Grant Ridge Loop in the Bob Marshall Wilderness

8/15/2015

The original plan was backpacking to Harrison Lake for one night, but someone got the last spot before us. We had a first timer with us - Alex from Ukraine, so Aaron came up with an alternative route. It was the Grant Ridge Loop, with spending the night right on top of the ridge. We were glad to have decided for that area after we watched the big smoke cloud come from behind Mt. Stimson.

First we were going to get up the next day and climb Great Northern... it looked magical and tempting.

Great Northern Mountain

Big and Juicy Huckleberries!

Once we crossed the creek that flows out of Stanton Lake we didn't see a single person. Also - no signs of bears. We had to get all our water lower, since there's nothing at the top.
As we hiked up, we found a few thimbleberries, but that wasn't what we wanted. So many huckleberry bushes around our trail, just empty or dried up (sun dried huckleberries aren't so bad!).
Finally as we got to switchbacks right below the top, and there they were, just fields of huckleberries! So big, sweet and juicy...

Grant Glacier

After we watched the smokey sunset we were wondering if it really was a new fire in the Nyack area.

Watching the smokey sunset over Glacier

Our plan to climb Great Northern failed because of those little purple beauties. We had no water left, but still stayed at the top, picking huckleberries for a couple of hours...