MONTANA CANADA TRIP - Day 8. Glacier National Park

Today is our day at Glacier National Park, but first I needed some espresso, and it's a good thing because we learned a lot at the visitor's center. For one thing we learned that Logan Pass, AKA Going to the Sun Road, across the park is not completely open, so we must go around. Second, we heard the from the ranger the first of a repeating litany about the reality of global warming. This ranger had been taking groups up the mountain for thirty-five years, each year the glacier was diminishing before his eyes, but never did he notice or admit to himself anything unusual until it became a global conversation a few years ago. Now the whole thing depresses him, but this crusty old guy is glad to have witnessed the park in an earlier era.

Then we headed into the park and up Logan Pass, which was closed at the summit, but we got out and looked around. F-r-e-e-z-i-n-g. The mountains were unbelievably majestic, even on a stormy day. Here are some photos:




We came down and stopped for a late lunch at the McDonald Lodge, one of the grand old hotels of another era. It was fun to enjoy the lobby and restaurant on a “poor man’s holiday.” After lunch we circumnavigated the park on Highway 2, which we very interesting. The weather was cold and cloudy but the light made for some interesting photos.

We pushed forward with Two Medicine Lake our next destination. By this time the sky was clear and the sun was low, making for the exquisite light you see in this photo:

Then onward to St. Mary, on the east side of the park, just in time to see this sunset:

More photos

ACCOMMODATIONS: Johnsons at St. Mary, St. Mary, Montana **