[Cdt-l] My experience with Glacier Permits

[joseph beals]

I wish I knew what this bear video was, well maybe not.  I have only heard of it in the last few weeks on here.  Unfortunately I don't remember the rangers name, but she was fantastic to work with and even had our permit hidden in the climbers box in two med. since they were going to be closed.  My advice is keep calling 'til you get a woman at least that gives you a fifty/ fifty shot at finding her.  Also try to impress the fact that you can't drive to get a permit.  hope this is helpful  -redbeard


--- On Fri, 2/6/09, Bruce "Buck" Nelson <buck at bucktrack.com> wrote:

> From: Bruce "Buck" Nelson <buck at bucktrack.com>
> Subject: [Cdt-l] My experience with Glacier Permits
> To: cdt-l at backcountry.net
> Date: Friday, February 6, 2009, 2:25 PM
> Before I left East Glacier, northbound in mid-September, I
> asked at the Park Service office if the Ranger station and
> store at Two Medicine were still open. I was told they were.
> Imagine my surprise when I arrived there and both were
> closed for the season. A friendly ranger told me I might be
> able to plead my case the next day and get a permit over the
> phone, since I'd already been through the Park Service
> bear presentations before.
> 
> The next day the ranger on the phone was not being very
> helpful. She insisted I had to go into St. Mary for a
> permit. As politely as possible I asked her to work with me
> because the reason I was on foot in Two Medicine with no
> permit was because the Park Service employees had given me
> bad info the day before, I'd already been through the
> Park Service bear presentations, etc. She was having none of
> it and made it clear she thought I was making it up when I
> said I'd been told the Two Medicine station was open. I
> admit it, that really made me grumpy. 
> 
> Five minutes after I'd gotten off the phone a Ranger
> appeared. The lady on the phone had correctly determined
> that I was strongly considering hiking without a permit.
> This new Ranger gave me the option of heading out and
> getting cited, or going to the Two Medicine Ranger Station,
> watching the bear film and getting a permit issued. An easy
> choice since that's what I had wanted all along. He and
> another Ranger were very nice once they saw that I preferred
> following the regs. My permit was checked at Waterton Lake
> so I'm glad I had one.
> 
> Two more things to be aware of in Glacier:
> 
> Many of the bear boxes are not mouse-proof. On my last
> night in the park mice destroyed much of my remaining food.
> Hang your food when possible instead.
> 
> Some of the campsites are dangerous. Some are in the middle
> of old burns with numerous dead trees well within reach of
> the site. Really asking for trouble, especially in the wind.
> Also many spots are in shallow depressions in packed dirt.
> Needless to say rain will, and did, pool there. At least
> twice I set up a short distance from the designated spot to
> avoid these spots and I'd do it again.
> 
> To me Glacier has more "WOWs!" per mile than any
> other stretch on the whole CDT.  Lots of well-marked trails
> and most Rangers are very nice indeed.
> 
> Colter
> 
> http://www.bucktrack.com/Continental_Divide_Trail_Updates.html
> http://www.bucktrack.com/Alaska_Brooks_Range_Traverse.html
> 
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