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Berries We Ate On A Day Hike In Glacier National Park: Blueberries Service Berries Rose Hips Blackberries High Bush Cranberries Strawberries Raspberries Thimbleberries Currants |
My wife and I hiked the trail to Grinnell Glacier the last time we were in the Glacier National Park, and we recommend it to anyone who loves mountain hiking. We stopped to watch the colors change from deep green to blue in the lakes far below us, and Bighorn Sheep stopped to watch us. The trail was well maintained, and relatively busy. You really have to go deep into the interior of the park to find solitude, but you won't regret hiking any of the trails in this park.
The Glacier itself is still there, but go soon if you want to see it. All of the glaciers in the park are getting smaller, and may be gone within 20 years. You can walk out onto Grinnell glacier, and you'll probably have company when you do. It is a hike of only a couple hours to get to it, and it is well visited.
One of the things I love about Glacier National Park is the abundance of wild berries. We ate them continually on our hike to and from the glacier. It was late summer, probably the best time to be hiking in the park, both because of the berries being ripe, and due to the weather (the trails are finally clear of snow). You can buy books on the plants in the park, or on edible wild plants in general, in the visitors centers. We were already familiar with the berries of Montana, and ate at least nine types while hiking.
Hiking With Grizzly Bears
Don’t Surprise Bears! Glacier National Park has grizzly bears, which are far more dangerous than black bears. They'll generally move out of the way if they hear you coming, so make noise. We saw a lot of people hiking with bear bells, but the park people say they usually are not loud enough. Calling out or clapping hands loudly at regular intervals may work, and you may want to have a good loud conversation.
Again, don't surprise bears! People have been charged and injured by bears fleeing from silent hikers who unwittingly surprised bears along the trail. Even if other hikers haven't recently seen bears along a trail section recently, don’t assume there are no bears present. You can’t predict when and where bears might be encountered along a trail.
Hiking in groups is safer, as is hiking in the middle of the day. Ask the park staff about the trails you'll be hiking, and they can tell you about any recent grizzly activity, and what you should watch for. Probably the berry patches we were hiking through on our way to Grinnell Glacier were some of the worst places to be, but then they were along the trail, and thus unavoidable.
There are a couple bear attacks every year in Glacier National Park, but there are over a million hikers each year, so attacks are relatively rare. So what should you do if you run into a grizzly? Here are some suggestions straight from the park web site:
Talk quietly or not at all; the time to make loud noise is before you encounter a bear. Try to detour around the bear if possible.
Do not run! Back away slowly, but stop if it seems to agitate the bear.
Assume a non-threatening posture. Turn sideways, or bend at the knees to appear smaller.
Use peripheral vision. Bears appear to interpret direct eye contact as threatening.
Drop something (not food) to distract the bear. Keep your pack on for protection in case of an attack.
If a bear attacks and you have pepper spray, use it!
If the bear makes contact, protect your chest and abdomen by falling to the ground on your stomach, or assuming a fetal position to reduce the severity of an attack. Cover the back of your neck with your hands. Do not move until you are certain the bear has left.
In rare cases bears may attack at night or after stalking
people.
This kind of attack is very rare but can be very serious because
it often means the bear is looking for food and preying on you.
If you are attacked at night or if you feel you have been stalked and attacked as prey, try to escape. If you can not escape, or if the bear follows, use pepper spray, or shout and try to intimidate the bear with a branch or rock. Do whatever it takes to let the bear know you are not easy prey.
Weather In Glacier National Park
Hiking in Glacier requires preparation, because the weather changes quickly and often. The valleys can be over 90 degrees Fahrenheit in summer, while in the areas above tree line, it is frequently up to 20 degrees cooler. The east side of the park gets strong winds at times. Overnight lows throughout the park can be below freezing, and snow can fall anytime. Back in August of 1992, twelve inches of snow fell on the northeastern corner of Glacier.
So even if you start out hiking in a T-shirt and shorts you might need a parka by evening. Bottom line: you need to prepare for a variety of weather conditions and pack accordingly. Dress in layers, and be sure to bring rainwear. Glacier averages up to three inches of rain per month in summer. You can find weather information on the Park Web Site.
Backcountry Hiking And Camping
Plan ahead if you are going into the backcountry hiking and camping. You'll need permits, and they are limited. For more information on all activities in the park, visit the official Glacier National Park Web Site.
You may also want to visit the page on Montana Hiking.
Another Site Worth Exploring:
The Glacier National Park Travel Guide - Follow a seasonal worker's advice and adventure Glacier National Park, Montana like a local, not a tourist. Great photos too.