Last night, in a patrol cabin in the Glacier backcountry, I was rustling through the media drawer, mostly decade-old magazines, hanta virus info, the log book, and decks of cards, when I found something magic.
A very old map of Glacier, still just barely in one piece. We were enthralled at all the changes which have since happened. I’ll highlight a few things, but the photos which follow are best appreciated with a knowledge of the park and/or a modern topo at hand.
In 1933 the Camas road did not exist, and many trails in the North Fork were trodden which have since died by the hands of fire and neglect.
What is today only a trail north from Kintla Creek to the border was once a road: you can still see the tread today in places, as well as the way it’s routed though the drainages. The trail over Parke Ridge into Parke Creek is also long dead.
The trail up from the Loop used to be much more direct, apparently. The Mineral Creek trail no longer exists, as Jake and I found out last year. There used to be another trail to Fifty Mountain, up upper McDonald Creek, which has also fallen into disuse. The third and currently-maintained trail over Flattop appears to be a much more modern thought.
Reportedly the Red Eagle Pass trail has not meaningfully existed for quite some time, and was a major pack-route during the time horses ruled the backcountry. This bit of beta will prove crucial to a major project this summer.
Roes has since morphed into Rose.
The red Ts are the route of old telephone lines. I thought I’ve seen traces of a trail going up Hidden Creek.
The contemporary Apgar Lookout trail takes a completely different route. I can verify that the old trail is nowhere is be found.
More trails the North Fork used to have.
Seeing this map was a great, unexpected pleasure adding to an already great trip.
Bedrock & Paradox 
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