MY MONTANA

Dream job working in Glacier’s backcountry

Amy Grisak

The only thing that can make the stunningly beautiful hike to the iconic Granite Park Chalet more enjoyable is the smiling faces that await you when you arrive.

The fortunate few who work at the chalet taking care of dayhikers, as well as overnight guests, have no problem maintaining a positive attitude throughout the busy summer.

“Living in the middle of the park is quite ridiculous, if you think about it. It’s so mind-boggling every day,” said Mateo Trujillo, one of the four seasonal employees at the chalet this year.

From when they hiked into the chalet to prepare for the season on June 24 to their departure in the middle of September, the employees remained in the backcountry. Instead of taking days off to travel into town, they had afternoons where they could hike the surrounding area, read, play music or just relax.

On one occasion, Breyden Holoubek, who came to Granite Park Chalet after quitting his position as transportation engineer in Idaho, found himself sunbathing with a marmot during one of his solo afternoon treks.

“It’s so simple. Life was really easy. I read a ton of books I never got to read before,” Holoubek said.

Holoubek and Trujillo also took advantage of their locale to explore the remote backcountry terrain. Typically, there were two people taking the afternoon off each day allowing them to hike together, if they wished.

“I really enjoyed those afternoon hikes,” said Trujillo.

He said during one trip to Helen Lake with Holoubek they saw everything from pika to bears.

“It was an extraordinary day,” he said.

Since bears, particularly grizzlies, are renowned residents of this area, it’s no surprise the employees frequently saw them, including watching a grizzly nurse her cubs north of the Highline Trail before the chalet opened.

Despite sounding idyllic, the reality is the employees who spend the season at Granite Park Chalet are there to take care of the guests who stay with them, as well as the hundreds of people who hike through each day.

Guests who manage to secure a reservation at the chalet, have a rare opportunity to experience a piece of history. The accommodations are more of a hostel feel, but with an incredible 12-burner gas stove and an organized kitchen cooks love, that is all topped by the exceptional staff who have every aspect of life in the backcountry covered.

Since the snowpack was dismal in 2015, a 5,000-gallon water tank was flown in to be filled in the case that the nearby stream, where guests obtain their water for drinking and cooking, ran out during the season.

“It was flown in on the first day of the season,” Trujillo said. “We had what we needed.”

Although they are in the backcountry, to place an order for supplies all they had to do was make a call.

“That’s the funny thing about Granite. We had cell service up there,” said Holoubek.

Materials are brought up twice a week using five or 10 mules.

“The pack brought up the resale food, water and all of the clean linens, plus a few items for us,” he said. That included fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement their meals.

“It was the best job I ever had, and the best decision I ever made to quit my job,” said Holoubek who was off to New Zealand after returning from Glacier.

Trujillo is in process of applying to medical school. He said, “(Working at Granite Park) was one of the best things I’ve done in my short-lived life.”

Their enthusiasm, which is shared by the others who are blessed to work there, is obvious to anyone who visits this special place.