Bask in Nature · Group planning page

Five ways we could
spend a week outside.

Three versions of Glacier, two versions of Europe, and one shared set of questions. This is a comparison, not a ranking.

5 options 3–9 estimated days away 2027 planning horizon
Compare the five

At a glance

The decision table.

Days away includes travel. Published figures, planning estimates and unknowns are labeled; scroll sideways at narrower widths.

QuestionChasing TurquoiseShort GlacierGlacier ExtendedCombined planMarcela’s Glacier4–5 day outlineDolomitesLisa’s Rogue proposalMont Blanc60-mile highlights
Total days away3 daysPublished plan4 daysProposed4–5 daysPoster outline≈9 days7-day tour + buffer and flight daysEstimate≈8 days5 run days + buffer and flight daysEstimate
Active trail days1 long day2 days3 measured daysOptional Day 5 is not counted5 days5 days
Trail distance23.6–23.8 mi totalOne active trail day23.6–23.8 mi total≈11.8–11.9 mi per active day19.9 mi total≈6.6 mi per measured trail day41–44 mi total8.2–8.8 mi per active day56–65 mi total11.2–13 mi per active day
Elevation gain≈3,400 ft totalOne active trail day≈3,400 ft total≈1,700 ft per active day3,243 ft total≈1,081 ft per measured trail day12,800–14,200 ft total2,560–2,840 ft per active day18,000–23,000 ft total3,600–4,600 ft per active day
Early cost signal≈$1,000–$1,700 pp totalPlanning estimate incl. airfare; assumes 2 people per room≈$1,250–$2,100 pp totalPlanning estimate incl. airfare; assumes 2 people per room≈$1,400–$2,600 pp totalPlanning estimate incl. airfare; 4 travelers, 2 rooms, 3–4 nights≈$6,800–$7,100 ppLisa’s $5,600 proposal + est. $1,200–$1,500 airfare; other extras remain€1,200–€1,900 land onlyAirfare, insurance and extra nights excluded
Lodging shape2 hotel nightsMany Glacier Hotel target3 hotel nightsOne Many Glacier base3–4 hotel nightsExact lodging sequence TBD6 tour nights2 lodge + 1 rifugio + 3 boutique-hotel nights; buffer hotel extra1 refuge + 1 inn/gîte + 3 hotel nightsPre-start night extra
Booking complexityMediumHotel, flights, car and park accessMediumSame bookings, one more day of access planningHighMultiple park areas, lodging, car, passes and optional toursLowRogue handles lodging, guides, most meals and tour transport; we handle flights and buffer nightHigh for nowBecomes medium only if one operator accepts the custom route
Easy to shorten?Yes, between runsEach Saturday trail is an out-and-backYesBoth hikes are out-and-backs from the Many Glacier areaUsuallySightseeing and boat alternatives create optionsModerateVehicle-supported alternatives exist on some, but not every, routeLimited–moderateSome vehicle/lift assistance, but fixed beds and transfers matter
Travel burdenDomestic flight + ≈2 hr 35 min driveDomestic flight + ≈2 hr 35 min driveDomestic flight + rental-car loopOvernight international flight + included Venice transfersOvernight international flight + Geneva/Chamonix transfers
Biggest unresolved item2027 total price and room availability2027 Many Glacier access rules and trail conditionsHotel sequence, access rules and total budgetLisa’s $5,600 price vs. current $5,795 rate; no August departure is publishedOperator acceptance, refuge beds, GPX and final quote

Cost caution: the three Glacier totals are rough budgets, not quotes. They use estimated airfare, rental car and food plus the published Many Glacier room-rate planning range. Dolomites adds estimated airfare to Lisa’s $5,600 proposal price; Rogue’s current public 2027 price is $5,795. Mont Blanc remains a land-only euro allowance because a comparable airfare estimate has not been researched. Currency conversion is intentionally omitted because exchange rates move.

Five trip shapes

What each option means.

These descriptions explain the format without telling the group which one to prefer.

01

Montana · 3 days

Chasing Turquoise

Short Glacier

Fly in Friday, run Cracker Lake and Grinnell Glacier on Saturday, and return Sunday. The entire trail commitment sits in one large 23–24 mile day from a single Many Glacier base.

  1. MorningCracker Lake on AllTrails ↗ · 12.6–12.8 mi · +1,400 ft
  2. AfternoonGrinnell Glacier on AllTrails ↗ · 11 mi · +2,000 ft
  3. Full day23.6–23.8 mi · about +3,400 ft
  • Structure: 2 hotel nights, rental car, one active trail day.
  • Source note: AllTrails provides the linked route figures; Cracker Lake varies by 0.2 mile between sources.
Open the full Chasing Turquoise plan
02

Montana · 4 days

Glacier Extended

Combined plan

Keep the two signature Chasing Turquoise trails, but split them across two days. Both trailheads are in the Many Glacier area, so the group can keep one lodging base and avoid adding a Logan Pass–Avalanche driving loop.

  1. Day 1 Arrive and drive to Many Glacier.
  2. Day 2Cracker Lake on AllTrails ↗ · 12.6–12.8 mi · +1,400 ft
  3. Day 3Grinnell Glacier on AllTrails ↗ · 11 mi · +2,000 ft
  4. Day 4 Breakfast, drive to FCA and fly home.

Feasible from a Many Glacier base: this version totals 23.6–23.8 miles and about 3,400 feet of gain over two trail days. It is the same trail commitment as Chasing Turquoise, with recovery overnight instead of stacking both hikes into Saturday. Recheck 2027 road access, parking and trail conditions before booking.

03

Montana · 4–5 days

Marcela’s Glacier

Original poster outline

A broader National Park vacation that moves through several park areas and mixes hiking with sightseeing. Using the three named trails makes the active portion measurable: 19.9 miles and 3,243 feet of gain across three trail days.

  1. Day 1 Arrive in Kalispell, check in and explore Lake McDonald.
  2. Day 2Going-to-the-Sun Road and Hidden Lake Overlook on AllTrails ↗ · 2.8 mi · +538 ft
  3. Day 3Avalanche Lake on AllTrails ↗ · 6.1 mi · +705 ft
  4. Day 4Explore Many Glacier and hike Grinnell Glacier on AllTrails ↗ · 11 mi · +2,000 ft
  5. Day 5, optional Two Medicine or St. Mary Falls, then head home.

Rough budget: about $1,400–$2,600 per person

Assumes four travelers, two rooms, three or four nights, and travel from Phoenix. Every line except the 2027 boat prices and current park fee is a planning allowance.

Round-trip flight to FCA
$400–$700 pp
Lodging share
$525–$1,100 pp
Rental car share
$125–$225 pp
Food
$250–$450 pp
Boat tour(s)
$43.10–$71.85 pp
Park entry share
about $9 pp

Trail totals use the linked AllTrails figures supplied for the comparison; optional Day 5 mileage is not included. Lodging uses the existing $350–$550 per room/night planning range. Actual Lake McDonald, Many Glacier, Glacier Park Lodge or nearby-town prices may differ. The 2027 adult boat prices are $43.10 for Many Glacier and $28.75 for Lake McDonald.

04

Italy · ≈9 days away

Dolomites

Lisa’s Rogue guided highlights

Five supported day runs in different Dolomites areas, connected by professional drivers rather than one continuous Alta Via 1 traverse. Rogue supplies two running guides, logistics staff, six nights of lodging, most meals, gondolas and Venice transfers.

  • Published route: 41–44 miles and 12,800–14,200 feet of gain over five run days.
  • Lisa’s proposal price: $5,600. With the existing $1,200–$1,500 airfare estimate, the early total is about $6,800–$7,100 per person before a buffer hotel, insurance, tips, alcohol, personal spending and one excluded dinner.
  • Available 2027 dates: July 14–20 and September 5–11. Rogue currently lists both departures at $5,795; flights are explicitly not included, and no August departure is currently published.
Open Lisa’s Rogue Dolomites tour
05

France · Italy · Switzerland · ≈8 days away

Best of Mont Blanc

60-mile highlights route

A five-day, supported self-guided line from Les Contamines through Italy to La Fouly, followed by a Lac Blanc finale. It is the already-published 56–65 mile proposal, not the full ≈100-mile Tour du Mont Blanc.

  • Working route: 56–65 miles and 18,000–23,000 feet of gain.
  • Lodging: one refuge, one inn/gîte and three hotel nights; a pre-start night is additional.
  • Planning reality: no operator has accepted this exact custom shape and no beds or transfers are held.
Open the full Mont Blanc proposal

Before choosing

Four answers will narrow the field.

A vote is more useful after everyone answers the same practical questions privately.

  1. 01

    Days awayWhat is the maximum number of calendar days, including flights?

  2. 02

    Comfortable budgetWhat total per-person range feels comfortable, before optional upgrades?

  3. 03

    Trip formatVacation with running, or a running journey with vacation around it?

  4. 04

    Room standardAre shared rooms and shared bathrooms acceptable for any night?

Sources & limits

What was checked.

Comparison prepared November 11, 2026 from the live Bask in Nature pages, Marcela’s uploaded 4–5 day Glacier poster, current official Glacier sources, and the operator research already documented in the Dolomites and Mont Blanc pages.

Planning document only. Nothing here is a reservation, quote, route file or safety plan. Prices, exchange rates, park access, roads, lifts, trails, weather and room inventory can change. Recheck all of them once the group chooses dates and a preferred trip shape.