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Glacier National Park? Is it worth it to get a passport?

Chaharly

By Chaharly
in Watering Hole

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Chaharly

Chaharly

Posted
Posted

Hey all! I'm planning on takin the 88 up to Glacier National Park in the first week in July. Leaving from Randolph, NE on June 25, and I've got enough vacation to take up to the 13th of July off. I've never been up north that way and further than Devil's Tower so Its going to be a lot of new country for me. My mom and dad have been there a couple of times on the Goldwings and say it is some of their favorite scenery. They also told me that I should get a passport and travel on the Canadian side of it.:canada: They said you can see the glaciers a lot closer that way. My buddy got a passport for 160 bucks or so and they're good for 10 years, so they're truly not bad on price. Any of you guys do the Canadian side of it? I know there are people on here from Canada who had probably been there. I'd love to hear any tips on good roads to checkout, stops and points of interest on the way, and hell I'd even like to hear some biker stories about some road trips...

I got M/C fever something fierce right now.....:bang head:

 

Just gonna throw the pup tent on the luggage rack, my little law chair and a sleeping bag and head out into the wild blue yonder. The 88 needs a new clutch and I just got my throttle cable in the mail with a luber so I cant expect to many set backs. That being said It is a 30 year old machine with 30 year old parts. Need to get a fork seal replaced and I really need to do the starter clutch, but I'm starting with the cables and Sky-Doc clutch replacement!

 

Have a good one guys and I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and you're on your way to an even better 2018:guitarist 2::guitarist 2:

cowpuc

cowpuc

Posted
Posted

Hi Cha!! Sounds like you got yourself some dandy CTFW plans there brother = GOOD ON YA and all the very best in your upcoming travels!! WOWZY:thumbsup:,,, that tent :draming: sure sounds like a plan too = my kind of varmint for sure!!

Here in Michigan we have these things called Enhanced Drivers Licenses which Tip and I both have. They serve very well as Pass Ports for ground travel into Canada and we have used them successfully a lot!! They do not work for flights or travel anywhere else (like Mexico = we found out at the southern border).. No idea if you can do/get the same but might be worth looking at = lots cheaper and easier to use as they "broadcast" your info to the guards at the border = easy peasy crossing..

Couple years ago (more or less) we did Glacier again while out goofing off riding the borders.. That time was the week before the Sturgis Rally so it was during the first week of August and they had JUST (3 days before) got that pathway to the Sun opened up and it was FREEZING cold up thar!! We rode up into Canada and their weather up there was not better and it is also harder to escape the mountains to warm up (and camp) for the night.. Problem with staying wayyyyyy up there by the Glaciers is the endless possibilty of getting snowed in!!! If we were gonna plan a Glacier trip just for the sake of staying up in the mountains = no doubt it would be a mid August trip! IMHO, you might be a month early for biking it and camping up there..

Regardless Cha,, seems how your thinking of dropping a tent = I know of a couple pretty decent camp sites along the trails leading to Glacier. Be happy to share em with ya if you would like? I have never been a campground guru and far from any sort of a moteler but if your just planning on dropping the tent and coppin some zz's = definitly right up my alley - I got a little experience with that and be happy to share some of my more successful "camp grounds" with ya.. Beginning of July????? That may even be early to camp Yellow Stone or up in the Big Horns!!

Another thing to remember when camping the Rockies and the northern extremes = Bears.. Differently then anywhere else = the non friendly Grizz and Browns are still around up there and they dont run when yelled at like the little veggitarian Black Bear of Michigan do.. I mention this because another issue comes into play for us tenters when camping in Bear country up in Canada = NO GUNS!! You WILL get asked at the border and you dont want to mislead the Canadian Guards about whether or not your packin = MAJOR PROBLEM!! Something to think about..

Hey,, THANKS FOR POSTING THIS!! DEFINITELY heart warming just talking bikes again!!:missingtooth:

Puc

djh3

djh3

Posted
Posted

Depends on if you plan on some more out of the country trips in next few years. Passport is around $130 from what I just looked up. If you plan on say a cruise or maybe another trip up thru Canada in a year or so I'd say yea go for it. I still have a current passport but have not used it in several years.

Chaharly

Chaharly

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Hi Cha!! Sounds like you got yourself some dandy CTFW plans there brother = GOOD ON YA and all the very best in your upcoming travels!! WOWZY:thumbsup:,,, that tent :draming: sure sounds like a plan too = my kind of varmint for sure!!

Here in Michigan we have these things called Enhanced Drivers Licenses which Tip and I both have. They serve very well as Pass Ports for ground travel into Canada and we have used them successfully a lot!! They do not work for flights or travel anywhere else (like Mexico = we found out at the southern border).. No idea if you can do/get the same but might be worth looking at = lots cheaper and easier to use as they "broadcast" your info to the guards at the border = easy peasy crossing..

Couple years ago (more or less) we did Glacier again while out goofing off riding the borders.. That time was the week before the Sturgis Rally so it was during the first week of August and they had JUST (3 days before) got that pathway to the Sun opened up and it was FREEZING cold up thar!! We rode up into Canada and their weather up there was not better and it is also harder to escape the mountains to warm up (and camp) for the night.. Problem with staying wayyyyyy up there by the Glaciers is the endless possibilty of getting snowed in!!! If we were gonna plan a Glacier trip just for the sake of staying up in the mountains = no doubt it would be a mid August trip! IMHO, you might be a month early for biking it and camping up there..

Regardless Cha,, seems how your thinking of dropping a tent = I know of a couple pretty decent camp sites along the trails leading to Glacier. Be happy to share em with ya if you would like? I have never been a campground guru and far from any sort of a moteler but if your just planning on dropping the tent and coppin some zz's = definitly right up my alley - I got a little experience with that and be happy to share some of my more successful "camp grounds" with ya.. Beginning of July????? That may even be early to camp Yellow Stone or up in the Big Horns!!

Another thing to remember when camping the Rockies and the northern extremes = Bears.. Differently then anywhere else = the non friendly Grizz and Browns are still around up there and they dont run when yelled at like the little veggitarian Black Bear of Michigan do.. I mention this because another issue comes into play for us tenters when camping in Bear country up in Canada = NO GUNS!! You WILL get asked at the border and you dont want to mislead the Canadian Guards about whether or not your packin = MAJOR PROBLEM!! Something to think about..

Hey,, THANKS FOR POSTING THIS!! DEFINITELY heart warming just talking bikes again!!:missingtooth:

Puc

 

You know I never thought about it being too cold at that point in the year... I never realized how long it takes for that northern land to warm up. I kinda worry that that I could only take off on the 20th of august if I were to take that long and I kind of wonder if that would be getting too late in the year... Luckily my schedule is somewhat fluid so I can sort of pick and choose when to go. Might have to start getting into watching the weather channel a little more :backinmyday: LMAO. I can handle a couple days of cold weather like that, but you raise a really good point, a guy would get awful tired of that after 10 days or so. I'd obviously bring enough money to motel it for emergencies, but it kinda ruins the fun...

 

I've been thinking about the bear situation as well, glad you brought that up!! I've got no problem finding little cozey corners close to town or even in town (did that out in Nevada, stayed at a city park. The said they had people do stuff like that all the time and they were just happy for the business), because I'm the type of guy to lose a wrestling match with an imaginary bear :doh:. I could imagine this post turning into a bear survival guide. The best tip, ride with someone you know you can outrun on foot. At least one of ya will get away! Its kind of unfortunate that you cant bring a little personal protection over the border, but I understand, different culture different rules. I'll have to see about an Enhanced License or the Nebraska equivalent. Just looked and we don't have any, which is unfortunate.

 

I'd love to hear about some campgrounds and out of the way locations that stuck out to ya puc! I'm always open to secrets and tips! Besides, I can maybe pretend I'm on the bike crawling up a mountain or something. I got no interest in paying to sleep on the ground if I an absolutely help it, so I'd especially like them sort of, off the beaten path type of "campgrounds" would love to hear from ya bud. Hope ya had a merry Christmas and you and the Mrs. are doing alright!

Chaharly

Chaharly

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Depends on if you plan on some more out of the country trips in next few years. Passport is around $130 from what I just looked up. If you plan on say a cruise or maybe another trip up thru Canada in a year or so I'd say yea go for it. I still have a current passport but have not used it in several years.

 

Well I'm a bit of a tightwad so If I get it i'll use it!

Chaharly

Chaharly

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Wow, up to $160??? Just a few years ago we renewed ours for $100 each.

 

Passports are a good thing IMHO, you never know when you will need one...

 

I assume its cheaper to renew it than to get a new one

Chaharly

Chaharly

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I just looked at the web page

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/card.html

 

 

It looks like the price is $25 less for renewal.

 

But there is a Passport Card that can be used for land/boat travel to Canada/Mexico/Carribean which is about half price of the passport book required for air travel.

 

Awesome thanks for that info there Randy. Saved me a hundred bucks!

Cowboy

Cowboy

Posted
Posted

Campgrounds in Canadian Rockies

If you try and stay in a province / state park / recreation area / Most will Require you to have bear proof food storage containers. / Bears are an issue

Sherrie and I had an experience in Baniff. Bears in camp. We had to put all our food and toiletries in another camper's camper storage. Made us feel real uneasy since I could not carry the firearm, Hell even with a side arm those bears don't mess around. Any way we stayed three days in this camp ground and two of the nights the bears tore someones camp up.

Time frame for trip is different every year. Average Opening of the ROAD TO THE SUN is July 17th

From Glacier Ride North thru Waterton National Park then Up to Baniff/ Lake Louise / Lake Moran / Ice Fields Parkway / Jasper /

Have fun and remember it is the journey not the destination.

SilvrT

SilvrT

Posted
Posted

If you're tenting and carrying food in bear country, take a rope and a sack of some sort, put all your food into the sack, tie it with a rope, and hang it high from a tree branch AWAY from your tent. Don't keep anything inside the tent that a bear might want to eat (excluding yourself of course LOL). Don't wear any deodorant ... the stinkier you are, the better. Carry a can of bear spray.

SilvrT

SilvrT

Posted
Posted (edited)
Campgrounds in Canadian Rockies

If you try and stay in a province / state park / recreation area / Most will Require you to have bear proof food storage containers.

 

I've never heard of that "requirement" before.

 

Time to pay Google a visit..... lol

 

EDIT: ahhh-HA! Check this out...

 

http://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/mtn/ours-bears/securite-safety/camping-propre-bare-camp

 

ya lern sumpin new every day... eh

Edited by SilvrT
camos

camos

Posted
Posted
If you're tenting and carrying food in bear country, take a rope and a sack of some sort, put all your food into the sack, tie it with a rope, and hang it high from a tree branch AWAY from your tent. Don't keep anything inside the tent that a bear might want to eat (excluding yourself of course LOL). Don't wear any deodorant ... the stinkier you are, the better. Carry a can of bear spray.
Be sure to hang the bag as far away from the tree trunk as possible, not forgetting bears can reach 8 to 10 feet high. For sure, don't hang it on a branch over or near your tent.
SilvrT

SilvrT

Posted
Posted
Be sure to hang the bag as far away from the tree trunk as possible, not forgetting bears can reach 8 to 10 feet high. For sure, don't hang it on a branch over or near your tent.

 

And Black bears can climb trees ... Grizzly's can't ... but they can push them over LOL

Chaharly

Chaharly

Posted
  • Author
Posted

As far as the camping goes I wont really be bringing much for food along with.

Will probably eat real light through the day even skip lunch then have a big ol supper then find a good place to crash for the night.

Sometimes it might be off the beaten path and others may just be on the outskirts of town or in some city park. Morning comes, I give a good stretch and take off for the day in search of breakfast:biker:

cimmer

cimmer

Posted
Posted

If you do cook at a camp site, don't wear the clothes you cook in to bed or even store them in your tent as the bears might mistake them for food also with the scent on them. Also a nice ride would be Bear Tooth pass in Montana and Wyoming but it will be a chilly one for sure.

Rick F.

Rafterd

Rafterd

Posted
Posted

I’ve made 3 attempts at going to Glacier Nat Park, still haven’t made it. The first time, like you, never thought about

the cold. Going through Yellowstone the park rangers there said they got 12 inches of snow that night. That was mid June. Second time July 4, sleet and freezing rain everywhere up there. The last time, last week of July I got food poisoning in Vernal Utah on the way up. Ever tried to ride a bike while “blowing at both ends”??? Maybe someday I’ll make it.

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