Thursday, 8.4 .... back in Glacier
This being “GLACIER” National Park, we wanted to hike to a Glacier....however, this being the year of such a huge snowfall (making it extreme to get to the Glacier & once you’re there, it’s covered in snow) would be one of the factors preventing us from doing so...another would be too much bear activity on the trail & another would be the permit system required for backcountry camping...(however reason #1 really super cedes all the other reasons!)
But, since this is a National Park (& they make their attractions accessible as possible...sometimes too much so), we drove by this one....Jackson Glacier. I was really glad we got to see it
The above are photos from Going-To-The-Sun road on the way up to Logan Pass....this is where we’d start todays big hike on the Highline Trail...one of the most popular. This trail skirts the “Garden Wall”....which runs along the Continental Divide
If you’re afraid of heights or have a fear of falling, this might not be the trail for you...however, they do have a garden hose (I’m not kidding...that’s what it seemed like anyway) attached to the wall where it’s really narrow & the drop-offs are huge. We’d heard this trail had some icky snow fields to cross, but we were going to hike for as long as we could....the views were mind blowing!
But, there was a moment or two, both Danny & I thought we might turn back on this trail...there were way too many people...tons & tons of people. Neither of us had EVER hiked a trail with so many people....it’s not a problem being passed, or passing others, but it’s when someone (or a large group of someone’s) don’t want you to pass even though they are hiking a lot slower than you...but what really makes me want to use my hiking pole on a person (I know this sounds like I have really bad hiking-energy) is when you’re hiking a narrow trail (barely wide enough for two people) & people hiking towards you are two or three wide....they’ll just knock into you
This is also one of the biggest differences in hiking in the National Park, especially during July & August (the busy season) than hiking in a Wilderness Area....you share the trail in National Parks with people who don’t normally hike & are totally clueless about hiking etiquette (yes, there are really things you should know before you go hiking, but most of it’s just common sense & courtesy). When you hike in the Wilderness Areas...or most places where there are avid hikers, it’s a totally different experience....but....to go on with todays hike
There were several mountain goats, marmot-type critters & waterfalls.....& snowfields. None that were too bad, but we must have crossed about 15 of them. The people starting thinning out...which was wonderful! Since the snowfields hadn’t been a problem, we pulled out our map to see just how far this trail went. It was called a loop, but didn’t actually meet back up at the same place it started (this can be a definite problem....so I always wonder why they call these loops?) But, some other hikers on the trail thought there was a shuttle at the end, so we decided to continue on...we could always hitch a ride back up to the pass if it turned out there wasn’t a shuttle…right?
The views just kept getting better & better
So, as we were hiking along, looking up & across the valley to the mountains, someone on the trail (with really good eye sight) spotted these two grizzly bears in the valley below us (safely far away from us). One of the bears was blond....I didn’t even know there were blond bears! We watched them until they strolled off into the brush...pretty cool
The trail takes you by a high mountain Chalet...you can actually reserve a bunk here....& then the trail started to plummet...straight down...for four miles. It was hot & the trail took you through the burn area from a few years back....not all that pretty. Our knees starting talking to us about mile 2....but eventually we made it down...we’d hiked over 11 miles so far & then we only had to wait about 15 minutes for a shuttle
I LOVED THIS HIKE! It may sound like I’ve complained a lot about the people, the downhill, the stupid annoying bear bells that about 1 out of 3 people have....but this hike had such big & amazing views
We found a picnic spot by the lake, cooked some Red Beans & Rice, & had some chips, salsa & beer...then took off for a short 3.6 mile super easy hike to some waterfalls
It had been another wonderful day spent hiking with Danny, surrounded by jaw dropping sights....
I LOVE “LIVING THE GOOD LIFE ON A TEMPORARY BASIS” (the quote said to me by a Career-Life Coach at work on why I should be more content with my job! He should be so lucky to be out here instead of in a stuffy office & I should be so smart to try to figure out how to lose the “temporary” part...I’ll always keep looking for something that’s better!)
We ended the evening with a drive by the lake....taking this pic of “Wild Goose Island”
tomorrow will be a big day....one of us has a birthday!