Alright, this has nothing to do with hunting.
The photos that follow this were of my short (too short) weekend in Glacier National Park. My solo trip up there for the first time.
I took off at nearly noon on Saturday, too late for my taste, but it worked out that way. The damn cat wouldn't come in, I was disorganized (despite my best efforts) and I wanted to SLEEP! So I finally came to leaving, thinking I had no worries, but then I realized Montana is in a different time zone! Shoot! After driving for nearly five hours, I arrived at Glacier. I paid the stupid $20 ($25?) entrance fee for a WEEK pass (no day pass) and then went looking for a camping spot in Apgar. I thought I might be able to find a nice, quiet spot away from anyone who MIGHT be there.
Nothing doing. It was a three day weekend. Everyone and their dog was there. Not to mention they closed off three of the loops in Apgar...out of FIVE. FIVE! Shoot, so I cruised around and found the quietest place I could. Turns out, the three freaking motorhomes parked 40 yards away were a group! And after getting camp set up, a trip to the lake, they came back from whatever they were doing. And fired up the generators! ALL of them. Since they talked loudly, I could hear the reason was to, "have a nice hot shower tonight." Yea, after your long day of driving. UGGGH. So that when on for a bit, then they started a fire and all sat around, drinking, and talking too loud for the woods. Honestly. I learned that "Angie" is a government employee, something in taxes, her son "john" has a new girlfriend...blah blah blah....oh, and so and so got, "Eight miles to the gallon! How about THAT!" Yea, that's an achievement. You could hear everything they said at 40 yards! TOO much. I was fed up. Loud talking and generators until 10:00 at night will do that to you.
I bailed.
But not like you'd think! You see, the forecast was rainy, snow in the high country, and your general nasty-weather. But in my haste to leave I forgot my extra tarp and my CHAIR. The chair is the most important. So, I stopped in Kalispel and bought another folding chair and a small tarp. Ok. So when this all got too much for me at the loaded (literally) campground, I took off for the pass! Yep...and even saw a bear on the way! Once I arrived at roughly 7000 feet, I rigged the tarp over the bed of the pickup, threw in the sleeping pad and sleeping bag, and I had a camp! (see photos!) A quick supper of Raman over a camp stove in the leeway of a tire, and I was turning in! (Not after roaming around for a bit. Did I mention it was a full moon? FREAKING GORGEOUS up on Logan Pass, alone, in the middle of the night, in OCTOBER!)
So come morning, I was worried about getting "caught" camping on the pass. I wasn't sure if it was legal or not. So I was up at about 5:30 Montana time, took care of the "camp," and then just hunkered down. In the truck? NO. That would be wussy! So, I went on a hike in the dark (did I mention I forgot my headlamp? Yea, remembered the book...but no freaking headlamp! Ugh.) So I stumbled along a trail a bit. Waited, waited, waited for the sun to rise. It was 7:30 before it rose! Or at least when it was light enough for pictures to show up well. I seriously need another camera, one where I can leave the shutter open. It was simply magnificent up there during the hours of twilight. And snow. And clouds. But you could still SEE everything. Very weird. Wish I could have captured that.
So anywho, I made some coffee after it got light. Then I headed down and took photos the entire way. I think I have 112 total. Many were FUBAR because of the darkness, but I tried. I tried some in front of the Avalanche sign, some at the Logan Pass sign, etc.
Then I drove another (close to) five hours home. Took care of my gear (letting it dry now) and will get ready for next weekend. I shall head to my cousin's camp near Pend O'reille and go hunt some deer. The THIRD weekend of camping in a row. Shoot...love it.
I took off at nearly noon on Saturday, too late for my taste, but it worked out that way. The damn cat wouldn't come in, I was disorganized (despite my best efforts) and I wanted to SLEEP! So I finally came to leaving, thinking I had no worries, but then I realized Montana is in a different time zone! Shoot! After driving for nearly five hours, I arrived at Glacier. I paid the stupid $20 ($25?) entrance fee for a WEEK pass (no day pass) and then went looking for a camping spot in Apgar. I thought I might be able to find a nice, quiet spot away from anyone who MIGHT be there.
Nothing doing. It was a three day weekend. Everyone and their dog was there. Not to mention they closed off three of the loops in Apgar...out of FIVE. FIVE! Shoot, so I cruised around and found the quietest place I could. Turns out, the three freaking motorhomes parked 40 yards away were a group! And after getting camp set up, a trip to the lake, they came back from whatever they were doing. And fired up the generators! ALL of them. Since they talked loudly, I could hear the reason was to, "have a nice hot shower tonight." Yea, after your long day of driving. UGGGH. So that when on for a bit, then they started a fire and all sat around, drinking, and talking too loud for the woods. Honestly. I learned that "Angie" is a government employee, something in taxes, her son "john" has a new girlfriend...blah blah blah....oh, and so and so got, "Eight miles to the gallon! How about THAT!" Yea, that's an achievement. You could hear everything they said at 40 yards! TOO much. I was fed up. Loud talking and generators until 10:00 at night will do that to you.
I bailed.
But not like you'd think! You see, the forecast was rainy, snow in the high country, and your general nasty-weather. But in my haste to leave I forgot my extra tarp and my CHAIR. The chair is the most important. So, I stopped in Kalispel and bought another folding chair and a small tarp. Ok. So when this all got too much for me at the loaded (literally) campground, I took off for the pass! Yep...and even saw a bear on the way! Once I arrived at roughly 7000 feet, I rigged the tarp over the bed of the pickup, threw in the sleeping pad and sleeping bag, and I had a camp! (see photos!) A quick supper of Raman over a camp stove in the leeway of a tire, and I was turning in! (Not after roaming around for a bit. Did I mention it was a full moon? FREAKING GORGEOUS up on Logan Pass, alone, in the middle of the night, in OCTOBER!)
So come morning, I was worried about getting "caught" camping on the pass. I wasn't sure if it was legal or not. So I was up at about 5:30 Montana time, took care of the "camp," and then just hunkered down. In the truck? NO. That would be wussy! So, I went on a hike in the dark (did I mention I forgot my headlamp? Yea, remembered the book...but no freaking headlamp! Ugh.) So I stumbled along a trail a bit. Waited, waited, waited for the sun to rise. It was 7:30 before it rose! Or at least when it was light enough for pictures to show up well. I seriously need another camera, one where I can leave the shutter open. It was simply magnificent up there during the hours of twilight. And snow. And clouds. But you could still SEE everything. Very weird. Wish I could have captured that.
So anywho, I made some coffee after it got light. Then I headed down and took photos the entire way. I think I have 112 total. Many were FUBAR because of the darkness, but I tried. I tried some in front of the Avalanche sign, some at the Logan Pass sign, etc.
Then I drove another (close to) five hours home. Took care of my gear (letting it dry now) and will get ready for next weekend. I shall head to my cousin's camp near Pend O'reille and go hunt some deer. The THIRD weekend of camping in a row. Shoot...love it.
posted by geotracker12 at 4:48 PM
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