Part 2/3
Today marks my 65th trip around the sun -- better another orbit
than an obit!
In reviewing the past year, I find I have a backlog of way too
many photos and stories to share, so for now just a recap from
late May onward. Even that brief period must be split into three
emails. This excludes details of the three week trip to Australia
with two incredible weeks in Tasmania in March/April.
Peter, Mary Beth and Julie had their first visit for 4th of July
week. Like all our visitors, it is the first of many future
visits!! Besides hiking, biking, white water rafting, and the
very unique Polebridge 4th of July parade, we managed to squeeze
in a few other activities.
I'd like to think it was a life changing visit for Mary Beth,
based on a comment she made. It was along the lines of ... "You
just go out and do this stuff, sometimes spontaneously, everyday,
don't you? I want to retire!"
Peter and Mary Beth were quite taken with Freda's and the local
music.
We also made an attempt at Scenic Point, but were time limited.
We were delayed by a pack of Bighorn Sheep on the trail that
required taking many photos.
Not every day is out and about. Sometimes you just want to stay
back at the house and watch the sunset.
Mid July our "surrogate children" Jason and Andrew visited. They
are members of the "unlimited standby vacancy" plan at our place,
which means there is always a room or patch of floor for them
sleep on.
Bryson and Sally arrived in July. One highlight while they were
there was to summit Mt. Oberlin with Bryson and John. The trail
is only 1.5 miles up, but that climb up the scree field is
challenging. The views on the clear day we went up were
unbeatable
I had been able to snag a wilderness permit for backpacking 4
nights, from Waterton, over Brown Pass and Boulder Pass to Kintla
Lake in the North Fork. Nabeel flew in to join Sally, Bryson and
I on the backpacking trip.
Two days before the backpacking was to commence, Sally came down
with severe food poisoning, but recovered enough that we were able
to proceed.
Sandy drove us the 3 hours to Waterton to the trailhead (and then
3 hours back home). The first day entailed hiking roughly 9 miles
down the length of Waterton Lake, crossing the border into the
USA, and spending the night on USA side of the lake.
Unfortunately Bryson got hit with the food poisoning during that
hike, and the wise decision was made that Sally and Bryson would
take the shuttle boat back to Waterton the next day, and Sandy
would again do the 6 hour RT drive to pick them up. Nabeel and I
would continue the backpacking trip
Hiking across the international border, indicated by the obelisk
and the clear cut swath up the mountain. That is so the Mounties
know where to stop chasing the criminals. While at the border, we
encountered a sign that said we needed to register and upload
photos of our passports to the border patrol CBP app, and that
continuing further without doing so could incur a $10,000 fine! I
had asked the ranger at the backpacking office when I picked up
the permit whether that had been required, and he did not give a
definitive answer. So here we are at the border, and out of the 5
phones we had between us only 2 had any type of very limited cell
service (one bar). It took an our to get the app downloaded and
passport info uploaded before we could proceed, only to discover
that at Goat Haunt there was a kiosk to do just that. There's
quite a disconnect between the park service bureaucrats and the
border patrol bureaucrats.
Nabeel and I continued the journey. Andrew had recommended
stopping at Lake Frances, which is fed from Dixon Glacier, as one
of the most beautiful locations in the park. We did stop there,
and it is indeed and amazing place. Nabeel and I set up our camp
chairs at the water's edge and spent 4 hours entranced by the
scenery. Most of the time we spent there at the lake was with
only 2 other people. The weather was perfect. This is everything
a backpacking trip should be.
After the lake we continued on to our campsite, set up tents,
hiked further on the trail to see Thunderbird Falls (which are
amazing!!!!), had dinner and went to bed ready for hiking over the
passes the next day.
My case of food poisoning hit me at 3am. I'll spare you the
details. We contacted Sandy on the satellite phone and let her
know we were hiking back to take the boat to Waterton, and would
need to be rescued -- so three 6 hour road trips to Waterton in
three days . Sand let us know the Sally and Bryson would pick us
up, as she too was now sick and in bed.
The suspicion is we were hit with the highly contagious norovirus
that had been making the rounds. Nabeel flew out that same day,
and was able to avoid the illness entirely.
Old friends and new friends. I've know John since first grade.
We attended grade school and high school together, and were
roommates in college, so we go way back. We planned a backpacking
trip in August in Glacier, and John invited a friend Michael and
his three kids Maya, Lucas and Blake to join in the fun. Our
itinerary was the so called Northern Traverse, a loop adventure
that starts and ends at Many Glacier, crossing the Continental
Divide at Stoney Indian Pass and Swiftcurrent Pass. This is one
of the most prized routes in Glacier.
Due to bear activity that closed one of the trails on our intended
route, we made a change for our first day of hiking. We began by
entering the trail at the Belly River trailhead, about 50 feet
away from Canada. This route change also meant our first day's
hike would be 13 miles -- 2 miles downhill followed by 11 miles of
level to slightly rising elevation. A long day's hike but doable.
About halfway out on the hike, just beyond the Belly River Ranger
station, is when we encountered some light rain. The rain
increased to a steady downpour, and began to include some thunder
and lightning. The trail was a bit overgrown so the leaves on the
brush covered us in moisture. Somewhere around mile 11 is when
John mentioned his feet were wet and he had painful blisters,
which required a stop, pull out the first aid kits, and apply
bandages and moleskin. We made it to camp, had a quick (and
soggy) dinner and called it a day.
The next morning John evaluated his feet condition, we discussed
options and concluded the prudent course of action was to hike
back the same 13 miles and get picked up. We could not continue
on into the wilderness for 3 more days with an injury.
Heartbreaking as that decision was, it was the right decision.
We at least were blessed with splendid weather on the hike out.
As we hiked back we took a well deserved rest stop by the bridge
before the ranger station. While we were having lunch, a few
other hikers came up the trail from the ranger station side and
informed us to be very careful, as there was a Momma bear with 4
cubs they had just passed. This of course led to the kids
grabbing their packs with a "let's go see them!!!!", so we got
organized and with bear sprays in hand proceeded cautiously down
the trail. Alas, they must have passed by and were now out of
sight. Darn!
I cannot express enough my amazement and appreciation to Michael
and his children, who hiked 26 miles in 2 two days with packs.
Just awesome!! I guess with enough gummy bears and other sugared
products anything is possible.
I also could not be more impressed by John's hike back under
brutally painful conditions.
My niece Anna, Carlo and there two kids were finally able to visit
us in August for the first time! Welcome to the great outdoors.
Activities including lots of walks around the area, playing in Lake
McDonald, and also some time up at Whitefish Mountain.
A favorite small child activity is skipping ... or simply throwing
.. rocks
Late August our last big house project was completed. This was
removal of the existing asphalt driveway and installation of all new
asphalt. I was extremely nervous about getting this project done.
It had been very difficult to get any paving company to return phone
calls when I started calling in April, and I had not heard anything
from the company we went with until about a week in advance a
voicemail was left that said they would be by the next week, which
had to be rescheduled since we had guests.
In the end we are pleased with the results. Next summer we will get
it sealed, and hopefully it will last my lifetime.
Sandy's cousin Nancy visited us in August. We snagged reservations
for 2 nights camping at Many Glacier, loaded up the Scamp and headed
over. Nancy had her dog Zeke and camped in her tent next to us.
This trip gave me a chance to try out our new mobile Starlink dish.
It's very nice to have internet in a location that has no cell
service. It worked flawlessly!
We arrived early enough at the campsite that we went over to Nell's
restaurant in the Swiftcurrent Motor Lodge. The weather was
pleasant and Zeke was not allowed inside, so I attempted to order
sandwiches to go. I was informed they were not allowed to do take
out food; you had to eat inside at a table. This is the park's
policy in order to reduce trash inside the park. After I
blurted out an incredulous "WTF", the cashier told me, in a low
voice others could not hear, "I'm not supposed to tell you this, buy
just sit at a table and when the food comes asks for boxes for
leftovers". Leftover boxes are allowed so food does not go to waste
... in order to reduce trash inside the park. It's simply
ludicrous enough that it makes one want to get in their car alone,
put their mask on, and drive away.
The next day there, Sand and Nancy and Zeke went up to Waterton.
The weather was superb so I opted instead to hike up to Grinnell
Glacier. Technically it is no longer a glacier as the acreage it
covers has receded below the glacial threshold. Apparently size
does matter, despite what some authorities may say.
Upper Grinnell Lake is always a thrill. There were many people down
on the rocks at the water's edge.
While up there I did observe increasing clouds beyond the mountains,
and the prevailing winds head east towards me. So I did not stay
long and headed out on the 5 mile hike back to Many Glacier Hotel.
By the time I arrived there it was raining lightly, and walking back
to the campsite this became a heavy rain. By the time Sandy and
Nancy arrived back it was a very solid storm with accompanying
thunder and lightning. Nancy's tent was in the bottom lands in the
campsite and was floating. In pouring rain we bagged up the tent,
secured everything in the Scamp, and did the 2 hour drive home in
very nasty wet weather. A very memorable trip!
I discovered a few years ago while running that around Labor Day
weekend at about half an hour after sunrise a magical natural light
show can occur. It requires clear skies and very still water, and
happens at the old bridge. As the sun rises to just the correct
angle on the horizon, the reflection off the river illuminates the
underside of both the wood portion of the bridge and also the arch
.... which then reflects a second time off the water to present an
oval appearance. It only lasts 10~15 minutes
Yet another day trip to Many Glacier in September. Sandy, John and
I hiked to Grinnell Lake.
The views never gets old (unlike me).
It was perfect weather, and finally finally finally we remembered
to bring water shoes to ford Cataract Creek! By it's color it is
obviously a glacial fed lake. Just wonderful.
