Swiftcurrent Lookout

Saturday July 26 Patti and I hiked up to Swiftcurrent Lookout in Glacier Park.  She had never been there and I was there once in the mid to late 1990s.

We hiked to the lookout from the Loop on the Going-to-the-Sun road.  The round-trip distance was 12.3 miles with about a 4300 ft elevation gain.

We started mid morning and barely snagged a parking spot at the Loop.

Here is a view of Heavens Peak (left) and the Heavens Peak Lookout as seen from the Loop.

 
We passed a few people on the trail and a father/son duo passed us.  We later met them coming down from the lookout as we got near to it.  Just before reaching the Granite Park Chalet we were passed by a man on a horse.  He was only going to Swiftcurrent Pass before heading back down to his horse trailer at Packer's Roost.

As usual there were quite a number of people at Granite Park Chalet where we had a lunch break as it was noon or a little later.

People were hiking:

1. Logan Pass down to the Loop
2. Over Swiftcurrent Pass to Many Glacier Valley (and more than I expected the reverse way)
3. Up to the lookout

So plenty of people were on the trails.

Beargrass was in bloom.  Heavens Peak is in the background.

We could see the lookout before we reached Granite Park Chalet.

Looking down into the Many Glacier Valley as we climbed to the lookout. Mt Grinnell is in the middle background.

We got closer to the lookout but it looks farther away.

Some clouds were forming and passing by as we continued on to the lookout.  It also got windier.

We spent an hour or more at the lookout.  Bob was the lookout stationed there and he was outside and chatty with everyone.  We forgot to bring a map but Bob pointed out to us: Rainbow Peak, Vulture Peak, Longfellow Peak and Paul Bunyan's cabin.

The wind made it cool, especially when the clouds covered the sun.  Patti and I, and others, sat in the protected side of the lookout to escape the cool breeze as we snacked on food.  Plenty of people came and went. Many more people hiking from the Many Glacier Valley than I expected.  Later I compared our route to the Many Glacier route. Our had less miles but a little more elevation gain.

Views all around.  360 views.

Many Glacier Valley.  From the top: Lake Sherburne, Swiftcurrent Lake (where the Many Glacier is located), Fishercap Lake, Redrock Lake, Bullhead Lake, and Windmaker Lake.

The lakes.  (Red marks our hiking route.)

From the middle of the photo, at the 7 o'clock position you can see the white roof of the Granite Park Chalet just above a narrow stretch of snow.

We also looked down on the Heavens Peak Lookout (the 'bump' to the left of the word Lookout)...

Hiking back to the Loop we saw lots less people near the Granite Park Chalet as we passed it.  We saw more people hiking on the trail.  We also came across a deer.

Getting closer to the Loop we passed through burnt trees from the Trapper fire in 2003.

For more photos and info: http://www.glacierhikers.com/swiftcurrent-lookout-trail.html

Follow this link to see a video from near and at the top where the lookout is located:  http://youtu.be/kIPsfs5FvRM

Follow this link for lots more photos from my hike to the lookout:

https://plus.google.com/photos/109566462412251958234/albums/6077354761509218401?authkey=CO_988GA4OqKbw

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