Glacier Part II

After driving through the clouds twice, we were relieved to find the sun still shining over St. Mary Lake. It took a couple of attempts, but we managed to find a parking spot at Sunrift Gorge, where we could pick up the trail to St. Mary Falls.

There had been a fire in this area since our last visit (we later learned it was the Reynold's Creek fire in 2015). The burned trees had begun to turn white, and new growth and wildflowers covered the ground. Without the tree canopy, we could see St. Mary Lake and the mountains across the water quite clearly. It was surprisingly beautiful.

It was warmer and less windy on the trail than it was up on the road. And there was so much to see! Other hikers (or bears?) had already eaten the ripe marionberries, but we did find some huckleberries. It was too late for beargrass and paintbrush, but the fireweed and pearly everlasting were abundant and in bloom. And Baring Falls and St. Mary Falls, fed by recent rain, were roaring.

With the sun warming our shoulders and turning Lake St. Mary bright blue, it was hard to believe that earlier that same day, we had been shivering in the clouds at Logan Pass. This hike felt like a brilliant, colorful gift, and we're grateful for yet another wondrous and memorable visit to Glacier National Park.