We were up and out of the hotel before 8am this morning. Today we are going to visit Glacier National Park and then head North into Alberta. We will follow the “Going to the Sun Road” through the park, from the West Entrance to the East Entrance.
We weren't a mile inside the park entrance when I decided that our front window really needed a good cleaning so that we could take better photos, so I pulled over into a pull off. Karen got out to take photos and I cleaned the front windshield. Karen came running back to the car because she had spotted a black bear not very far away. It was heading towards us along the side of the road.
Some traffic scared it down off the road and we thought it had disappeared.
I finished washing the front window and had just gotten back into the car, I looked in the rear view mirror to see if the road was clear to pull back onto and there in my rear view mirror was the bear, a mere 5 ft behind the car. Karen caught these photos as it crossed the road beside us and up the steep embankment. Pretty exciting to be that close, and I am happy I was back inside the car rather than still outside washing the windows.
This is Lake McDonald on the Going to the Sun Roadway.
Heavens Peak Mountain.
Karen and I on the Going to the Sun road.
This is the Weeping Wall, the melt water from the snow on the mountain tops is streaming down the face of this rock wall and in one place a waterfall is cascading down onto the road.
We saw some Mountain Goats on the side of the road and also way up on a rocky cliff.
Arrived at Logan Pass Visitor Center.
These vehicles are free to ride in and constantly drive back and forth along the Going to the Sun road, dropping you off or picking you up at various stops along the way.
And of course the mountain that gave the road it’s name… “Going to the Sun Mountain”
We experienced some delays along the road as the construction crews rehabilitate the road. This is part of a 7 year plan to completely restore the road.
This is the Jackson Glacier. It is estimated that there will be nothing left of this glacier by 2030.
The road hugs the shore of Mary Lake and there is a picturesque little island called Wild Goose Island.
We left GNP through the East Entrance and headed North towards the Canadian Border. On the Montana side of the border we saw these tattered and torn flags.
Then it was time to cross the border. A couple of questions of where we were and where we were heading and then we were on our way.
The road North to Cochrane AB stretched out before us.
It is nice to see a Canadian Flag flying proudly.
We are checked into our hotel in Cochrane Alberta, had to dig out some Canadian money from the inside pocket of my suitcase and put my American money away for a few days. We will be in Alberta and British Columbia for 6 or 7 days before we cross back into the US. Tomorrow we are heading to Edmonton Alberta to visit the West Edmonton Mall.
To see all of our photos from today, and there are lots of them… about 250, check out my FLICKR site.
It's been a great trip all the way around but today, with Going to the Sun Highway and a within-reach bear, looks especially cool.
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