Snyder Lake in Glacier

Jan is visiting me!  We've been on so many adventures- from the Arizona Trail to Utah to New Mexico, but this is her first time to Glacier National Park so I want to take her somewhere really cool!

Jan.

This early in the season, much of the high country is closed, but there are a few jaw-dropping places that can still be accessed, given you have the right attitude.  Which of course Jan has in abundance- so we are off to Snyder Lake, which was my first hike in Glacier too.

Trying not to trample the wildflowers as we navigate early season blowdowns.

Lower elevations are waking up.  All the melting, dripping, dampness, and squishing mean the forest is coming alive.

Trilliums, equipped with Drip Tip Technology, know how to handle the wetness.

For hikers like me without waterproof boots, preventing cold feet is simple with BagTek (i.e. plastic bag vapor barriers, vaseline to prevent cracking, and tall gaiters to keep out the snow).

Budget solution for snow hiking in lightweight trail runners.

Ice bridges and a few tricky spots keep us engaged and challenged.

Sketchy transition from bridge to snowbank.

That feeling of being enveloped by towering mountains.

Blue skies open up as we reach Snyder Lake.  Waterfalls all around sail from cliffs.  Its incredibly peaceful, and there is no one else around.

Snyder Lake.

View of Lake McDonald far below.

I've forgotten how hiking across so much snow is tiring in this pleasantly exhausting way.  It was only about 9 miles round trip, but it was enough.  What a great day to spend with Jan-- thanks for coming to visit me in Montana!

More information
Snyder Lake Trail Information
Jan's blog here.

Date hiked: April 23, 2016