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Today, we had a special treat: driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier NP, from east to west. However, the name of the road was probably coined after the steady drive uphill from the western valley floor to Logan Pass. Starting from Saint Mary as we did, we were already at 4500 ft.
One of the most photogenic spots on the whole drive is the one shown below. That tiny flotilla of trees on Saint Mary Lake is not manmade; it’s called Wild Goose Island.
After reaching Logan Pass and being fortunate enough to find a parking spot, we opted for a climb to Hidden Lake Overview. This hike starts just below 7000 ft elevation and finishes just above. Much of the terrain is blanketed with flowers, shrubs and streams typical of an alpine meadow at timberline. The next photo shows the starting point at the Visitor Center:
In addition to the usual assortment of ground squirrels and their kin, we enjoyed close encounters with some very tame ptarmigans and a goodly number of mountain goats --- all of them, no doubt, looking for a hand out.
After an hour’s struggle, Hidden Lake finally came into view.
We declined to hike down to its shores, deciding instead to retrace our steps.
Tonight, we are temporary residents of Kalispell, MT, and tomorrow will see us into Idaho. Although the drive will be scenic, it probably will be no match for Glacier. That being the case, the rest of our Glacier experience will be continued (photographically) in the next episode.