Glacier Park Chat
It didn't appear that I was going to get any good flower pictures down at Hidden Lake once I saw what the Logan Pass meadows looked like.
The flowers in the higher areas of GNP are pretty hardy, but the ones I could see in the immediate area of the Visitor Center looked pretty sad.
And so I made a snap decision to walk over across the road and do the Highline Trail to Granite Park Chalet and down to the Loop.
The forecast was for the sky to clear up as the day went on. maybe I'd get some decent landscape shots, or see an animal or two--and I did both
The constantly changing clouds created a variety of photo ops. Here are some of the images I liked. Hope you like them as well.
I have not uploaded the early shots prior to reaching The Haystack.
I also have some video coming.
Arrived at Logan Pass at 0700 to this scene. Lots of folks were walking around in shorts shivering in the high 30s/low 40s temps LOL!!
I was layered up well and comfortable since I monitor the weather reports closely. The snow line was around 7000ft.
All of it was gone by noon time.
This was at the Haystack pass which is roughly halfway to the chalet and a good spot to take a break and have a snack.
Last time out here I got a nice pic of a big billy goat. This time I saw a new bird for me, a Clark's Nutcracker. There were 6-7 of them flitting around but hard to get close to.
Finally this one landed nearby for this shot. I didn't notice how good the image was until last night. Pretty sharp and had all the wild chives in bloom around it.
Clark's Nutcrackers are very interesting birds. No surprise since they are in my favorite bird family--Corvidae
Corvids are among the smartest of birds and include ravens, crows and jays. Read about Clark's Nutcracker here:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cla ... r/overview
The clouds were constantly changing. Virtually all these landscape shots either appeared suddenly, or were obscured just as quickly.
This scene disappeared 30 seconds later.
Part of the Haystack in foreground left with Mt Cannon partially obscured behind it.
Heavens Peak is totally hidden in the big cloud bank above and to the right of McDonald Creek far below
Another view. Clouds constantly moving in and out.
One of GNP's ubiquitous Columbia ground squirrels
A little farther down the trail Lake McDonald begins to come in view way down the valley.
I came across this nice Big Horn ram headed up the trail towards me. I hustled back up the trail to get the attention of two young gals I had just passed.
I knew they'd like to see this ram since they told me this was their first hike here and they hadn't seen any big animals yet.
It was funny that they were a bit overwhelmed at seeing him at such close range. I told them he was far more interested at "licking pee" than coming after them.
It wasn't long before a 12-15 people had gathered around the little copse of trees where the ram was busy licking, ignoring everyone. I moved on.
Profile view. The Big Horn rams have fully shed their winter coats from last year and are looking quite handsome now.
Lake McDonald is in full view now. The air had cleared out very nicely after a chilly, stormy Friday night. Hope the backpackers had their long jammies with them.
I heard and saw more of these little pikas than any day in the last 17 years. I kept hearing them all morning and saw many--albeit fleetingly.
This was the only one who remained still long enough for a decent picture. Pikas are very difficult to see among large grey(ish) boulders they call home.
I arrived at Granite Park Chalet about 1:40PM---along with a 30-40 other hikers!
Three frame panographic. You can see all the new snow is gone.
I noticed on the way down this small area where the paint brush were a brilliant deep red color.
It seems color of paint brush flowers is, or can be, influenced by the micro habitat where they occur.
The most intense orange paint brush that I've found are near the Sunrift gorge end of the Siyeh Pass trail.
Anyone else have that experience?
Tis all for the moment.
later
pete
