08/30/14 Preston Park

Siyeh

My friends, Zach and Mandy, came out from Colorado for a visit and we drove up to Glacier  National Park to do some hiking.  On the 30th of August we started out from Siyeh Bend and climbed up the switchbacks and to the second trail junction.  Our main objective for the trip to Glacier was Floral Park for the next day, but at the junction of the Piegan Pass and Siyeh Pass Trails you can tell you are close to really great and open views.  It's not that the views are bad lower down, but as you hike it is clear that it opens up just a little higher.  Zach had been to the park before, but Mandy hadn't, so I wanted to show them some of the best Glacier has to offer.  I was able to convince myself that Preston Park was a little closer than it actually was and then convinced them we should carry on to that point.

Following the creek

The views up to Siyeh and Matahpi were pretty incredible as we climbed into Preston Park from the junction.  The trees seem to grow smaller and are less crowded as the trail enters the park.  We followed the trail further, stopping at a small pond, until we came to a small creek that crossed the trail.  At this point, we left the trail and followed the creek past sections of long slabs and little cascades.  At the top of the climb up the creek we came to the small lakes that lie in the basin.  Since we had exceeded the mileage Zach and Mandy were hoping for for the day, we decided to just enjoy the lower and smaller of the two lakes.  We felt the depth of the bowl we were in and strained our necks to take in the whole cliffy scene surrounding us.

Lake in Preston Park

Creek we followed

Piegan Mountain and Glacier and Reynolds (left)

After enjoying some time at the lake and taking many photos, we stayed at the same elevation of the lake and made our way back to the Siyeh Pass Trail.  We descended the trail back to the creek we followed and eventually down to the junction with the Piegan Pass Trail, enjoying spectacular views back to Piegan Mountain and Glacier with Reynolds behind.  Despite having done the trail quite a few times and being back to the two lakes as well, I was thoroughly enjoying myself and trying to take in everything.  I don't think, after twelve years in and around Glacier, that I would ever feel differently on a hike in Glacier.  Zach and Mandy were also enjoying themselves, and it was fun being around a Glacier first-timer.  From the junction, we easily made our way down the well-maintained trail back to the trailhead.  We were all excited for the trip the next day.