My parents have retired to Northwest Montana, and their choice of home is pretty impressive. While visiting in late July, we were able to explore Glacier National Park and take a great hike together. Starting from Logan's Pass at the top of the famous Going-to-the-Sun road, we hiked the Highline Trail along a cliff face, over another pass, across to Granite Park and down and down to a point a long way back along the road. The mountains were amazing, the flowers were beautiful, the company was enjoyable--it was a memorable hike.
I had not been up Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park since I was a kid. The curves and drop-offs were not as scary as I remembered. I guess I've been on a lot of mountain roads since then, and I enjoy these kinds of drives much better now, when I get to have the fun of being the driver!
There is just something special about Glacier's mountains. I love hiking Rocky Mountain National Park and the Snowy Range around here, but these Montana peaks seem somehow more rugged and remote, even though they don't reach as high elevations. They are high enough; we couldn't have hiked this trail any earlier without an ice axe. As it was, we had numerous snowfields to cross. We tread carefully since the slope was often steep. One guy in a group ahead of us lost his footing a slid quite a ways down. He was unhurt, but I didn't have any desire to mimic him.
All the snowmelt waterfalls were fun to cross and great to photograph. The flowers loved all the snowmelt, and I kept encountering new ones as we hiked along. I could start a blog exhibiting the great variety of flowers and probably never be finished!
A highlight of the hike was climbing a pass and coming face to face with three young, male bighorn sheep. They were having a great morning gallivanting in the snow, and they showed off for us, playing and hopping down the slope. At one point, they even sparred a bit with their horns, all in good fun for now, until mating season.
Later (and much further down the mountain) we encountered a less majestic but just as entertaining creature. This male blue grouse was blocking the trail and indicating quite determinedly, "None shall pass!" He fearlessly chased us and tried to peck our legs. He even followed when I went off trail to try to give him wide berth. My family and I had to keep him at bay with our hiking poles (which didn't faze him a bit, either). I'm not quite sure what he thought he was protecting, but it was pretty funny to watch people running from a little bird.
Fields of glacier lilies in front of the fantastic mountains made it hard to put the camera down. With all the flowers and deer and ground squirrels, I didn't stop taking pictures until we emerged back on the road. Then left the park for a well-earned, yummy cheeseburger and a local pint. It was a good day.
My parents have retired to Northwest Montana, and their choice of home is pretty impressive. While visiting in late July, we were able to explore Glacier National Park and take a great hike together. Starting from Logan's Pass at the top of the famous Going-to-the-Sun road, we hiked the Highline Trail along a cliff face, over another pass, across to Granite Park and down and down to a point a long way back along the road. The mountains were amazing, the flowers were beautiful, the company was enjoyable--it was a memorable hike.
I had not been up Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park since I was a kid. The curves and drop-offs were not as scary as I remembered. I guess I've been on a lot of mountain roads since then, and I enjoy these kinds of drives much better now, when I get to have the fun of being the driver! 
There is just something special about Glacier's mountains. I love hiking Rocky Mountain National Park and the Snowy Range around here, but these Montana peaks seem somehow more rugged and remote, even though they don't reach as high elevations. They are high enough; we couldn't have hiked this trail any earlier without an ice axe. As it was, we had numerous snowfields to cross. We tread carefully since the slope was often steep. One guy in a group ahead of us lost his footing a slid quite a ways down. He was unhurt, but I didn't have any desire to mimic him.
All the snowmelt waterfalls were fun to cross and great to photograph. The flowers loved all the snowmelt, and I kept encountering new ones as we hiked along. I could start a blog exhibiting the great variety of flowers and probably never be finished! 
A highlight of the hike was climbing a pass and coming face to face with three young, male bighorn sheep. They were having a great morning gallivanting in the snow, and they showed off for us, playing and hopping down the slope. At one point, they even sparred a bit with their horns, all in good fun for now, until mating season.
Later (and much further down the mountain) we encountered a less majestic but just as entertaining creature. This male blue grouse was blocking the trail and indicating quite determinedly, "None shall pass!" He fearlessly chased us and tried to peck our legs. He even followed when I went off trail to try to give him wide berth. My family and I had to keep him at bay with our hiking poles (which didn't faze him a bit, either). I'm not quite sure what he thought he was protecting, but it was pretty funny to watch people running from a little bird.
Fields of glacier lilies in front of the fantastic mountains made it hard to put the camera down. With all the flowers and deer and ground squirrels, I didn't stop taking pictures until we emerged back on the road. Then left the park for a well-earned, yummy cheeseburger and a local pint. It was a good day.
1 comment:
"Their choice of home is pretty impressive"...
"The company was enjoyable" ....
"It was a memorable hike.
Wonderful to hear. Thank you.
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