Many Glacier Hotel
Goose Island
Jackson Glacier
Wow! What a day. It was a 12 hour day but worth every minute. We decided to take the quintessential introduction to Glacier; the 50 mile Going to the Sun Road. The drive into the park starts at around 3000 foot elevation and climbs to 6646 at Logan Pass. It is a scary ride with sheer drop offs against the sides of the mountains and it is a mystery how this road was ever built. August is a good month for many varieties of wild flowers. The road is being resurfaced in parts so the traffic is stopped from time to time but who cares with the spectacular views. We listened to an interesting ranger talk about the glaciers at Logan Pass Visitors Center and then walked part of the Highline Trail where we saw our first mountain goats. The glaciers that are in the park now are not the ones that carved the valleys. Those melted long ago and these new ones peaked in number in 1850 at 150; now there are only 25. It is estimated that there will be no more glaciers in 10 years!
After many photo stops we made our way to Many Glacier Hotel where we had a late lunch. Along the road to the hotel there were a lot of cars parked so we stopped and asked why…they were all watching a mom grizzly bear and three cubs. They were pretty far off in the field but I was able to get some photos and a video. Actually the distance was just about right for safety. The log hotel was built 95 years ago in Swiss chalet architecture with huge Douglas fir pillars and a fireplace built to resemble a campfire.
The return drive brought us back to Logan Pass at 5:30 or 6 which apparently is the best time to view wildlife. We stopped and were rewarded with up close and personal encounters with a family of mountain goats and a group of Rocky Mountain sheep. My impression of the 100 year old Glacier National Park is of its wild beauty with limited development making it unique compared to the other parks that I have seen. And great animal viewing!
After many photo stops we made our way to Many Glacier Hotel where we had a late lunch. Along the road to the hotel there were a lot of cars parked so we stopped and asked why…they were all watching a mom grizzly bear and three cubs. They were pretty far off in the field but I was able to get some photos and a video. Actually the distance was just about right for safety. The log hotel was built 95 years ago in Swiss chalet architecture with huge Douglas fir pillars and a fireplace built to resemble a campfire.
The return drive brought us back to Logan Pass at 5:30 or 6 which apparently is the best time to view wildlife. We stopped and were rewarded with up close and personal encounters with a family of mountain goats and a group of Rocky Mountain sheep. My impression of the 100 year old Glacier National Park is of its wild beauty with limited development making it unique compared to the other parks that I have seen. And great animal viewing!
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