Glacier Guides/Montana Raft Trails and River Report for July 17th, 2009

Good morning folks, this is Denny with your hiking and rafting report for July 17th. The Glacier National Park forecast for this weekend is:

West Glacier

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south southwest between 5 and 8 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. West wind at 5 mph becoming north northeast.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south southwest between 7 and 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.

St. Mary’s

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 6 and 9 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. West southwest wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 85. West southwest wind between 6 and 10 mph.

Saturday Night: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Monday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 74.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Current water level is 3.55 feet or about 3,500 cfs in West Glacier, creating an awesome wet adventure. We are currently running our Thrillseekers and Duckies. We have been running Bear Creek down to Blankenship on the Middle Fork and Ford 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 completely open.

Trail Reports

Closed Trails and Campgrounds

Cracker Lake Campground - Bears

Morning Star Campground - Bears

Cracker Lake Trail, starting 2 1/2 miles form trailhead – Bears

Closed Areas

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

Hidden Lake – 300yrds from outlet – Fish Spawning

Posted Trails and Areas

Apgar Bike Path – Bears

Current Conditions – Expect Snow Above 6500 Feet.

Lake McDonald Valley

Higline Trail - Logan Pass - Granite Park Chalet/ 7.6 mi.

Safety handline cable - Installed as of 6/23/09.

Snow Cover: 6%

Granite Park Chalet - Fifty Mtn. Campground/ 11.9 mi.

Ahern drift scheduled to blast on 7/21/09.

Avalanche Lake trail is open. 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.).*

Sperry Chalet Trail - Lake McDonald Lodge - Sperry Chalet/ 6.4 mi – Some lingering snow cover. Two plank foot bridges and the handline at Comeau Pass installed 7/7/09

St. Mary’s Valley

Hidden Lake Trail - Patchy snow to overlook and mostly clear to the lake. Oberlin / Reynolds area closure for Resource Protection. But trails to Oberlin and Reynolds are accessible to climbers. HIDDEN LAKE FISHING CLOSURE: 300 yards from outlet.

St Mary’s Falls and Virgina Falls are open.

Siyeh pass trails - SNOW HAZARD: Four to five small snow fields still exist. Sturdy hiking boots recommended for over-snow travel.

Many Glacier Valley

Iceberg Lake Trail is open but expect some snow after plank bridge (last 1/2 mile). Stay on trail! The lake is still frozen. Little snow reported towards Ptarmigan Tunnel. The tunnel opened on July 8th.

Grinnell Glacier Trail - SNOW HAZARD- no snow for 1.5 miles to “snow hazard” sign, and then est. 30% snow cover with likely 80% from upper picnic area to the glacier. Dangerous snow bridges and steep snow chutes across trail exist; travel not recommended.

Two Medicine Valley

Trails in the Valley are in Summer conditions.

Dawson Pass to Pitamakin Pass - Snow cover: 2% 
A path down to rock has been shoveled thru the big drift behind Mt Morgan. The rest of the trail section is clear and dry.

North Fork

Trails in valleys are in summer conditions.

Expect snow above 6,500 feet. 100% in the Boulder Pass.

Backpacking

Backcountry campgrounds – Most CGs are open. Boulder Pass, Coal Creek, and Hole in the Wall are still in winter/not open conditions. Cracker and Morning Star are closed due to Bears.

McDonald Lake CG is open and has been reconstructed, the Belly River, Two Medicine, Waterton, Cut Bank, Bowman Lake, and Kintla Lake Valleys’ are all open to backcountry camping. Conditions are changing daily, please call the backcountry office for more details – 406 - 888-7859

Use caution around wildlife, there may be young of the year hidden near by 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.

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