I could go on, but my words cannot describe this magnificent creation, a gift, bearing testimony to a master Creator whose intricate design defies the feeble attempts of man's understanding. My camera does a bit more justice, although, even these images cannot bring the cool breezes through your screen, nor can it capture the incredible depth that only your eyes can truly experience in person. Go there. Spend time hiking back country trails. Experience the park. You'll find your thoughts returning when the walls of your office, or the stress of your life demands relief. Let me take you there and share with you for a moment the handiwork of my Lord.
Last year, the skies were clear every morning of the week I spent there. This year, clouds painted dramatic skies. The first morning, I left St. Mary's campground and drove to Many Glacier well before dawn. Heavy clouds looked ominous, but I could see breaks to the east and hoped for dramatic under cloud lighting. I was not disappointed as the black clouds reflected nearly blood red at times.
After such an incredible sunrise, I didn't know what else I might see that would be so spectacular, until later in the week when my wife, parents and mother-in-law all hiked the 10 mile round trip trail into Iceberg Lake. The trail wanders along the base of the Ptarmigan wall, a sheer edifice of glaciated rock. The trail was choked with wildflowers. Upon arriving at the lake, we found that the late winter had left the lake still partially frozen, but that didn't take away from the magnificence of the views.
I left the others as they headed back to the trail head and climbed high above the lake and shot a number of images from a bird's eye perspective.
The very next day, intending to hike to Cracker Lake, my wife and I awoke at 5:00 and prepared for the day. 5:30 found me driving 70+ MPH along Lake Shepburn, flying to get to a good location to capture the unbelievable sunrise. A thunderstorm moved across the peaks into the rising sun. Glowing light splashed the clouds, creating a rainbow above the peaks. I shot with abandon, turning left, right, backwards and forwards, drinking in a photographer's dream, cursing the slanting rain yet relishing the surreal light.
After covering some 10.5 miles the previous day, my wife and I set out for Cracker Lake, an ambitious 12 mile undertaking. I had seen photos before, but was unprepared for the breathtaking view and the incredible water color.
Additionally, while photographing down by the lake shore, I observed a mountain goat on a rocky outcropping near the lake. I set off, determined to get some photos of the lake water with the goat behind. Again, I was unprepared for what happened as he walked to me and then by me. These images were shot with a 10-22mm lens from a distance of less than 6 feet.
The next morning brought another 5:00 wake up call as my wife and I set out for Ptarmigan Tunnel, another 11+ miles of hiking. The tunnel is a 100'+ route carved through solid stone right through the Ptarmigan wall. The trail is steep and drops away sharply along the sides, which nearly did in my wife. I walked alongside her to keep her as far away from the edge as possible. After many deep breaths, she made it. The view below is of her at the tunnel with Ptarmigan lake below.
The view on the other side of the tunnel was filled with red rock country.
The final day of our trip found me hiking solo on a trip I didn't think would happen. The year before, the trail had been snowed shut, and when we arrived this year, it was again snowed shut. I stopped at the ranger station two days before we left and found it was open. Game on. My travels would take my by trail from Logan pass to the junction with the Grinell Glacier Overlook. I planned to hike to the overlook and shoot photos of the glacier, return to the main trail and continue on to Granite park Chalet. From there I headed over Swiftcurrent pass and down the valley into Swiftcurrent lodge, some 18.4 miles total distance according to my GPS. While at the overlook, I scrambled along a goat trail to a secondary overlook above the glacier for unparalleled views.
Throughout the hike, the views were beyond description as I found myself alone on the trail at 6:00 in the morning with the rising sun, a band of bighorn sheep in predawn light, rushing streams and a lone grizzly I watched wander through an avalanche chute some 500+ yards away.
These views are from close to the top of Swiftcurrent Pass, looking toward Many Glacier.
I'll leave you with these images from random locations throughout the park. Eventually I'll upload some of the panoramic images I captured as well. I hope looking at these images inspires yo to get outside and even to visit Glacier in the coming summers. You won't be disappointed. If you time things right, you may even find me trekking along some trail or goat route, or standing along a lake waiting for the rising sun, for I know I'll be back. In fact, I'm planning my next trip already.
No comments:
Post a Comment