GLACIER NATIONAL PARK  - DAY FIVE AND SIX

Previous Blogs: Day 1+2 Canadian Rockies | Day 3 British Columbia | Day 4 The Road to Montana | Day 5+6 Glacier National Park | Day 7 Big Mountain | Day 8 Back to Canada  | Day 9 Waterton

Click photos for a larger image...

For the last two days we visited Glacier National Park. Saturday we drove the "Going To the Sun Road" West to East and Sunday, East to West.

Unfortunately on Saturday there was still a lot of smoke from the fires. Sunday the wind came in and cleared the smoke!!! YAY!! See the difference below

These two pictures were taken from the same spot. Left on Saturday, Right on Sunday.

Just driving to the park is beautiful. Above right you will see a lot of dead trees from previous forest fires.  While you may think this is sad, it is

Mother Nature's way of cleaning house. The regrowth, renewal and rebirth of the forest is actually quite beautiful and amazing. You see the new saplings so vibrantly green amongst the charred blackened trees towering over them with the underbrush of millions of flowers.  The flowers create a feeding and fornication frenzy amongst the shrew and smaller mammals which then bring back the larger animals who feed upon them.  The Lion King's Circle of Life right here in North America! Gotta love it!

Glacier National Park is only the 10th most visited National Park in the USA (probably because of accessibility) while the Smokey Mountains are #1. However, this is what the Smokey Mountains want to be when they grow up!!

There is really only one road through the park and it is 50 miles  long; however takes 2 1/2 hours to drive without stopping. Speed limit ranges between 25 and 40 MPH.

The Park is in two sections: East and West. The West section of the park the road is flat and follows a lake and river bed.

The water is absolutely crystal clear!!

The East section of the park is all Mountain and the road winds it's way up and over the mountain and down the other side.

If you drive West to East the entire trip you are going to have a staggering drop just inches away from your car with only a 12-20 inch high barrier.

IT IS TERRIFYING!!! In places the road is barely wide enough for 2 vehicles to pass, larger pickups have to fold their mirrors in.  They do not allow vehicles that are towing, nor do they allow any vehicle over 21ft long on this stretch of road.

As I have a horrible fear of heights this was NOT my favorite part of the trip.

However, when you drive from East to West (like we did the next day), all is good because I was now on the mountain (and the safe) side of the road!

The views are stunning and there are loads of pull outs. Here's just a sample of the scenery:

So the drive in each direction should seem the same but it isn't.  You see different things when you are traveling in the opposite direction. Totally different view point.  As much as I was NOT happy about Wendy making me wake up at the ass crack of dawn so she could get the "Golden Hour" photos, I have to admit she was right and it was worth it.

We arrive back to the cottage and who is greeting us?  Mommy and two babies!!  This family was about 50ft away from us.  Sadly they didn't stick around for conversation and a beer.

And finally...

So on two occasions Wendy made us hard boiled eggs to take with for a snack and they came out soft boiled.

That was when she remembered at high altitudes you must cook food at a higher temperature for longer.

Fortunately I LOVE soft boiled eggs so it worked out just fine.

Tomorrow we do a little more exploring in Montana then head back to Canada.  Cheers!

B&W