Glacier National Park Day 3: Climbing, Glaciers, and Snowball Fights (July 7, 2014)

It had taken one year for a dream to become a reality. It started out with a camping excursion taken by four friends to Itasca State Park for a weekend and grew out of painful bike rides, laughter filled kayaking/canoe adventures, and quiet discussions held around the glowing light of a campfire.

Glacier.

It was a once mentioned destination that burrowed into our souls. At first just a half-joking suggestion, the idea took root and soon we were asking each other, "Why not?"

Cautiously we began brainstorming and planning. We lost two members of our party when they got engaged and had to choose between Glacier and a romantic getaway in Mexico (congrats again guys!). So, our foursome became a twosome, and my man-friend, best friend, and adventure buddy Bob and I had to really ask ourselves if we wanted to commit to the trip. I don't think it was really even a conversation- one of us brought it up cautiously, and the other said something along the lines of "Let's do this!"

That's how, after months of planning, reserving campsites, researching hikes, and purchasing the appropriate gear,  I was standing on a mountain looking onto lake after glacial lake and climbing ever higher in the hopes of seeing Grinnel Glacier. We were pushing ourselves hard, trying to make up for a late start and a drive through the park that was delayed by construction on the famous Going-To-The-Sun Road. We were hot, and frequently made use of our new Camelbak bladders as the sun pulled water from our pores. Yes, we were warm, but we were also incredibly happy. Our legs were protesting the climb, our lungs were complaining over the thinning air, but our hearts grew ever lighter as we shared new sights and light-hearted conversation.

When we reached the crest of the trail we found the descent into the Glacier's valley to be barred by treacherous snow bridges. We were disappointing, but instead of mourning our inability to get closer, we took the opportunity to soak in the beauty  of the snowy peaks and three clad slopes. We also had an impromptu snowball fight, which cemented the climb into one of my favorite memories from the trip. 

As we travel homeward with weary muscles and backpacks filled with Instax shots and memory cards brimming with yet-to-be-sorted images, I am struck anew by the wonder of the experience. 

It started out as a whispered dream and grew into something solid and soul-fulfilling.

Dare to dream. Dare to explore. 

Go and Do. 

-AK

If you missed the other Glacier adventures, never fear! Links are below!

 Day 1  

Day 2

Day 4

Day 5

Glacier National Park Day 2: Arriving at Glacier and Setting Up Camp (July 6, 2014)

Hello everyone!

I apologize for my absence, my computer decided to extend its vacation by going to Minneapolis with Bob! BUT I have it back now, so I can once again start sharing the wonderfulness that is Glacier National Park!!

Day Two involved a pleasant morning in which Bob and I slept in till the awfully late hour of 8, and went to Kitty's for coffee with Sue before picking up the perishable food items we needed for the trip and hitting the road. I drove this portion of the trip so that Bob could watch as the mountains steadily rose higher and higher across the plains. As the mountains loomed ever larger, our excitement levels rose, and by the time we drove through the West Entrance into Glacier both Bob and I were bouncing in our seats with enthusiastic energy.

Our first move was to check into Fish Creek Campground and find our site. I had picked the location online, and as such was nervous and unsure about what we would find. My worries were unnecessary, however, because our site was almost perfect. We were across the street from both the fresh water spigot and the restrooms, which meant that we had the convenience of those locations without having to deal with people walking onto or through our campsite to reach them. To top it off, walking to the lake took less than 3 minutes.

Upon arriving at our site and after our exclamations of satisfaction over the location, we started to unpack. First order of business was the tent, which turned out to be a frustrating venture. While our location was perfect, the site itself had no flat spots, and (as both Bob and I are from relatively flat portions of the country) it was no easy task figuring out exactly how to set the tent up on a tilted surface. There was some frustration, huge sighs were heard, and there might even have been some muttering, but (after a snack break) Bob and I finally had the tent set-up complete.

We then dug through our suitcases and removed all scented items, which we stored in the car for the remainder of the trip. The food related items, including dishes (even if washed), were also left in the car. Bob and I take the bear safety instructions seriously, and we wanted to be certain that no bears would be tempted to wander into our campsite.

Finally, with our camp set up to our satisfaction, we drove to nearby Apgar Villiage to look around and purchase ice for our cooler. We also walked down to the shore to get our first real glimpse of Lake McDonald.

wow.

just wow. 

You see pictures, and you read the facts, but nothing really prepares you for the sight of that massive glacial lake. Absolutely stunning- surrounded by forests and views of the mountains from all angles. A rich turquoise color with shockingly clear water, plunging to depths of 472 ft., and stretching for miles and miles, this lake was absolute breathtaking perfection.

have i mentioned "wow"?

Bob and I finally tore ourselves away from the lake, purchased our ice and firewood, and returned to our campsite to make our first meal. We decided to try making noodles over the fire, a fun idea, but it turns out that boiling water over a campfire takes.... well it takes a while, so we eventually gave up and made our noodles on the camp stove. We ate, and then tackled the task of cleaning up, which involved discussions on how to best set up a wash and rinse station and then transport all dirty water to the appropriate dumping station- never underestimate the need for a 5-gallon bucket and leave it at home like we did. Finally, at around 9:00 P.M. we had a clean camp again, and started to think about finding the showers. We found them, froze in them (ice cold water the whole trip), and scurried home were we settled into our nice warm sleeping bags and drifted into contented dreams.

Bon Voyage,

AK

If you missed the other Glacier adventures, never fear! Links are below!

Day 1  

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Gear Review- Asolo Fission GV Hiking Boots

It is waterproof, comfortable, and won't give you blisters. It protects your soles and toes from sharp rocks and genreal toe-stubbing clutziness, and is engineered to wick-away moisture to keep your feet cool and dry. The perfect boot? Not quite, but as far as hiking boots go the Asolo Fission GV Hiking Boots for women come close. 

When I purchased these beauties I immediately put them to the test, and in the past few weeks they have been tested in a variety of environments ranging from the leaf-clad paths of Itasca State Park in Minnesota to the steep climb to Rattlesnake Ridge in the Cascades. They have been been on well maintained trails, and have created trails of their own. In all of these tests they have performed remarkably well, and I couldn't be more pleased.

1) The Style-

Style is not the same as fashion, and these boots make no attempt to disguise their purpose or to imitate the look or feel of a tennis shoe. The Asolos are made to tackle any hiking environment and to protect the feet of the wearer. They have the "traditional" boot silhouette, which provides extra ankle support and stability. The Asolos are constructed with water-resistant suede leather and nylon, which is meant to "ensure that the uppers are durable and flexible, offering good support and breathability." (REI.com) They also have GORE-TEX® waterproof liners to help your feet stay dry, and Vibram® rubber out-soles to protect eh soles and allow the wearer to have an excellent grip when descending. All of these features sound great, but the true question is how do they hold up in reality?

Fortunately, in my experience the Asolos have performed as well as (if not better than) promised. The soles gripped rocks without issue when I descended the rather steep Rattlesnake Ridge trail in Washington's Cascade Mountains. When used on a five-mile hike in 80+ degree weather, my feet stayed dry as the boots allowed them to breathe and wicked sweat away as promised. I have yet to wear them in a downpour or splash in a stream with them, so I can not attest to the thoroughness of their waterproof abilities, but I can attest to their comfort level and cushioning.

When I received these boots I foolishly decided to wear them on a few-hour off-trail hike without breaking them in. I expected to earn blisters for my idiocy, but (to my delight) the Asolos felt as if they had been molded to my feet over years and after the hike there was no soreness or a blister to be found. No matter the length of my hike, at the end of the day I've had incredibly happy feet, and as I've learned quickly, happy feet equal a happy hiker. 

As if all of these features weren't enough, the Asolo boots have another element that has become (to my surprise) an absolute favorite of mine. The toe-bumpers. Those simple rubber toe covers at the end of your boot are an absolute gift if you are like me and stub your toes a lot. Originally I was unsure about them- I believe my original thought was "my, those are ugly"- but after attempting to break my toes on hidden rocks and tree roots numerous times, I now see the toe-bumpers as works of genius. No one likes a stubbed toe, and with the Asolos it is almost imposssible to get them.*

*Note: please don't take that as a challenge and slam your toe into a wall or something as hard as you can to see if you toes stay protected. These boots are amazing, but I doubt they were designed to protect against that level of silliness.     

2) The Fit-

The Asolos fit well to the foot. As mentioned previously, I wore my Asolos on a hike without breaking them in and suffered no blisters or other common break-in pains. I did order my boots a half-size larger than my everyday flats, but I also do that with my running shoes, and as such am unsure if that is a personal quirk or a good rule of thumb for these boots. I would recommend wearing the boots with higher socks to protect against ankle chaffing. I am unsure if this is necessary, but I feel that it is better to be safe than sorry. I would definitely recommend trying the Asolos on in store before purchasing, however if this is not possible, REI has a wonderful exchange policy.

3) Projected Utility-

The Asolos are a high quality boot that is perfect for my needs. They have so far withstood every form of punishment I have thrown at them without any signs of wear or tear. I have not as yet taken these boots on an all day hike, but Asolo guarantees their product for one year, and many of the customer reviews I have read talk about their boots lasting for 5-10 years even with frequent wear. As such, it is my hope that these boots will be capable of being used relatively often (a weekend or two a month) for at least five years.

Overall the Asolos are a solid, comfortable boot that provides excellent support and protection for the feet and ankles. They are well designed and constructed out of durable, high-quality materials. Of course, the drawback to these boots is their price- they are listed at a steep $240. I was fortunate enough to snag my pair during REI's anniversary sale for under $200, but I was prepared to pay full price for these wonderful boots. If they continue to perform as well as they have thus-far and last for as long as I hope, then they will be more than worth the stiff initial price.      

-AK

Have any questions that I haven't answered? Think I missed something? Please feel free to ask me via email or in the comment section below! I would love to hear from you!