8/19/15 Glacier National Park Hiking Highline Trail

Steep Drop Going Around Corner Going-To-Sun Road

A cooler day ahead for touring. We leave before 7 a.m. to drive 1.5 hours along Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park to Logan Pass where the Highline Trail head begins.  Debra buys bear spray after seeing all the warning signs and listening to radio reports of the recent grizzly in Yellowstone who killed and ate a man.  We are deep in grizzle territory here and the bears are agitated from all the fire and smoke. NPR is also describing the fires burning in and around Glacier, while the smoke puts a veil over this magnificent scenery. There is a stiff wind this morning with possible thunderstorms which makes

Mountain Meadows at Logans Pass from Highline Trail

us even more anxious as lightening cause more fires.  All this is on our minds as we approach the Highline Trail, described by National Geographic as "cutting across a near vertical rock wall, so exposed that the park has strung a  hand cable for nervous hikers to clutch. Some people turn back at the sight of it.  Nonetheless, the Highline ranks among the finest high-altitude walks on the planet."  Without comment, we just go for it.  I ask John to stop for a photo which he does (bless his heart) then we steadfastly proceed before we chicken out.  After the sheer rock face the trail narrows from 3-4 feet to about 24 inches as it winds along the side of this mountain on the Continental Divide.

John On The Ledge of Highline Trail 

After about 1.5 hours, we have gone 2.5 miles along the 7.6 mile trail and decided to head back.  There are now many other hikers on the trail which makes for uncomfortable moments as we have to squeeze by on this narrow trail.  Next time we will be on the trail around 7 a.m. to avoid the masses.  Even through the smokey haze, the mountain flowers, waterfalls, marmots, valleys, glacier and mountain views are breathtaking.  Looking East from the Pass we realize the fires on this side of the Divide are producing serious smoke which obscures most of the view.  We decide not to continue to St. Mary's and instead decide to just explore the West side of the park this visit. 

The next day we have a well needed NO TRUCK DAY.  We are lucky to have one day a month where we are not driving the truck somewhere, and our goal for this second year is to have at least one 'no truck day' a week.   

We meet two nice Timber Wolf Campground neighbors from Wyoming. Claude and Connie winter in Calienta Casa Del Sol RV Park in Florence, AZ (between Tuscon and Phoenix) which is about where we want to be.  They invite us to play cards with them tonight, a form of Michigan Rummy we call RV Rummy.  Throw out 2's, mix 4 decks of cards on the table, each pick 3 cards, turn one card in the pile up, 3's are wild.  Pick up card from pile or from someone else's pile and discard face up in front of you.  Goal to get 3 of kind or run.  Pick up and discard when go out. Everyone else then has one more turn to improve hand.  Anything not 3 of kind/run counts 5 points 3-7; 10 points 8-K; 20 points Aces.  Mix all cards again, pick of 4, now 4's are wild; then 5's etc.  When get to 6's can do groups of 3, 4, 5, etc. of a kind/runs.  Lowest score when done with Aces wins.  FUN and EASY.  

Hoary Marmot at Logans Pass