When a hiking trip turns into a road trip.  Winter in Glacier 2023

Sometimes just because you have a great idea for a hike doesn’t mean that it is always going to come to fruition. This is that story.

I pretty much live and die by the school calendar. Because I basically get off all the same days as a student would in a public school. And they are pretty predictable. Trust me.

February brings with it a little gift called Presidents Day. That special little Monday of democracy that few people other than Federal workers have off. I have been thinking of a winter trip to Glacier National Park for quite some time and this is historically the perfect month.

Not just a trip. I’ve always wanted to cross-country ski down the Going to the Sun Road out to Avalanche Lake from the Lake McDonald Lodge.  Actually, the very last time I was ever on cross-country skis was doing this exact same trip over the 1987 Christmas break in college.

The only difference is my bones and joints don’t heal as fast now.

So as the winter weeks ticked along, I kept an eye on the snowfall and the forecast. It kept getting more dismal and dismal. Then I found out the Sun Road was closed at Apgar, and you could not even get to LML this winter because of construction work in preparation of summer.

So I went from planning this ski trip with a friend and borrowing and renting some gear, to going alone and doing a snowshoe on the west shore of Lake McDonald.  And just maybe a nice little climb up to the Apgar fire lookout. With a couple of days to burn and the sun now setting a little later in the evening, it was more than doable.

And as the big weekend came, sure enough the weather decided not to cooperate. I knew better than to force a bad hand. I’m going to be there in another three months. But the lure of a winter hike in Glacier just sucked me in.

Here is the result. It turned into more of a road trip than the hiking experience that I wanted. The clouds stayed low during the visit, no skies to be seen, snow falling thick and sloppy, and generally too warm and miserable conditions for any meaningful snow activity.

In the end I got to walk around and enjoy some semi-silence during the few months the Park can sleep. All the while smiling as I recalled the crowds of summer. The cross-country skiing will stay on my to do list, and I’ll be patient for the right weather window next time. For now, it’s just a little winter roadie.

It was a little surreal not to see the standard half mile long triple line at the entrance station. Although the winter entrance fee is reduced to $25, keeping true NPS standard operating procedure, the station was ‘open’ but not manned. And I saw dozens of cars steadily streaming thru. Many $$$$ lost.  So don’t complain about budget shortages.

They really don’t want you going up to Lake McDonald Lodge this winter. Where some of the best cross-country skiing is.

Seems kind of eerie driving thru the freshly snow flocked trees. They had gotten four inches that day. The road was ice and slush with temps at 32F. Very slippery.

One of the most famous (and accessible) views in the park was not to be had this trip. All those wonderful mountain peaks I can name by heart could not be seen. With the cloud deck so low, you care barely see anything.

At least one person kept positive. By building a snowman out on the ice of LMD just off the boat pier.

This was the picnic bench where I wrote my popular post about the Apgar Ice-cream Eaters a couple seasons back. And I don’t know how Xanterra got the NPS to sign off on that second story addition atop the building in the background. The last thing built or modified to this extent in Apgar was the construction of the Village Inn Hotel (back in 1958).

Speaking of the Village Inn. Now that looks like where they should have filmed The Shining. Creepy creepy creepy (and not much different in the summertime).

You have to look hard at the tiny little sign to the left of the back bumper. Yep. I got to park in a Red Bus only parking stall.

This is probably the only time you will NOT see 30 people standing in line for a backpacking permit at the Apgar Ranger Station.

I decided to follow the plowed roads. Like falling into rabbit holes. One lead up to the entrance of the Apgar Campground. Very few things seemed to be signed well for winter.

I didn’t know they actually keep one loop plowed out for winter camping. Hmmmmm. Really? First, you need to be entirely self-contained with heat and live in fear of your water freezing every night. Second, not a lot to do along the lake shore in the wintertime. It would seem expensive to maintain given the limited usage. Hmmmmm. More NPS sound financial math.

And just to make sure you can’t get up to Lake MCD lodge, they closed the back door road as well.

So not what I envisioned and a lot of effort for the payout, but no regrets nonetheless. Any time is Glacier is good time. You just have to know what to look for.