The first obstacle to cross was the stream. We’d be heading up the side of the lateral moraine, to the point where there were two gigantic boulders embedded in the till, and then setting out along a series of ledges to get into the next level of terraces on this gigantic landscape. The tremendous cutting, carving force of water always amazes me… just look at how deeply cut this passage is! When we emerged from the canyon, we saw the first part of our route ahead, across the wide open valley filled with glacial till. We’d be hiking up the canyon, along the left side of this photo. The first scramble of the day: getting up and over that boulder bridge! These are the views from on top of the boulder! Bow Lake is that turquoise jewel off in the distance. What this picture doesn’t show is that the boulder is wedged in place over the top of the canyon, forming a natural bridge! (It’s called the Chock Stone.) Here Bill climbs up its polished side (polished from the hands and feet of those who have gone before). To access it, you have to climb this boulder… a taste of the adventures to come in the day. Branching off the main trail to the falls, we started off on the trail to Bow Hut. After passing through the delta at the end of the lake, we hiked up the side of this canyon. The moraines are towering! Standing on top of them is like standing on top of an office building! That’s how big this landscape is! Hiking along the path that borders Bow Lake, we could see where we were headed. It used to fill the bowl where the falls are, pushing with incredible force, ground up rock up and into the towering pyramids of rock you see off to the left, immediately below peak known as The Onion. What’s really neat here is you can see for yourself the path through which the glacier has retreated. We started off hiking along the shores of Bow Lake. It is possible, even when the lake is crowded, to find a quiet spot by following one of the use trails that traverse the northeastern shoreline.Here is a glimpse of our day. It is best to get an early start to beat the crowds and the afternoon thunderstorms. At the top of the rise fabulous views open to Iceberg Lake.īe forewarned you will not be alone on the trail or at the lake. To the west the dramatic cirque dominates the views.Īt the western end of the Ptarmigan Wall the trail turns south, crosses Iceberg Creek and mounts a small rise. A profusion of wildflowers fill the meadows on the wall’s lower slopes. Wilbur (9,321-ft.) towering above the beautiful Swiftcurrent Valley.īeyond the falls the trail climbs to the head of the valley and then turns west/southwest, traveling on easy grades along the base of the Ptarmigan Wall, a stunning ridge separating the Iceberg Lake and the Wilbur Creek drainage from the Belly River Valley. Along the way the trail enjoys fine views of Mt. Henkel (8,770-ft.) southwest flanks to Ptarmigan Falls, a worthy destination for hikers looking for a shorter day. The scenic trail to the lake ascends along the lower slopes of Mt. Ice floes, calved from snowfields along the lake’s western shore, often last well into the summer and in some years still bob along the lake’s surface in September. Wilbur (9,321-ft.), to the south, and Iceberg Peak (9,146-ft.), to the west, soar over 3,000-ft. The beautiful alpine lake lies nestled in a spectacular steep-walled cirque. The popular trail to Iceberg Lake ranks among the top hikes in the Many Glacier area.
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