Montana - In Glacier National Park

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In Glacier National Park . . .

We actually made only two excursions into Glacier National Park. There were several reasons for this, the chief of those being that we were on vacation and disinclined to do anything that required significant effort, such as getting out of bed early. Also, the main -- and most scenic -- road through the park was still closed. So, I got several low altitude pictures, but the mountains remained at a distance.

The first trip was to Bowman Lake. Bowman Lake is at the end of about 12 miles of terrible road. Before we started out, someone told us that the road was in "good" shape. Based on previous experience, I was skeptical. "Good" in this case usually means, "marginally better than driving up the creek bed." Lois did not realize -- or had forgotten -- just how rough the trek could be. She shrieked when we hit the first really bad section and then settled down to a series of rather uncomplimentary observations for the rest of the ride. She is unlikely to take that trip again without a sports bra and a hardhat, and maybe not even then.
In any event, we finally arrived, took a few photos, fed the mosquitoes, discussed the view with a couple of tourists from upstate New York and banged and rattled our way back down to what passes for civilization on the North Fork.
In all fairness, Bowman is a gorgeous, high-altitude glacial lake and one of my favorite spots in the park. I've hiked a great many miles in its immediate vicinity and rate it a "must see" for any visitor. But the road stinks on ice.

A week or so later, having caught up on our sleep and accomplished a few other important activities, we took another ride into the park. This time, Lois and I, along with our daughter, Betsy, and her "SO", Brian, drove up Going To the Sun Road. We couldn't go too far because the pass was still not cleared of snow, but we did manage to see some of the sights near Lake McDonald.
     Lake McDonald is the largest body of water in the park. Like Bowman Lake, it is a long, deep, glacially carved lake nestled between high ridges and angling up against the Continental Divide. Unlike Bowman, it is accessible by a decently paved road and has served as one of the centers of activity for the park since its opening in 1910.
     Just beyond the lake is the Avalanche Creek area. As it is in a narrow, well-watered canyon, it is thickly grown with huge cedar trees and other moisture-loving species. It is a unique corner of a region best known for its rugged, high-altitude scenery.
     Every time I visit, I try to get a decent picture of Avalanche Falls. I've done a fair bit of work with a tripod and Kodachrome 64 with good-to-indifferent results. Imagine my chagrin when my point-and-shoot digital camera actually got a couple of fairly decent shots. I like each for different reasons, so I include them both here:

     On our return, we stopped at Apgar Village. The gals hit the touristy shops; I drank coffee and exercised forbearance. I took no pictures.

Last update: 10 June 2000