Glacier, Goats, and Bears, Oh My!

By: Sam

We weren’t sure what to expect as we approached Glacier National Park. When we were planning our stay, we hadn’t done very much research and were almost completely in the dark. However, as we began to explore the landscape that is known as “The Crown of the Continent,” our sentiments changed from indifference and habitual awe, to the state wonderstruck. We didn’t have to voice the beauty of the Park, the sweeping vistas and jagged mountain ranges spoke for themselves.

On our first day in Glacier, our highlight was visiting the Highline Trail at dusk. Although this trail is one of the most popular trails in the park, between the time being 7:30 at night and an approaching thunderstorm, not many people were on the trail. As we reached the trailhead, something spectacular happened. In the first thirty seconds of our hike, we spotted a snowy white mountain goat and her kid grazing in the bushes. Watching them was a unique experience that was unlike any other I had ever had. When we could finally tear our gaze away from the goats, we continued on our hike, which proved to be quite the experience.

The trail seemed to be cut from the bones of the mountain, and skirted around a magnificent valley that brimmed with waterfalls and frozen snow banks. The storm clouds were rapidly engulfing the area, and a torrent of breezes churned the purple and blue froth over the mountains. It was a place of potency and power and paradoxes. It was a place where fire both sentenced death and gave life. Where water was both fervently moving and was becoming crystallized ice. Where sharp cliffs suddenly fell into a smooth valley. Where the landscape could be unyielding and unforgiving yet majestic and awe-inspiring. A place that was both being and becoming. It was a place where words can only describe so much. Seeing it for the first time was akin to being struck by lightning. I didn’t know whether to laugh uncontrollably or cry hysterically, so I did both, and dissolved into tears of joy and peels of laughter. After that experience, we laid low for our second day in the park, only hiking for a portion of the day to Baring, St. Mary and Virginia Falls. However, the events of the next day were memorable to say the least.

We were aware that there were bears in Glacier. We had even seen many of them from our car. Not just any old-bears either. Grizzlies. Commonly a dusted golden brown, but also able to be black and blond, the Grizzly bears are equipped with 4 inch long claws, and can be anywhere between 300 and 1000 lbs., and can be 6 to7 feet standing upright. Anyone with any common sense would agree that this is a fearsome predator. Sure, the park also has frequent black bear sightings, but while in hostile black bear situations, experts say to fight back using anything you can find, while in Grizzly attacks, the smartest thing to do is to play dead. Which was why we weren’t surprised when we spotted a Grizzly bear with her cubs sauntering above our trail. It was a jaw dropping experience. All that went through the beholder’s minds was, “that is a huge bear.” That morning we had awoken at the crack of dawn (actually it was more like 6:15), and packed supplies for a hike to Iceberg Lake, which was at a 10 mile round trip. After watching the bears for a while, we continued on our trek to the lake, and along the way we traveled with some speedy hikers whose bear spray inspired us to keep up with them. We did not have any bear spray, and so we hiked with them in case we strayed upon a bear.

Iceberg Lake was phenomenal. A chilly blue lake with actual icebergs floating in it, it was the perfect place to take a Christmas card photo. Even though the water was freezing, literally, I summoned my courage and waded and climbed onto an ice float, and returned unable to feel anything past my thighs. It was wonderful. However, after leaving Iceberg and heading back on the trail, we were informed by an approaching ranger that the Iceberg Lake and Ptarmigan Tunnel hikes were now closed due to bear activity. This was a shock. We had never heard of a trail being closed because of too many bears. Apparently the bears were coming down on the trails to feed on huckleberries, and one had already charged a group of hikers.

Later that day we enjoyed the beauty of Swiftcurrent Lake and Josephine Lake on a boat tour, and marveled at the surrounding glaciers and snow banks. As the sun set on what would be our last day at Glacier, we realized something: We needed more time in the Crown of the Continent. With this brewing in the back of our minds, we said goodbye to Glacier, although I’m confident it will not be forever.