Hiking! Hiking!

Thursday, July 3, 2014

We are staying in West Glacier for several days because there are lots of hikes that look intriguing. We start with a breakfast of oatmeal and coffee/tea (I'm still trying to stay away from coffee) and then discuss the options for today.  We settle on three possibilities and head out following what looks like a straight-forward route.  Yea, well, not so much.  But with a map and some patience we get where we're going, the Two Medicines entrance to the park. 

It actually has worked to our advantage because the weather looked pretty "iffy" when we left home;  but by the time we arrive it has cleared up and we didn't go that far out of our way, anyway.  And we got to see some sights that we would have missed otherwise, like the metropolis of Kiowa!

Too bad someone did notice how hard it is to read a see-through sign!

We also find a pull out that has a hike down to a view of Two Medicine Lake that is truly scenic!  The lake is extremely long and the mountains behind it are showing off their snow/glacial finery.  And the flowers!  We've been hoping for a meadow with wildflowers and this certainly fits the bill!

Gently rolling hills to one side of us..

and these gorgeous peaks to the other!

That's the rain that we're missing because of our unexpected route!

It's still pretty overcast;  but that will clear up soon!

 There are two crosses overlooking the lake.  They mark the resting place of four members of the Webber family, enrolled members of the Blackfeet Nation.

Bored with lake pictures yet?  It was just so hard to stop!

Okay, how about some meadow wildflowers?

No one is "personing" the gate when we arrive at the park, so we don't get to show off our Senior Passes; but we still figure we saved another twenty-five dollar admission fee!  Our first hike is to Running Eagle Falls, which is named for a Picuni woman who lived in the early 1700s.  As the sign says, "her life's story is a saga of leadership and victories" and she was the only woman to rise to a position of leadership after completing a four-day vision quest.

The trail is broad and smooth and there are plans to pave it for wheelchair access.  The falls themselves are actually across a creek with doesn't invite wading due to the velocity and the temperature.  We can envision being swept away, even though it is fairly shallow.  

When the wind blows these tiny danglers shiver and shake.  Marilyn says they look like
crystals on a chandelier.

The is beargrass (yea, it's all one word!) as it begins to open, before it
has that classic bulbous appearance.

Love waterfalls!!  This one is another grand example!  

Our first glimpse through the trees.

I can't decide which photo I like better!  Your thoughts?

I''m not wading in that!

It's hard to really grasp the size of these mountains!

Along the trail we see more wildflowers and a chipmunk (Bill, is that what he is?)

He eventually came out and headed up the trail.  But who wants a chipmunk derriere photo?

We’re so desperate for wildlife, that we are entranced by a robin!  Well, I think he’s a robin although his redbreast is much darker than any I’ve seen at home!

 Back to the main trail and onto the Two Medicine South Shore Trail.  We’re starving and decide to have our spinach salads before we set off.  First we will head to Paradise Point which was supposed to have another waterfall.  

There are canoes and kayaks for rent and a scenic boat tour which leaves from the dock here.

It turns out to go to the shore of the lake!  

But there are waterfalls on the other side, running from snow patch to snow patch, all the way down the sides of the mountains!

 On the way back we remark again on the beautiful meadow filled with wildflowers and notice some that we’ve not seen before.  And there’s a water bug!  And a spider web!  Can you tell we are really in need of wildlife!  

Back at the junction of our trail and the one we had considered taking next, we decide that these Florida Flatlanders have had enough for one day.  We’ll adjust to the altitude, about 5,000 feet, and consider this a good first-day's effort.  

Now it’s time to check out the General Store!  Yay shopping!  Marilyn convinces me that since I hate my hat because it keeps trying to escape in the wind, I should get one I like and that will stay put.  There’s one made in the USA which does nicely, and, of course, I have to have a Glacier National Park pin to decorate it!  I wouldn’t want it to be confused with someone else’s!  There is also a bottle of Montana’s Dancing Ram Flathead Red which is calling my name!  It’s a combination of Flathead Cherry Wine and “Red Wine”!  Now if we can just come up with a corkscrew we can try it.

Time to head home.  We can download our photos, work on our blogs, buy eggs at the Trading Post, look for a laundry, check out the Rock ‘n’ Roll Bakery, shop at the Twisted Spoon, and go to dinner!  Sounds like a full evening!

You can identify the Twisted Spoon by the "world's largest purple spoon" out front.  The entire shop is filled with handmade wooden spoons which are made by Charlie's wife and daughter after he pre-forms them.  Some have flattened ends so you can stir things like sausage gravy, then serve it with the same utensil!  There is a display case in the back with Harry Potter wands!  Some are so authentic that they have a Phoenix feather at their heart!  Real Phoenix feathers!  From Phoenix (AZ)!  Others have sand from Cheops or a mammoth hair or other magical talismans.

See the ones with the holes in the sides?  The first one was an accident when a knot fell out.
Charlie's wife, Pat, liked the effect and started do it on purpose!

Check the drawer pulls!  The curtain rod is also a giant spoon.

All the spoons are soaked four times in water during the carving process.  When they're
finished, they are rubbed with mineral oil and bee's wax.

Mark from the Whistling Swan had recommended Luna’s for dinner when Marilyn spoke to him this morning about our shower.  It turns out that the hot and cold are reversed and voila, there’s hot water in the shower!  Anyway, we go to Luna’s and split an Indian Taco, which is made with fry bread!  YUM!  And we split one of Luna’s homemade, “Best in the Lunaverse”, huckleberry pies with ice cream!  And to top it off we stop by the bakery for two cinnamon buns for breakfast, with our frog in the hole! 

Luna's flowers

Patrick at the bakery suggests that we go to Bowman Lake, North Fork, Pole Ridge and take the boat to see the glacier, then hike back!  Most of those were already on our list!  Yay us!

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Time to argue with Blogger and get ready for bed!  And here’s a Fourth of July photo to start your day!

Be kind to your web-footed friends!