Glacier National Park

08/08/08 - 08/16/08

I spent eight days in Glacier Naional Park, including four days backpacking.

On the first day, I did a short day hike to Avalanche Lake to stretch my legs and to acclimate myself a bit to the elevation.

I spent the next four days on a guided backpacking trip. I had a great time in spite of some less than ideal weather. I met a bunch of great people and we had a lot of fun. We also shared a bit of adventure. On the first two days, there were scattered thunderstorms. We heard quite a bit of thunder and got rained on a few times. But, luckily, we never found ourselves in the middle of a storm. On the third day of the trip, we had to gain 2600 feet in elevation to go over Red Gap Pass. It was windy when we started out and it got windier as we gained elevation. By the time we got near the pass, the wind gusts were literally knocking us off our feet. Estimates of the top wind gusts ranged from 80 MPH to over 100 MPH. We had to work our way up the trail during the lulls in the wind and then hunker down on the trail and hang on when the wind picked up. The trail switchbacked up an exposed rock face with a drop-off on one side. Several of us found ourselves hanging over the edge of the trail at one time or another. So, needless to say, the trip over the pass was a bit exhilerating. I think it's an experience that none of us will ever forget.

The day after the backpacking trip ended I spent letting these old bones recover. Even after the day of rest, I was having trouple with my right knee. So, for the last two days, I took the park shuttle to Logan Pass and took a few short day hikes and wandered around a bit with my camera.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
Steve Winker