Running Eagle Falls

After I left the Many Glacier area, my destination was Craters of the Moon National Monument.  On the spur of the moment, I decided to stop by the southern portion of Glacier National Park.  This area is called Two Medicine and was the most popular part of the park until the completion of Going to the Sun Road.

I wasn't able to see the great vistas, and I wanted to get to Craters of the Moon, so I sort of limited my time there.  Still, I was able to get take a short hike to Running Eagle Falls.  This area, and these falls in particular, hold a spiritual significance for the Blackfeet. 

Running Eagle Falls is also called Trick Falls.  The falls consist of two parts.  When water flow is high, water flows from the top of the falls as seen here.  It also flows through a cave that comes out about a third of the way up the falls.  When water flow declines, water no longer flows over the top and comes from the cave only.  I was here in June and snow melt was still feeding the rivers.  In addition, it was raining lightly. 

To get closer to the falls, there is a small bridge crossing this river which was flowing at a rapid pace.  This is looking upriver from the bridge.

This is looking downriver from the bridge to where the river joins with the river from the falls.  The long sandbar in the center of  picture is the same one in the first picture.  The first picture was taken downstream and to the left of the tree on the left.

Closer to the falls.  Here you can see both the upper and lower portions of the falls.

Wildflowers in the Many Glacier area

After leaving Waterton, I was much more aware of wildflowers along the road.  The next day as I was leaving the Many Glacier area, I saw these.  Again, I don't know what they are, I just thought they were pretty.

A pair of pink flowers.

The lone red flower I saw.

Purple and Pink.

Looking over Lake Sherburne.

Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta

The following day I drove to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada.  Together with Glacier National Park in the United States the form Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.  The park was dedicated June 18th, 1932.

I'd never been to the Canadian side before and decided to take this opportunity to visit for the day.

Chief Mountain.  I wouldn't have had such a view of this except for the fact that I took a wrong turn and crossed the border at a different crossing than I had planned.  This was a longer, but not unpleasant drive.

Chief Mountain rises 5000 feet over the surrounding area.

After entering the park, I saw these deer moving along the ridge line towards me. 

I'm not sure which of the two pictures I like better.

One of the reasons I went to Waterton was because I wanted to see the Prince of Wales Hotel.  This was another Hotel was built by the Great Northern Railroad as part of the lodge system that was established in the Glacier National Park area.  The town of Waterton lies behind the ridge the hotel is built on.

The Prince of Wales Hotel was built to draw U.S. tourists to the area during Prohibition.  The idea was U.S. tourist could cross the border to have a drink and return to the States after they were finished.  It was built between 1926 and 1927.  It was renovated in 2006.

The hotel really is beautiful. 

Stained glass in the front door of the hotel.

Looking south into the interior of the park.

I really wanted to take the boat ride into the park, but my time was limited.

The Prince of Wales Hotel from Waterton, Alberta.

Waterton is a small town with about 160 year round residents.  In the short time I was there, it struck me as being much like Mackinac City.  This fox was running through the edge of town.

Cameron Falls in Waterton, Alberta.  Getting to see these falls is pretty easy.  You can see them from the parking lot and a very short walk of about 100 feet will get you to this viewing area.  There is also a short walk with a steep climb along the right side of the falls.

I was only in Waterton for about ninety minutes.  I really wish I had allotted more time for it.  There were a couple of drives into canyons I would have liked to have explored and a hike to the top of one of the mountains overlooking Waterton that I really wanted to do, but time was my enemy here as I wanted to get back to Many Glacier Hotel to see David Walburn.

Glacier National Park - Many Glacier area

On my trip I had only one reservation.  That was for Many Glacier Hotel.  Ever since learning of the lodges in Glacier National Park built by the Great Northern Railroad I've wanted to stay in them.  And so it was that I made reservations for one night at Many Glacier Hotel.

The Many Glacier area is considered the heart of the park, though I don't know how it achieves that distinction unless it is simply because it is towards the interior.  Every place I went was unique and beautiful in it's own way.

There are many activities at all of the lodges, but here you could go hiking, rent canoes and kayaks, take a boat tour, take a red bus tour or go on a horseback ride.

It was here that I caught the show Larry had mentioned to me.  I enjoyed the Cabin Song performance so much that I made sure I was back for West for America show the next night.  The artist was David Walburn. Check out his site.  He has a performance from both Cabin Song and West for America on the Many Glacier Hotel page.  If you find yourself there on a night he is performing, check it out.  If I find myself back there, I will.

To get to the Many Glacier area, you turn west at Babb, Montana then drive approximately 15 miles into the park.  Before entering the park, you pass Lake Sherburne that is created by a dam at it's east end.  The dam was constructed between 1914 and 1921 and the lake that filled behind it is 6 miles long. 

I was expecting a room with a partial lake view.  As it turned out, I had a full lake view.  This is looking left from the balcony I shared with the room next to me.  Kayaks are available for rent on Swiftcurrent Lake.

I decided to eat at the restaurant in the lodge.  Here I am looking in from the entrance.  Apparently at one time someone decided it would be a good idea to put a drop ceiling in and it was only in the last couple of years that it was removed revealing the gorgeous interior.  The fireplace at the end of the room is functional I believe, but did not have a fire going in it.


 

The main gathering area in the hotel.  The fireplace here had a fire going in it.  Workers would place five foot logs on it and it was kept going the entire time I was there.  I spent a little time sitting in on the chairs conversing with other guests.

The view again from my balcony looking left.  I was in the last room on the side facing the lake.  The only room beyond mine was the one that occupied the end of the building.

The view looking straight out from my balcony.

And looking to the right.  I was staying in what looked like an addition to the hotel that was connected via a walk way visible on the right.  The main lodge area is where the fire place was and the restaurant was at the far end of the main lodge.  You can't see just how long the hotel is in this view.

I really wish I had taken a picture of my room.  It was huge and had what I call "Old World Elegance."  I would go back again and would recommend it to anyone.

Essentially the same picture as the second, but the skies were different and the wind had picked up a little.

Logan Pass

Going to the Sun Road crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass at an elevation of 6,646 feet.

Reynolds Mountain dominates the view from inside the visitor center and has an elevation of 9,125 feet.   I noticed what looked like ski tracks when I stopped to take pictures of the big rock that had fallen.  At Logan Pass I could see the same thing as well as the skiers.  If you look at the large snow field below Reynolds Mountain, you can see people skiing.  The were also hiking out the snow covered wall to the right and skiing down there.  You've got to like skiing a lot to hike out there. 

This snow will melt in the summer and this area will be covered with alpine wildflowers.

I don't recall the name of this peak.

The depth of the snow at Logan Pass Visitor Center.  The guys at the top were having a snowball fight with a kid off screen to the left.  The lady on the sidewalk  was telling them to stop.

Looking towards Saint Mary Lake from Logan Pass.


I have more pictures of Logan Pass and am trying to create a panoramic picture.  I'm just learning the photo program I have and it is going to take some time to get it done.  Once I do I'll post it here.

Going to the Sun Road - Avalanche Lake to Logan Pass

The day continued to be beautiful and was a far cry from the day before.  With the clouds lifted, visibility was incredible.

Bird Woman Falls.

Looking west.  Going to the Sun Road follows the river on the left heading towards Lake McDonald.

Looking north from where the previous photo was taken.  The river flows from the mountains in the distance towards the bottom of the photo, then takes a turn as seen in the previous photo.  Going to the Sun Road can be seen at right.

One of the many waterfalls.  You an see how the bridge is built to blend in with the surroundings.

One of the famous Red Buses climbing Going to the Sun Road.  The camera is level here.  That is the grade of the road.

Near Logan Pass I finally reached the snow line.  Going to the Sun Road is the scar along the side of the mountain and can be below the switchback at the center of the screen.

Logan Pass is just to the left of the edge of the picture.  You can see where Going to the Sun road cuts through the snow.  At right you can see where a large rock slid down the slope.  Glacier was formed by erosion and many times we don't think of this as a visible process.  We think of it as something taking millenia. This was perhaps the biggest piece of rock I'd seen that had recently been displaced, but there were many places on the road where I would see small pieces of rock that had fallen from above.  Proof that these mountain are in the process of disappearing.

A closer view of the rock from the previous picture.

Trail of the Cedars

Before you get to the Avalanche Lake trail you hike on the Trail of the Cedars.  This is a short loop and crosses the river.  One side is paved, the other is a raised boardwalk.  The boardwalk goes through a cedar forest. 

This is the only place Cedars are found in the park.  This is because of the conditions in this particular area.  A microclimate exists that is favorable for cedars.  It has a very different look and feel to the area.

Fallen giants

 Near the trailhead to Avalanche Lake.

A walk in the woods.

Avalanche Lake

I decided to join the guided hike to Avalanche Lake.  It was informative and very enjoyable.

The trail passes this area.  An avalanche came down from the other side of the valley and is the source of the name of the nearby lake.  The trees here weren't knocked down by the avalanche directly.  The pressure wave ahead of it was the cause.

A waterfall from the hanging valley.

Avalanche Lake.

There is a seasonal employee who was hiking from Logan Pass to this lake.  He is currently missing.  The hike I made wasn't nearly as long as the one he was attempting and was on a well marked trail.  I hope he is found safe.

Douglas and Larry

I don't often post pictures of people.  Shoot, I don't often take pictures of people, so this post will be a little different as I explain why I'm posting this. 

After wandering around Apgar Village for a bit I decided to set up camp in the campground.  After driving around trying to find a good campsite I picked one that suited me best and got set up.  After returning from getting some firewood I saw that the campsite next to me was occupied.

I struck up a conversation with the two gentlemen who were setting up their tents.  They were on a ten week trip by bike from Tennessee to Alaska and back.  I invited them to share dinner with me as I had an abundance of food.  Happily they accepted and we had a good dinner and great conversation.

Among the things we discussed were the reasons for our trips.  Although I wanted to see Glacier before the glaciers are gone, a big motivator was to figure out what direction I'm taking for the future.  I am supremely unhappy with work and I can't see staying there for the next 20 years.

Larry, in the red cap, is a retired wildlife biologist and Douglas on the right is a retired consultant.  They both gave me the same advice that boiled down to  "Do what makes you happy."

Douglas told me that he'd started his first business at the age of 46 and his only regret was that he didn't start sooner.  What he said that struck me most was that he never passed up an opportunity to tell someone to take a chance on themselves.  That really hit home.

Larry told me about a musician he'd seen a few years who had performed a song entitled "Time for Money."  It was part of his show about he and some friends homesteaded in Alaska.  How he'd gotten tired of wearing a suit and  trading time for money.  He said that it sounded like that was where I was at in my career.  (By a lucky happenstance, many of which happened on this trip, the musician was performing at the lodge where I spent the next night and happened to be performing that show.  I saw it and it was as good as Larry said it was.)

We ended up attending the evening geology program together, talked a bit more and they turned in for the night while I sat up watching the fire, thinking about what we'd talked about.

The next morning we broke camp at about the same time.  I snapped a couple of pictures of them after they'd packed up their bikes.  I was amazed at how much they were carrying.

After we parted ways, I headed to the restaurant in Apgar Village and got a seat.  A few minutes later Larry approached and invited me to join them for breakfast.  Again, we had an enjoyable conversation they both encouraged me to do something I enjoy.  I ate, then departed early as there was a guided hike I wanted to participate in.

For the remainder of the trip, I kept thinking back to our conversations.  And those conversations have encouraged me to make the changes in my life that I think will bring more peace to what I do.



Larry and Douglas, where ever you are, "Thank you."  Of all the people I met on the trip, you two stand out.