POST 642: 05/28/12: EAST GLACIER PARK - ESSEX, MONTANA

Please say HELLO to Karen.

Karen, living in East Glacier Park, travels to Browning each day, teaching High School in the Blackfeet town. Graduation of the Senior Class is this week, with about 200 graduating students; rating the school as Class A in the State of Montana.


The overcast lifted a bit in the early morning.

Leaving SPIA in East Glacier Park, I walked West on US 2 for 5 hours toward the "Summit".

US 2 loops around the South border of the Glacier National Park mountains; the Eastern end anchored by the town of East Glacier Park, with the West end anchored by the town of West Glacier, some 60 miles distant. The Summit is 12 miles from East Glacier Park, making West Glacier about 48 miles West of the Summit. In between lies the small village of Essex, which is a major railroad switching yard...also the home of Bill and Ginger, whom we will visit tomorrow.



The above monument is repeated at the Gorge just outside of the town of Cut Bank, Montana...between the two monuments lies the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.


Following are some of over 100 images I gathered on my camera walking out to the Summit from East Glacier Park.


Above image is a magnificent BEAVER DAM...the fur of which was one of the major objectives of early White Man's migration to the West over 200 years ago.





The above image shows in detail, the dramatic UPLIFT during the formation of the Rocky Mountains some 45 million years - or so - ago.



The Eastern side of the Summit is a gradual climb - hardly noticeable in a vehicle - to the elevation of 5,261 feet.

The West side of the Summit is another story all together...precipitous steep mountain slopes with resulting steep climbs and drops of US 2.


From US 2, looking North into Glacier National Park.

I have been cautioned that the area along US 2 is loaded with Grizzly Bears...so far, none to be seen by this trekker.


Please click click. History of the achievement of the Great Northern Railroad crossing the Continental Divide - at the Summit - in 1890 or so.


John Stevens...the man responsible for the achievement.

Returning to SPIA in East Glacier Park, we drove over the Summit - during which the "Summit" photographs were taken -, to the town of Essex, Montana.

We telephoned Bill and Ginger before leaving East Glacier Park, only to discover they were just walking out their door - in Essex - to return tomorrow evening. We agreed that SPIA would park in / near Essex until their return, when we would spend some time visiting. In the interim, I would walk BACK East, up US 2 toward the Summit from the West. After which, we would spend the night...which we have done, parked in a pleasant parking area along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.




The following images are of our afternoon walk BACK toward the Summit from Essex.












As can be seen, the mountains on the West side of the Summit are REAL mountains, causing some serious steep hills...which I climbed and descended without problem.

The above bridge is over the Middle Fork, Flathead River, where SPIA and I parked for the night.

POST 641 - SUPPLEMENT 05/27/12

Please view the primary POST 641...

ALL IMAGES ARE NOW POSTED...

Really worth a look !

POST 641: 05/27/12: BROWNING - EAST GLACIER PARK, MONTANA

Thank you, Ralph...got it !!

These pics of the Goat I took on my last visit to Glacier National Park.

This big fellow stood face to face with me...until I moved off "HIS" path...

then he strolled on past me with a smile.

I was standing on "HIS path.



"HIS" path !


Pics following are from yesterday - 05/27/12.


Wind was blowing 25 + mph...a real blizzard.

























Please say HELLO to Zack...Doorman at the Great Northern (Railroad) Lodge.








I am furious at myself...somehow, my camera setting has changed to 8M, which is apparently too large to handle by my computer. I have 50 + beautiful photographs of today's snowfall, in which I walked for 5 hours this morning, climbing from Browning, Montana, to the village of East Glacier Park - at East entrance of Glacier National Park -, Montana, a distance of only 12 miles...it was slow going in the blizzard-like conditions.

...and I did not check the camera settings. If anyone can tell me how to change the 8M to 5M in the computer, I should be able to share the images.

In the interim...

Up at 5am this morning. It was snowing in Browning. I dressed for snow and took off walking West on US 2, climbing about 800 feet or so. The snow increased in volume, depositing about 1.5 inch.

After 8 miles, I turned back East to Browning, only to find the wind had increased behind my back - it was coming out of the North east, behind my back as I walked West -, and was now blowing about 25 miles per hour. For the next 2.5 hours, I held my left hand - wearing my new sheepskin mittens, inside a SUBWAY sandwich bag for dryness - over my nose and face to keep from freezing.

Walking down the hills was perilous, being very slippery. Luckily, I did not fall.

About 9 am, it warmed a bit...still snowing, but causing snow on the asphalt roadway to turn to slush. Passing vehicles - driving at near the 70 mph speed limit even in the snow, threw slush all over me time and again. At some point, my shoes began to leak from water and slush running down my pant leg. My plastic shield over the tongue and laces did their job...no water got in there.

A couple miles before reaching Browning, the snow plows came out. I walked off the road to let them pass. Arriving back at SPIA, only my left foot/sock was a bit wet. The rest of me was dry and toasty.

I propped my west shoes in front of SPIA's propane furnace, where they have fully dried.

I then took a 2-hour nap, sleeping instantly and soundly.

At 3 pm, we drove to the village of East Glacier Park, Montana, where we are parked for the night at another CONOCO Convenience Store.

I walked for the next two hours all over East Glacier Park, taking photographs and chatting with residents and tourists...as I said, obtaining some excellent shots.

The Convenience Store Manager asked me if I had seen the Grizzlies...No, but are they down this far...Oh, yes, we have a three year old hanging out in the meadow next to where you have parked your vehicle...

This means a Grizzly Bear is lounging next to SPIA. Oh, fun.

It is 15 miles from East Glacier Park to the summit of Maria's Pass - at 5,261 (one mile high) feet. In the morning I will walk up the pass...keeping a sharp eye out for furry critters along the way...and back to SPIA.

We will then drive over the Pass to the town of Essex, about 15 miles on the West side of the Pass, where Bill and Ginger are waiting our arrival.

Yes, I have reset my camera...hoping I will remember to check it every day. Carrying it in my pockets, which are tight enough to push buttons and twirl dials, has probably caused the setting change to 8M.

It is still snowing at the moment - 7 pm -, but promises to clear up to become a sunny day tomorrow...Great for Photography on the new snow.