August 1: Avalanche Creek Campground

     The west side of the Going To The Sun Road through the National Park is closed to bicycles from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Keeping that in mind, I started a nice leisurely 17-mile ride toward Avalanche Creek at about 9:00.  After yesterday, I needed an easy day in preparation for tomorrow's 3,000 foot climb to Logan Pass.  Well, it turned out to be TOO easy.  I arrived at the hiker/biker site at 10:30, just in time to meet Derek, a 27-year-old vagabond if there ever was one.  He works as an electrician 6 months a year in Banff and bikes the other six months all over the world.  He hung out for another hour and a half and we exchange biking and backpacking stories--his being more exciting and exotic than mine.
     To kill some time, I went for a nice 2 1/2 mile hike/run up to Avalanche Lake.  It was a beautiful little blue lake surrounded by high craggy peaks.  Ribbons of long waterfalls fell from the mountains into the perfectly clear lake.
     In the late afternoon, against all odds, I met up with my longtime friend and customer and fellow Hastingite, Aaron Moen.  We both knew weeks ago that I would be in the Glacier area at approximately the same time he was going to be in Kalispell for a wildlife photography opportunity.  We planned to meet, but we both questioned weather it would really happen because of timing, logistics, and cell phone service issues.  I left a message for Aaron this morning telling him where I planned to camp knowing that I wouldn't have cell coverage at Avalanche Creek and just hoped things would work out.  It did, thanks in part to a pay phone, which I barely remembered how to use.  We had dinner at the Lake McDonald Lodge and had a great conversation.




Avalanche Lake