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Glacier National Park - A Great Race


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Jennifer and Pat just described a fun trip with their new “tag along” so I feel a little guilty I haven’t shared the trip Sheila and I took a week and a half ago to Glacier National Park. I am going to try to get several photos up, but Jennifer’s fall color shot across the lake inspired me to toss my GNP Lake McDonald shot up.

 

ARLkMcDonald.jpg

 

There is a little story behind the photo. I had been watching web cams for the prior 3 weeks for the signs of fall colors at Glacier, Rainier, and the North Cascades National Parks. And I had also been watching the National Weather Service (NOAA) forecast graphs of cloud cover.

 

The challenge was to get colors and clear skies, at a time we could go. We barely made it at Glacier. It was practically down to the minute hand.

 

The NOAA sky cover graphs are good enough to set your watch by, at least in the northwest, much of the time. We spent the night almost 200 miles from the park, and the cloud cover was set to sweep down from Canada in a cold front between 11am and 2pm.

 

We could see by the time we reached Kalispell, it was going to be a race with mother nature. And if you look closely at the photo, you will see we barely made it. The dark gray clouds just forming enveloped the mountains in the next hour, shutting down the light.

 

But we got to see the park in the sunshine, thanks to NOAA. Kudos to the weatherpersons!

 

I’ll try to post some other photos as time permits.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Beautiful photo Dave!

 

I have never been to Glacier. Both of my attempts were blocked by mother nature. First time by an early snowstorm and the second by a large forest fire on the east side of the park. Unfortunately it is a long drive to get there or I would have made more attempts. I'm glad the weather held out for you long enough to snap the shutter.

 

Roadhound

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An awesome photo, Dave.

 

We took a trip to Glacier in 2006. It really is a must place to go. :D I truly enjoyed the lakes and short hikes that are available there. We flew from Houston into Spokane and drove over from there. Saw some other parts of Montana as well and drove back to Spokane via Missoula and the Lolo pass. One of our fondest memories of Glacier was spending two nights in a cabin with no TV, No Phones, no radio, no internet, no email, no newspapers, etc. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

etchr66

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