Trip Overview

The Trip

Join the Sierra Club and Glacier Park Ski Tours/Glacier Adventure Guides for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the wildness and spectacular scenery of Glacier National Park. Glacier National Park, the world's first International Peace Park, is also a Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. Glacier offers exceptional scenery, diverse wildlife and plant communities, and unbelievable skiing. Each day we'll ski the trails and backcountry accompanied by Glacier Park Ski Tours' staff who will share their knowledge regarding the park's history, geology, and natural features. In the evenings, we'll retire to a luxurious lodge, eat delicious meals, and enjoy swimming in the indoor pool, relaxing in the outdoor hot tubs, and visiting with our fellow skiers. 

Most people visit Glacier because of its scenery. The combination of vertical, glacier-scoured banded mountains, pristine lakes and streams, and dense ancient forests help provide Glacier with its majestic reputation. However, what sets Glacier apart and makes the landscape so unique are quite simply the glaciers themselves. Their blue ice and crevasses distinguish them from the snowfields and help remind us of the park's antiquity.

Glacier National Park also has a tremendous history. Recent archaeological surveys have found evidence of human use dating back over 10,000 years. These people may have been ancestors of tribes that live in the area today. When the first European explorers came to the area, Blackfeet Indians controlled the vast prairies east of the mountains, and the Salish and Kootenai Indians lived in and hunted in the western valleys. 

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at the Glacier Park International / Kalispell (FCA) Airport no later than 3:00 p.m. The Lodge at Whitefish Lake provides a van shuttle from the airport to the lodge as needed. Please call the lodge (877.887.4026 or 406.863.4000) ahead of time to schedule a pick-up time. After arriving at the lodge, please check and get settled. At 4:30 p.m. we will meet near the lobby fireplace for a welcome/orientation meeting. Following the meeting, we will move to the dining room and enjoy our first of many delicious dinners together.

Day 2: After breakfast we will rent equipment, if needed, and then travel through the west entrance of Glacier National Park to the Lake McDonald Lodge trailhead. From there we will ski into Johns Lake (2 miles) and tour both the Dancing Cascades Trail and Lake McDonald (6 miles). This trail wanders through old-growth forests of Western Red Cedar and Hemlock; if we get clear skies, we'll have fanastic views of the large mountains surrounding the Lake McDonald area and the Going to the Sun Road. The evening will be yours to enjoy a soak in the lodge's hot tub, enjoy the company of your fellow travelers, or take advantage of a good book.

Day 3: We will travel up the North Fork of the Flathead River Road (45-min drive) to the north entry of Glacier National Park and ski the Camas Creek Road. This road will take us 12 miles to Apgar Village in West Glacier, if conditions and weather allow. This will be a full day with 800 feet of elevation gain over the first eight miles and a downhill ride for the remaining mileage to Lake McDonald. This tour takes us through the burn areas of 2006 and affords views of the Livingston Range and the Higher Peaks of Glacier National Park. We will meet our shuttle at the Apgar Village. Again, you'll have the evening free to do as you wish.

Day 4: We will travel to Marias Pass at the south end of Glacier National Park to higher elevations on the Continental Divide (1.5 hour travel time). We will ski the Autumn Creek Trail Loop, starting at the pass and ending eight miles to the west, where we will meet our shuttle on Highway 2. This is an intermediate trip that allows us to traverse without retracing our steps. We will be surrounded by large mountains and have spectacular views, if the sky is clear! The elevation gain of today's ski is 1,200-1,400 feet vertical, and the trip ends with a long descent to the shuttle. Back at the lodge, spend the evening relaxing as you'd like.

Day 5: We will again travel to Marias Pass to the Fire Brand Pass trailhead. Today's trip takes us into open terrain with opportunities to ski in an alpine environment. This is an out-and-back, so mileage is based on when we decide to turn around. The vertical gain of this trip is 1,200 feet, depending on our final destination. There will be great views of the large mountains around Marias Pass and the mountains surrounding the eastern Glacier area. If time and weather conditions allow, we may also take a side trip to East Glacier entrance. Relax back at the lodge in the evening.

Day 6: We will travel back to the western entrance of Glacier National Park and ski into Snyder Basin via the Sperry Trail. This trail will take us to the Snyder Lake Basin, affording access to big mountain terrain and views of Mt. Brown and the Little Matter Horn. In the evening, you have your choice of ways to relax at the lodge, including a soak in the hot tub.

Day 7: We will travel to West Glacier and drive to the McDonald Lodge trailhead. We will then ski the McDonald Lake Trail to North Bridge and travel toward Trout Lake on the south side of Mt. Stanton. This trail has some nice ups and downs, with 1,200 feet of elevation gain and some options for ski descents to the Trout Lake Basin. This trip will provide views of Mount Stanton, Rogers Peak, and some of the Livingston Mountain Range. This route typically has great snow with some large forest sections. Following today’s ski trip, we will return any rental ski equipment on our way back to the lodge.

Day 8: After breakfast, plan on departing for the Glacier Park International Airport. Please schedule your shuttle van departure time with the front desk to coincide with your departing flight.

Note: Daily routes can be adjusted to reflect the ski skill levels of the participants. There may be options to break up the group into slow/fast or beginner/advanced groups, depending on individual abilities. Ski itineraries are subject to change, depending on skiing abilities, interest, snow, and weather conditions. 

Photos

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  Photo: Rob White
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  Photo: Rob White
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  Photo: Rob White

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Details

Getting There

Trip participants will be picked up at the Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell, MT and shuttled to The Lodge at Whitefish Lake at the start of the trip. Trip participants will be shuttled back to the airport in Kalispell, MT at the conclusion of the trip. Shuttle services will also be provided throughout the trip.

Accommodations and Food

The trip includes seven nights' lodging and all breakfasts and lunches. We will be staying at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, a beautiful full-service facility located in Whitefish, Montana. The lodge is approximately a 45-minute drive from Glacier National Park and offers a substantial list of services and amenities.

All transportation is provided on the trip: van pick-up from the airport in Kalispell, Montana; all the travel to various ski destinations; and a final van drop-off at the Glacier Park International Airport at trip's end.

Standard arrangements are for double-occupancy rooms for all participants. Private rooms are also available, but numbers are limited so reserve yours early. The cost for a private room upgrade for the duration of the trip is $500. Please indicate your preference for private rooms to the leader and he will inform you of options and payment details. 

Trip Difficulty

A minimum skiing ability of advanced beginner to intermediate is suggested. Skiers should be able to ski rolling terrain and control speed and direction with at least a basic snowplow. Most of the terrain we'll cover is flat to gentle rolling hills, but good balance and a familiarity with varied snow and trail conditions are necessary. Participants should be in good physical shape. As noted above, the various ski trips will average 6-8 miles. Participants may also take non-ski rest days on their own at the lodge. 

Equipment and Clothing

Rental cross-country ski equipment (including boots) is available for an extra fee near Glacier National Park. Equipment & clothing needs include:

• Day pack
• Small piece of closed cell foam to sit on snow
• Water bottle
• Sunglasses and/or goggles
• Sunscreen/lip protector
• Camera
• Binoculars
• Pocket hand & foot warmers
• Insulating underwear
• Mid-weight lnsulating layer -- wool or fleece
• Waterproof & windproof outer layer -- jacket & pants
• Pants -- wool or fleece
• Hat
• Gloves
• Neck gaiter
• Socks
• Gaiters
• Insulated boots
• Camp shoes 

References

• Glacier National Park: www.nps.gov/glac/ 

Conservation

Glacier National Park is facing a number of conservation issues today. As in so many wild areas, the clash between wilderness preservation and human use is evident in many ways:

• Global warming. Could Glacier National Park be without its namesake if global warming continues?
• Lack of park staff and resources to protect the natural resources within Glacier National Park. Is the park being loved to death?
• The impact of development around the park on wildlife and natural resources within Glacier National Park. 

Notes for Sierra Club Outings

• Carbon Offsets
• Carpooling
• Electronic Billing and Forms
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback
• Trip Price
• Wilderness Manners

Staff

Leader:

Rob White has been a member of the Sierra Club since high school and has been interested in preserving and protecting the outdoors for as long as he can remember. After obtaining a master's degree in park and recreation administration, he accepted a position at Rocky Mountain National Park as a ranger/naturalist. He now works with the Colorado State Park system as a park manager. Rob continues to hike and ski a great deal throughout the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Contact the Staff

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