Swiftcurrent Fire Lookout. Still waiting to scatter those ashes.

This summer has been all about snow so far. I have put more hours in crampons and ax in hand the last several weeks than in the last 15-20 years. And I am LOVING it. Call it the ultimate hiking freedom.

You can walk wherever you want and know those fragile alpine meadows are still safely sleeping below your heavy boot tread. Until…. well…… I guess next winter? Is anyone up for the Ice Age? Because that is what it looked like on Swiftcurrent Mtn.

So I only find out I have an off day at about 4 pm the afternoon before. And you never know if it will be one or two days in a row (turned out only one). Tell me again why do people take this job? Anyway, I’d kind of like to get in maybe 200 miles this summer. To do that will take double-digit days and some big loop trips. So why not SWC FLO with 18 miles round and 3600′ of gain?

And I can really keep my pack light. Because the person who I promised that I would scatter their ashes on the summit has not died yet. Whew. I wish she’d hurry up while I still have a little knee cartilage left. Never make lifetime obligations when you are young. Well, maybe marriage. Maybe.

The nice thing is I know what I’m in for. Iceberg Lake was all snow. Ptarmigan tunnel was all snow. So time to sling my aluminum crampons and take the real ice ax (not my lightweight CAMP that I would only trust with moderate glacier travel/crossing).

With a classic 4:30 am up, out the common kitchen door (great spot to stage gear and make noise) by 5 am, SWC parking lot by 5:40, and on the trail at 6 am on the DOT. Not my first rodeo.

The wonderful thing about driving to thru the SWC valley that early in the morning is the calm waters on Swiftcurrent Lake.

These pictures can’t even do it justice. Most people we not even looking at this wonderful reflection. Mainly because there was a bear they were harassing about 100 yards to my right just off the road.

Even good old boring Grinnell Point gives me a thumbs up with the first rays of the morning. Can’t tell you how many days I started off looking at this timeless rock for one summer that seems like a dozen lifetimes ago.

Time to power hike down the valley. I spy my prize off in the distance and the morning sky is looking like it will be on my side.

Even Red Rock Lake and Falls hold their breath to give me a perfect photo op with the summit of Grinnell Peak in the background. The last time I climbed up there was when I was dating Nancy, well over 30 years ago.

Finally I’m at the back of the valley, ready to begin the switchbacks up to the pass. But wait. What is this? Yeah, that big plank of a bridge was supposed to be ACROSS the stream. Things are still flowing so high the NPS parkies haven’t set the decking for all of the water crossings this season. I search for good rocks to jump across for twenty minutes before just deciding to un-boot. With my smelly socks and shoelaces around my deck, I cross over and continue.

The triple falls flowing directly from Swiftcurrent Glacier were loud and awesome. The wind and the roar were nothing short of glorious. Timeless. Enchanting. And I would have this trail to myself the entire day because no one else was going to ford the stream barefoot. Silly soft-healed tourists.

Finally, I came to the big ravine stream (running high with runoff) where the snow filled up and blocked the normal trail. I recall this point. In 1985 in early June I hit the same snowfield with Andy Klackulack and we turned around. Today, older, wiser, better-prepared Dave made a different choice.

The snow travel was incredible in the morning sun. Still firm enough for a good bite with the crampons, the angle steep enough for a nice gain, and the views would not stop. Again, Glacier decided to give a little more than take today. And I’m all about unexpected gifts. The ray of sunlight showed me the way.

Finally, I start seeing the ‘false’ pass come into view. But I didn’t care. The climb was so comfortable, and I was enjoying every step. Snow is really reflective, and I’ve learned a long time ago to breathe with your mouth shut. Years ago I knew a guy who was panting the entire way up Rainier and sunburned the roof of his mouth from the UV.

I roll up on the pass. A nice little melt pond and my first view of Heaven’s Peak this season.

Of course, I had to shoot a little video. Nothing to say, but I just liked being up there. And babbling is free. At least in my world. So share with me at your own expense. Two other hikers had come up from Granite Park Chalet which had just opened a couple of days prior. Talk about a cheat. And their route-finding skill clearly sucked.

I ended up passing them both up and got to have a few moments at the fire lookout alone before they came wheezing to the top. I can’t recall the last time I climbed up from the Swiftcurrent valley floor. Normally this is a HighLine descent route. And the 3600′ wasn’t that bad. I think sleeping at 5k the last month helps as well.

Just a few random shots all around. I could name all of these hills for you, but why? Sometimes it’s just nice to take in the whole and not get distracted by the details. It was one of the best summits I have ever had the pleasure to experience. Felt new in every way. Worth every step.

Again here is me goofing off. Had to walk around the backside so those other guys wouldn’t be in my shot. Nothing to say again. But you couldn’t ask for a better morning. The weather was perfect and I was clearly on top of the world Glacier style. Heck. Even got two bars of cell service up there.

Below is the picture that started me down this journey so many years ago. The chain of lakes that line the bottom of the Swiftcurrent Valley. From the Eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains all of the way out to the prairies and Great Plains beyond. This is the image that is always in my head with I think of Glacier. It is the one that makes me smile so hard that I get a tiny tear in the corner of my eye. Like now.

It was a full five hours up. The stream crossing cost me time, as did a little of the route finding since I kept crossing over to other snowfields so I wouldn’t have to take off my crampons on and off (before I got to the open rock for the final summit push). From top to the truck were a blistering 3 hours and 15 minutes on the return. I passed everything on the trail with two legs in addition to one moose and two mountain sheep. I was in the zone and just a blur.

One last view of Heaven’s Peak thru the trees.

Then one last look at Logan Pass which is still at least two weeks from opening up this summer (the latest opening EVER in the history of the road).

A very happy Dave was even able to do a standing glissade on his snow route because of how soft the top six inches had become (no crampons!).

Even one last wink from Red Rock Falls

And did I mention with all of this tour stuff I’m becoming a rock nerd now? Just let me give a little shout-out to my close friend Appekunny argillite. Loving the mudstone!