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The main aim for today was to rest after a long 6 day stint and organise backcountry permits for Glacier National Park. Like Yellowstone NP, Glacier requires hikers to have a set itinerary that permit camping in designated sites on set days. I had an itinerary in mind but it depended on what was available. I was keen for a short day at either end of the park and around 20-25 mile days in between. All in all, I was looking to hike for five days through the park into Canada.
Unfortunately its not a matter of booking online for CDT hikers as most sites get booked out months in advance by weekend warriors. CDT hikers have to visit a ranger station in person to receive a physical hard copy printout of a permit and watch a mandatory 15 minute video about safety in the backcountry. Seriously? I just hiked all the way from Mexico without incident. Pretty sure I understand backcountry safety by now.
The closest ranger station was at Two Medicine and required a hitch in from East Glacier and back. After a hot omelette breakfast in town I headed back up the road to thumb it out to Two Medicine. The hostel I was staying at had a bunch of pre-made hitching signs which was great and I was told it would be a relatively easy hitch but it did take some time despite heavy traffic headed towards the park, all tourists and they generally have no interest in picking up hitchhikers. I try and look all the drivers in the eye. Most will wave or acknowledge you. I love the bunch that just continue to stare straight ahead pretending not to even see you. Hilarious.
After 40 minutes a car heading out from a hotel across the street pulled over for me. Two women from LA who had flown to hike Glacier NP from Two Medicine for a few nights after an overseas trip they had planned fell through were kind enough to pick me up. Conversation flowed easily during the short 10 mile drive out. They delivered me right to the front door of the ranger station.
I obtained permits through to Canada but didn’t quite get the itinerary I was after. I would have a 10 mile half day from East Glacier to Two Medicine, another short day of 14 miles to Atlantic, a 25 mile day to Reynolds, another half 15 mile day to Many Glacier, a long 27 mile day to Kootenai Lake and then cruise to the Canadian border. Six days in total. Well, really five and a half days. That is fine with me. I still have a week free up my sleeve before flying home. Besides the additional food carried, a few shorter days will be great.
Getting back out from Two Medicine was just as hard a hitch. Again, all tourists. My hitch came about as a work truck came around the corner and I saw that its side locker door had come loose and was flapping about. I flagged the driver indicating as such and he stopped to close it. After securing the door he asked where I was headed. He was headed straight through East Glacier and offered me a ride. I’m pretty sure if I hadn’t alerted him to the open locker door he would have kept going.
Back in East Glacier I organised my final resupply for the trail, ate up big from the bakery and rested through the afternoon.
Mick Beckers 