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Glacier National Park 2022
  • Martha Sleutel
  • Martha Sleutel

Glacier National Park 2022

A 13-day adventure by Martha Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 11, 2022
    Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel

    First Day in Montana

    June 11, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    After picking up our rental car, we were on the road from Missoula to West Glacier. Temperatures in the 60s feel great coming from a heat wave in TX (over 100 degrees there!). On the way, the skies opened and we drove in torrential rain so hard it sounded like hail and was hard to see the road. Glacier Guides Lodge is lovely and cozy. Rain is forecast for the next 2 days, and we hope to hike during any dry spells!Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Trail of the Cedars along the banks of an overflowing Avalanche Creek
    Avalanche Creek GorgeFrom the bridge over Avalanche CreekJohn's Lake Loop with areas of floodingMcDonald Creek - for sure this would be called a river in Texas!Charlie next to McDonald CreekMcDonald Creek and McDonald LakeLovely pond on John's Lake TrailViews of Mt Stanton and Mt Vaughn at John's Lake

    Day 2, West Glacier Hikes, Part 1

    June 12, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Our first hike of the day was Trail of the Cedars, an easy loop through an old growth forest (some trees more than 350 years old!). It was cool (50s), drizzly, and lovely. Our other two hikes were John’s Lake Loop and McDonald Creek Trail. All were somewhat muddy, but manageable and the weather went through rapidly changing moods of rain/drizzle, cloudy/overcast, and occasional spots of sun.Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Me alongside an overflowing McDonald Creek
    Charlie at a different part of McDonald CreekMe next to a muddy trailCharlie on the forested trail by a boulderOne of several mule deerCoat off! Hat and sunscreen on!Lovely McDonald Lake and mountains

    Day 2 Continued

    June 12, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    Some hikes are closed due to flooding! Here are more views from our hikes with captions on each. In the afternoon, just as some blue sky appeared, we went on a boat tour of McDonald Lake. Carved by glaciers, the lake is 450 feet deep!Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Rocky Point Trail with Lake McDonald behind me
    Lots of these beautiful white flowers (beargrass) along the trail.A patch of Forget-Me-Nots outside our lodgeForget-Me-NotsMore Forget-Me-Nots

    Day 3 at West Glacier National Park

    June 13, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    We woke to rain, as projected, so we drove South to Hungry Horse Reservoir. It was a lovely rainy drive along the lake, and we saw an osprey in a nest with babies! The weather cleared somewhat, with intermittent showers, so we returned to the park to hike. Rocky Point Hike went alongside McDonald Lake, so the views were great. We hiked a little bit on South Boundary Trail. The Weather Gods are laughing because it is projected to snow tomorrow with temperatures in the upper 30s all day long. My Texas friends (and yard) are cooking while winter has returned up here!Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel

    Cold, Cold Rain and Snow

    June 14, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 39 °F

    You can see from the weather map photo that it is snowing all around us. At our lodge (blue dot), we saw a steady, solid, cold rain. All day. Temperature never got above 36. We explored a few stores near us and ate lunch at a local place. I am very leery of being indoors without masking, and I monitor room air quality using my CO2 monitor (everyone’s exhaled air). This reading is acceptable but higher than I like. It was much higher when we arrived. SOOOO, I cracked open the window near us. Got cold in the restaurant REALLY FAST, but the CO2 level dropped! The last photo was just funny. Captured the frontier spirit! (And look at that cat!)Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Slaton Lake
    Slaton Creek and LakeSlaton Lake upper endMud and running water on trailMore running water on trailCharlie at Silver Stairs FallsBear Creek on Hwy 2Bear Creek near Continental DivideWestern Clematis

    Day 4 - On the Way to East Glacier

    June 15, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F

    Charlie, ever organized, had a list of potential stops on the drive to East Glacier. The first 6 photos are of our first stop, Slaton Lake hike. Typical of glacial lakes, it has a very distinct blue-green color. Despite being 45-48 degrees and overcast, we were quite comfortable with our jackets. The entire hike was a bit of a mud slog. The trail was kind of an overflow creek, with running water in our path. I was glad for my waterproof boots! We stopped along Roosevelt pass to marvel at the lovely creek and colorful boulders. And pretty flowers!Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Stellar's Jay, posing 5 feet from us
    History of the fallsRunning Eagle FallsCharlie on Mount Henry hikeWindswept mountainside with Two Medicine Lake in the backgroundCharlie and I near where we turned aroundLovely Camas flower

    Day 5 East Glacier

    June 16, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Running Eagle Falls is a short loop hike, but the closer approach to the falls was washed out. Our next stop (across the road) was Appistoki Falls, a simple 0.6 mile hike. But no. It seemed unremarkable, and if we just kept going, the trail went on (Mount Henry Trail), so why not? Up. And up. Slowly, steadily, from about 4000 feet to almost 7000 feet, where I gave up. It was well above the tree line, exposed, first chilly and windy, then sunny and hot. All lovely. The next post (footprint will reveal wildlife on our return down the trail). See pictures with captions.Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Two Medicine Lake from the trailhead
    Turns out, there was snow!!!!A lot of snow!Twin FallsI think these are Glacier LiliesHillside full of wildflowers

    Day 6 East Glacier Two Medicine Lake, #1

    June 17, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    So, we accidentally hiked 8+ miles today. We are tired! We wanted to take the boat across the lake to Twin Falls, but the boat dock was damaged, so we thought we’d just hike partway around the lake. Then, it seemed a shame to be so close, and, really, it must not be that much further, right? Once there, we had to come back …. So round trip of 8+ miles. This is part 1 of that adventure.Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Crossing a snow field on a slope!
    Charlie climbing over fallen trees in the trailAnother treeAnd another treeHuh! Where did our trail go?Determined to cross. But, there was another deep channelCorrect trail with bridge!

    Day 6, Two Medicine Trail, part 2

    June 17, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    Hindrance, Hurdles & Hardship.

    First, there was snow. At the first crisp crunches of walking in snow, I had nostalgic warm memories from when I lived in AK and UT. Those warm feelings melted away (pun) after we slipped, slid, and sloshed through many many sections of snow. Second, mud. Lots of it. We scampered along various roots, rocks and side paths to avoid much of it.

    Third was fording a few small swift streams that were a bit tricky (we got wet). #4 was poor signage, so we took the wrong trail, adding an extra mile. # 5 was clamoring over at least 15 trees across the trail (and we wondered why it was so poorly maintained ….).

    #6 was when our trail suddenly ended IN A RAGING CREEK.

    #7 was the effort it took me to convince Charlie that I WAS NOT crossing that creek (he is certain we’d have made it OK, and he might be right). After he got across the first channel and approached the deeper one, I told him, “I am NOT going”.

    Lastly, back on the right trail and really tired, it started to rain. Despite all these trials, it was quite a good day, just not what we planned.    Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    St. Mary Falls
    Churning water of St. Mary FallsAnother viewCharlie next to some cascadesSt. Mary Creek view from the trailA mule deer grazing in the forest by the trail2Lovely Indian Paintbrushes

    Day 8 - Waterfall Overload, Part 1

    June 19, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    Yesterday, we had an easy day, driving to the St. Mary area and exploring. The highlight of the area is probably the waterfalls, so we hiked to several today. The first is below, St. Mary Falls. We saw deer and lovely wildflowers on this great hike. The trail goes over red argillite rock, so there is a dramatic contrast of green forest, red rock, blue lake water, and white waterfalls/cascades.Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Virginia Falls
    Wider view of Virginia FallsCharlie and the bridge in the spray zone!Spray Zone (mild)1Swirling Spray - I'm getting very wet here!Charlie on the red rocks at Virginia FallsMe at a cascade overlook on trailBridge at base of St Mary Falls1The continental divide!!! View from lakeBaring Falls

    Waterfall Overload, Part 2

    June 19, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    Beyond St. Mary Falls, the trail goes deeper into a canyon, revealing the mother of all waterfalls, Virginia Falls. We could not get close without getting very wet from the constant mist and spray. We topped off the day with a boat trip on St. Mary Lake and a stop at yet another waterfall, Baring Falls. Overdose of loveliness today!Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Rainy view of mountains
    2From the porch of Many Glacier HotelBaring FallsVirginia FallsVirginia Falls with heavy mist/spray

    Day 9 - Rain, Rain, Go Away!

    June 20, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 41 °F

    Rain and 40-45 degrees all last night and today! In the morning, we drove to the Many Glacier area of the park AND SAW A GRIZZLY!!!! He was maybe 50 yards away, facing us, eating vegetation. Visibility was poor from the rain, so no pics. The two rainy pictures are from the porch of the famous Many Glacier Hotel.

    The 3 waterfall pics are from yesterday, but I figured out how to get a long exposure on the pictures (an iPhone feature!). Compare these images from the earlier waterfall pics. If we hadn’t had extra hotel time from the rain, I might not have figured out this nifty feature!

    Tomorrow is supposed to be clear(er), so we’ll be able to explore. Hiking in the mud - our new routine!

    Side note - Food options are pretty meager, so we’ve mostly been eating our grocery supplies from Missoula. When I was at GNP maybe 20 years ago, we (hubby Greg, sister Jane, and daughter Laura) ate at a restaurant called, Two Sisters. Jane and I got Two Sisters t-shirts from there. The place is still here, packed every night because of their high-quality made-from-scratch meals. We’ve enjoyed eating there and they are just as good!    Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel
    Grizzly on Swiftcurrent Trail
    Grizzly noticing the hikersContinuing to eatLake JosephineMuddy trailCharlie trying to avoid mudMuddy trail next to Swiftcurrent LakeView from bridge over Swiftcurrent Creek

    Last Day in Glacier National Park

    June 21, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    We saw TWO grizzly bears today, one from a distance and this one in the photos, from about 40 feet away. He couldn’t be bothered and never stopped eating as he moved along OUR trail! Blue sky with and phenomenal scenery. After a solid day of rain, the trails were a muddy mess. We hiked around Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine, up to where the water was too high on the trail.Read more

  • Martha SleutelGlacier National Park 2022Martha Sleutel

    Home!

    June 22, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Yesterday, we drove from Glacier NP to Missoula on a gloriously gorgeous day with bright sunshine and brilliant blue skies. We flew home today.

    Looking back, we met lots of interesting people. Here are two. Halfway into our infamous long hike, we talked to a fit, young “trail runner” from New Zealand. She’d run on trails all across the US, but decided to briskly hike the Glacier trails, to avoid the attention of bears and mountain lions! At our East Glacier lodge, we enjoyed listening to our lodge owner, Ryan Sherborne, tell us about life there, especially in winter.

    Good-bye Montana (and hello record-breaking TX heat!)    Read more

    Trip end
    June 23, 2022
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