This is the fourth of a series of five posts pertaining to a week-long trip of Glacier National Park in August 2013.
Date: August 15, 2013
Location: Glacier National Park, MT
The day after my Grinnell Glacier hike, I set out on my second Many Glacier hike -- Iceberg Lake. Again, in light of the grizzlies, I opted for the ranger-led group which meets up at 8:30 a.m. in the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn parking lot (NPS brochures refer to it as the 'Heart of Glacier' hike; it is usually Iceberg Lake, but if the trail is closed due to bear activity, they substitute with another one).
The day started in some confusion. I headed out at around 8:00 a.m. since I needed to walk to the meeting place from Many Glacier hotel (a little over a mile away). However, barely had I left the hotel that I realized I did not have my bear spray can, and went back to my room, where I failed to find it (I must have dropped it in the boat the previous evening). So I purchased a new one from the hotel gift shop, and starting out again, somehow ended up getting confused about the direction/way. Thus, it was 8:25 by the time I was really on my way in the right direction. I walked rapidly but only got to the parking lot a little after 8:40 a.m. The ranger-led group had left and I walked on expecting to catch up with them later on the trail. However, I was glad to find them right at the trailhead which is a few minutes walk from the parking lot.
The trail begins with a brief steep ascent and then continues on a very gentle grade. Our guide was a ranger named Monica who had been a seasonal ranger at the park for 6 years. Early on in the hike, just after the steep segment, we spotted a deer at close quarters when it crossed the trail.
It was an overcast morning and not as hot as the previous day, though a tad more humid. Iceberg lake lies in the Swiftcurrent valley which lies adjacent to the Grinnell valley where I had hiked the previous day. This area is frequented by grizzlies and we saw numerous signs of their presence, though we did not encounter one. Around midway in the hike, we encountered a pretty waterfall called Ptarmigan Falls.
After a scenic hike, we finally approached Iceberg Lake. Before the lake, one comes across the smaller Iceberg Tarn. All around are grassy fields carpeted with wildflowers that would win hands down over the best-cultivated gardens in the world!
Iceberg Lake is housed in a cirque carved by a glacier. It is quite a sight -- a water-filled bowl scoured out of rocks.
Finally we were at the trailhead. I stopped at the Swiftcurrent Inn Camp Store to grab a cold beverage and rested awhile on the inn porch before walking back to the Many Glacier Hotel.
Date: August 15, 2013
Location: Glacier National Park, MT
The day after my Grinnell Glacier hike, I set out on my second Many Glacier hike -- Iceberg Lake. Again, in light of the grizzlies, I opted for the ranger-led group which meets up at 8:30 a.m. in the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn parking lot (NPS brochures refer to it as the 'Heart of Glacier' hike; it is usually Iceberg Lake, but if the trail is closed due to bear activity, they substitute with another one).
The day started in some confusion. I headed out at around 8:00 a.m. since I needed to walk to the meeting place from Many Glacier hotel (a little over a mile away). However, barely had I left the hotel that I realized I did not have my bear spray can, and went back to my room, where I failed to find it (I must have dropped it in the boat the previous evening). So I purchased a new one from the hotel gift shop, and starting out again, somehow ended up getting confused about the direction/way. Thus, it was 8:25 by the time I was really on my way in the right direction. I walked rapidly but only got to the parking lot a little after 8:40 a.m. The ranger-led group had left and I walked on expecting to catch up with them later on the trail. However, I was glad to find them right at the trailhead which is a few minutes walk from the parking lot.
The trail begins with a brief steep ascent and then continues on a very gentle grade. Our guide was a ranger named Monica who had been a seasonal ranger at the park for 6 years. Early on in the hike, just after the steep segment, we spotted a deer at close quarters when it crossed the trail.
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| Hike track from Many Glacier Hotel (the trailhead is near Swiftcurrent Motor Inn) |
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| Elevation Plot (It looks so symmetrical because I could only record the return track as my GPS was out of battery which I only got a chance to replace at Iceberg Lake. I later reversed and stitched on the forward segment! ) |
It was an overcast morning and not as hot as the previous day, though a tad more humid. Iceberg lake lies in the Swiftcurrent valley which lies adjacent to the Grinnell valley where I had hiked the previous day. This area is frequented by grizzlies and we saw numerous signs of their presence, though we did not encounter one. Around midway in the hike, we encountered a pretty waterfall called Ptarmigan Falls.
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| Swiftcurrent Valley |
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| Bear claw marks on tree |
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| Above Ptarmigan Falls |
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| Our guide ranger Monica describing something near a trail fork |
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| Fresh bear scat on the trail (evidence of berry-rich diet) |
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| Making our way to the cirque housing Iceberg Lake |
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| Wildflowers (Fireweed) |
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| An arete |
After a scenic hike, we finally approached Iceberg Lake. Before the lake, one comes across the smaller Iceberg Tarn. All around are grassy fields carpeted with wildflowers that would win hands down over the best-cultivated gardens in the world!
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| Iceberg Tarn |
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| Iceberg Lake is near (zoomed in view) |
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| Approaching Iceberg Lake |
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| What a lovely wild garden! |
Iceberg Lake is housed in a cirque carved by a glacier. It is quite a sight -- a water-filled bowl scoured out of rocks.
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| The lake (with icebergs of course) |
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| Close-up of ice on cirque walls |
Finally, it was time to head back. The group had split up at Iceberg Lake with some folks planning to deviate to Ptarmigan Tunnel on the way back (I would have loved to do that too if I had not been somewhat tired after the previous day's hike, and nervous about grizzlies). Three of us who were solo hikers decided to return with the ranger.
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| Iceberg Tarn again |
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| A beautiful view |
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| Lake Swiftcurrent in the distance (with telephoto lens) |
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| Looking back at Ptarmigan Falls through the trees |
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| Mud cracks as abstract art! |
Finally we were at the trailhead. I stopped at the Swiftcurrent Inn Camp Store to grab a cold beverage and rested awhile on the inn porch before walking back to the Many Glacier Hotel.
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| Deer seen from road while walking back to the Many Glacier Hotel |
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