Saturday, 12 September 2009
This update is coming from my car. I'm having to sit in the motel car park to be near the router and I can sit outside because it's blowing a gale here in West Yellowstone.
Road Trip Day 24
Well, another big day and it started well. The little cabin at Apgar Village was so quiet and relaxing. I woke to a soft mist over the creek behind my room. Mornings don't get much better than that.
Breakfast was a simple affair at the little dinner by the motel where I enjoyed a short stack of pancakes with bacon and maple syrup and the obligatory coffee.
Driving to the Sun
Going to the Sun Road, twisting 50 miles across Glacier National Park is an astonishing engineering feat. The highest point crosses over the continental divide at a height of 6,680 feet. The Continental Divide, as I was reminded today is the ridge line which separates the direction in which rainfall and snowmelt drains. So, all the water from the West side of the Continental Divide drains to the Columbia River system and drains into the Pacific. To the east, it drains into the Hudson and on to the Atlantic. Isn't that clever?
Well, that's the science of the divide, here's how it looks. This is known as The Garden Wall and was created by two glaciers running parallel to one another and leaving this thin ridge of rock between.
The divide stretches away to in either direction and is even used to mark the state border between Montana and Idaho further south.
Numerous Stops then a Hike
I made many stops on the way up to Logan's Pass and was keen not to hurry,... not that I had much choice. There was a reasonable, but not choking amount of traffic and a lot of road construction going on as they continue the efforts to keep the road passable.
Besides the traffic and road work, the road itself does not invite you to travel fast. The views are stunning from beginning to end and the curves, switchbacks and precipitous drops all combine to keep speed to a sensible, relaxing pace.
I arrived at Logan's Pass around 1:00pm so I must have been driving on and off for 3 hours by then making it high time I went for a hike. I took the popular choice and headed along the board-walk to Hidden Lake overlook.
All Creatures Great and Small
The weather conditions today were perfect. The tiny amount of early morning mist had long since gone and the air was as clear as can be. Not a cloud in the sky but the sun wasn't too punishing thanks to the altitude. The mile and a half walk climbs 500 feet but it well worth the effort. On the way to the overlook I (and several dozen other hikers) were gifted an up close and personal meeting with some wild Mountain Goats. They are pretty much as fluffy and cute as the cuddly toys on sale in all the gift shops.
Once at Hidden Lake Overlook, I sat and ate the only food I had, two choc-chip cookies, and drank iced tea as I enjoyed the views of the beautiful blue lake below. I was sitting a little away from the more crowded area and enjoying the relative quiet when I noticed movement to one side. This little creature is a Columbian Ground Squirrel. Such a cutie... look at his little fat cheeks!
Lodgings and Dinner
I've stumbled upon another gem of a place to stay for the next two nights, a small Mom and Pop establishment with little wooden "cottages". It's very sweet, but sadly no Internet again so you'll be reading this post late.
My dinner was at an equally off the beaten track location out on the Interstate. I'd asked at reception if she could recommend a good place for steak and she saw me right. The Firebrand Grill and Bar is clearly a popular local haunt with gambling machines, a huge array of bottled beers and a simple menu featuring extremely good steak. As I'd missed lunch I opted for a nice, juicy, rare rib-eye. Scrumptious.
Goodnight.
Stats - Day Fifty
Distance travelled - TBA miles - West Glacier to East Glacier, MT via Going to the Sun Road
State count - 20 + DC + B.C.
Room numbers stayed in - 203, 1, 148, 212, 205, 210, 246, 118, 3, 145, 229, 111, 207, 206, 40, 605, "Cowboy", 35, 11
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