Summer 09 Siyeh Pass Ranger lead hike Day 3

Summer 09 Siyeh Pass Ranger lead hike Day 3


Ohhh today you are going to need your camera, hiking poles, lunch, lots of water, warm clothes and hot weather clothes.

Today we drive up to where our hike will end at Barring Point. The whole river squeezes down through two solid rock formations that are about five feet wide. I did not have to read the car book today. I must have shown adequate coping skills for being a passenger on “the Road”. We sat at the bus stop for about 12 minutes before the shuttle arrived. This is a free shuttle that runs all day long back and forth between the park entrance and Logans Pass. ( A different shuttle runs all day from Logans Pass to the other side called Lake McDonald.) We took the shuttle up to Siyeh Bend to wait for the Ranger, and anyone else who would be joining us on this hike. The shuttle has big ole windows. This allowed Kathi to do a whole bunch of looking without breaking any rules.


Today we will gain 2240 in elevation and loose 3440 feet in elevation. We will go over two passes today. It will be a day of climbing and descending. Ranger Adrian comes walking up. She is a summer Ranger who had been rangering down in the National Parks down in civil war’ish National Parks. Ok, now I should remember which park, but I forgot… This was going to be her first Ranger lead hike, so that made us her pilot test group. She had in her pack little booklets that we would be able to write our thoughts and feelings in as we headed up and over the pass. Kathi and I started our hike with two others making a group of five. It was not long before two of the groups members were turning their thought books, as they wanted to hike faster than Adrian. Adrian was trying to tell us all those fancy little diddies that she had memorized. Only she forgot to pace herself. Kathi and I informed Adrain that we could hike faster… We picked up the pace some, Adrian identified bear grass, blanket flowers, columbine, forget me knots, and pfacelia. Ok. I think we knew those…every time we found a flower that she did not know, she offered to stop and look it up for us…no, no. Let’s not stop.

As we were learning about the two ways that trees rot, a guy came hurrying up the trail. His name was Todd. He had driven down from Waterton and was a bit late for the ranger lead hike that started at 9 am. So he fast hiked up the trail until he found us. We were not any more than two and half miles up the trail. Because Adrian forgot the part about go the speed of your group. I think she missed the parts that if the group can go faster…then so can you! We stopped at a stream water fall cascade had a snack and had some time to write in our reflection book. Headed up and onward to the switchbacks. We took this slow and at a pace that neither Kathi nor I went above 80% on our heart rate monitor. I’m sure both Todd and Adrian could have gone faster, but we still just plodded along. Finally made it up and over the final switch back and rounded the last corner to a wonderful view down through the Boulder Creek Valley. This part of the park does not have any trails through it. So I guess that this is where all of the bear, grizzly, elk, and moose hang out on their off days. We sat up on top of the pass with our backs against a rock wall and looked out down the valley. The trail is as wide as a sidewalk, but the edge of the sidewalk is a 4000 ft drop. The drop off makes the ledge seems like 2 feet wide. What a gorgeous lunch spot! But let’s face it; my butt was firmly planted against the rock at my back! As we sat here we needed to make another entry into our books. This time we were to think up phases, words to describe our journey so far. After we finished we packed up and headed around the corner. The wind was blowing and the temperature was much colder! Stopped to take a few pictures and then put on more clothes. At this point it looked like we might be putting on rain gear as dark clouds were blowing over. It did sprinkle a bit, but never open up. We met two ladies up there who had spotted grizzly tracks across a snow field. We walked over to the snow field to have a look…Sure enough bear tracks…Yo, Bear!!! 15 x3=45 x2=90… I guess I never thought that bear would be going over Siyeh pass, but I guess they have to get to the Boulder creek valley somehow…

As we went down the other side of the pass, it was striking! We had the opportunity to take a close up look at sexton glacier. The toe of the glacier overhangs the valley below and water is rushing, falling, and crashing down the valley. We stood and watched the glacier for a few moments before descending down over a very mysterious trail over the large escarpment. I’m not sure who figured out how to get a trail in the block of rock, but it should receive and award. You never felt like you were going over some drop off just sort of wondering back and forth stepping over a few rocks and small streams. Next thing you know we are looking back up and over towards the Mt. where we came from. Amazing. Coming down the valley we walk next to the rushing water from the sexton glacier and watch it as it get jumbled around. We talk about how glaciers are the area water towers. As the towers melt the water rolls down the valley and into the lakes, then into the prairie, water ways and out into the fields. This is the water that feeds and grows the westerns states… Well, now there is something to think about. Should we get out our refection books…. Hmm not lets keep moving.

We end our hike down by Barring Point. This is where all of the glacier melt is rushing and squeezing between the two rock faces which are about 5 feet apart. Blue glacier water rushing through is a wondrous sight. And if you are doing Glacier by car, you can actually drive up, park you car some 100 steps away and see this. But you will have to hike the 10 miles to get the whole picture.

I really must say that this was a stunning hike, with not to bad of exposure. But ohh , the views were exceptional. This will be in my must do again folder!

My reflection for Adrian is; she needs to learn how to be a story teller, not a fact teller. With the subject material that she has to work with she could create a real show… Well she has all summer to work on it and jazz it up a bit.

Today’s journey was only 10.3 miles, 28,091 steps 6 hours and 29 minutes. Only 1566 calories, but I am going to have dessert anyway… don’t tell 