462. Ptarmigan Tunnel (08/27/05)
Hikers (10): Carissa, Chester, Eugene, George, Janice, Paul, Peter, Ross, Sue, Terry
Distance: 11 miles
Rating: 4 difficulty, 10 beauty
Park info: Glacier National Park in Montana
Peter owes a writeup! -- Pictures by George and Sue
George in front of Heaven's Peak on the road to the Many Glacier area
The Many Glacier Lodge (Taylor was smart enough to stay here while the rest of us rassled with the bears)
We saw a grizzly and two cubs soon after passing this spot
Backside of the famous Garden Wall
Taking a break at Ptarmigan Falls
The giant switchbacks that lead up to the tunnel
Heading up the switchbacks
View from the other side of the tunnel, looking north towards Canada
Beautiful view of a glacier from the top
There was a sheer drop on one side (check out the red rocks)
Can you see the moose?
Beautiful Iceberg Lake
The best part of a long hard hike is the dinner afterwards
Note -- the hike is officially listed as 11 miles, but:
- Sue and Terry took the fork to Iceberg Lake (10 miles roundtrip, 1200 feet elevation)
- Paul, Peter, and Ross went to both the tunnel and the lake (4 additional miles)
- Eugene, George, Janice, Paul, Peter, and Ross walked an additional mile from the lodge to the trailhead
- Carissa, Chester, and George walked an additional mile from the trailhead to the lodge to pick up the van
For more great shots, check out
George and
Sue's albums.
Pages maintained by Steve Walstra,
Peter Saviz, and
Russell Gee.
©2025 Intrepid Northern California Hikers