So this was originally meant to be our Highline trail day...YeYe managed to snag shuttle passes (which, due to the new 3 hour parking restriction, is basically the only way to hike Highline this year), but sadly, the trail remains closed for snow conditions. Sadness!
Well, we are still taking the shuttle ride! Opportunity to get some animal sightings!
No animals were seen...but there were some very majestic vistas.
The shuttle took about an hour - dropping us off at Logan Pass, star attraction of the park. What is the continental divide, you ask? Per National Geographic, it is a naturally occurring ridge of high terrain that separates a continent's river systems. So where the water droplet falls (on which side of the ridge) determines which ocean a raindrop eventually reaches (Pacific or Atlantic).
So...we decided to hike the Hidden Lake Overlook again, why? Because when we went last time, we apparently never actually made it to the overlook. 😆 This is what happens when we try hiking without YeYe and NaiNai... With our return experience, we were equipped this time with yak tracks, hiking poles, and trash bags to slide on.
Because of the yak tracks (or maybe also the two more days of snow melt), I thought we went up much more easily. The trash bags were used multiple times.
Here's a shot of what we thought was the lake on our first trip out and basically where we turned back.
This area was also very often frequented by the mountain goats. We had to scamper to get out of their way!
In hindsight, we should have realized we hadn't reached the end of the trail. Kind of sad because we had gotten 90% there...but hey, that's why we came back...because THIS is view we were actually supposed to reach:
Postcard shot! (Can you tell I had to magic eraser away some people? 😆)
Official group photo of the Glacier trip:
The snow actually had melted quite a bit from our visit two days ago. (What used to be a thin line exposed on the crest was now a several feet wide exposed rock). Maybe a coincidence, but I think the two extra days of snowmelt also made the field of wildflowers more impressive.
After the hike, we waited around a bit for the return shuttle down the mountain -- during which I did a quick hop into the Visitor Center. There wasn't much to see there besides the gift shop. Snapped this shot of a taxidermy marmot because I didn't think they were this big!
Eventually, a shuttle showed up. I think probably around a 20 min wait? We chatted with the driver on the way down and learned the National Park Service has 40 buses running every day each with multiple rides, meaning hundreds of trips per day.
I got a view of the other side of the park this time. Equally impressive! This actually includes a shot of part of the Garden Walk, the beginning section of the Highline trail. We would have had to walk on a 3 foot wide trail holding onto chains for safety (because you'd fall into this valley if you slipped!). People actually have died from tripping and falling off the trail. So...in hindsight...perhaps not a horrible thing the trail was not open actually. We saw what the view would have been!
Turns out the recent rain/wind actually caused an avalanche a couple days ago. Here's photo proof of the avalanche covering up the public bathroom facilities that the rangers were still working on digging out.
Not many shots from the shuttle this time...because I was so tired I fell asleep and didn't wake up again until we got to Lake McDonald. 😬
Back at Apgar, we had one last educational talk with the park rangers, this time checking out some grizzly, black bear and mountain lion skins.
I had meant to do a group photo with the Glacier National Park sign but it was already 3PM and members of the crew were starting to get hangry...oh well, maybe next time!
Tonight being the Fourth of July, YeYe and NaiNai put together a classic Independence Day feast: grilled burgers, corn on the cob, and watermelon.
It was a great final Glacier day. Tomorrow morning, we check out and make the 6 hour drive back to Big Sky. Will leave final thoughts on the park for tomorrow!
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