It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: 2 days in Glacier

We started out our 2 days in Glacier pretty leisurely.   We got up Monday morning and decided to hang around and enjoy our lakefront campsite for a little while.  I don't like to excercise in the morning unless I get some time to really wake up.  So, I decided to take a late morning run around the campground.  I ran all the different camp loops and took a couple of paths through the woods. I was a bit nervous as the campground host said they had a bear in the campground the day before, but all I saw was a deer.

We headed over around lunch to Apgar Village and the visitor center.  We wanted to get the kid's passports stamped and decide what to see.  It was there we found out we couldn't take the RV up the main mountain road, Going-To-The-Sun road.  Instead, we would have to take the shuttle.  We also realized we wouldn't be able to see as much of the park as we liked given the distances between the interesting parts of the park and the fact we would have to drive several hours around the bottom of the park if we wanted to see things on the east side. Glacier is a big park and their is no loop road like in Yellowstone. 

We decided to spend the afternoon enjoying Lake McDonald, and to get up early tomorrow morning to see the top of the mountain and the east side of the park.  We got on swim suits and headed down to the beach.  We found a spot away from the crowds and the kids went in the water. Lake McDonald is spectacular.  The water is so clean and the views are amazing.  After a while they managed to drag me into the water with them.  Although the water was cold the air was warm enough that it felt refreshing.  When you opened your eyes under water, you could see everything, so amazing.

Lake McDonald

Kids Swimming

They had paddle board rentals and Greg went off to rent us a board.  We took turns paddling around the lake.  I swear you could see at least 20 feet down, if not more.  It was a great lake to paddle.  The kids continued to play and we got some ice cream while Greg went out for a final long paddle.  I tried the huckleberry ice cream, pretty yummy, and the kids opted for their usual; chocolate for Bella and vanilla for Kellen.

Post Ice Cream Bliss

We headed back to the campsite at dinner time to spend the evening enjoying the site. We had another fire and Greg tried a little fishing on the lake.  We wanted to head to bed early since we were going to try and catch the 7:30 shuttle up to Logan Pass from the transit center a few miles away.

We all went to bed but Bella couldn't fall asleep, so I had her join me in my little couch bed.  She has done it before but always in the middle of the night, not for the whole night.  We did fall asleep only to be woken up by the loudest thunder I have ever heard.  It poured rain all night long.  Those of you who know what rain sounds like on a metal roof know how loud even light rain can be.  And this was a serious downpour. Needless to say, none of us slept well.

We still got up at the appointed hour and took off to the transit center in the lingering rain to catch the first shuttle which ran as an express to the high point of the road - Logan Pass.  We made it, just barely, and got on the shuttle.  They allowed us to squeeze on the bus, even though our family put us over capacity by one person. Kellen had to sit on my lap for the hour plus trip up, but we did get seats up front which meant we could look out the front window.  This gave us a great view when a  momma moose and baby moose crossed the road just in front of the shuttle.  It was definitely the highlight of the ride.  

Momma Moose

Baby Moose

We wound our way up the mountain, stopping for construction for about 10 minutes at one point.  They are working on a multi-year project to fix the road and since the season is so short, they have to stop traffic at times to get the work done.  As we got higher we actually were in the low hanging clouds, it was very cool.  When we reached the top we had to transfer to another shuttle to get us down the other side to the boat dock at Rising Sun.  It was freezing up there and we had to wait about 30 minutes for the shuttle that would take us down to the east side and a boat trip on St. Mary's lake.  We got to the dock in time to watch the 10 am boat pull away without us. The next boat left at 12:00, so we had almost 2 hours to kill.  We decided to get some early lunch next door and check out the gift shop.  Kellen and Bella practiced their animal skills (gazelle and cheetah) but kindly donned their human costumes to go into the restaurant for lunch.

Above the Clouds

Cold and Cloudy at Logan Pass

The boat tour was fine, except that one family had a toddler which is trouble when it comes to Bella.  One of her sensory issues related to her autism is crying, specifically crying a babies and toddlers.  She has such an anxiety about it, she can't tolerate even being around one who is not crying.  Add in the fact she didn't sleep well the night before and you can see where this going.  Bella was agitated the entire first half of the trip, which she spent lying on the back seat next to a guy from Ocean City, MD.  After getting back on the boat after a stop at a waterfall, Bella was extremely agitated and it was rough trip back to shore.

St. Mary's Lake

Pretty Water Fall by Lake

Kellen following what the teenagers were doing

Once ashore we again had to wait and wait for a shuttle up to Logan's Pass.  We finally made it back to Logan's Pass and tried to take some hikes.  The first one we rejected because it was littered with small kids.  We decided to hike out on a "real trail" that we know would be devoid of small children called The Highline Trail. The first 1/2 mile was fine but then it goes along a cliff wall that is at least 100 feet up. We actually made it through that section, but then the trail opened up along a ridge line and Bella would have none of that.  She wouldn't even let me go check it out.  We had hoped to hike long enough to see some goats or big horn sheep, but instead we turned back.

Posing at Logan Pass

Dividing the continent. (Straddling the continental divide)

Don't Look Down!

Hiking Views

Hiking Views

Hiking Views

At that point it was getting late and we decided to just head down the mountain.  Disaster 2 for the day. We started talking to a nice young couple from Oklahoma who travel a lot.  We got on the shuttle and noticed too late the toddler in the front.  We were trapped.  Bella was a mess, which upset Kellen as well.  Between Kellen and Bella's bickering, Bella's taunting of the innocent toddler, and our desperate attempts to keep the kids in control, it was a very long ride down the mountain.  Needless to say I don't think that couple from Oklahoma will be having kids anytime soon.

We had to change shuttles again and I really thought we wouldn't make it home.  Bella, now virtually surrounded by children under 6, went manic.  Some nice folks offered Bella and I their seats and she rode with her head in my lap most of the way.  Exhausted, we finally got back to camp, ready to eat some quick dinner and call it a night.

Watching a storm from our campground

Last fire of the trip

So while we really enjoyed parts of Glacier, I am not sure we really got to see or enjoy the best the park has to offer.  Maybe next time we will take the train there.  And see a glacier up close.