Day 5, August 17

Day 5, August 17

Locations: Inside N. Fork Rd; Avalanche Lk; Logan Pass; Swiftcurrent Lk

Miles driven: 146

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I left camp along Red Meadow Road and was planning to go to Bowman Lake for sunrise, but missed the turn somehow and ended up taking the Inside North Fork Road. Thankfully, I didn’t miss any color at sunrise, so I stayed on this road for the duration instead of turning around. I headed directly up to Logan Pass to check it out, then went back down to and parked in one of the Avalanche lots. I shot at Avalanche Gorge for a bit, then decided to go ahead and hike the 2-mile trail to Avalanche Lake even though the sky was a dud-colored gray, just as it was when my family hiked it back in 1994. Once I got to the lake, I stayed for the better part of a half-hour. Then it started to sprinkle. It seemed like it could start to rain pretty good, so I headed back down the trail as I didn’t bring a coat. Once back to the truck, I made a sandwich, then I sat and watched it rain for a few hours. I didn't mind the rain at all as I figured this was part of the cold front that was to move through the region as reported on the CB weather radio I listened to yesterday. I was still hoping it would clear the smoke out as it passed through.

I eventually drove back over Logan Pass and over to the start of Highway 17 that leads to Waterton while looking for dispersed camp spots. However, I wasn't too sure if it was legal to camp being that the land outside of the Glacier boundary to the east is all on Indian reservation. Fearing I could be hunted down with arrows (only kidding), I looked for something different. I drove into Swiftcurrent Lake where it was still raining real good. I figured I'd camp at the main parking lot behind the Many Glacier Lodge. All but a few spaces were full, and after circling around a time or two, I found a spot right in front of the horse stable on the east side of the lot. I settled into bed just as it was getting dark. There was a security car that drove through the lot around 8:00 and then again at 11:00. I tried to stay under the radar by keeping my head under the bag. I had already seen the security personnel go up to a couple motor homes the first time, presumably to let them know they couldn't stay the night. It is a trailhead parking lot as well for the Grinnell Lake and Glacier, so I guess I don't know for sure how this is managed. It rained the entire night.

8:29 AM — Looking west toward Lake McDonald from just below Logan Pass