2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Glacier presents some great photographic opportunities, talk about it here.

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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by ND »

I hear you, Pete and Jay.

Normal year going to Glacier for me went something like this. Hey, you want to go to Glacier? A couple of weeks later we packed up and left.

I'm not a big planner for such things by nature. I also loved the road trip out to the park almost as much as being there. Usually "flying by the seat of one's pants" was the norm. No reservations, just find a place to camp upon arrival. Pick a hike and do it. Eat what we packed with us or find a restaurant and time we could get in without waiting forever.

This ticket system and expectation of post covid crowds overrunning the park have just about caused me to not to even consider going this year.

I guess I'm getting too old to accept change! :lol:

On the other hand, it would be the ultimate challenge to go this year and actually enjoy it..............nah :wink:
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by JayAndersen »

Bummer about your rough outing Pete. Wish I made it to the East side but I couldn't make it happen. Love the panoramas.
I had 4 full days of biking and hiking on the West side and took off early on June 2nd. Hit Bowman Lake on June 1st to get away from the mob, braved a hike out to Lower Quartz Lake right after sunrise. Didn't see a single person until I got back to my car. No bear encounters on the trail this time. :lol:

Got a few sunrise pics at Bowman and Lake McDonald during my stay, and plenty of cell phone pics while biking but none of those are worth sharing.

Here's one of Bowman Lake with a couple guys out kayaking before sunrise:

Image


Hope to see more from everyone throughout the year. :D
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by tibber »

JayAndersen wrote: Wed Jun 09, 2021 2:08 am Bummer about your rough outing Pete. Wish I made it to the East side but I couldn't make it happen. Love the panoramas.
I had 4 full days of biking and hiking on the West side and took off early on June 2nd. Hit Bowman Lake on June 1st to get away from the mob, braved a hike out to Lower Quartz Lake right after sunrise. Didn't see a single person until I got back to my car. No bear encounters on the trail this time. :lol:

Got a few sunrise pics at Bowman and Lake McDonald during my stay, and plenty of cell phone pics while biking but none of those are worth sharing.

Here's one of Bowman Lake with a couple guys out kayaking before sunrise:

Image


Hope to see more from everyone throughout the year. :D
Nice photo! very grand.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

Thank you Jay A. for posting the sunrise shot from Bowman Lake ! :)
One of these days we'll hook up.

I've not been doing much of anything recently until Wednesday.
Nice day with little wind and white puffy clouds from horizon to horizon...so I went to the park.
I though maybe there might be some good light around sunset.


Here's a 9 minute video of what it was like entering just before 5PM. I thought the line would move slower.
It did not. They had a lot of rangers implementing what looked to me like a good plan.
I got in line at 4:53PM and was through the gate at 5:21PM.
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-T92 ... L-1920.mp4

The highlight of the day was being to my parking spot by Brian McKeon, the Chief Backcountry Ranger.
I got out of my truck after parking in the "early arrival" lot and this guy working the lot says, "Hi Pete, how ya been?"
I was dumbfounded. I hadn't seen Brian since 2019. His memory for people is phenomenal. He's done this before several times with me. It's crazy! There's a snippet in the video.
The video is a bit boring, but you'll see how they're handling the traffic flow.
No ticket?
You won't get past the lot behind Headquarters (if early like I was), or directed back out to the highway.

pete :wink:


The good light never came and 90% of the clouds were gone by the time I took this photo at 8PM:

Lens DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM
Focal Length 40.0 mm (60.0 mm in 35mm)
Aperture f/11 Exposure Time 0.01667s (1/60) ISO 100 Date Taken 2021-06-16 19:59:26
Image

Rocks at the Apgar boat ramp.
Bored...I took this one for the heck of it right after the pano above.
Surprised it came out since it was in shadow.


Lens DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM Focal Length 40.0 mm (60.0 mm in 35mm) Aperture f/8 Exposure Time 0.2s (1/5) ISO 100
Image

Killing time before taking the images above.

Lens DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM Focal Length 40.0 mm (60.0 mm in 35mm) Aperture f/8 Exposure Time 0.2s (1/5) ISO 100
Image
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by Jay w »

Julie says you're difficult to forget.

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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by zozeppelin »

Thanks for the update and video/pictures Pete.

I assume he is 623? Pretty cool.
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Re: 2020 and 2021 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

I made it up to Logan Pass about 0510.
There were about 30 cars there, but I got the Number One parking spot for the first time in a long time! :arrow: :arrow:
The weather was crap. Windy and colder than I expected. Bands of dark, nasty storm looking clouds kept coming from the north.
Given the forecast which was for mostly sunny and temps in low fifties to 70, all I carried was a windbreaker. I "thought" I had a spare raincoat in Jaybird, but I didn't. So I hung around until about 0700 before heading towards Hidden Lake Overlook.
Here are a few photos. I have more photos and video on my phone.
Partly because wearing MicroSpikes, I went "off trail" up to the lower of the two large moraines under Clements.
Though it was steep, going straight up isn't too difficult. "Traversing" across the slope towards the Hidden Lake saddle was a bit more challenging. 8) The snow was pretty well consolidated and still very crusty on the surface. I didn't want to move around too much getting my big camera out. But I could get my phone out for some video and pics without falling and sliding down the slope.
So I'll try to get some of that posted if it's any good.


I would have gotten closer to him for a better shot but I cropped out the couple who decided to "run" closer for their pics. :evil:
Image

This is a crop that is about 1/20 of the original image. Nice and sharp for hand held at 1/30sec in the wind.
Focal Length 28.0 mm (42.0 mm in 35mm)
Aperture f/6.3
Exposure Time 0.03333s (1/30)
ISO 400

Image

These are the big guy's buddies munching glacier lilies behind where I was standing for the picture above.
Note the lack of snow in the big meadow. This is the view you see from the South camera on GNP's website.
I've seen that meadow 3feet deep over all 100% of the area you see in this photo around this date.

Camera Sony ILCE-6400
Lens DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM
Focal Length 28.0 mm (42.0 mm in 35mm)
Aperture f/6.3
Exposure Time 0.03333s (1/30)
ISO 400

Image

5 image pano from the overlook. The air was very clear. You can see the mountains to the horizon on the far right
Reynolds is on the far left behind the north end of the un-named ridge. L-R are the Dragon's Tail, Gunsight MT in the far distance, one side white, one side dark, Edwards Mt's distinctive "hip roof" profile is the left edge of Bear Hat.
Sharpness is good for a large print

Image

6 image pano of bearhat. You can see Gunsight and Edwards much better here. Same with the clarity of the air.
Sharpness is good for a large print

Image

I took this on the way down. These big guys are pretty tolerant of the crowds. They were laying here in first meadow on the right as you start up the Hidden Lake trail--maybe 50 yards from the Visitors Center. That said, notice that nobody is going sneak up them. These bighorn bachelor groups almost always will lie down so they can watch in every direction.

Focal Length 200.0 mm (300.0 mm in 35mm)
Aperture f/11
Exposure Time 0.004s (1/250)
ISO 100

Image

Gotta run for a bit.
I will try to get some video up in which you'll hear me say that, "I think the ticket deal has worked from the park's perspective."
I'll ad the link to this post.

pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by calicotraveler »

I saw your post about leaving home so early. Checked the webcam later and saw your truck (or one that looked like it) parked right up front. :D

You got some really nice bighorn photos! Pays to get up and out early.
The mountains are calling and I must go.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by Jay w »

Nice shots Pete. Sounds like McDonald will be swimming temps soon. :D

Can’t believe 30 people were up there before you....oh yeah, I think we saw that coming. How was the parking lot when you left, and what time was that?

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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

calicotraveler wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 6:32 pm I saw your post about leaving home so early. Checked the webcam later and saw your truck (or one that looked like it) parked right up front. :D

You got some really nice bighorn photos! Pays to get up and out early.
Thanks Michele. I've talked about the benefits of early arrival for years. :wink:
And yes, I'm aware everyone can't do it. 8)

I love taking pics of the sheep. Often they remain sooooo still. So getting a sharp photo is easier.
I'm working on getting the video done after posting this.
Jay w wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 11:10 am Nice shots Pete. Sounds like McDonald will be swimming temps soon. :D
Yeah, the intense , high sun and cloudless skies are gonna melt remaining snow at a rapid rate.
Warm nights make it worse.

Can’t believe 30 people were up there before you....oh yeah, I think we saw that coming. How was the parking lot when you left, and what time was that?
Yup, there was ~30(actually 10-12 after video review) or so cars there when I arrived at about 0510(actually 0512). It remains to be seen if "early entry" will become more popular. I thought there would be more since it was opening weekend. The weather forecast was a bit off. The nasty weather didn't begin to clear until later in the morning---then it was windy when I left around 1:00PM
I'm not sure when the Logan Pass parking lot filled up. I think it was around 7:30AM. I was up on the steep slopes under Clements trying to not slip and fall 8)
Interesting that when I left the lot was full and there were 6-10 cars circling around, BUT...
It was not the sort of chaos of the past 2-3 years(and my parking attendant friend confirmed that). Traffic was moderate. No big lines of cars on the way down at 1PM and NO big lines of cars coming up either. So in my opinion, the ticket scheme is working...if working means limiting cars and indirectly people in the park between 6AM and 5PM. So while the ticket deal is a giant hassle, it is working in limiting cars and people. That in turn has made the overall "scene" less crowded and chaotic. I hope I don't contradict myself too much when I post the video.


The weekend kinda sucked from a personal point of view. My brother-in-law, "Bobby", passed away at home Saturday night. My sister Vickie was with him. So I'm glad of that. Her daughter and family live just down the road.
It was a long battle with lung cancer and other related issues. Last week after the hospice visit, it became one of those situations where it was a matter of days, not weeks or months---and Saturday was the day.
I'd known Bobby, and his younger brother and sister, since I was about 8 years old. His Mom and Dad were family friends.
Bobby was a "stand up" guy as they used to say. He'll be missed.


Jay
Alright, nuff of that. I gotta get the video done
later
pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by PeteE »

Here was the Loga Pass Parking Lot scene at 1:00PM on Saturday June 26th.
Nowhere near the people, cars, and activity of the past couple years...imo.
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-Vbm ... 4-1920.mp4
I put that up now because I gotta go do something.
Back later
Sorry
pete :wink:
"If you are not curious, you will learn nothing" -Goethe-

"When you're born in this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show.
And when you're born in America, you're given a front row seat."

George Carlin
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by paul »

Nice Photos Pete! I'm surprised by the parking lot being mellow at 1PM. It must be the result of ticketed entry.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by davidwayne »

Pete, thanks for the pics...I'm glad you got out to Logans! If a ticketed entry ( and even increased entry fee) is what is needed to make the crowds more manageable, Im all for it, especially if it is somewhat simpler than the cluster process I've read about so far.
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Re: 2020 and 2021 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by tibber »

PeteE wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 4:27 pm This is a crop that is about 1/20 of the original image. Nice and sharp for hand held at 1/30sec in the wind.
Focal Length 28.0 mm (42.0 mm in 35mm)
Aperture f/6.3
Exposure Time 0.03333s (1/30)
ISO 400

Image
really liked this shot!

Thx for Logan parking update.
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Re: 2020 "Snaps" Around Glacier National Park

Post by teapot57 »

The weekend kinda sucked from a personal point of view. My brother-in-law, "Bobby", passed away at home Saturday night. My sister Vickie was with him. So I'm glad of that. Her daughter and family live just down the road.
It was a long battle with lung cancer and other related issues. Last week after the hospice visit, it became one of those situations where it was a matter of days, not weeks or months---and Saturday was the day.
I'd known Bobby, and his younger brother and sister, since I was about 8 years old. His Mom and Dad were family friends.
Bobby was a "stand up" guy as they used to say. He'll be missed.
I’m really sorry for your loss, Pete. My heart goes out to you, Vickie, and the rest of the family.
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