Adventure Bardsley: Glacier Backcountry Adventure

Looking down at our first night's camp on Oldman Lake

John and I were so excited when we pulled a permit to for this treck in Glacier National Park. This loop is super popular and we usually apply every year but don't get in. This year, our son was gone to bike camp in Colorado, so Ellie got to bring a friend. Bringing a friend into Grizzly country is tricky. But we knew that our friends Angie and Steve raised their daughter's backcountry tough, so we invited Skye on our adventure.

(Angie and Steve were both Back-Country rangers in Glacier for years before marriage and kids)

When we picked up our permit at the Back-Country Office, we had to watch a video and get quizzed on Grizzly awareness and camping guidelines. The girls answered all the questions perfect and got Jr Ranger badges.
Cute.

These girls can hike!

13yr old Skye and Ellie were up for the challenge of packing through serious backcountry.

They were not winers at all, in fact - I cant think of a funner back pack ever.

(note to self - always let Skye come on Bardsley adventures)

Tip #1 - If you want to be loud and scare away bears......Bring Teenage Girls!
Honestly!
The girls were super joyful on the trail with singing, cracking jokes, clapping and yelling. John got to enjoy his "Nordic-self" and hike quietly in the back while the girls and I were super obnoxious with all kinds of noises.

My Specialized Girls

Up on Pitamaken Pass.

Second day of our backpack looking down on Oldman lake and Pitamaken Lake.

Side note;

Pitamaken means Running Eagle and was named after one of the only female Blackfoot warriors. She was orphaned in her teens but kept her siblings together. Later she became a great horse thief. She never married to the disappointment of at least one great chief.