And once the glacier recedes or thaws completely, wide valleys with very steep sides and a fairly flat floor are what remain. Glacial valleys are formed by large blobs of ice expanding and receding, each time plucking and carrying rocks that cut deep into the sides of the valley. Glaciers cut distinctive U-shaped valleys that resembles a trough, whereas rivers form V-shaped valleys. Okay, glacier makes sense… but hanging? What does that have to do with anything? Many features such as hanging valleys are indicative of glaciers. In the Logan Pass Area and within the Glacier National Park boundaries, you may notice that there are many names that have “glacier” or “hanging” in the term. Diagram of Glacier Processes and Landforms, My head was on an ecstatic swivel, as each and every direction provided an impeccable view. I felt like we were being transported onto the set of the Sound of Music, as the hills became alive with the sounds of birds chirping. The sun rose over the Garden Wall, illuminating the gardens of wildflowers. Panorama, looking east toward the Garden Wall, Hanging Gardens, Heavy Runner Mountain, Reynolds Mountain… Wildflowers litter the landscape, and waterfalls connect to streams, capturing the last of the snow-melt running down the mountains. The trail wraps around the southside of Clements Mountain, which becomes the prominent peak when headed west toward Hidden Lake. We watched the sun climb down the mountains, exposing layers of rocks with a golden hue. The sun feels a bit brighter and more intense too. It made for some interesting lighting.Īlthough the trail is easy, I definitely felt the affects of exertion at high elevation. On the day of our hike, the smoke stayed away and the air smelled fresh despite other parts of the park being encapsulated by smoke. The fire went on to devastate nearly 17,000 acres and almost completely destroyed the historic Sperry Chalet, leaving only the stone exterior walls intact. The air was smoky in the distance from the forest fires that raged in Montana, including the Sprague Fire that had just started a week previous within the park boundaries and went on to blaze for months, causing millions of dollars in damage. The Sprague Fire began with lightning strikes on August 10th and continued until it was considered contained in October/November, when the temperatures were more mild and snow was getting ready to return. The sun lit up the sky like fire, a reminder of what was happening inside and out of the park during that August in 2017. The only people that were there that morning were other fellow photographers and early morning risers. The Hidden Lake Nature Trail begins paved and transitions into a wooden boardwalk before becoming a typical dirt trail. The sky was getting brighter, so we hurried past the signs for the trailhead just past the Visitor’s Center – you can’t miss it. The morning was brisk at that elevation, and my brother had second thoughts about donning shorts that morning. We took our pick of a parking spot as we arrived in the dark at the Logan Pass Visitor Center Parking Lot. We were able to visit in mid-August and it seemed more like springtime as flowers were just starting to greet the sunlight at about 7,000 feet elevation. If you go there before the snow melts, it becomes a great snow-shoe destination. It’s a relatively easy 2.7 miles out-and-back trail that is a completely open and exposed path through blooming alpine meadows known as Hanging Gardens. The Hidden Lake Valley Nature Trail can be reached at the Hanging Gardens Trailhead adjacent to the Logan Pass Visitor Center. Trail map near Logan Pass, courtesy of National Park Service, from
HIDDEN LAKE OVERLOOK FULL
Keep in mind that there is very limited parking after we returned from our stroll that began pre-sunrise, the parking lot was completely full and it was only 8am or so.
If you can’t make sunrise, I would aim for as early in the morning as possible. I would never consider myself a morning person but this was totally worth the early alarm.
Not to mention, the views are spectacular and wildlife sightings are common. It’s one of the most popular hikes in Glacier National Park, and sunrise provides a chance to experience it with minimal crowds. If you have one morning to spend in Glacier National Park, you MUST check out sunrise while hiking to the Hidden Lake Overlook.
0 kommentar(er)
