With three participants continuing from the first week of hiking on the east side of Glacier National Park, Aug. 13-19, three new participants joined us for the second week on the west side of the park.
SUNDAY, AUG. 20
Carl, Ross and Doug drove from Devil Creek after the Glacier Park East segment of our annual Glacier area hiking holiday, stopping for lunch at the historical Izaac Walton Inn at Essex, built by the Great Northern Railroad. We rendezvoused with Ginger and Del at Fish Creek campground on Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. On the lakeshore we could see the plumes of smoke from several fires in the Sperry area, ignited by lightning storms just before we left Calgary.
MONDAY, AUG. 21 Hidden Lake--10km, 364m
How appropriate could it be, to ride the shuttle bus up the spectacular Going to the Sun Highway to Logan Pass, to our Going to the Eclipse of the Sun hike? Taking the trail and boardwalks up to the Hidden Lake overlook in the alpine zone, we watched through special solar eclipse glasses as the moon moved across the sun, blocking 90% at the peak. It was a very festive environment, with everybody sharing viewing glasses with passers-by. At the summit we saw the maximum. It didn't get dark, just a little dim with an eerie smoky haze, but it was very noticeable how cold it got while the sun's rays were being blocked. As the moon finally passed by the sun, you could feel the immediate warmth of the sun again. I took before and during the peak photos of the same scene to show the difference, but my modern, high-tech, over-programmed camera adjusted for the available light to make the photos the same! The park ranger had to break the news to another dude carrying huge fat skis and boots that there is no snow to ski on. There were rumours of bear sightings, but we didn't see any, however we did see three mountain goats and six mountain sheep. Three of us carried on down the considerable descent to Hidden Lake. Two shuttle rides took us back to West Glacier.
Ginger, Doug and Ross with solar eclipse glasses on
Smoky Hidden Lake and Mount Reynolds at 90% solar eclipse maximum
First mountain goat above Hidden Lake
Second mountain goat above Hidden Lake
Third mountain goat above Hidden Lake
Columbian ground squirrel
TUESDAY, AUG. 22 Huckleberry Mountain--20 km, 818m
Ross, Doug and Carl took the amazingly well-graded trail to the Huckleberry Mountain lookout, with huckleberries, of course. The views were extensive, and we could see the most unique stratification of the smoke from the Sperry fires, which filled the Lake McDonald basin. Later in the day the inversion ended and the smoke cleared up. We saw some grouse. Bill and Madeleine had arrived by the time we returned.
Stratified layers of forest fire smoke from the Sperry fires
the Huckleberry Mountain lookout
Ross, Carl and Doug at the Huckleberry Mountain Lookout
Huckleberry Mountain Lookout view of the Sperry fires
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 23 Avalanche Lake--10 km, 153m
Ross and Doug took their reluctant leave, and the remaining three took the shuttle to Avalanche Creek for the hike on the Trail of the Cedars boardwalk and somewhat eroded trail to Avalanche Lake. Bill was kicking himself for not taking his fly rod, as the trout were obviously feeding on the insect hatch. This is a very popular trail with tourists in sandals with small water bottles. The cedar groves boast monster trees and devil's club, where Pacific moisture is trapped by the Rockies.
Devil's club on Avalanche Creek
Bill, Madeleine and Carl at Avalanche Lake
THURSDAY, AUG. 24 Lake McDonald--10 km, 60m
We took a nice lakeside trail from the campsite past Rocky Point after lunch, as it was overcast with light showers all morning. This trail goes through burned out area which is re-vegetating nicely with lodgepole pine and aspen. The smoke was still pouring from the now-familiar Sperry fires. Ginger and Del headed home.
Sperry fires from Lake McDonald
Burned out area regeneration (photo by Madeleine)
Sunset farewell over Lake McDonald
FRIDAY, AUG. 25
We said our final farewells and headed back to Canada. On the combined East and West Glacier trips, we hiked a total of 150km with 4511m of elevation gain. The weather ranged from low of 3C at the relatively high St. Mary to high of 33C at the relatively low West Glacier.
Participants: Ross, Douglas, Ginger, Bill, Madeleine and Carl, coordinator and scribe.