Glacier Guides/Montana Raft Trails and River Report for July 24th, 2009
Good morning folks, this is Denny with your hiking and rafting report for July 24th. The Glacier National Park forecast for this weekend is:
West Glacier
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. East southeast wind between 3 and 5 mph.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. North wind between 3 and 6 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81.
Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Monday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 85.
Monday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
St. Mary’s
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Light wind becoming east southeast between 11 and 14 mph. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. East southeast wind between 3 and 9 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77.
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 75.
Monday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.
Current water level is 2.93 feet or about 2230 cfs in West Glacier, creating an awesome wet adventure. We are currently running our Thrillseekers and Duckies. We have been running Paola 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.
Conditions are changing daily and sometimes hourly, please call the backcountry office for more details – 406 - 888-7859
Trail Reports
Closed Campgrounds and Trails
Morning Star Campground - Bears
North Shore Trail from Pray Lake Footbridge to No Name Lake Jct. – 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
Clements Area – Resource protection
Posted Trails and Areas
Apgar Bike Path – Bears
Swiftcurrent Pass Trail from Fisher Cap Lake to Bullhead Lake – Bears
Sperry Trail to Chalet - Bears
Conditions are changing daily and sometimes hourly, please call the backcountry office for more details – 406 - 888-7859
Current Conditions – A little snow remains above 6500 feet.
Lake McDonald Valley
Highline Trail - Logan Pass - Granite Park Chalet/ 7.6 mi.
Safety hand line cable - Installed as of 6/23/09.
Snow Cover: 5%
Granite Park Chalet - Fifty Mtn. Campground/ 11.9 mi.
Ahern drift was blasted on 7/21/09. At Cattle Queen Creek, backpackers might find crossing the hard packed snow remaining from avalanche a little dicey.
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 – Sperry Chalet to Comeau Pass - Two plank foot bridges and the handline at Comeau Pass installed 7/7/09 Snow Cover: 25%, SNOW HAZARD: Steep angled snow fields and snow bridges covering portions of the trail in multiple locations. 07/14/2009
St. Mary’s Valley
Hidden Lake Trail -Few patches of snow to overlook and mostly clear to the lake. Oberlin / Reynolds / Clements 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 Cover: 1%. SNOW HAZARD: Four to five small snow fields still exist.
Many Glacier Valley
Iceberg Lake Trail is open. TRAIL POSTED: bear freqenting as of 7/22/09 <5% snow after plank bridge. Stay on trail! The lake has great icebergs. The tunnel opened on July 8th.
Grinnell Glacier Trail - Snow cover: 25% last 1.5 mile 7/15/09
Two Medicine Valley
North Shore Trailhead from Pray Lake footbridge to the No Name Lake junction is CLOSED due to Bear frequenting. 7/20/09 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 are in summer conditions.
Expect snow on Boulder Pass.
Backpacking
Backcountry campgrounds – Most CGs are open. Hole in the Wall is closed due to pit toilet. Morning Star is closed due to Bears.
McDonald Lake CG is open and has been reconstructed. Conditions are changing daily and sometimes hourly, 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.
Conditions are changing daily and sometimes hourly, please call the backcountry office for more details – 406 - 888-7859
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