Backcountry travel soggy, but opening up

Backcountry travel in Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness is beginning to open up, but it’s definitely soggy or snowy travel.

In the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Trail 80, the main route along the South Fork of the Flathead, has been cleared to the North Fork of the Blackfoot River.

Hikers can travel the route by using bridges at Black Bear and Big Prairie. The White River as of last week could be forded by stock but not by foot, said Erika Klug, office manager at the Spotted Bear Ranger Station. Crews were just heading out to clear other trails last week.

Water levels are changing on an almost daily basis, and hikers need to be cautious while crossing streams, Klug said. A rainstorm or warmer weather that melts snowpack can cause streams to rise considerably in a short period of time.

The Middle Fork of the Flathead River raises the same concerns. Trail 155 crosses several small streams and hikers are finding routes, but the trail is covered with snow at higher elevations. The Morrison Creek Trailhead still has about three feet of snow.

In Glacier Park, many low-elevation backcountry campgrounds are open. Park crews have been out clearing trails, but high-elevation passes are still snow-covered and require experience with an ice ax and crampons.

Higher elevation campgrounds are still covered with snow. Nineteen of the Park’s backcountry campgrounds were still under snow as of last week, which is fairly typical for this time of year, but many popular areas are open. Most of the camps in the Belly River region are now open, as are low-elevation camps in the North Fork.

With rain falling nearly everyday, hikers should be prepared for standing water on trails and tricky if not impossible stream crossings at some locations. Unlike the Bob Marshall Wilderness, many of the Park’s small streams have suspension bridges or traditional span bridges.

Hikers heading to the Park should check trail conditions ahead of time online at www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/trailstatusreports.htm. For backcountry campground status, visit online at http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/bcpermits/bcbull/backbull.cfm. All overnight stays in the backcountry require a permit.