Glacier National Park Day 4: River Gorges, Clear Lakes, and Waterfalls (July 8, 2014)

August 14, 2014 Mia Klaus

The trail to Avalanche Lake is one of the most popular, and hence the busiest, in the park. Part of its draw is likely due to the Trail of Cedars, a lovely short jaunt that is entirely wheelchair accessible and is the introductory trail to get to Avalanche Lake. However, after walking the paths myself, I think it is safe to say that the relative ease and accessibility of the hike are not the main reasons for its popularity. No, in my mind the trail's popularity can be attributed more to the following:

1) Avalanche Gorge- within minutes of beginning the hike, the trail opens up and follows Avalanche Gorge. An absolutely breathtaking sight, the Gorge is composed of dark rocks covered in blankets of soft green moss, which contrast with the frothing light blue river that constantly rushes past. Words can't do it justice- let's suffice to say that I spent probably well over a half an hour shooting the gorge on the way up to the lake and quite a few more on the way back.

2) The Trail itself- A relatively easy hike, the trail weaves up and down through beautiful woods, opening up occasionally to allow views of towering cliffs and temporary waterfalls fed by the snow-melt above.

3) Avalanche Lake- this seems obvious, since the lake is your destination, but goodness let me tell you, if Avalanche Gorge takes one's breath away than I don't know how to accurately describe the beauty that is Avalanche Lake. Crystal clear, relatively shallow in most areas, but turning a brilliant rich blue as it plunges to unknown depths, Avalanche Lake is a vision in its own right. Yet its beauty is not limited to its waters, for it is surrounded on three sides by towering cliffs adorned with waterfalls and clad in a rich blanket of evergreens.

A scene from a Romantic era painting, the lake has only one downfall- it is so gosh darn popular that peaceful reflection upon its loveliness is only possible if one finds a way to block out the screams of children and the chattering of your many (many) fellow hikers. We went after the noontime hour, and the shore was packed, but I think that perhaps a morning trip would allow for more peaceful viewing.

Clear lakes, stunning gorges, crystal waterfalls, and beautiful forest views. How can one not love Avalanche Lake?

Happy Trails,

If you missed the other Glacier adventures, never fear! Links are below!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 5

Glacier National Park Day 3: Climbing, Glaciers, and Snowball Fights (July 7, 2014)

July 28, 2014 Mia Klaus

It had taken one year for a dream to become a reality. It started out with a camping excursion taken by four friends to Itasca State Park for a weekend and grew out of painful bike rides, laughter filled kayaking/canoe adventures, and quiet discussions held around the glowing light of a campfire.

Glacier.

It was a once mentioned destination that burrowed into our souls. At first just a half-joking suggestion, the idea took root and soon we were asking each other, "Why not?"

Cautiously we began brainstorming and planning. We lost two members of our party when they got engaged and had to choose between Glacier and a romantic getaway in Mexico (congrats again guys!). So, our foursome became a twosome, and my man-friend, best friend, and adventure buddy Bob and I had to really ask ourselves if we wanted to commit to the trip. I don't think it was really even a conversation- one of us brought it up cautiously, and the other said something along the lines of "Let's do this!"

That's how, after months of planning, reserving campsites, researching hikes, and purchasing the appropriate gear, I was standing on a mountain looking onto lake after glacial lake and climbing ever higher in the hopes of seeing Grinnel Glacier. We were pushing ourselves hard, trying to make up for a late start and a drive through the park that was delayed by construction on the famous Going-To-The-Sun Road. We were hot, and frequently made use of our new Camelbak bladders as the sun pulled water from our pores. Yes, we were warm, but we were also incredibly happy. Our legs were protesting the climb, our lungs were complaining over the thinning air, but our hearts grew ever lighter as we shared new sights and light-hearted conversation.

When we reached the crest of the trail we found the descent into the Glacier's valley to be barred by treacherous snow bridges. We were disappointing, but instead of mourning our inability to get closer, we took the opportunity to soak in the beauty of the snowy peaks and three clad slopes. We also had an impromptu snowball fight, which cemented the climb into one of my favorite memories from the trip.

As we travel homeward with weary muscles and backpacks filled with Instax shots and memory cards brimming with yet-to-be-sorted images, I am struck anew by the wonder of the experience.

It started out as a whispered dream and grew into something solid and soul-fulfilling.

Dare to dream. Dare to explore.

Go and Do.

-AK

If you missed the other Glacier adventures, never fear! Links are below!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 4

Day 5

Glacier National Park Day 2: Arriving at Glacier and Setting Up Camp (July 6, 2014)

July 23, 2014 Mia Klaus

Hello everyone!

I apologize for my absence, my computer decided to extend its vacation by going to Minneapolis with Bob! BUT I have it back now, so I can once again start sharing the wonderfulness that is Glacier National Park!!

Day Two involved a pleasant morning in which Bob and I slept in till the awfully late hour of 8, and went to Kitty's for coffee with Sue before picking up the perishable food items we needed for the trip and hitting the road. I drove this portion of the trip so that Bob could watch as the mountains steadily rose higher and higher across the plains. As the mountains loomed ever larger, our excitement levels rose, and by the time we drove through the West Entrance into Glacier both Bob and I were bouncing in our seats with enthusiastic energy.

Our first move was to check into Fish Creek Campground and find our site. I had picked the location online, and as such was nervous and unsure about what we would find. My worries were unnecessary, however, because our site was almost perfect. We were across the street from both the fresh water spigot and the restrooms, which meant that we had the convenience of those locations without having to deal with people walking onto or through our campsite to reach them. To top it off, walking to the lake took less than 3 minutes.

Upon arriving at our site and after our exclamations of satisfaction over the location, we started to unpack. First order of business was the tent, which turned out to be a frustrating venture. While our location was perfect, the site itself had no flat spots, and (as both Bob and I are from relatively flat portions of the country) it was no easy task figuring out exactly how to set the tent up on a tilted surface. There was some frustration, huge sighs were heard, and there might even have been some muttering, but (after a snack break) Bob and I finally had the tent set-up complete.

We then dug through our suitcases and removed all scented items, which we stored in the car for the remainder of the trip. The food related items, including dishes (even if washed), were also left in the car. Bob and I take the bear safety instructions seriously, and we wanted to be certain that no bears would be tempted to wander into our campsite.

Finally, with our camp set up to our satisfaction, we drove to nearby Apgar Villiage to look around and purchase ice for our cooler. We also walked down to the shore to get our first real glimpse of Lake McDonald.

wow.

just wow.

You see pictures, and you read the facts, but nothing really prepares you for the sight of that massive glacial lake. Absolutely stunning- surrounded by forests and views of the mountains from all angles. A rich turquoise color with shockingly clear water, plunging to depths of 472 ft., and stretching for miles and miles, this lake was absolute breathtaking perfection.

have i mentioned "wow"?

Bob and I finally tore ourselves away from the lake, purchased our ice and firewood, and returned to our campsite to make our first meal. We decided to try making noodles over the fire, a fun idea, but it turns out that boiling water over a campfire takes.... well it takes a while, so we eventually gave up and made our noodles on the camp stove. We ate, and then tackled the task of cleaning up, which involved discussions on how to best set up a wash and rinse station and then transport all dirty water to the appropriate dumping station- never underestimate the need for a 5-gallon bucket and leave it at home like we did. Finally, at around 9:00 P.M. we had a clean camp again, and started to think about finding the showers. We found them, froze in them (ice cold water the whole trip), and scurried home were we settled into our nice warm sleeping bags and drifted into contented dreams.