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& Clark and Flathead National Forests, and Flathead Lake. Prior to reaching the mountain crossing, we’d broken out of the dense smoke and were now cruising well above broken clouds. This made the location of the ongoing forest fires obvious, as their smoke plumes rose well above our altitude. I asked to make deviations around the plumes (all of which had TFRs associated with them, mostly from 12,000 feet to the surface to clear the airspace for aerial firefighting aircraft). Initially, we were assigned the RNAV (GPS) Z Runway 2 approach into GPI, because the ILS was out of service. This required us to navigate well west of the airport to the Initial Approach Fix (IAF), as there was no eastern transition into that approach. Thankfully, ATC soon reported the ILS was again operational and offered us vectors to the ILS 2. We readily accepted this time-saving clearance and began step-descending as the mountains fell into the valley. Upon landing, we exited the runway adjacent to our chosen FBO.
Glacier Jet Center proved to be very helpful both before and during our visit, arranging a rental car for us and pulling it planeside upon our arrival on their apron. Fuel was reasonably priced and the facilities were first class, yet loaded with rustic charm. The receptionist provided a local map to help us navigate to our hotel in West Glacier and was even kind enough to mark a couple of known speed-traps along the route! She also had current information on road closures and travel restrictions associated with the fires. After the long flight in, we were ready for lunch and the Jet Center recommended Montana Coffee Traders, in the little town of Columbia Falls. Far more than a coffee shop, it was a perfect introduction to the locals and their casual cuisine. The place was packed (always a good sign), the staff was friendly, and the food was excellent.
DECEMBER 2015
One of the dozens of 1930’s White Motor Coaches operated as tour shuttles within Glacier National Park, makes a photo-op stop along the Going-to- the-Sun Road. Since the early 2000s, they’ve been riding on modern Ford chassis, with clean-burning propane engines and other
safety improvements.
Crown of the Continent
The vast ecosystem of Glacier and Waterton Lakes is one of the most pristine remaining in North America, with its thousands of native plant and animal species and hundreds of glacier-fed lakes, rivers, and streams. In 1932, the combined U.S. and Canadian parks were designated Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (the world’s first international peace park). Both parks are also designated World Heritage Sites (sites of cultural and natural importance to all humanity). While GNP itself covers over one million acres (1,500-plus square miles), all associated protected lands on both sides of the border encompass 16,000-plus square miles (over 10.2 million acres).
The wild solitude of Glacier beckons hikers, photographers and naturalists with its 700-plus miles of marked trails. Yet, the park is teeming with sites and structures on the National Register of Historic Places. Those interested in geology will find some of the best preserved and most accessible examples of ancient rock in the world, due in large part to the Lewis Overthrust. As the Rockies formed millions of years ago, this area of rock (hundreds of miles long and several miles thick) was forced upward, displacing newer rock. The end result was upper rock one-and-a-half billion years older than the lower rock it now rests upon, leaving fossilized records of some of the earliest life anywhere on the planet. These fossils were once part of an ancient seafloor that now lies among mountain summits. Scientific significance aside, even the casual tourist is enthralled by the easily spotted
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 11