It's about the other park. Thought you Sierra folks would like to see what up north looks like. A weekend walk in Glacier Nat. Park, 20 mile through hike, 3,300 feet climbed, 3,800 feet down. Stellar weather, and everything is moist and green. The goats are running all over the place.




Blackfoot and Jackson Glaciers haven't lost their winter fur yet.


Warm enough that you needed to stop in the shade rather than in the sun just to take in the views. The little woman and her 75 liter load.


A pretty cool stop for lunch at Gunsight lake campground, with some pretty cool views within just a few steps of the food prep area.




Pretty uneventful up till now. Met a man that was headed up and his gear seemed kind of 70's, and his clothing did not meet the norm for this type of terrain, a little old to be alone out here, no bear spray, and just generaly did not make sense. Talked breifly with him and seemed very nice, but with the out of place gear and whatnot, seemed like there was a story untold here. Mentioned this to the wife after he left and she said I should ask him when we meet up at the only camp spot for the next 16 miles. Seemed like a good idea, until halfway up the pass I saw him chopping steps in the snowfield with a pretty heighness(sp) runout below. I had warned him to be careful on the snow during our previous meeting. The next time I looked up he was no longer standing and it did not look good. Here is what we saw, keep in mind the camera was zoomed all the way out.
This is Jim where he fell from where we first saw him.


I ran my fat butt up the 1/4 mile or so, donned crampons, axe, and rope and went out and helped him off the snowfield. Mini epic for sure. So now I had to short rope the wife across so I left my pack on the trail on the other side and went back across for her. About the time I arrived on the other side we noticed someones overly stuffed/well rounded pack going head over heels to the bottom of the slope at near terminal velocity. Crap, it's mine. Round pack on sloped trail in the wind, bad deal. Just think how much cardio I get this weekend, climbing the steep stuff, not once but twice, loaded both times.


But the views were great.


And cool rock to boot.


Beautiful plants, live and not.


I have this same moss just outside my front door and it doesn't bloom near as well as the wild stuff.

Always take the time to look back on things.


An old goat.


And a not old goat.


My buddy Chuck, thats what I call all the marmots here.




Finally can see camp. The trees on the left near the lake is the campsite, with the food area by the glacial erratic on the left third of pic.


A place on the lake is too tuff to take.


With waterfalls all around to lull us to sleep.


Here is Jim, the guy I had met previously on the snow, with his humble load. Turns out the story was 40 years ago two NYC boys got in a VW bug and went out to see the world and the first moutain adventure they had was exactly 40 years previous on this very trail, just backwards in direction. We swapped jokes and stories at dinner and I will never forget our meeting, he had me fooled when he left me his business card stating "You knew you caught a fish, but you didn't know you caught a big fish." Turns out the card belongs to a US Admin. Law Judge. Floored me flat out. Never would have guessed that story thats for sure. Great guy.


And for 64 years and 51 weeks old he hikes very well. One last look back on the lake on the way out.


With some goats getting out of the heat.


And one last waterfall when coming down out of the alpine stuff.


Sorry for the bad grammar and misspellings, I will edit as time permits and it is late for me. You should have been there.

Bob