Cut Bank Pass

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Very steep in sections. One steep section has very loose rocks just west of Cut Bank Pass, so use your judgement and be prepared to slow down.

This trail takes you from the Pitamakan & Dawson Pass Loop over Cut Bank Pass and down to the Nyack Creek Trail. It starts off in the amazing alpine meadows on the north face of Mt. Morgan with breathtaking views north into the North Fork Cut Bank Creek drainage. Once across Cut Bank Pass, views continue to delight as you take a steep goat trail down to the saddle between Tinkham Mountain and McClintock Mountain. The views are impressive and panoramic.

From here, you drop down into the bowl through a series of switchbacks, then traverse across the bowl along the base of McClintock Mountain. Through this area, you are going through flower meadows and sparsely populated subalpine firs. At the end of this traverse, the trail makes a beeline to the bottom of the valley to meet up with the Nyack Creek Trail.

Instead of opting for switchbacks, the trail essentially heads straight down the drainage. This section travels through trees with occasional views to the surrounding mountains as you travel across avalanche chutes. The flora goes from alpine to dense, wet forest at the bottom. After the steep section, the trail regains a moderate descent until it reaches the Nyack Creek Trail.

This content was created by Jake Bramante of Hike 734. Visit hike734.com for more expert Glacier content and maps that help you decide which trail to run.

High alpine flora includes glacier lilies, asters, and beargrass, while the lower sections are pine and fir with thimbleberry bushes. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats are common in the high reaches.