Many Glacier Lodge
June 29 - Day 2

Many Glacier Lodge

THE LODGE TOUR!
Awake at 7am. Slight chill in the room. Slept very well. Had breakfast buffet in the lodge. Packed the car and headed for Many Glacier on Going-to-the Sun Road. Planned stops at Logan Pass visitors center, St. Mary and Virginia Falls.
Many Glacier is a vast, sprawling four-story structure on Swiftcurrent Lake. The setting is beautiful, and there's a wide variety of activities to embark on from here--boating, hiking, bird- and animal-watching. Rooms, decorated in keeping with the hotel's historic roots, are located in the main lodge around the balconies overlooking the lobby or in the adjoining annex.











Click on thumbnails for larger view:
Going-to-the-Sun Road--If you plan only a day or two in Glacier, the most important thing to do is to drive Going-to-the-Sun Road, the 50-mile road that bisects the park between West Glacier and St. Mary. Points of interest are clearly marked along this road, and correspond to the park brochure Points of Interest Along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which is available at visitor centers. Bring plenty of film. The road gains more than 1,400 feet in 32 miles, and is very narrow in places. Visitors with a fear of heights should take a van tour or shuttle.

Avalanche! After-effects of avalanches were throughout the park.

Amazing how the trees were snapped like twigs by the onrushing snow.

Heavens Peak is the highest of four peaks that form the divide between Camas Creek and McDonald Creek at the head of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. It dominates the view west from much of the Going-to-the-Sun road and with its permanent snow is quite photogenic.

Caught this deer at a turnout at a Going-to-the-Sun switchback on the eastern side of Logan Pass. This switchback is one of two on the road - amazing!

Bird Woman Falls Overlook. Bird Woman Falls drops in a wondrous bounty of water from a hanging valley above the road.

Next along the road is the oft-photographed Weeping Wall, which is a wall of rock with water pouring forth.

Irony. We were having a discussion about the odds of seeing mountain goats. Debra said "You don't think they're just going to be standing on the side of the road, do you?".

We rounded a curve and there they were! Like a tourist, I stopped in the middle of the road so she could get her picture - she's wanted this for a long time. But alas, she was too excited and just sat there while I yelled, "Get the shot! Get the shot!"

Our panic was totally unnecessary. The goats were quite used to people and stayed in the same position for 15-20 minutes - giving us enough time to properly park, walk back and get many pictures.

First view of the lodge as we arrived at sunset.

With Many Glacier Lodge on the left, the setting sun reflects off Mount Gould, 9553'. Off to bed - excited about what tomorrow will bring. Goodnight.


Please sign the Guestbook. If you have any questions, comments, observations, I would love to hear from you. Email me: backpackingtexan@yahoo.com


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