Going-to-the-Sun

The latest leash

We purchased a new leash in Helena to replace the one Peyton chewed through.  We had barely left the city limits of Helena, on our way to Glacier National Park, when we discovered that the little beaver had chewed through the new leash!! Aghhhhh!!  He is so sneaky about it.  He’ll have a chew toy close by, so you think he is chewing on the toy, until all of a sudden he is loose and out the door of the coach.  Sure hope this chewing phase ends soon!

On the way to our RV park we drove through the Flathead Indian Reservation and on the east side of Flathead Lake, the largest fresh water lake west of the Mississippi.  The drive was pretty and there were cherry orchards all along the lake. 

Dinosaur Footprints?? Glacier National Park

McDonald River, Glacier National Park

On Wednesday we got up and drove the 10 miles from our RV park in Hungry Horse, MT to Glacier National Park.  At the gates we were told that there had been landslides (10 of them!) on the main road through the park (Going-to-the-Sun Road).  As a result, only 16 miles of the 50 mile drive was open.  We made this drive, mostly along the shore of McDonald Lake up to a point called Avalanche.  It was pretty, but not spectacular.  The side opposite the lake had been hit hard with wildfires in 2003.  We had great lunch at a restaurant in Hungry Horse, including a piece of delicious huckleberry/peach pie.  Then we went back to the coach, found a Laundromat, and did laundry. 

Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park

 

Buffalo on the road to Saint Mary, MT

Glacier and run-off, Glacier National Park

Small herd of mountain goats, Glacier National Park

Mountain goat, Glacier National Park

The next day we found out that the road was still closed, so we drove around to the other side of the park (about 85 miles) and saw the first real buffalo we have seen on the trip.  

We started up Going-to-the-Sun Road from the eastern end.  We took a picnic lunch this time.  We got to Logan’s Pass (about 18 miles), where the road was blocked.  While we were looking around at that site, they opened the road!  We are so glad they did.  The scenery from that pass back to Avalanche was spectacular!  You could see lots of snow, glaciers, deep valleys, and tree covered mountains.  There were waterfalls everywhere, apparently from melting snow or glaciers.  The most exciting thing we saw was a small herd of mountain goats.  One of them crossed the road right in front of us.  So cool!!  We ended the day with huge ice cream cones.  Lannas really likes huckleberry ice cream!