Vintage View Vednesday Glacier National Park 2005

We are making our way through our accidental vacation in 2005. Thank you for riding along with us. It is time to dive into western Montana. Wow! What a place and what terrific people!

After staying in West Yellowstone, Montana a few nights, we hooked up and drove toward western Montana, toured Glacier National Park and visited the Metzger's church for the very first time. That proved to be the wisest thing we did on our whole accidental vacation. We left there with lifelong friends wrapped up in our hearts. We have been back many times, but it all started with that first "unplanned" visit!

We first drove north from Yellowstone and turned west on I-90 toward Missoula. We were constantly amazed by how awesome the scenery was. We finally found out what people mean when they say "big sky country". Wow! The sky looks so big and feels closer at the same time! Unbelievable!

We found a campground at Missoula and then loaded up early the next morning in the truck and drove to Glacier National Park. We had no idea what to expect. In the winter time, the alpine section of the Going to the Sun Road is closed completely. You can enter the park from the west or east side and drive only a few miles.

We did not know any of that. We pulled up to the gate, got our maps and drove in like we had good sense. And it turns out we did have good sense and a good dose of good fortune. The road had opened for the season only seven days before. In fact, it was the second earliest opening of the road in the history of the park at that point. There were only six other years going back to the beginning of the road in 1933 that we could have got in on May 27 when we were there.

We found out later that the Going to the Sun Road typically opens in late June or early July. We were blessed indeed! I am telling you we enjoyed every single minute of the trip. Our mouths were hanging open 95% of the time and we will never forget the awesome fun we had that day as a family enjoying God's creation!

This is a list of dates of the opening and the closing of Going to the Sun Road since 1933.

Pictures can not do it justice, but I hope you enjoy our Vintage View of Glacier National Park. Get ready for sensory overload!

There is a glacier/snow pack fed lake near the west entrance of the park and also near the east entrance of the park. Going to the Sun Road connects the two sides of the park by switchbacks up and down the sides of the mountains.  A visitors center sits at Logans Pass at 6646' elevation. The road is an engineering marvel.

We have since been back in the fall when the water flow has slowed down throughout the park. It is beautiful even then, but this early season visit in 2005 is still one of our favorites!

Yes, that is snow still up to the roof on parts of the visitors center at Logan's Pass.

This was one of the smaller snow moving machines.

If you wondered why it takes so long to get the road open, wonder no more. Open your eyes and behold!

This is how it feels to be free!

We even saw a Bobcat!

That is all folks! Thank you for joining in the fun today.

Davy

We have a long way to go, but here are the first three installments.

Accidental Vacation 2005 I Yellowstone National Park

Accidental Vacation 2005 II Grand Teton National Park

Accidental Vacation 2005 III More Grand Tetons and Yellowstone