This short video from Finley-Holiday Films highlights the magic of the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park. Opened in 1915, the Many Glacier Hotel is situated on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake, and is one of four great historic lodges in Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.
As you might guess, some of the best hiking in Glacier can literally be found just outside the hotel's doors. To discover some of those trails, and to plan your hiking itinerary, please click here.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
Showing posts with label Many Glacier Hotel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Many Glacier Hotel. Show all posts
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Many Glacier Hotel Rehabilitation Project Progresses
The National Park Service has made significant progress towards a seven-phase rehabilitation effort on the Many Glacier Hotel, a National Historic Landmark in Glacier National Park. The hotel's north annex and dining room have been rehabilitated, including 111 guest rooms, kitchen, lounge, administrative offices, and employee areas. Accessible parking and improved guest room access has also been addressed.
Rehabilitation began in 2001 with a massive structural stabilization project, involving hydraulic jacks to push the hotel's lakeside walls back in place while cables pulled from the other side. The first several phases of work focused on building exterior and structural stabilization. In the fall of 2010, Montana-based construction company, Swank Enterprises, began interior work in the north annex and dining room of the hotel. Life safety issues addressed include seismic stabilization and replacing of electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire alarm and fire suppression systems. The dining room's dropped ceiling was removed, exposing original timbers and steel trusses. Original window configuration was restored. Japanese lantern and umbrella style light fixtures were installed in the dining room, reflecting original fixtures used by the Great Northern Railroad.
Built between 1914 and 1915 by the Great Northern Railroad, the 214-guest room Many Glacier Hotel is the primary visitor service facility on the east side of the park. The hotel hosts approximately 500,000 visitors annually, including about 46,000 overnight guests. In 1996, the Many Glacier Hotel was among more than 300 historic structures at Glacier to be included on the Trust for Historic Preservation's list of "America's Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places." As much as 80% of the hotel's structure was deficient in its ability to resist seismic events and the state of deterioration warranted serious concern for health and safety issues. The park's General Management Plan of 1999 agreed with that assessment and designated the deterioration of the hotel as a critical issue.
To date, $25 million of federal funds has contributed to the Many Glacier Hotel rehabilitation work. The project received $7 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds through a competitive agency submission process for work completed in 2011 and 2012. Glacier Park Inc., park concessioner, funded additional soundproofing and finish work, and replaced all furnishings in renovated north annex guest rooms and the dining room for the 2012 visitor season.
Two phases of the Many Glacier Hotel rehabilitation project remain and $12 million is the amount estimated for completion. Funds have been requested, but not yet secured. The last phases of work will focus on seismic stabilization, critical system replacement and code issues on the southern half of the hotel, including the lobby, remaining 103 guest rooms, and lower -level meeting spaces.
The Many Glacier Hotel will be open until September 23rd for the 2012 season. For more information regarding rehabilitation efforts, please contact the park at 406-888-7800. To see a photo of the rehabilitated dining room, please vivit the Glacier Park Flickr website.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
Rehabilitation began in 2001 with a massive structural stabilization project, involving hydraulic jacks to push the hotel's lakeside walls back in place while cables pulled from the other side. The first several phases of work focused on building exterior and structural stabilization. In the fall of 2010, Montana-based construction company, Swank Enterprises, began interior work in the north annex and dining room of the hotel. Life safety issues addressed include seismic stabilization and replacing of electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire alarm and fire suppression systems. The dining room's dropped ceiling was removed, exposing original timbers and steel trusses. Original window configuration was restored. Japanese lantern and umbrella style light fixtures were installed in the dining room, reflecting original fixtures used by the Great Northern Railroad.Built between 1914 and 1915 by the Great Northern Railroad, the 214-guest room Many Glacier Hotel is the primary visitor service facility on the east side of the park. The hotel hosts approximately 500,000 visitors annually, including about 46,000 overnight guests. In 1996, the Many Glacier Hotel was among more than 300 historic structures at Glacier to be included on the Trust for Historic Preservation's list of "America's Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places." As much as 80% of the hotel's structure was deficient in its ability to resist seismic events and the state of deterioration warranted serious concern for health and safety issues. The park's General Management Plan of 1999 agreed with that assessment and designated the deterioration of the hotel as a critical issue.
To date, $25 million of federal funds has contributed to the Many Glacier Hotel rehabilitation work. The project received $7 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds through a competitive agency submission process for work completed in 2011 and 2012. Glacier Park Inc., park concessioner, funded additional soundproofing and finish work, and replaced all furnishings in renovated north annex guest rooms and the dining room for the 2012 visitor season.Two phases of the Many Glacier Hotel rehabilitation project remain and $12 million is the amount estimated for completion. Funds have been requested, but not yet secured. The last phases of work will focus on seismic stabilization, critical system replacement and code issues on the southern half of the hotel, including the lobby, remaining 103 guest rooms, and lower -level meeting spaces.
The Many Glacier Hotel will be open until September 23rd for the 2012 season. For more information regarding rehabilitation efforts, please contact the park at 406-888-7800. To see a photo of the rehabilitated dining room, please vivit the Glacier Park Flickr website.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Majestic Many Glacier
I think most people would likely agree that Many Glacier is the most scenic area in Glacier National Park. Several of the most memorable hikes in the park begin from this valley.
Many people experience the grandeur of Many Glacier for the first time from the parking lot above the historic Many Glacier Hotel:
From there you can take an easy stroll around Swiftcurrent Lake. It's quite common to see bears and moose in this area:
Iceberg Lake is one of the most popular hikes in Glacier. Below is my wife Kathy as we approach the Ptarmigan Wall, an arête, or thin ridge of rock separating two valleys that have been carved by glaciers:
Of course you can't name a lake "Iceberg Lake" if you don't have any icebergs floating around:
The other extremely popular hike in Many Glacier is the one to Grinnell Glacier. The 300-acre glacier sits below Mt. Gould and the Continental Divide:
Due to the glacier retreating in recent decades, the melting ice has created a new lake next to the glacier:
Although not quite as popular as Iceberg and Grinnell Glacier, the hike to Ptarmigan Tunnel is one that should not be passed up. The highlight of the hike is passing through the 240-foot tunnel, which cuts a hole through the Ptarmigan Wall. The tunnel was built for horses and early park tours by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930's, so that visitors could pass over into the remote Belly River area.
After hiking all day in the Many Glacier Valley, walking to the other side of the tunnel is like walking into another world. Just beyond the tunnel the trail hugs the red rock cliffs below Crowfeet Mountain:
The views from the other side are simply stunning. You can see Old Sun Glacier on the slopes of Mt. Merritt, Natoas Peak, and the Belly River as it flows into Elizabeth Lake more than 2300 feet below you:
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
Many people experience the grandeur of Many Glacier for the first time from the parking lot above the historic Many Glacier Hotel:
From there you can take an easy stroll around Swiftcurrent Lake. It's quite common to see bears and moose in this area:Iceberg Lake is one of the most popular hikes in Glacier. Below is my wife Kathy as we approach the Ptarmigan Wall, an arête, or thin ridge of rock separating two valleys that have been carved by glaciers:
Of course you can't name a lake "Iceberg Lake" if you don't have any icebergs floating around:
The other extremely popular hike in Many Glacier is the one to Grinnell Glacier. The 300-acre glacier sits below Mt. Gould and the Continental Divide:
Due to the glacier retreating in recent decades, the melting ice has created a new lake next to the glacier:
Although not quite as popular as Iceberg and Grinnell Glacier, the hike to Ptarmigan Tunnel is one that should not be passed up. The highlight of the hike is passing through the 240-foot tunnel, which cuts a hole through the Ptarmigan Wall. The tunnel was built for horses and early park tours by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930's, so that visitors could pass over into the remote Belly River area.
After hiking all day in the Many Glacier Valley, walking to the other side of the tunnel is like walking into another world. Just beyond the tunnel the trail hugs the red rock cliffs below Crowfeet Mountain:
The views from the other side are simply stunning. You can see Old Sun Glacier on the slopes of Mt. Merritt, Natoas Peak, and the Belly River as it flows into Elizabeth Lake more than 2300 feet below you:
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
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