Close Encounters of the Wildlife Kind

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Jay w
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Close Encounters of the Wildlife Kind

Post by Jay w »

I waited a bit to post this, so as not to step on Tibber's trip. I swear the photo's lack a little contrast when posted on Wordpress, but it doesn't make sense that would be true. Anyway, lots of moose this year.

https://tworightshoes.wordpress.com/202 ... cier-2021/

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Re: Close Encounters of the Wildlife Kind

Post by Selkie »

Enjoyed it very much!
Those old granaries are something.
So much history, unfolded, now folding back in on itself.
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Re: Close Encounters of the Wildlife Kind

Post by Jay w »

Thanks Selkie.

I'd like to know if the elevators were/are owned locally or by the railroads. I've heard that the railroads jacked shipping prices at harvest time, and the elevators are near the tracks, so it would make sense that the railroads built them. That would also provide some background on why they're crumbling.

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Re: Close Encounters of the Wildlife Kind

Post by paul »

I enjoyed your report Jay. Thanks for posting it. I know it takes a good amount of effort. Speaking of effort that 25 mile hike to Iceberg notch must have been pretty challenging. I've hiked to Ahern Pass from the Loop but that's not as far, not to mention the scrambling up to the Notch.

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Re: Close Encounters of the Wildlife Kind

Post by ND »

Hey Jay,
Liked your TR. Read it start to finish and that's saying something for a guy whose attention span has dwindled over the years to something akin to a gnat. :lol:
You are a gifted writer.
Happy to see you made the most out of your trip and completed most of your hiking goals.
Favorite line
Lesson 1: don’t complain about being old to someone older than you.
Bad,bad,bad...us old guys don't have time for that!

Lots of very nice images! Hats off for carrying all that camera gear with you. I quit doing that years ago and started carrying a smaller zoom camera. Learned my lesson on the Dawson Pass Loop. It's kind of funny how 3 lbs of lens turns into 30 on the last half of a hike.
Favorite image
There were many to choose from, but you may be surprised.
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I'm into tree photos lately. I might have to blame it on watching too many Adam Gibbs videos on You-Tube. (you should see his Aspen images in a lake taken in western Canada)

OK, enough about you! :lol:
I have been to GNP probably 20 times since the mid-eighties. I had been to Yellowstone a couple times and don't even remember how I stumbled into Glacier. Love at first sight and by far my favorite place on earth. It's already been 5 years since I lasted visited and it's come to the point that I don't know if I'll ever get back. Me and hiking buddies aren't as spry as we once were.

Here's some of my top memories
1. On the Loop Trail a grizzly jumping out of the bush and straddling the trail about 50 feet in front of me. It scared the crap out me!
2. 2013 On our first hike of the trip we hiked from Logan to Swiftcurrent fire outlook and back again the same way. All said and done it took about 12hrs. I have never been so tired in my life. Cramps... oh those leg cramps in the tent that night!
3. Pete showing us the Shangri La hike.
4. Pete leading us up to Dragon's Tail
5. All the day hikes we did over the years. They were all hi-lites to me.
6. Johnson's campground and cafe

Things I miss.
1. Not having to get up in the middle of the night to secure parking at Many Glacier.
2. Having a leisurely breakfast at the Park Cafe before hiking.
3. When the Curly Bear served Burgers and fries.
4. Not needing some reservation to drive the GTTS Road.
5. A time when the east side and St. Mary seemed for a lack of a better word "rustic".
6. When GNP seemed less crowded and was sort of our little secret.

I'm done now. ND is leaving the building....thank you, thank you, very much..... 8)
Last edited by ND on Sun Oct 31, 2021 7:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Close Encounters of the Wildlife Kind

Post by Jay w »

Thanks Paul and ND.

I was nervous about the length of the hike to the notch. It's been quite a while since I've done a 25 mile hike, and the last one was from Bowman Lake hiking almost to Brown Pass. It killed me, and I was surprised my feet hurt. So I was quite happy the body cooperated this time.

Thanks for the photo critique. It's always good to get feedback and that one seems to fit under the "nature portrait" category. It was with the 100-400 at 260. I liked the photo enough that I shot it twice.

I agree with your second list. One thing about the reservation system, or lottery system for reservations, it makes the campground much more relaxed. I think all the sites should be filled and the RVs limited, but when the campground is 70% full and no one is waiting in line, the whole mood is different.

Jay
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