| Comeau Pass, Glacier National Park Album |
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| Comeau Pass, Glacier National Park   | 
| Page Type: Album Image Type(s): Hiking | Page By: FlatheadNative Created/Edited: Apr 2, 2008 / Jun 26, 2008 Object ID: 393530 Hits: 403 Loading... Page Score: 88.52% - 9 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
To visit Glacier National Park is to enter a place where Heaven touches Earth affording brief glimpses into the Wonders of Creation.
 Sign on Sperry Chalet Dining Room. Overview  Sunset from Sperry Chalet. Lake McDonald is in the distance.
Beyond Comeau Pass is Sperry Glacier and incredible views into Logan Pass. The numerous glacial melt ponds enhance the views and the pass is frequented by mountain goats. Sperry Glacier was named after Dr. Lyman B. Sperry of Oberlin College in Ohio. His party was the first to reach the glacier in 1896.
According the National Park website, the trail from Lake McDonald to Sperry Glacier and over Gunsight Pass, was paid for by Dr. Sperry and was constructed in 1902 and 1903 by college boys from Minnesota. This was probably the first organized trail-building effort in the park.
Comeau Pass was named for a famous mountain guide, Denis Comeau. According to J. Gordon Edwards, in 1901 Comeau led honeymooners, Dr. Walter Bradford Cannon and his bride, Cornelia, to the summit of Goat Mountain which was later named Mount Cannon.Sperry Chalet Complex
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The Dining Room |
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Sperry Chalet was built in 1913 by the Great Northern Railway. It is currently listed as a Historic Landmark. All of the stone in the buildings were quarried right from the area so it blends beautifully into the surroundings. The buildings have not changed much since they were built.
The Sperry Chalet complex consists of a lodge, dining room/kitchen (which has awesome food!), a maintenance building and a new million plus dollar restroom building. The room are rustic and if noisy neighbors annoy you plan on walking the extra quarter mile to the campground to get some sleep.
Reservations are necessary for both Sperry Chalet and the Sperry Campground.Comeau Pass Trail
Comeau Pass
 Staircase in the Headwall. |
Incredible views in all directions. |
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From the top of Comeau Pass the eyes can see Cannon, Clements, Bearhat, Reynolds, Going-to-the-Sun, Matahpi, Gould, The Bishops Cap, Little Chief and even Siyeh. The closer peaks of Gunsight and Edwards tower above. The amount of streams and glacial ponds are just amazing as is the glacier and snow fields. Trail cairns are easy to follow from Comeau Pass to Sperry Glacier. The glacier is about 1.5 miles from the top of the pass. Standing by itself to the north is The Little Matterhorn and the ridge connecting it to Mount Brown.The MountainsParties that are interested in climbing Gunsight Mountain or Edwards Mountain which are featured in SummitPost can start their climbs at Comeau Pass.
Multiple day climbs from Sperry Chalet or the Sperry Campground would be required for mortals to climb all of the peaks from Comeau Pass.
On left, Sperry Glacier photographed from the flanks of Edwards Mountain in August 2006
On right, The Little Matterhorn reach across the snowfields. Careful climbing is needsed on this class 3 and 4 GNP route.
Edwards Mounntain, on right, is a delightful climb from Comeau Pass. It can also be climbed from a point closer to the Sperry Chalet.
Gunsight Mountain, on the left, has multiple routes and can be climbed on class 3, 4 or 5 GNP routes. The Local Residents  Mountain Goat at Comeau Pass  Mule Deer Buck at Sperry Campground
As with all hiking and climbing in Glacier National Park use caution and practice good manners with the wildlife. This is their home and never forget you are in bear country. Carry your bear deterrent, don’t hike alone and make some noise. For more information please go to the Park's website for Bear Information. The U.S. Forest Service also has helpful information on Grizzly Bear Management.
 Three Ptarmigan in fall colors. |
Marmot with Lincoln Peak in background. |
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 Ground Squirrel at Sperry Chalet. |
ThanksThe photos in this album were taken by Mike Thompson, John VanArendonk, Ben VanArendonk, Drew and Rachael Harris and FlatheadNative.
They were all taken in the month of August but in the years of 2006 and 2007.
The parties stayed at Sperry Chalet both years. In 2006 a day climb of Edwards was done and Gunsight and The Little Matterhorn were climbed by members of the party on a day climb in August 2007. A fantastic side trip was made on both years to watch the sunset from Lincoln Peak.
Thanks for the awesome memories. Images
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Glacier National Park, MT > Comeau Pass, Glacier National Park
