Glacier NP: lots of mountains, not so many glaciers. we ski it anyways (4/27-28/2015)

[brutah]

Spent a few days last week with kevino touring around the eastern side of Glacier National Park.

First day, we went up to the Luna Lake Cirque. We started the day off right by skiing the Luna Lake Couloir, and then it was up a col on Red Crow Peak and onto its summit. Our second (well technically third) descent of the day had us skiing perfect glacier corn down the SE face of Red Crow peak. Then it was up its neighbor, Calfrobe Peak. Apparently Corn O’Clock was going on all day because despite dropping off the summit of Calfrobe at 3:30 pm, we were still treated to smooth buttery corn down its SE face. A short hike out had us enjoying beers on the side of HWY 2.

Of course our success on day one only meant that a glacier ass kicking was in store for day two….. we headed up to the many glacier area for our second day with our eyes on a low hanging peak with “easy” access. Right off the bat, we got on the wrong trail (we would later learn that the map was slightly incorrect and the trail we were looking for wasn’t quite where it said it was on the map and wasn’t actually a trail but a dirt road. No big deal we were only a quarter mile from the trail junction when we realized we’d missed our turn, but why would be back track when the lake shore looks pretty clear….. This was our fatal mistake and after bushwacking and a creek fjording we found ourselves at the base of the slide path we were going to ascend at 11 am. Concerns with us being too late had us bailing and looking for another option, we found it, a nice 2400’ vert line with a nice pitch. Not a bad skunk run and the views were excellent.

DAY ONE:

Luna Lake Couloir


Kevino ascending the Luna Lake Couloir with the north face of red crow peak in the background


Kevino with the first turns in luna lake couloir


Look back at it, look back at it



The col to the summit of Red Crow


Skiing down the SE face of Red Crow


Ascending Calfrobe Peak. I like this photo because it shows our first two descent of the day in the background and it also shows that I was ahead of kevino. For those that don’t know kevino, the dude is a beast and despite being sick the whole time, he still got after it and was on my tail, if not leading, both days.


Chillin on the summit of calfrobe, did I mention the views are superb in GNP?!


Kevino getting the most vertical out of his descent


Lewis&Clark Prickly Pear Pale Ale and Praxis skis, what’s not to love?


DAY TWO:

The Many Glacier area in GNP is prudy


“Get off my lawn you damn kids!!! I’m trying to get laid!”


Creek fjording; not as fun as it looks….


Consolation ski line (if you look closely you can see our tracks)


Gotta get up…..


…..to get down.


yyyuuuummmmmm smooth buttery corn, just like mom used to make….


The views, dood, the views


In the midst of an alder thrashing exit, but first let me take a selfie


Thanks for checking this out and thanks to kevino for the good times!

[Ted26]

cool lines, nice to see some recent photos from the area

[stuckathuntermtn]

That looks like a good time. Not a fan of the prickly pear. Try the Backcountry Scotch Ale. Om nom nom.

[Notchtop]

Great little TR. looked like a blast.

[Bromontana]

big lines, nice work

[skifishbum]

to the top w/
thanx 4 stoke

[Hugh Jaynus]

awesome

[hikesalot]

very, very nice

[El Kanone]

Sawheeetness

[406]

Nice, thanks for the tr!

[kevino]

BRUTAH...so hot right now. as usual, thanks for the fun trip.

[the_flying_v]

Oh yeah. Thanks for the stoke.

[detrusor]

Awesome! Used ski up there when I still lived on montucky. Standing next to the road with your skis and tourists looking up saying "somebody skied up there" never got old. The look when they noticed your skis...priceless.


Killing it with the 4-5 year old crowd!

[yeahman]

Sweet pics. Amazing the lack of snow this year. Looks like a fantastic trip though.

Stuck--Get a grip, Prickly Pear rules, Backcountry Scottish Ale is like drinking Aunt Jemima.

[brutah]

Sweet pics. Amazing the lack of snow this year. Looks like a fantastic trip though.

Stuck--Get a grip, Prickly Pear rules, Backcountry Scottish Ale is like drinking Aunt Jemima.

it seems like everywhere is at least a month or two behind in snowpack. rivers are already pretty low, the temps have been abnormally high for a consistent period, will be an interesting rest of the year for sure. but the skiing has been superb the last two months but probably won't last much longer

and yeah, i don't like scottish ales. I prefer hops over malt.