Glacier National Park 2

Here's a few more shots from Glacier.

This is from the Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of the most spectacular and scenic roads in the country. We really only got to enjoy these views for a few minutes the first day on our way to find a camp sight.  The rest of the time we were there, the sky was obscured by clouds and fog much of the time.

Like this.

We did manage to squeeze in a hike up near Logan Pass, in between sleet and rain showers.  Here's a few shots from that.

We were really hoping to camp and spend a lot of time in the Many Glacier area, but alas, the campground was full when we first got to the park, and the weather was pretty crumby.  We drove up from Two Medicine campground where we were staying to do some hiking one day, but this was the only view we got as we approached the Many Glacier area from the East.  By the time we got into the valley, it was totally socked in with low clouds and absolutely pouring.  And the temperature was in the 40's.  We were freezing!  So we ate our picnic lunch in the car, and after waiting around a bit, finally gave up on hiking in the Many Glacier area.

We did, however, get to see a nice little bear not far from the road on our way out.  He (or she) seemed to be foraging for food among the bushes and rocks by the road.  Doesn't he/she look wet and cold?  From our ranger classes that we later took at Yellowstone, I believe it is a cinnamon-colored black bear.  The big, pronounced ears are a dead giveaway, as well as the shape of the shoulders and rump.  We did get to see a HUGE grizzly while we were hiking up near Logan Pass, though it was quite far away.  And there was a grizz that came right up to the edge of our campground, the next day.

Stay tuned for one more post from Glacier National Park, with some of the best scenery pics still to come!