Glacier National Park (Part 2)

This post covers the scenes along the Going-to-the-Sun Road from Avalanche Lake (which is about about 2 1/2 miles off the Road) to Rising Sun (another area in the Park to stay), about 30 miles.  

Probably 95% of the Park revolves around the Going-to-the-Sun Road.  It is about 50 miles long and basically cuts through the middle of the Park.  There are approximately 2 million visitors to the Park every year. Don't know if it's true, but I heard someone in one of the visitor centers say that half of visitors come for only one day just to drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road.  Since the Road is the Parks #1 attraction, the Park Service is spending $150 million to repair and improve the Road.  That's good to hear, especially with the steep budget cuts to the National Park Service lately.
 
Besides the Going-to-the-Sun Road, the next  place to see is Logan Pass.  It's 'only' at 6,646', but it gets 80' (that's feet not inches) of snow each year. Because of that, that portion of the Road is usually open 3 to maybe 4 months a year (this year it was only open from June 21st to Sept. 22nd).  Except for areas such as Logan Pass, the Park is open all year.  It would just take you a while to see both the east and west portions because you would have to drive around the whole south portion of the Park (80 to 100 miles).

A view from one of the higher parts of the Going-to-the-Sun Road

You can see the Road carved out of the side of the mountain

Another view from the Road

And another

You can see the Road just to the right and the 'line' in the background mountain

Another view

And the views kept on coming

Lunch on the Going-to-the-Sun Road

Our little cabin at the Rising Sun area (little is being generous !!)

Saint Mary Lake at Rising Sun

View from the shore (there will be more on this in the next post)

This is before Rising Sun, but we decided to come back the next day

Our goal on this 3 mile walk was Hidden Lake, past Clements Mountain (8,760')

The two of them are ready for a hike

Caroline liked the alpine meadows; must be gorgeous in spring

Several mountain goats on the distant rocks

A little run-off stream from mountain snow

Almost to our goal

Hidden Lake in front of Bearhat Mountain (8,684')

Another run-off stream

Just past Logan Pass our first glacier: Jackson Glacier. Caroline liked the name - it's her maiden name.