“Do one thing that scares you every day” Today it was Mt Clements.

Although there is debate on who should be credited for that quote, it’s just a great statement. It reminds us to always push for personal growth, try new things, choose to seek/improve/better yourself as a lifelong pursuit. When I asked myself “What should I do in Glacier National Park today? “, this quote should probably NOT be the answer.

Ah, Mt Clements. One of the peaks up at the pass. Interestingly enough named after a lawyer from Alabama, who’s only claim to fame was being the legal guy that wrote up the papers for the Blackfeet to sign over the land that would become GNP. The other people present where the tribal elders, George Grinnell (conservationist commonly called the Father of Glacier Park), and this other government guy: Pollock. He just happen to be the head of Indian Affairs at the time. Huh, all of them got their names on mountains. Guess I was born during the wrong era.

Clements is only a mile as the crow flies from the visitor center at Logan Pass (6,664′). Just in your face when you get out of the car. Can’t be missed. A must have photo. It’s also next to Mt Reynolds, THE most photographed peak in the park hands down.

I climbed Clements once back in the day with a couple of fellow park employees. Another one of those climbs where we finished up dinner, drove to Logan Pass by 6pm, summited, the rain came in, descended on very wet rock in the near dark, and my car was on empty so I had to coast all the way back to Lake McDonald Lodge. The carefree life of a college-age seasonal employee.

And I do recall some pretty hairy moments inside the center couloir that dominates the south face. So much so that one of the guys I was with (Rex) even asked me if I believed in God. Who I believed in and who I planned to meet that particular evening in Glacier were two different things. But it was one of those lifetime moments that left me wondering if I had overplayed my climbing abilities. So 35 years later, let’s see if it is time for that second shoe to drop.

Clements does have a wonderful approach. I was trying the climbing route off the saddle shared with Oberlin because that’s probably where I ascended last time. This non-NPS maintained trail is in great condition. I used it for my summit of Oberlin several weeks ago. As I start to gain some elevation on the shoulder, I do catch a lonely cairn and many boot paths. Again, I will not be the first person up here nor the last.

I spot the goat trail that should traverse the face to the couloir. One cliff is a little dicey, so I check higher and lower and make sure this is actually the right one. Just kept the steps close, slow, and steady on the exposed areas. Love the rock formations up here. I traversed the entire face of the mountain.

I could see the open moraine fields below, and hear the tourist talking on Hidden Lake trail. I wrapped all the way around the west shoulder and found another cairn with views of Bearhat Mtn. Wrong goat trail. I am way too low.

I was actually on a trail that ties in a much longer (and the historical first ascent) route from the other side. Looks like it hasn’t been used in years. I go farther up the broken rock and gullies. I’m at the right elevation for the couloir I’m looking for, but I was completely cliffed out.

So worked my way back down to the sweet spot. Try another trail. About 50 yards in I hit a a broken area I have to actually sit and slide under an overhang. Just beyond, I’ve to a gap in the goat trail I just can’t bridge. I studied it for a very long long time.

Trail is good, but my body and mind will not go across that gap. It would take a pretty spooky down climb of a very exposed 80’ or so, and then back up again. It must be the wrong trail. So for the next two hours I look for the right trail, but to no avail. That must have been it. There was either a weathering collapse on a portion that the goats have yet to cut back in and ‘repair’, or I just don’t have it in me anymore.

I can always give the summit a shot on one of the routes approaching from the northern side if time permits another day this season. Given the boot marks around all the goat trails I did try, most were light or faint, which implies there has been a lot of people on this approach. But not much if any traffic across the face for quite some time. Which I find hard to believe considering what an iconic peak this is and the ‘easy’ access.

However, all it not lost. There is a lot to appreciate when you are up on such a magnificent mountain face like Clements. You get a micro view of the sedimentary formations, and a macro view of the Logan Pass area from a reverse perspective. The keyholes in the rocks, scree ledges, and even what I call the Praying Hands With Broken Fingers.

The bottom line: it was a good weather day to be up high. Sun and no wind, which are a great combination anytime you are doing elevation in Glacier. So, no summit this time, but solid outing with nearly 2000’ of gain in beautiful country. Hard to not put it in the win column. If I could just get those goats to clean up their trail. Must be a union thing.