Crater Lake -- Jewel Basin

courtesy of Keith/Leslie

This weekend Keith and Leslie came down from Banff for a final visit before they head off to Australia for a few months.  Along with my friend Amber and both Sonja and Rhino, we went on a short backpack in the Jewel Basin.

It was pretty hot but we lucked out insofar as there were no mosquitos that night where we camped along the lake and the weather was great for camping.

The dogs were remarkably well behaved, including Sonja who is like a new dog (though probably feeling a little broken due to Rhino's dominance).

Rhino proved himself to be a super mellow easy-going guy when he's tired enough to not care.  When he's feeling energetic his puppy exuberance is hard to tame.  But they're only puppies for awhile (a couple years...) so it's cute to see him so goofy.

Rhino carried our wine for us, nice doggie



I used my new MSR e-wing tarp rather than a tent (yellow thing)

 All in all it was a great hike and a great camping spot.  I highly recommend it to anyone not wanting a major haul.  It's only a little over 5 miles to Crater Lake and the hike isn't super challenging.  The heat makes it a little more so but on the whole it's something most people could easily manage.  We took a lot of breaks to swim and eat and sit and each way took only a few hours.

Floral Park Traverse + Mad Wolf Mountain

Mary Ann, Deb, Tom, Ruth and Danni at dark-o-thirty Saturday -- Floral Park traverse

This weekend was a veritable whirlwhind of hiking and excitement. Saturday I did a 14 hour half trail/half off-trail traverse of Glacier National Park from Logan Pass to Lake McDonald Lodge via "Floral Park" and on Sunday I climbed Mad Wolf Mountain on the east side of Glacier National Park. Saturday was long (14 hours) and partially scary and Sunday was less long (7.5 hours) but scarier in bits.

Hidden Lake and a mountain (Reynolds?) (I am so bad at mountains...)

Mountain goats are really antelopes

I may have previously mentioned that I am not a seasoned mountaineer (actually it would be a stretch to say I'm at all a mountaineer -- I'm more of an enthusiast!) but my friends bring me along anyhow and instruct me through the parts that require minimal sense and ability. (i.e. hand here, foot there, hand there, foot there etc.) I will say that the main lesson I am learning, which my friend noted is a statement about life, is that things that look absolutely impossible and/or terrifying from afar are often totally do-able when you get close and give it a try. Stuff that looks like sheer cliff faces can be ascended or descended -- you just have to be open-minded. Or maybe experiened enough to be able to tell from afar. Either way, it's crazy cool to see a CLIFF and then get up it -- or look back and think "I went down that!" Yes, I am easily amused but I feel so empowered and embiggened mentally after I shakily venture far outside my happy place.

Glacial silt makes pretty blue ponds!

On Sunday a new family member joined us -- Rhino the giant "Inuit" dog from Alaska. Our friend from Fairbanks finally convinced us to adopt the guy and while he's very pretty and sweet it's a rough transition in many ways. Sonja has gotten bloody and is definitely scared of Rhino. Afterall, he's already 85 pounds at 9 months.  But, he's bred to be a bear dog and is clearly a loyal, loving, giant, slobbery oaf of a furball.  I think he will fit in well once he can learn to not hurt my precious Sonja (who I previously thought was an Alpha...I think maybe there's a lesson in there somewhere).

Unfortunately, it was such an intense weekend and so incredibly blog-worthy (to the extent that anything is really that blog-worthy) that I can scarcely piece together an adequate blog entry to describe everything that transpired. Since I like to be in bed by nine I really don't have enough time. So, I will leave you with a few pictures and my lame attempt at a video. My friend Dave makes some cool videos, which inspired my efforts, but my efforts probably fall a little short.  Pretty grade-school quality with classic shaky cam... but nonetheless if you have a little under 3.5 minutes to kill enjoy my Floral Park video. 

Floral Park Traverse -- 8/20/11 from Danni Coffman on Vimeo.

Ted is ridiculing my music choice... perhaps it makes it seem like we were all being marched to our death... but it's just a cool song I like darnit. :p

Mad Wolf (Sunday) (Elisa and Laura)

 I didn't take enough Mad Wolf pics because, truthfully, it takes all my energy to soldier through some of the scrambling -- either mental, physical or both. I was thrashed after Saturday and the friends I went with Sunday are just a wee bit (maybe a lot more than that) above my level of athleticism. I would feel pathetic and embarassed but these are just cool people who truly don't seem to mind bringing me along for a day in the Park. That's what friends are for (Whitney Houston anyone?)...

Mad Wolf -- Brad



Heading off Mad Wolf for Margaritas (Elisa and Laura)

 Great weekend.  Another great weekend on tap.  Man it's tough to squeeze a whole summer into such a short period of time...

Packers Roost -- Flattop Mtn -- Fifty Mtn -- Waterton (walk to Canada)

Yesterday friends and I did a modified version of what is, I learned, called "the dash."  We were planning to hike from Logan Pass on the Highline Trail to Fifty Mtn to Waterton but some in our group weren't excited about bringing ice axes and crampons to navigate a couple of the remaining and reportedly gnarly snow drifts on that route so we changed routes.  I was assuming this new route would suck and it would just be time on my feet (not sure why I had this idea) but it was absolutely awesome.  LOVED this hike.

 Alpine meadows are some of my favorite things on earth, and this hike had lots of them. 

 We could see our original planned route on the Highline -- it was really pretty being across the drainage on Flattop Mountain which had 360 degree views.

 The meadow near Fifty Mountain was my new favorite place in the world.  I want to live there during summers.  We stopped for lunch here and I was pretty much in heaven.

 The best part of lunch was that Dave packed lunch beers.  I'm never hiking without Dave again.  He was very popular on this hike.

Said after our hike: "can Dave be our mascot and come everywhere with us?"



One of three grizzlies on the horizon

After lunch, as we were heading towards the Waterton Valley, Deb spotted grizzly bears on the ridge ahead.  There were three.  I thought they were elk at first but no they were massize giant grizzlies.  Probably a mom with her two sub-adult cubs.  We were pretty excited until they started our way and, without running, were able to cover a ridiculous amount of ground quickly.  Deb yelled at them and they eventually went back and over the ridge.

Deb heading into the Waterton valley

 Finally after 23ish miles we hit Goat Haunt Ranger Station where we showed our passports to US border agent peoples.  I think it's weird that we are increasingly interrogated by US border agents before we even leave the country.  It strikes me as weird.  We haven't even left!  But maybe they wanted to be sure we'd be able to get back in?

The USA/Canada border strip

 The funniest thing about this was that our Canadian customs experience consisted of calling and telling them our names and no we don't have alcohol or firearms.  Don't forget to call Canada and tell them we're here!  Peculiarist border crossing of my life.

Prince of Wales Hotel

 I had originally wanted to hike (run actually) all the way to Waterton but Dave bailed on that idea and I knew no one would let me go alone.  It meant a leisurely boat ride on Waterton Lake and more time to drink beer.


post hike beers

 And we saw the most disturbing but typical display of complete ignorance and stupidity.  There were all these young bucks eating grass outside our hotel and people were petting them.  This little toddler was running towards one and Deb shouted "stop her! stop her!"  (Deb is a vetinarian by the way).  This guy started arguing about how the last deer let her sit on him.  Natural selection?

What is wrong with people?

 We had a fun evening and I tried to adopt a cute hippie girl Park Ranger and we danced and were merry.

Left to Right: Deb, Allison, Callie, Dave, Me

View out Prince of Wales -- Waterton Lake

I felt good the whole time and felt strong.  My feet felt a little beaten, like I need to be lighter on my feet.  I even wore my new Hoka Bondi Bs, which are superior to the Mafetes by a lot.  All in all a fantastic hike and one I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a sweet hike to Canada.  Also, thumbs up to the Chief Mountain border agents -- they were really friendly and funny, even if slow in getting people through. Finally, a video from Dave:

Packers - Waterton from Dave Chenault on Vimeo.

Cut Bank - Triple Divide Pass - Red Eagle Lake - St. Mary

Angie checks out Grizzly Medicine Lake

 Yesterday my friends Angie, Meredith and Dave and I hiked in the east side of Glacier National Park, covering nearly 24 miles from the Cut Bank ranger station to St. Mary. 

Meredith rock dancing

 Angie wanted to do a "long hike," so I found a long hike.  I probably could have done with a slightly shorter hike, as this hike felt like it might kill me by the end, but it was all-in-all a lovely route.  The hike up to Triple Divide Pass has the biggest most stereotypically awe-inspiring park views, while the rest of the hike, mostly level or downhill, was through burned forest and overgrown foliage.

The trali behind us back towards Cut Bank

 The long haul through the drainage was nonetheless scenic in its own way, and oftentimes the huge sections of fireweed or globemallow had an other-wordly quality that felt as if out of a fantasy novel.

The trail ahead towards Triple Divide Pass

There were a couple of creek crossings and I experinced the foot maceration that I seem to be experiencing more and more frequently.  It's pretty uncomfortable and is what ultimately caused me to drop/time-out of Western States a few years back.  I guess I need to diligently change socks each time my feet get soaked or take the time to remove my shoes and socks and wear Chacos or something. 

the view from Triple Divide Pass

cool flower

 It was mostly the maceration that made the last miles of the hike tough for me, but I also felt pretty fatigued by the end.  It left me wondering if I will ever regain enough fitness this summer to survive 1) my planned backpacking trip in Utah or 2) Slickrock 100 in October.  Next weekend friends and I are hiking/running to Waterton, which will be around 30 miles.  If I manage to *not* drink too much beer at my work summer party I might have a better sense of my fitness or lack thereof.

the drainage we hiked out of

 Today I am totally wiped.  I have a hiking hangover.  I'm not feeling any particularly rush to get out hiking again.  Trying to pack an entire summer into 8 weeks (my best guess as to how long summer will be here this year) is exhausting.

endless Globemallow

Dave leading the way home

I love Montana

Pictures like those posted below, taken yesterday during a hike with friends in Glacier National Park, make it easy to see why I love Montana.  Glacier National Park represents a small section of the state, however.  Much of the state is beautiful and doesn't get enough praise in our blog.

 Late last week I had to travel to Billings for work, which is never my favorite trip to make but offers an opportunity to check in with co-workers on the other side of the state (well, Billings is actually in the middle but it feels like the other side of the state being a 7 hour drive and all).  While talking to coworkers/friends, the topic of our "sweet spots" or favorite places came up.  It was then that I realized I do find other parts of the state beautiful in their own special and different ways.

In fact, on a run Friday morning I myself thought about how underrated the area surrounding Billings is.  It has its own beauty with rimrock, desert-like dirt and expansive views.  It's truly "big sky" country.  The morning light had a color unlike the morning light over here on the west side, and I actually felt mildly euphoric enjoying the understated beauty Billings has to offer.  I'm willing to admit that Billings has beauty too.

Driving home from Billings I passed through the east side of the Rocky Mountains, again in the early morning orangey light, and made my way through the Bozeman area, Butte, the Seeley-Swan valley and back to Kalispell.  The entire drive was characteristically pleasant.  A drive through a post-card.

 I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but the main thing that drew me to Montana was the fact that my general sense of well-being is boosted dramatically when I'm in beautiful places.  The euphoria that accompanies a great view is something that doesn't seem to fade or wear off.  All of life is more manageable when surrounded by beauty and reminded of the greatness of nature.

Mix in some good friends and what more could a person ask for really.