Thursday, 3 September 2015

2.9.2015 Glacier National Park

Weather forecast wasn’t good for today: sunny spells and rain.

Whilst having breakfast, a bit a late one because of the forecast, it started clearing up and I decided

to make the most of my 7-Day Entry Pass for the Park: driving the through the park across the whole

length. Not a long drive in miles ( approx. 40 m ) but after a certain point the road is getting very narrow

and very bendy: a mountain road !

But it was very much worth it. At almost every turnout I stopped to enjoy, indulge and appreciate the

fantastic views and that despite the sometimes very overcast sky.

I left nothing like footprints and took nothing like picture ! 

On top of Logan Pass high winds with speeds of 60-70 mph made walking a bit tricky. 

Instead of going back to the western entrance of the park I decided to drive down the eastern part of the road

to find out how it looks on this side of the mountains. Equally stunning but also very sad because of impact of

the recent forest-fires.  One could still smell the burn and at places it was still smoky.

The Park Service had opened the road only a few days ago but was directing the traffic in convoys with a 

pilot car through these still somewhat fire impacted areas. It was interesting to see how quickly nature adapts

as certain grass was already green and stuck out like little icons of hope in this blacked landscape.

At St.Mary’s Lake wonderful views of some of the still existing glaciers ( for how much longer ? The Park

Service estimates that by 2030 they are all gone ! ).

Having left the park I took a little country road ( "Looking Glass Road” according to the park map ) alongside the border

of the park which brought me back to Kalispell my base.

After such an eventful day I thought that a bit more for the soul was necessary: cinema.

I was ( again ) lucky as today a new movie “ A Walk in the Woods” ( how appropriate ! ) started showing starring

Robert Redford, Nick Nolte and Emma Thompson. BTW: A story by Bill Bryson.

Very funny ! Highly recommended.

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