Summary of our trip to Banff, Waterton Lakes/Glacier National Park
(scroll down to see each day)
16 days
2 countries
3 states
2 providence
2600 miles
Sept 6 - 21, 2008
-Yakima, WA (via Centralia)
-Radium Hot Springs, BC Canada
-Banff, BC/Alberta Canada
-Calgary, Alberta Canada
-Waterton (Pincher Creek), Alberta Canada
-Many Glaciers, MT
-Columbia Falls, MT
Scroll down and go to "Older Post" to start at the beginning.
Showing posts with label Glacier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Glacier. Show all posts
Fri, Sep 19 West Glacier, Glacier Park, MT
This morning we visited the Hungry Horse Dam, so called because some horse got lost for a month and when their owner found them, they were hungry.
Anyway, here's the dam. The visitor center was closed but we were able to walk around some.
Then we took a walk down McDonald Creek.
This doesn't look like a creek to me. It must really be something in the spring.
We visited Kalispell, MT got gas at Costco (yeah!) and had dinner. Came back to our room, kicked backed & packed. We leave for home tomorrow.
Anyway, here's the dam. The visitor center was closed but we were able to walk around some.
Then we took a walk down McDonald Creek.
This doesn't look like a creek to me. It must really be something in the spring.We visited Kalispell, MT got gas at Costco (yeah!) and had dinner. Came back to our room, kicked backed & packed. We leave for home tomorrow.
Thurs, Sep 18 West Glacier
Strawberry waffles & sausage for breakfast. (we're staying at a B&B)
Walk at Trail of the Cedars then continued on to Avalanche Lake.
Here's Avalanche Lake
Waterfalls up in the mountain that end up in Avalanche Lake
I know you've seen this before, but here's a canyon cut by the water. There's a log jammed on top of an arch.
Drove to Whitefish for dinner. We went to Tupelo's, cajun food. I know Tupelo as honey, so called because the bees pollinate the tupelo flower (on the tupelo tree). But it's also Elvis' birthplace in Mississippi.
Walk at Trail of the Cedars then continued on to Avalanche Lake.
Here's Avalanche Lake
Waterfalls up in the mountain that end up in Avalanche Lake
I know you've seen this before, but here's a canyon cut by the water. There's a log jammed on top of an arch.Drove to Whitefish for dinner. We went to Tupelo's, cajun food. I know Tupelo as honey, so called because the bees pollinate the tupelo flower (on the tupelo tree). But it's also Elvis' birthplace in Mississippi.
Wed, Sep 17 Many Glaciers
We left Many Glacier but not before we took a pic of the lobby. The lobbies of these old hotel are pretty spectacular.
Here is Many Glaciers lobby. To be honest, we didn't know what it looked like till we saw a pic of it somewhere else. The check-in desk has a drop ceiling.
This is Glacier Park Lodge. This hotel was built with grandeur to impress the train travelers.
Here's me to illustrate the size of the pillars used. The trees are 500-800 yr old Douglar firs.
We also did a ranger hike on the Robert fire of 2003.
You can see the color of the flora changing.
Here is Many Glaciers lobby. To be honest, we didn't know what it looked like till we saw a pic of it somewhere else. The check-in desk has a drop ceiling.
This is Glacier Park Lodge. This hotel was built with grandeur to impress the train travelers.
Here's me to illustrate the size of the pillars used. The trees are 500-800 yr old Douglar firs.
We also did a ranger hike on the Robert fire of 2003.You can see the color of the flora changing.
Tue, Sep 16 Many Glaciers
Today we planned a big hike to Grinnell Glacier. It was about 12 miles but well worth it.
We started at Swiftcurrent Lake then on to Lake Josephine (above). We walked the length of Lk Josephine with great views and a fairly gradual elevation gain.
As we continued to climb we reached Grinnell Lake. You can verve off to the lake but you cannot see Grinnell Glacier from the lake, so why would we do that hike.
It was a lovely hike along the mountainside. You can see in the pic that the flora is beginning to change to autumn colors, but let me tell you, the return trip was hot hot hot
This is Grinnell Glacier. It is kind of like a lake with icebergs but it is a glacier. I think it will freeze again come winter but it is shrinking.
In 1850 there were 150 glaciers. In 1968 there were 50 glaciers left. Today only 26 glaciers remain and it is estimated that by 2030 there will be no more glaciers.
This is a look back towards Many Glaciers (on Swiftcurrent Lake) from the Grinnell Glacier.
We were pooped again. My dogs are really barking. Tomorrow maybe we'll saunter around the lake then off to West Glacier.
We started at Swiftcurrent Lake then on to Lake Josephine (above). We walked the length of Lk Josephine with great views and a fairly gradual elevation gain.
As we continued to climb we reached Grinnell Lake. You can verve off to the lake but you cannot see Grinnell Glacier from the lake, so why would we do that hike.
It was a lovely hike along the mountainside. You can see in the pic that the flora is beginning to change to autumn colors, but let me tell you, the return trip was hot hot hot
This is Grinnell Glacier. It is kind of like a lake with icebergs but it is a glacier. I think it will freeze again come winter but it is shrinking.
In 1850 there were 150 glaciers. In 1968 there were 50 glaciers left. Today only 26 glaciers remain and it is estimated that by 2030 there will be no more glaciers.
This is a look back towards Many Glaciers (on Swiftcurrent Lake) from the Grinnell Glacier.
We were pooped again. My dogs are really barking. Tomorrow maybe we'll saunter around the lake then off to West Glacier.
Mon, Sep 15 Many Glaciers, MT
We were getting acquainted with Many Glaciers.
We walked along Swiftcurrent Lake (our room looks out onto the lake) to the Swiftcurrent Ranger Station - closed. So we drove to the next closest (ranger station) at St. Mary, about 20 miles away.
While at St. Mary we found out the Going-to-the-Sun Road was closed in the middle. So we would not be able to drive to West Glacier via the Sun Road and if we wanted to hike on the east side of the park, this was the day.
Here we are at Logan's Pass, where we did a couple of hikes. As you can see, it is also the continental divide.
On the hike to Hidden Lake we got to see some Big Horn Sheep grazing along the path. some of the boys were butting heads, just like you see on the Discover channel.
We arrived at Hidden Lake overlook. There was another 4 mile rocky descent to the lake, but we settled for the overlook. We had not planned to hike much today but with the road closed it was now or maybe not at all.
We also wanted to hike the Highline Trail along the Garden Wall. The closest goal was 5+ miles, which we did not make it but the view was nice. We also had to share the (skinny) path with some mountain goats. We had to encourage them to run up the side of the mountain.
We stopped at a diner for dinner and Tom had pie.
We walked along Swiftcurrent Lake (our room looks out onto the lake) to the Swiftcurrent Ranger Station - closed. So we drove to the next closest (ranger station) at St. Mary, about 20 miles away.
While at St. Mary we found out the Going-to-the-Sun Road was closed in the middle. So we would not be able to drive to West Glacier via the Sun Road and if we wanted to hike on the east side of the park, this was the day.
Here we are at Logan's Pass, where we did a couple of hikes. As you can see, it is also the continental divide.
On the hike to Hidden Lake we got to see some Big Horn Sheep grazing along the path. some of the boys were butting heads, just like you see on the Discover channel.
We arrived at Hidden Lake overlook. There was another 4 mile rocky descent to the lake, but we settled for the overlook. We had not planned to hike much today but with the road closed it was now or maybe not at all.
We also wanted to hike the Highline Trail along the Garden Wall. The closest goal was 5+ miles, which we did not make it but the view was nice. We also had to share the (skinny) path with some mountain goats. We had to encourage them to run up the side of the mountain.
We stopped at a diner for dinner and Tom had pie.
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