TIO Montana: Glacier National Park

02 Aug TIO Montana: Glacier National Park

One could say Susan and I are empty nesters once removed: with one grandson out of college and on his own, two others out of the house and in college, our grand-daughter not far behind, family get-togethers require a little more planning.

Peaks, Logan Pass

So this summer we decided to meet our daughter Kimm, son-in-law Michael and grandson Matthew in Glacier National Park before Matthew heads back to Vermont for his second year of college.

Big crowds are not my thing, but mindful of the normal summer Park population, enhanced by the extra load because of this being the Centenary of the National Park Service, we bit the bullet and here we are just outside Glacier. And yes, there are lines, and the occasional thoughtless action by other tourists, but the experience so far has been pleasant, and Glacier is even more spectacular than I remember.

Our “kids” arrived a day earlier than we did, and used the time to reconnoiter the area, and aided by a recommendation to check out the possibilities with Glacier Guides, had a couple of days already booked.

When Susan and I arrived we found our accommodations at North Forty Resort comfortable, our cabin next door to our family, in a tree-shaded area well back from the road, quiet and secluded.

Over dinner in a semi-selfserve restaurant in Whitefish we went over the plans for the week.

Matthew, Michael, and Kimm, Hidden Lake Trail

Our first day we parked just inside the Park and utilized the free shuttle service to get to the top of Logan Pass for a hike in the high country above Hidden Lake. Though many people are still driving Going-to-the-Sun Road, parking along the way is nearly impossible, especially with the overflow crowds this summer. The shuttle service runs continuously, so even though we missed the first bus on most occasions, the waits were not long, and the conversations with other guests often interesting, reminding me of new friends talking on the lines at Telluride Film Festival or Mountainfilm.

Did I mention that Glacier is spectacular? I was last here in 1982, and I remember the beauty in bold detail, but memory pales with the actuality of seeing it again on a bright summer day with clouds throwing moving shadows over the high peaks. Our warming global climate has reduced the size of the summer snowfields, even since my last visit 34 years ago, but the size and scale of Glacier are awesome in the true sense of the word.

Susan, above Hidden Lake

The crowds thinned out as we climbed from the Logan Pass visitor center along boardwalk paths and then a well maintained stone and gravel walkway some two miles in to an overlook over Hidden Lake. We continued past the constructed overlook after spending a little time there with a few hundred of our closest friends. Friends, by the way, from everywhere in the U.S., and abroad, speaking in Japanese, Chinese, some wearing sari, a few in turbans.

Along the way we shot closeups of mountain goats, a profusion of wildflowers, and each other. It truly is a photographer’s delight, ever mindful that the captured image can only be a poor imitation of the reality.

Glacier Guides, Charlie & Lauren

Yesterday was a new adventure. We had booked a hike/raft day with Glacier Guides, and showed up at their base a little after 8:00 in the morning for a six-mile, fairly mild walk along the river, mostly in the shade, with pocket views of the water from time to time. Reaching the put-in, it was time for lunch, and then into the river. Our hiking guides, Lauren and Charlie, were also our boatmen (boat people?) and our trip down the river was delightful, some interesting rapids every mile or two, mostly fairly innocent but a few where we at bow stroke, as well as the helmsman, earned our keep. Great way to cool off on a warm day on the river. Charlie referred to the resultant face full of chilled river water as a “glacial facial.” Unfortunately, I don’t have any shots from the boat on the way down- no waterproof camera. Everything photographic this week has been shot with my iPhone.

Dinner at our cabin that night, and the attempt to watch a humorous movie resulted in my falling asleep. So, early to bed.

Matthew at Avalanche Creek Trailhead

Today we had a relaxed start, as we were doing an easy hike up to Avalanche Lake, about 2 1/2 miles one way. It was a pleasant hike, mostly gentle grade, and in the shade- welcome on a warm day in the mountains. We had lunch on the shore of the lake, surrounded by high peaks (not high as the elevation of our Telluride surroundings, but looming above our location on the lake. To top it off, we had three pretty waterfalls falling from the cliffs, thousands of feet down to the level of the lake. Quite beautiful.

Avalanche Creek Gorge

Waterfalls, Avalanche Lake

After the hike out we stopped by the lodge at Lake MacDonald, a beautiful log building built in 1913, mostly to get a feeling for the era in which Glacier Park was built. We sat for a while down on the river, then walked through the spacious, yet cozy public area. Really it was a return to the glamorous past of this iconic Park. We also saw the iconic Red Buses, now used for smaller groups who reserve them. The old White Motors vehicles have been refurbished by the Ford Motor Company, powered by propane, and still sport the retractable canvas top, which allows for a convertible experience, weather permitting. We saw them on the road, around Logan Pass, and at Lake MacDonald Lodge. When I was last here in the 1980s, the old Whites were still being used.

On the way back to our cabin, we stopped by the Whiskey Barn, just outside the Park boundaries, for samples of locally distilled whiskies and spirits. It was a nice stop at the end of a wonderful day in Glacier National Park. I suspect it’s going to be another early night.