Everyone,

I hiked the Cascade River Canyon today and took the north fork up to Lake Solitude. It was extraordinary. I don't think I've ever had a better hike.

I caught the second ferry of the day across Jenny Lake (10:10 am), did my hike and caught the next to last ferry of the day (3:55 pm) back. The total hike was 14.4 miles with an elevation change of 2252'. read more »

Everyone,

There won't be much to this update. I drove all day yesterday and while the scenery was great, I didn't stop to take many pictures.

I drove through Yellowstone and was reminded again of its beauty, status as the first National Park, and the draw that it has to masses of people. It was busy, busy. And lots of people have the habit of just stopping in the road and leaving their cars when they see animals (which are in abundance, of course) even if there are pullouts everywhere for their use. read more »

Everyone,

It's time to head out of Kalispell and drive down to Jackson, Wyoming.

Yesterday, I drove into Glacier for the last day of the season for Going-to-the-Sun Road. It was cool, as usual, up at Logan Pass -- but the restrooms were closed which is not usual.

I headed out on the Garden Wall section of the High Line Trail from the trailhead at Logan. It was an interesting combination of wind and sun on the trail . . . I was a little uncertain about it at first, but that just goes to show my inexperience with these things. read more »

Everyone,

Yesterday, I decided to hike the Grinnell Glacier Trail. I also decided to drive around the southern end of Glacier National Park on US Route 2 just for a change of pace. It was a very scenic drive and well worth the extra miles. The time was about the same or less, I'd guess, to driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road since the speed was much higher and there were no construction delays. read more »

Everyone,

Yesterday morning I stopped in at the ranger station information desk and learned a couple of things. The park shuttles stopped running after Labor Day is one -- and the other was a recommendation to head to the Many Glacier section of the park.

I had never been to that part of the park and, for no particular reason, hadn't really thought about visiting there. It is farther north than the Going-to-the-Sun Road and is accessible only from the east side of the park; I am staying south and west of the park. read more »