Glacier National Park

(Note: if you click on the pictures, you get a bigger version and it's easier to see what's there!)

There is something very satisfying in realizing that you have passed your love of something on to your child.  It seems I have managed to pass on my love of camping to my youngest son and his family. And that all came full circle last week at Glacier National Park, where we all camped together for four delightful days.

All 5 of us at Glacier

 The first day we drove to Logan Pass, the highest point on the Going-to-the-Sun road that bisects the park, providing access from East to West. The views were amazing, and even though I had been to Glacier 4 years ago, I saw lots of new things that I had not been able to see that time (that happens when you are the driver – concentrating on the road, not the view!).  When we arrived at the visitor center and parked the car, the first thing we saw was four bighorn sheep about 100 feet from the wall at the edge of the parking lot.  They stayed in the meadow there for quite a long time, and we were fascinated to watch them.  Then as we left the park, we saw five mountain goats on a cliff just past the visitor center. What a day for wildlife! 

 

Bighorn Sheep

George checking them out

After wandering around the visitor center for a while and asking the rangers a few questions, Ted and Carrie and the boys decided to hike a little bit and suggested that I come along – it didn't look too hard a hike. Those of you who know me are aware that I have COPD and sometimes require oxygen.  This was one of those times – Logan Pass is already at a higher altitude than New Mexico, and exercise is one of those things that require extra O2. I brought a lot of small tanks with me so that I could hike some, so I stuck one in my backpack and off we went. The path went downhill almost immediately, and kept going downhill, which was really nice for me, but I kept thinking that I had to get back up there.  The only access at the other end of the trail was 11 miles away!  There came a part of the trail that was a narrow path cut from the side of a cliff with a huge dropoff. They wanted to go to the other side of this segment, but I declined and sat on a boulder for a while watching them. Then I started back up – slowly, with lots of stops, but by darn, I made it!  And I beat them, too, by about 5 minutes! 

There were lots of pullouts along the side of the road on the way back to the campsite, and one of these was at a spot in the river where there was a deep pool with lovely rocks and small cliffs around. It was the perfect place for a break, and since they had brought swimming suits, they took advantage of the opportunity to play in the water for a while. Mine was a more vicarious enjoyment, but boy, would I have loved to be in that water with them.  (The climb down was just too much for these old knees!)

 

George goes in

Owen goes in

A couple of days later we hiked again, and this was what I had worked very hard beforehand to prepare for. It was a 2 mile hike with 200 feet of elevation.  I knew it would be challenging, but Ted and Carrie and Owen and George were all so patient with me having to stop to catch my breath much more frequently than they were used to. It was a really enjoyable day, and I felt like I had really accomplished my goal. Those miles I put in at the gym paid off in the end!

 

At our lunch stop one of the days

Sadly all good things must come to an end, including this part of the trip.  But as we said our goodbyes, I was heartened to know that our family tradition of camping would continue, and my grandchildren would grow up loving it, hopefully as much as I do!