A week ago Friday, Jane Kapler Smith, Anne, Jim McCallum and I awoke to sunshine even though the wind at St. Mary was still blustery. Jane and Anne went for a birding walk; Jim and I went in different directions with our cameras. I headed down the dirt road on the east side of Lower St. Mary Lake. Singleshot Mountain loomed on the near horizon showing off the 50-foot thick light-colored band of diorite about a third of the way down its sheer sides. Across the valley Divide Mountain marked the ridge that separates waters bound for the Gulf of Mexico (via the Missouri River) from those headed north to Hudsons Bay (via the Saskatchewan River). Wildflowers were blooming everywhere in the roadside ditch and sunny banks - wild geraniums and unknown yellow composites. Mid-morning we drove over Looking Glass Hill to the Two Medicine Valley where we had an afternoon walk planned. Lunch was grabbed at the foot of Two Medicine Lake while we awaited the cruiser that would save us more than three miles by ferrying us to the head of the lake. The winds were still stirring up quite a few whitecaps. Once in the trees, however, the wind was no longer noticeable. Thimbleberry and beargrass blooms were at their best in some locations. We climbed up into a hanging valley occupied by Noname Lake, a deep green-colored body of water beneath soaring cliffs. Snowbanks still occupied the transition from cliff bottom to scree slope. Jane, with her excellent game-spotting skills, spied three mountain goats high up on what appeared to be a mostly vertical face. Following a quick apple snack, we headed back down the valley to catch the last cruiser trip. The launch, however, had engine trouble. Eventually the park rangers brought a power boat to the head of the lake and towed the launch back. Not everyone could fit in under towing conditions, so Jane and I volunteered to be picked up on a return trip. Thus, we got a rare trip across Two Medicine Lake on a high-powered speedboat. We got wet from all the spray it threw into the air as we flew off of many wave crests. We were later than anticipated, but we still wanted to visit Running Eagle Falls. It was formerly known as Trick Falls since some of the water flows over the top lip of the rock wall, but much of it emerges through a lower tunnel. Dinner at Lunas in East Glacier included some of the best huckleberry pie we have ever tasted! It had a crisp graham cracker crust topped with a glaze that had many berries that were largely still uncooked. It made it very flavorful - like eating almost fresh-picked berries.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 04:48:03 +0000
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