21st Annual Kercher Glacier Classic

21st ANNUAL KERCHER GLACIER CLASSIC

Friday, August 29- Monday, September 1

We are very excited to once again be putting together plans for the signature event of The Rocky Mountaineers—The Kercher Glacier Classic!  Whether it’s your first time or 21st, it will be a weekend of great hikes, climbs and camp camaraderie! This year we are moving things back a little from our normal mid-August time frame to Labor Day Weekend.

New to the club or the area? Asking yourself, “what is the Kercher Glacier Classic”?

We began this event in 2005. Our idea was to have one weekend every August where we would basecamp around Glacier and have several hikes and climbs each day. In the evenings, meet back in camp and tell stories of the days’ adventures. Make new friends, reacquaint yourself with old ones. What began as a small gathering of eight attendees has since grown to usually host between 30-40. We
have held it in various locations around the Park but have recently settled on private campgrounds in the St. Mary area due to the ability to easily reserve for a large group, as well as its proximity to a high concentration of relatively easily accessible adventures.

In 2021 the Glacier Classic was renamed the Kercher Glacier Classic in honor of our dear friend and club member Bryan Kercher. Bryan tragically lost his life in a mountaineering accident in the spring of 2021. He loved Glacier National Park as much or more than anyone we ever knew. What better way to celebrate his contagious smile, energy and spirit than to share some adventures in this magnificent place!

We do require membership for this event. Want to join in on the fun? Here is what you need to do:

Our basecamp this year will once again be the Divide Creek Campground in St. Mary.   First, RSVP to Mark Albrecht (email below) so we know you are coming. For camping, you then need to book directly with Veronica at Divide Creek Campground. Don’t delay! The campground will likely be full on this holiday weekend so we will likely only have the reserved sites available to us. We have a bunch of sites reserved, but we will be having all of you pay directly this year to make it less complicated. (We do have a group site reserved, so if you would like to share this site- and spend less- just let her know when you book). 

Divide Creek Campground - Veronica Kempfert- vkempfert1@gmail.com or 406-239-4454

More trips and details will be added as the event gets closer.  Stay tuned and check out our online calendar for updates.

Organizer:  Mark Albrecht- mark.albrecht@gmail.com