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On July 31 I went up to St. Mary's Glacier and went snowboarding. It started raining as soon as I got to the Glacier/Permanent Snowfield. It got progressively worse as I climbed, but I didn't hear any thunder until I reached the top and strapped into my bindings. I finished soaked, but it was fun, and totally worth it for some snowboarding in July.

Its a really short approach once you reach the trail head, I think the whole trip took about an hour and a half, max. Of course, the torrential rain made me hike faster...

View from the base of the "Glacier" It is really a permanent snowfield.


Looking down from maybe a quarter of the way up. It started raining a bit when I was putting my boots on at the bottom of the snow, and got worse as I hiked further up.


It looked like someone tried to set up a gutter as a rail.


Two skiiers who had headed up ahead of me were starting down. While I was there I saw these two guys, a group of three other boarders and another solo snowboarder on the way up when I was heading down the trail.


I think this was a hoods in the woods type group. They were all decked out in cotton sweat pants and hoodies. I couldn't tell who the trip leader was but I wanted to suggest that they get these kids some actual rain gear. It is one thing when a group of people comes up unprepared, but when an institutional group comes completely unprepared it is negligence. (my anyway). Looking down from the top.


Looking at the top of the "Glacier". Pretty ugly right? There may have been more above, but since it was pouring rain, I didn't mess around. I also heard thunder right here as I was strapping in. Time to go.


Sorry no action shots, but it was a solo mission and it was raining really hard.

It was a lot of fun, and I have ridden in worse when I lived in North Carolina.

I don't really know how to resize these pictures, if anybody has any guidance, it would be appreciated. They really don't need to be that big, especially since it is mostly rock anyway.

"hoods in the woods" -- I like it!

I've been up there in the summer and there are always jibbers in cotton riding makeshift rails and such. Better snow can be found in July for those who don't mind hiking a couple miles on dry land. St. Mary's attracts the clowns b/c of its convienence.