Adventure Honeymoon 2013 - Glacier Exploration Pre-Trip

On our last day before our big backpacking trip, we wanted to take things easy and get our bodies well-rested for the trials ahead.

We had a delicious breakfast at Eddie's Cafe. Ben had chicken fried steak with country gravy, 2 scrambled eggs, country potatoes, and an english muffin washed down with Huckleberry Lemonade, of course. Kari had french toast, aka "The Backpacker", with huckleberry syrup, a fruit cup and bacon.

YUM!

After breakfast, we went to the Rangers Station to pick up our backcountry permit. The weather forecast was for mostly clear weather, but here, we were warned that the forecasts do not mean a lot and the weather can change in an instant. While speaking with the ranger, we made a couple adjustments to our original itinerary - exchanging Mokowanis Junction for Stony Indian campsite and adding Many Glacier campground to our final day. We then watched an enthralling backcountry safety video created by Glacier's most skilled actors, demonstrating how to avoid and handle bear encounters. (Imagine 70s still Chemistry Laboratory Safety Videos). Kari left more amused than concerned about our safety.

With our tummies full and our permit finalized, we headed back to the cabin and organized our supplies for the next day. When we left, we were completely prepared and packing prep never had to cross our minds again.

We walked to the Apgar Transit Center to catch a shuttle up to Logan Pass. Upon arrival, we made a quick pit stop (granted Kari took too long dinking around in the bathroom, so we missed the shuttle). After missing the shuttle, we were informed that it would be another 30 minutes before the next would arrive. We decided to head back to Apgar to grab some ice cream and wait for the next shuttle. Before we knew it, the shuttle arrive and we were on our way up the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The giant shuttle that picked us up in Apgar was too large for the road, so we switched shuttles in Avalanche Creek to get on one of the smaller ones to continue our journey up to Logan Pass.

Once we arrived at Logan Pass, we set out for our day hike to Hidden Lake Overlook to have lunch. It was only about a 1.5 mile hike to the overlook, but boy, the view was stunning. That one overlook was the most beautiful we had seen yet. To any venturing out to Glacier, this is one lower-effort hike we consider well-worth the time spent to get there.

We jumped on the shuttles back to Apgar and stopped by Eddie's for dinner (for anyone counting, yes that is 3 times in 3 days). We ended the evening with one last pre-trip shower and relaxed on the bed with a movie.

Click here for photos from Glacier National Park

Adventure Honeymoon 2013 - Glacier Day Hike Pre-Trip

What's life without a little misadventure?

Our plan for the day was to drive over to Lake McDonald Lodge to hike the Gunsight Pass Trail 6.4 miles to the Sperry Chalet and back. If we felt really good, we would continue on the extra 3.5 miles one-way to reach Sperry Glacier itself.

Kari was all dressed up in her Cascadia trail runners and the top of Ben's backpack fashioned to be a "stylish European hipbelt organizer" aka a huge fanny pack. Ben was prepped with water and food in his day pack.

We set off on the trail cold, but with high expectations and hopes of getting to see a glacier up close. Kari led the way, setting a blistering pace from the start. It was on this hike that we really began to understand just how poorly Kari multitasks.

With her head bowed forward and eyes on the trail, she was able to "crush it" up the mountain and make great time - estimated 3+ MPH going uphill. The catch with this is that her body followed her head when she turned to look at any of her surroundings as well. Consequently, if she looked around to enjoy the sight of, say, a beautiful ravine or mountain overlook, her body would abruptly veer in the direction of said ravine. See the problem? As a consequence, we have since implemented the "stop and look" philosophy.

But on this particular day, hoofing it up the mountain and trying to stay in front of the mule train, her head stayed down and not much looking was done. As we trekked on, we were passed by a couple of rangers, we overtook a 50+ year old couple with a goal to reach the chalet and found a few scenic overlooks. As we climbed higher, the path became overgrown and spiderwebs caught in her mouth and eyelashes with every few steps. Water from the encroaching bushes soaked her legs and made puddles in her shoes.

We should have known something was wrong when the mule train never caught us.

On we went until we reached a campsite sign. "Snyder Lake Campsite", it read. Well that's not the chalet. But, we noted, at least there was a pit toilet.

Upon opening the door, Kari fell backward and vomited a little in her mouth. Ben asked her to hold the door open so he could breathe and she reluctantly did so. When her turn came, she took several deep breaths away from the stench to open up her lungs, inhaled, held it, and charged in and out with supersonic speed. As soon as Kari was out, we latched the door and dashed down the trail. Kari decided that digging a hole to poop in and carrying out the dirty toilet paper was not so bad after all.

After a quick scan of the camp and map, we realized that we had to have taken a wrong turn and wound up on Snyder Trail, rather than at the chalet. The nasty pit toilet was a poor substitute for a warm lunch from the chalet, but we stopped by Snyder Lake, ate a quick snack, and made the best of it before making an "about face" and head back along the trail from whence we came.

The plants were drier the second time through since most of the dew already resided in Kari's shoes and there were no more spiderwebs strung across the path, but morale was low.

It would be one thing to decide that the glacier was too far and that we did not WANT to add the mileage on right before our big backpacking trip. It was something else to have to miss out on seeing the glacier because we made a stupid wrong turn.

While back-tracking, we encountered 2 other couples on their way out to Snyder Lake. Kari asked where they were going, prepared to warn them they were going the wrong way (because who would actually INTEND to go to the smelly Snyder site?!).

But no, we truly were the only geniuses who had made the mistake and managed to get lost on the wrong trail for 1.5 hours without realizing it.

After a speedy, if frustration-fueled retreat, we arrived at the scene of our error. We approached the sign, hoping it was confusing or misleading in some way. But the sign was unforgivably correct. If clearly pointed down our trail - "Snyder".

DRAT!

No redemption to be found, we sat on a log, pulled out our lunch, and ate in near silence. We startled a family with two tired pre-teen girls, led by an assumed father-figure in repeated rounds of I've Been Working on the Railroad. Our moods instantly improved - misery does love company.

After lunch, we started heading back to the trailhead. Along the way, we saw a mule deer. Another couple walked right by. It was literally about 5ft off the side of the trail! At Kari's request, we skipped a second day hike and spent the rest of the day driving along the Going-to-the-Sun Road and taking pictures.

Fifty plus miles and many photo stops later, we had great shots of the sweeping vistas, trickling waterfalls, and mountain overlooks. What we did not have was enough gas to make it to East Glacier Park, where we knew there was a gas station. To make things more suspenseful, we were stuck waiting 2nd in line while a construction crew worked on the road and overlooks by Saint Mary Lake.

After 20+ minutes of waiting, we were on our way and searching desperately for a gas station. Kari calculated gas mileage and distance to East Glacier based on our map. If we made it, our gas tank was going to be running on prayers. We stopped at St. Mary Visitor Center to ask for directions to the nearest gas station, but they were closed. Fortunately, as we exited the park and rounded the bend, a gas station sign appeared and Ben speed-racered in and filled up the tank!

We continued toward East Glacier through the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.It was a good thing we did not hold off until the reservation to get better gas prices because there were no indications of civilization on our route.

As we wound along MT 2, we encountered free range cattle sauntering down the road and came headlights-to-face with a moose who ran off before we could snap a picture.

Animal sightings for the day now came to: free-range cattle, varied birds, mule deer and a moose.

We finished our drive to East Glacier and stopped for dinner at a restaurant called Whistle Stop Cafe, just inside the reservation. We saw a family who looked like they had adopted a spirited Blackfeet Indian girl (she reminded us of Kailee) and Ben added Huckleberry Pie to his list of sampled Huckleberry products.

After dinner, we finished the drive over to West Glacier and then back to our cabin at Apgar for the night.

Click here for photos from Glacier National Park

Adventure Honeymoon 2013 - Final Stretch to Glacier National Park

After an overnight stop in Gillette, WY, we were on our way again. Though we browsed Roadside America for unique attractions on the way, there was really nothing exciting to interrupt our drive. In the face of our 10-hour drive and fear of another hot day, "The World's Biggest Shoe" and "Evel Knievel's Final Resting Place" just were not enticing enough for us to prolong our day.

We blasted through the drive. Ben let Kari drive the second half of the day while he relaxed and watched The Dark Knight and Dodgeball. Boy, we sure went on a "stupid movie" streak this trip! We also watched Up because Kari insisted that it set up the theme for our trip "Adventure Awaits".

Who does not love Russell?

The only hangups on our drive were some quick transitions from 80 ...er "70" MPH to 25 MPH construction zones, Kari having to learn how to pass other cars while on a 2-lane hilly highway, and eventually the curvy and unpredictable downhills leading into Glacier National Park.

Once in the park, we found our cute little cabin home for the next two days and used our mysteriously good phone service to contact our families and inform them of our safe arrival, while we strolled the Apgar Village trails.

We also had our first of many experiences with Eddie's Cafe - the only restaurant in Apgar Village. Huckleberry is a big deal around here, we have found. It is in jams, syrups, muffin and scone mixes, candles ... you name it! It is everywhere! And, at Eddie's it was in the Huckleberry lemonade and cobbler!

DELICIOUS!!!!

Click here for photos from Glacier National Park

Adventure Honeymoon 2013 - Devils Tower National Monument

Part of the rationale for driving through the furnace of South Dakota was so that Kari could lay witness to Devils Tower National Monument. Rising from the plains just west of the Black Hills, this giant monolith towers over the landscape. Many Native American groups view this landmark as a scared place; one story describes it as a great tree that a giant bear climbed to heaven.

It's pretty epic!

To top it off, it is also a mecca for rock climbing enthusiasts, seeking to scale this mighty tower. We just strolled around its base, gazing at this majestic tower in awe, before venturing on to our next over night rest stop in Gillette, WY.

Kari also reminded us of our rock scrambling the boulder field, gazing romantically over the plains and viewing Native American Prayer Clothes.

Click here for more photos from Devils Tower!

Adventure Honeymoon 2013 - Drive Through South Dakota

Our drive through South Dakota can be summed up with one word: HOT. Ben's Honda's air conditioning has not been operating at full capacity for several months. "A clog in the line", he says. "It kind of works", he says. The thing is, in Milwaukee it does not really get that hot enough, often enough, to warrant it receiving priority attention. He chose to deal with the heat and humidity over the cost to fix the AC.

Little did we know, South Dakota transforms into a "boiling lava hot" desert of despair in the summer months. And when you are driving through that, AC that "kind of works" (but does not actually work) just does not cut it. At the peak of the day, we were suffering from heat exhaustion and searching desperately for an exit with cold drinks and AC available.

We were about to enter Buffalo Gap National Grassland (which feeds directly into the Badlands National Park and involves miles of no gas, food, water or civilization of any kind) when, at the last exit, we were saved by a little miracle diner call Jiggers.

Literally in the middle of nowhere (surely the inspiration for Courage the Cowardly Dog), Jiggers was a diner like any other found in extremely small communities - the waitresses knew all locals who came in to eat, new folks stood out and were asked to share their stories, hand-made but unremarkable food, and very personal service. We were mostly interested in their salty fries, tasty milkshakes, and sitting for as long as we could in their AC. To us, it was heaven sent sustenance plunked down in the middle of Hell.

South Dakota was not all bad. We made our traditional stop at the Corn Palace to explore, take pictures, and buy an obscene number of popcorn balls (2 regular, 2 cookies & cream, 1 caramel, and 1 white chocolate raspberry). During our pit-stop at the Corn Palace, we also found ourselves in the midst of what looked like a State Fair. Turns out, it was the Corn Palace Festival, a really big deal for Mitchell, SD. Food carts and shops filled the streets, a carousel resided in the middle of a "highly-trafficked" (by Mitchell standards) intersection. They even had a midway! It's a big deal! Who knew?!

Adventure Honeymoon 2013 - Drive to Sioux Falls

After work on Friday, we did our final preparations, loaded the car, and after a quick tiff about whether to unpack clothes and repack a "daypack" to bring into hotels en-route to Glacier (Kari thought it was a waste of time but Ben thought it would be more efficient and worth the short-term effort ... Ben won), we were out the door and on the road by 6:15pm.

Next stop was REI. Nothing like a last-minute stop for the REQUISITE essentials for a big backcountry trip. :-p

The night before, Ben had been testing out the food bag when the pull string ripped off the bag, dumping the entire culinary content all over the living room floor. Consequently, we were in need of a new, STURDIER food bag. And Kari was somewhat indecisive (no? really?) about whether she was happy with the hiking shoes we had just purchased and wanted to try on the alternative pair "one last time". Fortunately, it really was just that one last time and after a short trip through REI, we were on the road for real. (Go Gorgeous Go!)

While calling to let family know we were on our way, Ben remembered that he forgot the park maps for Glacier National Park and Theordore Roosevelt National Park, but he did not want to backtrack the 15 minutes each way to get them from the house. So, aside from almost hitting a possum outside Albert Lea, MN, we had a fairly uneventful drive highlighted by phone calls to the families and marred by an unfortunate and regrettable exposure (says Kari) to the movie Borat.

We successfully arrived in Sioux Falls and circumnavigated the local construction to reach the hotel at 2am.

Disclaimer

For those neurotic grammar nerds like Kari, yes I (Ben) am well aware of my use of third person singular and first person plural in my storytelling. Frankly, I do not care. Please enjoy the stories and photos without worrying about my grammar skills. 

Thanks!

Ben