a former gymnast with a neverending case of wanderlust
Well. It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve finally reached the conclusion of my Glacier National Park series. And boy did we ever save the best for last. I’m so glad we were able to end our trip at Sperry Chalet. It was a wonderful place to stay, and it afforded us the opportunity… Continue reading The best views in Glacier National Park: Sperry Glacier and Lincoln Peak
On August 10, 2017, a lightning-caused wildfire – soon to be known as the Sprague Fire – ignited near Sprague Creek in western Glacier National Park. While initial growth of the fire was slow, over the next three weeks hot temperatures and strong winds pushed the flames uphill, inching closer and closer to the historic… Continue reading Two nights in the backcountry at Glacier National Park’s historic Sperry Chalet
I’d been wanting to hike the Highline Trail for years. So had my mom and sister. This was a bucket list hike for all three of us. They visited Glacier together a few years ago and I made them promise not to hike the Highline without me. Then, when Pat and I started planning this… Continue reading Glacier National Park: a bucket list hike on the Highline Trail
If you do a google search for “most scenic roads in the USA,” Going-to-the-Sun will probably be on the list. If you do a google search for “most scenic roads in Montana,” Going-to-the-Sun will definitely be on the list. Out of curiosity, I just googled “most scenic roads in the world,” and Going-to-the-Sun even popped… Continue reading Glacier National Park: driving the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road
If someone told me they only had one day in the Many Glacier area, my advice would be to hike to Grinnell Glacier. It’s a beautiful hike with a little bit of everything – flowers, lakes, glaciers, views, and most likely some wildlife. I’ve seen both bighorn sheep and mountain goats along this trail, and… Continue reading Glacier National Park: a bucket list hike to Grinnell Glacier
In 1930, workers in Glacier National Park blasted a 250 foot (76 m) tunnel through the sheer rock of Ptarmigan Wall, forming an easily navigable connection between the Many Glacier and Belly River Valleys. Located at about 7200 feet (2195 m) of elevation, Ptarmigan Tunnel is now a popular day hiking destination, as well as… Continue reading Glacier National Park: hiking to Ptarmigan Tunnel
Back in July 2011, three friends and I embarked upon a three-week Canadian Rockies adventure in which we camped our way through Glacier, up into Waterton Lakes, Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta, and finally over to Vancouver and Seattle before heading back to Montana. It was on this trip that I hiked to Iceberg… Continue reading Glacier National Park: a stunning hike to Iceberg Lake
When my mom was sixteen, her best friend’s family invited her to join them on a three week cross-country road trip, from the flat expanse of central Ohio to the Rocky Mountains of northern Montana. It was her first time ever seeing mountains and, as she tells it, she knew then that she was going… Continue reading Glacier National Park: a scenic boat ride and a hike to Dawson Pass
There are quite a few versions of the origin story of the name Two Medicine, but most of them refer to two medicine lodge ceremonies – a Blackfeet tradition – taking place in the region at approximately the same time. This southeastern region of Glacier National Park now retains the name, as do three lakes… Continue reading Glacier National Park: the lakes and waterfalls of Two Medicine
I know some people have a hard time answering the question “what’s your favorite place you’ve ever been?” Not me. Hands down, it’s Glacier National Park and the Canadian Rockies (and yes, I know those are technically two separate places). In fact, I love Glacier so much that we originally planned to get married there.… Continue reading A comprehensive guide to visiting Glacier National Park
Handstands Around the World 