Heat, Smoke and Finally Relief

[MarxMN]

August 18 Grinnell Glacier (Part 2)

When we reached the top of the moraine and started walking towards the glacier this bighorn sheep was grazing near the trail. His appeared to be used to people as he took his time crossing the trail ahead of us.


Bighorn Sheep

F-22 BIghorn Sheep.JPG (318.23 KiB) Viewed 395 times

Grinnell Glacier

F-23 Grinnell Glacier.JPG (271.84 KiB) Viewed 395 times

North end of Grinnell Glacier and Waterfall

F-25 waterfall.JPG (371.94 KiB) Viewed 395 times

We saw people up on the Grinnell Glacier Overlook which is accessed from the Highline Trail on the opposite side of the continental divide.

Hikers on the Grinnell Glacier Overlook.

F-27 Overlook with People.JPG (213.51 KiB) Viewed 395 times

There were a fair number of people at Grinnell Glacier. As we were hiking up we met few people until we reached the picnic are below the moraine at the glacier. That probably indicated we had started early enough to be in the “first wave” to arrive at the glacier that day. As we descended we met a lot more people on their way up.

Flowers

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Waterfall on stream coming from Grinnell Glacier

F-51 Waterfall.JPG (309.11 KiB) Viewed 395 times

Down through the waterfall along the trail.

F-59 Nina in waterfall.JPG (206.76 KiB) Viewed 395 times

Many Glacier Hotel

F-68 Many Glacier Hotel.JPG (245.98 KiB) Viewed 395 times

We stopped in the Many Glacier Hotel after the hike and then had dinner at Johnsons’ near St. Mary.

[MarxMN]

August 19 Scenic Point

This was another pleasant day but as we drove to Two Medicine there was some haze in the sky. However, we did not notice a smoke smell. The car told us the temperature was 46 degrees when we started on the trail. The breeze made hiking a bit chilly as we started up the switchbacks.
Again we got a fairly early start on the trail and there were not many people ahead of us.


The dead tree that I take several pictures of every time I hike this trail.

Dead Tree

G-2 Dead tree.JPG (305.58 KiB) Viewed 365 times

Rising Wolf Mountain above Two Medicine Lake

G-6 Rising Wolf Mtn..JPG (212.33 KiB) Viewed 365 times

Trail Across the Plateau. Scenic Point is up to the left.

G-9 On trail across plateau.JPG (366.25 KiB) Viewed 365 times

These pictures of Lower Two Medicine Lake show the low water level. The second picture shows the streams running through the lakebed.

G-10 Lower Two Medicine Lake.JPG (227.25 KiB) Viewed 365 times

G-11 Upper part of Lower Two Med Lake.JPG (228.27 KiB) Viewed 365 times

Lunch Time in the Cool Breeze on Scenic Point

G-14 Mike, Claire, Julie, Nina.JPG (262.24 KiB) Viewed 365 times

Two Medicine Lake from Scenic Point

G-16 Two Medicine Lake.JPG (259.24 KiB) Viewed 365 times

Cushion Buckwheat

G-17 Cushion Buckwheat.JPG (351.16 KiB) Viewed 365 times

Juniper with Berries

G-20 Juniper.JPG (372.88 KiB) Viewed 365 times

Krumholtz Along the Trail

G-22 Krummholz.JPG (408.46 KiB) Viewed 365 times

We stopped at Running Eagle Falls on the way out of Two Medicine. No water coming over the top of the falls.

Running Eagle Falls

G-24 Running Eagle Falls.JPG (232.58 KiB) Viewed 365 times

Dinner was pizza and salad from the St. May KOA delivered to our cabins.

[orin]

Love the krummholz.

But it seems like every year Grinnell Glacier is a little smaller, Lower Two Medicine Lake is lower, less water is going under Running Eagle Falls and the smoke is thicker. Lately, I’ve been doing more trips earlier in the year when those things are less obvious.

[MarxMN]

August 20 Drive to Great Falls and Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center

Mike and I had a 5:45 am flight out of Great Falls the next morning. The group decided to leave for Great Falls after breakfast so we would have time to visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

Divide Mountain from the St. Mary KOA

H-4 Divide Mountain.JPG (271.08 KiB) Viewed 332 times

We arrived in Great Falls at mid-day.

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center along the Missouri River

H-5 Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center.JPG (215.55 KiB) Viewed 332 times

An Artsy Bison greeting us in the lobby.

H-6 Artsy Bison in entry.JPG (176.34 KiB) Viewed 332 times

Exhibit about moving the long boat that occupies portions of two floors in the center.

H-8 Moving the long boat.JPG (119.34 KiB) Viewed 332 times

Black Eagle Dam on the Missouri River beteen the Interpretive Center and downtown Great Falls

H-12 Black Eagle Dam.JPG (255.16 KiB) Viewed 332 times

[MarxMN]

Orin - I would agree with all yor points. We went later in 2023 than in recent years (mid-August instead of the week that ends July and begins August).

I noticed how much more mature the flowers were in mid-August in 2023 than they were a couple weeks earlier in 2021 and 2022.

Bill

[Jay w]

Bill, 94F is about 20 degrees past too warm for me. Glad you got a couple days in cooler weather even if it was smokey. Basically everything you did on the west side is new to me. I too like that "dead tree" even though I've only seen it once. Amazing low water.

Thanks for the report.

Jay