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.
Rocky Mountain Goats:
and Big Horn Sheep found in the Logan Pass area.
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.
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.
We also found patches of wildflowers to photograph. We ended the day with a waterfall.
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.
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.
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| 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.
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:
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| Waterton Lake |
that included a short visit to the U.S. section of the park located at the distal end of the lake.
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| 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.
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.
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| Garden Wall |
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 IslandAfterwards 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.
It was a great experience to visit and explore this rugged Park with a camera.
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