Apikuni Falls

I had a lovely hike (and probably burned 2,000 calories) to Apikuni Falls (can also be spelled Appekunny). It's considered a moderate hike and is 1 mile up with 700 feet of elevation. I did not realize how steep that is until I started up the trail. You are climbing the entire way, sometimes up large rocks which seemed to serve as very tall steps. I stopped a lot on the way up, as I needed to stop my heart from pounding out of my chest.

This falls is a long ribbon of water that cascades from Natahki Lake which is in a cirque (bowl) at the eastern base of 8,770 foot Mount Henkel, which is called "Red Sore Eyes Mountain" by the Blackfeet.

It was a beautiful hike, with several little break off trails that took you out to breathtaking vistas across the lakes of Many Glacier.

I couldn't find any source which listed the height of the falls, but I saw one picture where the photographer guessed the falls were about 150 feet. And I would say that was about right.

I did meet people coming down, and as I am standing trying to catch my breath, I squeeked out "how far?" And of course they all knew what I meant and they replied "not far" and "it's really worth it". Luckily one couple told me that when I first see the falls, not to stop there. The trail continues down over large rocks to some cascades (which you see in the front of the 2nd picture) and you have a wonderful view of the falls.

What I saw from other pictures, was that I could have continued along the rocks to the real base of the falls. I'm not sure what type of footing you'll find (as the trail ends where I am taking these photos), but if possible, I would definitely do that next time.

Now for some history. The following was taken from Glacier Day Hikes by Alan Leftridge.

The Indian name of Appekunny means "Far Off White Robe" in the Piegan Blackfeet language. And the name Appekunny was given to James Willard Schultz, a white man who moved from New York at the age of 17 to work at the Fort Conrad Trading Post. He married a Piegan Woman and began living amount the Blackfeet.

Schultz wrote about his life with the Blackfeet in the northern Rocky Mountains. He sent the stories to eastern publications. In 1885, an article he wrote was published in Forest and Stream. This article influenced the magazine's editor, George Bird Grinnell, to travel to the northern Rocky Mountains to investigate the region. Grinnell was so impressed with the area that he undertook to safeguard the region in the form of a national park. His publishing and political efforts were largely responsible for Glacier being designated as a national park in 1910. As a result of his work, the Boone and Crocket Club bestowed on him the title of Father of Glacier National Park.

And that is why Apikuni (or Appekunny) Falls has a special place in Glacier.

(another view of the cascades as the "ribbon of water" continues down the mountain)