• About
  • * Shop *
  • Contact
  • Work with me
  • As Seen In

84th&3rd

  • Food
    • Easter Recipes
    • *THAT* Chocolate Cake
    • Recipes
    • Dining Out
  • Travel
  • Life
« Vegan Creme Anglaise
Good Food & Wine 2012 – Sydney »

Glacier National Park: Hidden Lake

September 27, 2012 By JJ 6 Comments

 

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

The closer we got the more drinkable the air became, if that was even possible. It was tempting to stay at the top of the hill – the label of hill being about as accurate as that of kitty for a bobcat – but we were ravenous and lunch still needed to be assembled so down to Hidden Lake we went…

A few hours earlier, the morning had started with a bear sighting before we even left the house – we weren’t sure it could get much better.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

But on our way into Glacier National Park the scenery took our minds off the animal life and we breathed in air as pure as water.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Our plan for the day was to hike Hidden Lake, but first we had to get there. Into the park, up past Lake McDonald and around The Loop on the Going to the Sun Road we went to reach Logan Pass.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

It was a cold and windy morning requiring far too many layers for the first few miles of the hike. The windswept earth looked almost alien at times, but then a stream or waterfall caused by the melting snow would encourage patches of wildflowers and swatches of bright green vegetation.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Smirking to ourselves as we passed the inappropriate-footware-brigade [seriously? who hikes in wedge heels and rubber flip-flops?!] we pushed through the glacial wind for nearly all of the 1.5 miles to the outlook, pausing only for the occasional flora photo opportunity.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Once we ohh-ed and ahh-ed at Hidden Lake Overlook we left the crowds behind to continue a further 1.5 miles down to the lake itself.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Rewarded with Marmots basking in the sun at every turn, Columbia Ground Squirrels forging for food and a view that became more spectacular the further around the lake we went, the wind even began to die down and the layers started to loosen.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Pausing at the top of the ridge and surveying the numerous cutbacks we needed to traverse, it did cross our minds briefly that we would need to hike back up… but lunch was not going to make itself and down we went.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Unbeknownst to us, the Hidden Lake shoreline had only just re-opened that morning, as four Grizzly Bears had been making it their home for the past week.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

This little tidbit was shared by a fellow hiker once we were down at the waters-edge chomping away on tuna sandwiches.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Everywhere around the park you see ‘bear-bells’ – to scare them away, and ‘bear spray’ – to drive them away, for sale. Having no back-woods inclinations we set off with neither. RJ did perform the role of chief noise maker on the hike however, bursting out in a whistled version of ‘Kill Bill’ every few minutes. Yes, it was as disconcerting as it sounds.

Once the Grizzly Bear residency information was shared, RJ whistled just a little bit louder on the way back to the lodge.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Anyway, I did learn after we left Montana how you can tell the difference between Black Bears and Grizzly Bears just by what their sh*t looks like. Black Bear sh*t is pretty much what you would expect from a 200 lb animal, Grizzly Bear sh*t is full of bear-bells*.

But I digress.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Once we were finished with lunch, all limbs still intact and not a bear in sight, there was a much needed stop at the Pit Toilet [not quite as terrible as anticipated, not remotely pleasant in any way, lets not mention it again] and we were off.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

The wind was kind enough to stay calm, the Marmots lazed in the sun and a Mountain Goat took in afternoon-tea while posing for the paparazzi.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

Back in the car we raced the rapidly approaching evening hours to make it up to the Eastern Entrance of the park.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

But even impending twilight couldn’t dissuade us from pulling over to marval at the Bighorn Sheep scattered across the hilside.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

On the far shore of St Mary Lake we stopped for the quintessential Glacier National Park shot of Wild Goose Island…

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

…and only slightly white-knuckled the drive back down, making it to town just in time for another spectacular sunset end to the day.

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

12-08-29_HiddenLakeMontana

*Kirsten – I did tell Manu her joke would make it into a post – still laughing about that one!

**Can we please all just ignore the seemingly random enormous watermarks on a few of the pics? Great, thanks. Doing all this on iPad apps may just kill me yet! Other than collage- comps and text there is not an edited photo in sight, it really was that blue.**


Related Posts

Crunchy French Toast

Crunchy French Toast

Basil & Walnut Pesto

Basil & Walnut Pesto

Vegetarian Pumpkin Spelt Lasagne

Vegetarian Pumpkin Spelt Lasagne

Honey-Pistachio Granola | Guest Post

Honey-Pistachio Granola | Guest Post

Filed Under: All Posts, All-purpose 84th, My-2cents, Travel Tagged With: America-land, Trip'n2012

Comments

  1. narf7 says

    September 28, 2012 at 6:36 am

    Days like these are what make life worth living 🙂

    Reply
  2. Em says

    September 28, 2012 at 10:05 am

    Stunning! *adds Glacier NP to list of places to visit next time*
    I did giggle at your comment about the inappropriate-footware-brigade. I have just posted about our first hike in Yosemite and mentioned I couldn’t believe what some people think is appropriate walking/hiking gear.

    Reply
  3. Cathy @ Noble Pig says

    September 28, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    Absolutely beautiful…lucky, lucky you.

    Reply
  4. Claire @ Claire K Creations says

    September 28, 2012 at 3:13 pm

    Simply stunning! You’ve just made me want to tour America even more. It’s next on our to visit list and I can’t wait!

    Reply
  5. Sophie @thestickyandsweet.com says

    September 30, 2012 at 4:23 pm

    Bloody gorgeous! It (almost) makes me want to go outside and be adventurous.

    Reply
  6. Christina @ The Hungry Australian says

    October 4, 2012 at 8:11 am

    Awesome work, JJ. You guys look like you’re having a marvellous time. I love all the animal shots – who knew goats were so cute? 😉

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get social

84th-instagram 84th-heart 84th-facebook 84th-youtube
84th-twitter 84th-pinterest 84th-gplus 84th-star

Subscribe

New posts, straight to your inbox, simple as that.

Browse by…

Almost Recipe America-land Autumn BlogHop Boozer Bread Breakfast Brunch Cake! Chocolate Christmas Christmas Recipes Coconut Cookbook Cookies Dairy Free Deliciousness Dessert Dinner Family Fruit Gluten Free Had-to-share Holidays Ingredient Focus Inspiration Lunch Mad Science Nuts On-blogging Photo-A-Day Pie! Probably Paleo Refined Sugar Free Sauces Sides Snacks Stuff-n-Things Summer Sydney Thanksgiving / Christmas Treats Vegan Vegetarian Winter

@84thand3rd on Instagram

Follow on Instagram

Follow on Facebook

Be nice, don’t steal

All work on 84thand3rd.com is the property of the site owner unless otherwise credited. Recipes and articles are NOT available for syndication or re-publication. A single watermarked photo can be used in recipe wrap-up articles to link back to the original recipe post on this site. Photos are available to purchase for other uses.

© All Rights Reserved

Want to use something? Contact me and ask.

instagram heart facebook twitter YouTube pinterest tumblr star gplus

Copyright © 2022 · 84th & 3rd