Day 52

Liked my hike yesterday so much, decided to stick around and do another one. This park is so big, it's impossible to see in just a couple days. But that's not going to stop me from trying. Who knows the next time I'll be here.

Decided on a classic Glacier hike: the Highline trail. It goes from a high mountain pass and hugs the wall below a knife's edge series of peaks. It runs along a steep slope through endless alpine wildflowers called the Garden wall. As soon as I read the description in the book I was sold. I have a thing for wildflowers... Another 12 miler, but it sounded worth it, and I wasn't that sore from the day before.

The secondary purpose of the venture was to check out the road that I will be taking tomorrow: the famous 'Going-to-the-Sun Road'. It climbs up from the base of the mountains to Logan Pass, right through the heart of the park, crossing the Continental Divide, then down the other side. I certainly haven't done any climbing like that on this trip so far, but I'm glad to have mom taking my stuff. I'll be meeting her on the other side.

But that's tomorrow. Today, hiking. Needless to say, it was awesome. All I can do is show some photographs.

Nuff said. After 7.5 miles the trail came upon a chalet, perched upon a meadow. Felt as though I might be in the alps.

In the old times, visitors would ride horses from chalet to chalet. Sounds like a good time. As promised, the wildflowers were incredible.

Indian paintbrush, wandering daisy, yellow columbine, lyle's penstemon (a rare one I was excited to see), and shrubby cinquefoil. And so much bear grass.

I peered doen on the roqd from above. It sure wqs straight up, but going down was going to be great. Narrow, but good pavement. Certainly some traffic in the afternoon. Have to start early I suppose.

From the chalet it was a steep 4 miles down to the road. Tasty juneberries growing in the open, under bare strees remaining standing and chard from a forest fire.

Glacier has a nifty shuttle service that will pick you up ans drop you off anywhere along the sun road just like a subway line. There was seating but with so many hikers, most of the time it was standing room only. Never been on public transport in the middle of the mountains before...

Back to camp, legs very sore. Two consecutive 12 mile days was a little ambitious, especially with the climb I have tomorrow. After doing 60 mile days everyday for so long, you forget what 10 miles feels like on foot. Nevertheless, after dinner and rest, I felt fine and set my mind to tomorrow.