Going Glacial Part II: Day 3 & 4

As much as Jason and I loved Whitefish, and we really did, we were thrilled about heading into Glacier National Park, our main focus for this trip.

The hike to Avalanche Lake had some beautiful surprises.
The hike to Avalanche Lake had some beautiful surprises.
Glacier-2-2014-avalanche
Avalanche Lake was as smooth as a looking glass.

We spent our first afternoon in the park climbing nearly 5 miles to Avalanche Lake, a subalpine pool fed by a number of dramatic waterfalls. It was our first taste of Glacier and we were not disappointed by the serenity of Avalanche’s reflective waters.

We came upon this grizzly bear eating berries as we were driving to the trailhead for Grinnell Glacier. Jason thought it was a big dog at first.
Lower Grinnell Lake remained visible in the valley below us for most of our hike. Now that's some tasty eye-candy.
Lower Grinnell Lake remained visible in the valley below us for most of our hike. Now that’s some tasty eye-candy.
That chunk of ice behind me is Salamander Glacier. Jason encouraged me to behave accordingly.
That chunk of ice behind me is Salamander Glacier. Jason encouraged me to behave accordingly.

The next morning, we woke up early and drove more than 2 hours along Going-to-the-Sun Road, a slender two-lane highway that cuts across sharp slopes and over the Continental Divide, to arrive at the trailhead for Grinnell Glacier. Grinnell Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in the park but reaching it still requires over 10 miles of hiking, even if you, like us, cut out 2.5 miles of the journey with a scenic boat ride around Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine. Yet, this trek is well worth its 1,600-foot elevation gain. It passes through meadows bursting with vibrant wildflowers and over weathered cliffs adorned with lacey falls. Lower Grinnell Lake, with its striking turquoise hue, remains nestled below you as you ascend, demanding your attention like a glittering jewel on the neck of a captivating woman.

As if there wasn't enough cold liquid at Grinnell to begin with, the sky dropped a whole lot more of it on us.
As if there wasn’t enough cold liquid at Grinnell to begin with, the sky dropped a whole lot more of it on us.
The perplexing turquoise color of this lake is caused by glacial flour: tiny bits of fine-grained minerals ground up by the glacier and suspended in its melt off.
The perplexing turquoise color of this lake is caused by glacial flour: tiny bits of fine-grained minerals ground up by the glacier and suspended in its melt off.
Upper Grinnell Lake looks bizarre with its milky waters and floating ice.
Upper Grinnell Lake looks bizarre with its milky waters and floating ice.

Your mouth may never close as you make your way to Grinnell, thanks to nature’s many exposed wonders, and your destination is no less spectacular. Grinnell Glacier, like all the remaining glaciers in the park, is thawing. It’s estimated that by 2020 it will no longer be a glacier. (People are dumb.) The waters melting from its spout have formed Upper Grinnell Lake, a shockingly blue body of water littered with icebergs. Grinnell’s frosty expanse exudes cold but, for Jason and me, capricious rain added an element of tangible chill as we took in that odd arctic block and its basin of icicle islands.

Grinnell Glacier, like all of the ice on this neglected planet, is melting. The water in this lake was once part of its many solid acres.
Grinnell Glacier, like all of the ice on this neglected planet, is melting. The water in this lake was once part of its many solid acres.
 We came across a whole group of bighorn sheep as we were descending from Grinnell. They didn't seem to be too intimidated by people.
We came across a whole group of bighorn sheep as we were descending from Grinnell. They didn’t seem to be too intimidated by people.

After that exhausting hike, we still had to drive 2 hours to get back to our cabin. The top of Logan Pass, the heart of the Continental Divide, was encased in a dense fog on our return voyage, making its precipitous drop-offs all the scarier. We made it back though, depleted but safe.

The trail to Grinnell passes under a waterfall. Getting wet is compulsory when a stream is cascading onto your head.
The trail to Grinnell passes under a waterfall. Getting wet is compulsory when a stream is cascading onto your head.
Between waterfalls and falling rain, Jason and I found ourselves pretty soggy as we trekked back from Grinnell, especially Jason.
Between waterfalls and falling rain, Jason and I found ourselves pretty soggy as we trekked back from Grinnell, especially Jason.

That is how our first two days in the park concluded. Next week’s post will cover our last two days. Be prepared for rides through the skies and rapid flips.

Going Glacial Part I: Day 1 & 2

Jason gets a paid week-long vacation every year courtesy of his employer. Yes, the actual vacation is reimbursed, not just the time off. This year, Jason and I fancied using our free ride to see Glacier National Park in northwest Montana. Although many of our acquaintances questioned the coolness of this destination, you don’t need to be a genius to realize that coolness kind of comes with glaciers. Duh.

We canoed along Whitefish Lake's tranquil shoreline. Our rowing skills were lacking but the scenery was not.
We canoed along Whitefish Lake’s tranquil shoreline. Our rowing skills were lacking but the scenery was not.

Although experiencing Glacier National Park was the primary purpose of our trip, we didn’t head there directly. Instead, we stayed a couple of nights at a waterside lodge in Whitefish, a friendly little town about half an hour from the park. Whitefish is primarily a tourist spot with Whitefish Lake attracting visitors in the summer and Whitefish Mountain Resort bringing skiers in the winter. Its easy-going attitude was instantly decompressing. Hello relaxation!

Just another scenic stop on Danny On.
Just another scenic stop on Danny On.

On our first afternoon, we decided to rent a canoe and paddle along the shore of the lake. We aren’t canoeing experts and we were pretty inefficient rowers but we had a great time gliding slowly through that watery landscape.

Wild huckleberries were in season and prolific along Danny On. I helped myself to quite a few of them as we hiked.
Wild huckleberries were in season and prolific along Danny On. I helped myself to quite a few of them as we hiked.
On Danny On we passed through woods full of mist and forest secrets.
On Danny On we passed through woods full of mist and forest secrets.

We spent the following day stepping on Big Mountain via the Danny On Trail, the most popular footpath in the Flathead Valley. Danny On attracts about 14,000 hikers every year but it wasn’t crowded when we trekked it. That’s probably because tendrils of clouds were tenaciously clawing their way up its slopes of pine and wildflower, threatening to unleash their moisture at any moment. Fortunately, rain didn’t materialize much out of that dense haze. The scenery, enshrouded in vapor, was dreamy but it provided more than just a feast for the eyes. Wild huckleberries, growing abundantly and ripe on the hillsides, warranted frequent tasty stops.

I captured Whitefish Lake blushing from the nearness of the sinking sun.
I captured Whitefish Lake blushing from the nearness of the sinking sun.
Surprisingly, crossing these skinny boardwalks up in the trees didn't freak me out.
Surprisingly, crossing these skinny boardwalks up in the trees didn’t freak me out.

After our hike, we hooked in for a Walk in the Treetops at Whitefish Mountain Resort. A Walk in the Treetops is a hiking tour that travels through half a mile of forest on boardwalks that are suspended up to 70 feet in the air. This particular expedition is one of the few canopy tours available in North America. Surprisingly, although I am not crazy about heights, I didn’t mind the ground being so far away, for the most part, and enjoyed this informative and uplifting outing.

We were 70 feet up from the ground on this platform. Although we were strapped in, I, unlike Jason, wasn't about to get friendly with the ledge.
We were 70 feet up from the ground on this platform. Although we were strapped in, I, unlike Jason, wasn’t about to get friendly with the ledge.

The next day we were off to Glacier National Park. Our adventures trudging onto its frozen expanses and getting cozy with its famous wildlife will be explored next week. Stay tuned.

Un-living It Up

The undead like to liven up their lack of living once in a while.

You might as well make the most of your reanimation. If you're not oozing, you're snoozing.
You might as well make the most of your reanimation. If you’re not oozing, you’re snoozing.

We zombies of the greater Salt Lake City area got together a few weeks ago for fun in the form of the SLC Zombie Walk. This 7th annual rot trot involved shuffling around downtown in a dribbling horde while muttering “brains” now and then just to shake things up a bit. Yup, it was epic.

Hundreds of corpses stumbled into Washington Square ready to begin their gruesome tour of downtown.
Hundreds of corpses stumbled into Washington Square ready to begin their gruesome tour of downtown.
Most zombies don't object to the narrow-mindedness that they regularly encounter. They'll take a mind any way they can get it.
Most zombies don’t object to the narrow-mindedness that they regularly encounter. They’ll take a mind any way they can get it.

Those still breathing found our entertainment amusing too. We encountered cameras everywhere, along with many curious and startled faces.

Jason's version of a zombie looks a lot like what might happen if a rancid steak met a cheese grater.
Jason’s version of a zombie looks a lot like what might happen if a rancid steak met a cheese grater.

Posthumous rowdiness happens; you don’t have to be living to truly live.