On The Road

~A funky town, a Blackfoot Warrior, Running Eagle Falls and a place called Two Medicine ~

August 16, 2014 Sheila 4 Comments

Today we drove from West Glacier to the East entrance of Glacier National Park. Our destination, the Two Medicine area.

Along with today’s photos are a few taken yesterday as we drove Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Columbian Ground Squirrel Glacier National Park — Columbian Ground Squirrel
Glacier National Park (West Entrance)

Alpine Flowers – Glacier National Park (West Entrance)

Indian Paintbrush Glacier National Park — Indian Paintbrush
Glacier National Park (West Entrance)

Two Medicine, Glacier National Park

The landscape in East Glacier is different from West Glacier. The mountains are mostly bare rock as opposed to being tree covered on the West side. There are lots of Aspen and Cottonwood trees, which must be spectacular in the fall!

This area of Glacier has fewer visitors (which we like), a kind of funky vibe to the town of East Glacier (also which we like), lots of hiking trails, dramatic-shaped mountains, reminding us of Colorado, and numerous glacier fed lakes. A gorgeous, gorgeous area!

Two Medicine, East Glacier entrance. Two Medicine Lake in the background — Two Medicine Area. Two Medicine Lake in the background. Glacier National Park (East entrance)

Info taken from the Wed:

“Two Medicine has become a somewhat off-the-beaten-path discovery for most park visitors. Once discovered however it’s easy to see why many people consider this their favorite part of Glacier National Park.”

Black Cottonwood Tree – Two Medicine area. Glacier National Park (East entrance)

Running Eagle Falls named after a Blackfoot Warrior in Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park (East entrance)

The legion of the falls… Info taken from the web:

“This falls is named after Running Eagle (Pitamakan), a Blackfoot tribeswoman who lived around 1825. As the story goes, she gravitated to the skills of a Blackfoot warrior. She became a great hunter and was incredibly brave in the face of her tribes’ enemies. At one point, Running Eagle was instructed by the village elders to go on a vision quest in order to find her true calling. It is said that she went on this quest near the falls. Running eagle was able to tell of her adventures in the Medicine Lodge ceremonies while also becoming a member of the Braves Society of young warriors. She continued to lead successfully war and hunting parties until she died in a battle against a party of Flatheads near the Sun River.”

“Running Eagle, aka Brown Weasel Woman, was a Blackfoot woman who rescued her father after his horse was shot by an enemy tribe. The name Running Eagle was bestowed upon her for her bravery, and she was invited to join a warrior society, and acted as a female war chief. She was eventually clubbed to death by members of the Flathead Tribe in 1850 when she was caught trying to steal their horses during a battle.”

I wish I had more photos, but it began to rain!

I guess you could say we went on our own type of Vision Quest today.

On The Road

~Glacier National Park and the Hungry Horse Area~

August 15, 2014 Sheila 8 Comments

“I have no words to adequately describe the raw beauty of Glacier National Park.

Nor, do I have the words to express, the feeling of pure joy, while I stand in this beauty.”

These photos were taken this afternoon, in Glacier National Park, driving to the Fish Creek area.

Not far from Fish Creek Campground. Photo taken from the west side of McDonald Lake looking east. — Not far from Fish Creek Campground. Photo taken today from the west side of McDonald Lake looking east.

These photos were taken yesterday on our way to Logan Pass, in Glacier National Park. The day was cloudy and last night we had a thunderstorm pass over.

Going-to-the-Sun road. It is a pretty scary road to travel! We went as far as Logan Pass. — Going-to-the-Sun road. It is a pretty scary road to travel! We drove as far as Logan Pass.

The Road below — Going-to-the-Sun Road below

Going-to-the-Sun road — Wildflowers and Glaciers

_MG_1717 — Another view of Going-to-the-Sun Road

These photos were taken this morning on our way to Hungry Horse Reservoir.

On The Road

~Oh no, over the falls!~

August 14, 2014 Sheila 9 Comments

We are riding along on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park and pull into a turnout. We get out of the car and walk down an embankment to view McDonald Falls. Howard and I are enjoying the magnificent scenery and I am taking a few photos.

I see movement out of the corner of my eye and glance in that direction. On the other side of McDonald Creek is a family of Canada Geese coming out of the forest They seem in a big hurry and within seconds I realize why. Behind them, emerging from the forest, are two hikers.

Emerging from the forest is a Canada Goose Family (look close and you will see all five)

The Canada Goose Family, two parents and three juveniles, are heading for the creek traversing over rocks toward their destination. I don’t believe they realize just how close they are to McDonald falls. They should have been more afraid of the falls than the hikers.

In the creek the father goes, followed by the rest of his family.

The family follows — Notice how one parent is leading and the other parent follows. You will see this behavior over and over again

All five make it into the creek. Notice again how they line up.

I think at this point they realize their mistake! They are trying to swim upstream, the current is swift, they are not doing well. They try to climb up on some boulders to get out of the creek, the boulders are slick and they keep sliding backward. They flap their wings trying to lift out of the fast flowing water, it doesn’t help. They are getting soaked.

Look at their face, a look of pure determination.

Finally, they get a foot hold and four of the five make it up out of the water.

One of the young is having trouble, the current is too swift and over the falls it goes. It tries to climb up on a boulder in the pool in which it landed. The boulder is too wet and too high.

Having trouble swimming against the current

I was watching its face, it was like it just decided this wasn’t working and resolved to float out of the pool and further down stream. It turned and went over another small fall.

It floated several feet before it got a foot hold and was able to climb up and out. I was not able to see where it climbed out.

At this point it was on a slope of solid rock and was able to make its way toward its family. As it waddled toward them it was fussing the entire time.

Floats down the creek and manages to climb out

Trying to make it way back to its family

Once the family was united they hurried back toward the woods.

Off they go back into the forest - all five of them!! — Off they go back into the forest – all five of them!! Notice the poor, over the falls, guy. Looks like he is still fussing.

So glad this episode ended well.

Howard and I were not the only ones watching this drama play out. About 15 other tourists were there to view the falls. Everyone was yelling, including me: “swim, fly, you can make it, get out, oh no, its going over, yeah it made it”

And, everyone was clapping when it got out of the creek and waddled its way up the slope of rocks to its family! The hikers, dang them, were sitting on a boulder watching along with everyone else.

On The Road

~Glacier National Park, Day One~

August 13, 2014 Sheila 6 Comments

We are staying in a RV park two miles from the entrance of Glacier National park. Today, after we arrived and got situated in our site, we decided to take a drive. We stopped at Five Lake and then drove into Glacier National Park. It was a pretty day and we enjoyed our short foray into Glacier and can’t wait to truly begin exploring this beautiful park tomorrow.

Alberta Visitor Center at West Glacier, Montana

This is a beautiful Visitor Center built and hosted by Alberta, Canada. We stopped here to pick-up some information about traveling into Canada. Perhaps in the fall of 2015!

Lake McDonald in Glacier. Beautiful, crystal clear, water.

Traveling along Going-to-the-Sun Road

Lake McDonald is the largest lake in Glacier National Park. Lake McDonald is approximately 10 miles (16 km) long, and over a mile (1.6 km) wide and 472 feet (130 m) deep, filling a valley formed by a combination of erosion and glacial activity. Lake McDonald lies at an elevation of 3,153 feet (960 m) and is on the west side of the Continental Divide. The Going-to-the-Sun Roadparallels the lake along its southern shoreline. The surface area of the lake is 6,823 acres (27.6 km²). [Information taken from the web]

I found this little guy or gal hanging out at McDonald Lake!

On The Road

~Flathead Lake, Montana~

August 12, 2014 Sheila 6 Comments

The gorgeous state of Montana!

A lot has happened since I posted last; hopefully I will catch up and post a few photos of the places we have been since leaving Nehalem Bay State Park.

When we left Nehalem Bay State Park we drove to Astoria, Oregon. We stayed at Fort Stevens State Park for four nights. While there we enjoyed the historical aspects of this city, the beautiful, hiking trails in Fort Stevens and a few brews!

Leaving Astoria, we left the cool breezes of the Oregon Coast behind. We stayed a few nights in Coeur d”Alene, Idaho and fell in love with this beautiful city. While there we celebrated our 39 wedding anniversary!

We have spent the past three nights in Polson, Montana and have enjoyed the towns of Polson and Lake Side, Flathead Lake, the Mission Mountain Range and the numerous wildlife refuges in the area. It has been hazy here, because of forest fires in the surrounding states.

Retreating (I believe this is a Northern Harrier)

Wolf Song Blog

~A funky town, a Blackfoot Warrior, Running Eagle Falls and a place called Two Medicine ~

Today we drove from West Glacier to the East entrance of Glacier National Park. Our destination, the Two Medicine area.

Along with today’s photos are a few taken yesterday as we drove Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Two Medicine, Glacier National Park

The landscape in East Glacier is different from West Glacier. The mountains are mostly bare rock as opposed to being tree covered on the West side. There are lots of Aspen and Cottonwood trees, which must be spectacular in the fall!

This area of Glacier has fewer visitors (which we like), a kind of funky vibe to the town of East Glacier (also which we like), lots of hiking trails, dramatic-shaped mountains, reminding us of Colorado, and numerous glacier fed lakes. A gorgeous, gorgeous area!

Info taken from the Wed:

“Two Medicine has become a somewhat off-the-beaten-path discovery for most park visitors. Once discovered however it’s easy to see why many people consider this their favorite part of Glacier National Park.”

The legion of the falls… Info taken from the web:

I guess you could say we went on our own type of Vision Quest today.

~Glacier National Park and the Hungry Horse Area~

“I have no words to adequately describe the raw beauty of Glacier National Park.

Nor, do I have the words to express, the feeling of pure joy, while I stand in this beauty.”

These photos were taken this afternoon, in Glacier National Park, driving to the Fish Creek area.

These photos were taken yesterday on our way to Logan Pass, in Glacier National Park. The day was cloudy and last night we had a thunderstorm pass over.

These photos were taken this morning on our way to Hungry Horse Reservoir.

~Oh no, over the falls!~

We are riding along on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park and pull into a turnout. We get out of the car and walk down an embankment to view McDonald Falls. Howard and I are enjoying the magnificent scenery and I am taking a few photos.

I see movement out of the corner of my eye and glance in that direction. On the other side of McDonald Creek is a family of Canada Geese coming out of the forest They seem in a big hurry and within seconds I realize why. Behind them, emerging from the forest, are two hikers.

The Canada Goose Family, two parents and three juveniles, are heading for the creek traversing over rocks toward their destination. I don’t believe they realize just how close they are to McDonald falls. They should have been more afraid of the falls than the hikers.

In the creek the father goes, followed by the rest of his family.

Finally, they get a foot hold and four of the five make it up out of the water.

One of the young is having trouble, the current is too swift and over the falls it goes. It tries to climb up on a boulder in the pool in which it landed. The boulder is too wet and too high.

I was watching its face, it was like it just decided this wasn’t working and resolved to float out of the pool and further down stream. It turned and went over another small fall.

It floated several feet before it got a foot hold and was able to climb up and out. I was not able to see where it climbed out.

At this point it was on a slope of solid rock and was able to make its way toward its family. As it waddled toward them it was fussing the entire time.

Once the family was united they hurried back toward the woods.

So glad this episode ended well.

Howard and I were not the only ones watching this drama play out. About 15 other tourists were there to view the falls. Everyone was yelling, including me: “swim, fly, you can make it, get out, oh no, its going over, yeah it made it”

And, everyone was clapping when it got out of the creek and waddled its way up the slope of rocks to its family! The hikers, dang them, were sitting on a boulder watching along with everyone else.

~Glacier National Park, Day One~

~Flathead Lake, Montana~

The gorgeous state of Montana!

In the morning we head to Glacier National Park!

Enjoying retirement: On The Road & At Home