Solo trek in Glacier last August taught me a rope lesson

I did the Highline Trail to Swiftcurrent Pass solo in Glacier National Park last August, and my 30-foot length of cheap cord almost got me stranded when a rock slide took out part of the trail above a cliff. The ranger at Many Glacier said I needed 50 feet minimum for that kind of exposure, and she showed me how to set a basic anchor with trees instead of just tying off on a boulder. Has anyone else hit a section that required more gear than the guidebooks listed, and how did you handle it without turning back?

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maryb3417d ago

That Swiftcurrent section is no joke. I ran into something similar on the Ptarmigan Tunnel trail two summers back when a washout left about 15 feet of loose scree where the trail used to be, and my 25 foot cord was useless. The trick the ranger showed you about using trees is smart because a single boulder anchor can flip on you if the rock is smaller than you think. I ended up wrapping a Sitka spruce trunk and a second anchor around a root system, then ran the rope through both for a backup. Carrying 50 feet of real climbing rope instead of cheap cord adds weight but it saved my trip.

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