Unexpected Treasures

The wind blew hard all night.  The trailer creaked and rocked, trying to remain steady in the gusts.  In the early morning light, the smoke from the wildfires in Washington still hung heavy in the air – so thick that we could barely make out the mountains in the near distance of the St. Mary valley at the entrance to the park.  Opening the door, you had to hold on with both hands so that a wind gust would not tear it away to slam outward.  On the planned agenda for the day was exploring the Many Glacier area of the park, and hopefully getting in a long hike.  But with the wind gusts and severe lack of visibility, I didn't think a mostly exposed hike to views through the Ptarmigan Tunnel would be in anyone’s best interest.  You could smell the smoke in the air.

The younger ranger we spoke with once we got to the park told us that the smoky haze was as bad as he had seen it in his five years there.  Getting some alternate ideas for hikes that were more sheltered from the wind and weren't centered around views led us to Red Rock Falls.  We enjoyed the new wildflowers along the way, and the forest that surrounded us offered protection from the howling winds.  We explored all levels of the falls, hanging out and watching for wildlife with the binoculars we had brought along.  At one point Abby was sure she had spotted a black bear on the distant hillside… but when it never moved, she finally concluded it was only a rock.

Returning to the truck, the wind was still strong – kicking up loose dust and dirt and whipping my hair into my face when I turned the wrong direction.  We decided that a picnic lunch at a scenic table was out today and headed for a nice spot where we had seen fields of wildflowers on the way in that we could eat while sheltered in the truck cab.  Not far back down the road to our spot, we encountered the beginnings of a “bear jam” – a few cars pulled over on the roadside with cameras at the ready.  Abby was the first to spot the grizzly and her two cubs meandering in the meadow.  We pulled over and joined the fun for a closer look.  Although we have seen many black bears in our time on the trails, we have never encountered a grizzly bear close up…  They are amazing animals.  Beautiful – from a safe distance.  We watched her and the cubs as they moved through the grass from one side to the other before they moved back away from the road and into the forest… still in awe.

Even in the windy, smoky haze we had experienced on Glacier’s east side, we had still seen some amazing things – just not what we had planned.  We had been able to relax and enjoy the experience of being flexible.  Unexpected treasures crossed our path when we least expected it – a gift, a blessing to be sure.  The kids celebrated our wildlife encounters with a couple more stuffed animals, a bighorn sheep and a mountain goat, that we took back to the camper to get ready to roll out on the beginning of our long drive back home.  A quiet night of rest and an early dinner was the perfect way to cap off our week in Glacier National Park and prepare for our adventures on the road ahead.