FAMILY IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

TUESDAY, 25 JULY:

It was about a two hour drive to Kalispell where I checked into Hilton Homewood Suites. Prior to getting my room I had some breakfast at their buffet, and then did some computer work. I was able to go to my room about 1130. I unpacked and took a nap while waiting for the family to join me. They were all coming from Lincoln where they had been together for a couple of days at Klara's abode.

My first memorable trip to Glacier was when a fellow teacher, Sudy Cadwell Schneider, and I drove across country in my 1964 VW Bug. It was a whirlwind trip. We spent one day in Glacier National Park driving the Going to the Sun Road.

I found my slides from that trip and had them scanned so we can see changes which have occurred in 59 years:

GARDEN WALL:

1964 - GARDEN WALL

2023 GARDEN WALL

CLEMENTS MOUNTAIN:

1964 Clements Mountain

 

2023 CLEMENTS MTN.

Reynolds Mtn.

1964 REYNOLDS Mtn.

2023 REYNOLDS Mtn.

ST. MARY LAKE: Note snow on distant Mountains.

1964 St. Mary Lake 

 

2023 St. Mary Lake

Wednesday, July 26:

Planning our days:

Plotting Our Days

After failing to get a Pass for access to Going To Sun Road, we opted to go to Two Medicine Lake whose access was on the East side of the Park.  

 One of our stops was at Marias Pass, elevation 5213 feet.  

This low pass crossing through the Rocky Mountains and over the Continental Divide was developed so that the Railroad could reach the West Coast fairly easily.

It was a long day of driving for Tina, but once at Two Medicine Lake we enjoyed a windy lunch on the shore and then a little hiking, some photography, and painting by the girls.

Two Medicine Lake

Mt. Sinapah and Two Medicine Lake

We also visited their Visitor Center and Gift Shop where we bought several items including a new jacket for George, and a couple of water bottles, one of which I left on the plane as we flew home!! Another purchase was a mystery story that takes place in the area of Glacier. (It was a very good read: A Sharp Solitude by Christine Carbo.)

The return to Kalispell went smoothly and we enjoyed many of the views once again.

THURSDAY, 27 July:

This morning we succeeded in getting the three day pass for Going to the Sun Road effective starting  tomorrow, the 28th.

After breakfast we were off to the town of Big Fork for a touristy type of day. This was by design so that Tina had an easy day of little driving. The town of Big Fork, is home to art galleries,  restaurants, and a variety of small stores. We enjoyed meandering along main street, enjoying the many galleries and specialty shops.  We were tempted at a jewelry store where Tina and I found some very nice jewelry to add to our collections.  

We enjoyed an early dinner at Bonfire which had an  interesting cuisine mixing American and oriental flavors. 

Once back at our suites in Kalispell we enjoyed relaxing and knoshing on desert, and a little wine.

Friday, July 28th:

We enjoyed breakfast once again in the Pickerel Suite. We then packed snacks and gear for the day on the Going to The Sun Road. We were on the road by 0800.

The road is quite mountainous and winding, but the various views are well worth the many opportunities to stop and enjoy.

Bird Woman Falls (Just below Snow/Glacier)

Bird Woman Falls is named after Sacajawea who is well-known as the Indian woman that led Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition to find the Pacific Ocean.

The Falls were sculpted by a Glacier hundreds of thousands of years ago. This Glacier was also responsible for carving out the valley below Logan’s Pass as well as Lake McDonald.

There was no parking available so we proceeded to the East Side of the Continental Divide to the Jackson Glacier Overlook.

Here are a couple of views of the Jackson Glacier:

We slowly proceeded back to the West with stops along the way to enjoy the view, photography, and some painting. Oh yes, there was also a lunch stop with a view.

 Oh yes, there was also a lunch stop with a view.

 

Once again Chefs Justin and Tina prepared dinner.

Saturday, 29 July:

This morning we were off at 0615 for our drive and exploring the Logan Pass area. Once again there was no parking available so Tina dropped us off near the Visitor Center and went to Jackson Glacier Overlook to park. We were above the clouds for a short time.

Looking Over Logan Pass Parking Lot

Once she was back with us after taking the shuttle, we went up the Hidden Lake Trail a short distance where we set up for breakfast. We had great views of the area.

After we regrouped I did a quick stop at the Visitor Center. Then we caught the shuttle to return to the car. Then we headed back to Kalispell with stops along MacDonald Creek.

Views across the way:

BUTTER AND EGGS

FIREWEED

Klara, Tina, and George crossed a foot bridge over the creek and went downstream along a trail. Justin and I hung out and watched a couple of families play in the creek. I am sure that they enjoyed the coolness. Meanwhile I was photographing parts of the falls.

I watched two fly fishermen walk down stream and start casting. Each of them was successful in catching a fish.

In Columbia Falls the cooks needed to do some more shopping. The sky was pleasant to watch as the sun set.

This was a wonderful time together sharing time in Glacier National Park. Tomorrow we go our separate ways with Klara returning to work here in Montana, Tina and Justin returning to Ohio, and us flying home to San Diego.

 

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK - PHOTO TOUR

This July I visited Glacier National Park, first on a photo tour, and then with my family. 

George and I flew to Kalispell, MT where Klara, our oldest daughter, met us and took George home to Lincoln for a visit while I spent a week in Glacier photographing the landscape, and a few of its critters.

My base for the photography trip was on the East side of the Park where we stayed in two cabins at the Paul Ranch in the area of Babb, MT.  On the drive to Babb we did make a couple of stops for some pictures of Glacier National Park and a few wildlife photos. 

Rocky Mountain Goats:

 and Big Horn Sheep found in the Logan Pass area.

Once we were at the Ranch I unpacked a little and then we headed off for a much needed dinner at St. Mary Lodge. This was followed by a couple of hours of looking for wildlife in the area. We did not see anything of interest.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19th:

We were up and on our way by 0500 to get to Swift Current Overlook and Waterfalls for sunrise which was about 0548.  

This was in the Many Glacier area of the Park. I did not feel that I could follow the group down to a closer view of the Falls, so I stayed up by the road. I scrambled over the low wall but scraped my calf badly and had to use my "grab rag" as a bandage until we got back to the cabin.

                                                                         The Wall!

After sunrise and views of the Falls we went in search of wildlife. We found a black bear that was foraging on berries. We spent some time watching and photographing it. 

Finally it was time to let him continue with his breakfast, and we headed off to Many Glacier Lodge for our breakfast.

Once back at our cabin it was time to start treatment of my leg wound.  One of my fellow photographers  was a retired nurse and had a good First Aid Kit in her car so I was able to regularly change the dressing. The wound was a tear of the skin, but did not hurt at all. After treatment I was able to do a laundry, and then take a much needed nap.

In the late afternoon we were off to an early dinner at Johnson's of St. Mary. The service here was mostly family style in that you ordered your entree and then all were served the side dishes family style. These smaller restaurants make their own rules regarding service because they have rather short seasons, and the logistics of getting supplies can be an issue.

As the skies were clear we went in quest of wildlife and wildflowers after dinner along the Going to the Sun Road. We found  a family of mountain goats  scrambling along a wall above the road. 

                                A molting Mama

We also found patches of wildflowers to photograph. We ended the day with a waterfall.

                   Reynolds Peak

THURSDAY, 20 JULY:

Once again we were off to capture sunrise light on Swift Current Peak and the surrounding area. We got some color on the Peak. 

Then I turned to the upper level of the Falls or Rapids before it tumbles over  rocks to the Falls. 

I also spotted a Dusky Grouse in the area.

Breakfast was at Many Glacier Lodge where I enjoyed a very tasty meal. We then headed back to our home away from home for naps and picture reviews. Dinner was at the Cattle Baron Supper Club. This is a very large restaurant and bar in the area, and the food was excellent.

This evening we went in search of wildflowers, waterfalls, and wildlife.  We were successful on all counts. It was difficult to isolate a group of flowers as they were located right by the side of the road, and  the slope was such that one could not do much in how one positioned the camera.

This waterfall was also close to the road.

Another hazard of this location was the steady stream of traffic. I still enjoyed capturing the waterfall and experimenting with the effects of different shutter speeds.

We continued up the road to the Logan Pass area where we found a group of Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep. They were busy nibbling on the grasses in the area and we took advantage of the photo oppertunity. It was challenging as it was after sunset so the light was diminishing quickly.

Glacial Geology

FRIDAY, 21 July:

This morning we went for sunrise light above the shore of Lake Sherbourne. The sky was partially  cloudy and we were able to find a nice skeletal tree to add interest.

After sunrise we found a grizzly bear in the area and were able to follow it from the road for some time. He, like most bears, was intent on browsing on the berries in the area.

                    "My what big claws you have"

As we headed back to our cabin we found an enterprising lady who had set up a food truck along the highway serving coffees, pastries, and breakfast burritos. I enjoyed a burrito and coffee after we got back to the cabin. During our down time, James gave us a presentation on editing images. 

Dinner today was at Two Sisters Cafe. The food was good but the cafe was quite noisy due to its popularity.

SATURDAY, JULY 22:

Today we were off to Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, located on the border.  It was a little short of an hour drive. We had no problem crossing the border, and enjoy a delightful breakfast in the Prince of Wales Lodge dining room, where the servers all wore kilts.

While at this Park we enjoyed a cruise on Waterton Lake:

Waterton Lake

that included a short visit to the U.S. section of the park located at the distal end of the lake. 

Fireweed along Trail
When back in the town of Waterton, we enjoyed ice cream or yogurt cones which were very large and delicious. Afterwards we drove around the area looking for wildlife and found a small black bear, a couple of squirrels, and a coyote. (Sorry no photographs)

We returned to the U.S. after having an early dinner in the Prince of Wales dining room. 

It was a clear evening so we decided to take the opportunity to photograph the Milky Way. We set up at the outlet for Swift Current Lake. We spent about two hours here watching and photographing the movement of the Milky Way across the sky. Some also captured a meteor or two from the Perseid Meteor Shower.

                                                                    Night Sky

                                          Milky Way over Swift Current Lake

 Sunday, July 23:

When we got back to the cabin, we all headed for bed and a few hours of sleep. After a late breakfast at our cabin I did a laundry in preparation for another six days on the road. A nap was also called for as it had been a short night.

After dinner at Johnson's we drove to Logan Pass for this evening's activities. The group set out on a hike to Hidden Lake. I stayed behind and wandered around the Visitor Center looking for wildlife - big horn sheep and mountain goats that often frequent the area.  They were not in the area tonight. So I then hiked above the Visitor Center a short distance on the Hidden Lake Trail and enjoyed the vast views and the sunset light and sky.

                                                            Clements Mountain

                                                                Hogweed

                                                                        Paintbrush

                                                             Clements Mountain

Garden Wall

                                                  Sunset on Clements Mountain

                              Another View of Clements Mountain at Sunset

The group got back to the parking lot just before dark. We then drove back to our cabin in Babb.

MONDAY, JULY 24:

This morning we went to theWild Goose Island view area on St. Mary Lake. This is an iconic view of Glacier and we were there to pick our spots before any other photographers showed up. It was well worth the getting up early to get into position. 

St. Mary Lake and Wild Goose Island

Afterwards we headed back to the village of St. Mary for breakfast at Glacier's Edge. 

Kate's car has a slow tire leak. She opted in the afternoon to drive to Waterton to have it looked at and repaired as tomorrow she will be starting a long trip back home to the Chicago area and wants to do it in two days! She made it back in time to join us for dinner at Many Glacier Lodge.

After dinner I went off with the boys for a chance for one more sunset. We settled for the Swift Current Lake area. This has a foreground of a lake and in the distance is Swift Current Mountain that is a dominant feature. Tonight we had some nice clouds in the sky, but the color was not there.

Back at the cabin it was time to finish packing up as we are leaving at 0600 tomorrow: James, Darren, and I will head West while Mark, Sue, Cathy and Kate will go East to Illinois. I will be dropped off in  Kalispell for my reunion with my family.

It was a great experience to visit and explore this rugged Park with a camera.