Hitch 5 pt 1: Subduction leads to Orogeny: unedited

It’s the middle of August, and the mornings are already turning crisp, hitting the mid thirties before the sun warms it back up to summer. Seasons are short around here, and time flies away. It’s hard to believe that last year exactly, I was in the middle of my first multi-day backpacking trip in Glacier, hiking 85 miles in five days over five mountain passes from Two Medicine to Saint Mary. It worked out perfect that my last hitch up in Glacier brought me back to Two Medicine, and this trip reminded me why it is my favorite part in the park, and best of all I was hiking with Mike Roesch, the person responsible for giving me the opportunity to work in Glacier in the first place. So here are some photos from last year that still make the cut (but don't fit with the rest of the hikes).

Day 1: Two Medicine

Once again the crew didn’t get out of the office on time, which doesn’t make a two hour drive around the park any easier. Roesch, Evan, Haakon and I caravanned our way up through Two Medicine and into the Cutbank drainage, where Roesch and I dropped them off to trek up quite possibly the most difficult pass, yet my favorite part in the park.

Because of all the driving Roesch and I didn’t get to our trail head until 1 o’clock, not the ideal time to start an eight mile day. Luckily Roesch knew the boat driver that takes tourists across Two Medicine Lake to hike into the falls. He was able to sneak us onto the boat, free of charge, which made our day much more reasonable. We also split the day up, so I ended up hiking solo in bear country for the first time. One wouldn’t think that having one other person would make much of a difference but being on your own definitely makes you more aware of your senses and surroundings. No worries, I only had to fight off four male grizzlies…Well actually, all the tourists did the trick for me. Of all the crowded places in Glacier, Two Medicine is the easiest to deal with, but I ended up passing my fair share of unhappy campers, as I tailgated them. Sorry folks, but you can take your dinner bells, I mean bear bells else where.

The visit was brief back in Two Med, but it was worthwhile, and it sure felt good to swim in that lake.  

Day 2: Snake Creek

Since we kicked Two Med’s ass the day before, turning an over night trip into only a two hour hike, Roesch and I were able to have another easy day outside the park in the Great Bear Wilderness. It’s not very often that I get done with work at 12:30…did I call this work? Anyways, I was able to get to work i.e. Kaimin thanks to the easy loop. So I talked grizzly bears and my feature with Jayme, our lovely editor and chief, to get some feedback on my slacking. And apparently I’m not doing too shabby.

Tomorrow, back in the park.

Day 3: Harrison Ford…I mean Lake

Subduction leads to origeny. This is what I learned today, hiking up the Harrison Lake drainage. Apparently, the sevier origeny created the mountains of Glacier. Well, it resembles it in style. The Lewis Overthust is a low angle thrust fault, which I guess makes it a sevier origeny…This is what I get when I ask what Evan’s shirt means that reads, “There’s nothing funny about Geology.” But the funny thing is, there’s a schist load of funny things about geology. Oh god, I crack myself up. Schist, as in the mineral, duh. If there’s a major with the most sexual, outlandish puns, it’s geology. 

Anyways, Evan, Haakon and I sneaked out of the office and were able to take the three of us to Harrison Lake, instead of leaving one in the office for grunt work. Which brings us to Harrison Ford, which is what I told Evan where we’ll be parking, only because we had to ford the Middle Fork in order to get to the Harrison trailhead. I should’ve said Endor Moon, Temple of Doom or the ice planet Hoth just so the Park Service would say, “What the fuck is bear crew on?”

We parked by the railroad and walked down to the river to find that every spot that we looked was either really high or really fast. This is probably the first week that the river could be crossed on foot. Usually we use inflatable kayaks to get across, but we scoured the banks to find a crossing, but nothing looked ideal, until Haakon just walked into the river, which meant Evan and I had to follow. Let’s just say the ford on the way back, when the temperature finally reached 80, was a lot more enjoyable. Although we did enter the flats like a couple of badasses, shirtless and fit in front of a harem of ladies in a raft and just walked on it like it ain’t no thing. You see, “the river is swift, but it was you that took me off my feet.” Good quote Evan.

I really need to get off this computer, so I can drink more Dragons Breath. Long live happy hour at the Stone Fly. I only have six days left here. Sad times.