Road trip, day seven: Many Glacier.

Spent the first part of my last day playing up at Many Glacier. I stopped at the ranger station to inquire about bear sightings; I'd been threatened with death if I came back to Portland in a bodybag from a bear mauling, and it sounded like if there was a place to see them, this was it. I think the ranger had been barraged that week because of the Jack Hanna incident and she reassured me that hiking alone, without bear/pepper spray, would be fine. It was.

The path to Grinnell Lake takes you along Lake Sherburne, a recreational lake but also gorgeous.

Then it heads a little deeper into the woods, where I ran into the self-proclaimed "Youth Brigade" - a bunch of older gentlemen fixing a foot bridge.

"I hope you brought your gloves and hammer," one of the men joked as I walked past. "I'm on vacation!" I stated. "So are we!" he replied. Turns out, they were spending a week volunteering in the park. Ahhh, retirement.

A few miles later I stumbled upon the amazing lake that is Grinnell.

I think everyone has this same exact shot

I sat for a while by the shore enjoying the quiet (interrupted now and then by me clanging the bear bell) and my granola bar/chocolate lunch. On the way back I took a different trail up to Feather Plume Falls...

note to self: less falls, more lakes

... and then along Piegan Pass back to the parking area. The peaks were stunning.

Stopped briefly at Two Sisters Cafe for one of the best four-berry lemonades I've ever had. I'm sure that had nothing to do with my 8-mile hike and the heat.

reuse, recycle... decorate

Afterward I attempted to go to Lunch Creek at Ben's suggestion, but parking for that off-trail area was centered around Logan Pass and the construction and tourists made it impossible. Next time!

I did get a photo as the car crawled by

So I headed down to my last walk in the park, to St. Mary and Virginia Falls. St. Mary Falls was really pretty. The water near the falls was as blue as any tropical island, and for a moment I forgot I was in the mountains.

donde estoy?

the falls were nice too

Virginia Falls was lovely, and no one was there. I savored my last few hours in the park quietly watching the falls, playing with my tripod, and getting the obligatory "Hi, Mom" shot.

"HI, MOM!"

looking the other way

And then it was back to the hostel for my last night in town. I only got a taste of Glacier this trip, but I can't wait to get back and do some real backpacking to the less touristy places.

the end, part I

But first, the real world for a bit. It's going to be amazing, right? I said, RIGHT?!