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!