People will invariably ask…what was Glacier like? What was the best part? Those are questions we are always asked. As for Glacier, I don’t have an idea, at this point, how to respond.
We decided to get onto the Going to the Sun (GttS) road early this morning during our timed entry. We figured we’d drive the entire route again, this time capturing everything in the softer light of the early morning sun. That would also give us a chance to get back to camp for a great lunch. We also changed drivers in each direction so that the other could really take in the sights.
We pulled out of camp at about 8:20 and made the three mile drive to the GttS road entrance. Inside the park we encountered a long line of cars awaiting entry. However, the entire process of gaining admission to the park and showing tickets for our timed entry took less than 20 minutes. The park staff knows what they are doing and were working hard to get everyone in.
The first 22 miles of the GttS road winds alongside Lake McDonald and its main tributary, the Flathead River. The road climbs only a few hundred feet on this route, snaking its way through dense conifer forests, giving mere glimpses of the turquoise water of the lake and stream. It is a deceptive start to the trip.
Once GttS turns back upon itself for the first time, you begin the steady ascent from 4,000 feet to 6,400. The trees fall aside and begin to unveil unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains. It is quite a change! Mountaintops that, to this point, merely peeked among the treetops now stretched into full view, patches of snow still clinging to their sides at upper elevations.
This is also where the GttS road becomes a bit more precarious. Much of the next 20 miles finds the road clinging to steep hillsides and sheer rock faces to your left. To the right, breathtaking views of the Rockies as it winds along the Continental Divide. As a passenger, it is not even possible to see the bottom of the valley you just came out of. The steepness of the drop sees to that. Instead you focus on the sheer magnitude of the surroundings and the beauty of it all.
Although we drove this same route late yesterday afternoon, what we saw today was totally different. The softer, early morning light provided a different persepective. Whereas yesterday everything was a mix of browns and greens, this morning was a kaleidoscope of colors.
The steep mountain faces, cracks highlighted by shadow, looked much more varied than the day before. The grasses and scrub that intermittently coat the range above the tree line were a lush green velvet. The hills were alive. Flowers punctuated the roadsides and the high alpine fields.
The only stop we made on the west-to-east journey was at the Jackson Glacier viewpoint. The softer morning sun cast a deeper view of the glacier. Highlighted were the deep grooves exposed by the ever-receding ice. It is sad to think that there is a very good chance that, at the current rate, our grandchildren may never see this glacier.
After the 50-mile drive along the GttS road, we visited the Eastern side visitor’s center at St. Mary’s. At this point, Karen took over for the return trip. While the morning drive gave her a chance to revel in the Western side (which she didn’t get yesterday), I now had the chance to take in the Eastern side. The GttS road is framed by two enormous lakes, St. Mary’s from the east and Lake McDonald to the west. Each side of the drive starts out along these waterways.
We were back home in time for lunch, which was comprised of a salad and some wonderful Bison burgers I cooked on the grill included at our site. Then, due to the exhaustion of the day, I took a nap. Karen even slept for a bit as well. We finished the evening with baked potatoes and fillets on the grill.
So, back to the question I started with, that we will be asked. What is Glacier like?
As Karen was driving this morning and I was looking around, I realized something. There was just too much to take in all at once. I tried, but no matter which way I turned there was more. It is impossible to capture everything – in pictures or in your mind. No image or words can describe it adequately. It is both frustrating and humbling.
We are just beginning this long journey. There are so many places we will see along the way. Grandeur awaits. But right now, reflecting on the time we’ve spent in Glacier, I know this place will be hard to beat.
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