Ted's Hiking World Ptarmigan Tunnel
Glacier National Park, Montana

August 10, 2012 - Day #11

The day begins with sunrise over Mount Grinnell and Swiftcurrent Lake.

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The walk begins from the designated parking area at the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, down to a smaller, unadvertised parking lot adjoining the trailhead.

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Where we're not headed
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Where we are headed

This is what I had anticipated — a stroll in the sun.

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Then we unexpectedly enter a pleasant forested area.

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The standard Glacier Park lushness is everywhere

Three easy miles of walking get us to a trail junction just past Ptarmigan Falls, which are difficult to see and are not of particular interest.  Now the choices are two miles to the left over to Iceberg Lake, or two miles to the right up to Ptarmigan Tunnel.

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A verdant spot
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Some non-hikers pass by

David glances at the signpost, then at me; yet my decision was made a long time ago.  Pointing toward Ptarmigan Tunnel, I plead that this is the only chance I will have, which might be true.

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Heading for the tunnel

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Great Purple Monkeyflower
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Giant Red Indian Paintbrush

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Here is some good water on Ptarmigan Creek, should I need it later

After about a mile, our near-term fate finally is revealed.  The destination is at the top of that long, hot switchback up the scree slope.  A portion of the tunnel entrance actually is visible if one knows where to look.

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Ptarmigan Lake

The lake is even prettier from the other side, and its shape does resemble that of a bird in flight.

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Mount Gould, 9957', and Mount Grinnell, 8852'

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We can do this; just keep putting one foot in front of the other

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Almost there

Success!  Without delay, we enter the dark passageway.  I count seventy-one long steps, indicating that the tunnel is about two hundred thirty feet in length.

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Ptarmigan Tunnel – constructed primarily to accommodate horse travel

Oh, my!  It's a whole new world over here!  What an amazing and unique thing is this passageway through solid rock, connecting the Many Glacier Valley with Belly River country.  It's like a wormhole to another galaxy.

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The long trail across the red scree leads to Elizabeth Lake

There is so much color on this side of the Ptarmigan Wall.  I must amble down the path a bit to see what else might be found.

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A trail has been blasted down the shady north wall

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A five-minute scamper down this chute brings a whole new mountain scene into view.

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Old Sun Glacier hangs onto Mount Merritt, 10003'

One cannot take too many photographs around here:

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This is why I go hiking

Prior to 1930, access to the Belly River Basin was available via a number of other mountain passes; but all were more difficult and less scenic than this one.  Tunnel excavation lasted three months, and the rock blasted out was used to frame the tunnel doors and build retaining walls along the trail.  Steel doors were added in 1975 to close off the passage in the winter season.  This structure and the associated parapet wall are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

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Just below the tunnel

Even without my prescription glasses, I can see some waterfalls streaming from Old Sun Glacier.

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A closer look is in order:

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Sublime

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Back near the tunnel entrance, a panhandling chipmunk plies its trade.

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"See my pretty rock?  Feed me!"

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Heading back through the tunnel

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Craig and Sandy from Florida

The trail isn't limited to humans:

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Now she's riding...
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...now she's walking

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Is "panhandling chipmunk" redundant?

Going downhill should be a lot faster than coming up.  That is a good thing, because it is starting to become pretty warm out.

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David puts his trekking poles to work
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Swimming in Ptarmigan Lake

Back at Ptarmigan Falls we give our feet a well-earned rest.  Across the creek, in the pink shirt, is the woman we saw over at Grinnell Glacier yesterday with her left arm in a sling (recent surgeries).  Here she has temporarily removed her bandage, claiming that it "feels good to take it off".

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Creek textures
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Bear Grass

Now comes the tough decision.  Heading straight back to the trailhead would make this a 10½-mile day, or we could add another 4-plus miles and take in a visit to the highly scenic Iceberg Lake.  In light of the fact that David's legs are badly out of shape and I still am nursing some sore ribs and a big gash on my left shin, both of us seem content to call it a day.  I cannot help wondering when I might be able to return, though.

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A last look back

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The trailhead is right down there
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It's not far now


§: To my knowledge, there is nothing else in the world like the Ptarmigan Tunnel.  Emerging from the northern entrance for the first time is guaranteed to set your brain spinning.

Under no circumstances should you decline to walk down the north-side trail for at least a couple hundred yards.  If you don't go there, the best stuff will be missed.

Note: It is possible to visit both the tunnel and Iceberg Lake, and save a good mile of walking in the process, by shortcutting across the thin "Y" pattern formed by the two trails.  It would be a good plan to have a GPS programmed with coordinates for a suitable cutoff route mapped from Google Earth.  And have your bear spray handy as well.

Scenery *
Difficulty *
Personality *
Solitude *

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