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Post by lindasands on May 22, 2019 21:21:22 GMT -8
Hi, I'm new to the forum, but not to backpacking. My group of 5 are trying to plan an early Sept 4 night, 5 day trek under 50 miles that will take in enough sites to make us want to return. We are all experienced, but not spry lil chickens. We did GC R2R last fall, and haven't done much else since... I know. I know. So, first question is... how strict are rangers about putting more than 2 tents on a campsite? We are 2 couples and 1 single girl, which means 1 single small tent and 2 2 ppl tents. I don't want to ask a ranger, if this is a hard stop. But I'm getting the feeling that most sites are not"manned" and this might not be a big deal. Could someone with true experience weigh in? MUCH APPRECIATED!
On the other side of things, I have trail questions/route ideas, but I'll post them separately to a forum.
Thanks in advance, Linda
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Post by JRinGeorgia on May 23, 2019 5:19:59 GMT -8
Respectfully, I don't think it's appropriate to ask how likely you are to get away with violating the park's rules (aka breaking the law). Perhaps you could invest in a larger shelter so you can stay within the regulations, split five ways the damage won't be too bad.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 23, 2019 6:05:10 GMT -8
Front country campgrounds as long as the shelters are within the provided pad or hardened area I expect there’d be little issue. Though at Glacier I’ve only stayed at Swiftcurrent Lake and dayhiked. Backcountry? The wilderness regulations are there to protect the landscape. National parks being federal fines start at $500... With it all being active Grizzly Bear habitat rangers more actively patrol than many other parks in the system. From a practical standpoint they’ll see the permit is for five and your Wilderness Permit proposed itinerary site allocation will have to reflect that: i e two sites per night. ”Backcountry sites can be reserved in advance starting March 15 for groups of 1-8 campers and March 1 for groups of 9-12 campers. There is a $40 application fee ($10 administrative fee + $30 fulfilled trip request fee) for EACH application you submit. If backcountry personnel are unable to award an advance reservation itinerary based upon the parameters you indicate, the $30 fulfilled trip request fee will be refunded. Applicants should expect a two month period of time between application submittal and notification of permit status. The camping fee of $7 / night / person is due upon picking up your permit. Applications can be submitted ONLINE ONLY....” “Group Size The maximum party size allowed is 12 persons. Each backcountry campground has 2-7 campsites. Each campsite is limited to four (4) people and two (2) tents (2-4 person).” So there’d be no need to spill outside the site and damage extra ground as you’d have a permit reservation for two sites. www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm#CP_JUMP_850433 |
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on May 23, 2019 6:40:48 GMT -8
This. In any case, as I remember the one backcountry site we used at Glacier, you wouldn’t be able to fit three tents. Front-country campsites, probably not an issue if they are backpacking tents, though it can get cramped.
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on May 23, 2019 7:54:04 GMT -8
If you are trying to plan a trip based around an assumed leniency of park rules, you are setting yourself up for a major headache.
best of luck
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 23, 2019 8:57:20 GMT -8
Rocky Mountain parks do use the designated campsite method to preserve the wilderness quite a bit (and I suspect to manage the bear-human interactions by providing anti-bear food suspension poles, separate cooking and sleeping areas etc. at their specified sites, something not necessary in black bear country). For a less restrictive option there are other choices: for example Sequoia Kings Canyon is almost exclusively “dispersed” camping, meaning the wilderness backcountry visitor is free (within regulations in distance from trails and water) to set up overnight wherever they want.
As well as the big, world class non-park wilderness areas of the Rockies.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on May 24, 2019 8:35:52 GMT -8
I have been to Glacier only for one trip but rangers came through at least once a day, sometimes twice, morning and evening. Got they feeling they were looking to make sure the rules were followed and everyone was doing safe practices.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 24, 2019 9:08:20 GMT -8
I have been to Glacier only for one trip but rangers came through at least once a day, sometimes twice, morning and evening. Got they feeling they were looking to make sure the rules were followed and everyone was doing safe practices. That’s my experience: Grizzly Bear habitat keeps the rangers public safety mission front and center at all times. |
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amaruq
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Post by amaruq on May 24, 2019 9:10:36 GMT -8
I'm guessing this didn't go quite how Linda hoped...
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 24, 2019 10:14:22 GMT -8
I'm guessing this didn't go quite how Linda hoped... Maybe: but knowing their approved wilderness permit itinerary would automatically include two sites for adequate capacity for their stated group size so there’s no worries should have been reassuring. At least I’d prefer not having to be looking over my shoulder for “the man” when I think I might be skating along the edge of federal regulations... This way it’s all solid with the permit approval. A plus, right? |
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on May 24, 2019 17:00:02 GMT -8
That’s my experience: Grizzly Bear habitat keeps the rangers public safety mission front and center at all times. One of the nearby (3 miles) campsites to ours one night was closed because there was an elk kill that a big grizzy was sitting on top of near it. I think the smell was drawing in others. That was one of the rangers top questions is whether we has any grizzly sightings. It also seemed like they were closely checking our food practices. |
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