, a mutually held science laboratory for the entire world.

It really is an amazing place.

Welcome to Antarctica 11 - Glacier Explorer

There are multiple surrounding buildings but the main building is painted blue.

It houses all kinds of offices but most importantly it’s the dining hall.

So no matter how turned around you get…you always know where the food is.

Just go to the blue building.

Welcome to Antarctica 12 - Glacier Explorer

There are most basic things here; there is a post office, two bars and even a non-denominational church.

Its set right up against the expansive sea ice and makes a pretty cool backdrop.

Welcome to Antarctica 13 - Glacier Explorer

My life has been basically focused on training and preparation for going out into the field next month.

While much of it has been inside learning, everyone has to go through something called Happy Camper training.

For many it is to learn how to spend a night out if something has gone terribly wrong.  For me, it’s to help me get a feel of what it will be like out at the AGO camps.

Although in all reality it wasn’t a good showing because the weather was nice and only got down to 1F while the AGO camps will be -50F.

Welcome to Antarctica 14 - Glacier Explorer

Nineteen of us gathered our supplies and hopped into another enormous vehicle.

It drove over a pass and out on to the Ross Ice Shelf which is about 500’ thick.

It is flat like sea ice but it’s really where the main continental ice comes spilling off into the ocean.

This is still nothing compared to the often 5000’ thick ice around the South Pole.

Welcome to Antarctica 15 - Glacier Explorer

We were dropped off next to a building that we used as a classroom.

In all directions was flat ice which butted up to huge mountains off in the distance dwarfing the various buildings on the ice shelf.

Welcome to Antarctica 16 - Glacier Explorer

We were camping out right below a mountain called Mt. Erebus which is the southern most active volcano on earth.

It has a lake of lava in the bottom of the summit crater.

When the clouds parted we could see smoke plumes wafting up from the interior.

We headed inside for more training, but soon it was out for the night.

We erected two Scott tents and 7 mountaineering tents.

Welcome to Antarctica 17 - Glacier Explorer

The company that makes these tents is from my beloved Missoula, Montana.

I’ve never heard of Bluestar, but they must be cool.

Welcome to Antarctica 18 - Glacier Explorer

To block the wind we created a wall out of snow blocks.

Welcome to Antarctica 19 - Glacier Explorer

Now this really was one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced.

I tried to make an igloo at Lolo Pass a few years ago and making blocks stay intact is hard.

This stuff was like heavy Styrofoam.

You can literally cut blocks with hand saws.  Whatever shape you cut them, they stay.

If they are not exactly how you want them, you trim them.

It was like perfect cartoon igloo snow.  WILD!

Welcome to Antarctica 20 - Glacier Explorer

Once camp was finished we melted blocks of snow to get boiling water.

Welcome to Antarctica 21 - Glacier Explorer

Bundled up, with a mug of hot chocolate and a freeze dried meal…I was warm.

Welcome to Antarctica 22 - Glacier Explorer

In the morning it was crystal clear.

Welcome to Antarctica 23 - Glacier Explorer

You could see where one of the main ice sheets rolls down into the ocean creating the ice shelf.

Welcome to Antarctica 24 - Glacier Explorer

I can’t even explain how huge this landscape is.

I have no comparison.

None.

Beyond amazing.

Welcome to Antarctica 25 - Glacier Explorer

We broke down camp, and did some more training.

One scenario was the famous buckethead drill.

Welcome to Antarctica 26 - Glacier Explorer

We all had to put plastic buckets on our heads and try to find our teacher.

It is to simulate what it’s like to communicate and functionally find someone lost in a whiteout.

Basically impossible.

Welcome to Antarctica 27 - Glacier Explorer

The same enormous vehicle came to pick us up and bring us back to the station.

Later that evening was our Halloween celebration.

Everyone works six days a week and has Sunday off, so Saturday night is when organized holidays are held.

So, like it or not…Saturday was Halloween.

We ate like kings and hit the “town”.

Welcome to Antarctica 28 - Glacier Explorer

It was the first time I have been up late enough to see what counts for sunset down here.

Welcome to Antarctica 30 - Glacier Explorer

The sun does not actually fall below the horizon these days.  A week ago I think it still did slightly, but as of a few days ago it stopped fully setting.

It still gets real close and creates a few hour sunset color fest and then rises up again.

Since I’ve been here I have been asleep when this happens, but thanks to a few drinks and a Halloween party I was still awake to take part.

Welcome to Antarctica 34 - Glacier Explorer

So, I went home and got bundled up, grabbed my camera and went for a walk to a place called Hut Point.

It is a hut that Robert Scott’s expedition made in 1901.  They were trying to be the first group to ever reach the South Pole.

It’s so dry and cold down here that the hut is still in perfect shape.  Pretty wild.

It was the first time I saw McMurdo Station from a far.

Welcome to Antarctica 35 - Glacier Explorer

I’ve seen countless sunsets in my life, but none set against a backdrop like this.

I’m still having trouble comprehending that I’m in Antarctica.

Welcome to Antarctica 31 - Glacier Explorer

I am so happy that I got a chance at some photographs while the sun was right.

Welcome to Antarctica 32 - Glacier Explorer

In a few weeks I’ll be in the middle of the flat expanses of the interior plateau.

Welcome to Antarctica 33 - Glacier Explorer

A few weeks from now the sun will not set at all.

But tonight, at 2:30am I roamed around with a wig in my pocket and whiskey on my breath and took photos of Antarctica at Sunset.

TO LIFE!

Welcome to Antarctica 36 - Glacier Explorer

The Floral Park Saga Part 2 – Gem Lake

01 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

This is Part 2 of the Floral Park Saga. Check out Part 1, if you haven’t already.

Sperry Glacier Basin is unlike anywhere I have found myself on the planet. It’s like being on an island. It’s alien, removed and high above the rest of the surrounding world.

Although, if you are familiar with the park…you find yourself surrounded by strangely familiar things.

Directly below you is a sheer cliff down to Avalanche Lake which is probably the most visited hike in the whole park. People staring up at these cliffs from below don’t even know you’re up there. It’s like it’s a secret, like you’re hiding.

02 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

The mountains you look off at are Stanton, Vaught and McPartland which are the main landscape at Lake McDonald Lodge on the Going to the Sun Road.

03 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

Off in the distance are the familiar mountains that you see from Logan Pass and the highline trail which is the absolute center; the heart and soul of Glacier.

04 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

Behind us was Sperry Glacier which we have all heard of but few seldom see and certainly not this intimately.

05 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

By this point in the trip you are looking back at gargantuan efforts that happened early enough in the trip that they seem like a different day.

The whole experience is simultaneously alien and warmly familiar to those who know.

After lunch we headed into the depths of the Glacier Basin.

06 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

It is made up of countless ribs of bedrock that lead directly towards the open expanse of familiar mountains at odd angles and eventually the epic drop into the Avalanche Lake headwall.

The basin is made of bedrock ribs that were scoured clean from by the glacier through the last eternity.

When you look closely there are striations on the all the ribs from the glacier scraping against the rock. This exotic landscape has only become visible over the last century.

07 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

The area is a washboard of ups and downs that present a unique obstacle course.

Each time you get to the top of a rib there could be anything on the other side.

08 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

There could be a perfect little scramble down or an expanse of snow completely filling the gap between ribs.

There could be a stream to cross or a melt pond that forces you to walk ten minutes around to the other side.

Countless options, over and over and over again.

It’s really the strangest landscape I have ever traveled in.

Every time I looked for my partners I found them lit up against the most improbable of backdrops.

09 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

This is the part of the trip that deserved our time, our attention and our camera lens the most.

The moment in time meter went through the roof.

Getting closer to Comeau Pass we had to make a decision that I believe is a no brainer.

10 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

Either we were forced to hike up the Sperry Glacier which is a terrible plan while un-roped.

Or there is a well better option.

11 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

Instead we hiked downhill past the last melt pond and towards a mountain called The Little Matterhorn.

12 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

This little wonderland is filled with wildflowers and a braided stream whose destiny is to become Avalanche Lake.

13 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

We accessed an amazing ramp of rock slabs, wild flowers and marmots that led us directly towards Comeau Pass.

14 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

Our marmot friends were sunning themselves on a huge rock.

15 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

I feel this is the best way to gain the pass.

16 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

Not only is it safe and as straight forward as possible but totally AWESOME!!

17 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

We even took a moment and took the best shadow picture ever!!!

18 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

The layers of rock started looking like candy cane spirals.

19 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

We couldn’t handle how crazy this landscape is!

20 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

Depending on when Floral Park is done, the route has more or less snow.

21 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

On this day only one snow field stood between us and the pass…and in my case.

22 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

GEM LAKE.

By this time I was double timing it.

23 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

I was hoping to get to the lake while there was still sun on it.

It’s cold enough to climb into a lake on top of a huge mountain pass right next to a snow field in the middle of a wind warning.

But, the sun is imperative.

Thankfully I got there with literally minutes of sun left.

I tossed on swimming trunks and flip flops that I had carried for hours and hours, waiting for this moment.

24 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

I had to toss rocks on my other clothes so they did not fly away in the wind.

The outlet of Gem Lake is a waterfall that flows west towards Lake McDonald.

The wind was blowing so hard that it was picking up the waterfall and blowing it up into the air and landing back in the lake.
PERFECT SWIMMING WEATHER!!

The fact is, I got it done.

The lake is just deep enough to submerge my body in, certainly no laps being swam.

Just some screams as I waited for a picture or two to be taken by my wife who asked me to stay in for two pictures. She wanted to get it right…Yeah…

It was very cold, but I’m over the idea that these lakes are cold.

I just needed to hop in and get my clothes back on.

I bounced around, doing jumping jacks to warm back up. Everyone else pumped water, ate some food and helped me with whatever tasks my cold digits were having trouble with.

25 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

We were still in a rush, no matter if the dip into the lake was done or not.

26 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

Once at the pass, we still had 10 miles and 5000 feet of elevation loss to take care of on trail.

Let’s keep in mind that the sun was still starting to set.

A group picture was in order as this place, this moment was truly epic

27 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

Before I left the top I grabbed a shot of the heavily weathered sign that marks the pass.

28 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

The trail down from Comeau Pass starts by dropping through a crack in the headwall that was made in the early days of the park.

29 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

There is a cable to hold on to as you climb down. It would be bad to lose your footing since its steep enough to cause some serious damage.

30 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

We saw about 10 mountain goats as we zoomed past alpine lakes and waterfalls.

31 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

We were able to get down to the Sperry Chalet trail intersection before dark fell.

But,…then it fell. And boy did it fall…

32 - Floral Park Saga Part 2 - Glacier Explorer

From this point we still had six miles and 3000 feet of elevation loss to do in the pitch black. YES!!

We spooked a bighorn sheep as we slowly picked our footing in the dark.

It’s good to make noise in Griz country anyway, but in the black of night you get pretty inventive.

I’m sure every animal in the woods enjoyed our conversations, games and most off all the show tunes.

It took what felt like forever as we walked in the dark. I think we fell asleep walking a few times. I swear!

But, eventually we popped out at Lake McDonald Lodge.

Car shuttles to Logan Pass commenced.

As we got towards St. Mary there were slight traces of Northern Lights.

I had never seen them through the years and even minor ones are pretty spectacular!

All in all an amazing day!

Even deserved a two part Saga!

To Life!!!

The Floral Park Saga – Part 1

top pic The Floral Park Saga - Glacier Explorer

Gem Lake sits high atop Comeau Pass.

Comeau Pass is equally high atop the single most amazing day “endeavor” I have ever been on in my life. I say “day endeavor” because it is no “day hike”.

To call it that implies that it is a straight forward walk that takes nothing more than legs, time and nice day.

Floral Park has grown to have a dubious reputation in the park. It unfortunately has been featured in magazines next to things that are just “day hikes”. This has allowed for first time visitors, newbie concession kids and weekend warriors to address it like it’s just another outing.

It has claimed lives. Please don’t ever attempt this trip solo.

THERE IS WAY TOO MUCH COMMITMENT TO DO SOLO!

My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives over the last few years.

*On to the Story*

Jump Stats


The Floral Park Saga 12 - Glacier Explorer
Lake Jump: #157 of 168
Hiking distance: 20 miles
  -On-trail: 12 miles
  -Off-trail: 8 miles
Difficulty Rating: EXCEPTIONALLY HARD

 

In 2006 I went with a bunch of friends and had an amazing time. It took forever and we hiked out the last couple hours in the dark, but it blew my mind.

I took a dip in four lakes, Hidden Lake, Mary Baker Lake, Feather Woman and Akaiyan Lakes…

So it seems there are five named lakes on the route

I didn’t know about Gem Lake.

It’s not labeled on the map and at the time I hadn’t looked at the USGS list of “Named Lakes in Glacier”.

Although surprised, I’ve been looking forward to doing this route again.

Thanks Map Labelers!

The Floral Park Saga 1 - Glacier Explorer

Often when people accompany me to an off trail lake, I feel guilty for putting people through the often brutal endeavor.

This is a once in a lifetime, bucket list trip for anyone involved.

The evening before we left, a wildfire was reported in the Avalanche Lake Valley.

The Floral Park Saga 3 - Glacier Explorer


It kind of spooked us, as the route goes directly through the Sperry Glacier Basin which is the head of the Avalanche Lake valley.

A High Wind Advisory found Logan pass more than brisk, but we were able to make early morning miles fueled by some of the best breakfast sandwiches I’ve ever had. THANKS PAT!

The light was amazing as we hiked up to Hidden Lake Overlook.

The Floral Park Saga 2 - Glacier Explorer

Millions of people have looked down upon Hidden Lake, but comparatively few ever drop down to it.

The Floral Park Saga 4 - Glacier Explorer

Twice I’ve been to this amazing lake, and both times were to begin Floral Park.

The Floral Park Saga 5 - Glacier Explorer

Once you leave the foot of Hidden Lake there’s no trail at all.

Once you begin wrapping around Bearhat Mountain you have to be able to read a map and know the route.

The Floral Park Saga 6 - Glacier Explorer

A lot of people expect a path, but for hours and hours you are simply on your own.

The first main objective is to gain a huge ridge that separates Hidden Lake from “everything else”.

From the top it was obvious that the fire was not going to be an issue for us as it was far away from the route.

The Floral Park Saga 7 - Glacier Explorer

It made for a historically memorable day though. I will always remember that I did Gem Lake on the day of the Avalanche fire.

From the top of the ridge we stared down a chasm that dropped 4000’ feet directly down to Avalanche Lake.

The Floral Park Saga 8 - Glacier Explorer

It made my stomach flip and flop. But, at least there were enormous gusts of wind kicking us back and forth…At least we had that, huh?

The Floral Park Saga 9 - Glacier Explorer

As we looked back on our last views of Hidden Lake you can understand why people linger down there.

The Floral Park Saga 10 - Glacier Explorer

It’s amazing! But it truly is the “beginning”.

The Floral Park Saga 11 - Glacier Explorer

The first time doing Floral Park, you don’t really grasp how much more is beyond this Dragons Tail ridge.

There is countless hours of ridges to drop, bear grass to side hill up and down, bedrock ribs to climb over, scree to battle, streams to cross. It is profound!

The Floral Park Saga 12 - Glacier Explorer

Comeau Pass looks like forever from the top of the ridge.

Then when you finally get to Comeau Pass, there is still 10 miles of trail and 5000 feet of elevation drop before you get to your car that’s parked at Lake McDonald Lodge.

There is one way down from this huge ridge and its a really steep hill of bear grass all the way down to Mary Baker Lake and the rest of the route.

The Floral Park Saga 13 - Glacier Explorer

It is fondly referred to as B#!ch Hill for its obviously enjoyable nature. This is the point of no return.

Once you drop this huge hill, you will never want or hardly be able to turn back.

I think this is one of the biggest issues with the route. There is a total commitment that many novice hikers are not used to.

The Floral Park Saga 14 - Glacier Explorer

At the bottom is lovely little Mary Baker Lake.

We quickly pulled water, shoved Gatorade and food in our faces. We had accomplished something here but there is SO much more.

The Floral Park Saga 15 - Glacier Explorer

The next step is side hilling up more bear grass and scree towards the Sperry Glacier Basin.

The Floral Park Saga 16 - Glacier Explorer

The fire burnt on the side of Mt. Brown and from our timely perch we had a great view.

The Floral Park Saga 17 - Glacier Explorer

Helicopters were flying around and surveying the situation.

The Floral Park Saga 18 - Glacier Explorer

At the top of the slope we started hitting snow and rock. We could see our entire route from the top of the ridge down that ill named hill and back up the latest slope of vegetation.

The Floral Park Saga 19 - Glacier Explorer

This is where the real payoff begins.

All those moments when you feel like you are not giving the route the time it deserves.

You have stored up all your borrowed time so you can spend it in this paradise of half moonscape/half heaven.

A route this long forces you to keep moving.

The Floral Park Saga 20 - Glacier Explorer

It’s ironic though, you want to constantly linger and take pictures.

You are in the depths of one of the longest hardest days you have ever undertaken, but you are simultaneously having your mind blown.

The Floral Park Saga 21 - Glacier Explorer

We could hardly even take time for a legitimate lunch, but we did so at an amazing little melt pond of glacier water shortly after having gained the glacier basin.

The Floral Park Saga 22 - Glacier Explorer

Pat and I have entertained making a website called “where I ate lunch today”. This would be a good entry.

But, we absolutely HAD TO KEEP MOVING.

The sun has only so long to light our way and we had to get out of the Glacier Basin and back to normal trail before it stopped.

The Floral Park Saga 23 - Glacier Explorer

As Robert Frost said,

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

The Floral Park Saga 24 - Glacier Explorer

To Be Continued…

Tune in next week….

Same lake jumping time….

Same lake jumping channel….

For the startling conclusion of…

Bear grass meets Bedrock! The Floral Park Saga!!

Update: Part 2 is available here

The Lake Plan – How I’m going to accomplish being the first person to jump in every named lake in Waterton and Glacier National Parks

Beargrass sunrise - Glacier Explorer
Anything as elaborate as the “Waterton Glacier Lake Jumping Project” has to eventually have logic, logistics and “A Plan”.

Those of you that have spent lots of time in Glacier may be interested in those logistics.  You have looked at some of these lakes from peaks high above and pondered which way I had to go to get there.  Heck, I have relied on your recon to keep me safe and pointed in the right direction through the years.

But, so many of you have more or less no idea where I’m talking about, it’s just a wild, pretty place.  I can imagine it’s tough to really gather how much logistics and how many minute details go into something like this.  Unless you have spent an exceptional amount of time in Glacier National Park, it’s nearly impossible to understand that this is not just a passing, chaotic aquatic weekend endeavor.

So, I figured I would take this week to explain some of my logic.  My plan if you will.

As I write this, I have 12 lakes left out of 168.  132 are in Glacier and 38 are in Waterton National Park, Canada.  Two of them are in both countries, so added together; the number is 168 instead of 170.

Through the earlier portions of the project, I would simply go anywhere that was still on the list.  Since the list at that time was seemingly insurmountable, it was easy to simply go wherever my friends were going.  They all had to be checked off and it was an open slate.

As the years have passed I have sat up late nights, alone and with friends just planning.  Asking some of Glaciers most well experienced explorers their opinions, pouring over maps, photos and climbers guides over beers around a fire.    Planning routes, planning logistics, planning who would be good candidates to accompany me.

Some lakes, you just needed a willing participant.  Others I needed a more skilled climber (which doesn’t take much) to help me through the scary parts.  Sometimes I just needed an open afternoon and the willingness to drive there.

 

brian, pat, marc pic - - Glacier Explorer

NOTE:  I have always tried to make it known, but again…Thank you to everyone who has helped me get this far.  This project would have never, ever, ever happened without my friends who kept me safe and sane.

Some trips were five lakes in a day, and others were one lake in four very dirty, tiring, crazy days.

There is an immense amount of planning.

The twelve I have left are as follows.

Gem, Bench, Miche Waben, Camas, Evangeline, Ruger, Grace, Lilly, Running Crane, Medicine Owl, Carthew Pond and Fisher Cap.

Twelve arbitrary and very different places in a multinational , million acre+ expanse of mountains, stream crossings, alder bushes, cliffs, devils club, waterfalls, marshes, glacier basins, downed trees and thimble berries, gravel roads, river fords, PBJ’s, blisters, odd suntans and LAKES.  Can’t forget them.

I will not be able to finish this year.  I had high hopes, but life is what it is.  I have other things going on other than jumping in lakes and so do my friends.  So, between weather, weekends, snow melt and accompaniment and LIFE…It’s just not going to happen this year.

So, as of right now, here is the plan as well as it can be explained.

I do not want to finish at the absolute end of the season next year.

GEM and BENCH are two lakes that have to be done this year because they have to be done late season.

GEM LAKE

gem - Glacier Explorer

It is a tiny pond at the top of Comeau Pass which is in the middle of an expansive off trail route called Floral Park.  The route goes from Logan Pass to Lake McDonald through a high elevation shelf that drains Sperry Glacier.  The route simply does not melt out till late in the season and that is not going to get rid of all snow, just the sketchiest parts.  People have died on this route, mostly based on not understanding the enormity of the challenge in front of them, bad weather and sparse route finding skills.  This must be done late season and with that, I plan on completing it this year.  I did this route five years ago and was not aware that this was a named lake.  It’s just a pond on top of a pass.  Who would have guessed.  I am looking forward to it though, it’s an amazing place. I want to make sure it is known that this is not an advertisement for Floral Park.  It is a huge endeavor that many have taken lightly and been sorely mistaken.  If you do ever try it, Please do your homework, go with a group and know how to use a map.  PLEASE!!  (1 Enormous Day hike, at least 12 hours)

BENCH LAKE

bench - Glacier Explorer

Everything is approachable from more than one way, but there is always the “best way”.  This lake should be accessed by going to Canada and boating back into the US into a roadless area called Goat Haunt.  This is already the middle of nowhere to most people, but from there you must hike about seven miles of trail, then leave trail and cross the Waterton River which would be very big early season.  Goat Haunt is known for its wet, dark forest that has in my humble opinion the heaviest ground cover in the whole park.  You will find yourself climbing thousands of feet up the side of 45 degree angle slopes of 12 foot high alder filled with devils club and every other nasty plant we have.  It is plunked right in the middle of the molar tooth that is Kootenai Peak.  For this and every other reason, I just want this to be dry and clean as possible.  This too must be done this summer. (Two night’s backcountry, one huge day in the middle to get the lake)

*From there it would be nice to get a couple more done just to help make next year not as hectic.

CAMAS, EVANGELINE, RUGER LAKES

camas - Glacier Explorer

North of Lake McDonald is the Camas Creek drainage and some of the heaviest Griz country in the park.  There are seven fords of Camas creek that you have to do to get to Camas Creek Campground much less beyond it to the upper two lakes.  It needs to be late enough to have some of those steams dry.  If this doesn’t happen this year, then it will have to be later next year.  Note that July is buggy and this being super wet would make it probably pretty rough.  So, it would be an August thing.  August vegetation is at its peak and this area will be thick.  (Two nights at Camas CG and one off trail day to get the upper lakes)

MICHE WABEN

miche - Glacier Explorer

There once was a trail to the lake but that is long gone and overgrown.  In the furthest reaches of the northeast corner of the park is the Belly River.  Miche Waben Lake is the headwaters of virtually never visited North Fork of the Belly River.  It is a pretty low lying forested valley, but very, very tight.  So, again having this dried out would be important.  There is a waterfall that you have to climb around and I would not want that to be too full.  Plus again, July is skeeter season.  You have to ford the Belly River so you couldn’t do it too early anyway.  Three miles in on the Belly River trail is a faint old trail that is cleared periodically.  It would lead you to the North Fork and from there is a full on schwack for a few miles to the lake.  I know a few people to have been there, but not many.  Good Times.   (Two night’s camp, one day big lake push)

*I would be super happy to get either of these last two done this year, but it’s tough.  Weather has to hold and need someone to go with me.  I don’t do this stuff alone and people do have lives.  If not, then August of next year.

GRACE LAKE

grace - Glacier Explorer

Fourteen mile flat as a board backpacking trip in a remote portion of the northwest corner of the park.  The road to the trailhead is often washed out early season.  It is low elevation, so it would be a great early season or late season trip.  Once you are up there, I have always heard its an amazingly wild, beautiful area.  I want to spend a day exploring the area or I would have pondered a great big 28 mile day hike.  Three day weekends are tough to come by and it is imperative to dedicate them to the off trail hikes that you need a base camp for.  So, that is why I view it as super early or super late season.  When the snow is still in the high country or the snow has started to fly again, this would be a perfect trip.  This is the last on-trail trip I have left in the states.  (Three days, two nights)

LILLY Lake

lilly - Glacier Explorer

I didn’t even know this was a named lake for a long time.  It is not named on the map and you would never even think of it as being a destination.  But, in years gone by there used to be about 300 miles of trails that have been let to grow over in the last few decades.  This lake used to be accessed by one of those trails.  North of Dutch Creek and south of Logging Creek is Adair Ridge.  Tucked into the forested folds of that ridge is a bean shaped lake that I am not looking forward to going to.  It is going to have to be late enough that the snow is gone.  Then the water is running and with all the little folds of forested ridges it will probably be pretty rough going.  I will need a GPS coordinate to even find it because it’s not obvious like the lakes tucked at the base of a mountainous cirque.  The tough thing about this kind of lake is that July will be wicked buggy and by August I would imagine it’s pretty nasty.  The water will have started to evaporate enough that it’s more of a mucky impoundment of water.  I would love to be wrong, but I don’t think I am.  So, I’m hoping to hit this next year around early June.  (Either one huge day or base camp at Logging Lake Ft Campground and spend a day getting to the lake and back to camp)

MEDICINE OWL LAKE

med owl - Glacier Explorer

This thing is tucked in the upper portions of the Red Eagle Valley surrounded by mountains.  My best guess is a saddle in the upper valley that you can climb up and over.   It melts out early enough that I’m hoping to hit this in July but I could be wrong and you never know what the winter snow pack is going to be like.  The valley it is in burnt in 2003, but the ground vegetation has rebounded with a passion.  So, I think that saddle is my best bet.  (Three nights with one day in the middle for the lake)

RUNNING CRANE LAKE

running crane - Glacier Explorer

This thing is tucked in the most remote, inaccessible little pocket on the eastern front.  Between Two Medicine and Cutback is the Lake Creek drainage that flows out into the plains.  The far upper reaches of this valley is Lonely Lakes and Running Crane.  I once saw Running Crane when I did Lonely Lakes, but we did not have enough daylight to get to them.  I am planning to climb Mad Wolf Mountain and walk the ridge toward Eagle Plume Peak, then drop off that ridge.  From there maybe return the same way or try and push out to Two Medicine through a variety of random options.  Either way, I need lots of day light.  Early season you have too much snow, but its light till 10pm.  Late season its clear and melted out but you have started to lose hours of daylight.  So, I think this is a late July or early August thing as long as there is not huge amounts of snow still.  Should be an exciting one.  (One very huge day hike)

CARTHEW POND

carthew - Glacier Explorer

I’m guessing this is an impoundment of water below the lower Carthew Lake in Waterton National Park.  Along the popular Carthew-Alderson day hike in Waterton National Park there are two Carthew Lakes…I must have missed this thing.  When I did this hike, I had not gotten the list of lakes from Canada yet and just did the obvious ones on the map.  I am saving this for any one of a select group of friends who love a good day hike but won’t be able to make it on one of these other more extensive trips.  It is the last lake I have in Waterton National Park.

FISHERCAP LAKE

fishercap - Glacier Explorer

This is an idyllic little shallow pond just five minutes up trail from the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn Parking Lot in Many Glacier Valley.  Its border line silly, but this is going to be my last lake.  I am glad that I had the foresight to save an easy one.  I would have probably saved St. Mary or something a bit more logical, but Fishercap is beautiful and easily accessible.  That was what I had left to pick from when it dawned on me that I want my loved ones to be with me when I finish this.  I did not want to be in the absolute middle of nowhere, with one person when this finished itself up.  So, as funny as it seems.  Sometime in mid-August of next year, if all good things come together…I will plop into Fishercap Lake.  I’ll be surrounded by majesty, my loved ones and possibly a moose, five minutes from a parking lot.

That’s the story.  Thanks for listening.  Hope this stuff makes a bit more sense now.

I try to respond to all comments, so feel free to share what’s on your mind about my project. And please use the share buttons. Tell a friend!

All the Best!
To Life,
Marc

p824001 - Glacier Explorer

Nyack Lakes – Into the Abyss – Lakes #155 & #156

Anyone who has hiked the Dawson Pitamakin loop in Glacier knows where the Nyack Lakes are, they just might not know it.

They are these two little lakes at the bottom of what looks like an impossible drop 3000’ feet below the goat trail path that is the actual trail.  The only part of the Nyack Lakes that I’ve been excited about is simply to have them off “the list”.

Nyach Lakes 01 - Glacier Explorer

My trusty partner Pat and I have been debating the best way to address these lakes for years now.

No option is a “good” option.

Either climb 3000’ up to Dawson Pass then drop in on them 3000’ down a constant steep slope, then climb back up that 3000’ back to the Dawson Pass trail and drop back 3000’ back to Two Medicine Lake…OR

You get down there and bushwhack out two miles of 15’ high vegetation till you meet up with the upper Nyack trail and five more miles to a camp, then another 15 miles out the Nyack Valley to the Middle Fork of the Flathead, OR

Up 3000’ to Cutbank Pass which would have been 17 miles out to Two Medicine.

I know that read like a car stereo manual but it’s as straight forward a description that I could give.

Pat came to my apartment to stay and debate out methods, set on picking one or the other.

We sat looking at each other and not wanting to pick from the quiver of awful options.

We actually still had no plans set when we woke up at 6am.

“What are doing”? I asked?

Dunno…what do you want to do?

Dunno…

Wanna flip a coin?

Sure…

Nyach Lakes 02 - Glacier Explorer

So, Pat flipped a two Pence piece that oddly enough was sitting on my table in which I haven’t a clue where it came from but at 6am, you just flip the coin.  You don’t ask questions.

Three flips, landed on the “squiggly thing” twice.   This meant we camp and make it a two day endeavor…

So, obviously at the last moment we decided we were going to hike in and out in the same day.

Uh…6000’ feet elevation gain, 6000’ elevation loss.

14 hours later, we were done.  Never to go back again.

If you ever ponder this, Stop It.

Go somewhere else.  Fast.

Nyach Lakes 03 - Glacier Explorer

We caught a boat ride from a friend across Two Medicine lake covered in fog but calm as glass.

Nyach Lakes 04 - Glacier Explorer

It was truly an amazing sight.

Nyach Lakes 05 - Glacier Explorer

It was a great way to start a terrible death march.

Nyach Lakes 06 - Glacier Explorer

A hard frost had settled on the valley the night before leaving frozen leaves and visible breathe.

Two moose hung out a mile above the north shore of Two Medicine Lake.

Nyach Lakes 09 - Glacier Explorer

They were not too happy to have us push past.  One started to follow me.

When in doubt, NEVER mess with Moose.

They kill way more people a year then Grizzly Bears.  They just freak out and stomp on you till you are mush.

The north shore trail was posted for Grizzly activity, so we made a whole lot of noise at this early hour.

Nyach Lakes 09 - Glacier Explorer

The walk up towards the Dawson Pass was great, cool and the lighting was amazing.

Nyach Lakes 10 - Glacier Explorer

When we arrived at pass, we also saw about 10 bighorn sheep.

Nyach Lakes 11 - Glacier Explorer

Two even butted heads silhouetted by a sea of mountains.

Pretty beer commercial of them.

Above Dawson Pass is a shoulder of Flinch Peak and from there extends a flat almost goat trail that leads four miles along the continental divide.

Most hikers enjoy the views as they stroll effortlessly along the spine of the continent.

Nyach Lakes 12 - Glacier Explorer

We, instead surveyed for a good route down to two arbitrary bodies of water at the bottom of a truly enormous valley.

As we sat enjoying a snack and making decisions, two CDT hikers passed by.

A French Canadian guy was hiking with an older fella with a ZZ TOP beard and a Mountain Hardwear kilt.

Off course he did, why wouldn’t he?

We exchanged plans.  They told us that they would watch as we descended the slope.

If they saw anything catastrophic, they would hit the emergency button their SPOT locator.  We hoped they would not have to do it, but always nice to have people watching out for you.

Nyach Lakes 13 - Glacier Explorer

The whole time I planned this trip, I figured that I would have two nasty marshes to jump into if I waited too long into the season.

In hind sight I think we stumbled into the best possible scenario.

Nyach Lakes 14 - Glacier Explorer

There is a series of cliffs that a month earlier would still have been running water and making everything slick along with steep.

Instead we found a perfect set of cliffs.

Nyach Lakes 15 - Glacier Explorer

Every time we looked further down slope it seemed they we would cliff out and when we got to there, it was a manageable way to continue.

Thus we dubbed them the illusion cliffs.

Nyach Lakes 16 - Glacier Explorer

The brush on the other hand was horrendous.

Fifteen foot high alder bushes interspersed with prickly whatnot.

Pat forgot to wear convertible pants.  So, when it got nasty, I tossed on my pant legs then threw the gaiters over them.

He is an animal, but his knees were on fire throughout the whole bushwhack and what he said was way into the night.

We plodded though a thick curtain of brush for about an hour.

We tripped a few times over invisible downed trees and Pat even bent one of his trekking poles.

Nyach Lakes 17 - Glacier Explorer

After a while you pretty much lose your mind.

It’s impossible for me to explain the weirdness that ensues when you have been being ripping through mile after mile of plant material.

You have to constantly be yelling so you don’t surprise a bear…

Bushwhacking is a part of this project that never ceases to seem odd.

Why on earth are we doing this?

We are so far beyond the middle of nowhere, screaming and hollering and somewhere , somehow…

We find this fun.  We are happy.

Happy screaming at the top of our lungs such inane things as “Bob Saget” and my uncle’s friend Joe Buckles name.

Or, how about Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes like “get on the choppa”!!

Odd…

Nyach Lakes 18 - Glacier Explorer

Well, eventually we popped out of the brush into a huge marsh.

But, like I said, it was perfect.  It was all dry.

It would have been awful, almost impossible earlier in the season.

Nyach Lakes 19 - Glacier Explorer

So, I put on my water shoes and Pat his Croc’s and we started plodded through foot deep mud enroute to the lakes.

Nasty as it may have been, it worked.

Nyach Lakes 20 - Glacier Explorer

I hopped in the upper lake which was so much nicer than I had ever expected.

Nyach Lakes 21 - Glacier Explorer

I stayed in my swimming trucks and we just pushed down the creek to the lower lake, and hopped in.

Nyach Lakes 22 - Glacier Explorer

Pat has the luxury to pick the lake he wants to swim, since he is just along to make sure I don’t kill myself.

Nyach Lakes 23 - Glacier Explorer

He picked the pleasant lower one with a great view of Mt. Tinkham in the distance.

We enjoyed a short 30 minute lunch, swim, water pumping, video filming and pixie sticking….

Huh?

Pixie Sticking?

Well, no matter how much water you drink to rehydrate, you are also losing salts.

So, we bring Gatorade mix with us.

There is simply too much time involved in mixing it, so we just pour the powder in our mouths and wash it down with a swig of water.

Nyach Lakes 24 - Glacier Explorer

Like eating pixies sticks.

More or less, it works.

I kinda like it, really.

I can’t express how disheartening it was to sit by these lovely little lakes looking up at the ridge we had to regain.

We just did it.  Why did we have to walk back?

I mean, REALLY?

Uh…

I actually see trips like this as being a good analogy for life.

I can’t just build a house.

I can’t not do it.

You just, pick yourself up and keep going.

Hard as it may be, you gotta just do it.

So, we headed out towards the task at hand.

Nyach Lakes 25 - Glacier Explorer

We kept trying to figure out where the trail was…

Somewhere above that grey strip of rock.  A few hundred feet above it.

Did I mention…Uh…

Also, I can’t find my bear spray.

Yeah…

I couldn’t find it.

Nyach Lakes 26 - Glacier Explorer

I hopped the creek and went back looking for it, but no luck.

So, off to the thickest of the thick and now… also defenseless.

Nyach Lakes 27 - Glacier Explorer

So, I stayed that much closer to Pat who had the sole bear spray.

Nyach Lakes 28 - Glacier Explorer

So, We Yelled LOUDER AND LOUDER!!!!  BOB SAGET!!!!  JOE BUCKLES!!!   HEY OH!!!!

The brush seemed a bit better headed up hill for some reason, but I think it was that we were just over it.

Climb over a down tree, Check.

Walk directly into Alder bushes and brush seven feet above our heads…Check.

Just, HOME!

Nyach Lakes 29 - Glacier Explorer

The rock and cliffs though seemed well worse headed up hill.

Nyach Lakes 30 - Glacier Explorer

Loose scree, talus slopes, the illusion cliffs…

Nyach Lakes 31 - Glacier Explorer

Onward!!

Nyach Lakes 32 - Glacier Explorer

All a race with time as we just simply didn’t have that much daylight left.

Nyach Lakes 33 - Glacier Explorer

At one point, when I was just beat and staring uphill at Pat whose young legs carry him faster up the steep slopes, he yelled out.

TRAIL!!

Nyach Lakes 34 - Glacier Explorer

Pixie Sticks or not, I had started getting cramps in my hamstrings.  His shouts of joy pushed me uphill and on to the trail though.

We had an hour and half before complete darkness.  We had to drop 3000 feet in 4 ½ miles…And we had to haul it.

Nyach Lakes 35 - Glacier Explorer

Dig for that extra energy that really doesn’t exist.  Just the thought of missing our friend’s boat pick up spurred us on.  We didn’t want to do even more miles and in the dark.

So, ONWARD!!!

Nyach Lakes 36 - Glacier Explorer

As in hurry as we may have been, we had to stop for a couple pictures on Dawson Pass.

Not often are you sitting on top of a huge pass at sunset.

Normally you make sure you aren’t stuck in that situation.

So, you have to click a few.  Thanks Pat, for making me stop a minute.

Amazing View!

Nyach Lakes 37 - Glacier Explorer

So, we ripped it out.  Somewhere along the way we decided that we were going to scream like the guys selling beer at a baseball game.

Instead of beer and peanuts, we were selling Tepid Huckleberries…

Don’t ask.  I don’t know.

So, as we bombed down the pass towards Two Medicine Lake, we were selling “TEPID HUCKS” in our best Brooklyn accent.  I bet the poor people staying at No Name Campground hadn’t a clue of what these two Looney’s we yelling about…

But we liked it.

Got to the boat dock at dark, picked up and by our friend and whisked away to a grilled cheese sandwich and cold lemonade….  Well, and a beer.

But, oh the Lemonade!!!

To Life!

So how about you? Have you ever had to do something that you knew you were gonna hate, but then it ended up being pretty good? If so, tell me about it in the comments. (Did I mention I’ve got a new commenting system *hint *hint.)

Lena Lake – Desanto Pass Magic

Growing up in Cincinnati we don’t tell Ole and Lena jokes, we probably had something a bit more Germanic. But, Glacier National Park has always been visited by the more Norwegian folks that dug into the Upper Midwest. I have a theory that people in the Midwest who need to get their mountain fix move directly west from where they are.

Lena Lake - 1

My people in Ohio end up in Colorado. Everyone’s older brother did a three year stint working in Colorado. So, based on the theory of Longitudinal Migration, I have met countless Michiganders, Minnesotans and my beloved Wisconsinites in the park.

Lena Lake - 2

Sorry, that was a geography tangent. Let’s get back to the point of this blog.  Lakes and random mountain endeavor.

Lena Lake - 3

Lena Lake lives just over the continental divide from her comedic boyfriend Ole.  His namesake lake exists on the western side of the mountains. Lena is a lovely little gem down in the seldom visited southeast corner of the park.

Lena Lake - 4

The Lubec Trailhead leads you across the train tracks and up through the wildlife choked Marias Pass aspen groves and grassy fields. Eventually after taking a left onto the Firebrand Pass trail, you pop out into an open, rocky upper basin filled with yellow boulders and whitewashed old burnt trees upended like old whale skeletons.

Lena Lake - 5

Well before you start to take the last push towards Firebrand Pass the route takes us off trail and headed north. Tucked into a pocket between Red Crow Mountain and Bear Head Mountain is Lena Lake.

Lena Lake - 6

Any day is great for a dip, or so I have told myself time and again. Today was warm like summer but windy like fall.  One gust actually removed me from my feet. I’m a big guy, so I felt for Jess and Jenny who went with me since they are both quite dainty in comparison. But, a job is a job and I hopped in.

Lena Lake - 7

But, not before realizing that I had taken two right hand flip flops with me. More or less a mute point, but it made for a good laugh.

Lena Lake - 8

The shore was made up of tiny little rocks. So tiny that when I got out and started looking around, I found a clump of them that was actually floating.  Ever seen floating rocks?

Lena Lake - 9

Me either. Its magic!!  I’m telling you. It’s the magic of Lena Lake.

Lena Lake - 11

Or, maybe it’s the magic of Desanto Pass.

Lena Lake - 12

Jerry Desanto was a famous Ranger who worked in the park in the 80’s.

Lena Lake - 13

He had many first ascents of mountains in the park.  Any eager new employee who reads the J.Gordon Edwards climbers guide revels in the lore attributed to these old rangers.

Lena Lake - 14

The pass looks out at Grizzly Peak, Mt. Ellsworth and much of the southern portion of the park.

Lena Lake - 15

Looking west the Ole Creek drainage opens up the western landscape of mountain range after mountain range.

Lena Lake - 16

Neil Wedum and other famous older generation rangers made a sign and placed it at atop the pass giving it a name even if the USGS didn’t make it official.

Lena Lake - 17

It’s now gone, but the lore lives on.

Lena Lake - 18

The stories of past endeavor are the magic of Glacier Park.

A magic that we all are secretly hoping to have a brush with when were out roaming the hills.

Lena Lake - 19

We took in the views before calling it a day and working our way back to the trailhead.

Lena Lake - 20

The moon started to rise above Calf Robe Peak letting us know that evening was settling in.

Lena Lake - 21

Working downhill was such a calming process knowing that that your body can start going on auto pilot.

Lena Lake - 22

The Firebrand valley looks directly out at the plains surrounding East Glacier, MT.  I am in love with how the moutains break and create the rest of the country.  This is the point in which the whole country changes and highway 2 leads directly back to those Ole and Lena joke tellers in the upper midwest.

Then you turn around and survey your efforts, looking back at the days accomplishments.

Lena Lake - 24

Jessi led the way out, back through the trails she has grown to know like a good friend.

Lena Lake - 25

The light softens.

Lena Lake - 26

The aspens rattle.

Lena Lake - 27

The grass blows.

Lena Lake - 28

The train tracks welcome you home.

Lena Lake - 29

To Life

Aurice Lake Grizzlies – The Passing of a Legend

Photo by Chris Lombardi

Aurice Lake and Two Medicine Pass will be etched in my brain for the rest of my days.

Where were you when the last tragedy of your life struck?  At home, at work, stuck in traffic?

Poetically when my Uncle Marty and outdoor mentor passed away, I was high atop Two Medicine Pass.

I’ve been wondered lately…Where exactly I was at the moment he died.

Photo by Chris Lombardi

Was I sleeping in my tent at Cobalt Lake?

Photo by Chris Lombardi

Was I trudging up the pass with my heart pounding in my chest?

Photo by Chelsea McCann

Was I sitting on the continental divide looking off at a sea of peaks?

Photo by Chris Lombardi

Or, was it the exact moment when we surprised a grizzly bear sow and cub above Aurice Lake?
Personally, I like that one.

Behind Mt. Rockwell is a sidestep route to Aurice Lake.

It was a perfect day if not a tad hot.

Pat, Chelsea, Jess, Chris and I ambled along high above the Park Creek valley.

We pushed along the route of wild flowers, bear grass and burnt trees; waiting to boot ski down a scree slope to the lake edge.

Photo by Chelsea McCann

As we rounded the bend, it sounded like someone slipped down the steep slope of vegetation.

Instead, it was the two bears churning soil and huffing as they tore up the hillside towards the vertical rock walls.

Photo by Chelsea McCann

We could see the Aurice Lake below, but couldn’t see where the mother grizzly had secured her cub.

We knew there wasn’t more than 200 feet of vegetation above us before it became sheer cliffs.

So, they couldn’t be any more than that short distance from us.

Photo by Chelsea McCann

Never a comforting feeling and certainly not a situation you need to continue pursuing.

She deserved her peace.

This is one thing I’ve learned through the years.

Just because we feel it logical to traipse around in the complete middle of nowhere doesn’t mean the wildlife should have to suffer.

Photo by Chris Lombardi

Sometimes you let a good mother alone.

She did exactly what she was supposed to do.

At that point, what makes it ok to continue pushing her even further from her comfort zone.

She had found a perfect little niche far away from the main human traffic.

She’s teaching her cub to eat natural foods instead of going the easy route of human garbage and opportunism.

She deserves that peace that she sought.

Photo by Chris Lombardi

This is the moment that I hope signifies when my uncle left this world.

He began all of my travels, my love affair with far away, wild places.

He taught me to camp in bear country.

How to appreciate being a moment in time in a place in which humans are only a temporary visitor.

He taught me that I’m a part of this world, not the only or most important thing in it.

That when you are extended the opportunity to exist in such amazing places, you are then responsible for taking care of them.

Humility in the face of something well larger than us.

Photo by Chelsea McCann

He may have never known that this is what he taught me.

He knew that he was the spark that sent me exploring the amazing pockets of the world that we have left.

I told him that, often.

He was the person that introduced me to the greatest exercise program in the world.

Hiking.

He knew that he had totally transformed a heavyset city boy who was struggling with direction and identity.

He knew, but it’s always nice to tell someone again.

What they mean to you.

What they taught you.

What you do that makes you think of them.

Photo by Chris Lombardi

So, Uncle Marty.  You changed my life and helped me live so much bigger than I ever thought possible.

By just being you.

You were a genuine man, an adventurous traveler and an absolute character.


I never made it to Aurice Lake that day, but I will be back…

Today was for the bears and something bigger than me.
To Life

Low Light/Night Photography – Olympus OMD EM5

low light 4

Its obvious why Glacier National Park is an amazing place to take photos during the day. 

From sunrise to sunset the vivid mountains, lakes and streams are constantly evolving with the changes in light. 

Night photography is widely overlooked in the park, since most peole are either indoors or asleep. 

The park is kind of a scary place to just roam in the darkness.   

The dark clear nights in Glacier National Park give the Olympus OMD EM5 a perfect test piece for low light and  night photography.

low light 1

Later summer the skies get smokey from fires west of the park. 

low light 7

But, early summer skies are one of the most amazing things I’ve ever witnessed. 

low light 2

The high resolution screen is amazing to see the photos on, you can see more detail than on my laptop.

low light 3

My friends came to visit and camped in the park giving me a perfect fire, low light backdrop to work on.

   low light 5

Many Glacier Hotel is one the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever seen.  Its also very busy and because of that you never really get good pictures.  Its impossible to not have some random couple in your photographs. 

I got the chance to stay the night in Many Glacier Hotel when my sister in law and her friend came to visit.

I waited till all the visitors went to bed and I roamed the halls with my Slik tripod.  I set it up in every hallway and lobby. 

It was an amazing opportunity.

Thanks Mary and Laura!!

low light 8

The Hotel has so much character to capture.

The Lucerne Room was lit up but vacant. 

I got some photos that even the famous Glacier National Park singer/story teller David Walburn might be interested in.

David, I’ll get these shots off to you soon.

low light 9

This was the first night photograph that I tried to capture.

Its just the St. Mary Grocery Store sign but focusing on it allowed me to pull night stars all around.

low light 10

This is Abigale.

She finally stood still for long enough to allow herself to silhouetted against Waterton Lake.

low light 11

The moon was setting one night right behind the continental divide in Two Medicine.

low light 12

I don’t understand why the moon moves so fast in Montana but you can literally watch it move.  This was 30 seconds later.

low light 13

And, 30 seconds later…

Gosh, Montana…How do you do it?

low light 14

Lets ponder it over two of Brian Roys and Matt Wibbenmeyer’s homebrew porters.

This is my bid for the new “Car Port Brewery” bottle lable.

low light 15

What do you think?  Tell me in the comments.

To Life,

Marc

 

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes – Good Livin’

Margaret and Ipasha Lakes delivered beyond our expectation which is a tall order.

I’ve been here and working on this project for a decade now and that gives you a long time to create expectations.  This area truly awed us.

My trusty off trail companion Pat and I saw a three day weekend of hot, sunny days and decided to pounce.  We hauled it in through 85 degree weather to Glenns Lake Foot Campground and posted up for two nights.

We even ended up with a little grotto to rinse off just by our campsite.
In the morning over oatmeal we decided a little whisky in our coffee couldn’t hurt anything.

Aside from ruining our already lousy coffee we felt no ill effects.

We were the first people heading up trail in the morning which brought us face to face with many a spider web, some still being staffed.  Be sure to keep your mouth closed.

There was a great patch of grizzly bear hair on one of the DNA traps.  That’s one of the best samples I’ve seen through the years.
Above Mokowanis Lake we had to leave trail and continue up valley.

The heat was filling the waterfalls to capacity.  Above those falls was the hidden treasure we had waited eons for.

On the way we did some filming using my new Olympus OMD EM5.  I’m so happy with how small but powerful it is.  I hope you enjoy what it’s been producing too.

Margaret Lake simply put, punched us directly in the mouth.

There was grizzly bear digs everywhere, so we were far from alone.

The only animals we really saw though were a group of Bighorn Sheep up on the side of Mount Merrit.

Bighorn Sheep

We decided it would be better to push up to Ipasha Lake so we could take our time back at Margaret.

10-mi

Nothing but an hour of alder bushes and crazy thick ground cover in-between us and # 153 or # 16..

11 mi

Depends on if you are counting up or down, the math gets confusing now a days.

Ipasha was a beautiful body of water.

Ipasha Lake

Cold and blue with chunks of ice still hanging on the walls of Ipasha Peak.

Cold and blue with chunks of ice

Clouds were collecting around Mt. Cleveland and seemed to be coming from the north.  We decided that it might be a better idea to scoot back to Margaret Lake so we didn’t get stuck any further from camp if the sky opened up.

Comparing the terribly thick alder we just pushed through to the cold water of Margaret Lake, we decided it was worth trying to walk the lake.

Getting cold feet

There was a small shelf of rock that we walked which kept us out of the schwack, but it was SO COLD!!  We couldn’t stay in the lake any longer than it took to find even the smallest little beach of rocks.  We stopped and freaked out letting our ice cube toes melt back to flesh.  Then repeated the process over and over.

It was better than the alder.  Virtually anything is better than the alder…Trust me.

Georgeous

Pat pointed out while we were walking the lake that technically I had now been in Margaret Lake.

While that was true, there is no way that could suffice.  I wanted to go swimming.

There’s an amazing point of rock that juts out into Margaret Lake but to get to it you have to ford the outlet of the lake.

Cold water

The creek was moving way to quick so we actually had to wade across the lake portion so we didn’t get swept away.

It was well worth it.

Water's edge

The weather had calmed down, the sun came back out and we had a perfect spot all to ourselves to take in the majesty of this seldom visited area.  So many remote peaks that I’ve had to imagine this whole time.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

Mt. Merrit one of the six 10,000’ peaks to our left and way off to the north was Mt. Cleveland the highest point in the park.  Ipasha Peak, Mt. Kipp, Pyramid Peak and the Lithoid Cusp ringed us while we jumped in water like we were in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Safety first for lake jumps

Note to those reading, you have to be careful jumping off cliffs in life in general much less in this remote a place.  Normally I just get a shore to walk into, but we had this perfect little point so we had to take advantage.  Just be careful out there folks.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

Sick shots though, huh?  Thanks OMD EM5!

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

We had to eventually head out, but it was hard.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

This was GOOD LIVIN’.  I had tried to get to this spot for years.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

I’ve even been snowed out trying to get here with my brother about five years ago.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

The weather could literally been anything and it was calm, warm and inviting.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

We must have been really good to a puppy or picked up the right amount of litter or something.  We did not deserve how good the living was at this moment.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

Can’t stay here though.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

So we pushed on towards camp, undoing all of our efforts.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

We headed back down the headwall towards those amazing waterfalls and a cup of red wine in camp.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

The next day we more hot, sunny weather and time to kill.  We did some filming at Cosley Lake.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

We ate jelly beans and floated around like porpoises.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

Eventually you always have to do the push out to the trailhead.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

Hot is great when you have lakes everywhere, but open meadows and uphill is less pleasant.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

Luckily through the years I had met the Belly River Rangers and they were able to scrounge up two cold glasses of lemonade before we headed uphill to the car.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

It was a hot slog up the last few miles to the Chief Mountain Trailhead

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

Spectacular trip.  One of the epic ones.

In moments like this trip you just wish you could snap your fingers and extend it to all your loved ones and everyone who can’t make it to places like these.  I felt like this trip was a gift and its always more fun to give a gift then receive one.

Alas we have to just enjoy the moments we are given, and be thankful for them.

Ipasha and Margaret Lakes

TO GOOD LIVIN’!!
And…TO LIFE!!

P.S. – I’d love to hear what you guys think about this post and Glacier Explorer so far. Please let me know in the comments below.

Cutbank Bear Grass – Olympus OMD EM5

Bear Grass 1

On the eastern front of Glacier National Park is a remote valley known for Grizzly bears, flowers and the mountain that splits the continent.

Cutbank is a beautiful, mostly flat creek valley draining the first trickles of the Atlantic Ocean.  From deep in the Cutbank valley is Triple Divide Peak which you can pour water on top of and it runs to the Pacific, the Atlantic and Hudson Bay.  The exact spot in which the continent gives way in all directions towards the ocean.

Bear Grass 2

What I found as I walked in this amazing place was Bear Grass.

Bear grass is a beautiful white bulb on top of a hollow but stiff stalk.  They only bloom every 5 or 7 years approximately.

So sometimes the summer really doesn’t have much bear grass.

Bear Grass 3

Other Summers its AMAZING!!

This seems like one of those summers.

Bear Grass 4

The Olympus OMD EM5 and a light weight Slik tripod allowed me to get the best pictures of bear grass I have ever taken in my life!!

Bear Grass 5

Currently I only have the 12-50 kit lens, but the Macro function on this thing is ridiculous!

 

Bear Grass 6

I can’t believe I’m getting shots like these.

 

Bear Grass 12

I’m very happy with the cameras ability to focus on exactly what you want to pop with detail.

Bear Grass 9

I was also able to get this great blur shot of the creek.

Bear Grass 13

 

The dramatic effect has allowed for a dream like, stylized photo.  I’m completely enamored by this art setting.

Bear Grass 8

But with a camera this good, you need to be capturing reality in its finest moments

Bear Grass 10

Have any of you photographers out there experienced any times when nature offered you some unexpected great shots? If so, tell me about it in the comments below…

To Life,

Marc