Elevation gain for the alternate route is 134,404 feet. Most guide books show only a few high points and low points, but we noted and accounted for every change in elevation that was large enough to be depicted on the topos. Heavy snowfall can resume anytime after mid-September. The ideal time to hike through the Park is from August 15 to September 15. Note that Park regulations require reservations for all backcountry camping.
Reservations are easier to obtain for dates following labor day.
Seasonal bridges over Park rivers and streams may be removed as early as September 15th, depending on the weather and on trail crew schedules. In the Centennial Mountains, the switchbacks on the north side of the range commonly melt out by mid-July. In the Beaverhead Mountains of the Bitterroot Range, the area near Little Lake and Homer Young's Peak does not melt out until late July. The Great Western Trail is in the feasibility-study stage, not yet approved. The proposed route of the Great Western Trail is actually a combination of trails through Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana and does not attempt to stay on the divide.