The Vista fits just right in our large pull-thru campsite. We’re in a fairly wooded area, but there’s good overhead clearing so the solar panels can soak up sun rays to charge our batteries. Our dinette window looks out toward a mountain that glows positively golden in the morning’s first light, and our bedroom window faces into the woods, giving us privacy – always nice in a campground. Nights are warm, surprising to us – in the low 60’s – and we sleep with our windows open. In fact, Thursday night’s low was 64° (really warm!), but things changed Friday night – the low dipped to 51° (woohoo!). Daytime temps range from hi 70’s to mid-80’s and are mainly sunny. We’ve heard an occasional thunderclap and once or twice about 16 drops of rain spotted the car, but that’s about it.
After our strenuous Glacier hike, we rested on Thursday – read and did computer stuff. I’m still wading thru Michener’s Alaska and Jimmy is reading Rollins’ Map of Bones. I dug two big trout from the freezer which Jimmy grilled for dinner … yum! Thursday’s evening program in the amphitheater was given by Ranger Bob on “Bears!” and it was both interesting and entertaining. We learned a thing or two. Tuesday night’s program was presented by Ernie Heavy Runner of the Blackfoot Nation and he spoke about the Indian’s connection to animals and their significance to them. We learned a bunch that night, too.
Late afternoons in front of Swiftcurrent Motor Inn (across from the campground) the park rangers set up powerful scopes aimed at the mountains slopes on either the north or south sides of the campground. Mountain goats/big horn sheep/grizzly bears can almost always be seen on one side or the other. Campers and day trippers and folks staying at the Inn line up to look thru the scopes, including us. The Inn also serves delicious soft huckleberry ice cream in a cup. Just sayin' ....
Lenticular clouds over the Park.
On Friday, we took Smartie for a drive to Logan Pass. Here’s some notable trivia – from Triple Divide Peak southeast of Logan Pass, a hand’s width can determine whether a raindrop becomes part of the Columbia, Mississippi, or Saskatchewan River systems. Waters flow to the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and northeastward into Hudson Bay. How cool is that?
Here we are at the Pass.
The Highline trailhead takes off from Logan Pass, and this is a trail Jimmy and I wanted to hike. Another tidbit: We put in three miles (before we turned around) on this relatively easy path, and at that point, we were actually on the other side of the arête (called the “Garden Wall”) from Grinnell Glacier where we were on Wednesday. How cool is this?
Hairy-scary part of the trail -- a very narrow path on a steep slope with a green rope anchored into the cliff wall to hang onto. (some sentence!) Not recommended for the timid!
Jimmy eating lunch at the turnaround point.
The Garden Wall is behind.
Rain falling near Going-to-the-Sun Road which winds thru the Park.
Another snow field (at our turnaround point).
Columbian Ground Squirrel waiting for a handout.
These critters are everywhere! (An eggshell?)
Jimmy on our return to Logan Pass.
After eating our sandwiches, we looked at the sky and said, uh-oh, and made tracks. I do not like hearing thunder while on a trail. Too bad for me, ‘cause we got caught in a quick storm. I put on a poncho and Jimmy donned his jacket. The rain didn’t last long and it didn’t amount to much, but I was very relieved when the thunder quit. We enjoyed the whole six miles; well, maybe only five of the six miles, but the trail was superb!
High line looked a bit edgy on portions of the trail lol yuk yuk yuk. We saw mt goats at Logan Pass. Very cool
ReplyDeleteah yes. eleven years later there isn't nearly as much ice in that part as there was even back then. And yes. love the trivia!! we saw the highline trail but needless to say, I didn't attempt it
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