venturing4th: Grinnell Glacier Trail

When we first arrived in Glacier National Park Frederick found a fold-out Day Hikes map guide by Jake Bramante, "the first person to hike all of Glacier's trails in one summer." We have been using Jake's guide for all our hikes - there's a map with numbered hikes on one side, and a brief description of the hikes on the other side. Jake also provides his own, "Jake's Order of Hikes" ranking, which we have also considered as we plan what hike to do. Today we did Jake's #2 hike - Grinnell Glacier. (Last week we did #1 - the Highline Trail.)

The first two level miles were spent along the Swiftcurrent Lake, with the Many Glaciers Hotel at one end (I didn't get a good picture of the hotel across the lake until the return; check out the last couple of pictures), and...

then along Lake Josephine's north shore.

Halfway up Lake Josephine, the trail takes off, up the side of Mount Grinnell, at a steady climb through subalpine firs emerging in alpine meadows. Vistas around every corner just got better and better. Here is our first look at Grinnell Lake with...

a waterfall at its head.

This peak, in the foreground, is called Angel Wing.

A look back at Lake Josephine.

Grinnell Lake, its incredible emerald color is caused by the sun reflecting off suspended "glacial flour".

In one of the meadows we came upon a small herd of big-horned sheep above us.

A better look of the waterfall at the head of Grinnell Lake.

Approaching the final stretch just before the ascent to Grinnell Glacier and the peaks crowding upper Cataract Creek above the waterfall.

The trail makes its way around steep cliffs toward Cataract Mountain and the glaciers. The jagged peaks at the upper right are the east side of the Garden Wall which we hiked on the west side last week.

Cataract Mountain looms above Salamander Glacier which was connected with Grinnell Glacier until recent times.

Our lunch spot sitting on a terminal moraine left by the retreating Grinnell Glacier.

From our lunch spot looking directly across Upper Grinnell Lake at the Garden Wall and Salamander Glacier.

The mountain to the north, right, had some beautiful coloring.

See the tiny people at the top of this cliff? They are at the Grinnell Glacier Overlook, the end of the spur trail off the Highline Trail. We hiked up to this overlook last Friday when we hiked the Highline Trail. The tiny glacier just below the overlook is Gem Icefield, formerly classified as a glacier but now one of the dozen named glaciers that have fallen victim to climate change.

Grinnell Glacier

Heading back down the valley that's Grinnell Lake in the foreground and Lake Josephine just above it.

Hiking back past the waterfall and Cataract Creek.

Looking back at the glaciers and the waterfall.

More waterfall with fall colors.

This may be the same group of big-horned sheep that had moved below the trail. I was able to get a picture of them using the telephoto lens.

Some fall color enhancing Grinnell Lake and...

the hillside looking back at the waterfall.

A pass across the valley that may be Piegan Pass, a trail we hope to take that begins just below Logan Pass on the other side of the Continental Divide.