I wasn't there but I am pretty sure it had to do with the Great Northern Railroad and their push for tourism. Back in the day the push was to have easterners come to Glacier and spend multiple days riding horses from lodge to lodge. It naturally makes sense to travel from Many Glacier to the Belly River and then back over Red Gap Pass or even on to present day Waterton Park in Canada. So the park service more than likely blasted out this tunnel to help make that trip more feasible.
Perhaps this was the continuing leg from Many Glacier Hotel after spending the previous night at Granite Park Chalet and riding down Swiftcurrent Pass. Or the order could certainly be reversed as well.
This is all conjecture but it seems logical after the research I have done.
For more information on the horse trails please for to the Centennial Series: A history of Glacier's Horse Trails. It should be able to be found on the links on the left side of this page at the top.
Thanks Bob. You must have been on one of your climbing trips when this was posted. BTW... I read your last post in the Forum. I am pretty annoyed at most summit cairns and believe that any idiot can build a cairn but on the other hand they can be helpful on sketchy routes.
samh - Dec 9, 2008 12:55 pm - Voted 10/10
Ask and Ye' Shall ReceiveA wonderfully done article, FHN.
FlatheadNative - Dec 10, 2008 12:37 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Ask and Ye' Shall ReceiveThanks for the idea in the first place Sam!
Arthur Digbee - Dec 9, 2008 11:15 pm - Voted 10/10
ThanksI've always been curious about this tunnel but my paths have gone in other directions.
I'm still puzzled though: why did the NPS deface a rock wall to serve horse traffic? Maybe to ask the question is to answer it.
FlatheadNative - Dec 10, 2008 12:37 am - Hasn't voted
Re: ThanksGreat question Arthur.
I wasn't there but I am pretty sure it had to do with the Great Northern Railroad and their push for tourism. Back in the day the push was to have easterners come to Glacier and spend multiple days riding horses from lodge to lodge. It naturally makes sense to travel from Many Glacier to the Belly River and then back over Red Gap Pass or even on to present day Waterton Park in Canada. So the park service more than likely blasted out this tunnel to help make that trip more feasible.
Perhaps this was the continuing leg from Many Glacier Hotel after spending the previous night at Granite Park Chalet and riding down Swiftcurrent Pass. Or the order could certainly be reversed as well.
This is all conjecture but it seems logical after the research I have done.
For more information on the horse trails please for to the Centennial Series: A history of Glacier's Horse Trails. It should be able to be found on the links on the left side of this page at the top.
Arthur Digbee - Dec 10, 2008 6:17 am - Voted 10/10
Re: ThanksThat makes a lot of sense, thanks.
Bob Sihler - Oct 21, 2009 3:55 pm - Voted 10/10
OopsI somehow managed to miss this even though it was a featured article! Good job on it. I'm attaching it to the Ptarmigan Wall page.
FlatheadNative - Oct 21, 2009 4:37 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: OopsThanks Bob. You must have been on one of your climbing trips when this was posted. BTW... I read your last post in the Forum. I am pretty annoyed at most summit cairns and believe that any idiot can build a cairn but on the other hand they can be helpful on sketchy routes.