The Pasayten had already transformed into a winter wonderland of nearly complete snow. It’s also a no man’s land this time of year. It’s about 160 miles with no easy bailout points until the next resupply. This rural town is the staging ground before entering the Pasayten Wilderness-the most remote section of the PNT. It was mid-October by the time I arrived in Oroville, WA. The trail then transitions into a more forested landscape for a time. The small town of Polebridge marks the end of the park. The trail follows it for its entirety of seven miles.Īnd just like that, the PNT through Glacier was over. The hike down from Brown Pass to the last valley revealed a shimmering lake that stretched as far as my eyes could see. I shook my head in disbelief at such a stunning landscape. It’s encapsulated by sheer cliffs with glaciers and waterfalls all around. At the upper basin of the valley is Thunderbird Pond. I simply took the time to marvel at the artwork millions of years in the making. The mountains, built from layers upon layers of rocks, tell of a history I don’t know much about. In typical Glacier fashion, the hike up was more of the same jaw-dropping views! The walk through the valley was a showcase of one masterpiece after another. Darn! The views of Glacier up high are always a 100 times more gorgeous under sunny skies. By the time I reached the top, clouds had already darkened the surrounding mountains. The hike up Stoney Indian Pass at 6,908 feet had excellent tread and was over before I knew it. I kept following the trail as it went from one pristine lake to another until it reached the end of the first valley. Glacier National ParkĪs I made my way into the valley, I was surrounded by towering peaks of sedimentary rocks already dusted with a light layer of snow. Already, it looked like wet shoes were a foregone conclusion.

Without skipping a beat, I turned around and took the horse crossing across the shallow end of the river. It seemed like the park service had removed it for the season. Once at the Belly River, I was met with a disassembled bridge. Not by choice, I took it slow as equestrian traffic had muddied up the trail and made it a slippery situation. This combined with blue skies during the morning made for an idyllic first day. The hike across the park started off gentle without much elevation gain. As an added bonus, it’s also prime grizzly country! Glacier National Park The mountains inside the park are simply spectacular and unparalleled to anywhere else in the U.S. I decided to go for it because I was nearby, and it was there.įor a westbound journey, the PNT starts with an immediate bang-Glacier National Park, the crown jewel of the National Park system. This hike was not the typical PNT experience it was the most late season thru-hike of the trail known to date. I was always ready to quit if conditions became too dangerous. Thru-hiking this late in the season has the added danger of snow. I started this trail not knowing whether I would actually finish. Through varied terrain of snow-capped mountains to rugged beaches, the PNT proved to be a trail unique in its own right and an incredible adventure. The time for snow was set to arrive, and snow always transforms the mountains into a magical place.Īs I slapped the wooden pillar of the Chief Mountain Customs building and officially started my walk, I knew many challenges lay ahead. The “perfect” time to trek the 1,200 miles from the Continental Divide to the Pacific Ocean had already passed, but perfect isn’t very exciting. On the second day of autumn, September 23, 2016, I began my thru-hike of the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT). Below he recounts his journey and provides tips for anyone thinking of thru-hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail.ĥ author tips for hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail located at the bottom. Editor’s note: Triple Crowner Quoc Nguyen undertook the PNT in the fall, a feat that should be reserved only for expert thru-hikers and those with extensive avalanche education and winter backcountry experience.

Pacific northwest trail