Glacier National Park 95 Mile Hike (Sep 2019) – Wateron Lakes CDT Finish
6 day, 95 Mile Hike in Glacier National Park – Glacier Highline Trail (Modified Route)
In 2018 I thru hiked the Continental Divide Trail, and the last section (NOBO) goes through Glacier National Park on the Glacier Highline Trail. It’s one of the best sections of trail on the entire CDT, and a fitting way to end a 3000 mile hike. However, it was the end of September when I reached East Glacier, and heavy snow in the high mountains forced me to bail down to the road and walk the highway to the border of Canada, finishing at the Port of Piegan. Yuk! I still completed the CDT, but not at the monument at Waterton Lakes. This was a bit crushing to end my 5.5 month hike in such a way. So, this year I came back out to Glacier to hike the Highline Trail again, and get the finish I missed last year at Wateron. This is my second chance at a true CDT finish. This is my redemption!
Check out my CDT finish video for the backstory:
Unfortunately we couldn’t get permits for the exact Glacier Highline Trail route. Instead, we started at Cut Bank (already did most of everything south of here anyways last year on the CDT up to Old Man Lake), hiked north to Many Glacier, then had to detour from the Highline Trail by going through the Ptarmigan Tunnel. From here we follow Cosley Lake to Stoney Indian Pass and into Waterton. Finally, some closure to such a long and grand journey!
