Considering visiting Glacier on my drive back from Alaska. What are the rules for Americans taking firearms, specifically hand guns, into Canada? Is this going to be an issue?
Glacier national park
- Thread starter Cygar
- Start date
Yes sir it is. You will have to check them at the border and then they will tag them for storage until you hit the Alaskan border- then reverse it on the return trip. I know plenty of fowl hunters that take firearms into Canada. In addition, I would check with the Canadians to make sure there are no firearm restrictions (type of firearm). The other way, if you are not set on driving the Alcan highway is to ferry to Sitka out of Seattle.
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If you have your passport, the Canadian side of Glacier has an entirely different feel then the American side. Like being in the valley vs on the summit. We spent a day over there and really enjoyed it. The Prince of Whales hotel looks like something out of a movie.
Logan's Pass trail was much more enjoyable before the board walk and excavating to make it a tourist destination. Forgive me back when it was a real trail it was by far less popular and you could enjoy the nature part of it. But the view at the top is spectacular so it is kind of a must when you go. I can only imagine it has changed (hopefully not since the Park Service doesn't ever get funding for non maintenance construction) you could continue past the Logans Pass summit down the mountain to Hidden Lake. This path was genuine and unmaintained so 98% of the people turned around.
Here's the catch though: Yes this is 100% cheesy but I'm into that kind of thing. Pack along an Old Milwaukee and crack it open when you reach Hidden Lake. Fun Fact to enhance the hike; The original Old Milwaukee "Boys, it doesn't get any better than this" commercial (where they pull the 6er out of the icy water) was filmed at Hidden Lake Glacier National Park. So pay tribute and enjoy an Old Milwaukee and enjoy the ice cold water and some of natures solitary. The ambiance will be sure to enhance the flavor!
Here's the catch though: Yes this is 100% cheesy but I'm into that kind of thing. Pack along an Old Milwaukee and crack it open when you reach Hidden Lake. Fun Fact to enhance the hike; The original Old Milwaukee "Boys, it doesn't get any better than this" commercial (where they pull the 6er out of the icy water) was filmed at Hidden Lake Glacier National Park. So pay tribute and enjoy an Old Milwaukee and enjoy the ice cold water and some of natures solitary. The ambiance will be sure to enhance the flavor!
I was thinking we hiked Hidden Lake while we were there, but looking at pictures, I’m not so sure. Could have been Avalanche Lake. We didn’t get too far into the park when we went (a bunch of kids who weren’t appreciating the beauty surrounding them), but we did hike a lake trail and it was just off Going to the Sun Road. I thought we were very close to Logan Pass when we hiked.
Fun fact…Going to the Sun Road was the road used for the opening credits drive in The Shining. It’s Saint Mary Lake that is flown over at the very beginning.
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Noisy Creek Gulch Trail, Jewell Basin, Flathead Valley, Montana. This image was taken with a 12-24mm lens set at 12mm. It was that close and the trail is that narrow. The last image is a view from Jewell Basin- Noisy Creek Gulch Trail. If I remember correctly you can visit Twin Lakes.
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The "straight through" part or just the drive itself? I am assuming you began your travels in the Midwest.? I have completed the drive straight through- it is a 24 hour commitment (definitely not doing that again) I have found the best place to stop is in Sheridan, Wyoming. It is about halfway between Des Moines and Kalispell. I have driven this journey maybe 20 times.
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The end of Avalanche Trail (portrait mode for file size). It was sunny and 88 degrees out on Going To The Sun Road when we parked- 2.5 mile hike in to Avalanche Lake and it was cloudy/stormy looking and 62 degrees.
Aster Park, East Glacier, Glacier National Park. A male moose was active down by the slough on the early section of the trail. I took this with Panasonic GH4 Micro4/3 camera with Lumix-Lieca 100mm-400mm at full 400mm zoom. The Micro 4/3rd system is a 2 times crop to a full frame equivalent. All this means I was using 800mm of zoom to get this image- and this image is cropped. He was quite a distance from my wife and I. We arrived early to the Aster Park Trail and as you can see the moose gets spooked when the hikers get over represented on the trail. The 3rd image is of the slough/pond where the moose was hanging out. The second to last image is of Rising Wolf Mountain. This is the view from the end of the trail in Aster Park. You can see Two Medicine Lake in the last image. I thought I would include Aster Park Water Fall to the display.
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Views like these help to keep us from getting too big for our britches...
Yours truly standing along the shoreline of St. Mary Lake- towards the end of our hike back into St. Mary Falls and Baring Falls. I was not smart enough on this hike to hike back into Virginia Falls on this hike. The second image has been reduced tremendously to meet the upload requirements. You can see the island from two different perspectives.
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Great pic. I’d love to see this lake in person. Just hope I can get back there someday. Glacier is an amazing place.
I have lived 20 minutes from Glacier for well over a decade and we still have places in the park we want to see, but have not hiked it yet. The auto ticket system has made it more difficult for the locals to get into the park. This season the National Parks System heard the voices of the locals and relented to more favorable hours for those not holding an entry pass for your vehicle.
Awe inspiring country up there. I never understood what “Big Sky” really meant until we actually experienced it driving through to Kalispell/Flathead Lake. We stayed at a house on Flathead when we were there. Only knock on our trip was we were there when the Idaho wildfires were blazing, so it was pretty hazy. Offered some unique sunsets though.
Good to hear changes are being made to make access easier for you.
The dilemma for visitors centers around timing. If the tourist come to early they run into limited access to Glacier National Park. On the other hand, if you arrive in August we usually have wildfires spoiling our air quality- which is what it sounds like you encountered.
Howe Ridge Fire Glacier National Park from August 2018. This one became dangerous because it threatened to hop over Going To The Sun Road, which would have allowed the fire into the main part. The first image shows one of many firefighting planes returning after dropping water from the lake on the fire.
The second image I am standing up by the boat ramp at Apgar. It is the same fire as the daytime image. Folks, that is an active fire over Howe Ridge.
This last one is from the boat dock at Apgar.
The second image I am standing up by the boat ramp at Apgar. It is the same fire as the daytime image. Folks, that is an active fire over Howe Ridge.
This last one is from the boat dock at Apgar.
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West Glacier has plenty of "Family" friendly trails. One of our favorite easy /moderate trails is West Glacier's Johns Lake Loop. We did have an occasion to run into a young bull moose on this trail. Unfortunately, it was on a hike when I did not have my camera. McDonald Creek is one of the attractions of this hike. If you cross the Horse Bridge and "Head East" or to the right, after crossing the bridge, you will be headed towards the back country. Sacred Dancing Cascade is a must see. As the Spring runoff subsides more of the granite is exposed- creating better photo opportunities. 
A female moose in the runoff slough of McDonald Creek- the trail will bring you out by the overlook platform. You will be on the opposite side of the creek.
McDonald Creek during a typical Spring run off. If you look across the creek the Back Country Trail will bring you out right over there. You can then proceed further North up the creek. For some reason the Overlook image will not insert. The overlook platform is about a mile North on Going To The Sun Road from Sacred Dancing Cascade. The last image is of the McDonald Creek Back Country.
A female moose in the runoff slough of McDonald Creek- the trail will bring you out by the overlook platform. You will be on the opposite side of the creek.
McDonald Creek during a typical Spring run off. If you look across the creek the Back Country Trail will bring you out right over there. You can then proceed further North up the creek. For some reason the Overlook image will not insert. The overlook platform is about a mile North on Going To The Sun Road from Sacred Dancing Cascade. The last image is of the McDonald Creek Back Country.
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View from our cabin….. can you see the head in the mountains?? He’s on his back looking up
This fire burn ours and several other cabins in Kelly's Camp... We have since rebuilt $$$$$$$$$$
