Hiking in Glacier. . .finally!

© 2011 Lydia Hinshaw

The Prince steps carefully across a snow patch

A scenery shot from Going to the Sun Road

 WEST GLACIER, MT --  When we got jobs in Glacier National Park, I couldn't wait to go hiking.  I spent the summer of 2005 here, though in a different area of the park, and the hiking was wonderful.
 Things have been different this year.  The winter's heavy snows (four times the average) combined with a late-arriving spring, has meant many hiking trails were very late in opening for all but those skilled in traveling on snow.  That would not be us.
 Now it's almost the middle of August and finally the trails are safe for Floridians.  At least the trails that aren't closed because of bear activity.
 On our days off this week we've been able to do two hikes of seven or more miles.  The most scenic was Piegan Pass, which still had a couple of snow patches.  The pass is to the left of center in the photo, where the green meets the white.
 On the way back to West Glacier, we got stuck in construction delays as usual, which gave us time to shoot more of the irresistible scenery.