Montana 17 to 23 August 2013

DSCN9075 cpy cover photo 2013-08-17 16.11.36 I left CH on 17 August and flew to DC where Vivianne met me, chauffeured me around and the next day dropped me at National Airport. 2013-08-18 12.43.05 On 18 August, I flew to Kalispell, MT, land of large trucks with loud paint jobs 2013-08-18 13.09.52 I could not help comparing this 5 lane road with the 2 lane roads, and not always paved, in the Altai.
DSCN8854 I drove through Glacier NP, crossing Logan Pass, and then took photos as I came back. This is St. Mary's Lake at about 2PM on 18 August DSCN8852 These old timey buses were very popular as were the free shuttle passes that ran along the Going-to-the-Sun Highway. DSCN8860 It was a spectacular day, what first drew me to the West and still holds my attention, wind not withstanding. DSCN8861 The mountains look familiar: horizontal strata of sedimentary rock carved by glaciers
DSCN8863 Cliffs and plateaux DSCN8864 Iron exposed in the rocks DSCN8865 treeline ecotones are very evident, unlike the Alps DSCN8868 Steep and steeper
DSCN8870 DSCN8871 Waterfalls on the arid rock faces DSCN8872 shuttle and treeline 2013-08-18 18.10.34 Note where the latches were made
DSCN8875 Siyeh Creek DSCN8876 Note the hiking trail DSCN8877 Siyeh Creek descending over steps DSCN8878 Interpretative panels at Siyeh Bend
DSCN8881 cloud and contrail over Going-to-the-Sun Mtn DSCN8882 Classic view looking E down valley DSCN8883 Details DSCN8884 Details
DSCN8889 a more classic view? DSCN8892 Shadows and forest DSCN8894 path to Hidden Lake Overview from Logan Pass DSCN8895 I arrive here around 4PM and was at that time able to find a parking spot in the Logan Pass lot
DSCN8896 There are obviously a lot of people who make this hike and the Park has done a good thing with the board walk. DSCN8897 The vegetation would otherwise have been hammered DSCN8898 A blocky landscape, created from squarish strata DSCN8899 Brilliant flowers
DSCN8900 Flowers, tundra and forest DSCN8904 flowers and streams DSCN8905 Source of stream. The wind would occasionally blow all the water away! DSCN8906 water in the landscape
DSCN8907 Squarish strata indeed! DSCN8908 At the highest point, I ran across a billy goat DSCN8911 He was in great shape! DSCN8912 and resplendent!
DSCN8914 He ambled away from all us people DSCN8915 Treeline ponds DSCN8916 Ripples from the wind DSCN8918 Another billy or the same one?
DSCN8920 Light on water- Hidden Lake DSCN8921 Sparkling in the light and the wind! DSCN8922 The view was worth the hike DSCN8924 Island in Hidden Lake
DSCN8925 Clements Mtn directly above the overlook. DSCN8926 Closer... DSCN8927 closest! DSCN8928 The overlook
DSCN8929 There were some babies! DSCN8930 a great landscape for a kid DSCN8931 The moms were also in the area but looked kind of ratty! DSCN8938 a mother-child reunion
DSCN8941 kids and mothers DSCN8942 Three of 'em! DSCN8943 Goats in action DSCN8945 easy to imagine a the glacier that made the cirque
DSCN8946 more treeline DSCN8947 treeline, pond and summits DSCN8950 Tourists on their way back to the Pass DSCN8951 The Garden Wall
DSCN8952 which looks surprisingly like Cape au Moine! DSCN8953 Details DSCN8954 Waterfall down the Garden Wall DSCN8956 The road is an engineering marvel
DSCN8958 Looking W toward West Glacier DSCN8959 Hanging valley and water fall DSCN8960 Forest and falls DSCN8961 U-shaped valley
DSCN8962 The wind in the trees DSCN8963 It sounded like marbles poured on a concrete floor DSCN8964 Avalanche tracks DSCN8966 Riven
DSCN8967 Like ships DSCN8971 DSCN8972 Afternoon DSCN8973 and the wind howled up the canyon
DSCN8974 Ramparts DSCN8975 Citadel DSCN8976 Wall DSCN8982 I slept in the guest room, which heretofore was the room of their daughters, one after the other.
DSCN8978 Coffee and homemade blueberry muffins the next morning DSCN8979 They just recently finished remodeling their kitchen DSCN8980 And while she may not look enthusiastic here, Ann loves it! DSCN8981 Dan is allowed to look in
DSCN9015 and participate DSCN9014 Their living room DSCN8985 The Fagre Residence - not exactly firesafe! DSCN9013 which has occasionally been cause for concern (fire of 2003)
DSCN8986 House, yard and garage DSCN9016 So tidy it could be Swiss! DSCN8987 Complete with prayer flags from Nepal DSCN8983 A tidy garage
DSCN8984 But they have been in Montana for 20+ years DSCN8988 We drove back into the Park DSCN8989 Up Lake MacDonald DSCN8990 with these amazing lenticular clouds
DSCN8992 We were heady for Avalanche Lake through the forest DSCN8993 past gorges DSCN8994 overgrown with moss DSCN8997 The forest is dense!
DSCN8998 Avalanche Lake DSCN8999 Water and trees DSCN9002 Cliffs down which avalanches fall DSCN9003 The wind ripped the water out of the falls high above us
DSCN9005 Signs of avalanche DSCN9006 Debris DSCN9007 Gorge with light DSCN9010 Froth
DSCN9011 Foaming stream DSCN9018 We returned to West Glacier and I bid them adieu, then drove down the highway toward Hungry Horse DSCN9019 Lots of possibilities DSCN9020 Hucks
DSCN9021 Flathead valley is good ag land DSCN9022 Wheatstraw DSCN9024 Wheat and Whitefish Mountain DSCN9025 Old Ponderosa
DSCN9026 Bales DSCN9030 Montana Highways DSCN9032 Accommodations at the Biological Station reminded me of Kirkwood DSCN9033 It was of that era
DSCN9034 The furniture too DSCN9035 I made myself at home. DSCN9036 The Station is on a cove on the east side of the Lake DSCN9037 Field station boat
DSCN9038 Veronica and Sandra DSCN9039 Jim Gosz DSCN9041 Maria Ehmke from Wyoming DSCN9042 Ursala and Teena
DSCN9044 We shared the Station with some students DSCN9045 the cove DSCN9046 Full moon at dawn DSCN9049
DSCN9053 Dave Griffith DSCN9054 Patrick Bourgeron and John Dennis DSCN9055 Patrick, Gallic as ever and carrying a bit more weight - he looks good! DSCN9057 A quick tour of the Station: it has many little cabins
DSCN9058 scattered through the forest, which was opened up a few years ago by a powerful windstorm DSCN9059 the full lake DSCN9061 wasp nest DSCN9062 Lake
DSCN9063 Snag DSCN9064 like green fireworks DSCN9065 Art DSCN9067 Art
DSCN9069 Weather on the Lake DSCN9070 Looking back into the cove DSCN9071 Improved trail DSCN9072 Water wars
DSCN9073 Original cabin on the site DSCN9074 Travelodge in Kalispell DSCN9075 Western town DSCN9076 Kokanee salmon are iconic
DSCN9077 Alas, so are the war dead DSCN9078 DSCN9079 Starting with the Spanish-American War DSCN9080 Iraq Wars
DSCN9081 Hurry on in, ya hear!