I started going to Glacier on a regular basis in 1981. Over the years I have logged a lot of miles on the trails and have climbed a number of the peaks. The bulk of my time in the park was during the 1980's and 90's with my last trip in 2019. The familiar face that shows up in many photos was my best friend, Chuck Bauer, who passed away in 1986. The biggest changes in the park over the years are the loss of the glaciers, the incredible increase in visitation and the limitation of vehicle length on the GTSH. There was a time you would see 30 foot motorhomes on the pass, they took up a lot of room on the road. In the 1980's you could drive up to the pass and get a parking spot at any time of the day; finding a camping spot in the park was a breeze; and you could walk into Apgar's Visitor Center and get a multi-day backpacking trip lined out with little fuss. That is definitely not the case in today's environment. The free shuttle system works really well, but you still need some patience at times. I have hiked in excess of 250 miles of the stated 700 miles of trails in the park; and have been as far north as Boulder Pass and Park Creek on the southern end. Although the Going to the Sun Highway is a pain to navigate, the backcountry still holds up almost 50 years later. If I had to make choice of multi-day trips, I would say Boulder Pass and/or Hole in the Wall would be my top pick. 2nd would be Fifty Mtn Camp via Stoney Indian and Swiftcurrent Passes (North Circle Loop), and 3rd would be Nyack/Coal Creek or some portion of it. For long day hikes I would say the following are all worthwhile: Highline Trail (Logan Pass to The Loop), even though there are hundreds of people; Triple Divide Pass out of the Cut Bank CG, with stunning views from the pass; Pitamakan / Dawson Pass Loop in Two Medicine; Siyeh Bend to Sunrift Gorge via Siyeh Pass; Siyeh Bend to Many Glacier via Piegan Pass; and finally hike from Gunsight Lake Trailhead (east side) to Lake McDonald Lodge (west side), about an 18 mile trip. Reynolds Mountain has been my most visited summit with Mount Siyeh a close second. Grizzly sightings are hit & miss, but always exciting to see. The park is still a great destination, you just have to limit some expectations, get into the backcountry and plan things out to ensure a fabulous experience.
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