Day 1: 11.3 miles
The highlight: Canada’s border. The dawn fog falls. Elizabeth Lake.
Last night I slept surprisingly well and woke up more excited than a child on Christmas morning. Today is the day I start my walk! I spent the morning relaxing on social networks and taking breakfast on the Two Medicine grill on Whistling Swan Motel street. I bought Paracord to hang my Ursack food bag in the park and pack my bag for the last time.
Around 10 am, I made a trip to the glass shelter to leave a refueling pack for me and to see if someone needed a trip to the border. From there, he took about an hour to reach the path on Chief Mountain. I parked and walked towards the entrance of customs and towards the Obelisk that marked the border of Canada and the United States.
Starting my walk in Chief Mountain Border Crossing
After some photos … I took my first steps as a CDT hiker in the south direction with the hope of walking along a continuous path throughout the county and ending on the Mexican border in just a few months. The views were impressive today with snowy mountains, wild flower fields, impressive streams and waterfalls, and crossings. Due to the shortest mileage in the glacier with permits, I took several breaks for photos and to soak everything.
On today’s walk, I talked to a kind Ranger who asked me for my permission. I also had a few minutes of rain and I was able to try my new rain jacket, Montbell Versalite, and I really enjoyed the jacket in the windy rain. Towards the end of hiking, I dropped my trekking post while crossing a stream and jumped into the water to save it, which made me end the day with socks and wet shoes.
Elizabeth Lake in Glacier National Park
I arrived at the camp in Elizabeth Lake (Elh) around 5 pm and went to food preparation and the Bear Hang area. I had dinner, chicken and meatballs of the mountain house, then brushed my teeth and hung my food. He took a couple of attempts to get the rope on the bear cable that was installed in the camp and felt that I was out of practice for the mentality of night tasks in Bear County. After dinner, I configured my tent, the duplex light of Z-Packs, inflated my sleeping pad, charged electronic and enjoyed some campaign time writing and listening to music. I went to bed around 7:30 pm, the sun still shone, hoping to start the next morning to spend the next pass before too much snow.
Day 2: 13.2 miles
The highlight: Red Gap Pass. Poia Lake.
Last night I had trouble falling asleep with the birds singing and the sun still until 9:30 pm I listened to an audiobook in the bed before falling asleep. I woke up before 6 in the morning and thought it was too early to get up, so I lay down to rest. Then, the rain began and, as it was a short day, I lay in my store.
At 6:40 am, I was getting anxious and I put on the hiking clothes and the rain jacket and started my hiking day. The views back to follow from the Elizabeth Lake camp were beautiful even in the rain. From the crossing of the test I went on the lake through many curves to Red Gap Pass. The walk reminded me of some JMT sections that were above the tree line with alpine lakes and long mountain passes. The pass was very windy, but there was no snow at the top of the pass, which was a worry for this walk.
View from Red Gap Pass
After the pass, I returned to the line of trees and lunch with the mountains. It was a bit cold in the 60 and cloudy, so I put another layer and gloves to continue walking. Today I had my first fall sliding a wet herb and hitting my left knee in a rock. I slowed my knee and I had a small cut that I could use my first aid kit to treat and do help. I was not sore since I kept walking, but it was a reminder that you should pay attention here.
I came to camp around 2 pm in Poia Lake Campground (POI), I hung my food and perfumed items, then I prepared my store. The store was still wet for being packed in the rain, so I used my light load towel to dry it and configure my air mattress. It still rained all afternoon, so I divided my time chatting with other hikers and escaping from rain and mosquitoes when I was inside my store. I ate macaroni with dine cheese (2 microwave cups placed in a vacuum sealed bag), brushed my teeth and prepared for the bed.
Day 3: 7.5 miles
The highlights: many glacial hotels
Today is a shorter hiking day with the way my hiking permit worked. I enjoyed extra time sleeping and relaxing in my store and spent time in the community food area having breakfast and preparing hot tea, luxuries in which I rarely participate while through hiking. Around 8 am, I went to the walk from Lake Poia.
The sun shone this morning, although still windy as yesterday, and I started the day walking slowly and relaxed. The path passed the Swiftcurrent Ridge lake and through many glacier roads before a short walk to the many Glacier hotel. In the hotel I obtained indications for the temporary backpack camping located behind the hotel parking lot. The configuration had picnic tables, a toilet and a box of bears … everything the hiker needs. After configuring my store around noon, I walked to the hotel, which had everything a hiker wants, the exits to load electronics, wifi, bathrooms with running water, chairs with breaks to relax and hot hamburgers and beer. I spent almost 8 hours eating, sitting and hanging out in the hotel lobby. This was really a luxury. For dinner, I got an unexpected magic in the form of a barman that accidentally poured a second glass of wine and my server gave it to me. It was a wonderful pleasure in addition to the meat sliding controls and the pasta I enjoyed while I was at the hotel. At night I returned to the backpacking camp and headed to bed.
Walking to many glacial hotels
Favorite things this section
Favorite food: Avina of the Night of Clarbans Ausa Bates for oatmeal during the night.
Favorite Team: My liteof rhythm. It is a very fun pattern, and I love that all my essential articles that are close when I need them.
Application of the favorite phone: Merlin Bird Id. Being in a new part of the county, there are so many calls of new birds to learn. This application will record the song of the birds and tell you what birds are in the area making your calls.
Entertainment of favorite media: Somewhere beyond the sea by TJ Klune Audiobook.
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