MarxMN 2014 Trip Report

[Jen]

Another well-timed trip report! Great stuff! Thanks Bill!

[MarxMN]

Friday, August 1 - Appikuni Falls and Our Last Day in the Park


On Friday we were looking for a relatively short hike and decided to go to Appikuni Falls and then hike into the valley above the falls. Ralph and and I were the ones who went on this hike as the rest of the group had other plans.


We climbed up to the valley above Appikuni Falls and followed the fairly obvious trail back into the valley.

The valley above Appikuni Falls with Appikuni Mountain in the background.



A waterfall up the valley.



Flowers in the valley.

Galliardia



Geranium



Looking across Sherburne Lake to Mountains Allen and Wynn. (Cracker Lake is back in the valley in the center of the picture. Snow Moon basin is up on Allen Mountain - back in the valley in the left center of the picture.)



A dead tree in the area east of the falls.



On the return trip as we neared the parking area two people coming toward us asking if we had seen the bear. We said no. They told us a black bear had crossed the trail shortly before we came through. After we got in the car we decided to drive towards Many Glacier. A short distance along the road we saw a bear (probably the bear the others were talking about).




Friday night Candy and I drove part way back to Great Falls staying at the Stagestop Inn in Choteau. We had a pleasant stay and a good continental breakfast in the morning. In the morning we stopped at Freezeout Lake (south of Choteau) before heading back to Great Falls.




We also stopped at the Charlie Russell Museum in Great Falls. The museum did not open before we had to go to the airport but we walked around the grounds. Below are a couple of the statues on the grounds.

Charlie Russell.


A Moose.





And thus ends the report on another great Glacier trip.

[Jay w]

Bill,

Enjoyed the report. I see you found the dead tree farm that has occupied many an hour of my time over he years. Viva la dead trees!

Jay

[MarxMN]

Jay w - as I was posting the dead tree picture I wondered if it would get a response from you. Thanks.

In a 2011 trip report I posted a picture of a Glacier Chatter posing under that same tree.

See:
http://www.glacier.nationalparkschat.co ... =11&t=6536

[scott-atl]

last august during some rainy days my wife and I drove to great falls to visit the Charlie Russell museum. excellent, would highly recommend it. also saw the the lewis and clark interpretive center. nice drive across the plains.

[mattB]

MattB

I think the unnerving part of the high route back from Snow Moon Basin is that there is some exposure on the ledges coming around the mountain.

Ah, ok, thanks... Is it really bad? How would you compare it to the section of the Highline trail near Logan Pass with the cable hand line? Or the route down towards Many Glacier from Swiftcurrent Pass? Or the offtrail route up to Mt Oberlin?

[MarxMN]

Ah, ok, thanks... Is it really bad? How would you compare it to the section of the Highline trail near Logan Pass with the cable hand line? Or the route down towards Many Glacier from Swiftcurrent Pass? Or the offtrail route up to Mt Oberlin?

This pictures below shows the narrow ledge that we walked along (the first picture is also in the trip report). The drop-off from the ledge is not vertical but is steep. The ledge is very narrow in places, much narrower than the Highline Trail or the trail from Swiftcurrent Pass to Many Glacier. I don't think there is much along the Mt. Oberlin route to compare it to.

[PeteE]

Looks a bit skinny there. I'm sure my boots are bigger than that lady in the pic, but still plenty of room to walk.
That look likes a fun trail to me.
I want to go down that way when I do Snow Moon.
I was a bit ambivalent about this hike until I saw your post and this route down.
This route down makes the hike far more interesting and scenic...from what I see.

And I agree with the others on your flower pics. Well done.

I think you would agree that no photograph can truly capture the blue color of those blue gentians.
You need to see it in person to appreciate that color. That DEEP blue color is just incredible.
They might be my fave flower in GNP.
Great TR

later
pete

[mattB]

Ah, ok, thanks... Is it really bad? How would you compare it to the section of the Highline trail near Logan Pass with the cable hand line? Or the route down towards Many Glacier from Swiftcurrent Pass? Or the offtrail route up to Mt Oberlin?

This pictures below shows the narrow ledge that we walked along (the first picture is also in the trip report). The drop-off from the ledge is not vertical but is steep. The ledge is very narrow in places, much narrower than the Highline Trail or the trail from Swiftcurrent Pass to Many Glacier. I don't think there is much along the Mt. Oberlin route to compare it to.

Ok, thanks for the update... So narrow, and a steep hillside, but not shear cliffs, or long drops...