Day 19, Saturday, August 4, 2012, Apgar, Glacier National Park, Rest Day, Hike to Avalanche Lake
We caught a free ride on a park transit bus to Avalanche Creek trail head. Shortly after starting we came to the Avalanche Creek Gorge.
Upstream
Downstream
It was a two mile walk one way to the lake with a 500 foot elevation gain. The trail was quite popular. Whole families walked it, little kids and grandma and grandpa too.
We think, though, the actual elevation gain was more as we would gain some altitude fast then lose some, then gain more. It was not an easy hike nor difficult, but it was challenging.
Avalanche Lake. An interesting story involves a search and rescue going on in this picture, but it is not visible. A young man, 19, went on a hike to Avalanche Lake but started from a Logan Pass trailhead. Newspaper reports indicated he was not prepared to hike in the back country. Not enough food, not enough water and inadequate clothing. Apparently he thought it was a day hike. He has been missing since July 28. When I arrived I saw a flash of white against the left ridge with the tree topping, to the left of the triangular snow patch. It was quick and I wondered if I saw something that might help the search. As I peered at the area a heliocopter became apparent working the area above the tree lined ridge rising directly from Avalanche Lake. The trail would have to follow the ridge line above the lake all the way to the far right before the terrain might allow a trail to wind down to the lake.
The return hike was easier and faster. The picture below is a root system of a wind blown Cedar tree along the Trail of the Cedars.
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