Glacier National Park - Day 3

The Day of Lightning and the Bears!!!

Today we had a long hike planned from Many Glacier Lodge, 6.6 miles to Swiftcurrent Pass, an area known for its high grizzly bear population. I really had no illusions that we would make it all the way to the top of the Pass, especially after our hike the day before, but we were just going to head that direction and see what the day brought. The trail was absolutely beautiful, with fairly easy hiking for about the first four miles.

The drive to Many Glacier Campground and the trail head for Swiftcurrent Pass


Swiftcurrent Pass is in the top right of the photo

Our view when we stopped for lunch...



Someone else was stopping for some lunch also!

Stopping for a break at Bullhead Lake before starting the climb up to the Pass

We had been watching the sky slowing turning white up on the pass...no threatening clouds, just a white sky, but having grown up in the mountains, we both knew you didn't need storm clouds for an afternoon thunderstorm. While Tom was fishing, two groups of hikers had passed us, heading up onto the rocks climbing up to the pass, and now they were just small specks about halfway up the wall. We were about 15 minutes up when we decided we didn't like the looks of the sky and we turned around and practically ran back down, and not a moment too soon. We had no sooner hit the trees, when the loudest thunder I have ever heard let loose, followed by incredible cloud to ground lightning all along the ridge of the pass. We hustled to get on our rain gear, as the rain came pelting down within a matter of seconds. All I could think of was those people out in the open on the side of that ridge, on slick rocks, and more than likely with no rain gear, as they had just been out for an afternoon hike on a beautiful sunny afternoon! I knew at least one of the groups was grandparents with two 10 to 12-year-old grandsons, as they had scared our moose away earlier when we were eating lunch when they ran up yelling "Look grandpa, moose", at the top of their lungs, and then were surprised when the moose ran away. DUH!!!

Anyway, by this time it was getting toward evening, and it was so hard for me to not stop and take lightning pictures! It was the most incredible lightning I have ever seen, as we were in a cirque, and we were surrounded on three sides by lightning, with the thunder in stereo and so loud it was actually hurting our eardrums. However, it was also pouring rain, and we both knew that as soon as the rain let up, the bears would be out in full force, and probably NOT happy! So we headed down the trail, which was already running with water about 4 - 5" inches deep in places! After about 20 minutes, the rain let up, the sun came out, and it was absolutely beautiful!

Three guys came jogging past us, soaking wet, no rain gear, and in a BIG hurry to get to the end of the trail. They had come across from Logan Pass, about 13 miles, and were ready to call it a day. However, they were from Chicago, and were not bear smart. They were going fast, and quiet. All of a sudden, they stop and come back our direction, and ask if we know how to get a moose out of the trail. I just tell them, "You don't...you just wait for her to move", which she eventually did, and we all went on our way...for about 30 yards. Then all of a sudden they come back even faster..."There is a grizzly in the trail!!!" And they are totally panicking. Now my husband, being the total supportive guy that he is, pushes me to the front and says, "Get up there". Gee, thanks honey! So I get my camera ready and head up to the front, around the corner, and there is a big black bear off on the side of the trail. I have to give my husband credit...he was right BEHIND me with the bear spray! I tried to explain to the guys from Chicago that these were black bears (there was a mama and a yearling cub), but they insisted they were grizzlies...yeah whatever. Smallest grizzlies I have ever seen!!!




They were minding their own business, doing some grubbing and looking for ants and such, so we took some pictures and went on our way!

More pictures from our trip to Glacier National Park can be viewed and purchased at Thompson Photography !