We've been coming out to Montana basically every year since the twins were born and have driven and hiked around Yellowstone countless times, but this is the first time we are making the longer trek out to the other crown jewel of the state: Glacier National Park.
I have to admit that I come into the trip with a little trepidation -- so many people have told me how amazing Glacier is that I'm a little worried it can't possibly live up to all the hype. We shall see!
First off, we have to make a note on the weather. I know July 4th weekend is really the "kickoff" for the summer season in GNP, but I wasn't expecting HOW cold it could be. We actually had a winter weather advisory the week before the trip based on the wet snow expected in higher elevations! Last Christmas, I recall there being a couple 50 degree+ days -- crazy that the daily high for a couple days in late June was actually LOWER than it was in December! Check out how much snow there is on Lone Peak.
Thankfully though, the sun rolled back in and the cold blew away in time for the trip.
[Mini interlude here: I am not much of a camper...so the twins and their cousin B along with YeYe and NaiNai actually went off to GNP a few days before Baba and I to actually camp with tents and sleeping bags and so on. Well...it was a bit of an adventure. Tents flying away because of the high wind. Campgrounds being evacuated because of flash floods. S'mores not being able to be made because the sideways rain kept blowing out the fire. Won't go into more detail since I wasn't actually there. But let's just say...good for building character and fortitude? 😆]
We drove over to Browning the night before, Glacier Peaks Casino was a pretty standard hotel, continental breakfast and all. Very much on the way, and big savings tip: gas in browning was about $2/gallon cheaper than at the park entrance!
My original hope for the first day was to hike to Grinnell Glacier...turns out that is over 10 miles and also closed for snow conditions...so I was persuaded to change the plan to a Grinnell Lake hike instead (7 miles). That trail was also closed due to flooding from the last few days but luckily opened up again the day we arrived! So off we went. The hike basically hugs the shores of several interconnected lakes, so very pretty water/forest/mountain views the entire way.
We started a little before noon so our first stop came pretty early to combat increasing hangry-ness. As you can see from the clothing, it was a little chilly still!
Why does she look like a guilty chipmunk? I asked her for a bit of her half-eaten king sized candy bar about 10 seconds earlier. "Oomph oomph...what candy bar?"
Ran into a few forest friends. They were so close I almost forgot they were wild.
Proof that R has inherited Baba's penchant for non-standard photo expressions.
The view at the end of the 3.5 miles was quite lovely.
I am always a sucker for rickety bridges. But thought this video also helps demonstrate how high the water is!
The hike also included a mini detour to the "Hidden" waterfall.
I thought it was worth the extra 0.3 mile ascent.
Baba did not agree. He decided to skip the waterfall and enjoy a rest instead.
Shot of the camping crew enjoying the much sunnier and dryer weather!
The 3.5 mile return went by much more quickly than the going out - the sun had also come out in some force since our departure, making the paths thankfully much less muddy too.
Another "little" waterfall scene peeking from between the trees.
The walk back also included our most exciting wildlife encounter of the day.
Funniest part of that moose encounter? Toss-up between: 1) Ooh a moose! Everyone immediately whips out.....the cell phones. Because clearly you protect yourself from a potential moose attack not by being on alert with bear spray but by photographing and videotaping the encounter. And 2) kids almost entirely missing the moose because they were captivated by the chipmunk in the path further ahead. In their defense, the ground squirrels and chipmunks ARE quite adorable.
We ended up with some apres-hike drinks and nosh at Many Glacier Hotel (a bit run down and showing its age...but clearly hitting those Alpine/Swiss/Sound of Music vibes). Best find of the menu? Duck wings. I think it was the sweet chili glaze more than the duck limbs being that much more succulent than their chicken cousins, but let's just say we ended up with...4 or 5 orders of those wings.
After that we drove back to St. Mary's Village to check in to our Tiny Home rental for the evening. It was in fact quite tiny. But it came with a HUGE bathroom. Like jet spray soaker tub and sauna like room larger than the size of the bedroom in the Tiny Home.
Only downside was that the bathroom was unattached, so you had to put on shoes and walk outside to get to it. But I still enjoyed it quite a bit! L/R also appreciated having a full size shower/tub for the first time in a week or so.
All in all, good first day at Glacier! Tomorrow, we have a boat ride and then the much anticipated Going to the Sun road drive. Night night!
