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ChoteauCam Trip to Harrison Valley
and an unsuccessful attempt at a new route on Walton Mountain
Part 1: August 14-15, 2007 Click to visit Part 2 or Part 3
Mountaineers: Ralph Thornton, Ron Gruber and April Carr
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Backpackers and mountaineers wanting to camp at Harrison Lake are presented with two choices: You can hike almost 12 miles along the Boundary and Harrison Lake trails or you can reduce the hike by wading the Middlefork of the Flathead River by visiting Harrison Ford.
We chose to wade. At this time the river is low but the flowing water still pulls you along.
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We even managed to get some curious looks from passing rafters. |
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Dan Doody had his eye set on short and feisty Josephine Gaines who lived at McCartyville (near Marias Pass). She was a pretty tough character and apparently just the kind of wife he wanted. So he upped and rode to McCartyville, grabbed Josephine, strapped her on a mule and took her back to his cabin. He had to lock her up at first but eventually she got used to him. Doody supposedly had three stills and sold moonshine to the railroaders and others across the river. The railroad built the Doody siding and trains would stop there and blow the whistle for the number of bottles of liquor they wanted. Josephine would row across the river and deliver the booze. Dan was a Park Ranger for a while but guiding, poaching and mining (all in the park) were more to his liking. Dan died suddenly of a heart ailment in 1921. Josephine lived at the homestead until 1931 then moved across the river near Deer Lick Creek. She died of pneumonia in 1936. (Previous info from Place Names of Glacier National Park by Jack Holterman, copyright 2006)
There is still plenty of evidence of the Doodys at the old homestead. The remains of the cabin and outhouse along with old tractors and machinery lie all about. We spent a little time resting there and contemplated what life was like "across the river" in the early 20th century.
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After walking another 4.8 miles we reached the designated campsite on Harrison Lake. This was our home that first night and we would return here later for our last night.
Above: It is a beautiful and quiet lake in the evening. Loons called and barred owls hooted. During the day, however, tour helicopters from near West Glacier pretty much destroy the solitude as they shuttle wealthy tourists over the pristine and formerly peaceful wilderness of Glacier National Park.
Left: A short distance above the campground is the Harrison Lake Patrol Cabin.
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The Harrison trail formerly went all the way to the big basin below Harrison Glacier but it is no longer maintained above the lake. The floods of previous years (1964, 1975, 2006) have wrecked havoc on parts of the trail.
In many places though the trail is very obvious and can be followed. To do so requires special techniques. This sequence of photos shows four methods of getting past trees that have fallen over the trail.
Left is a Ben Dover;
Below Left: aux chauveaux;
Center: Mash 'em Down;
Right: a Crawl Under with a smile.
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Below Left: One of the easier sections of the old trail.
Below Right: Something more typical.
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The trails above Harrison Lake are maintained somewhat by the passage of large animals. The Park Service will not issue chainsaws to elk and moose so it takes them a long time to remove the fallen trees.
We met bullwinkle in a small clearing near the creek.
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Nine hours after leaving the campsite and only three and a half miles above we reached a large open area. We camped there enjoying fantastic views of Blackfoot Mountain which towered more than a vertical mile above us. |
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