Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Tuesday, September 20 – Glacier National Park, MT



We got up early and headed for the "Going to the Sun Road". We knew it would be a long and wonderful journey and it turns out we were well placed to leave as early as we did.  We didn't return home until 10 PM!

At Glacier National Park, the Going to the Sun Road is the premier road through the park.  There are many turn outs along the way for picture taking as well as trails for hiking. We took so many wonderful images!  All along the way we were experimenting with different settings on our cameras and seeing how we could represent the landscapes we were drinking in.  The seemed to be no way to capture what we were feeling and seeing, but we did our best trying!











There are visitor centers at both East and West Glacier as well as at Logan Point.  We stopped at Logan Point to look around and buy a few things.  


We had planned to hike and had found out about the trail to St. Mary and Virginia Falls.  We found the trail head and suited up!  That comprised of selecting our camera gear, putting our lunch in the packs, and donning the bear spray.  Cheri was the little scout and she carried the bear spray and went first on the trial. 

We hiked through a previously burnt forest that was in the process of rebirth.  It was glorious!  Sun shining, the lake below was filled with rock flour and glistening with the blue green color that the region is famous for.  Remarkably, flowers were still blooming.  We got to St. Mary's and carried on to Virginia.  The sun came out on the falls by the time we arrived and we had a picnic lunch on the rocks next to the falls.  So blessed!
 














We hiked back and carried on along the Going to the Sun Road until we got to the East Glacier visitor center.  After visiting the center and making a much needed pit stop, we decided to leave the park and reenter into the Many Glaciers section of the park.  There was a hike there that we wanted to try.  Along the way we saw the most amazing yellow aspens with big blue sky and white puffy clouds!  Oh did we make images!!!!








We found the trailhead for the Swiftcurrent lake trail and started out.  Cheri with the bear spray and Dottie with a clanging metal water bottle.  It was wasn't long before we encountered some people on the trail who told us there were two bull moose just off the trail ahead.  WAHOO!!!!  bonanza!!!! Cheri had waited years to see bull moose!!  Everyone was thrilled.  We stood on the trail and waited for them come out.  John graciously gave Cheri his camera when she asked if she could shoot!  Dottie, Cheri and John got some great images. 
  





We heard there was bear in the area, but later learned the sighting had been about 2 miles away.  We continued on and were treated to magnificent reflections and great scenery. 






We got to the Hotel and the guys went to get the car.  Dottie and Cheri talked with two Mennonite women.

We were all starving by then and agreed to find a place to eat dinner.  We wondered aloud if the Two Sisters we had seen on the way in might be open.  We all voted to go there if it was.  LUCKY!  It was not only open, but was fabulous!!  Eclectic, amazing atmosphere and food.  Painted On the roof as you come in is "Aliens Welcome". John best bison steak he had ever eaten.  It had a sauce of Huckleberry on top.  Cheri and Dottie had bison burgers and Paul had fried chicken.








We didn't realize that we had two hours to drive to get home.  Yikes! We had hoped to see e Milky Way while we were out west, but had been told no way on that night because of clouds.  Wrong!  Stunningly beautiful skies were at hand.  We all enjoyed the night sky but were too tired to shoot it.  

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