Glacier National Park – 100 Years

Glacier National Park was my first “official” destination. The first place that I was very specifically setting out to see, as opposed to the random stops and last minute diversions that will frequently be a part of this journey.

I am not making reservations for places or camp sights, but might if it is required. I am trying to let this trip be as organic as possible. If I have to be at a specific place at a specific time, it limits my ability to act on the moment, to take the detour, to stay an extra day… and sometimes those are the best moments and places.

I find that if I have a specific place and time frame I become tunnel visioned and nearly forget to see what is around me. Maybe it is a subconscious way of eliminating awareness of what I am missing out on, but I also think it is just a matter of focus. So, unless it is an event that I am trying to attend, I am refraining from creating the stress of a rigid schedule.

It doesn’t matter how many times I drive through Glacier National Park, it is still just as beautiful and amazing as it was the time before, or the time before that, or the first time. This was the third visit in my adult life in addition to those from my childhood.

I believe we take our own experiences in life and apply them to what we are viewing. So we can look at the same thing in as many different ways as we are different between times of seeing them. The last time I went, I was in relationship and we went together which put a different perspective on the trip and experience from when I went with my Grandma nearly seven years earlier having just finished my 3rd year of college.

I am always in awe and so inspired by the mountains. They truly are majestic. It is not just being in nature, but rather there is something about mountain air that sings to me.

I was also happy to see some wildlife such as these marmots and mountain goats. I also saw a Black bear, but didn’t get close enough even with my telephoto lens to get a good shot. It had its head down feeding, so it is just a brown lump in the grass in my photo. I did get a photo of everyone up on the hill trying to get a better photo though…

I am having a hard time keeping up with my photo processing and sorting, partially because I have had limited access to internet and power to charge my computer, but I will have more photos posted soon…. (hopefully)

Oh, and this year marked the Centennial for Glacier National Park. More information on Glacier and its history can be found on the park website.