BusRoad's Great Adventure 2002-2003: 004 Great Falls

June 30, 2002

Near Glacier National Park to Many Glacier Campground

It was a short trip north from our overnight turnout back to Glacier National Park and the Many Glacier Campground. We chose a shady space although there was little concern of heat with the overcast skies. We had experienced the park from the car on our spectacular drive yesterday and now we had a hankering for some exploration by foot. A number of trails began at the campground, and we selected Swiftcurrent Pass Trail, a path that headed right up into the towering mountains. I wore a belt pack with camera, binoculars, snacks and water, while Brian took a knapsack containing raincoats, compass and small foam sitting pads. With sturdy shoes laced up tightly and hats snugged down firmly we felt prepared for whatever lay ahead.

The trail took off on the level through thin trees and over a creek. Gradually, it began to climb but the single-file pathway was smooth and footing was good. It was fortunate that we did not have to watch our feet too closely because the view was already spectacular. Glacier action tends to produce wide curved valleys with sheer mountain faces and we marveled at the peaks beside us, across the valley and up farther in the ravine. We had been told to keep a lookout for wild mountain goats and longhorn sheep so we made an occasional pass with the binoculars. I got a good close-up view of some likely looking boulders but none of them had legs or heads, so we kept moving.

It began to sprinkle, then to rain but we donned Gore-Tex jackets and proceeded undaunted. From time to time we stepped aside to let folks who were headed down the trail go by. We also let some people pass who were headed up the trail; did I mention how the altitude takes your breath away? The rain let up and at one particularly nice viewpoint we sat on a boulder and nibbled raisins and peanuts. We had hiked a couple of miles and had nearly reached the line where stunted trees gave way to rocky meadows. After the break we climbed another mile or two before deciding we would probable want the rest of our energy for hiking back down the trail. We had gone about four miles up and I do not know if I felt more intrepid or tired by the time we had completed the eight-mile round trip. There was an exhilarating moment near the end, though, when two people with binoculars pointed out a pair of bighorn sheep grazing in a meadow high above us. Brian and I took turns admiring the majestic creatures, grateful to have experienced another element of Glacier.

Back at the campground we gathered our shower gear, purchased special shower tokens at the nearby store and washed away our weariness. Then as Brian fixed dinner over the campfire, I frowned at some suspicious looking dull white flecks on a mountainside. Just to confirm that I had spotted more wild boulders, I retrieved the binoculars and looked again. Into focus came two big mountain goats and a small, lovely kid. It was a perfect ending to the day.

July 1, 2002

Glacier National Park, MT to Great Falls, MT

We said goodbye to Glacier National Park on a rainy morning that even clobbered us with some hail. Driving through the aspens we were able to add one more large animal sighting to our list of sheep and goat. Among the slender trunks stood a young moose, big and knobby, but clearly not full grown. We would have gone to the East Glacier entrance to see another historic lodge but the highway was closed. No matter; we decided to drive the 123 miles from Browning to Great Falls, and I took the wheel to give Brian a break. Off we set with 50 miles worth of gas in the tank. As the landscape turned abruptly into prairie, it dawned on me that putting a little more petrol in the bus might not have been a bad idea. The road rose and fell gently, and as we crested each hill I looked in vain for a town. There was only wide open prairie with the occasional ranch house. Very occasional. Now I started to become concerned and I checked the odometer to see how near we were to our estimated mileage for the next fill up (The gas gauge has never worked, so we go by mileage). 360 was when were due for gas and I watched the numbers roll over to 320... 330... 340... At 352 we hit the tiny one-pump town of Dupuyer and we almost did not see the station until we spotted a sign that said, “No Parking- gas pump”. We praised our good fortune and filled the tank.

Another town called Choteau popped up before Great Falls, this one with a more touristy feel and a helpful visitor information center. We picked up a brochure about the Charles M. Russell Museum, which we knew about, but also one for the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, an attraction which happened to be free with our Golden Eagle Pass. Immediately upon our arrival in Great Falls, we found the Lewis and Clark exhibit and took a self guided tour through their journey. The museum was laid out in sequence and we traced their trail, with brown carpet indicating travel by land and blue meaning by water. The left-hand wall told the explorers’ tale while the right explained the concurrent Native American story. The main feature was a depiction of the 19 mile portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri River at (of course) the current location of Great Falls. They built axles and wheels to put under their boats and made multiple tough, scrambly trips to move all the gear. We were sympathetically exhausted by the time we reached the gift shop.