Going West 2013

Saturday July 27

Today started at 9:30 with a three mile ranger led hike through meadows and woods and around a beaver pond. The wildflowers here are more numerous and the most colorful we have seen. Part of the trail overlooks St. Mary’s lake with the mountains behind making a wonderful scene. During the walk the ranger mentioned that evening at Many Glacier was a good time to see wildlife, so we filed that tidbit away. We wanted to go to Many Glacier Lodge and decided that would be a good place for lunch. It’s about 30 minutes away in another part of the park. Part of the road runs through Blackfeet territory, and their animals wander around, so on the road to the park there were cattle in the road. The hotel is magnificent with a Swiss Chalet theme. The desk clerks wear Lederhosen, etc. After lunch we sat on the porch overlooking the lake and digested, then back to St. Mary. We drove part way up the Going to the Sun road on the east, but there is construction, so we turned back. The plan was to eat and go see some wildlife in the evening as the ranger suggested, so we did. We were lucky enough to see a large Grizzly bear up on a hillside. We watched it for fifteen minutes or so as it grazed through bushes, probably eating berries. It was close enough to see but far away. No one was going to be eaten. Now we’ve seen most of the major wildlife here – mountain goat, bighorn sheep, mule deer, white tail deer, and grizzly bear. We’ve seen elk other places, we’re missing a moose. Maybe we’ll have to settle for a chocolate mousse somewhere.