best tent camping glacier national park image
madhawk78
I am thinking of doing a hiking/camping/backpacking trip to Glacier NP this summer. Anyone out there have any advice, tips on such a trip? Is it worth the trip or are their better places to go. I was in Yosemite and Rocky Mountain NP last year, so any comparisons would be nice as well.
Answer
I have not actually been there yet myself, but am doing a week-long backpacking trip there this summer and did a lot of research in preparation.
By many accounts, Glacier NP is one of the best hiking and backpacking spots in the country. In fact, it routinely ranks at or near the top of Backpacker Magazine's annual survey. That is one of the reasons that my friends and I decided to make it this year's big backpacking trip.
I would highly recommend that you get the National Geographic Trails Illustrated map of the park which shows all the trails, camp spots and roads. I also got a couple of trail guides entitled "Hiking Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks" by Erik Molvar and "Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park" by Vicky Spring. Both are quite good, but if I were to get just one I would lean a little more toward Molvar's as a little more practical and easier to use. For general sightingseeing guides to the park and area, I got the travel guides by both Moon Publications (Becky Lomax) and the Insider's Guide (by Susan Olin). The Moon guide was quite helpful and detailed, while the Insider's guide was little more than a local business directory.
A couple of things about hiking and backpacking there...
It can be challenging to find good loop backpacking trips. Most will end up being out and backs or point to point requiring some sort of shuttle. The one exception is the famous 'Northern Circle' loop in the center of the park (starting near Swiftwater).
You must have permits to camp overnight in the backcountry. Although they always reserve some walk-up permits, most spaces can be reserved in advance by faxing a request. Note that the reservation period started on April 15 and so it may now be difficult to get popular spots between June and August. We sent in ours before the deadline and are waiting to hear if we got our intinerary.
Glacier is famous for bear country - both black and the grizzly. While attacks are comparatively rare, the park website has a video on what to do about bears and there are very tight restrictions in the backcountry around storing food and eating in a special designated 'eating spot' away from the tent spots.
Aside from hiking and camping, a few of the other things that Glacier is famous for...
Historic Lodges - In or around the park are some of the most historic and famous lodges in the US park system. The lodges at McDonald Lake, East Glacier and Waterton Park (Canada) are particulary grand and well known.
Going to the Sun Road - The famous road that bi-sects the park and is considered one of the most scenic drives in the country.
Lake Tours - Many of the larger lakes have historic tour boats that take you out on scenic cruises.
Whatever your choice, have fun!
I have not actually been there yet myself, but am doing a week-long backpacking trip there this summer and did a lot of research in preparation.
By many accounts, Glacier NP is one of the best hiking and backpacking spots in the country. In fact, it routinely ranks at or near the top of Backpacker Magazine's annual survey. That is one of the reasons that my friends and I decided to make it this year's big backpacking trip.
I would highly recommend that you get the National Geographic Trails Illustrated map of the park which shows all the trails, camp spots and roads. I also got a couple of trail guides entitled "Hiking Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks" by Erik Molvar and "Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park" by Vicky Spring. Both are quite good, but if I were to get just one I would lean a little more toward Molvar's as a little more practical and easier to use. For general sightingseeing guides to the park and area, I got the travel guides by both Moon Publications (Becky Lomax) and the Insider's Guide (by Susan Olin). The Moon guide was quite helpful and detailed, while the Insider's guide was little more than a local business directory.
A couple of things about hiking and backpacking there...
It can be challenging to find good loop backpacking trips. Most will end up being out and backs or point to point requiring some sort of shuttle. The one exception is the famous 'Northern Circle' loop in the center of the park (starting near Swiftwater).
You must have permits to camp overnight in the backcountry. Although they always reserve some walk-up permits, most spaces can be reserved in advance by faxing a request. Note that the reservation period started on April 15 and so it may now be difficult to get popular spots between June and August. We sent in ours before the deadline and are waiting to hear if we got our intinerary.
Glacier is famous for bear country - both black and the grizzly. While attacks are comparatively rare, the park website has a video on what to do about bears and there are very tight restrictions in the backcountry around storing food and eating in a special designated 'eating spot' away from the tent spots.
Aside from hiking and camping, a few of the other things that Glacier is famous for...
Historic Lodges - In or around the park are some of the most historic and famous lodges in the US park system. The lodges at McDonald Lake, East Glacier and Waterton Park (Canada) are particulary grand and well known.
Going to the Sun Road - The famous road that bi-sects the park and is considered one of the most scenic drives in the country.
Lake Tours - Many of the larger lakes have historic tour boats that take you out on scenic cruises.
Whatever your choice, have fun!
Anyone familiar with the wildlife in the Grand Canyon?
LoLo
I am planning to hike the Grand Canyon and I am not familiar with the wildlife there. I am used to backpacking/camping through the woods of the Midwest. The most harmfull thing in these woods would be a water moccasin or a coyote, which is not too bad. What anamils are in the Grand Canyon? What should I look out for? What animals are a threat? Also, any suggestions on how to animal proof camp would be helpfull also.
Answer
If you are backpacking in the canyon, than your biggest danger is going to be mice, squirrels and other rodents (and to a lesser degree ravens and other birds) getting into your gear and food.
At the most popular backcountry camping sites (Bright Angel, Indian Gardens, Cottonwood) they have a couple of metal ammo boxes at each campsite to store food in and poles to hang your packs from. You are required to use these and if you do, than you should not have any problems. Just make sure you put ALL of your food or other smelly items in the ammo boxes or hung from the poles.
At other more remote campsites, you will have to fend for yourself. At the backcountry office, they sell fine metal mesh bags to store food in - they are light weight and rodents can not chew through them. You can also hang your food, but tall trees are not that common in the canyon itself. Again, avoid having food or smelly items in your tent or pack as critters can chew their way through (the damage to the tent/pack usually being a bigger pain than the food loss).
Even with the above warnings, I would say that rodents in the canyon - while something to be careful of - are not as bad as many other places that I have backpacked. by following the above precautions, I have never had rodents get my food or get into my gear.
As far as animals that might attack you directly, you don't really have to be too concerned. The canyon does have a good population of mountain lions, but these are shy and rarely seen. In dozens of backpacking and hiking trips to the canyon, I have only briefly seen one and it was running away from me as fast as possible.
Likewise, there are black bears in the more remote forested regions of the North Rim, but here too they will generally try to stay away from you and they are rarely seen.
I do not believe there has been a single recorded incident of a serious bear or lion attack in the canyon in the last 50 years. If you happen to even see one, you should consider yourself lucky for the experience.
The Grand Canyon is also home to a unique form of pink rattlesnake and I have seen these occasionally (usually lower down in the canyon). But they too, tend to be shy. To be safe, it just good standard practice to not put your hands or feet any place that you can't see (rock ledges, etc).
Scorpions are one thing that you should be aware of in the inner canyons. Several species, including the extra potent bark scorpion, are quite common and easy to find if you look. Just avoid walking around in bare feet at the bottom and shake out your boots in the morning. Most scorpion stings are on par with a bee sting. The bark scorpion is generally not fatal unless you are a baby or very eldery - but you will not be a happy camper for a couple of days.
Aside from the above, they do occasionally have problems with deer, coyotes and mountain big horn sheep around the lodge areas on the rim that get too used to people and get into trash, etc. Such animals could potentially be dangerous if people try to get too close, but I have not heard of any actual injuries or attacks. A few years ago, they actually had a couple of wild turkeys down at Phantom Ranch that would follow people around and try to steal food - a little intimidating at times (those are big birds), but not life threatening (they have since been removed).
As far as animals in general, which are not a threat, but are really cool to see... ravens are quite common around the canyon and fun to watch (they are quite curious and playful), the condors are quite famous and a wonderful experience to see. Big horn sheep are also a joy to come across in the canyon and if you go to the bottom, you might be lucky enough to spot the eagles that nest near Phantom Ranch.
Overall, there is less of a threat from animals in the Grand Canyon than in many National Parks (like Yosemite or Glacier). Your biggest dangers (and the thing that causes the most deaths and problems) is heat exhaustion, dehydration and people pushing themselves too hard physically.
If you are backpacking in the canyon, than your biggest danger is going to be mice, squirrels and other rodents (and to a lesser degree ravens and other birds) getting into your gear and food.
At the most popular backcountry camping sites (Bright Angel, Indian Gardens, Cottonwood) they have a couple of metal ammo boxes at each campsite to store food in and poles to hang your packs from. You are required to use these and if you do, than you should not have any problems. Just make sure you put ALL of your food or other smelly items in the ammo boxes or hung from the poles.
At other more remote campsites, you will have to fend for yourself. At the backcountry office, they sell fine metal mesh bags to store food in - they are light weight and rodents can not chew through them. You can also hang your food, but tall trees are not that common in the canyon itself. Again, avoid having food or smelly items in your tent or pack as critters can chew their way through (the damage to the tent/pack usually being a bigger pain than the food loss).
Even with the above warnings, I would say that rodents in the canyon - while something to be careful of - are not as bad as many other places that I have backpacked. by following the above precautions, I have never had rodents get my food or get into my gear.
As far as animals that might attack you directly, you don't really have to be too concerned. The canyon does have a good population of mountain lions, but these are shy and rarely seen. In dozens of backpacking and hiking trips to the canyon, I have only briefly seen one and it was running away from me as fast as possible.
Likewise, there are black bears in the more remote forested regions of the North Rim, but here too they will generally try to stay away from you and they are rarely seen.
I do not believe there has been a single recorded incident of a serious bear or lion attack in the canyon in the last 50 years. If you happen to even see one, you should consider yourself lucky for the experience.
The Grand Canyon is also home to a unique form of pink rattlesnake and I have seen these occasionally (usually lower down in the canyon). But they too, tend to be shy. To be safe, it just good standard practice to not put your hands or feet any place that you can't see (rock ledges, etc).
Scorpions are one thing that you should be aware of in the inner canyons. Several species, including the extra potent bark scorpion, are quite common and easy to find if you look. Just avoid walking around in bare feet at the bottom and shake out your boots in the morning. Most scorpion stings are on par with a bee sting. The bark scorpion is generally not fatal unless you are a baby or very eldery - but you will not be a happy camper for a couple of days.
Aside from the above, they do occasionally have problems with deer, coyotes and mountain big horn sheep around the lodge areas on the rim that get too used to people and get into trash, etc. Such animals could potentially be dangerous if people try to get too close, but I have not heard of any actual injuries or attacks. A few years ago, they actually had a couple of wild turkeys down at Phantom Ranch that would follow people around and try to steal food - a little intimidating at times (those are big birds), but not life threatening (they have since been removed).
As far as animals in general, which are not a threat, but are really cool to see... ravens are quite common around the canyon and fun to watch (they are quite curious and playful), the condors are quite famous and a wonderful experience to see. Big horn sheep are also a joy to come across in the canyon and if you go to the bottom, you might be lucky enough to spot the eagles that nest near Phantom Ranch.
Overall, there is less of a threat from animals in the Grand Canyon than in many National Parks (like Yosemite or Glacier). Your biggest dangers (and the thing that causes the most deaths and problems) is heat exhaustion, dehydration and people pushing themselves too hard physically.
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