p40whk
starting to shine!
Member since October 2018
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Post by p40whk on Oct 31, 2018 13:39:45 GMT -5
I took this pic of the tunnel at Ptarmigan pass in Glacier national park a few years back and at the time I was captivated by the color of the rock. There was a tone of it it laying around on the trail but I wasn't tumbling at the time. Not sure what it is but the pic is pretty cool anyway. The hike to get to this tunnel as a @ss kicker!  Glacier_7 by Jeff Schaber, on Flickr |
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Oct 31, 2018 13:45:50 GMT -5
That's beautiful! Thanks for sharing Jeff!
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Oct 31, 2018 13:49:45 GMT -5
You got me Googling it now lol. Just curious where abouts did you start on the trail?
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p40whk
starting to shine!
Member since October 2018
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Post by p40whk on Oct 31, 2018 13:55:50 GMT -5
You got me Googling it now lol. Just curious where abouts did you start on the trail? If you've ever been to Glacier, the trail starts out of the Many Glaciers area on the same hike that leads to Iceberg Lake. About half way to Iceberg Lake, the trail to Ptarmigan tunnel forks off to the right and climbs for a about 3-4 miles to the Tunnel. It's a steep climb and the trail is narrow and rocky so you really need to be in shape to do it. If you google Ptarmigan Tunnel, there are quite a few videos of the hike. |
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Oct 31, 2018 14:04:07 GMT -5
Thanks! No we have never been to Glacier but definitely adding it to our must see list.
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Post by MsAli on Oct 31, 2018 14:24:03 GMT -5
I was just reading about it and came across this
In 1998 a woman lost her life on the north side of Ptarmigan Tunnel in one of the most freakish accidents in Glacier National Park history. The Polson, Montana woman, along with her husband and two companions, rode horseback to the tunnel from Many Glacier. Upon arrival they led their horses through the tunnel to view the scenery on the other side. While standing beside the low stone parapet her horse abruptly jerked and stumbled, and knocked the woman onto the retaining wall. The horse then lost its footing and fell on top of her. Both horse and rider then rolled over the wall before falling hundreds of feet to their deaths
I ride all the time and this is something that would make me think twice about taking a horse up there
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Mark K
Cave Dweller 
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Post by Mark K on Oct 31, 2018 17:10:02 GMT -5
I suspect that that rock is the same thing that is all over the bottom of the lakes.
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mossyrockhound
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2011
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Post by mossyrockhound on Nov 1, 2018 1:54:28 GMT -5
Very colorful rock! Someone spent a lot of time mortaring the stone around the tunnel entrance.
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p40whk
starting to shine!
Member since October 2018
Posts: 45
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Post by p40whk on Nov 1, 2018 7:23:45 GMT -5
Very colorful rock! Someone spent a lot of time mortaring the stone around the tunnel entrance. I've noticed in all of the National Parks that I have visited, the construction of man made structures are always built using local materials to make those structures blend in as much as possible. Zion National Park is another good example of this where much of the road surface matches the surrounding sandstone. |
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