Glacier Guides/Montana Raft Trails and River Report for July 3rdth, 2009

Good morning folks, this is Denny with your hiking and rafting report for July 3rd. The Glacier National Park forecast for this weekend is:

West Glacier

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 88. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming south southeast.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Independence Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. West northwest wind between 3 and 7 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 90.
Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54.
Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79.
Monday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.

St. Mary’s

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. North northeast wind between 3 and 6 mph.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Calm wind becoming east northeast around 5 mph.
Independence Day: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly cloudy, with a high near 76. Southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming southwest.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.
Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.
Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 69.
Monday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Current water level is 3.98 feet or about 3,600 cfs in West Glacier, creating an awesome wet adventure. We have been running Bear Creek down to Blankenship on the Middle Fork and the border down on the North Fork. Remember we only put a maximum of 8-9 people per boat so everyone can have a window seat!

Roads
Logan Pass – Is completely open! Expect 5-20 minute delays for construction.
Other roads – All roads are open except the Inside North Fork Road. The Inside North Fork Road is currently closed at Logging Creek RS and Fish Creek due to construction. Hiker/biker access is not allowed during the construction on this section of road.

Trail Reports
Closed Trails and Areas
Highline Trail – Logan Pass to Granite Park – Snow hazard
Head of Kintla Lake – Eagles Nesting
Head of Bowman Lake – Eagles Nesting
Lake McDonald Shore along Fish Creek Road – Eagles Nesting
Lower Quartz Lake – Between trail and west of outlet – Loons
Oberlin/Reynolds area – Resource Protection

Posted Trails and Areas
Apgar Bike Path – Bears
Gunsight Trail – Reynolds Creek CG Jct. To Gunsight Lake – Bears
Apikuni Falls Trail – Bears
Poia Lake Trail – 1 mile up trail – Bears
Grinnell Lake Trail – Head of Josephine Lake to Cataract Creek - Bears

Current Conditions – Expect Snow Above 5500 Feet.

Lake McDonald Valley
Higline Trail - Logan Pass - Granite Park Chalet/ 7.6 mi.
Safety handline cable - Installed as of 6/23/09.
Highline Trail is scheduled to open for hikers on July 3. Hikers should be able to traverse long stretches of snow-covered trail. Steep drifts at the Rimrock, two drifts near Triple Arches and drifts above Big Bend should have been shoveled or blasted (or both) but there will still be areas of the trail that inexperienced hikers will have trouble with. It is recommended that hikers should have vibram-soled boots and an ice axe.

Avalanche Lake trail is open with little snow. Please be mind full of “Restoration Area” signs along the trail and around the campground and try to prevent/reduce resource impacts by staying on the trail or walking on durable surfaces (ex: lakeshore, rocks, logs, etc.).*

St. Mary’s Valley
Hidden Lake Trail - Snow Cover: 90%
Snow Covered, melted out near the Hidden Lake Overlook, Snow Hazard on the moraine, slick conditions.

St Mary’s Falls and Virgina Falls are open.

Siyeh pass trails - Snow cover: 50% Large segments of trail completely snow covered. Route finding skills needed.
SNOW HAZARD: Switchbacks towards pass are mostly snow-covered. Ice axe would be helpful if snow is firm.

Many Glacier Valley
Iceberg Lake Trail is open but there is 50% snow after plank bridge (last 1/2 mile). Route marked through snow with orange wands. The lake is still frozen. Little snow reported towards Ptarmigan Tunnel. The tunnel is due to open about July 10th.
Grinnell Glacier Trail - SNOW HAZARD- no snow for 1.5 miles; then, above “snow hazard” sign, est. 60% snow cover with likely 100% from upper picnic area to the glacier. Dangerous snow bridges and steep snow chutes across trail exist; travel not recommended.

Two Medicine Valley
Patchy snow above 5,500 feet and around Two Medicine Lake. Some avalanche debris on north side of the lake. No word yet on Dawson/Pitamakin

North Fork
Expect patchy snow above 5,500 feet.

Backpacking

Backcountry campgrounds – CGs above 5,000 feet are either closed for emerging vegetation or in winter conditions. Backpackers must expect snow over any pass and be prepared with ice axes and crampons.

McDonald Lake CG is open and has been reconstructed, the Belly River Valley, Bowman Lake Valley, and Kintla Lake Valley are all open to backcountry camping. Call the backcountry office for more details – 406 - 888-7859

The bears and lions are out and about. Use caution around wildlife, there are young of the year and their parents are very protective. Remember, we sell bear spray at cost ($27)

Before a long day of adventuring in Glacier please stop by the Bonecrusher Bistro for a coffee, breakfast burrito or sandwich (open 8 am to 6 pm). Or stop by after for a smoothie, homemade cookie or ice cream cone.

We will have a raft trip for 8 give away at Moose’s Saloon on Wednesday July 15th. Beer specials from Coors.

Stop by Super One Foods in Kalispell or Whitefish and register to win a two person Hyside Kayak from Montana Raft Company. Drawing to be held July 25th.