Preseason wandering

Post by

Jake Bramante

Getting out feels great before the crowds and the road opening up. Loads of snow, but still magical!

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19 responses to “Preseason wandering”

  1. My family and I have hiked Glacier for over 30 years and yet we have only covered about 250 miles of the trails (many more than once). We will be following along on your blog. I will be interested in a Top Ten list at the end of the summer. Good luck!!

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    • Mike, I’d love to know your top ten list! I have only done about 150 miles. A lot of my hiking has been walking trails to a bushwhack, then a peak. 😉

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      • I’ve been meaning to compile that list- will get busy! I’m sure you have already spent a lot of time on strategy and logistics. Your quest will be complicated by the record snowpack this year, making many areas inaccessible until mid-July. And by the fact that on some trails (like Cracker Lake), you will have to walk 12 miles to count 6.

        My No. 1 would probably be from Jackson Glacier Overlook over Gunsight Pass and past Lake Ellen Wilson to Sperry Chalet (13 miles). I would suggest you camp or stay at the chalet, do the Sperry Glacier trail in the morning and then hike out to Lake McDonald (12 miles?).

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    • Thanks! You going to be getting out this summer? Speaking of summer… hope it shows up soon so that snow melts.

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      • Yes, the first part of September we’re planning to hike the floral park route to Sperry where we’ll stay for two nights. We’ll probably come out via Gunsight. I may be out during GMS week as well.

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          • He’s referring to the Floral Park traverse where you hike down to Hidden Lake from Logan Pass, then go up the saddle of Bearhat, drop down to Floral Park and then back up by Sperry Glacier, then over to the Chalet. Never done it, but would love to!

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  3. Hey Jake! Just heard about your ambitions in the Missoulian. Great idea, especially partnering with the Glacier Fund. The late spring/deep snow could make it a challenging year to complete it. You should get an early start on skis! Happy trails…

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    • Lucas! So good to hear from you. I think about our conversation where you explained the bald sections along ridgelines were a result of snowdrifts that took too long to melt. Perhaps you could come along with me on a trip so we can capture some more sweet science! And yeah, the snow is going to make it quite the adventure by compressing my timeline, but hey, the unpredictability is part of the allure. 😉

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  4. r journey. as my father said prviously I have iked in glacier for 30 yrs with him and my friends and those are some of my greatest memories! the opportunity to see areas few people have has allowed me to grow in ways I can only imagine! I wish you the best of luck and enjoy your journey!

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  5. Mike Jr, That is so great to read as my wife and I both agree with your thoughts on what the imagies of Glacier can do for the growth of the mind, especially a young and developing mind that lives in South Georgia, as is the case with our 1 yr old son. His nursery is all blown up photos of GNP that we’ve taken over the years. He gets to experience it 1st hand this July.

    Jake- Good luck, pullin for you. I’m going to keep an eye on your schedule for early july. would love to cross paths and have my 1 yr old’s photo taken with you. Would be a great memento from his 1st trip out.

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    • I would be honored! You can never start them out too young. I grew up in MT running around the woods behind my house and reading Ranger Rick magazine. This is what happens when parents feed that kind of curiosity. 😀

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  6. I would be interested in what type of photography equipment you will be using in this project. I will be following you with interest.

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    • Jim, I’m shooting with a Canon 7D. I decided to go with that because I love the video capabilities as well as the outstanding photo qualities. I also think that having a smaller sensor than the 5D will be a benefit as it increases the focal length of your lens, so you can carry less lens. The two lenses I’ll be shooting with is a Tokina 11-16 2.8 lens and a Canon 70-200 2.8L IS “II”. I also am bringing along a 2x extender for the long lens to get out there a bit further. That’s the basic photog setup. Since I’m running video as well, I’ve got a Manfrotto two section carbon fiber tripod with a 701hdv head on it. I also have Sennheiser lav mics and a tascam DR-03 (because the audio coming directly into the camera is less than desireable). Does that answer your question?

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  7. Jake, since moving to Alaska I really haven’t missed Montana at all until now. It really is inspiring what you’re doing, and I wish I could do it with you. Love ya cousin! stay safe.

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