Beware the breeze at Triple Divide

Here are a few words of warning in the hiking vocabulary.

Any time you hear “lookout,” “pass,” or “peak” used as a destination, you can plan on there being a lot of “up” in your future.

The Triple Divide Pass trail on the east side of Glacier National Park might be a bit of an exception.

The park website lists this hike as 7.2 miles (one way) and as a 2,380-foot elevation gain. But it’s a relatively moderate day trip.

Triple Divide Pass had been on our hiking “to do” list for some time — and we had decided recently that the time had come.

We set out, six of us, last week from the Cut Bank Trailhead.

Triple Divide Peak/Pass is special because it sits at the apex of three major watersheds flowing toward the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and Hudson Bay.

Rarely visited Cut Bank Creek also is a treat.

We’d increased distances and elevation gain over several weeks of hiking — Cobalt Lake, Snyder Lake, Huckleberry Lookout and Grant Ridge — and felt as ready as you can feel to tackle 14-plus miles and climb nearly 2,400 feet.

The wind slapped us in the face with the first step out of the car — fierce and cold, even on the valley floor. It was so stiff at the trail head we nearly canceled.

Instead, we decided to just go “a little way.”

The wind died down (somewhat) as soon as we hit the trees. We were off!

The trail, a gradual uphill, winds along the Cut Bank Creek bottom for several miles, offering great views of Bad Marriage Mountain to the south and Flinsch Peak, far off in the distance.

We had excitement in the first two miles. My husband, Wes, pointed out a moose track in the muddy trail — and it wasn’t more than 100 feet before we saw the creator of said track, a

young bull along the creek.

We managed to snap one picture before he lumbered away.

According to a Global Positioning System we carried along, the elevation at our starting point was 5,197 feet. Two miles later, we had climbed 45 feet and at four miles, we were up 293 feet and about to start the ascent.

And fairly serious it was.

The climb wasn’t difficult, but the wind, which had never stopped, stepped right up as soon as we left the valley floor.

We could hear the gusts building, so we’d move as quickly as possible from one spot to the next — and then hunker down when the blasts hit.

We had great views of Medicine Grizzly Lake below and of Medicine Grizzly Peak straight ahead as we climbed.

We met several groups of hikers, all shaking their heads about the wind, and all assuring us the pass was worth the effort.

It was beautiful. At the pass we took in the views, with Norris and Split mountains being the most predominant to the north and Triple Divide Peak to the west.

But the wind and cold made it impossible to do more than take a quick look and snap a few pictures. Lunch was a hurried affair a quarter-mile back down the trail behind some large rocks.

All in all, Triple Divide Pass was worth both the drive and the effort. But be sure to pack plenty of warm clothing. A check of the area wind advisories might also be a good idea.

Reporter Dixie Knutson may be reached at 758-4446 or by e-mail at dknutson@dailyinterlake.com