Glacier National Park

T1DCarnivoreRunner

I'm not expecting anyone to be able to help, but I'm going to put this here and maybe I will get lucky...

Sometime in the future (I'm hoping July or August 2015), I want to take a trip to Glacier National Park and hike/backpack from Bowman Lake to the visitor center at Waterton Lakes National Park. I figure this would be a 4 day trip (excluding travel to the park obviously).

Here is where I have a problem: I don't have time or interest to turn around and hike back the same route and I need to figure out a way to return to my car. Here is what I figured out so far - there is a shuttle that goes along the east side of Glacier that stops at Waterton Lakes. I could take that down to the St. Mary, then get on the Glacier shuttle to head west. I would change to the other Glacier shuttle at Logan Pass and take that to the Apgar Visitor center. From there, I could call a taxi to take me to Polebridge. They do not allow commercial vehicles into the Bowman Lake area (past Polebridge), so I would have to walk or hitchhike the rest of the way... by this time, after all the shuttle switches and everything, it will definitely be after dark and not the most ideal conditions.

The best idea is if I can find someone that wants to go, but doesn't want to hike that distance... let that person drop me off, do day hikes, canoes rides, whatever and come pick me up in Canada on the 4th day.

This trip is a long ways off, but I wanted to put some feelers out to see if anyone else has done a similar trip or one-way's in general, and how you handled transportation to/from the trailheads.

kelly_e_montana

Yes, you need a different plan. I am from Montana and I just want to verify that you could really call a taxi to take you to Polebridge. Have you verified this? Given that taxis are so limited even in the more developed areas, I am GREATLY surprised there is a taxi that would take you down a road so primitive and so long, and if there is, it seems like it would be incredibly cost-prohibitive. You can drive to Bowman Lake as far as I know, so why not just hire someone to take you to from Apgar to Bowman Lake? Find someone on here or advertise for a local. There are a couple places in Polebridge you might be able to call to ask for guidance (the hostel or the mercantile) for a local referral. Actually if I were you I would stay in Polebridge the night before and set your course from Bowman Lake the next day.

The rest of your options? Not really sure. Never done it. I don't hike much near Glacier and am closer to Yellowstone, although I have been to Bowman Lake, Logan Pass, etc.

One thing I cannot overemphasize is the number of grizzly bears in this area. I personally would be extremely reluctant to hike alone here because I would want to at least be making noise with other people. Take the extra time to figure out how to make your food storage, etc. bear safe on this trip. We did have grizzly bears near our camp when we camped at Bowman Lake.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Yes, I have found a taxi service that could take me from Apgar to Polebridge, but the best plan so far is still finding someone to go with me and drop me off and pick me up. If that falls through, finding a local to help is a nice idea, but I'm uneasy about relying on a stranger who may or may not show up. The worst case with the taxi idea is that I have to walk up the road to get to my car, arriving somewhere around 11:00pm-midnight. It is not ideal at all, but will work in a pinch. I'm still hoping to plan better than that.

I've also thought about bringing a second person hiking with me... that depends on if I can find someone that wants to go and can coordinate logistics. I've hiked at Glacier before (alone), just not this route. I realize there are almost certainly more bears in this area than where I was last time, and I will have a bear barrel, bear spray, bell, and I can talk to myself pretty well if needed also. I most often hike alone, and have done so everywhere from Acadia to the Grand Canyon, and from Mt. Rainier to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. People are often shocked by that and mention wildlife, but nobody ever thinks about the wildlife that I've had the closest adrenaline-filled encounters with: moose. Anyway, I'm not going to skip the trip if there isn't a second person... I have hiked hundreds of miles alone so far this year in several states and conditions - it hasn't stopped me yet, and it won't stop me in the future.

kelly_e_montana

I'm not shocked and yes, I understand the moose thing.

I just say this about the bears because I do back country hiking as well but I personally wouldn't do it alone there. Personal preference. We have mountain lions all over where I hike regularly but there's not much I can do about that.

My sister lived in Yellowstone for several years and did not back country hike alone in certain areas of prime grizzly habitat, so I figured if she was a full-time resident of a grizzly area, I would heed her example. To each their own. I know it's not Yellowstone, but the premise is the same. I would personally back country hike many non-grizzly areas so I get your interest in doing that.