Glacier View Mountain Summit and more

Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park, Montana

Have had my eye on getting to the summit of Glacier View Mountain for 2 years now. It sits just on the other side of the river from the park and has wonderful views of the whole North Fork region, besides I drive past the forest service trailhead every time I go to Kintla. The trail was steep and rocky, then it leveled out for a few hundred yards and the area was a riot of flowers of every color. The climb was worth it just to see the flowers, but I pushed on to the summit anyway.

 After Glacier View I was right back into Glacier and I hiked the Huckleberry Nature Trail. One section got a hawk riled up and it flew over me again and again and was very vocal. My camera skills are lacking so no good picture of the bird. Then it was off to Avalanche Lake to see how the snowpack was doing. I went past the end of there trail and my off trail scrambling led to me taking a pretty good fall. Looks like I was trying to get the bears to come to me! I had plenty off ice cold clean water to wash up in. Some bad words may have escaped from my lips when I tumbled.

Anyhow the views of the surrounding mountains were worth it. I love these high valleys.

The water rushing down the lower canyon coming from this lake was impressive as well. Nice to watch the water rush by.

With my pride hurt from my fall I went to find a campsite for the night. A Park Ranger told me of a good one available in Fish creek and it was great. So after dinner i once again headed out to explore the west side of Lake McDonald. The trail has changed so much from my last hike there. The fire a few years ago really opened it up, but also made it a dead forest for the standing dead trees. This one looks as if it was in agony as it succumbed to the fire. At least I see a contorted face in it.