GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

On a beautiful California morning we flew to Glacier Park.  We witnessed the sunrise, crossed the Sierra and took a break in Boise to have a fuel refill. Destination was Glacier International Airport.  All went smoothly but 3+3 hours in a tiny box was not fun!!

 

Whitefish: The town where we stayed can be compared to Carmel, CA or any other tourist town in the world.  However, it has a unique place in our world being the nearest town to the Park.  With its quaint craft shops and wonderful restaurants it allows visitors to have a great time while strolling around town.  Below our hotel Firebrand and a dinner in Abruzzo.

 

Glacier National Park joined forces with Canadian Waterton Lakes National Park and created the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park which is now declared a Biosphere Reserve & a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The next day, even the weather said "Nope, not cooperating today", we left early in the morning and drove to  Glacier National Park.  Here is the entrance to the park, paying the fees and the overall weather.



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First view of Jackson Glacier and some other peaks in the clouds

 

Our first stop of the day was Sacred Dancing Cascade

  

We also drove up Going-to-the Sun Road and visited the Logan Pass Visitor Center.

This famous road was planned, and built in two decades and finally opened in 1933.  Initially it was called Transmountain Highway.  With its tunnels and bridges and narrow roads jutting out of the mountains it truly was an engineering feat for its time.  it laid the foundation for future mountain road engineering.

   

LOGAN PASS

Logan Pass is named after Major W.R. Logan, the first superintendent of Glacier National Park.  At 6,646 ft the Going-to-the-Sun Road traverses this pass.  Here are some observations:

Mt Reynolds [above]

GLACIERS

 In 1850 there were 150 glaciers.  Today there are 35 that are named but only 25 that still can be called "glacier".  Here is Jackson Glacier, sadly, one of the only two that can be seen from Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Even though we could not see any wildlife we did have a very sweet encounter with a mare and her foal.

WATERFALLS

Glacier Park has many waterfalls among which here are a few of the well known ones.

Haystack Creek Falls

   

Our visit included several hikes among them the most visually exciting were Baring Falls, St Mary's Falls and Virginia Falls.

Hiking and Baring Falls

St Mary's Falls 

Virginia Falls

We were in bear country all the time and luckily none of them were interested in us.  They did, however leave their signature/territorial claim in various locations.

 Random hikes  and observations

 

Weeping Wall

Unfortunately, as the weather got better and better, we had to return to real life... We took off from Glacier International Airport, on our way we crossed Lake Tahoe, the Apple headquarters and landed in San Carlos [with a break in Boise, ID]. Another 6 hours of utter fun(!).

One thing that was fascinating was to see all those double engine private jets that were parked all over the tarmac and made our little plane look like a mosquito among giant wasps.

So as always, I end my diary with a God Bless America and thank you Teddy for our National Parks!

Second trip to Whitefish in 2020

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