Since the west-to-east Going-to-the-Sun road was closed heading east past Logan Pass, I drove back around the south edge of the park and up past park areas Cut Bank and Saint Mary to the "heart of the park" Many Glacier. Once settled at Many Glacier, I set out at 4pm toward famous Grinnell Glacier, knowing there was a "high-angle snow shute" that the park service did not recommend I cross. I decided to have a look for myself.
Saint Mary area looked special but only one mile of road was open, so I drove on to Many Glacier:
Many Glacier Hotel was situated very nicely by Great Northern Railroad in 1930s to promote tourism to "The Swiss Alps of America":
Grinnell Lake glows green as viewed from the ridge-line hike to Grinnell Glacier:
The "dangerous" trail section consisted of a waterfall on trail, a snow shute crossing with deep steps cut into it, an off-trail moraine rock scramble and some minor, level snowfield crossings, all well within my capability, so I hiked on alone:
Alone until I met a Mountain Goat, who I nicknamed Charlie, on the ridge past the snow shute, we watched each other lazily for fifteen minutes before my slow advance saw him climb back and down, allowing me to pass:
A jump pic was necessary to mark my end to a marvelous hike, my favorite of Glacier so far. Note the almost-gone Glaciers, a common climate-change impact story at the park. I was so thrilled by this hike, perhaps since no one else hiked on to the incredible end section, that I took a shower in the waterfall shown in the previous pic. Haha was the feeling I had, while freezing my naked, proud but off, on a high-ridge, just me, the Glacier and Charlie.
Sun-setting shots on the return voyage past Many Glacier Hotel, the uneven ridge-line in background is of the Ptarmigan Wall, destination of tomorrow's hike:
Comments
Post a Comment