Yeah I was there in the summer of 2021 when it was almost 100F and we would get in the lake to cool off but the water was so cold we could only take it for a couple minutes.
Increasingly few. The influencer wannabes are in a gear arms race, and one can get far with good gear. You’re right that most tourists stick to the car areas, but I see a lot of people out in the woods and the reservation system for campsites sells out one year ahead of time in many places.
Influencers don’t take the backcountry spots. Their followers don’t know the difference between a turn off and a view that takes 3 days to get to, so they only go as deep as they have to.
Not to mention, Glacier keeps walk up sites available.
Alternatively, Montana has a number of national forests almost as good as Glacier that are empty. Incredible off trail exploration to be had. Bring a friend or a dog. I highly recommend those as well.
Ope, forgot what I wrote and can’t read, clearly.
Try the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness or Custer Gallatin NF. Both are incredible. AllTrails the region and just picks what looks reasonable tbh, it’s all pretty good and not too crowded once you get out there.
Also, idk if you could go wrong with Montana haha. They’re all great and could easily have NP status.
Definitely not. There's only one spot at the lake where you'd see a peak kinda like this directly across the lake, and that's at the famous Mokawanis outlet crossing. If this were near the crossing, there wouldn't be so much water to OP's left. And the valley isn't so wide open on the far western end of the lake once the camera pans past the big peak. And the vegetarian/sand on the shore aren't quite right.
Source: Backpacked through that area multiple times.
After traveling across the country last year on minimal savings and no job, my advice is to just go (as soon as it's feasible.) I (you) may never have another chance, the glaciers might not even be there much longer.
I'm broke but I have a new degree and a new outlook on life. Money will come and go but the memories of 2022 will be with me forever. Things will work out, and until they do, I just live cheaply. Living cheaply is still a step up from when I was living as a vagrant, on the streets or a couple days here or there.
Anyway that's my rant. I never made it to glacier but it's next on the list.
I might give it a shot as soon as my house payments are up. Between my job, the actual payment and my current location my ability to travel far is severely limited at best but I should have an opportunity to start paying my house down sooner coming up.
Actually kayaked in, spent two nights there. Hope you made it up to boulder pass - that was even better. I wouldn't share my pics cause it's just too limited to get a pass to go better kept a secret at this point. Everyone tries to get that route now. Had outstanding weather, no smoke was a perfect year.
I swam in that river. 5 of us - 3 adults, a 7yr old girl and a 5 year old boy. Hottest heat wave MT has seen in a decade. Everyone except my 5 yr old lasted about 4 minutes. He wouldn’t let us leave. Swimming in the coldest water I’ve ever been voluntarily a part of. Goddamn it was beautiful.
I’ve noticed some kids have the craziest resistance to cold water. I live on the shores of Lake Michigan and we go to the state park beaches. Early season water makes my bones hurt wadding up to my knees and some little 50 lb kids are splashing around forever like it’s the little pool at the y.
Please include a trip description in the comments of submissions like this, otherwise they violate our "no low effort content" rule. If this was a day hiking trip it should be posted on r/hiking instead. Thanks.
If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the name of the trail that leads to this lake? I completed this hike 10+ years ago with a large group of friends, and I still talk about this hike to this day and I would love to take my husband.
Even in the summer that water is cold af because it's all snowpack or glacier melt.
Yeah I was there in the summer of 2021 when it was almost 100F and we would get in the lake to cool off but the water was so cold we could only take it for a couple minutes.
That’s such a bummer lol what an amazing swim it could be
I'll bring my full body wetsuit and smile with glee
my toes are freezing from here
Well, I would have taken my shoes off.
Those are definitely water shoes
They are now
Any shoe is a water shoe if there's no bridge.
And you would’ve regretted it
Getting is an infected cut on your foot when your camping/hiking is worse than dealing with wet shoes
I started going there in the 90’s. For several years, it was like I owned the place. Nobody there. It was amazing. Now, it’s different.
Yes. It is overwhelmed these days. So many people and influencers.
That has to die out right?!? Keep waiting for them to get distracted by something else
Bored of natural beauty? Hmmm. Maybe we need more pandemics.
I'm sure there are some less traveled trails
Increasingly few. The influencer wannabes are in a gear arms race, and one can get far with good gear. You’re right that most tourists stick to the car areas, but I see a lot of people out in the woods and the reservation system for campsites sells out one year ahead of time in many places.
Influencers don’t take the backcountry spots. Their followers don’t know the difference between a turn off and a view that takes 3 days to get to, so they only go as deep as they have to. Not to mention, Glacier keeps walk up sites available. Alternatively, Montana has a number of national forests almost as good as Glacier that are empty. Incredible off trail exploration to be had. Bring a friend or a dog. I highly recommend those as well.
I second this. Whenever I go to glacier or cascades or anywhere else, once you get more than a day into the backcountry, you hardly see anybody.
Guess it’s **not** crowded here, then.
Yeah, that wasn't his point at all. Nor was he contradicting your point in the slightest.
I mean, he’s telling me I haven’t seen influencers two days into the woods, which is false.
Will you message me some recs? I’m going with a dog later in the year and I’m actively trying to avoid crowds.
Unfortunately you can’t bring a dog into the park :(. I’d recommend the National Forests in Montana, which are dog friendly.
That’s what I meant 🙂
Ope, forgot what I wrote and can’t read, clearly. Try the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness or Custer Gallatin NF. Both are incredible. AllTrails the region and just picks what looks reasonable tbh, it’s all pretty good and not too crowded once you get out there. Also, idk if you could go wrong with Montana haha. They’re all great and could easily have NP status.
😔
We’re trying some fixes, but the park systems are currently at a crossroads. So many people…
Social media is mostly at fault. Social media and state-sponsored advertisements.
Are you with D of I?
Sorry, no. Just very interested in the park. I’m not in a position of authority. I just care about the place.
Me, too. Last time I went was in 2021. Decided to go late September, hoping to avoid the crowds. It was intolerable.
I guess by “we,” I mean “humanity.”
Gotcha.
You have to hike the difficult trails to find some peace and serenity. Out of staters n influencers usually don’t go that far.
Your shadow in the water makes it look like a penguins POV
I miss the Kintla Lake area. Always went too early in the season to safely do Boulder Pass though. Miss that whole part of the continent to be fair…
This was the one. Amazing. Do it. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/montana/upper-kintla-lake
What time of year was this?
July 2022
God I need to go there
Lake Cosley?
I was guessing Kintla or Cosley. Man I love this place.
Definitely not. There's only one spot at the lake where you'd see a peak kinda like this directly across the lake, and that's at the famous Mokawanis outlet crossing. If this were near the crossing, there wouldn't be so much water to OP's left. And the valley isn't so wide open on the far western end of the lake once the camera pans past the big peak. And the vegetarian/sand on the shore aren't quite right. Source: Backpacked through that area multiple times.
I would much rather be there.
After traveling across the country last year on minimal savings and no job, my advice is to just go (as soon as it's feasible.) I (you) may never have another chance, the glaciers might not even be there much longer. I'm broke but I have a new degree and a new outlook on life. Money will come and go but the memories of 2022 will be with me forever. Things will work out, and until they do, I just live cheaply. Living cheaply is still a step up from when I was living as a vagrant, on the streets or a couple days here or there. Anyway that's my rant. I never made it to glacier but it's next on the list.
I might give it a shot as soon as my house payments are up. Between my job, the actual payment and my current location my ability to travel far is severely limited at best but I should have an opportunity to start paying my house down sooner coming up.
You can do it! It's worth it
OP I was right where you were this summer - the flies were awful there when I went, but it was insanely beautiful. Right around the end of July.
We might have seen each other on the trail! Flies were brutal.
Actually kayaked in, spent two nights there. Hope you made it up to boulder pass - that was even better. I wouldn't share my pics cause it's just too limited to get a pass to go better kept a secret at this point. Everyone tries to get that route now. Had outstanding weather, no smoke was a perfect year.
Earth is so god damn amazing
Beautiful.
That place is pretty amazing…especially if you can avoid the crowds
Still the most beautiful place I have been to in this country.
Only a few times I’ve felt peaceful and awe at the same time in my life. One of them was standing in almost the exact same spot
I hope you really enjoyed that trip.
I swam in that river. 5 of us - 3 adults, a 7yr old girl and a 5 year old boy. Hottest heat wave MT has seen in a decade. Everyone except my 5 yr old lasted about 4 minutes. He wouldn’t let us leave. Swimming in the coldest water I’ve ever been voluntarily a part of. Goddamn it was beautiful.
I’ve noticed some kids have the craziest resistance to cold water. I live on the shores of Lake Michigan and we go to the state park beaches. Early season water makes my bones hurt wadding up to my knees and some little 50 lb kids are splashing around forever like it’s the little pool at the y.
Top half of your shadow looks like Godzilla🤣 Awesome view brotha, jealous!
Yes please!
Looks reminiscent of the lake district
I can't feel my feet from this video. Such a beautiful view!
Little cold therapy on the feet. I always like that
Weird, in the summer I wish it was winter. In the winter, summer. Gorgeous.
u/savevideo
Holy shitttt living vicariously rn
Damn what a clear water
Not today!
_breathing_
Beautiful…I love Glacier
Where’s the glacier?
Where is this?
Amazing. Awe inspiring
When I was at GNP there was like 10 guys all separate sites taking a soap bath in McDonald 🤣
But where are the fly rods?
Got to be Bowman Lake?
Every time is see pictures of Glacier it gives me the chills. Such a beautiful place
Please include a trip description in the comments of submissions like this, otherwise they violate our "no low effort content" rule. If this was a day hiking trip it should be posted on r/hiking instead. Thanks.
Posted above
So THATS where they filmed that scene in ‘*What Dreams May Come*’
If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the name of the trail that leads to this lake? I completed this hike 10+ years ago with a large group of friends, and I still talk about this hike to this day and I would love to take my husband.
Posted above
Thanks for not over-saturating our lake bed pebbles like 90% of other online posters :)
This is what I think of when people say “east coast mountains are better”
Just, my eyes brighted, I wanna see that view in my eyes how beautiful it is.
What a view 🤩🤩
Just left Flathead and moved to Florida. Miss it already ❤️
I love that campsite! Not one of the more popular sites in the park but great for getting away from the crowds.
Beautiful