Viewmaster Fulfilled

[Mailman]

When I was 8 years old my parents bought me one of those early viewmasters w/a disc of GNP. For the next 52 years I pined to see those views in person. Last month my wife of 41 years and I finally made the trip. I'm still trying to get the smirk off my face.

June 16 we flew into Jackson Hole, WY ;rented a car and spent the next two days hiking and rafting in the Tetons. Saw plenty of elk, bison, four grizzlies at a distance from the road, and our first bald eagle in-the-wild on a Snake River raft trip.

June 19th we drove to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone to see the Lower Falls. Did the hike to Artists' Point. Drove back to Jackson Hole and headed out on the 20th on our 10-hour drive to GNP. Very interesting and easy drive allowing us to get into Lake McDonald Lodge early enough to do the Avalanche Lake Trail and drive as far as we could on the GTTS road and back to LM Lodge before dark.

June 21st on our way to Many Glacier we decided to stop at St Marys to hike to St Marys Falls and then to Virginia Falls. Both falls completely different and very worthwhile visiting. Finished the day checking into the Many Glacier Hotel early that evening.

June 22 the plan was to hike to Iceberg Lake but unfortunately the trail was closed late afternoon the day before due to the sheep carcass and danger of grizzlies. Sooooo....we opted for the Ptarmigan Falls trail as far as it was open to the Tunnel. Totally different than any trail we had seen so far. Wide open on one side and mangie (sp?) looking mountain goats on the other side. Only one small snow floe across the trail. At 60 years of age and both of us being very out of shape, I was very proud of my wife's endurance and perseverence.

June 23 was a red letter day and more than made up for the disappointment of failing to get to Iceberg Lake. We hiked to Red Rock Falls then on to Bullhead Lake. I've not heard too much on this site about Bullhead Lake, but we found it to be the most serene beautiful spot to sit and have lunch. Another couple (he from France and she from Switzerland) joined us sitting there. They had been married for 43 years and she grew up in Lucerne, Switzerland which we had visited a few years ago on a trip to the Berner Oberland in the Alps. But that was not coincidence enough. For the last 20 years they have lived near Cleveland, Ohio just 60 miles from where we live. How small this world is!

On the way back down the trail I found the little sign pointing to Fishercap Lake. From postings on this site I knew there was the possibilty of spotting moose there. My wife was a little skeptical because the trail is not real well marked, but I convinced her that it could be the bonanza we were looking for. Sure enough on the far side of the lake was a bull moose almost completely submerged in the water enjoying an afternoon lunch. We sat on the shore for 45 minutes as the moose worked his way down the lake, dunking under completely to eat, and surfacing to keep his eye on us. As we had hoped he emerged from the lake near us and moved into the bush. As we left the lake and headed back down the trail we spotted him standing in the bush and we got even more photos of him staring at us. It was the ultimate exhilarating moment of our trip. Primo day!!

By the way....one evening we had supper at the Cattle Baron Supper Club. Looks like a real dive from the outside, but the restaurant upstairs is very nice and the food is superb. As mentioned before on this site, the thickest steaks you can get anywhere. I don't particularly care for baked potatoes, but whatever she did to that potato was pure magic. Delicious!

June 24th we stopped in Two Medicine to walk to Running Eagle Falls (very worthwhile) and to hike to Twin Falls. The hike to Twin Falls around the lake was as deep in the forest as we had been with the trail being very narrow and closed-in feeling. In two hours we passed only two individual hikers on the trail, both being female hikers soloing. Best part of the trail was the suspension bridge. Oh yes..... my wife told me to stop singing "Hey there Little Red Riding Hood" because when I'd come to the part where the wolf howls and he says "Baaaad" she thought a bear would think I was a little lamb and would come after us.

On the 25th we journeyed back to Jackson Hole and spent our last day of the trip hiking to Leigh Lake and Trapper Lake. Very moderate hiking and a nice last day concluding our adventure. The Viewmaster did not lie. Glacier National Park was even better than I thought as an 8-year old.[/b]

[llholmes1948]

Thanks for your interesting report and I am glad you had a great time in Glacier. I guess the long wait was worthwhile after all!

Sounds like you ran into some goats in the midst of shedding season. They never seem to put photos of those goats on the postcards. In a few weeks they should be through with their winter coats and wearing nice sleek summer ones.

Lyman

[Kathy]

Mailman...First of all - welcome to the Page! Sooooo glad we could solve your registering problem so you could post that great report! Thoroughly enjoyed reading it!!! You really got around to all the various parts of the Park....the West Side, Many Glacier, Two Med....and at the time of year you went, you probably had about 18 hours of daylight to enjoy it. So....you're hooked?

[smokies_hiker]

At 60 years of age and both of us being very out of shape, I was very proud of my wife's endurance and perseverence.

Hi Mailman, and welcome from another who's waved bye-bye to the big 6-0! Thanks for the great report; sounds like you touched a lot of the bases! Like Kathy asked, thinking of going back?

[Rose]

What an interesting read. Thanks so much for sharing and hope that you have the "Glacier fever" like the rest of us.