Sperry Chalet
Encyclopedia
Sperry Chalet is located about seven miles east of Lake McDonald
in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state
of Montana
. The chalet was built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway and is a National Historic Landmark
contributing property, being one of five structures in the Great Northern Railway Buildings
National Historic Landmark. Along with Granite Park Chalet
, Sperry Chalet is one of the two remaining backcountry chalets in Glacier National Park.
The chalet is reached only by trail, via hiking or horseback. One of the two trails leading to the chalet are the Sperry Trail, which starts at the Lake McDonald Lodge
parking lot and stretches 6.7 miles to the chalet, climbing 3200 feet in the process. The trail passes along the base of Mount Brown and over the west ridge of Mount Edwards, with views of U-shaped valley
s along the way. A side trip to Sperry Glacier
is also possible, being a 3.5 mile hike (7 miles round trip). The other means of accessing the chalet is via the Gunsight Trail, which is a 12.1 mile hike from the Jackson Glacier Overlook on Going-to-the-Sun Road
. This hike averages 9 hours, so it is important to plan ahead.
The chalet, nestled in a glacial cirque
, consists of two buildings from the Great Northern era: a two story hotel building and a kitchen/dining room building. A restroom facility has been added, but is not part of the historic landmark designation. The dormitory building is built with random rubble masonry, providing a feel of architectural ruggedness, and is topped with a large gable roof that has two dormers on either side. The kitchen building is also made of random rubble masonry, but uses smaller stones and appears less striking in its design. The kitchen building is topped with a lower gable roof.
Unlike Granite Park Chalet, Sperry Chalet provides meal services: dinner, breakfast, and either a trail lunch or an ala carte lunch in the dining room. The guest rooms are private, but in line with the backcountry experience, there is no electricity, heat, or running water.
Lake McDonald
Lake McDonald is the largest lake in Glacier National Park. It is located at in Flathead County in the U.S. state of Montana. Lake McDonald is approximately 10 miles long, and over a mile wide and 472 feet deep, filling a valley formed by a combination of erosion and glacial activity...
in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. The chalet was built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway and is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
contributing property, being one of five structures in the Great Northern Railway Buildings
Great Northern Railway Buildings
Great Northern Railway Buildings is a National Historic Landmark that now includes five complexes of buildings in Glacier National Park. The buildings were built by Great Northern Railway....
National Historic Landmark. Along with Granite Park Chalet
Granite Park Chalet
Granite Park Chalet is located in the heart of Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The chalet was built in 1914 by the Great Northern Railway and is a National Historic Landmark contributing property, being one of five structures in the...
, Sperry Chalet is one of the two remaining backcountry chalets in Glacier National Park.
The chalet is reached only by trail, via hiking or horseback. One of the two trails leading to the chalet are the Sperry Trail, which starts at the Lake McDonald Lodge
Lake McDonald Lodge
Lake McDonald Lodge is a historic lodge located within Glacier National Park, on the southeast shore of Lake McDonald. The lodge is a -story structure built in a Swiss chalet style based on Kirtland Cutter's design. The foundation and first floor walls are built of stone, with a wood-frame...
parking lot and stretches 6.7 miles to the chalet, climbing 3200 feet in the process. The trail passes along the base of Mount Brown and over the west ridge of Mount Edwards, with views of U-shaped valley
U-shaped valley
A U-shaped valley also known as a glacial trough is one formed by the process of glaciation. It has a characteristic U-shape, with steep, straight sides, and a flat bottom. Glaciated valleys are formed when a glacier travels across and down a slope, carving the valley by the action of scouring...
s along the way. A side trip to Sperry Glacier
Sperry Glacier
Sperry Glacier is located in Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. The glacier is situated on the north slopes of Gunsight Mountain, west of the Continental Divide...
is also possible, being a 3.5 mile hike (7 miles round trip). The other means of accessing the chalet is via the Gunsight Trail, which is a 12.1 mile hike from the Jackson Glacier Overlook on Going-to-the-Sun Road
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Going-to-the-Sun Road is the only road through the heart of Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. It was completed in 1932, and it is the only road that crosses the park, going over the Continental Divide at Logan Pass. A fleet of 1930s red tour buses "jammers", rebuilt in 2001 to run on propane...
. This hike averages 9 hours, so it is important to plan ahead.
The chalet, nestled in a glacial cirque
Cirque (landform)
thumb|250 px|Two cirques with semi-permanent snowpatches in [[Abisko National Park]], [[Sweden]].A cirque or corrie is an amphitheatre-like valley head, formed at the head of a valley glacier by erosion...
, consists of two buildings from the Great Northern era: a two story hotel building and a kitchen/dining room building. A restroom facility has been added, but is not part of the historic landmark designation. The dormitory building is built with random rubble masonry, providing a feel of architectural ruggedness, and is topped with a large gable roof that has two dormers on either side. The kitchen building is also made of random rubble masonry, but uses smaller stones and appears less striking in its design. The kitchen building is topped with a lower gable roof.
Unlike Granite Park Chalet, Sperry Chalet provides meal services: dinner, breakfast, and either a trail lunch or an ala carte lunch in the dining room. The guest rooms are private, but in line with the backcountry experience, there is no electricity, heat, or running water.