OK, onwards! Next, after a quick stop back at the RV for a bite and to see if Bill wanted to join in on any outings (answer = no! My adventures were probably way too manic for him at this point!), I headed out for a hit and run of the Two Medicine area. I had hoped to do a recommended hike here, but it didn't work out schedule-wise... But I did want to at least see some of it. It was about an hour's drive south of our campground.
The roads into this part of the park are sure slower-going! Some parts of it have "settled," so you have to ride tidal waves of asphalt!
And speaking of waves, boy, was it windy as hell there! Sheesh. I couldn't stand if for very long (what a wimp - other folks were just sitting out on a bench, like it was enjoyable day...!). Here is Two Medicine Lake, replete with waves!
More clear water and pretty rocks!
I think this is Lower Two Medicine Lake - it's one you pass by, and above, on the road in.
OK, so now, driving right through St. Mary and past our campground, I zipped on up to the Many Glacier area again. That was about 45 minutes N/NW of St. Mary. Here is Lake (reservoir) Sherburne. You drive beside this aways before getting to the Many Glacier Hotel and Swiftcurrent Lake.
I found a parking spot and then located my trailhead to walk along Swiftcurrent and on to Lake Josephine. It was this trail that had been recommended to me by someone I had met at Fishercap (who was also disappointed by the prized ungulates not showing up at the appointed early hour!). It was here that he had said I might see moose. But this was probably the wrong time of day and maybe too many people on the trail. Oh well, let's see it anyways! Maybe we'll get lucky, and let's see the sights! We can't go too far wrong in this area, no matter what! Swiftcurrent Lake is gorgeous from this side!!!
In the distance, you can see the peaks above the Iceberg Lake trail. They taper off to the right, the trail disappearing behind the foreground mountains.
"Joy." Yes. Indeed!
Swiftcurrent Lake and Grinnell Point.
The famous old boat ("Chief Two Guns") that you can ride across Swiftcurrent.
Some of the transition area between Lake Josephine and Swiftcurrent.
A trail runs through it...
Lake Josephine - almost there!
What colors! No, I'm not making these up! They're real. Ask Kathy! This is pretty much how it looks (with a polarizer, at least!)!
I was just walking quietly along the trail, had pretty much given up on seeing any critters, but wait! Did I hear something? Probably not, but let's stop and just listen. No. No, wait... Yes! There are some little bushy noises, yeah? Yes! There she is! In all her glory. As promised...finally!!!!! Here she is! Isn't she sweet?! Perfect!!! Look at that perfect fur!
I lucked out. There was no one else on this part of the trail. It was just me and her. I eased my fanny pack around my waist, quietly unzipped it, changed out lenses and filters, and ever so slowly, tiptoed to a better spot to see her but hopefully not be seen. For several moments, we shared the space in peace. Her browsing the bushes, and me in quiet reverence (well, quiet except that constant clicking sound...!). At first, she would look up at the clicks, but then she either saw me and decided I wasn't a threat or she just disregarded it all as background noise. She kept eating, slowly moving forward - which meant she was getting closer and closer! Finally, I decided she was close enough, and I'd gotten enough photos and should probably be continuing on my way back to the car. I didn't want to spook her, and made my exit as gently as possible. She looked up but didn't seem to change what she was doing.
This was the best nature moment of the whole trip for me so far!!!!!! Simply awesome. Lucky, lucky me. She may not have felt so lucky, but I'm glad she was so tolerant of me!
A bit after I left, a couple happened along. I was too afraid they'd frighten her off, and I'd worked so hard to let her be, so I just said Hi and remained mum about the incredible treat I'd just experienced. However, I wasn't too much further down the trail when I looked through the bushes and back upriver and saw a moose contemplating crossing. I was pretty sure it was her, and either I or the others had indeed spooked her, or maybe independent of any of us, she had decided it was just time to move on to other places and things...? (I hope it was the latter!)
Bye for now, girl.
Some cabins some lucky park workers get to live in (well, lucky except that the trail goes right in front of their windows...!).
What a perfect, idyllic, iconic place, eh?!
Almost back to the trailhead and looking toward the Many Glacier Hotel.
And now, for my final act, I will scurry back through St. Mary once more and into the park yet again (FOURTH entry just today!), back past St. Mary Lake and on up to Logan Pass - one more time!
The only way I could do these long days is with those lovely long summer hours! So the daylight was my friend! But even then, I ended up in low light situations - due to clouds, or good grief, sunset! The sun going down AND behind clouds, I had to bump up the ISO a lot for my little marmot friend here. But it was worth it - ripping off my pack, getting my long lens on, and recording him molesting (actually, consuming) the wildflowers! As for the flowers, now you see them, now you don't! And here we'd all been so careful to stay on the boardwalk, not to squish them - apparently, just so he could EAT them! Well, works for me. Yeah, you go Marmot! Yum-yum!
Hoary marmot. More cream-colored than my yellow belly marmot friends back "home" (CA, CO,...).
Another non-parking lot goat specimen! (although he's just a little ways above said parking lot...)
The sun's behind the peaks, and I'm rapidly losing light. It's getting late, dark, and cold, and I need to hurry my buns down the trail before they close the road back (due to road construction, they have a gate at Logan Pass that they close overnight - except from 2am to 2:15am...go figure!!! I wanted to get back before then so I had to be sure and make their 9pm deadline!). But wait! Just one more picture...! (and that, right there, is why Bill stays home when I go out photographing!)
And with that, we come to the end. On the pink wisps of morning, we flew in on this day, and on the pink UFOs of sunset we shall fly out (now isn't that poetic as all get-out?!). Good-bye Glacier, it's been great!
No comments:
Post a Comment