Jackson Glacier and Gunsight Pass Goats

Glacier National Park, Montana

Headed back towards Gunsight Pass after a quiet night at Reynolds Creek. There is a spur trail from the outlet at Gunsight Lake that heads towards the meadow well below Jackson Glacier. Crossing back over the creek Matt and I headed up the steep trail towards the meadow, and then it was lots of off trail working closer and closer to Jackson Glacier. Eventually we got right to the base of the glacier and even stood on some of the big parts that had broken off from it.

The opportunity to get right up to the glacier doesn't happen very much, weather and dry rock are the key factors. It would be foolhardy to try the route we did if we could not have found our way across the meltwater on dry stone. Led to a lot of backtracking to get there but was it ever worth all the effort.

Of course Matt sat on the rocks and enjoyed a snack while I did some additional exploring for a good photo. Then he proceeded to take the best ones of the glacier.

On the way back down we had the experience of coming around the ridge and seeing mom bear and two cubs feeding away. She looked us over and kept an eye on us as we moved further down and away from them. She had a beautiful coat and the cubs were in good shape also. I didn't get a good picture of the cubs but here is one of mama bear next to a really big chunk of the mountain.

Eventually we wound up back at Gunsight Pass where there were lots of Mountain Goats. Spent over an hour with goats close by. Some came right up to where we were, like less than 2 feet from me. Those horns look pretty sharp that close up. This one had a magnificent coat. I also liked his attitude.