=== Saturday, Sperry Trail to the chalet and Lincoln Peak =====
Since I didn’t need an early start, I slept in a little, and ordered breakfast when the kitchen opened at 7am. The breakfast burrito I got was massive - I didn’t know it was going to be an 8-egg burrito! After I finished (minus a chunk of the eggs), I realized it didn’t have any potatoes - so now I wonder, did they run out of potatoes, or just double up the eggs by accident?
It was a little smoky, so I didn’t even go down to the lake for a last view - I’d have a few sunrises at Apgar later anyway (oops! was really wrong on that). I packed up the car, checked out, and drove the short distance from the cabin parking to the general lot near the start of the Sperry Trail, and started out around 8:15am.
It was another fairly warm morning, so I stuffed my puffy jacket in my overly-full pack, and started slogging up the trail. It is steep, but nice and wide and soft. The early section didn’t burn in 2017, so there is still shade for a few miles. There were a decent number of people on the trail in the morning - more than I remember compared to my last hike - a few backpackers, a few with lighter packs that looked like dayhikers, and a few that turned up at the chalet.
There was a smoky haze in the air, but not yet that bad - there were a few early views down to Lake McDonald, and some mountain views headed up through the burned trees. Views of the chalet are more frequent since the fire.
At the stream crossing just before the chalet, I took a break and enjoyed the meadow there. I remember the first time I hiked up to the chalet, I arrived at check-in profusely sweating, so I wanted to avoid that this time! Plus, this is a really nice area for a break.
I arrived at the chalet sometime before noon, and was given a lemonade and the rundown of procedures. This year, they had 2 seatings for dinner and breakfast to help with distancing in the dining room. I was assigned late dining (6:45 dinner and 8:15 breakfast), but asked to change to the earlier time (5:30/7:00), which they were able to do. I was given Room #1 - the upstairs corner with a balcony (shared) that faces north and west. Score! Of course, since it’s 2020, the view was quickly being obscured by smoke, and I shared the balcony with a family with 2 crying toddlers. (To their credit, the toddlers only cried a couple of times and weren’t majorly disruptive). The new dormitory still has the old sound issues. (See pictures in the Lodging section).
This ptarmigan took about 5 minutes to cross the short path while I waited to walk through...
I took a chair out to the balcony and ate my lunch and read for the rest of the afternoon, and watched smoke continue to seep into the valley until I could no longer see Lake McDonald below. Dinner was prime rib with green salad, tomato and vegetable soup, cranberry walnut bread, green beans, scalloped potatoes, and cake (vanilla?) for dessert. It was delicious, especially the bread (fresh baked), which is always a highlight of a stay at Sperry. The staff introduced themselves and each table did the same, as usual. I did not like having to sit at a table by myself for dinner, but I also didn’t want to sit with others - this was my first inside “restaurant” meal since March 15.
After dinner, I hiked up to Lincoln Peak. This was supposed to be a sunset hike, but there would be no sunset because of the smoke.
I probably shouldn’t have done the hike - even though I made it to the top (the path was very obvious, and it was pretty short), I did not enjoy it and swore to never do it again. However, as time passes, I might forget, and perhaps will try it again in the future. I wish conditions has been better. I could see Lake Ellen Wilson, Lincoln Lake, and Beaver Chief Falls, but it was smoky, and distant peaks were obscured.
But I survived, and at least I got to do something new.
I skipped coffee hour, and read in bed until I fell asleep. With the wind blowing, it got chilly outside several times during the day, but was pretty mild at night, and I did not need the extra blanket at the bottom of the bed.
=== Sunday, Sperry Glacier =====
I probably should have done the hike to the glacier as soon as I arrived the day before, but I'm just too lazy and couldn't talk myself out of taking a break. I heard some people say they couldn't even tell smoke was coming in up at the glacier on Saturday. Another oh well.
Sunday was way worse. My previous hike to the glacier had been in August 2015 when the Reynolds Fire was just wrapping up, the Thompson Fire was still going, and smoke was blowing in from other states. I was really hoping that this year would be better, but instead visibility was way worse than my previous hike. Maybe the 3rd try will work out, someday.
I set my alarm for 6:30, but didn’t need it. I could hear lots of other rooms start stirring around the same time. I knew from my 1:30am bathroom walk that it was still smoky - there were no stars, no sunrise. If you stay at Sperry, you must get the hotcakes at breakfast. They are delicious.
I was not in a great mood when I started the hike, and was really wondering why I was bothering. Fortunately, the trail is pretty interesting even if lighting conditions are uninteresting - and I did ultimately enjoy my hike.
I saw 2 pikas (but was too slow to photograph them) and mountain goats. No marmots. There were some waterfalls, and lakes, and great rock formations. I ended up wearing a surgical-style mask almost the whole time, even though I was hiking alone for hours. It seemed to be more comfortable than breathing in all the smoke (in that my mouth didn't taste like smoke, at least).
At Comeau Pass, the handline at the stairs had been removed - that was not noted on the trail status. It wasn’t needed exactly, but I would have used it if it was there.
Up at the top, the only peak you could see to the west/north was the Little Matterhorn, and you could barely see it.
I followed the giant cairns, scrambling up and down the big rock piles on the way to the glacier. There were still some snow patches I had to go around. It’s tough going, for me at least.
I got to the next-to-last cairn and decided to stop there. It had a view of the actual glacier, so I relaxed and ate my lunch. There was another large snowfield before the cairn with the plaque on it, and I didn’t feel like wandering around looking for a place to cross, so I headed back.
Up until this point I hadn’t seen anyone all day, but on the way back I encountered a few groups headed to the glacier. One looked like a guided group - I wish I had ended up behind them - I’m sure the guide knew the best route.
I was back at the chalet around 2, and spent the afternoon reading again. I kept a buff over my face most of the time because of the smoke (and it was also a little chilly in the shade).
Tonight was Thanksgiving dinner - I had hoped the last night would be. We started with tomato and mozzarella salad, curry squash soup, and white bread. Then a giant serving of the main course - turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, and lots of gravy. Dessert was spice cake with cream cheese frosting. I was stuffed.
Again, no sunset to enjoy. I did go back for the final coffee hour, and enjoyed a hot tea while one of the staff read an essay she was working on about her 5 summers of working in the park. It was a great way to end the day.
=== Monday, down the Sperry Trail, and Trail of the Cedars =====
I ate my breakfast hotcake, then returned to my room to pack up for the hike down. I wasn’t in a hurry, but didn’t have much of a reason to hang around longer - the smoke was bad and not going to get any better. Originally, I considered hiking towards Lake Ellen Wilson, or possibly Snyder Lake on the way down, but abandoned those ideas because of the smoke.
Hiking down the Sperry trail is a lot easier than hiking up. I still wore a mask to help with the smoke, but did not notice anyone else doing so. There did seem to be fewer people hiking up today. The trail was pretty buggy (I forgot to mention it - but bugs swarmed me most of the time I was outside at Sperry, too - in fact, it was buggy all over the park).
I stopped to take very few pictures. At one point, the sun was coming up over the mountains, and it looked really weird because of the smoke, so I stopped and watched for a while. A few mule trains passed, taking close-down supplies to the chalet.
At the bottom, my first stop was the bathrooms across from the camp store at Lake McDonald - there were sinks with soap! I was so excited. Then I needed to eat my trail lunch. I decided I wanted to eat it at the Avalanche picnic area, and then walk the Trail of the Cedars. Of course, Avalanche was packed, and not a lot of people were leaving. I circled the parking areas a few times, then gave up and headed to Redrock Point instead. There were spots available, and it was a prettier spot to eat, anyway!
After lunch, as I was driving by Avalanche a spot opened up right by the trailhead, no circling necessary. So I walked Trail of the Cedars, and was happy that I could still enjoy the smells even with the smoke.
I headed to the Village Inn at Apgar where I stayed for my final 2 nights. I was too early to check in (they gave me an hour before my room would be ready, which it was around 2:30), so I got a to-go cocktail from Eddie’s Cafe, and enjoyed it on the beach, in spite of the no-view vista.
After a much needed shower and change of clothes, I relaxed in the room and in the chairs outside for the rest of the evening. Dinner was to-go from Eddie’s - the salad was ready in about 5 minutes, very fast. No sunset tonight.