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7.27.26 Al's Grinnell Glacier Hike 7.29.26 St. Mary Falls & Virginia Falls
7.27.26
This is a long blog! Al went on so many hikes but I couldn't leave anything out!. The photos and videos are so beautiful...be sure to watch both the videos he recorded and narrated for you!
Al left very early to hike Grinnell Glacier Trail.
He took so many gorgeous photos that I just had to make a special post all about that.
Grinnell Lake was named after:
George Bird Grinnell was a key founder, explorer, and advocate who earned the title "Father of Glacier National Park" through his decades-long campaign to protect the region. He visited northern Montana nearly every year starting in 1885. He discovered and named dozens of local landmarks, and he suggested the name "Glacier Park" in 1906 based on the area's many ice bodies. Glacier National Park in Montana was established on May 11, 1910, when President William Howard Taft signed the bill creating the park.
I started the hike early and was greeted by a gorgeous sunrise over Lake Josephine!
I didn't have to go far to see some of the snow peaks across the lake.
When I started my hike I met a couple from California, Michelle and Zach that were kind enough to let me tag along with them since we were in bear county. We also had the bonus of being able to trade taking photos along the way!
The wildfire smoke gave the sun and the moon a weird orange appearance.
My first sighting of Grinnell Glacier in the distance with Grinnell Lake in the foreground.
The glacier, waterfall and mountain flowers and vegetation were surreal and almost gave the appearance of an artists painting.
As I got closer to Grinnell Glacier it was apparent I was getting closer to the snow peaks, there were waterfalls all around!
When we go back to Glacier National Park I think I will take the time to hike to Grinnell Lake to get an up close look!
As the sun rose higher in the sky the snow melt created waterfalls with this one right on the trail. You have to be mindful of your footing here on the slippery trail because it was a long drop if you went over the edge!
I found a nice little perch to take a break and a couple from Colorado that I met on the trail took this photo for me.
Mule deer grazing on the mountainside.
I just couldn't stop taking photos, this whole hike was so picturesque!
The color of the water from the glacial melt is so beautiful!
The bighorn sheep are obviously used to people, they didn't seem to mind people invading their bedding area.
I met a family from California so we traded taking photos with Grinnell Glacier in the background.
I just can't get over the color of the water!
I just can't get over the ecosystem in the mountains and the strangest places that you find wildflowers.
My glacial snowball! LOL
Glacier National Park contains some of the oldest fossils on Earth, consisting of 1.5-billion-year-old stromatolites. These are fossilized mats of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that formed in ancient shallow seas. Places to see these fossils easily:
Logan Pass: Outcrops of these fossilized algae mounds (often described as looking like "sliced cabbage" heads) are highly visible.
Grinnell Glacier: Large fields of fossilized mats have weathered out in relief, showing the exact shapes they took on the ancient seabed.
Going-to-the-Sun Road: Stromatolites are visible along the western side of the road, particularly in areas like Haystack Butte.
There are living Stromatolites: You don't have to leave the country to see them alive. Extensive fields of living stromatolites thrive here. A prime viewing spot is along the shores near Buffalo Point on Antelope Island. We were there and didn’t know it!
This is as close as I got to the glacier, you could literally walk right up to it!
On the hike up I commented on the color of Grinnell Lake and an older gentleman said "wait until the sun gets higher, the colors will really pop", I think he was right!
I almost missed this moose on the way back down because it was behind the trees, fortunately a guy hiking up to Grinnell spotted it and pointed it out to me.
A view of St. Mary's lodge across Lake Josephine.
The various colored rocks in the streams on the mountains give it a rainbow look.
This is Michelle and Zach, it was nice hiking with them and getting to know each other. I appreciated the company and I know it is a comfort to Colleen knowing that I'm not truly hiking alone in bear country!
Click the video link below and Al will take you
along on his hike to Grinnell Glacier!
7.28.26
Laundry Day! Drove to Two Medicine Lake and Camp Store in the park. Al did a short hike to Running Eagle Falls.
We both agreed we are coming back to Glacier National Park when it's not "wildfire season".
A nanny goat and her kid decided to walk through the area when were at Two Medicine Lake, she was pretty skeptical of Marley though!
Inside the store at Two Medicine Lake.
The weather was perfect for our adventures today!
We stopped at Running Eagle Falls on the way back from Two Medicine Lake. When there is high water flow the overflow actually comes over the top level and cascades over the top of the lower fall.
We stopped at this little restaurant for a piece of huckleberry pie because the bus driver said it was so good and there were several other recommendations. We had to wait for them to open and we went in to order some to go. Pies were normal size, cut into eight pieces, not extra thick or anything special at all. In fact the edges looked a lot like frozen...but who am I to judge. They wanted $10.95 for one eighth of a pie. That means they got almost $88 for that pie. I refused to pay that but Al got one.
7.29.26
Al left early to hike St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls.
The sunrises in the wildfire smoke are unique because of the orange hue that you see.
This area on the way to St. Mary Falls was a wildfire area and is in it's regrowth stage.
St. Mary Falls, the water flows are low right now during the summer season but the volume of water flowing is still astounding!
This was a tiered cascading falls between St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls.
Virginia Falls, this is a 50 foot waterfall and it was surprising how loud it was!
I meet some of the nicest people on my hikes, there was group of young people that took this photo for me.
I found a lower level on the falls that you could view how the waterfalls are tiered.
I couldn't help but take this photo on my way back to the trailhead, everything looks so different as the sun gets higher in the sky!
Snowcaps on the horizon.
I stopped at a picnic area and found a trail that went to Baring Falls. This was a bonus hike for me, 3 waterfalls in one day!
Click the video link below and Al will take
you on a spectacular waterfall hike!
Next up...
Helena MT and broken brakes!
...and in Ennis MT we visit Virginia City and Nevada City and Al goes hiking in a cave! This time he went on a tour and took a flashlight!
1 comment:
Anonymous
said...
Wow looks like you guys are having alot of fun. Enjoy and be safe! Love ya! Karen
1 comment:
Wow looks like you guys are having alot of fun. Enjoy and be safe! Love ya! Karen
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