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| Atlantic Creek Camp to Cut Bank Ranger Station, MT | |
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| | Atlantic Creek Camp to Cut Bank Ranger Station, MT | | | |
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Atlantic Creek Camp to Cut Bank Ranger Station, MT
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| Hiking | 4.77 Miles |
282 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.77 Miles | 2 Hrs 38 Mns | | 1.93 mph |
| 282 ft AEG | 10 Mns Break | | | |
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| Partners |
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[ show ]
| partners | | You know it's funny, now that I'm back I don't really remember how I slept so I have to think I slept well while camping in the back country. I still think I am a bit of a human rotisserie but not as bad as I once was. I am loving my new tent and once Wendy helped me with the staking after the rain a couple nites before, I like it even more. Today would be an easy day, a time to enjoy and reflect on an incredible two days. We didn't have to rise early altho the sooner we got back to the car, the sooner we would get to a Huckleberry Lager.
It already seemed a little warm after we parted camp. We got started around 8:45. The conditions for the hike back on this trail were certainly different then when we came in. Today we would have blue skies. I decided to move my E/V setting down a third on my camera and that paid off. I have to remember that more often when we have those high contrast days; especially coming in and out of the forest. It really was a nice hike in different light; the pictures reflect that. Our big surprise today was the meadows. OMG, the meadows and not just your run of the mill meadows but flower-filled meadows  . It was flower-filled meadow after flower-filled meadow. The meadows weren't as full of blooming flowers when we came in but between the rain and the sunshine today, they were putting on a show.
The trail takes you away from the creek for a bit and you cross over a drainage, past the mooseless/beaverless ponds, in and out of the forest and then into some serious meadows, one after the other. We did do our little side tour to see if we could find Wendy's container of rum but just like my sunglasses, some critter made out pretty well. No reports of a loopy critter yet. After that we did encounter a ranger on her way in. She said she was new to the area, had only been there for a year and came from Yellowstone. When we got to the parking area we see she had ticketed a car parked by the No Parking sign. I can't remember if there is a sign up that says there is additional parking at the ranger station 1/2 mile from the TH.
I seem to recall we did run into a few hikers off and on as we were coming out. We also encountered some horseback riders. But most of our encounters was with the wildflowers. So many wildflowers and sometimes we got filtered light which really helped with taking photos. However, I find taking photos of meadows is very hard. It's not like a skill one practices as how many meadows does one usually run into.
Once back at the TH we walked the 1/2 mile to our car. Even this was quite scenic with additional wildflower action and a great pasture. We had stashed some coco sparkling water in the styrofoam cooler and ice we bot; they were ice cold. That was so great. We headed to St Mary's and hit the grocery store first where we picked up some stuff including a six pack of Huckleberry Lager and I got these really cool Glacier National Park sunglasses.
And then we went to check into the St Mary KOA but they wouldn't let us into the cabin until 3 so we headed to Johnson's across the highway for a fried chicken dinner that we split as they are served family style with fresh bread, a killer soup, great cole slaw and french fries. But the piece de resistance for me was the Huckleberry Creme Fizz, OMG! It was killer and so refreshing. Here is where we talked to one of our fellow campmates from Morning Star Lake. It was a down day for them.
We finally got checked into our cabin and showered and then met up with some fellow glacierchatters, one who was staying in a tent (he leads hikes for Glacier Mountaineering Society) and the other two just happened to be in the cabin next to us. I can't remember what we did for dinner but later we car pooled to Swiftcurrent TH where we would be coming out in a few days. The road into Many Glacier is as bad as I heard. There is one hole that could almost eat a small car but luckily we came out okay. There is one on the other side of the road as well. It's terrible all the way to the Ranger Station.
Bill picked us up and then we went over to Many Glacier Lodge to catch the Jack Gladstone show. I knew I had seen it before but it's probably been at least 15 years. It was a good show as he now incorporates the artist Charlie Russell's artwork into his presentation. He sings and plays the guitar and tonite a ranger added in with her cello on three of the pieces. Jack Gladstone is “Montana’s Troubadour.” An enrolled citizen of the Blackfeet Indian Nation, Jack illustrates Western and Native American culture through a mosaic of music, lyric poetry, and spoken word. He performs all over in the Park and elsewhere.
As we were departing guess who saw us and came to say hello. Think Triple Divide Pass, yep, it was Max. So the coincidences continue. Max also knew Bill from somewhere but I don't recall but probably from the GMS (Glacier Mountaineering Society). Bill is in his 60s I think and Max in his 20s. So that was a pleasant surprise. They talked about how Bill and his crew were the last ones out of Iceberg Trail as it was closed due to bear activity. Bill leads the Shangrila hike over the back way to Iceberg Lake. He and his other friends from MN that we were staying next to have been hiking in the park for a couple decades. (I think Bill sometimes reads my trip reports, so feel free to send me an email to correct my recollection).
And tomorrow, it's off to the Granite Park Chalet.
The video only has one movie as it's mostly pictures. If you don't like mountains, meadows filled with wildflowers, a big creek and classical music, you may not like this one: [ youtube video ]
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Wildflowers Observation Extreme
it's more like what I didn't see. Meadows filled with flowers let alone flowers along the trail. |
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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