Londell woke up early at 5:30 AM and made a conscious effort to be quiet. Shelley and I were both exhausted from the hike we had taken the previous day. We decided to enjoy a leisurely morning before our scheduled departure at 9:00 AM. We planned to drive to Essex and have breakfast at the Healthy Haven Café.
|
|
 |
| Empire Builder passing through |
We were hungry, and it was a late breakfast at around 10:30 AM. We stumbled upon The Glacier Highland Restaurant just off Highway 2 near the park entrance in West Glacier. We made the right choice. Shelley was ravenous and ordered Huckleberry Oatmeal, two eggs, toast, bacon, and a huckleberry pancake.
Shelley was pleased with the store next door and found herself a nice new tea mug. We headed to Glacier Park and the Going-to-the-Sun Road. We stopped at the Apgar Center and considered taking the bus, but there was a half-hour wait. We decided to rush it and take the drive to see if we could be lucky and get a parking spot.
Our first stop was Avalanche Lake, but there was no parking, and people were circling like buzzards. We decided to head to Logan Pass. Shelley had commented that her neck hurt from looking to the right for a great deal of the trip. We saw many breathtaking views, and Shelley had a few frightening moments.
|
|
We arrived at Logan Pass just before 1:00 PM, but the parking situation was dire. Consequently, we decided to return. At 1:45 PM, we returned to Avalanche Lake parking, where we were fortunate enough to secure a prime spot on the second circle. We were eager to make the most of the day and avoid wasting time in the car.
By 2:00 PM, we embarked on our journey to the Trail of the Cedars and Avalanche Lake. The hike proved challenging due to our fatigue. Additionally, the partly cloudy weather provided a moderate temperature. Approximately one-quarter of a mile into the hike, we encountered a series of falls, which were quite impressive for such a short distance.
|
|
|
|
We arrived at Avalanche Lake just before 4:00 PM. As is typical for such sites, the water appeared low, yet it still held a captivating beauty.
The stay was short-lived as it started raining, and I was worried about waterlogging my camera equipment. Additionally, I was concerned about Shelley’s slippery feet on the rocks, especially on the downhill trails. After taking a 10-minute rest, we decided to head down. Shelley listened to my advice and attempted a slow jog, which made the hike down faster. We stopped to rest and take a photo.
|  |
|
|
We arrived at the car at 5:25 PM and just as a heavy rainstorm hit. Fortunately, it was short-lived, and we were rewarded with a vivid rainbow against the gray sky.
We checked into the newly opened Hampton Inn just before 7:00 PM. It was comfortable and friendly. We arrived downtown at 7:30 PM and faced long waiting lists at most restaurants. MacKenzie River Pizza Co. had a 15-minute wait, so we decided to settle in there. I had spaghetti and meatballs, while Shelley had the Willow Creek sandwich, which featured smoked turkey, bacon, avocado, spinach, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mozzarella, fresh-baked bread, and tortilla chips.
After dinner, I took a quick dip in the pool, while Shelley used the hot tub to soothe her achy feet and ankles. We noticed a lovely gas fire table outside, but didn’t use it due to exhaustion. We ended the night with warm chocolate chip cookies straight from the oven. I got engrossed in the pictures and this blog, so we were well past 11 AM before going to bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment