Page 14 - Nov 2015 Volume 9, Number 11

wildlife, the 200-plus waterfalls, and the sweeping vistas of Glacier that seem to refuse to relinquish your gaze.
West Glacier
Reaching West Glacier, we checked into a motel of the same name. While small and basic, it was clean and served its purpose for us. Best of all, a few steps outside our door was a beautiful, wildflower-filled gorge of the Flathead River (Middle Fork). Trails down to and along its banks were accessible on either side of the bridge straddling the river between West Glacier Village and the park entrance. We ventured into the park to get the lay of the land and updates on the fires and smoke. My biggest concern was whether the famous Going-to-the- Sun Road, which traverses the park, would be open, as the Reynolds Creek fire threatened parts of its eastern half, both north and south of the road. We were relieved to learn the whole road was open and that stopping was restricted only on the eastern third. The fire had been contained and only hot-spots remained.
A deer doe and her two fawns graze and drink peacefully along a rocky shore of Lake McDonald, near Fish Creek. Observing quietly from a safe distance, we were able to watch them for about 10 minutes before they moved back into the forest.
A Canadian Visitor’s Center in West Glacier was filled with information and exhibits about our northern neighbor’s connected park and the many other National Parks and protected areas deeper into Alberta and British Columbia. Leaving there, we spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring Apgar Village and trolling about on Lake McDonald (Glacier’s largest lake at 9.4 miles long, over 460 feet deep, and covering nearly 7,000 acres). Smoke limited our views, but not our enthusiasm, and we stayed into the evening. We wandered up Lake McDonald’s west shore to Fish Creek for a solitary picnic dinner on a rocky beach and some casual hiking. We watched a deer doe and her two fawns grazing peacefully along the shoreline and drinking from the lake.
Going to the Sun and Beyond
We rose early for a hearty breakfast at the cafe adjacent to our motel. We were discovering that the combination of late season (end of August) and the smoke had made even the villages feel desolate. We were told many folks had checked out early due to the smoke. Their loss was our gain as the night had carried a front through and shifted the winds and smoke back west, creating much improved visibilities over the previous day. We were anxious to drive the marvel of 1920’s engineering; a 53-mile road that’s impassable for eight months a year due to massive snow accumulations. Taking 11 years to complete (1921-32), it is both a National Historic and a National Civil Engineering Landmark. While we chose to drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road ourselves, I watched the public transportation navigating the switchbacks and steep grades with fascination. The National Park Service operates a fleet of around 70 1930’s-era White Motor Coaches. Restored in 2001 by Ford, they now ride on modern Ford chassis, powered by efficient propane- burning engines. Their driver/tour guide, known as “Jammers,” stop at the most popular scenic overlooks and visitor centers, as well as the major lodging areas on both sides of the park.
The road is narrow and lacks guardrails in the areas where the tons of snow and resulting avalanches have
The author’s son had a brief staring contest with a juvenile deer near Fish Creek, on Lake McDonald’s west shore.
12 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
DECEMBER 2015