Alaska – Canada Travels 2014, Glacier National Park and the Going-to-the-Sun Road, August 28th to 31st.

We arrived at West Glacier late in the afternoon just in time to get one of the last sites at Avalanche Campground before the busy Labor Day Weekend begins. We decided to spend four nights.

The campground is beautifully situated among tall Western Red Cedars their sweeping, fern-like branches hang above us.

Tall Western Red Cedars surround our camp at Avalanche Campground in West Glacier. 

Our campsite at Avalanche Campground. 

Day 1, hiking the Highline Trail. We take the shuttle on the Going to the Sun Road to Logan Pass and go to the visitor center to get information about the hiking trails. There are some easy hikes that can be done from the Pass. 

One of the easy hikes from Logan Pass Visitor Center.

We see our first Mountain Goats at the Logan Pass Visitor Center.

We decide to take the Highline Trail and it’s been one of our favorite hikes on this trip.Not knowing how far we want to go we decide to hike 3.5 miles of the Highline Trail from Logan Pass to Haystack Mountain.

The Highline Trail begins with an interesting ledge walk below the Glacier Wall above the Going to the Sun Road. A cable is in place for the squeamish to hold onto. 

The most adventurous part of the trail was walking along the wide ledge below the Glacier Wall, a high cliff towering above the Going to the Sun Road.

Looking back along the trail below the Glacier Wall. Below the Going to the Sun Road ascends to Logan Pass.

A view down the valley from the Glacier Wall on the Highline Trail.

When we get to Haystack Mountain it’s only mid-day and too early to turn around. It's only 8 more miles down the mountain to the Loop parking area on the Going to the Sun Road where we can catch a shuttle back to the campground. The trail mostly contours along the mountainside so what can be so hard about that? We decide to hike on allured by the beauty of the mountain vistas we see before us.

Our feet can't resist hiking this gorgeous trail and move is along as if they had a mind of their own (which they do).

Although this is a popular trail and we see a few people the encounters are brief and most of our hike is spent in solitude.

The Highline is one of the most popular trails with gorgeous views of mountains and distant valleys. We occasionally pass or get passed by other hikers but it’s never enough to diminish the sense of solitude.

A Marmot munches on leaves, fattening up for winter.

A Marmot along the trail pays no attention to us as we pass by while he munches and fattens himself up for winter.

A Canada Red Ground Squirrel takes an interest in us, but most likely it's our lunch he's asking about.

Hiking in that sweet spot between the valleys and the sky.

We’re hiking in that sweet exhilarating country just below the craggy peaks and so high above the distant valleys that we feel as detached from the world below as an eagle when she soars.

Indian Paintbrush come in red and pink.

Blooms and Butterflies.

It’s the best time of year for wildflowers.

The trail contours below the peaks until it reaches Granite Park Chalet.

We're almost to the Chalet.

The Granite Park Chalet is a bed and breakfast but you have to backpack in.

From the chalet the trail descends 2,000 feet in four miles to the Loop where we’ll get the shuttle back to camp. Now comes what you wouldn't think would be the hard part. Oh, but those last four miles with our toes jamming into the ends of our boots made us weary and foot sore and ready for a seat on the shuttle. Total weariness means a day well spent.

Day 2, taking the Shuttle over the pass. We happy, foot-sore hikers decide to take a rest day and ride the shuttle over the pass to the east entrance at Lake St. Mary Visitor Center so we can get more views of the park. If you ever find yourself at this visitor center be sure to listen to the exhibit of audio greetings given by the native peoples of these lands. They are inspiring, welcoming and admonish us to take responsibility for the preservation and protection of these lands.

Beauty where ever we look.

Two Black Bear cubs wrestle by the side of the road as our shuttle passes by.

Day 3, if you’re a bicyclist you’ll love this ride. When we rode the shuttle over the pass on our 2^nd day we saw a group of bicyclist coming down the mountain. That was all the inspiration we needed so we get the bikes out for a ride up the Going to the Sun Road. This is one of our bucket-list items. It’s a 16 mile ride from Avalanche to Logan Pass. Bicyclists aren’t permitted on the road between 11 am and 4 pm due to increased traffic so we get an early start. The first 6 miles are gradual and then the grade kicks up to a steady 6% for the last 10 miles of this 3,000 foot ascent. We keep a steady pace as we climb and the 25 mph speed limit and good visibility lets traffic pass us easily. What a great climb!

We bike and made it to the Logan Pass, a 3,000 ft. climb.

We make the climb in about 2 hours and it’s 10 am when we get to the top, just enough time for a pic before we fly back down the mountain. The descent is smooth and fast as we carve graceful curves on the descent. Our biggest concern is having to slow down for traffic. Put this ride on your bucket list.

The glacial blue waters of McDonald Creek flow along the Going to the Sun Road.

Day 4, hiking to Avalanche Lake. On our last day we hike to Avalanche Lake on a 4-mile round trip trail that begins at the campground. The first section of the trail through an impressive stand of cedars is called Trail of the Cedars. As the trail ascends Avalanche Creek it passes along the edge of the narrows where the creek foams and thunders in its passage.

The Trail to Avalanche Lake.

Avalanche Creek churns through a chasm below us along the trail. 

Avalanche Lake, if you fish, take your pole.

Avalanche Lake is peaceful and serene in its basin, reflecting the mountains and quietly accepting the adoration of the hikers who made the pilgrimage to see it.

Ribbon waterfalls spill in a distant roar down the mountain.

Several long ribbon falls trace their way down the mountain in a distant thunderous roar to feed the lake with glacial water.

Avalanche Creek.

Glacier was one of our bucket list places and it’s hard to leave it. There are so many hikes still to be done so we’ll have to come back.

We have many more things to see on down the road so until then.

Jackie