High Country Exploration – Guided Educational Hike

High Country Exploration – Guided Educational Hike

Hike Overview Continued

Educational Guided Tour

Come experience the Glacier National Park high country, where you will observe environmental changes as we hike from the dense subalpine spruce and fir forest of the Saint Mary Valley, to the stunning alpine zones, characterized by gnarled, windswept trees that hug the ground. We will continue up to the rocky, moonscape-like tundra at Piegan Pass in Glacier National Park, where colorful wildflowers grow only inches tall. We will learn about the life cycles, adaptation strategies, and interactions of plants and animals of the high country. We will delve into how certain indicator species thrive in these zones, despite the wind and weather extremes of the Rocky Mountain Front.

Meeting Place: Glacier Institute Field Camp

Itinerary: (subject to change due to weather and trail closures)
We will meet at Glacier Institute Field Camp at 7 a.m., followed by a brief introduction to climate variations on the west and east sides of the park. We will then load up in the Glacier Institute vehicles and drive to the Saint Mary Valley. We will begin hiking the Piegan Pass trail, discussing the landscape, climate and indicator species of the area. The group will stop frequently along the trail to observe the plant life, wildlife, and the changes in topography. We will discuss the connections between the local landscape, climate, vegetation, and wildlife in Glacier National Park. We will return to Glacier Institute Field Camp and the class will conclude at 4 p.m. (If Piegan Pass is closed we will hike to Scenic Point in the Two Medicine Valley).

Food: Please bring a trail lunch, plenty of water, and snacks for the day.

Park Entrance Fees: Participants are responsible for purchasing their park entry passes prior to the course. These can be purchased online at: https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74280

Equipment: You will receive a Glacier Institute Field Camp gear list once you register. Most importantly, bring comfortable hiking shoes, snacks, water bottle (at least 1-2-liters), backpack, rain gear, hat, and sunscreen. Weather can be varied (especially in the higher elevations), so please be prepared for extremely high winds and cold temperatures. Please bring appropriate clothing and extra layers.

Physical Requirements: Moderate to strenuous difficulty. Hiking distance covers 9 miles round-trip with 2,000 feet of elevation change. Scenic Point as an alternate hike is 8 miles round-trip with 2,400 feet in elevation changes.