The 2015 EPIC Glacier National Park Meet Up will be held on June 26, 27, 28. We’ll center the activities out of the Apgar area on the west side of the Park. There are a number of possible tours in the park which we may want to consider. Some of these are described below the stylized moose dung.
Red Bus:
The Great Northern Railway designed and built most of the early roads and trails in the park. In 1914 Hill made arrangements with the White Motor Company to provide bus services in the park and the following year White Motor Company formed the Glacier Park Transportation Company to operate the buses. The iconic Red Buses, affectionately known as Jammers, which were originally made by the White Motor Company are still running in the Park. They have been refurbished by Ford and now use propane as a fuel.
West Side Crown of the Continent Tour leaves from the Apgar Visitor Center and lasts for 8 to 9.5 hours. Here is the description:
The journey starts in the cedar and hemlock forests of the Lake McDonald Valley. Travel up the Going-to-the-Sun Road along a glacially formed arête to the top of the Crown of the Continent at Logan Pass. Head down through the St. Mary Valley and out to the prairies of Big Sky Country. Continue into the magnificent Swiftcurrent Valley. Enjoy views of the valley during an optional lunch at Many Glacier Hotel or Swiftcurrent. Experience an encore vista on your return trip to the west side.
The cost is $92.
Western Alpine Tour: leaves from the Apgar Visitor Center and lasts for 3 to 4 hours. Here is the description:
Start the tour in the great cedar and hemlock forests that lie within the Lake McDonald Valley. Traverse the famed Going-to-the-Sun Road to the high alpine region of the park and stand on top of the Continental Divide. Discover incredible mountain ranges, glaciers, waterfalls, and wildflowers along the way as your Red Bus glides along the glacially carved Garden Wall.
The cost is $55. There is a morning tour and an afternoon tour.
Sun Tours:
This is a tribal tour group:
We provide a Blackfeet perspective tour through Glacier National Park over Going-to-the-Sun Road. The tour narrative concentrates on Glacier's natural features relevant to the Blackfeet Nation, past and present. Spiritual and philosophical perspectives are interpreted in Blackfoot life in the buffalo days as well as modern times, commonly used plants and roots for nutrition and medicine are pointed out. Our guides are life residents of the reservation, knowledgeable in many facets of Blackfeet tribal history and culture.
While they run tours from West Glacier, they do not have a schedule posted. We would have to contact them to make arrangements for a tour.
Car Caravans led by Ojibwa:
On the last Glacier Park meetup, Ojibwa led a day trip car caravan into the North Fork area, stopping at Polebridge and then into Kintla Lake (pictured above). Possibilities for this year include:
Kintla Lake: this beautiful little lake is off the usual tourist path. We would leave Apgar, travel along the paved Camas Road, leave the Park and travel along the rough gravel North Fork Road. At the picturesque town of Polebridge (a general store and a bar; no electricity), we cross back into the Park, travel on a one-lane dirt track into the mountains following the old Kootenai Indian buffalo road to the lake. Parking at the campground can be a problem. Once at the lake, we can picnic, take short hikes, and maybe take a picture or two.
Bowman Lake: like Kintla, Bowman Lake is off the usual tourist path. Just past Polebridge, we would turn to go up to Bowman. The road to Bowman is shorter and usually in better shape than the road to Kintla. There is a relatively large campground and picnic area at the lake with lots of parking. Once at the lake, we can picnic, take short hikes, and maybe take a picture or two.
Two Medicine Lake: Two Medicine is on the eastside of the Park. We would leave from Apgar, exit the Park, and travel along U.S. 2 through Maria Pass to East Glacier. Here we should stop at the historic Glacier Park Lodge. Then we continue on a winding but paved road to Two Medicine. There is a general store at the lake. We could take the boat ride to the end of the lake and hike up to the falls. With regard to food, there is the possibility of eating at the Glacier Park Lodge or stopping at the Isaac Walton Inn on the way back.
Your Turn:
In the comments please voice your preferences.
Earlier Diaries:
The EPIC 2015 Glacier National Park Meet Up: Camping
The 2015 Epic Glacier Park Meet UP: Travel and Lodging
A 2015 Glacier National Park Meetup?