Advice - Glacier NP: Gunsight Pass Heights

[Mewbaccat]

Hi all, I've been a long time lurker and can't give enough thanks to the entire community here for being such a wonderful resource! Now I'm hoping I can ask the community for some personalized insight...

This summer, I landed a permit in late August for the Gunsight Pass in Glacier National Park, with one night at GUN and one night at ELL, starting from Jackson Glacier Overlook. I'm thrilled to be going back after a quick 1-nighter to Cracker Lake in 2019.

The problem is - I have a MASSIVE phobia of heights!

Watching every video and looking at every photo I can find, the hike looks like no trouble between the JOE trailhead and GUN. However, the trail over Gunsight Pass to ELL looks like it could really wrack my nerves. Has anyone here done this hike, to offer any advice on the trail width and drop-off of this section?

For reference, I'd say the worst heights experiences were coming down from Elizabeth Pass traveling Kings --> Sequoia (my maximum doable with my hat in blinders mode), and Sub Dome in Yosemite (knew I wasn't going to do the cable section, but Sub Dome itself was beyond what I'm comfortable with).

The absolute scale of Glacier is dizzying all by itself, so I'm trying to decide if I should move forward with a plan to through hike Gunsight, or just call it and change my plans to an out and back to GUN via JOE.

Thank you so much!

[Harlen]

Hi Mewbaccat,
I haven't hiked that trail in Glacier, but we have a friend who worked there, and would know it. I'll give him a call. [So would one of our brethren here- that is Nikos, aka Silkysmooth, maybe he'll chime in.] The same friend recommended a really nice area to us, and that was out to Piegan Pass. It had no exposure to heights, and great views into Canada from the pass. ... Okay, our friend John says that you shouldn't have any difficulty along that route to G.Pass, especially compared with some of the exposed traverse trails in the Park. He also said that area was where they found Ground Squirrel paws floating in Grizzly scat. On the way to Gunsight they saw Grizzlies foraging on the slopes above them in the sunset, and the same group of bears the next morning. He says that area is well know for bears. Hopefully you'll see the Grizzlies coming up the trail behind you, and that will make the height issues disappear.

If you crossed Elizabeth Pass, and made it along the wildly exposed portions of the High Sierra Trail (Yes?), then you will be fine. My brother in-law has a fear of heights way beyond yours, as he had trouble on the drive up to Horseshoe Meadows, and then we turned back halfway up New Army Pass due to his unease. We then had a great trip exploring all around Cottonwood Lakes, and while he played with our infant sons, Lizzie and I got to hike up Old AP, and on to Langley.

I think it is in your honor to be backpacking in the high mountains with the added challenge of the heights. Go for it!

[bobby49]

Gunsight Pass seems to be only around 7000 feet elevation. Exactly what is it that is the problem?

Some people have acrophobia, and something in their head tells them falsely that they will fall. Others who have been up high know that their body goes to hell at high elevation, like acute altitude sickness. Is it the roughness of the trail surface? Some people stumble over their own feet, and they are afraid that they will fall and possibly get hurt. Some hikers think that a gust of wind will throw them over the edge.

I would suggest that you backpack with a trusted friend who is surefooted. After you follow that friend for a while, you might get past some of the problem.

I led a group backpack trip one time with one woman who seemed sure that she was going to fall. Then she did. It turned out that she had her vision looking high and ahead, so she didn't see the tree roots that were going to trip her up. We got her to look down at the trail, maybe only 3-5 feet ahead.

[Mewbaccat]

Harlen, thank you so much! That is amazing insight and advice, and such a great help to (somewhat) ease my fears. Please pass my appreciation on to John as well.
I'm comfortable enough on New Army Pass, so appreciate your additional reference there.

The Gunsight Pass trek looks like one for the books, and I really would hate to miss out on experiencing that area because of a couple miles of cliffs.

On the HST, I haven't been past the Tamarack Meadow area coming from Crescent Meadow, and did opt to take the Over the Hill trail to somewhat cut out cliff exposure. The bit of cliff by Eagle View is luckily short enough that I can hurry by it.

We were fortunate enough to have a positive grizzly encounter at Cracker Lake in 2019. He spent the day on the camp side of the lake, picking around the shore. Come nightfall, he headed to the other side of lake, and we watched him forage in the scree the next morning. I've upgraded my lenses for this trip, and we are definitely looking forward to more (safe) animal encounters.

Our previous visit to Glacier and Cracker Lake was part of a longer trip for us with visits to Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Yoho, and Banff too - we were really lucky to see another grizzly and wolf in Yellowstone, as well as countless deer, a few black bears, pronghorns, and bison. We couldn't believe we didn't see one mountain goat that entire trip, but Gunsight looks like a great spot for viewing so hopefully we can cross that off our list too.

Thanks again for your proactive help and insight, this community is invaluable! I promise to share a trip report after August assuming all plans go well.

P1012193.jpg

Grizzly at Cracker Lake

20190711_090328-1.jpg

Cracker Lake camp

P1012077.jpg

Looking back down Cracker Canyon

[Silky Smooth]

Hi there Mewbaccat, I worked in the park for 2 years. Blackout and I hiked every dammn trail in every condition imaginable. Def not like the sierra at all. A lot of wildlife and always some weather. I am very excited you will be exploring more of Glacier, it is a stunning park. Gunsight was one of my favs. Regarding your question, the trail itself does not have scary exposure like Yosemite or other hikes in Glacier. I think you are safe with this one. Watch out for the goats though, they will not move off trail. I highly recommend to camp at Lake Ellen Wilson, simply stunning infinity pool lake. I was working on making a race from Lake Mcdonald Lodge via gunsight, then siyeh pass all the way down to Many Glacier. I called it Lodge to Lodge, miles aren't to bad. I also really enjoyed stoney indian pass and ptarmigan wall loops, do the highline all the way to goat haunt via fifty mountain and then to brown pass down to bowman or vice versa. Two medicine has some really nice hikes and such a special place to hang out. Lots of good day hikes in glacier. Let me know if you have any other questions! I enjoyed the stroll down huckleberry lane!