Well after years of trying to organize a guys' trip to Glacier NP in Montana, the stars seemed to be aligning in 2009 for Joe, Chris, and I. But in the summer, unfortunate events left us without Joe, and Chris and I had to think hard about whether to continue or wave off until a future year. Of course, we knew well there's no guarantees about future trips any time soon. Late in August though, Chris suggested his dad might want to make the trip with us, and so our trip was all systems go!
After flying into Kalispell, we had beautiful weather for a drive over Going-to-the-Sun road on our way up to Waterton in Canada where we would stay the night.
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| From the roadside most of the way up, as we waited for a construction delay. |
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| Going-to-the-Sun Road, just below Logan Pass and looking back toward the Road and Highline Trail. |
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| Can't see it too well, but this is a section of the road with some water running down, not the famous 'Weeping Wall' (which has been dry both visits for me) but similar. |
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| Bright St. Mary Lake in late-day sun |
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| The road around the east side of the park, towards Chief Mountain port. |
Sadly for us, when we got the Chief Mountain port of entry three hours later, Canada was closed. Well, that entrance anyway. So, we backtracked about 30 minutes to another entrance which took us a further 30 minutes out of the way. Along the way we ate our first or two meals at Two Sisters cafe, which for us was a best/nearly-only option. But let me tell you it is a destination in itself - highly recommended. It was a late night getting into our campsite that night on the shore of Upper Waterton Lake.
 
| Two Sisters - way good food, you must stop here. |
 
| Campground at Waterton Townsite in Canada. |
| The next morning, Upper Waterton Lake, from near our campground |
Hike Day 1
After breakfast, we caught the Tamarack shuttle to Chief Mountain Port of Entry, where we would have to walk across the border to the trailhead about 100 yards down the road. It was September 11, and there was speculation that we would face a long line at the border. In fact there was a line of about 10 mostly RVs, which we were told by our driver could be an hour or more wait. Luckily, we were on foot with backpacks and just walked up to the head of the line and waited for someone to notice us. They did and 5 minutes later we were through.
The first leg of our three day hike was level, even a little downhill from start to finish, and around 9 miles from the Belly River trailhead to Cosley Lake.
| The border is kept cleared of trees. This is from Chief Mountain port. |
| Our first view of our mountain destination |
| I'm going to call this guy a Ruffed Grouse. |
| Our first contact with the Belly River (and site of first pack adjustment). |
   
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| Panorama |
| The only horse party we encountered, and it turned out to be special. We didn't talk with these folks (German accent we decided), I only asked/gestured if I could take their picture. Later, we talked to other hikers who told us this pair had been on the trail since New Mexico - and today was their last day on the trail! |
| Chris and dad doing a little re-enactment of Joe/Chris "Little John" photo from Zion. |
| This time of year these bridges are hardly needed, but probably earlier they are welcomed. |
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| We noticed a number of trees marked by bears (grizzlies undoubtedly!). Some had barbed wire on them in this pattern. A ranger later quizzed us why (we were wrong) - they are part of DNA collection program hoping to determine the grizzly population strength. When the bears scratch their backs, a little hair and maybe skin cells get caught on the wire. Chris later pointed out this must be the famous bear DNA study John McCain ridiculed during the 08 campaign! |
   
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| Panorama |
| The multi-colored rock strata on this distant mountain kept our attention for quite a while along the hike. |
  
| This suspension bridge over the river was right out of an Indiana Jones movie, you don't just tromp across one of these, let me tell you. Chris mumbled something about s-waves and p-waves. Larry and I nodded knowingly. |
| The 'artiste' shot |
 
| We missed out on a visit to the Belly River Ranger Station, there's not exactly a 'welcome' gate in the fence from the direction we traveled anyway. Once we climbed around/above we saw it down below. |
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| This waterfall beneath Cosley Lake was a beautiful spot for a break and a chance to discover that yes the water is cold. |
| Looking back towards distant Chief Mountain (far left) - the side you don't see from the road. |
| The beautful daylight coloring of Cosley Lake seen in this small ante-lake and the foot of Cosley at the top |
| It doesn't get much better than this spot on Cosley Lake |
 
| Night sets in on the beach at Cosley Lake Campground |
 
| We enjoyed a planetarium-style view of the heavens as well as the man-made objects hurtling around the earth. |
Hike Day 2
Our second day we faced a long and difficult (for us anyway) trek, over 10 miles and including up to the pass and back down to Stoney Indian Lake. We got an early start and "cruised" into camp late evening, not an hour before dark.
 
| Cosley Lake in the still of morning |
   
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| Another of those bridges over not-so-troubled waters |
  
| The views near the campsite at Mokowanis junction - or was this Glenn's Lake head? Well, see I've already forgotten. |
| I believe this is the head of Glenns Lake and reflection |
   
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| Mr. Crabtree contemplates our climb. |
 
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| Now we've climbed a ways, and get our first views of the lake chain we hiked along - Cosley and Glenns Lakes. |
  
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| There were two high lakes to break up our ascent to the pass. |
 
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| The cathedral-looking mountain - that might even be it's name. |
| This place is big. So big, it takes my widest lens to even capture this view in one frame. And you just can't perceive the scale that way. |
 
| Now we're getting somewhere! The Crabtrees look at 'the rock'. |
| Just some tall trees and sky - hey it's pretty. |
| One of the meadows on the higher up shelfs |
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| Evening marches towards us (and we march towards evening) |
     
| We stopped at this lake (Astina?) to filter some water and other assorted activities. I hopped to a perch out in the lake a little ways and took some of these photos. How many others have stood here? |
      
| Higher and higher |
   
| And finally reaching the pass after 2000 feet gained and about 9 miles, we look down to a fantastic site - the circque of Stoney Indian Lake. |
  
| Gold-colored rocks in the mountains above Stoney Indian Pass. |
    
| The trail runs down to and around the lake shore. |
| Not quite natural, but an interesting effect. This is high-dynamic range photo, created in near darkness from multiple photos at different exposures. |
Hike Day 3
Finishing up our trip was a couple hours downhill to the Waterton Valley floor and then out to the North into Canada. We had a boat to catch, last at 5:25, or face another (unplanned) night in the backcountry. So we got moving early again and thereby had some time to enjoy a late lunch at Kootenai Lake. Once we reached Waterton Townsite, we drove back to Kalispell the long way enjoying the evening and another meal at Two Sisters Cafe.
   
| The morning of Day 3 was just a crisp, beautiful blue-sky kind. Great for high hiking and shadowed mountains. |
| Proof that I was here, just before the jackets came off for the day. |
  
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| There were some late season flowers and of course berries. |
| One of the neat things here is the variety of rock colors. |
   
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| First view of the spires on the west side of Kootenai/Wateron Valley. |
| More bears marks |
 
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| Purple Aster |
     
| Towards the end of the hike, we were rewarded with some distant moose viewing at expansive Kootenai Lake. Check out the video for moose sighting. |
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| Night sets in on the beach at Cosley Lake Campground |
    
| Motoring up Upper Waterton Lake to conclude our circuit. |
 
| Had to photo this Westie, and his Canadian owners who rode the ferry with us. |
| The US-Canada border, again mowed clear. |
| Back towards the end of our trail - look familar? It is the same view as from the beach of the campground 3 days prior. |
 
| The Prince of Wales Hotel has a situation like none other - well maybe Eileen Donan in Scotland, but that's pretty good company. |
| The Highway from Waterton back towards Piegan is gorgeous in the evening sunlight with it's rolling mounds called moraines. |
Videos
| A composite of scenery during the trip. 14 min 25 sec |
| And some of the wildlife, including a gray jay (I think), woodpecker, gulls, dippers (a small bird I had never heard of that feeds by plunging briefly into water), dall sheep, mountain goats, a moose, and of course lots of mule deer. 10 min 50 sec |