August 26 2011 Glacier Highline trail and Granite Chalet

We hiked the Highline trail. It starts at the top of Logan Pass on the Going to the Sun road and ends at the Loop, 2200 feet lower (with a rise of 800 feet in the middle)and 12 miles later. We took the car to the Loop, then took the shuttle bus back to the pass, which took  2 hours and half since there was construction on the pass. Thru the construction in the car and back thru it on the bus.  We left camp at 8 am, started hiking at 1030.

The highline trail. The first part is called the garden wall. It is a cliff. Notice the garden hose handrail in the first shot and the Going to the Sun road below.

John in the wildflowers, Looking down at the road below


, Suep and John on the trail, the pass, which was 800 feet above where we started.

Wild flowers seen on the hike

waterfall near the second pass, bear sign-lots of bears are sited on this trail

the view to the valley below with a rain storm, Columbian ground squirrel

another view down, more rain

the first view of Granite peak Chalet. You can only get to the Chalet on foot or horseback.

there were carpets of wildflowers. the last photo has the chalet near the top of the photo

a begging chipmunk, Granite peak Chalet

back of the chalet, a deer


the way down, 4 miles, 2200 vertical drop was thru a burn area. It was thick berry bushes-prime bear habitat and very hot. The views were beautiful of the valley below. We were exhausted by then and the hike down was in the hot unrelenting sun in the burn area. At the bottom of the hill is this stream, we promptly dove in. Very refreshing.

Ah Yes