Hi Summer! Thanks for taking the time to read my post and happy you found it helpful.

For context, if we had been able to take Ptarmigan Tunnel on Day 1, this would have certainly been a shorter trip (closer to 50 miles), but it was subject to bear activity that was not in our control.

To make the trip shorter, you could choose to apply for a section of this trip, though it would not be possible to do the full loop only hiking 40 miles. For example, you could plan to come in through Ptarmigan Tunnel and exit at Chief Mountain, perhaps camping 2 nights at Elizabeth Lake or Cosley Lake. That would give you an opportunity to explore the areas between Helen Lake and Mokowanis Lake which has many gems and wildlife. The hike in would be 10-12 miles and the hike out would be 9-11, so with the remainder you could afford an 8-10 mile adventure each day with most of the hiking being pretty flat.

Finally, I always suggest calling the Ranger's Office to get up to date information and suggestions from the boots on the ground.