Rogers Pass

The plan for today was to get up early and head up to Rogers Pass in the Glacier National Park for some walking uphill. I got a guidebook and did some reading, and it was mostly about the CAC, how they used 105 mm howitzers to set off avalanches in a controlled way, and that you always take all kind of avalanche safety precautions. This, my limited avalanche knowledge and the gray weather kept me in bed a little longer than first planned, but I figured out I should at least drive up there to have a look. It was supposed to be a national park visitor center there, with a nice fireplace, so I thaught I could at least go check that out, and maybe talk to a park ranger or something.

So I drove up, the weather still gray, but I got some pictures of some spectacular mountains. As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed two guys getting ready for some skiing, so I rolled over to say hello. Turns out they are two stoners that work duble shifts four months of the year, spending the rest surfing in Marocco and skiing around here. They were just getting ready for a little afternoon hike. They brought up a map and showed me where I could go for an hour or two hike from the lodge.

I got ready and started huffingly and puffingly my slow accent up the packed trail through the forest. Long story short. Again I got good use for my climbing skins, not as dramatic this time, and I found myself quite a bit up the hillside. It was too late in the day to make it all the way to any of the tops, but the view was just astonishing. I removed the skins, put some more clothes on - it was not neccessary on the way up, and got ready for some pure untouched powder. Then I suddenly heard someone yelling from up above. It was the two bums from the parking lot. They had made it quite a bit further up than me, and now they came cruising down in wide turns. I teamed up with them and had a perfect run back to the lodge. A great day, even though a bit short.