DESTINATION Generic 69 Photosets
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| Boulder Pass Camp to Hole in the Wall Camp, MT | |
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| | Boulder Pass Camp to Hole in the Wall Camp, MT | | | |
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Boulder Pass Camp to Hole in the Wall Camp, MT
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| Hiking | 4.37 Miles |
570 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.37 Miles | | | |
| 570 ft AEG | | | | |
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| partners | | This is a guess at mileage being as Kemosabe's bottom third wasn't working so I used the route from the day before and then added a track at the junction.
Didn't have to be in a hurry as we had less than a 5 mile hike back up and down Boulder Pass to Hole in the Wall (HOL) Campground, our last stop on this incredible journey. We got up late and ate late and let our tent flys dry. Nice to linger at the privy a bit just to take in that view and wonder how on earth you got so lucky to see all of this. I filmed my way back to the Food Prep area where we shared an apple crisp for breakfast. Next we headed over to a little waterfall to water up for our hike. It was a beautiful area too with the wildflowers and views.
We hiked up and out of Boulder Pass Campground (BOU) via the bedrock taking a little different track then what we took in. Once you're back on the trail you continue hiking by falling water and lots of wildflowers with astonishing views in every direction including toward BC, Canada at the cool looking Akamina Ridge. Of course the view back to Gardner Point and Kinnerly/Kintla Peaks was nothing to sneeze at either let alone Boulder Peak to our right. After negotiating a little snow field and before you know it, you are hiking on a glacial moraine. We hiked over the Pass in much better weather this morning; no need to move quickly.
And down we go hiking by the moraine (I learned later we could have stayed on the moraine, darn!) and now next to the snow banks on a rocky basin. Still had to find dry spots to step to avoid the runoff from the melting snow. We came to the tarn where we saw a marmot enjoying the view from his pitch between some rocks. Sadly it was smokey so the view far into the Olson Valley in front of us was dimmed. We made our way up and around and down the rock outcropping to take us back onto the shelf above the Hanging Valley below. You could see the trail on the other side that we had come around yesterday and it looks like there is no way there is a trail there being as it's a serious drop into the Valley. Of course the trail is nice and fits very nicely on the side of the mountain.
We were overjoyed to get back into the ostentatiousnous of this shelf area with the falling water and wildflowers with views up, down and all around. Once again we were in slow down mode to soak it all in. This is a time when I'm glad I get the movies to re-live our hike through here over and over. It was just so beautiful all the way to our campsite below. I could go on and on about the beauty but the pictures and video will do a much better job of describing what we got to experience. We made our way off the shelf and along the scree field where we saw two waterfalls coming from a valley above us and below Mount Custer.
We had already decided we would have lunch at AW Falls (short for Angela and Wendy). We had the Mountain House Chicken Wrap with tortillas and with a little hot sauce, they were great. Sadly, near as I can tell, they don't make that Wrap anymore. What's great about it is you just add cold water. A couple backpackers stopped to visit with us for a moment (they like the name of the Falls  ) and told us about the new privy they're putting in at Hole In The Wall. Wendy might be able to help with remembering the details. We would later run into the ranger as he would have to hike back 14 miles to go get some missing parts. Anyway, it's supposed to be the latest and greatest privy in the backcountry. I think he said there were a couple others like this one elsewhere.
After our break we continued our hike above the hanging valley and thru the beautiful wildflowers all the while yelling out "heh Molly". We were told that the momma bear and two cubs were wandering around HOL and Brown Pass so we stayed pretty vigilant in these areas. We decided instead of yelling "heh bear" that we would name the bear and we went with Wendy's mom's name cuz Molly had two kids. Good thing my mom had three as "heh Meradel" just doesn't have a good ring to it, ha! We slowly made our way around the east side of the cirque getting anxious to get to the junction with the Hole in the Wall Trail. Strangely at the very same time we had a "the hills are alive moment".
When you get to the junction, it does seem like a long way down and then across the Valley to where the campsite was. As we switchbacked into the Valley we enjoyed some more patches of beargrass and fireweed plus views over toward the smokey Bowman Creek area below. We were finally glad to be on flat ground where we saw a marmot scamper up a rather large boulder for his perch. We enjoyed the view of the waterfalls and up and out of the Valley to the mountains that almost surrounded us. We crossed Bowman Creek and a few minutes later we were at the Campground... the first ones in too around 2:15. We decided on the campsite with a view that was on the way to the food prep and privy area past that.
We broke out the wine and chilled before setting up our camp. We spoke to the ranger for a bit as well and then just wandered around camp until dinner time. Oh, and of course, checked out the privy with a view. Once again pretty amazing but I still think I like Boulder Pass's better. A few of the other campers were wandering in now so we got to visit with them and find out where they had come from and what kind of permits they had. We enjoyed this part of camping where we got to hang with others. People come from all around to hike in Glacier's backcountry and for the most part say, "haven't seen anything quite like it".
Videos from Boulder Pass to Hole in the Wall:
around our camp (BOU) and hike up to Boulder Pass
Boulder Pass (BOU) area to AW Falls
AW Falls to Hole in the Wall (HOL) Campground
around Hole in the Wall (HOL)
Playlist and the titles include the area we hiked.
Boulder Pass Playlist |
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Wildflowers Observation Extreme
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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