Montana – SALT SEA SKY

Many Glacier Hotel, Glacier National Park, Montana

The Many Glacier Hotel has to be my favorite place to stay while visiting Glacier National Park.
It is situated in one of the most remote areas of the park, overlooking Swiftcurrent Lake and the Swiftcurrent Valley.

The hotel was built in the early 1900s in the style of a Swiss Chalet and it still maintains that style today.

From the architecture to the lederhosen that the bell hops still wear, it definitely feels very “Swiss.”
There’s no cell service, television, and very spotty wi-fi throughout the hotel which also contributes to that feeling of having “traveled back in time.”

It certainly gives you the opportunity to unplug and unwind.
It was heaven.

This year we had a room with one double bed and one twin bed and a shared deck overlooking the mountains. Ideally, I would have loved to have a lake view, but honestly we spent so very little time in our room that the mountain view was just fine.

Stargazing from our deck the first night we checked in…

Deck view in the daylight.

These are the views that the Many Glacier Hotel is known for.
Sweeping verandas that overlook Swiftcurrent Lake, with a steady cold wind that drives many inside and around the fireplace in the center of the lodge.

My boys were still in shorts. Go figure.

Great Hikes accessible from the Many Glacier Hotel area:

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Ptarmigan Tunnel Hike, Glacier National Park

Our big hike this summer had us back on the Iceberg Lake Trailhead in East Glacier and hiking approximately ten miles round trip to the Ptarmigan Tunnel. Since the Iceberg Lake and Ptarmigan Tunnel trails both share the same trailhead, the hike starting out feeling like deja vu, but once we passed Ptarmigan Falls and made the right hand turn onto the Ptarmigan Trail, we didn’t feel that way any longer.

In fact, we started asking ourselves, “What the hell are we thinking?”

Ptarmigan Trail starts with an elevation climb of around 400 feet over 6/10 of a mile. Let me admit right now, making that climb is a lot of work for people who spend their lives at sea level.

In addition to being physically taxing, the Ptarmigan trail is also far less traveled than the Iceberg Lake trail. The lack of other hikers and several blind bends in the trail had us singing, whistling, clapping and talking very loudly–just to make sure any furry creature big or small knew we were there.

The elevation continued to climb, taking us through some densely wooded areas, steep-sided stretches of trail, and really beautiful views.

After an already long hike on an especially hot day for East Glacier, we asked some other hikers how much further it was until we reached the Ptarmigan Tunnel. They told us that once the trail clears the trees, we would be able to look ahead and see the switchbacks leading up the mountain to the tunnel above.

Yep. That’s what we saw…

From that vantage point, we could clearly see the next 1.5 miles of our hike.
And it was going to be a doozey!

We did get a gorgeous view of Ptarmigan Lake from the switchback section of the trail. The bright aqua color of the water from the glacial flour was rivaled only by the intensity of the blue, cloudless sky.

Unexpectedly, the grandeur of this place created a feeling of vertigo. The sides of the trail were very, very steep and very high up. Although it was a wide-enough foot path to walk comfortably, that dizzy feeling persisted and especially affected the kiddo.

He stopped on the trail and refused to go any further.

Dad actually had fingernail marks in his hands by the time they made it back to a lower portion of the trail.

It was a good idea to turn around when we did.

It would have been nice to see the tunnel, but we got to stick our feet in the lake instead.
Being dizzy while that high up is never a good idea.

We’ll catch the tunnel next time.

Check out more family-friendly trail hikes in Glacier National Park:

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Logan’s Pass Trail, Glacier National Park

Probably the most popular hike in Glacier National Park is the Logan Pass trail to the Hidden Lake overlook.

At only 3 miles round trip, it appears to be a minor investment of time and energy with huge rewards: the highest elevation on the Sun Road, hiking over snow fields (even in July!), alpine tundra, lots of wild life, and amazing scenery.

Tourists flock here, piling out of rental cars and RVs, wearing running shorts and flip flops–and take off up the mountain.

Seriously.

Unfortunately, each time that we’ve been there, a visitor has needed to be escorted down the mountain by rangers. Either on a back board or in a helicopter.

Just because it’s one of the shorter, more popular trails in the park doesn’t mean it’s the safest.

So we take the necessary precautions: hiking boots, extra clothes, water, hiking sticks, etc.
Then, we take off up the mountain too!

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The trail starts at the Logan Pass Visitor’s Center. It’s well maintained with board walks at the lower end of the trail. The stairs help with the initial climb as the elevation rises, but eventually you have to take off over snow field and watch for trail markers.

A friendly snow ball fight is bound to occur…

Bad behavior when hiking.
All I can say is, I really needed sleep.

Photo op in front of tons of snow. We’re from Florida. It had to happen.

The views!

The scenery!

The photographs!

The snow!

The mountains. ♥

Next up: mountain goats, big horn sheep, and marmots. Oh my!

Question:

Where is your favorite hiking trail?

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Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park

One of my favorite things? Hanging out of a car window with a camera in hand.

Almost as good as hanging from a mountainside.

But, not quite.

One of the most memorable experiences about Glacier National Park is driving the treacherous 50 miles of the Going to the Sun Road. With narrow passage barely wide enough for two cars in some places, steep cliffs on either side, unpredictable weather, and breathtaking views, it is the experience of a lifetime.

Sometimes literally, the nail-biting, hair-raising, experience of a lifetime. [See embedded video here]