8 replies to this topic

[DeeCeeM]

The closer next week gets, the more concerned I am about not using up all my energy Wednesday and Thursday so I'll have a decent chance to summit Mt. Chiquita Friday. I've already decided one day will be spent exploring Old Fall River Road in dept, starting with scrambling up the Alluvial Fan, walking downhill from the bridge over Chiquita Creek, walking all the way from the curve below Chasm Falls up to the falls themselves, etc. The idea is drive a little, walk a little, drive a little more.

I have a ton of hikes I'd like to do the other day; but, frankly, in my current condition I just don't think they would be wise. (I'm speaking of the Loch, Mills Lake, East Inlet, etc.) In casting about for something easy that I haven't already done, I got to thinking about the Glacier Creek Trail. Since I only have trouble going up, the thought of hiking down from Bear Lake to either the Storm Peak Trailhead or maybe even all the way to the Park 'n' Ride is very attractive. If I was feeling up to it, I could even throw in a detour to Alberta Falls.

I have two questions.

• Has anybody done this? If so, is it worth doing?
• According to Google maps, there's a pond to the right of the trail as you descend. (See attached map.) It looks like it ought to be easy enough to cut through the trees and get to the pond if you picked the right spot to leave the trail. Is anybody familiar with this pond? Is it worth the detour? Is there any easy way to determine where I would need to leave the trail?

Any help on this would be appreciated.

[soatley]

I went from Glacier Gorge to the Storm Pass trail head on the Glacier Creek trail to finish the loop while the others took the shuttle to the car in 2002. I looked to see if Scott wrote any details, but I all I found was it took me 45 minutes. I don't have any strong memories of the trail, but I'm guessing it was pleasant. Of course, it could he horsey.

Sandy O

[DrCloud]

Yep, both ways. You can use the shuttle between Bear Lake or the Glacier Gorge Junction parking lot on the SW end and either the big shuttle lot or the Bierstadt Trailhead shuttle stop on the NE end. That pond you mention is a nice half-way spot to have lunch or a break -- quite scenic.

Except for the half-mile between Bear Lake and the GGJ trail intersection, it's all quite gentle. Having done it down as a warm-up last year, I was thinking that our walk up this year would be a bit of exercise, but it wasn't, really. So if you're planning on Chiquita, a walk up, from, say, the Bierstadt Trailhead [from which you walk NE back down toward the Storm Pass Trailhead] up to the GGJ parking lot would be a good start.

Perhaps the best thing for us about this easy trail was that we saw no one, either time, on the Glacier Gorge Trail part of the walk.

As we discovered last winter, it's also a great snowshoe trail. HPH

[DeeCeeM]

Thanks! This is sounding like just what I'm looking for.

[Sanborn]

A few weeks ago, my kids and I hiked down from Bear Lake, around the south side of Bierstadt Lake to the Park & Ride and I don't recommend it. There really isn't much for views and it the last mile was very steep and rocky. Even going downhill, it was not pleasant. Last year, we parked at Mill Creek Basin Trailhead (Hollowell Park), and took the two shuttles up to Bear Lake, then hiked back down. We really liked that hike. It was much better than going to the Park & Ride. We hiked along side of Mill Creek and overall it was an enjoyable downhill hike, just my opinion. I have never been on the Glacier Creek trail, but I would guess that it is better than the one to the Park & Ride.

[DrCloud]

The Bierstadt Lake - Park 'n Ride leg is all through woods, and it's about as steep as any other low-elevation trail I know of -- not at all like the Glacier Creek Trail. HPH

[dianeh85]

DeeCeeM, on 16 August 2010 - 02:21 PM, said:

• Has anybody done this? If so, is it worth doing?
• According to Google maps, there's a pond to the right of the trail as you descend. (See attached map.) It looks like it ought to be easy enough to cut through the trees and get to the pond if you picked the right spot to leave the trail. Is anybody familiar with this pond? Is it worth the detour? Is there any easy way to determine where I would need to leave the trail?

Any help on this would be appreciated.
glaciercreek.jpg

glaciercreeksattelite.jpg

I have thought about this little trek also as I gaze at google earth, maps etc. It is a low spot and may be marshy.

[DrCloud]

That pond (or at least the one I'm talking about...) is quite obvious from the trail. If you're coming down, you'll see it from above; continue down to the bench it's on and you'll find easy access on its NW end. Coming up, that access is what you'll see in front of you as you look at the pond. HPH

[Egreenkerry]

Oops, still getting the hang of this here posting thing.

The hike down from Bear Lake to the Storm Pass trail (or Sprague Lake if you want to go longer) is one of my very favorite "lazy" hikes. It is a pretty easy downhill and parallels the stream for over half of the hike, making for very pleasant background noise. It is also one of the least crowded trails in that area. The times I have hiked it I maybe see one other person the whole time. Even on busy summer days, I can count on a good bit of solitude from this hike. It is a bit horsey as you meet up with Storm Pass trail, but not too bad unless it's been raining a lot. I really like the little bridge as you cross the creek to go back toward Bear Lake road - nice views of the stream and the valley. You definitely can't go wrong with this one - although I'm not sure you can actually go too wrong anywhere in the park.