Another Wild Moose Chase … Redux
Here’s another one of our favorite destinations, Glacier National Park, back in 2011
July 18, 2011
Another Wild Moose Chase . . .
Today is our last full day in Columbia Falls, and today’s the day we’re doing Glacier National Park. And if you’re not into hiking, biking, or rowing, the main thing to do in Glacier is to make the 50 mile ‘Going to the Sun’ Highway drive.
So after coffee at 9:30 we headed out about noon, first for some errands and then out into the Park.
And after getting gas and dropping off some mail at the Post Office, our first stop was at The Huckleberry Patch in Hungry Horse.
Around since 1949, it’s supposed to the be the best place in the area to get Huckleberry Pie. And after really good sandwiches, we decided ‘they’ were right. The pie was delicious . . . ala mode, of course.
After lunch we drove the 10 miles to the entrance to the park at West Glacier.
And after getting our National Park Passports stamped at the Visitors Center, we started our drive.
Most of the trip was along the shores of one of the several large lakes in the area.
This is the boat launch area on Lake McDonald at Apgar Village.
More Lake McDonald.
These next shots are of the rapids along McDonald Creek.
What about bears?
More beautiful scenery.
These next two shots are of Heaven’s Peak at almost 8900 feet.
Needless to say, there are glaciers everywhere you look.
We saw a number of these neat old tour buses around the park. Note the ‘natural’ air conditioning. Also fun when passing by the many waterfalls along the side of the road.
More glaciers.
Coming over the top of Logan Pass, at 6664 feet, the high point of our drive, we came across our first wildlife, these two mountain goats, and
this Big Horn Sheep.
And then of course, more glaciers.
Nearing the end of our 50 mile journey, we passed St. Mary Lake. Very blue.
Leaving the park, and rather than just turn around and come back the same way, we decided to take the long way home by taking US-89 south to MT 49 to US-2. And although it’s the long way back at 100 miles, it’s also a little faster because it’s not bumper to bumper through mountain passes like the Sun Highway.
And we got to see new scenery, like these high rolling plains at almost 5500 feet.
And Lower Two Medicine Lake.
About 45 miles from home, we saw this sign and had to stop. I mean, do they lick us, or do we lick them, like toad licking. Enquiring minds, and all that.
Turns out there was no licking, but we did see a lot of goats.
This guy’s losing his coat. Wonder if he’s cashmere?
Among a lot of others, saw this mother with two kids.
Getting back into Columbia Falls about 8 pm we decided to try The Nite Owl once more, since they should have their Broasted Chicken this time of night. And they did. And it was really good.
Tomorrow we head out for Garrison, MT for one night, and then on to Billings for one night, and then to Cody for 5 nights or more.
And once again, Jan has gone mooseless.
Thought for the Day:
“Success without honor is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but it won’t taste good”
