Expedition Planner: Glacier National Park, MT
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Trailheads
The Mokowanis Lake hike begins at the Belly River trailhead, just south of the Chief Mountain Custom office on the Chief Mountain International Highway. The Jefferson Pass route begins at Goat Haunt, with tour boat access from Waterton Park, Alberta. The Cut Bank Pass/Marthas Basin trip starts at Two Medicine Lake, 10 miles northwest of East Glacier Park. Check boat schedules at (403) 859-2362 and current border procedures on the park service Web site (below).
Permits
Reservations are available for half of the campsites in Glacier’s designated backcountry (Mokowanis Lake, Beaver Woman Lake, and others) beginning April 15. Both the Jefferson Pass route and the Cut Bank itinerary require an “undesignated permit” (no advance reservations).
Special conditions
Snow often lingers into July; use caution on steep slopes. Pack warmly for midsummer cold fronts and develop good bear-country habits (limit odors, be aware of wind direction, hang food). The Jefferson Pass route requires crampons and ice axe.
Guides
Hiking Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks, by Erik Molvar ($15). A Climber’s Guide to Glacier National Park, by J. Gordon Edwards ($13). USGS map Glacier National Park ($10) available from Glacier Natural History Association, (406) 888-5756; www.glacierassociation.org.
Contact
Backcountry office, Glacier National Park, 406-888-7800; www.nps.gov/glac.