Friday, July 16, 2010

Day 11 Summer 2010 Park to Park Road Trip

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.

9425 Glacier National Park MT

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.

9436 Black Bear Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

Some traffic scared it down off the road and we thought it had disappeared.

9438 Black Bear Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9439 Black Bear Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9440 Black Bear Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

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.

9441 Black Bear Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9442 Black Bear Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

9443 Black Bear Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9444 Black Bear Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

This is Lake McDonald on the Going to the Sun Roadway.

9451 Lake McDonald Going To The Sun Road GNP MT Stitch

Heavens Peak Mountain.

9490 Heavens Peak Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

Karen and I on the Going to the Sun road.

9514 Heavens Peak Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9515 Heavens Peak Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

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.

9538 Weeping Wall Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9539 Weeping Wall Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9541 Weeping Wall Going To The Sun Road GNP MT



















We saw some Mountain Goats on the side of the road and also way up on a rocky cliff.

9568 Mountain Goat Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9569 Mountain Goat Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9571 Mountain Goat Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

Arrived at Logan Pass Visitor Center.

9576 Logan Pass Visitor Center Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9581 Logan Pass Visitor Center Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

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.

9591 Logan Pass Visitor Center Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

And of course the mountain that gave the road it’s name… “Going to the Sun Mountain”

9586 Going to the Sun Mountain MT

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.

9602 Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9596 Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9597 Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

This is the Jackson Glacier. It is estimated that there will be nothing left of this glacier by 2030.

9609 Jackson Glacier Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9611 Jackson Glacier Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

The road hugs the shore of Mary Lake and there is a picturesque little island called Wild Goose Island.

9619 Mary Lake Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9622 Mary Lake Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9625 Wild Goose Island Mary Lake Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

9627 Mary Lake Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9629 Mary Lake Going To The Sun Road GNP MT 9630 Mary Lake Going To The Sun Road GNP MT

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.

9641 At the Montana Alberta Border

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.

9644 Carway AB Canada Customs 9645 Carway AB Canada Customs 9647 Welcome to Alberta Carway AB Canada Customs

The road North to Cochrane AB stretched out before us.

9648 Alberta 2 North AB 9651 Alberta 2 North AB

It is nice to see a Canadian Flag flying proudly.

9652 Canada Flag Alberta 2 North AB

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.

1 comment:

  1. 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.

    ReplyDelete