The Quartz Lake Loop

So there I was on the snow-capped Cerulean Ridge, wandering around, having completely lost the trail. I had this bright idea that if I just kept walking over the ridge that eventually I'd find it. But, like an idiot, I left the map in the truck.

If I had the map with me, I would have noticed that the trail takes a gentle left and goes around a spring. I, on the other hand, had taken a not-so-gentle right and was looking down at the creek which the spring creates.

"That's not right," I said to myself.

So I backtracked. In fact, I was going to turn around and leave entirely. There was anywhere from two to six feet of snow and, honestly, I'm just tired of snow. I'm tired of snowshoes. I'm tired of winter. It's June, after all.

But I hit my old track, took a closer look at the landscape, noticed a slight dip in the snow that indicated the trail and followed it. Sure enough, there it was. An occasional glimpse of a sawn-off tree helped lead the way.

The snow actually got deeper for a half-mile or so. A snowshoe binding broke (old fly lines make wonderful repair cord) and I slogged on.

At the edge of the ridge, the sun shined brightly and the trees opened up onto the Red Bench Fire burn. Like magic, the snow disappeared. An hour later, I was standing at Quartz Lake making camp.

On any other day in Glacier, the Quartz Lake Loop is a pleasant excursion. It's 12.8 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 1,470 feet and an elevation loss of 1,100 feet. The route takes you to Quartz, Middle Quartz and Lower Quartz lakes, primarily through forest, although the lake shore at Quartz Lake has an impressive view of the Continental Divide, including Vulture and Logging peaks.

The hike can be done in a day, although it's more pleasant as a backpacking trip. There are backcountry campgrounds at Quartz and Lower Quartz lakes. All three lakes offer good fishing, but getting around the shoreline is a bit of a bushwhack. There are a slew of different bird species along the route, including ospreys, bald eagles, a multitude of warbler species and deep woods species like gray jays and Franklin's grouse.

If you do the hike in the next few weeks, I strongly recommend avoiding Cerulean Ridge altogether. Take the route up Quartz Ridge instead. There's far less snow and it isn't nearly as deep. If you go Cerulean, you'll have to wear snowshoes.

Also, expect many downed trees and water on the trail, which is fairly typical for early season hikes in Glacier.