Author: Jake Bramante

  • Climbing Mount Helen 2023

    Climbing Mount Helen 2023

    While not the most notable summit in Glacier National Park, Mount Helen sits just above Dawson Pass in the Two Medicine area and is a wonderful addition to your day, that is, if you have any gas left in your tank after climbing to the pass. On paper, our plan was to take the boat…

  • What’s in our Day Hiking Backpacks (2023 Edition)

    What’s in our Day Hiking Backpacks (2023 Edition)

    When I first got interested in hiking and backpacking after moving back to Montana, I opened up Backpacker Magazine and started creating a list of items I needed to purchase to explore the great outdoors. Unfortunately, I ended up with boots that gave me blisters and hurt my feet, a tent that was too heavy,…

  • Lake McDonald Trail 2023

    Lake McDonald Trail 2023

    The lower trails of Glacier National Park are drying out quickly with this recent stint of warmer weather. Since many of the roads are closed, the list of hikes without snow is pretty small. We settled on the Lake McDonald Trail on its western shore, hiked a bit, had lunch and turned around on a…

  • Apgar Lookout – Spring 2023

    Apgar Lookout – Spring 2023

    The forecast called for a sunny, bluebird day in the high 40s, so we packed up and decided to see how far up the Apgar Lookout Trail in Glacier National Park that we could get. Imagine our delight when we realized that there was a decent boot pack all the way to the summit and…

  • Fish Creek Picnic Ski

    Fish Creek Picnic Ski

    When Glacier is all locked in snow, a great place for a spring picnic on a sunny day is Fish Creek Picnic Area. You can snowshoe in, but we skied and enjoyed the beautiful views under a blue sky all while avoiding a chilly wind coming down from the mountains. We parked at the gate…

  • Bowman Lake Ski 2023

    Bowman Lake Ski 2023

    In the warm air of the summer, a rough dirt road takes you to the sparkling shores of the bustling Bowman Lake. In the winter, however, the road is gated and only those on skis and snowshoes make it to the lake. The sparkle of the water is replaced by snow and the noise of…

  • Fees, Permits, Reservations, Oh My!

    Fees, Permits, Reservations, Oh My!

    Back in 2011 when I hiked all of Glacier’s trails, Glacier was busy to be sure, but you could drive up to Logan Pass and still find a parking spot at 8am. My goodness has that changed! That issue isn’t unique just to Glacier (if you haven’t noticed). All across the park system, it’s gone…

  • Half Dome, Vernal Fall, and Nevada Fall

    Half Dome, Vernal Fall, and Nevada Fall

    The hike up to Half Dome in Yosemite National Park is pretty hard to beat. You have two unbelievable waterfalls, loads of habitat types, incredible views, the unique experience of the cables up the granite dome of Half Dome, and the opportunity to stand on a national park icon with sweeping views. ** Note that…

  • Climbing Never Laughs Mountain and Mt Ellsworth

    Climbing Never Laughs Mountain and Mt Ellsworth

    A little Throwback Thursday cuz we’re feeling nostalgic for dry trails Not sure if it gets any better than a crisp, fall morning in the Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park when Two Medicine Lake is glass. Sinopah Mountain stands tall at the head of the lake, reflecting in the mirror at its feet.…