Long-distance group hike coming to Kalispell
Highlander, an international long-distance hiking initiative, is coming to Kalispell at the end of September for its first ever event in Montana.
A Croatian backpacking company, Highlander organizes hikes of multiple lengths across the world and added the United States to its resume in 2022.
The main event format in Kalispell is a five-day hike, about 60 miles in length with four checkpoints. At each checkpoint, Highlander crew members organize various educational, entertaining group activities and presentations. There is also a shorter event format in Kalispell, a three-day hike covering around 30 miles.
“With Highlander we connected our love for events with hiking,” said Aljosa Vojnovic, the firm’s marketing head.
Highlander hosted its first event in 2017 in Croatia and the group has experienced significant growth each year since. With hikes in Croatia, Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Italy and, closer to home, California and Kalispell, the group hopes to combine community with outdoor activity, Vojnovic said.
“It’s an event where people aren’t racing each other,” Vojnovic said. “They can just enjoy it.”
Each Highlander trip requires a down payment, which in the case of Kalispell ranges from $359 to $2,429 depending on the amount of spots purchased and the trek selected. For example, group registration will cost more. Currently, the last call price, which can be purchased until Sep. 12, is $809 for an individual entry for the longer route and $539 for an individual entry for the shorter route.
The price includes cooked meals at certain checkpoints, backpacking food, a variety of drinks and participant injury insurance. A Highlander ranger is stationed at each campsite to ensure the safety of participants.
While hiking is at the core of what Highlander is, Vojnovic said, the firm’s true motivation is education. Through workshops, guest speakers, presentations, live music and sustainability practices, Highlander works to ensure participants have not only a safe, prepared trip but also an informational one.
While participants must bring their own gear and camping supplies, the Highlander trip gives people the opportunity to take a long-distance hiking trip without the stress of planning and safety concerns, Vojnovic said.
“Kalispell, in a way, was in our minds. But in a way it also came to us,” Vojnovic said about choosing the Flathead Valley for a location. Seasoned hikers suggested it as a good spot.
The event will host between 180 and 200 people. Participants hike at their own pace, guided by themselves, until they reach the checkpoint for the night. There they will camp, eat and can attend presentations or events.
The longer route, a five-day excursion known as the Highlander Hercules, is approximately 54 miles with 9,970 feet of elevation gain. It begins at Blacktail Mountain and takes participants through Aspen Meadow Farm, Lake Mary Ronan and back to Blacktail Mountain.
This trip goes from Sep. 19 to Sep. 23.
The shorter route, a three-day trip, runs about 38 miles with 4,352 feet of elevation gain. It begins at Flathead Ridge Ranch, near the Little Bitterroot River, and finishes on Browns Meadow Road. That trip goes from Sept. 21 to Sept. 23.
Both treks are capped off with a joint finisher party at Bias Brewing in downtown Kalispell.
“I want people to join Highlander to just make new friends and meet new people,” Vojnovic said. “The Highlander experience is very often a transformative experience.”
Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.