Backpacker – August 2019

JULY/AUGUST 2019

BACKPACKER.COM

slope and continue to Elizabeth Lake

at mile 17, where Bramante, a self-

described “bird nerd,” once did a loon

survey. He recommends overnight-

ing at the lake’s outlet to catch the

loons’ eerie calls and morning ref lec-

tions of the surrounding 9,000-foot

peaks. Next day, backtrack to the

junction below Redgap Pass and bear

south to walk through the 250-foot

Ptarmigan Tunnel, carved into pink

rock. Now in the main Many Glacier

area, you may encounter some hikers,

but the historic tunnel is worth the

company. At the road, walk 1.5 miles

ea st to your ca r.

POSTCARD VIEW

For the best sweat-to-scenery ratio

in the park, tackle the 12.5-mile out-

and-back to Cracker Lake. From

the historic Many Glacier Hotel,

follow a creek all the way to the gla-

cial cirque ( just 1,500 feet of gain),

19

passing summer f lora like purple sky

pilots, white dryas, pink wild roses,

and red-spotted saxifrages. If high

wind doesn’t turn you around, camp

beneath the 3,000-foot cliffs that

tower over the half-mile-wide tarn.

TRIP PLANNER

SEASON Mid -July to late September,

though high passes may not open until

mid-August depending on snowpack.

PERMIT Required for overnights ($ 4 0

application fee + $7/night per person);

reserve online. Walk-in permits avail-

able day of. CONTACT nps.gov/glac

PHOTOS BY (TOP RIGHT) BEN HERNDON / TANDEMSTOCK.COM; IAN SHIVE / TANDEMSTOCK.COMTEXT BY MORGAN MCFALL-JOHNSEN (IN THE CLUB)

Whether training to climb the Adirondack s’ 4 6 High

Peak s or just looking to get out more , any upstate New

Yorker can find his or her place in the Triple Cities

Hiking Club. The Binghamton-area group has been

around since the 194 0s , so its 30 0 members know a

thing or two about what makes a good club. First, they

have an elected board and assigned trip leaders to

keep things organized. Second, they always offer at

least three hikes of var ying difficulty and leng th ever y

weekend. Third, they give back by maintaining 32

miles of the Finger Lakes Trail. And fourth, they offer

biannual dinner meeting s for the curious. If that ’s you ,

visit triplecitieshikingclub.org to learn more.

Think your club deserves a shout out? Tell us why at

[email protected].

...IN WHICH WE HONOR

THE BEST HIKING CLUBS

(^5) IN THE COUNTRY.
IN THE CLUB