04 dez ptarmigan tunnel trail
Ptarmigan Tunnel provides an amazing and very unique hiking experience. Copyright © 2020 10Adventures Inc. All rights reserved. The Ptarmigan Trail that we were on continued northward and downward along the west side of Crowfeet Mountain’s northern ridge. Photo by Guide Hannah Callahan. There are about 15 spaces at the Iceberg-Ptarmigan Trailhead. The Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail is truly one of the best all weather hikes in Glacier National Park. The tunnel embodies exceptional qualities of landscape architecture and engineering artfully weaved into the natural splendor of Glacier National Park. just beautiful and unique. Just want to receive our blog posts, and not additional emails? Be sure to bring poles for stability and ask rangers if the trail is clear of snow before embarking on your journey. Purple Monkeyflowers, Indian Paintbrush, and Beargrass line the trail as you approach Ptarmigan Lake. Red argillite, interbedded with layers of quartzite, lines the interior and north walls. The hike to Ptarmigan Tunnel trailhead is behind the cabins near Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. Return the way you came, after an epic day hiking in this glorious scenery. Specials – Glacier National Park Adventures. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Huckleberries are plentiful here, and black bears are not uncommon, so be prepared. Expect to walk through a wide variety of ecosystems, transitioning from meadows to aspen groves to spruce forest, and eventually giving way to the subalpine. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from June until November. The Ptarmigan Trailhead is located adjacent to the Swiftcurrent Motor inn and is approximately 11 miles in length roundtrip. Thanks for chiming in! We stayed to the west of the park, which meant that we had to drive the whole length of Going to the Sun Road, leave the park for several miles into the Blackfeet Reservation, and re-enter in a different place.Allow at least two hours for this. Prior to entering a dense lodgepole pine forest after 1.5 miles, notice the small grassy area that is littered with dig marks from bear activity on the left side of the trail. The trail to the Ptarmigan Tunnel is 5.2 miles and climbs 2300 ft. Would you like to find more epic hikes in Glacier National Park? The trail is shared with the Iceberg Lake trail for the first half of its length (2.5 mi.). The beginning of the hike is the most crowded area because many hike toward Iceberg Lake or the Ptarmigan Tunnel as a day hike. West Glacier Tourism; West Glacier Hotels; West Glacier Bed and Breakfast; West Glacier Packages; Flights to West Glacier; West Glacier Restaurants; West Glacier Attractions From there, follow the road around to the Iceberg Lake/Ptarmigan Tunnel trailhead. The Ptarmigan Trail shares a trailhead as well as its first 2.7 miles with the Iceberg Lake Trail (both can be paired for a longer day). I like this area a lot. Trailhead: Iceberg-Ptarmigan Trailhead in Many Glacier Valley (behind Swiftcurrent Motor Inn). Park your car in the designated lot and you'll find the nearby trailhead, which veers right just beyond the Iceberg Lake trailhead. The Ptarmigan Tunnel was built in 1930 through the Ptarmigan Wall at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,200 m) in Glacier National Park, near Many Glacier, in Montana, US.The 250-foot (76 m) manmade tunnel allows hikers to avoid a strenuous climb over very steep terrain between Many Glacier and the Belly River valley. In fact, one end of the trail will seem like an entirely different world to you in contrast to the the other end of the trail. Fill water bottles in the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. Eventually you'll reach the Ptarmigan Trail junction, where you should turn left. On clear days you can see the fire lookout on top of Swiftcurrent Peak. That trail to the southeast would eventually take us back to Many Glacier. Snow drift blasting and treading is usually completed by Trail Crew by the end of July. Spend a weekend in Many Glacier and explore all the wonderful valleys. The trail has two major elevation gains, each over a short distance. Ptarmigan Tunnel – 10.5mi / 16.9km. They weren’t covering much ground but they were four miles in the backcountry. The Ptarmigan Trail that we were on continued northward and downward along the west side of Crowfeet Mountain’s northern ridge. There were many huckleberry plants along the trail. Hiking Time (estimate): Allow 4-4½ hours to reach the tunnel, 1 hour for lunch, and 3-3½ hours to return. Ptarmigan Tunnel owes its majesty to the unyielding combination of man and dynamite. The diorite sill intrusion, a 100 foot thick dark band of igneous rock, formed 750 million years ago when molten rock oozed up from the earth’s mantle and spread across a weak layer of Siyeh Limestone. Review of Ptarmigan Tunnel. This section is very exposed, bring your sun hut! Filter water at Ptarmigan Falls. Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail Hike. The tunnel itself passes straight through the Ptarmigan Wall, at an elevation of 2200m. It's a whole new world over here! Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail Hike. After passing the trail sign, turn right to access the short, yet steep, connector trail. The Ptarmigan Tunnel trail passed by several small water features prior to us arriving at Ptarmigan Lake. Park your car in the designated lot and you'll find the nearby trailhead, which veers right just beyond the Iceberg Lake trailhead. It is wise to check with a ranger on the. After Ptarmigan Falls the trail gets steeper and continues 1.6 miles to Ptarmigan Lake. Here the trail … in Montana. Grizzly bears frequent this area, particularly the portion right after you get off the connector trail onto the Ptarmigan Tunnel trail. Amazing views. This 20-mile overnight trip starts from the Many Glacier area and leads through a beautiful part of Glacier National Park up to the Canadian border. The elevation gain is about 2,300' and as you approach the lake the vistas become more and more amazing. Walk a third of a mile further for stunning views of the 10,003 ft. Mount Merritt and its Old Sun Glacier. I had a sudden realization that this place was magic! Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail Hike. The hike to Ptarmigan Tunnel in Glacier National Park begins behind the cabins near the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. There's enough parking for roughly 10-15 cars in the lot next to the trailhead. There is one pit toilet about halfway to the tunnel (at 2.3 miles, just before Ptarmigan Falls). Ptarmigan Trail - Glacier National Park , stained glass mosaic (framed), 30" x 30", 2014 ~SOLD On this scenic 15 miler there were too many awe inspiring views to count and not possible to choose a favorite as … One of the many trail hikes in the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park. Sign Up For Our Glacier Park Newsletter! The Ptarmigan Tunnel Trail starts near the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. The Ptarmigan Trailhead is located adjacent to the Swiftcurrent Motor inn and is approximately 11 miles in length roundtrip. The elevation gain is about 2,300' and as you approach the lake the vistas become more and more amazing. Snack break miles in length roundtrip rocky area that is a great for filtering ptarmigan tunnel trail a... Hikes in the Many Glacier open slopes with tremendous view of the trees you. 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