We are finally back in an area with WiFi, so I have a couple days to post. This will be a longer post, so sit down with your favorite beverage. Independence Day started with a breath taking ride in Glacier National Park via the Road to the Sun. What a remarkable road with some of the best scenery I've saw with my own eyes. I thought the Colorado Rockies were the best, but Glacier tops them. The goal for day 4 was a short 80 mile ride from West Glacier to Many Glaciers Campground at the northeast end of the park. Then find a campsite and hike Grinnell Glacier, the only active glacier in the park. The hike is 10 miles round trip. After luckily finding a camp spot (hard to find on a 4 day holiday weekend), we setup our tent, stored our gear, grabbed the bear spray and started hiking from the campground.
The trail-head and along the trail is posted heavily with bear warnings. A little unnerving as you start a 10 mile hike with water and an aerosol can with pepper spray...not too reassuring. Especially when all I could think about was the mountain biker who was killed by a Grizzly in the same park last week and he was a park sheriff. About a mile into the hike a few hikers coming down warned us of a Grizzly bear on the trail with a cub. As we hiked a half mile we saw the Grizzly siting on the downside of the trail, looking around not paying to much attention to us. We didn't see the cub. On we went up the trail to the top. What a hike, surrounded by shear cliff rock mountains with valley lakes and snow. About 1/2 mile from the top, we came upon a sign blocking the path, Hazzard snow area, don't pass. So we climbed over it, and went to the waterfalls cascading over the trail and approached the Glacier. We didn't cross the glacier, as the ice bridge looked a little sketchy, even for me and the drop off took my breath away. After a short rest and several photos we turned back. Going down hill is always easier, as I finished my water I thought 'we need to pass that Grizzly again, I need a noise maker'. So I opened the top of my empty water bottle and dropped in 20-30 small rocks. It makes a great rattle just in case. As we proceed down the path a few hikers warn us of the Grizzly, so we knew we're getting close. When we arrive at the place of the first encounter, no bear. Not good I thought, I would rather know where she is...
After gazing around for the Grizzly we continue down hill, now I'm shaking the rattle and making noise in hopes of scaring the bear. About 300 yards down the trail from the first sighting I see the brush on the down hill side of the trail move, I starting beating that water bottle harder, I grab the bear spray, remove the safety latch and slide my finger on the trigger, just as I see a small cub running, yes running up the tree next to us..... My only thought as my daughter is screaming "how cute, dad look..." is this is NOT good, the last place you want to be is in between a Grizzly and her cub! As I'm hollering like there is not tomorrow, and beating the water bottle like our lives depend on it, we see the cub at the top of the 75 foot tall evergreen tree, we back up the trail and continue our scare tactics. Five minutes later a group of 5 people catch up to us and we discuss our strategy.... The cub receded 3 feet from the tree top, his ears still visible, we move down the trail. We sound like the village people in the Jungle Book hunting Shercon in the jungle minus the fire torches. Beating, hollering, bear spray in hand. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. Luckily we didn't see the Grizzly and we finished the hike, in disbelief of what we witnessed. What a hike! Once we arrived at camp, we prepared our customary meal in a bag, started a fire for Smores and played Crazy Eights. My luck ran out loosing 4 out of five hands, then recovered with 4 wins for a 5-5 tie for the night. As we prepped our camp for night, the ranger stopped by to remind us to store all items in the food vault next to the sight. As we loaded the food into the steel vault, I noticed the longs, deep scratches in the brown paint and into the metal, yes, this is from bears trying to get into the vault. So much for a great night's sleep!
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| She has no idea how to use it.... |
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| Don't let my wife know that I can do laundry, |
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| Card game moved indoors..too windy. |
