Facebook. That's all I can say about neglecting the blog - It has been so easy to share photos on Facebook that I haven't taken the time to update the blog with our recent travels....
Managers, J.C. and Margie arranged for us to have 4 full days off and two half-days on each side of those four days, allowing us time to travel to Glacier National Park and on into Waterton Lakes National Park, Canada.
We left on a Monday about mid-day and drove as far as Missoula, Montana to spend the night - opting for hotel rooms instead of bringing the RV. Getting up for breakfast at Cracker Barrel, we then hit the road to Flathead Lake, a place Sara had heard would be great to visit. We chose a random fishing access road and bumped down to the water's edge. What a surprise! It was the Walstad Park - in memory of John Walstad who had donated the land in 1956. We walked along the beautiful shady shoreline and waded in the crystal clear cool water. What a wonderful, restful place! There were two kayakers putting in for a day trip to an island - quite a challenge from what they said. Wishing them luck, we reluctantly got back on the road.
We arrived early afternoon at our hotel in Kalispell, MT, just a short drive from West Glacier and the entrance to the Park, with the idea that we would be well rested in the morning to take the "Going to the Sun" road. It is 50 miles of very winding road through Glacier National Park and ends at St. Mary where we had additional hotel reservations nearby. What an experience it was to travel this road originally built in the 1920's with its beautiful bridges, tunnels and arches. We went over Logan Pass and we saw Lake McDonald and Lake St. Mary. We were able to see several alpine glaciers including Jackson Glacier. We both had to read up and learn about Glacier National Park. In 1910, it was designated as the nation's 10th National Park and then in 1932, international cooperation between the Rotary Club members of Montana and Alberta convinced the United States and Canada to join Waterton Lakes and Glacier National Parks as a symbol of their longtime friendship. Then the parks were designated Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the world's first international, trans-boundary park. Two countries with shared resources take care of the park and share a common boundary. Reviewing the maps, we chose another drive into Glacier Park along Swiftcurrent Creek and near Lake Sherburne to Many Glacier. Then we took a hike out to Redrock Falls. I believe it was about 2 miles each way and well worth it! We clambered around on the rocks below the falls and enjoyed the sounds of the water. We saw wildlife such as mountain goats and deer. And though we argue about this, I think we saw a moose too! Tired and hot, we returned to the hotel for a much needed shower and a good night's sleep. And, maybe a look through information we picked up about Waterton Lakes.
We woke early the next morning and prepared for our border crossing into Canada. Passports? Check. Snacks? Check. The crossing point we chose did not open until 9:00 a.m. so we meandered the beautiful countryside in a round-about fashion to arrive right at 9 o'clock. There were cows open-grazing along the highway on the U.S. side along the Chief Mountain International Highway in the Reservation land. Custom's point was no big deal and we hurried along trying to make a 10:00 a.m. departure time on a river cruise. We caught our first glimpse of the Prince of Wales Hotel as we arrived just in time at the dock to board "The International", a historic (since 1927) 165 passenger indoor/outdoor cruise vessel for the 2-1/2 hour tour on Upper Waterton Lake. It is the deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies and is simply breathtaking with its sheer vertical mountains and beautiful wilderness. We did see a bald eagle and black bears! The cruise took us about an hour down the lake and we stopped on the international boundary and enjoyed seeing the markers and freshly cleared line in the foliage, which our guide indicated is done every few years by contractors and volunteers. We stopped at Goat Haunt, MT and walked around the shoreline for a bit. Several hikers debarked to take hikes in the area and would be picked up by the late afternoon tour. I just enjoyed relaxing along the water. Goat Haunt received its name because it is a favorite place for mountain goats to hang out. A place was pointed out to us where they might be seen, but they were likely too far back from the edge of the cliffs. We returned to the township of Waterton and learned that its year-round population is about 100 people. It does host around 400,000 people each year. Tourists! I'm glad we were able to visit near the season's end - not very many people at all. We enjoyed a nice lunch along the lakeside and walked around the shops. I had to snap a photo of the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) Dept. and text it to Tim - "they're hiring!" I said! LOL! Next, we made our way up the road to the Prince of Wales International Historic Site and visited the lovely hotel built in 1927. The brochure says "it is one of the most scenic images in Canada" and standing in its impressive shadow overlooking the beautiful lake, I believe it!
I hated for the day to come to an end, but, we had to begin our trip back. I spent the drive time reflecting on the history of these places and I'm sure I'll be scheming to find a way to return!
Our last night out was spent in Helena, the Capitol city of Montana and we did tour the gorgeous capitol building. The friendly staff provided an information booklet for this self-guided tour. There is elegant statuary and stained glass windows as well as art and historic displays. The marble, woodwork, and rotunda were proudly presented and we enjoyed it very much. We overheard one tourist saying that "Montana is under-rated as a vacation destination." She is correct - it is a beautiful place with so much to see! And Canada is right there too!
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