Waterton Lakes, Canada

OK, here I am, back on duty. I'm thankful that Don, a.k.a., John Muir, gave me a break, but after listening to his gross exaggerations I'm not sure I'll let him near the keyboard again anytime soon. By the way, he is finished with his, Night of the Grizzlies book and now on to a mountain man book. No telling where that will lead.

We started off this morning, and after a day of rain, we were happy to see some blue sky peek through with just some left over clouds below.

We were headed north toward the other half of Glacier, Waterton Lakes, across the Canadian border. We traveled a road we had not been on before, and were delighted that it was a very scenic route. A lot of it is on a Blackfeet Indian Reservation and they apparently don't believe in fencing they're livestock. This meant keeping a watch for animals on the road, both horses and cattle.

While Don drove and watched for critters, I watched for photo opportunities, which were pretty much non-stop. The rain we had yesterday brought snow to the mountain tops. The frosting made already beautiful mountainscapes, even more so.

Here we have lake, snowy mountains AND a railroad train.

In spite of watching out for livestock, we came upon a herd of buffalo. I suppose we should not have been surprised since we were on an Indian reservation, but it did catch me off guard and I barely got the picture. I didn't have the time to zoom in so you could have seen the calves with the herd. How how much more "Montana" could a herd of wild buffalo be?

The clouds and mountains and the snow made it hard not to just keep taking pictures. I can't say a lot about the individual pictures except what you already see. It was just miles and miles of beauty.

 

 

 

As we approached the Canadian border, this amazing mountain rose out of the distance.

It looked like a castle in the sky. I'm not sure, but I think it is called "Chief Mountain."

As I said, it was open range. We came over a hill and found cars stopped and people taking pictures of...



...COWS!!! C'mon, people...It's just hamburger on the hoof!!...but just in case you are wondering...I grabbed a quick pix as we went by...

I tried to catch the entry of Waterton-Glacier at the border crossing, but some other lady is taking pictures of hubby and a Jack Russell Terrier...Just pretend that's Don and I. I have absolutely no explanation for the dog...



So now we go a few more miles across the border into Waterton Townsite where our RV park is. The scenery continues to be gorgeous.

 

Finally we catch sight of the Prince of Wales Hotel. It sits on a hill overlooking the lake and the little town of Waterton. It's a very impressive structure and so your first glimpse takes your breath.

Don and I went to the hotel for lunch.

As you walk in, first you see the bell hop helping someone with their luggage in his KILT! He was also wearing black ankle socks and black hose! Hmmm! Cute outfit, Fella! The waiters in the restaurant also wear kilts. (The bus girl wore pants, go figure.)

Then as you walk into the hotel, your view is out through the huge window on the opposite side of the hotel that overlooks the lake an mountains. WOW!!

This is the back of the hotel that looks out onto the lake.

Our RV park also had views of the mountains and a lake all around. Probably the most picturesque RV park we have ever been in. Not the park itself, but the scenery closing in on you from all sides is amazing. This is not our rig, I'm just showing you our surroundings.

 

Not a bad RV park, huh?

After lunch we wanted to drive up Red Rocks Canyon. When we were here last year, we didn't see any of this scenery that I have shown you so far. It was rainy and foggy and totally socked in. We couldn't see anything. We were amazed to see all we saw today.

However, we were disappointed when we got part of the way up the road and found Red Rock Canyon was closed due to construction.

Nonetheless, all was not lost. I noticed that there was a lot of huckleberries growing along the road.

It was then that we saw a bear picnicking on the "hucks." The picture is not great, but I wasn't about to call him over to prose for me. At least I got him...before he got testy about his berry-picking being interrupted, and that's a good thing!

Tomorrow we head to Banff where we hear it is even more beautiful. Don't know how much more of this non-stop beauty I can handle but I'll tough it out.

Glacier National Park-Day 3 and Corrections on Day 2

Well as promised, or threatened, Dorene is taking a day off and I am posting this blog.

First, I must correct Dorene on our hike to Avalance Lake. I was all prepared for this hike. I had dressed the part with a backpack with lunch, water, flashlight, bear spray and rain coats enclosed. Also I had good hiking boots and hiking poles and a cool hat.

I had three different ways to start a fire, magnesium striker, matches in a waterproof container, and a cigarette lighter...and an absolute must, toilet paper! Man, was I prepared! I figured I was good for at least 15 miles today. Dorene said I looked like John Muir. I detected a hint of sarcasm but ignored it.

John (Don Foster) Muir ready to hike.

We were off on the first part of the hike. We went up a couple of switchbacks leaving the others in our dust. Well at least they did not catch up until they stopped taking pictures.


I told Dorene that this hike was going to be a cinch, we had just managed 100 feet of the total 385 feet of elevation gain.

Then we started downhill and gave back all of the 100 feet we had gained. We continued on moving up the hills with marvelous grace.

Soon the wind started huffing and puffing; my wind not nature's. As we started around one corner we heard noises like a running animal. I wondered if we would see bear.


I started to reach for the bear spay and my pocket knife ready to defend my bride of 25 years, when around the corner, a young father and his 10 year old daughter were racing UP the hill after a short rest. How demoralizing!

We continued on with our journey. I noticed how people were passing us and that we had not passed one single person going up the trail.

Finally nearing the top, (at least we thought we were nearing the top) people coming back down were saying comforting things like, "you are almost at the top of the plateau." ( I don't think that guy knew what a plateau was!) and, "You are almost there," or "Only another 15 minutes," or "It's worth the hike."

About this time I said to Dorene we must look pretty bad if people we have never met were giving us that much encouragement. I had thought I had pulled my tongue back in my mouth when they went by. Maybe not fast enough.

Finally we did reach the top and in the distance we could see the lake through the trees.

Just as we were congratulating ourselves on our major accomplishment of climbing this steep mountain with it's great elevation gain, around the corner, starting back down, was a young father in flip flops. He had his 4-6 year old kid on his back, mom with a 3 month baby strapped to her chest, and grandma bringing up the rear. They all looked very fresh.

Oh well, at least we made it. We had a great lunch on the edge of the lake, (peanut butter sandwiches) walked a little further on along the lakeside trail and then started back down.

Although the trip down was uneventful, the pain ramped up. First Dorene complained about her knees, my hips started hurting and we argued which was easier, when we went uphill or downhill.

Dorene had more trouble going downhill and I had more trouble going uphill. This was true until the downhill movement started to jam my toes into the front of my new hiking boots.

We finally made it back to the car, having fun telling those going up, that it was only 15 minutes or 45 minutes to the top.

We got back to camp and began to recover and tell each other lies about how well we did. We finally decided that we would take another hike in the morning.


I fell a sleep that night with thoughts of another adventure in the morning.

Day Three:

The alarm clock went off at 6:00 AM in the morning. I began to reminisce about trips I had taken with my Dad as a young teenager. He and I had gotten up early to be the first on the water fishing.

Sometimes we had to shake the ice off the line and the rods we were using. Other times we found that we were fishing in the middle of a stream with a rainstorm coming down, telling ourselves that this would help fishing.

As I slowly started to awaken I realized that Dorene had shut off the alarm rather quickly. I guessed that she had moved the alarm clock from across the bedroom to along side the bed so she could shut it off faster.

Dorene was not moving and the more I moved the more I found sore points on the old body. Finally, as any giving, loving husband would do, I softly said to Dorene that we did not have to go on the hike this morning if she did not feel like it.

After a few moments she said she did not really feel like going. I told her how disappointed I was not to be having another adventure in the wild and fell asleep dreaming of how once again I would save my lovely wife from the dangers of the wilds. Well, at least I fell asleep.

When we awoke it was raining and we decided to spend the day going through the shops in the little town of Bigfork on Flathead Lake. We could do that in the rain. Dorene could do that in a hurricane!

I finished my book "The Night of the Grizzly," and after reading the part where two different bears killed two 19 year-old girls on the same night in 1967, I thought that shopping could be a good thing after all.

Oh, the joys of shopping in the rain...

Tomorrow we take off the Waterton Lakes, (the Canadian half of Glacier National Park) and Dorene will be back at her post. At least now you have heard my version of what happened yesterday.

Don

Glacier National Park-Day 2

It's our second day to explore Glacier National Park. We got a bit of a late start as it was quite chilly this morning. It was 55 degrees when we left the RV around 10 am. We headed back into the park.

A stop at McDonald Lodge and Lake is always worth whatever time it takes. It is a beautiful place.

The lodge is old and historic, but the food leaves a lot to be desired. Last year we went to breakfast there on a Monday. We figured that the food had been cooked on the previous Saturday. Does that give you a clue? However, the ambiance is great and we even went back for breakfast a second day. We have not tried the food this year.

The lobby is full of natural log pillars and taxidermied animal heads. The light level is rather low, so I didn't get many pictures. They also have beautiful flowers on the grounds outside.

A boat tour with a ranger is available at the boat dock on the lake below the back of the lodge. We took it last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Front of McDonald Lodge

Back of the Lodge

McDonald Lake

Inside the lobby

I think John Muir still lives...

I always enjoy the flowers...

Then it was TIME TO HIKE...and today it was to Avalanche Lake. It starts very innocently enough at the Trail of the Cedars. A beautiful walk of a half mile...

 

We look prepared for a nice leisurely stroll in the woods, don't we?

Then... the trail veers off towards Avalanche Lake. First you walk along Avalanche Creek and Avalanche Gorge. The roaring water has carved out the rocks in huge curves. Amazing to see!

 

 

There was a deer that came right up to the trail, obviously not afraid of people.

The information at the beginning of the trail says that it is five mile round trip with an elevation gain of 385 feet.

It is a beautiful hike and lots of people are on the trail, however I am here to tell you that whoever measured the elevation gain...LIES!!! I think he dropped a zero after the 385!

The trail goes up and it goes down, and up again, and down and eventually it goes up... and up... and up... and UP!!! We would meet people on the trail who would say, "You are almost there!" They lied too.

Innocent looking trail, isn't it? Don't be fooled!

Finally, we did arrive, and it was spectacular. The lake was not huge but it was surrounded by monster rock walls. There were three waterfalls coming down the back side of the lake, into beautiful green water. The waterfalls were at least 1000 feet drops, probably more. We could hear the water crashing down the rocks and into the lake from the far side where we were. Amazing sights and sounds!!

We ate our lunch there, sitting on a log and just staring at all the beauty in front of us and relaxed for a while. Then we walked a little further around the lake to get a better view before heading back.

This shows two of the falls going into the lake.Third one is out of sight on the right.

As we started back down the trail, this time, we actually DID pass each other the Aleve bottle before we had gone even a quarter of the way. Old hips (Don) and knees (me) don't like all this downhill hiking.

It was a great trip that reminded me of when your doctor says, "You may have some discomfort." He really means, "You will have excruciating pain."

Same thing with the hike. It was rated, "easy to moderate." "Moderate" means you may die on the trail. We loved the hike...but we darn near killed ourselves doing it!!

We have now been back at the RV for three hours and are discussing if we want to take another "moderate" hike tomorrow. The beauty is definitely addicting. I'll let you know what we decide.

So tonight we are by the campfire. I am writing the blog and Don is reading a book about 1967 Glacier National Park grizzly bear attacks, "Night of the Grizzly".

I am soooo comforted when I see those, "Bear Warning" signs all over the park. How do you "play dead" when a 800 pound critter with bad breath and six inch claws is rolling you around on the ground? Not my idea of a good time. At least Don carries bear spray with us when we hike.

I re-e-e-ealy hope bears don't like the smell of that stuff!

PS: Be prepared. Don is threatening to write tomorrow's blog.

Glacier National Park-Day 1

Today we drove into Glacier National Park, just a few miles from our RV park. We have been here before but it never ceases to amaze.

We hear there are a lot of fires north of us in Canada and apparently some of the smoke is causing the air to be hazy. It made taking pictures much more difficult due to the haze in the air. Nonetheless, I took 105 pictures today. I told Don I had a lot of film. (I am sooo thankful for digital cameras!!) But not to worry, I won't show you all 105, I'll just pick a few.

We headed into the park, and immediately the mountains are spectacular.

Then on toward the "Going to the Sun" road. If you are not familiar with this road, it was built a long, long time ago. (Glacier is celebrating it's 100th birthday this year which will give you an idea how old it may be.)

How they accomplished this is absolutely beyond me. It is a narrow, two-lane road that snakes along the sides of mountains and through tunnels giving you incredible views of the mountains above you and the valley floor waaaaaaaaay down below you.

No large vehicles are allowed on this road, so our motorhome stays in the RV park. It can be scary enough in a car.

The "Red Bus" takes tourist on the Road to the Sun for those who don't want to drive it themselves.

There are lots of waterfalls as you go along. Some of which spray water on you as you drive the road, others you can see from across the valley. All are spectacular.

Because winters here are obviously very hard on the road, the summers mean lots of construction on it which has to be navigated by the many travelers (almost bumper to bumper) that take the road.

 

At one point when we were going very slow due to construction, I got this picture of the steel plate holding the railing. .

Those bolts are not connected to anything but thin air!!!

Look closely at this picture. The majority of the steel plate, including the bolt intended to stabilize and hold the railing to the wall, is hanging out in SPACE!!! IT'S IN THIN MOUNTAIN AIR FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!! YEOWWW!!! Some things I am just happier not knowing about. I guess they need the construction work.

Anyway, it's an incredible trip across on this road and one not to be forgotten.

At the very top, Logan Pass, we were planning to take a hike to Hidden Lake Overlook. However it was so cold and windy when we got there, we decided it would be a miserable trip, and opted to move on.

Then, glancing up at the nearest mountain from the parking lot, we saw seven mountain goats walking around the very top of this massive rock mountain.

 

Mountain Goats on parade. Billy Goat is above and to the far right edge.

There were two little ones, and with the binoculars, we could even see the billy goat with his horns. It was great timing, they paraded all around the top and then around to the back and were gone. A very neat thing to see.

This picture is of only the very top of this mountain.

If you go to Glacier, you must take the Going to the Sun road, unless you are someone who doesn't tolerate extreme heights and skinny, twisty mountain roads well. (Like our favorite daughter-in-law, Leslie!) Me? I'm the passenger, never the driver on this kind of trip! I mean, someone has to man the camera, right?

On the way back we stopped off for a couple of hikes to different waterfalls. Those are always fun and usually worth the effort.

The first one was a couple of miles long and led to two different falls. It was somewhat of an up-and-down hike, a bit tough on old hips and knees. When we got back to the car, we toasted each other with a double dose of Aleve each. Not really, but if we had, possibly there would not be the groaning that is going on around here tonight....

 

After that the next hike was shorter and, thankfully, flat.

It was to a waterfall, that in the spring comes over the front of the falls, but in the late summer, (now) and with less water, it comes down behind the rock, appearing as if it is coming straight out from solid rock. Very unusual. They call it "Trick Falls."

The last one was not really a hike at all, just a short walk to an area called, Goat Lick. It is in a spot where mountain goats come down and lick the blue-gray colored rock in an area where there is natural salt in the rock.

Today we did not see any goats licking the rock, nor did we get licked by a goat. Probably a good thing. Maybe next time. It was still a beautiful area, but every place here is.


On the way back we saw a new forest fire had starting to burn, probably from lightening last night. It something that is always of concern here of course. We hope they get it out quickly..

When we got back to camp, we built a fire and just kicked back. Tomorrow we plan to take a couple more hikes...IF we can still move...