ALEX Glacier and Waterton

25-30 June 2017

Long drive to Glacier National Park so we stayed in Butte on Sunday night. Then we drove the 4 hours to Glacier. We stayed at fish creek next to Lake McDonald on the west side of the park. We set up camp and then went for a brisk swim in the glacier-fed lake. :). Then we took a nice long nap. Short hike around the Trail of the Cedars, to the McDonald falls overlook, to the edge of the sunset-ridged lake, and then back to camp.

It rained like mad that night but we packed up our wet stuff and drove around the south end of the park since the Going-to-the-Sun Road (the only room as through the park) was still closed. We set up camp at St Mary in the windiest campsite I have ever experienced (nice for drying out a wet tent but not so nice for sleeping!)We drove to the Many Glacier area where we walked the nature trail around Swiftcurrent Lake and then hiked to Redrock Falls (we ran into a bear last time we hiked this 6 years ago, but had better luck this time). My phone died and Alex didn’t have his with him, so, alas, no pics. 😦 Then we had apple huckleberry pie at the cafe there. Mmmm.

Wednesday we spent at Waterton Lakes. Border crossing…short line 🙂 had to ditch all our firewood. 😦

Our hike to The Bear’s Rump was a killer but breathtaking at the top!

We drove out to Cameron Lake (so cold!) and then out to Redrock Canyon (small but super cool striped red and green shale with a river running through the bottom). Alex took a short nap in the car while I hiked out to Blakiston Falls. Then I had him hike it while I chilled in the car.

Stopped for chocolate in the village and then headed back to camp.

By Thursday, the road has opened so we headed into the center of the park. Did a very long hike through the fire aftermath to St Mary Falls and Virginia Falls.

Yes, that’s the trail. Alex, did you bring the machete?

I fell on the slippery rocks at the base of the falls and hurt my arm. 😦 Next we drove up to Logan pass and walked out on the glacier and then drove the scary road to Weeping Wall and Bird Woman Falls. Then back to camp where I had a glorious shower. 🙂