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2001 West -- September 4 through September 15, Part 2
Index
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| The objective of this trip was to go to Glacier National Park, and touch the last three states I hadn't been to in the continental US. 12 days, 5400 miles. |
Glacier National Park, Day 1, part 2
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Our plan for day two, was to double back the way we came, and visit the East side of the park. So even if Logans Pass remained closed, we could still visit the sights there.
It was cloudy and crappy until reached Marias Pass, the continental divide on US-2. The skies became extrordinarily blue, if not darned cold...
US-2 (again)
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Our first stop in the park would be Two Medicine Lake, and a visit to Running Eagle falls. Running Eagle was a real person, a female Pikuni warrior of renouned skills in battle. She was killed in battle by the Flathead, and was buried in a tree overlooking the falls. The place does feel special, perhaps she is still watching from above.
The falls are also known as the Trick Falls. During the spring run-off, water comes over the top, and appears to be a single waterfall. As the snow melt diminishes, it appears to be two falls, one over the top, and one coming out the rock. By summer, it is again a single fall, that appears to flow right out of the rock.
We also stopped in at Many Glacier, where Swiftcurrent Lake backdrops the Many Glacier Hotel.
But the centerpiece of this park, is the Going to the Sun Road, completed in 1932. It was quite an engineering achievement for the time, a 50 mile road across the park. We had taken the first third of the road the day before, before it was closed due to snow. It's a narrow strip of asphault etched into the side of the mountains. It's a magnificent drive, definately in my top 10.
Glacier National Park, Day 2, part 1
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Logan Pass, the continental divide, is less than 6700 feet here. But you get great views of the Garden Wall, the knife edge mountains formed as glaciers carved their way through the park. This is a place where you can just sit and absorb the view, and realize you have such a small part in this world. It truely is a place you'll never forget.
Glacier National Park, Day 2, part 2
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Washington
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End 2001 West Vacation Part 2
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