More pictures in post above, or click on posts on bottom right.July 3 - Arrived at Glacier National Park in Montana about 7:30 PM after driving most of the day. Had spent a little time in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, ND in the morning before heading west across the top of Montana not too many miles from the Canadian border. Saw a lot of trains going by, some carrying coal to faraway places, and others carrying passengers to and from their families or on adventures like ours. Most of the towns we passed were small and very poor looking. No campground was available in the park so we found a spot in a private park near St. Mary. Windy and cool. We put the comforter on the bed for the first time this trip. We'd been in 90 to 100 degree weather all along until today. The temperature fell 50 degrees on us today!
July 4 – Happy Independence Day from Glacier National Park!
We caught the shuttle at St. Mary Visitor Center on the east side of the park about 10:00 AM. Our RV is not allowed on the road because it is too long. We got off at the Sun Point stop and hiked from there beside Lake St. Mary to Baring Falls, then St. Mary Falls, and finally Virginia Falls. The sun was shining as we hiked a few hundred feet above the lake, but the wind coming off the lake forced us to put on both our fleeces and our windbreakers. The trail was fairly level at this point, and it was gorgeous as we hiked with wildflowers of all colors of the rainbow on both sides of the trail and the turquoise glacial waters of the lake below. The trail was not well—marked, so we kept asking other hikers if we were going the right way to get to Virginia Falls. By the time we got to the end of the lake, the trail was uphill, but worth the climb. Each waterfall we came to was better than the last.
At the end of the trail we found Virginia Falls. It is at least 100 feet high, and had been visible from the trail along the lake. To get to the falls we had to cross several log bridges, which were slippery from the spray. The spray was being blown all over, and between that and the wind, we needed the windbreakers we'd shed in the sun, on again. The spray reminded me of the spray from Niagara Falls which feels really good on a hot day. It is not hot here, so I didn't want to get too wet from the spray! We ate our lunch on the rocks far enough away from the falls as to not get wet, but close enough to enjoy the grandeur.
We hiked back to St. Mary Falls to get to the road to catch the shuttle, but somehow missed the bus stop. We ended up hiking north toward the next stop, uphill in the pouring rain, for about a half-mile. When we saw a bus coming toward us, we flagged it down, and thankfully the driver stopped and let us get on. She was not supposed to stop there, but thankfully she did as we were soaked and tired by that time. We had been hiking for 4 hours and were cold and tired, so were very grateful that she stopped. We decided to go back to the RV, register in the St. Mary Campground and then dry off a bit.
After that, since it was raining and we didn't want to hike any more, we decided to catch the shuttle again and go past the Loop to the other side. That meant we had to take the shuttle about 45 minutes up to the top of the mountains at Logan Pass where the Continental Divide is, and transfer to a smaller shuttle that could get us through the tunnels and loops to the downhill side of the park towards the west side taking about an hour. (We started on the east side). By the time we got to the top at Logan, it was still raining, and very windy. The temperature was about 40 degrees and the windchill must have been in the 20s. There was still two to three feet of snow on the ground at the pass, too, so besides the fact that it really was extremely cold with the windchill, the packed snow made us feel like it was winter!
We waited for the smaller shuttle, huddling behind a sign which was about the only protection we had from the wind and blowing rain. After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only fifteen minutes, the smaller shuttle appeared. We hopped in, and told the driver we were just going down to the transfer place, but would be returning to the top with him because we definitely did not want to miss the 7 PM bus back to St. Mary. Who knows what would happen to people stranded on at Logan Pass after 7PM when the shuttles stop running!
The small shuttle driver told us that during the year he was a school bus driver. Bob and I sat behind him, and Bob kept asking him questions, so he gave us a “guided” tour. He said he wasn't supposed to give guided tours, but would gladly answer any question we asked, so we did learn a lot about the park.
It was raining pretty hard, but I still used the opportunity to take photos. The weather is supposed to be worse tomorrow, so this might be my only chance. We went by bird woman's falls, haystack falls, the weeping wall, and heaven's peak, to name a few of the places. Haystack Falls is a huge waterfall cascading over what looks like steps, or haybales piled on top of each other in an uneven stack. The weeping wall is a long wall of rock next to the narrow road that appears to be crying because water is coming out of the wall for a long way. I would be afraid the skinny road would be icy there if the temperature was much lower. There is a lot of snow still visible on the peaks. The road is very narrow, just one lane in places. I'm glad I'm not driving!
When we got back to Logan Pass, we had to wait for the eastbound shuttle for 15 minutes. The wind was blowing so hard, we were freezing, and glad when the bus showed up a few minutes early.
When we returned to the campground we had a Fourth of July celebration dinner of steak and fresh vegetables. It was still very windy and cold outside, so we sat in our warm RV and enjoyed the mountain scenery around us. It does 't get dark here until about 10PM so it didn't seem that late for dinner. At 10:30 we heard fireworks, and looked out of the huge windows of our cozy RV to see a spectacular display of fireworks culminating our extraordinary 4th!
July 5 - Glacier National Park
Today we decided to go across Logan Pass to the west side of the park and hike. It had rained most of the night and early in the morning, but for the time being the sun was out. We again caught the 10AM shuttle, and stopped on the East side at the Jackson Glacier Viewing Spot. By then it was raining again, and we knew we'd have to wait 30 minutes for another shuttle just for the privilege of stopping to take one picture, but Jackson is the only glacier that can be viewed from the road, and since this is Glacier National Park, we wanted to see at least one glacier! Today we were prepared with rain pants as well as rain jackets and several other layers, so we weren't too worried about the rain. That turned out to be a good thing as we got rained on over and over all day. The sun would come out for a few minutes, then a rain cloud would let loose, then the sun appeared followed by another rain cloud, and that went on all day.
When we got to Logan Pass, it was so foggy that none of the mountain tops were visible. We asked a ranger about going to Hidden Lake near there, but she said the trail was covered with snow. We decided to head down the east side, hoping the sun would be shining there, so we hopped the smaller “Loop” shuttle. The fog was so dense we asked the driver if he had radar to find his way down the crooked mountain roads that literally hug the side of the mountain.
When we got to the transfer point, we started up the trail to Avalanche Lake. A rushing creek with the same name went along the path for most of the way. The woods were mostly cedar and pine, and it must be very moist there much of the time, because most of the trees and shrubs were covered with moss. The trail wound around through the forest, climbing higher and higher, and most of the time we were being rained on. It wasn't a cold rain, however, so we didn't mind it. As a matter of fact, it served to keep us cool on the long uphill trek. When we finally got to the lake, it was spectacular! The mountain walls form a semi-circle around the green waters of the lake. When you first see the lake, the background of mountain with green patches of trees and white patches of snow catch your eye, and are reflected in the beautiful lake. We stopped along with most of the hikers and took a relaxing break and a much needed lunch. On the way back we had a couple of encounters with mule deer. First as we came around a bend in the trail, we spotted the deer on the other side of some bushes eating. We stopped and the deer didn't seem to mind our presence as she kept coming closer and closer until she was within three feet of us. Later, a mule deer kept us company by walking beside us on the trail for several hundred feet. I guess they are used to visitors!
After the 5 mile hike we were ready to head back up the mountain to go to the other side. That of course meant 2 different shuttles, and for some reason the shuttles were running late, so what should have been at most 2 hours, took us 3 ½ hours! Luckily Logan Pass was clear and sunny when we got to the top, so the hour wait there wasn't bad. With the sunshine, snow, and visitor center there, I was reminded of our ski trips in the Alps when the sun would be beating down, making us sweat, while we were surrounded by snow!
Bob was happy as he spotted two mountain goats on the hill across from the bus stop. Then on the way down, we saw a big horn sheep, and the driver kindly stopped to allow passengers to take pictures.
July 6 - Glacier National Park
We got up early today so we could drive 22 miles to the area of the park known as Many Glacier. For the past few days we had been in the main part of the park, at least the part of the park that you can get to by road. Most of the park is accessible only by walking. The middle of the park has the Going-to-the-Sun Road connecting the East and West sides, and that is where we had been. Farther north on the east side, is a road going just a few miles in to the Many Glacier Hotel, campground and motel. We are going to camp here for two days, but need to arrive early to find a spot, since it is very popular, and they do not take reservations.
After obtaining a nice site at the bottom of one of the mountains, we headed over to the corral to go on a horseback ride. On the way there, some people who were admiring our RV turned out to be from Alexandria, Louisiana, near Bob's hometown! His LSU cap has helped him find many fellow Louisianans on this trip!
Our two hour horseback ride was just the right length, and we passed through some great scenery. The route took us along the side of one of the many lakes here, and then up into an area called Cracker Flats, which was full of wildflowers of all kinds. Our horses were well-trained, and it felt good to take a “hike” without actually having to walk! Most of the area we went through is prime grizzly country and the guides thought we might see one, but told us not to be scared because the grizzlies were scared of the horses, who appeared to have two heads with the rider on top! For good, or bad, we didn't see one, although we did see lots of trees with claw marks on them several feet above the ground where the bears had scratched their claws. We also saw a few places where rangers have put barbed wire with the sole purpose of catching a bear's fur. That helps them know in what areas the bears are roaming.
After our ride we sat outside and ate our lunch while looking up at the mountainside, trying to spot a sheep. They are so plentiful here that there are signs all over saying “Do not feed the sheep.” Of course there are also “Warning, Bear Country” signs all over the whole park, too! Bob found signs of a bear behind our campsite which backs up to some trees and bushes and a creek. I'm glad we are sleeping in an RV, not a tent. Actually, everyone has to be careful to not have any food in their tents. Everything must be kept in the cars, as food, even water bottles, draws the bears. Of course back country hikers don't have a car, so they have to put their food up in a tree a long way from where their tent is. All of the rangers, and most of the back country hikers carry bear spray as a deterent. I, myself, have no desire to hike where there are not a lot of people, or to sleep far away from civilization!
Later in the afternoon we took a 3 mile hike around Swiftcurrent Lake. Even there we saw signs of bear, though thankfully none in the flesh! This is the lake the hotel is on. The Many Glacier hotel was built in the 1915 in the style of a Swiss Mountain Lodge. This was because Americans at the time were encouraged to come to America's Alps, the Rocky Mountains! We went to the hotel for a dinner of wild game – venison, elk, and buffalo, then sat on the great porch to scout for bear and sheep. Much safer!
July 7 - Glacier National Park
This morning we decided to hike up the side of the nearby mountain. Luckily when we started out, someone told us that though the bottom part was pretty steep, the trail after that was just a gentle incline. If she hadn't said that, I might have backed out, as we are also scheduled for a boatride/hike this afternoon, and I don't want to be too tired out. Anyway, I'm glad we took the hike because it was my favorite of all the hikes we did. This reminded me of Heidi in the book by the same name, my favorite book as a child. I pictured Heidi and her grandfather hiking up the mountain among the wildflowers. It also reminded me of when Bob and I hiked in the Austrian Alps about ten years ago. Actually on that hike, we took a cable car up to nearly the top of the mountain and then hiked amount the wildflowers and the cows with their clanging cowbells. Here we hiked among the wildflowers, but the bells we heard were bells warning away bears!
Today's hike was awesome as once we got up a ways, we hiked across the mountainside, and besides the wildflowers nearby, could see mountains and glaciers in the distance. We also saw some wildlife – a buck with his velvety horns didn't even move away from his tasty snack of leaves as we walked by and snapped his picture. Later I saw a coyote cross the trail ahead of us. We also saw a lot of marmots, which are a type of ground squirrel. We were hoping to see a grizzly in the distance, but didn't. As we were heading down the mountain, some uphill hikers told us they had seen one down the mountain away from the trail, but we didn't spot it when we went by.
We got down from that trail, and hurried over to the boat dock for the next adventure. We took the boat to the end of Swiftcurrent Lake, got out and hiked a quarter of a mile to Josephine Lake, then took another boat to the end of that lake, got out and hiked a mile to Grinnell Lake. We had a guide with us the whole time, so learned quite a bit more about the park.
Many Glacier Lodge was build in 1915 by the man who owned the Great Northern Railroad as a way to get people to use his train. Cars weren't plentiful then, so if people wanted to come to America's Alps, they would need to come by train. Since rich people were going to Switzerland all the time back then, he decided to bring Switzerland to America, and the hotel was designed to look like a Swiss Chalet. It almost burned in the great fire of 1936, but was saved by the employees. The owner was mad that they saved it because his business was so slow he was losing money, and could have used the insurance check!
Snow drifts at the lodge during the winter can reach 100 feet high. Over the years these drifts had pushed against the building so much that it had to be straightened up in the 1970s! Many Glacier is east of the continental divide and gets a lot more snow each year than the west side does. This part of the park is only open from June 1st to mid September.
We also learned at different times during the week, that to protect a lot of the investment here, they dismantle a lot of things before the heavy snow hits. They even take the railroad ties off the guard rails, because if they didn't the rails would be lost in the avalanches that happen each winter. Avalanche Lake, and Grinnell Lake that we saw today, are both similar looking – a bowl of mountains, waterfalls cascading into the lake, and surrounded by trees. Avalanches and wind cause the trees to break and fall down the mountain. We noticed that most trees on the mountains are one-sided because the snow pushes against and breaks off the branches on the uphill side.
At the time it was named a national park, Glacier had about 150 glaciers. Last year when they counted, there were 25, but they think when they count this year, the number will be in the teens. They estimate that in about 20 years there will be no more glaciers here. That will mean the end of the turquoise colored water in the glacial lakes, and many other changes besides.
We saw Salamander Glacier, and because it just looks like snow pack to us, the guide explained that in order to be a glacier, the snow must be at least 100 feet thick, at least 25 acres in size, and be moving. The glaciers here have shrunk so much they no longer look like that.
I have been amazed at the bright turquoise and bright red rocks here. The guide explained that they are a type of iron, and depending on when in the geologic cycle they were laid down, they are either the beautiful shade of green or bright red. I have also seen some rocks that look like shale, but look almost fake because they are so silver in color.
The boat they keep on Josephine Lake was destroyed by an avalanche one year. They had originally gotten it there down an old logging road, but that wasn't available any more, so they took it apart and floated the pieces down the creek to Swiftcurrent Lake where they then gathered them up and took them somewhere to be made back into a boat. When the boat was repaired, they hired a bunch of college guys to strongarm it down the creek and back into Josephine Lake. The creek held two feet of water and the boat needed 5 feet to float, so you can imagine what a hard time it must have been to get the boat into the lake. It now has a winter boat house away from the mountain!
We have really enjoyed Glacier, and will be sad to leave tomorrow. I have become so used to hiking that I think if we stayed here a few more days I could build up the strength to go on some of the longer hikes and see things I would really like to see. Another time....