Lonely Hike

Saturday September 3, 2011
Glacier Campground
West Glacier, Montana

 

David here. 
(asides, of course, by Sherry)

I think Sherry was just trying
to get me out of the house when she made
a rather strong suggestion that I go take a hike. 
So I did.  ;) 
(hahahaha-I just thought
there is no sense in two of us being
laid up when only one of us has a broken ankle)

I drove up to Avalanche Creek
for the Trail of Cedars and the trail to Avalanche Lake. 
This was the first totally clear, blue sky day so I stopped along McDonald Lake to get a better picture of the view there.

 

 

Being Saturday of Labor Day weekend,
parking was difficult and I had to park
a quarter mile away up the road - no problem. 
I did the 0.8 mile Trail of Cedars first. 
This trail is on a boardwalk AND handicapped accessible. 
That got me to thinking about where
and how I could get a wheelchair so Sherry could see it too. 
This trail has some REALLY BIG trees - color me happy ;). 

See the small person waving to get a feel
for the size of this gorgeous western red cedar. 
More on that in a future post.

 

 

On to the trail up to Avalanche Lake. 
This beautiful trail starts out following Avalanche Creek
then meanders through a dense conifer forest
through rocks, moss & ferns. 
It climbs 500 feet in 2 miles
to reach the near end of the lake,
with another half mile to the far end of the lake,
so about 5 miles round trip.

 

At the base the azure blue waters of Avalanche Creek
pass through some very narrow rock passages
making the rushing sound of water falling
and swirling to cut curves and bowl shapes along each side.

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn't long before I started seeing places
where I felt Sherry was missing. 
Like here, and here and there. 
Made my eyes swell and red -
she would have loved this I know.

 

 

 

 

(Awwww….isn’t that sweet? 
True that I would have had my face in that great
picture frame)

 

As the trail went away from the stream it looked like this.

 

 

Here I have reached the near (north) end of the lake
and had the camera capture my lunch spot.

 

 

Walking the shore & trail toward the south end I saw these views.

 

 

 

 

At the southern end,
I got to see the view reserved only for those
who go the full distance -
which not surprisingly, most people do not
once they have see the view back to the near end.

 

 

Just before reaching the beach at the south end,
you see this very clear sign:

 

 

Not surprising to me is the smaller trail
behind the sign made by those who are
1) just checking,
2) in denial or
3) can't read English.
(or as Paul says, you can’t fix stupid)

Hope you enjoyed the hike too.  ;)
(well I sure did, but it’s just not quite the same as being there)