Over the summer, my friends + I decided to make the easy .75 mile hike up to the glacier + its accompanying lake for a little cliff jumping. In fact, its not uncommon for the parking areas to fill up quickly, and much of the road doesnt allow parking. At this time the glacier (not really a glacier, but a permanent snowfield) is at its most full. Menu; verse in place. In summer, afternoon thunderstorms are almost a daily occurrence. As you approach the lake, beautiful wind-warped Jefferson pine trees surround the shore and offer an amazing glimpse of an environment shaping local vegetation. Local Tip: If you absolutely have to have the place to yourself, consider heading up for a sunrise hike. Quick Info. !ReplyCancel, Oh wow, J! What sets this particular hike apart from others is the permanent snowfield known as Saint Marys Glacier. Making the decision to jump then has become one of my favorite travel memories, + maybe even one of my proudest moments of all time (refer back to the nervous jumper note above). That entire area is an avalanche path. })(window,document,'script','https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); We all love the beauty of Colorado, but human impact is becoming a huge issue. All rights reserved, Cliff Jumping at St. Marys Glacier Hannah Cajandig-Taylor, Parks Stewardship Forum The Interdisciplinary Journal of Place-Based Conservation, Volume 38, #3 (September 2022) Cultural Resources & Climate Change, Volume 38, #2 (May 2022) Indigenous Leadership in Marine Conservation, Vol. The ice and rocks can mean a nasty fall, so if you visit in winter, wear traction such as microspikes to avoid slipping. Arguably one of the best winter hikes in Colorado for beginners, the Saint Marys Glacier hike is a great way to dip your feet into snowy hiking adventures. just an easy 1 mile hike to some of the most beautiful falls and really fun jump. Never leave poop bags on the trail even if you plan on picking it up later, other people have to walk by your trash. Falls Creek Falls. Youre over a mile high! Photo Caption: Looking over the lake at St. Mary's Glacier in Colorado. Absolutely! As one of the best Colorado hikes, you can ski, sled, and enjoy the snow year-round. How good is the St. Mary's Glacier cliff jump? Plan on spending about 45 minutes hiking to and from St Marys Lake, which is at the base of the snowfield. Wear sun protection. 2021Outdoor Project. Just be sure to plan your visit during nicer weather. Especially wind. I tried to go in late April and sherif said it was only open to locals. As a Colorado local for over 13 years, Ive gone on the Saint Marys hike countless times throughout the year. Welcome to St Mary's Glacier! The trail is less than 2 miles round trip assuming you stop at the lake. If you want to reach one of Maui's most popular locations for cliff jumping, go to, There are plenty of opportunities for cliff jumping into Arizona's, "The Lake" at Saint Mary's Glacier, Colorado, www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org/wiki/Punchbowl_Falls. Solitude at St Marys is rather rare. In the summer, the lake is thawed and much of the ground before the snowfield is green and vibrant. Although the majority of St Marys Glacier is relatively safe from avalanches, there is one area that is known to slide. Fall is another great time especially later in the fall when the crowds of leaf-peeping hikers are gone and St Marys gets a bit quieter. Mary falls / virginia falls is located just 0.3 miles west of sunrift gorge along the gtts road. Sign up to receive our newsletter packed with the best adventure guides, travel ideas, news, and articles. Beautiful views. Thats crazy! These storms bring dangerous lightening and youre quite exposed at the lake and higher. 36, #2 (May 2020) Parks as Classrooms, Vol. Or you can walk a little way up and sled down. Unfortunately, littering along this trail has become commonplace, so do your part and pack it out. All rights reserved. Photo by Traveler22/Frommers.com Community. Her mission is to get you out on your greatest adventure. With rapidly changing weather means it can be sunny and hot one minute, then freezing rain the next (yup, its happened to me more than once). Hiked up to St Mary's Glacier in June 2022! With the Pacific Ocean at the cliffs edge the view is never the same. Fair warning: the water is literally fed by a melting glacier, and the frigid water reflects that.\"Do-New-52: 1 year, 52 things for the first time\" My project exploring the beautiful world of hobbies, activities, and adventures. If you plan to visit on the weekend, throughout the year, plan to arrive before 7:30 am if you want to ensure you have a place to park. We even saw some people hiking in with their skis so they could ride down the snow field pretty crazy for July, but hey, this is Colorado! Always do your part and follow signage, ranger instructions, and pick up and pack out your trash. Another big winter worry is avalanche hazards. The reservoir is extremely low!! Pack a puffy layer, sun hat, beanie, and rain jacket even if its sunny. 37, #1 (January 2021) Nature and Health, Vol. Located in Arapaho National Forest, St Mary's Glacier is accessible by hiking an easy to moderate 1.5 mile trail from the parking area to the base of the glacier. Women's Leadership Committee; Young Farmers Committee; Farm Resources. Winter is the season to go if youd like to sled or ski. A beautiful hike-bike trail runs along the ridge and a view off", Search cliff jumping in popular locations. Frommers.com Community . This cornice almost always collapses and creates an avalanche, so be sure to give this area a wide berth. This is the place where we're going to talk shop. Kootenai Falls was a setting in the Oscar Award-winning movie The Revenant. Paid parking. This side is much steeper than the snowfield and is also an avalanche path. All rights reserved. This is the place where were going to talk shop. ST. MARY'S GLACIER TRAIL SNAPSHOT Hike DistanceApprox. others brought Stand Up Paddle Boards and there were a few cliff jumpers too. Stick to the lower part of the hill for the best sledding at St Marys Glacier. Everyday Adventure // Cliff Jumping at St Mary's Glacier About a 45-minute drive from Denver, you can find a perennial snowfield called St. Mary's Glacier. Typically you can sled from mid-fall through mid-spring. 170. Is this now open to the public? Crazy amounts of wildflowers lined the trail, both near the glacier + the cliff jumping spots. More folks join this trail hiking down from the St Mary parking area. Hiking from Sun Point towards St Mary falls is wonderful through a burnt forest area. 38 #2 (May 2022), Paddle Song | Erica Jean Reid (Gidin Jaad), We Are Ocean People | Cindy Boyko and Aulani Wilhelm, Welcoming the World to Vancouver in 2023: The Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5), Re-imagining contemporary conservation to support ina Momona: Productive and thriving communities of people, place, and natural resources | Pelika Andrade, Kanoe Morishige, Anthony Mau, Lauren Kapono, and Erik C. 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Introducing Palm Springs' new Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, museum and spa, These are the best museums across the nation for 2023, Know where to embrace the best of Las Vegas Black history and culture. The most intense part was definitely the shock from hitting the icy water it is snow melt, after all. Although I'm a huge fan of visiting St Mary's Glacier, the name of this site has nothing to do with the content. Its about more than standing on the mountain top. I remember during a trip to Cuenca during my study abroad trip in college, we were given the option of cliff jumping as an alternative to horseback riding. recommended we check this place out due to the short hike and beautiful views. In fact, I use this place as a training ground to work on my snow safety skills. This is a review for beaches in Los Angeles, CA: "I came here 3 years ago, didn't have the courage to do that cliff jumping, so I came back here on this spring break, did the 20ft and 30ft jump, it was awesome, this place is defiantly the best camping place with a swimming hole to do cliff jumping in south California. while the high spot was about 7.5 "people" tall (~45 feet up?). Youve arrived! Glacier National Park Scenic Float 54 Recommended from $94.88 per adult Half-Day Glacier National Park Whitewater Rafting Adventure 164 Recommended from $94.88 per adult East Glacier & Two Medicine Scenic Driving Tour 30 Recommended Full-day Tours from $475.00 per adult (price varies by group size) West Glacier & Polebridge Scenic Driving Tour 47 Local Tip: Snowshoes might be required at or above the lake since the snow can get quite deep. To return to the car, simply head back the way you came. Mcdonald's call in sick number; St Mary's Glacier Cliff Jumping 22 May. Volume 38, Issue 1 Download PDF Share Cliff Jumping at St. Mary's Glacier 2022 Cajandig-Taylor, Hannah 2022 by the author (s). Can you swim in Virgin River Zion? 1.5 mile Round TripDurationApprox 2 hr Round TripTrail TypeOut and BackElevation GainApprox. There are two distinct parking areas at the St Marys Glacier Trailhead. A few things to note: $5 cash parking at . I jumped from the lowest ledge, but it was still about 15 to 20 feet.Although, I'll admit that when I was standing there on the edge it may as well have been 100 feet! This trail begins at 10,428 feet in elevation with a short gain to 10,848 feet at the base of the glacier, however the top of the glacier is 11,236 feet in elevation. Simply head back the way you came one of the most beautiful falls st mary's glacier cliff jumping really fun jump ; people quot... Hike to some of the road doesnt allow parking edge the view is never the same almost! 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