Day 13 – Going-to-the-sun-road and onward

Since we were going to drive on the Going-To-The-Sun-Road through Glacier National Park, we left just before 8:00am on 6/12/2017.  However, before leaving we checked on the status of the road and found out that the road is still closed because of snow.  What?  It’s June 12^th.  So instead of entering the east side, we’ll drive to the west side and go up as far as we can.  We begin heading west just as though we would head to the eastern side of the Park and we can see the mountains immediately.

There are many nice views and I can see myself, saddling up the horse from inside the barn and head out to check fences with the mountains in the background.  Maybe that was a movie I once saw.

No sooner than we are out of Cut Bank we begin our trip and settle in for the long ride, we see this deer that was ready to jump the fence and run out into the road.  Carmen was quick with the camera and just barely caught it before we and it were gone.  It’s funny, where there have been deer crossing signs, we haven’t seen deer, but where we would not think of seeing them, there they are.

With views like this we are looking forward to driving around the National Park to get to the road.

We are traveling through Browning on US-2 and come across this Esspresso building.  Sorry about all the stuff around it but can you imagine getting your coffee here in the morning.

After committing ourselves and turning from US-89 to East Glacier to the West Glacier road (still US-2) we pass East Glacier Village we pass through the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.  Coming over a little hill we almost miss these bison, since we almost thought they were cattle.  I stopped and we were able to get a few pictures.  This is part of the Blackfeet Nation Bison Reserve.  What a view the bison have.  Besides the horses and cattle we’ve seen this is nice to see.

We are either following or crossing the Lewis and Clark Trail and entering the Lewis and Clark National Forest and beginning to get our close up views of the mountains in Glacier National Park.  There is still snow on the peaks and I can see why the road is still closed above 6,000 feet.

We are driving along rolling hills and these kinds of views and shortly after this location we cross Marias Pass and the Continental Divide with an elevation of 5,216 feet.  We are only about 50 miles from West Glacier and the west end of the Going-to-The-Sun-Road so we should be there within an hour unless we stop again.

Nearing West Glacier we come across this section of the forest which looks to have been infested with something.  It’s too bad because much of the rest of the forests have been fairly clean. 

Still about 30 miles from entering the park we come across this buck standing in a field.  Shortly after Carmen gets this picture; it bolted and started to run away. 

Think they get a lot of snow here in the winter?  This is a roof over the railroad tracks to protect the trains and tracks from snow avalanches. 

Even though it is the middle of June we can now understand that the road might be closed with this snow that still exists in the mountains.  That is quite a bit of snow.

In the park we are beginning to get to the beginning of the Going-To-The-Sun-Road and come across these flowers on the side of the road.  We are not sure what they are, but Carmen likes them. 

After entering Glacier National Park and winding our way east o the Going-To-The-Sun-Road, one of the Glacier Touring Cars passes us.  You can take a tour in these cars.  The roof top is canvas and can be rolled back so the travelers can see up, or stand up to see better.

Driving along Lake McDonald we stop at a place to go down to the lake.  The water is really clear and from our location we can see most of the way down the lake. 

Here is Carmen by the lake.  I kept telling her that she was to close and to move back, but she wouldn’t fall for that.  Good thing because the water is cold.

Leaving the lake behind, we quickly come to a vantage point to see the river that feeds into the lake.  The snow covered mountain in the background seems to watch its water cascading down the river along the road.

Stopping at McDonald Falls in the river we can see where one could easily spend an hour or so sitting and listening to the water.  There are some people on the other side sitting on the rocks by the falls.  A nice little hike crossing the river will get you there.  If we had more time we would also be sitting there.

Here is another view of McDonald Falls along with the mountains in the background.  We could easily forget the time and stay here, but we have to move on.

While standing by the river and McDonalds Falls, Carmen looks up and see these other falls way up on the mountain. 

Along the roadway we can see the tops of some of the mountains in the Park.  Although there isn’t much on this one it does still have snow on it.

Before long we reach the Avalanche Creek picnic area and campground and find the road is closed and we cannot go further up.  So we return back to the entrance retracing our drive here.  On the way we catch another glimpse of a couple of the touring cars and now that the temperature has warmed up a little, the top is rolled back and people are standing in the car.

Leaving Glacier National Park, we are headed to Whitefish where we will eat a late lunch before heading to St. Regis for the night.  Along the way we pass this cattle yard but no cattle.

After having lunch in Whitefish, we travel south on US-93 and soon we are driving around Flathead Lake.  This lake is huge.  We drive about 42 miles along the west side of the lake as we continue south, wow this is a big lake.

Near the end of the lake we are at a high hill and as we begin descending Carmen gets this view.  Imagine having a house with this to look at. 

After the lake, the land flattens out and is utilized by farms to grow a crop.  There is also a preserve so the grasslands remain undisturbed.  The mountains in the background are the Mission Mountains and the land just south of here is a preserve designated by the Flathead Indian nation. 

The landscape is getting hillier and we pass a number of horse ranches as we near the end of US-93 and reaching I-90.

On I-93 we return to rolling hills and farmlands.  This hill looks to have either a hiking or motor-cross trail.

Of course on I-90 the speed limit is 80 mph!  There are also a number of "chains up" signs and places for a truck to drive off and install them.  Then there are signs for trucks to take them off.

Almost at St. Regis we have some steep mountains which almost reach to the Interstate highway.  What a way to end our day.  Tomorrow we are driving to Hood River in Oregon.  Again we have a fairly long distance to drive so we will be leaving early.