A taste of Glacier National Park

Raw Beauty

So when I left Colorado on the second of July due to the beginning of the monsoons, I decided to make a visit through Glacier National Park and drive through parts of Montana I have never been to. I drove continuously from about two in the afternoon on the 2nd from Denver to 10 in the morning on the 3rd and spent two days in the park.

I was hoping to be able to hike around, maybe see some beautiful high alpine lakes and summit a couple things but when I heard that the Going to the Sun road wasn't even open yet that plan hit the toilet. So I decided to make it a photography trip.

I started by coming into St. Mary and entered the park and drove to the road closure stopping at places along the way. I managed a small hike and a summit attempt on a small unnamed point above the road. This point still had decent elevation of a little over 8000 feet and wasn't too snowy but very loose scree turned me around. I got about two-thirds the way up and turned around at the meadow line.

The rest of that day I drove around taking photos. I did another small hike to Redrock Lake and took more photos. I camped the night in horrible bugs at Lake Sheburne.

The second day I spent the morning at Swiftcurrent Lake taking sunrise photos and then drove out. The drives on those Montana State roads are rough. Many areas where entire sections of the road are falling off the mountain. Very scenic though.

Met friends that afternoon at Flathead Lake and crashed at their place before heading to Twisp the next day to start my Chelan Sawtooth backpacking trip I posted a trip report for a few days ago.

Photos

Swiftcurrent Lake outlet

Swiftcurrent Lake

Swiftcurrent Lake

View on the trail to Redrock Lake

Swiftcurrent Lake outlet stream

Glacier National Park

The Emerald St. Mary Lake

Swiftcurrent Lake

St. Mary Lake reflection

Redrock Lake

Stream above Redrock Lake

St. Mary Lake reflection

Divide Peak

Still lots of snow below Goat Peak

Looking up at a huge vertical cliff

St. Mary Lake and rugged peaks

Images

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