Washington DC

Day 1 of the adventure could have gone more smoothly. It began as the clerk at my hotel seemed to not understand why I wanted to leave certain valuables in the office versus my car. I had asked the evening clerk about this and he seemed to think it was a great idea. Well as soon as that got settled I wanted to board the shuttle and go to the airport. I was informed that the driver was sleeping and that there normally wasn't a 6am shuttle. I nicely explained that the evening clerk told me to take the 6am shuttle. That didn't go over well. Eventually the sleeping driver showed up and we got the show on the road. Initially I felt that the late start would have no effect. However after entering the terminal and checking my bags I overheard that security was very slow. In fact I was initially unable to find the end of the line as it continues down the terminal as it transitioned from A to B. Eventually I found the end only to be told to

Move down to the next security line. I experienced the same problem there as it snaked first in one direction and then another. I found the end and moved slowly through the line past the sniffer dogs. They seemed to eliminate the need to take off shoes which speeded up the line somewhat. I made it to the gate with time to spare. 

The flight to DC was crowded but uneventful. There I met up with Leah and we waited for the next flight to Geneva. We boarded the plane and about 40 min later were told there was a mechanical problem and the flight would be delayed   Eventually we were off loaded from the plane. What followed was a series of false promises about when the flight would depart. At one point we considered taking another flight but we're worried about the loss of luggage which would be dire as it held all of our hiking gear. We asked for as received travel vouchers and had some yummy vegetarian pizzas. At this point I found out that Leah is as picky an eater as I am. That was super funny. Eventually the flight was cancelled and we were given vouchers for a hotel. All in all we both kept pretty good attitudes and are ready to start the adventure when we can. Since some people really lost the plot we did okay and the hotel even gave us a toothbrush and toothpaste. Goodnight and hopefully there will be a more exciting installment next time

Tour du Mont Blanc

Leah and I are flying out tomorrow for an adventure of a lifetime.  We will be hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc.  The map above shows a map of the trip.  It may seem to be easy as we are not climbing the famous mountain but it is very demanding.  It is 110 miles in distance and 33000  feet of ascent and descent as we travel.  We will be hiking through three countires - France, Italy and Switzerland .  We will stay in mountain huts and hotels.  Don't let the name mountain hut fool you.  These huts have electricity, showers and feed you delicious meals.  We only need to carry clothing, emergency food supplies, first aid, guidebook and water.  We will be hiking hard but far from roughing it like our friends on the John Muir Trail.  We will have wifi intermittantly along the way and I hope to send blog updates from my phone when we do.  I am taking my SPOT device which should be tracking continuously.  (It also has emergency capability).  Here is a link to the SPOT map for the trip.  Unfortunately there is nothing on it yet.  I may go out and try to send a signal from the car just to get something on the map.

Mt Rainier

A couple of days ago I left Glacier National Park and drove to Washington via the REI in Missoula.  I bring this up because I bought some socks there that are guaranteed for life.  This I can't believe.  These may be the last hiking socks I ever buy.

I am staying with friends who live near Mt Rainier for a couple of days.  Yesterday I went up to Paradise and hiked the high skyline trail.  On the way up I found a boot.  Several climbers were lost earlier this year in a storm and they are looking for their gear as they haven't yet been found.  I was pretty sure that it wasn't their boot because it was in pretty good shape.   However, someone lost their boot and I hoped to find them before they hiked all the way back.  I never found them so I ended  up dropping it off a the visitor at the end of my hike.

I had great views of Mt Rainier all along the hike yesterday.  I also saw a doe and two spotted fawns, numerous marmots, and  a bear.

Today I headed up to the Sunrise area.  I hiked the Burroughs Loop.  It was cloudy and wet at the start of the hike.   It was the first day that I was unable to hike in shorts.  I  consider it a warm up for the TMB that starts in less than a week.  I was in long pants, tshirt, long sleeve shirt, wool zip jacket, hat and gloves and my Marmot jacket.  I  climbed the first two mountains with no view except for the clouds.  As I started climbing the third mountain it began to clear and I had spectacular views of  the mountains and glaciers.  I was just across from them on the Third Burroughs mountain.  From there I hiked down to the glacier camp trail.  There I realized I was in  for a bit more than I thought.  The ranger gave me the impression that the hike was about 6 miles 1500 elevation.  In actuality it was more like 13 miles and over 4000 ft elevation gain - 2200 ft of that elevation gain was in the last three miles of the hike.  Although it was a bit of a surprise, I was able to do it without much  thought which is a good omen for the TMB hike next week.

Piegan Pass and Syeh Pass

Today was my last day in Montana.  It has been a great trip.  I love it here.  I am thankful that I have friends who live here and like to have me visit and hike with them.  The hike I did today was up two passes.  The first was very mellow but had beautiful views.  First there were flowers galore, then fantastic views of glacier covered moutain and finally brillant blue lakes emerging from snowfields.

Afterwards I went on to Syeh Pass with awesome views of glaciers and many wildflowers. It was truly a great day.  I had a few great wildlife sightings including a pika, marmots, deer eating flowers, etc.  Tomorrow I head to Washington and then up to Mt Rainier for a couple of days.

 

Ptarmigan Tunnel

Today started with some awesome animal sightings on the way to the trailhead.  I saw a moose on the side of the road and two red foxes right in the road.  Unfortunately, my camera was in the back with my backpack so no photos.  I hiked out of Many Glacier up to Ptarmigan Tunnel.  

• The Ptarmigan Tunnel was built in 1930 through the Ptarmigan Wall at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,200 m) in Glacier National Park, near Many Glacier. The 250-foot (76 m) tunnel allows hikers to avoid a strenuous climb over very steep terrain between Many Glacier and the Belly River valley. Two opposing steel jackhammers drilling from either side of the tunnel and a series of ten-hole rounds of dynamite gradually broke through the mountain in less than three months. A wide area, originally for guide and tourist horses, extends from each portal with a masonry retaining wall. Natural rock lines the interior walls. Heavy iron doors were hung across the tunnel aditsduring the summer of 1975. They remain open from mid-July until October 1, weather permitting. The 250 feet (76 m) long tunnel is a unique man-made feature in Glacier. This trail tunnel embodies exceptional qualities of landscape architecture and engineering in a pedestrian-scaled tunnel, cut through a sheer mountain wall. The portals frame spectacular views.^{[2] (per wiikipedia)}

On the way I startled a young chick (shown above).  I choose to think it is a ptarmigan but it is probably a grouse.  Its mother was none to happy and stalked me down the trail telling me off (also shown above).  Soon she figured I was no threat and headed off into the vegetation.  I continued on the trail.

The weather was cool and it was cloudy.  Soon it started to lightly rain but there was not much to it.  I hiked up to the lake and then up to the tunnel.

I went through to the other side and had some beautiful views of Elizabeth lake.  It was chilly and I soon headed back the way that I came.  I spotted a marmot chowing  down on some flowers on my way back by Ptarmigan Lake and saw some goats high above me on the cliffs.  As I made my way down the trail I startled couple told me that they had just come across a moose on the trail.  They warmed me to hide behind trees if it charged.  A couple of more minutes and I came across three more people who had seen the moose.  However, he seemed to have enough of human company because I was unable to spot him.  I travelled on and met more people.  One was very worried about grizzlies.  He had seen some "grizzly scat".  He was sure it was from a grizzly from what it contained.  I kept an eye out on my way down but all I saw was horse manure.  I guess he was a little confused.  

Many people were heading out on the trail now.  I moved aside to let them pass as they have the right of way (uphill).  One guy let me know that there was a moose just a little farther on.  I kept my fingers crossed and sure enough I saw it and this time I got a photo.  My moose dry spell is offiically over.

As I was almost done I came across a fairly worried father who asked me if I had seen his son hiking alone in a funny hat.  I told him I had not.  Then he sent his other son down towards the Swiftcurrent Lodge (probably to look for said missing son).   As I reached the end of my journey I saw a boy in a green hat walking along listening to music on his iphone or other device.  I asked him if he by chance was looking for his family and if his father would consider his hat funny looking.  Sure enough it was the missing boy.  I gave him information about where is father was and showed him the way to the trailhead.  That was the end of a very nice hiking day. 

Herd of bears

After a doozy of a hike yesterday I decided to do something more moderate today. I hiked up the South Shore Trail to Upper Two Medicine Lake. I came across these huckleberries along the way. It is very, very early in the season for these but there has been low rainfall and high temperatures this year and they are maturing early as a result. I ate these three berries. However, it is unlawful to eat them in Canada. I guess they want to leave them for the bears and other wildlife. I continued down the trail looking at every small pond and waterway for moose. None were found sad to say. However, on my way out of the park I came across a herd of large black lifeforms. Jane told me a story about these lifeforms yesterday. Apparently, a tourist came across these same lifeforms on the way to Two Medicine entrance station. Once there she said to the ranger "I just drove by a herd of black bears. I know they were black bears because they were black". Here is a photo of these lifeforms.

Pitamakin Dawson Pass Loop

Today I hiked a great hike that began at the North Shore Trailhead in Two Medicine Campground. I hiked with Jane and Karen and a few of Karen's friends. We hiked up to trail towards Old Man Lake. At Old Man Lake we began some serious climbing with great views of Old Man Lake and the mountain basin that surrounds it. At the top of the Pass we took a break to enjoy views of five lakes in the valleys around us. Then it was off on the last big climb of the the hike to the backside of the mountain. We had to cross one steep snowfield but there were well worn tracks in it making it not too scary. There we had views west of many snow covered peaks and a hanging glacier. We ridge walked from there. Afternoon thunderstorms were predicted but we started early and they were only just building. We crossed unnamed pass with views east and west and then on to Dawson Pass. It was truely beautiful. However, once at Dawson Pass we began to hear thunder and spotted lightening. We were still quite high and started down the trail. We encountered a number of hikers intending to do the ridge section of the loop. We let them know that the lightening had already arrived but they said no problem. That haunted me on my way down. Many people come to the wilderness afraid of wildlife but more people are killed by lightening than bears. The NOAA website states that there are approximately 50 fatalities from lightening strikes each year. There are on average three fatalaties from bears each year. OK done with that rant. We made it almost to lake level and then the skies opened and it poured rain and hailed. The trail turned into a wet muddy stream. However it wasn't freezing and we were moving at a pretty quick rate so we were not cold. By the time we reached the trailhead we were a sodden mess but the rain had stopped. We stopped in to talk to our friend, Lynn, who is a ranger. I asked her about the mountain lion that had caused a trail closure the prior week. Apparently it had been circling a hiker. That is kind of scary. Hike stats - 18 miles 4000 ft accumulated elevation gain