glacier insider

1
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Clockwise from top: Mt. Wilbur and the Ptarmigan Wall loom over Swiftcurrent Lake. The glacial-fed waters of Baring Falls crash to the forest floor on their way to St. Mary Lake. The mountains of the Many Gla- cier area rise in the distance over the turquoise waters of Lake Sherburne. One of Glacier’s ubiquitous moun- tain meadows in full bloom. I nsider Thursday, August 7, 2014 • Page 9 Glendive Ranger-Review Glacier National Park: Crown of the Continent, salve for the soul Story and photos by Jason Stuart Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own fresh- ness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. John Muir Sitting in your office cubicle performing the drudgery of your day’s work, John Muir’s admonitions about the healing powers to the soul of the great outdoors may seem distant, or worse, empty. But there are places in the world where those words hit truth like an arrow to the heart. Glacier National Park is one of those places. I recently made my first so- journ to this magnificent mon- tane paradise. Going to Glacier had long been on my “bucket list,” though until last year, I never really thought I’d be near enough to experience it. Mov- ing to Eastern Montana put it in striking distance, however, and I struck at the first opportunity. And what an opportunity it was. I have a deep love affair with our national parks. My trip to Glacier marked the 20th na- tional park I’ve visited in my life. Every single one of them has something special to offer. However, some, without ques- tion, are more special than oth- ers. National parks like Hot Springs, Shenandoah and Theo- dore Roosevelt are wonderful places, but there’s just no ques- tioning the unique beauty and majesty found in the grand- ness of the Grand Canyon, the geothermal wonderland of Yel- lowstone or the fantastical fai- rytale world of Yosemite. Having been to each of those places, I didn’t really expect to be surprised by Glacier. I knew I would enjoy it, I knew it would be beautiful, but I could not ap- preciate the level to which I would be awestruck and spell- bound by the place until I laid eyes on it. Quite simply, I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve seen mountains, lots of mountains, but none like Gla- cier’s. The Colorado Rockies in Rocky Mountain National Park may be much higher, but in sheer scale and grandeur they pale in comparison to the hulk- ing massifs of ice-carved gran- ite which greet the eye at very turn in Glacier. Atop Logan Pass, one’s gaze cannot help but be drawn to the Garden Wall, an impossibly sheer curtain of rock marking the spine of the Continental Di- vide. Its steep slopes, however, are not some barren no-man’s- land. Few mountains in the world are more aptly named. The Garden Wall is nothing if not a remnant of Eden. My trip to Glacier in mid-July was timed perfectly with the summer bloom. Hiking the Highline Trail along the wall’s slopes, I was delighted. Not just by the ma- jestic mountains looming over- head, but by the wonderful di- versity and vibrancy of color I found in the meadows clinging to its side. Here the Creator’s handiwork was on full display. An explo- sion of white, yellow, lavender, violet and sprinkles of soft red dappled amongst the verdant green greeted the eyes and pleased all senses. I’ve never seen its equal. Along the Garden Wall (and throughout Glacier, for that matter) I saw mountain mead- ows as they are meant to be, as pristine and clear as when morning’s dew first touched the world. No invasive weed choked out all other life here to spread its garish display. Here, nature was in perfect balance. No or- ganism outpaced or overtook the other. All grew in a per- fectly orchestrated harmony, each plant contributing to and enhancing the virtuoso master- piece of color and life. That life is nourished by Gla- cier’s waters, which tumble down its slopes in glistening ribbons spawned of snow and the park’s eponymous glacial ice. I do not have enough adjec- tives to properly describe the tranquil, transcendent beauty of Glacier’s waters. Its streams, rivers and lakes all come in varying shades of impossibly electric turquoise and aquama- rine, the likes of which I’ve sim- ply never encountered. I could go on — and on and on and on. There’s so much to describe, so much to see in Gla- cier that I would need volumes to do it any kind of justice. And though I spent nearly a week there, I barely scratched its surface. As I pulled away from the park entrance for the last time, my eyes welled up with tears, and echoing Doug- las MacArthur when he evacu- ated the Philippines I uttered a solemn vow, “I shall return.” Glacier had indeed moved me to tears, for it touched my soul in a deeply primal, spiritual way which cannot be explained, only experienced. Leaving it was like leaving a part of my- self behind. There is no substitute for that experience, and without it, life on this planet would no doubt be more empty. So if you haven’t been, go, and that right soon. I’m surprised at the number of people I’ve talked to around Glendive who have never been, even people born and raised in Montana. That’s a shame, for everyone needs and deserves to climb those mountains, hear their good tidings and have their spirits lifted and rejuvenated. Glacier is called the Crown of the Continent. There is no doubt in my mind it is Montana’s crowning jewel, and is one of the undisputed crown jewels of our nation and our planet. And in spending just a few moments in its regal radiance, you will find nature’s peace, your cares will drop away, your spirit will soar and you will come away assured your life has been more fully lived. Reach Jason Stuart at rrre- [email protected].

Transcript of glacier insider

Page 1: glacier insider

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Clockwise from top: Mt. Wilbur and the Ptarmigan Wall loom over Swiftcurrent Lake.

The glacial-fed waters of Baring Falls crash to the forest floor on their way to St. Mary Lake.

The mountains of the Many Gla-cier area rise in the distance over the turquoise waters of Lake Sherburne.

One of Glacier’s ubiquitous moun-tain meadows in full bloom.

I nsiderThursday, August 7, 2014 • Page 9Glendive Ranger-Review

Glacier National Park: Crown of the Continent, salve for the soulStory and photosby Jason Stuart Climb the mountains and

get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own fresh-ness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.

John Muir

Sitting in your office cubicle performing the drudgery of your day’s work, John Muir’s admonitions about the healing powers to the soul of the great outdoors may seem distant, or worse, empty. But there are places in the world where those words hit truth like an arrow to the heart.

Glacier National Park is one of those places.

I recently made my first so-journ to this magnificent mon-tane paradise. Going to Glacier had long been on my “bucket list,” though until last year, I never really thought I’d be near enough to experience it. Mov-ing to Eastern Montana put it in striking distance, however, and I struck at the first opportunity.

And what an opportunity it was.

I have a deep love affair with our national parks. My trip to Glacier marked the 20th na-tional park I’ve visited in my life. Every single one of them has something special to offer. However, some, without ques-tion, are more special than oth-ers.

National parks like Hot Springs, Shenandoah and Theo-dore Roosevelt are wonderful places, but there’s just no ques-tioning the unique beauty and majesty found in the grand-ness of the Grand Canyon, the geothermal wonderland of Yel-lowstone or the fantastical fai-rytale world of Yosemite.

Having been to each of those places, I didn’t really expect to be surprised by Glacier. I knew I would enjoy it, I knew it would be beautiful, but I could not ap-preciate the level to which I would be awestruck and spell-bound by the place until I laid eyes on it.

Quite simply, I’ve never seen anything like it.

I’ve seen mountains, lots of mountains, but none like Gla-cier’s. The Colorado Rockies in Rocky Mountain National Park may be much higher, but in sheer scale and grandeur they pale in comparison to the hulk-ing massifs of ice-carved gran-ite which greet the eye at very turn in Glacier.

Atop Logan Pass, one’s gaze

cannot help but be drawn to the Garden Wall, an impossibly sheer curtain of rock marking the spine of the Continental Di-vide. Its steep slopes, however, are not some barren no-man’s-land.

Few mountains in the world are more aptly named. The Garden Wall is nothing if not a remnant of Eden. My trip to Glacier in mid-July was timed perfectly with the summer bloom.

Hiking the Highline Trail along the wall’s slopes, I was delighted. Not just by the ma-jestic mountains looming over-head, but by the wonderful di-versity and vibrancy of color I found in the meadows clinging to its side.

Here the Creator’s handiwork was on full display. An explo-sion of white, yellow, lavender, violet and sprinkles of soft red dappled amongst the verdant green greeted the eyes and pleased all senses.

I’ve never seen its equal.Along the Garden Wall (and

throughout Glacier, for that matter) I saw mountain mead-ows as they are meant to be, as pristine and clear as when morning’s dew first touched the world.

No invasive weed choked out all other life here to spread its garish display. Here, nature was in perfect balance. No or-ganism outpaced or overtook the other. All grew in a per-fectly orchestrated harmony, each plant contributing to and enhancing the virtuoso master-piece of color and life.

That life is nourished by Gla-cier’s waters, which tumble down its slopes in glistening ribbons spawned of snow and the park’s eponymous glacial ice.

I do not have enough adjec-tives to properly describe the tranquil, transcendent beauty of Glacier’s waters. Its streams, rivers and lakes all come in varying shades of impossibly electric turquoise and aquama-rine, the likes of which I’ve sim-ply never encountered.

I could go on — and on and on and on. There’s so much to describe, so much to see in Gla-cier that I would need volumes to do it any kind of justice.

And though I spent nearly a week there, I barely scratched its surface. As I pulled away from the park entrance for the last time, my eyes welled up with tears, and echoing Doug-las MacArthur when he evacu-ated the Philippines I uttered a

solemn vow, “I shall return.”Glacier had indeed moved me

to tears, for it touched my soul in a deeply primal, spiritual way which cannot be explained, only experienced. Leaving it was like leaving a part of my-self behind.

There is no substitute for that experience, and without it, life on this planet would no doubt be more empty.

So if you haven’t been, go, and that right soon. I’m surprised at the number of people I’ve talked to around Glendive who have never been, even people born and raised in Montana.

That’s a shame, for everyone needs and deserves to climb those mountains, hear their good tidings and have their spirits lifted and rejuvenated.

Glacier is called the Crown of the Continent. There is no doubt in my mind it is Montana’s crowning jewel, and is one of the undisputed crown jewels of our nation and our planet.

And in spending just a few moments in its regal radiance, you will find nature’s peace, your cares will drop away, your spirit will soar and you will come away assured your life has been more fully lived.

Reach Jason Stuart at [email protected].