Day 6 in Glacier National Park
With my parents in tow, Danny and I revisited St. Mary Falls. This time, we took advantage of the first day of shuttle service (July 1st) and rode to the trailhead. The short hike in is just a mile, winding through a forest still showing scars from past fires. The waterfall offers a thundering cascade of water plunging over two tiers into a turquoise creek.
Many Glacier Boat Tour
6 / 10
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We hopped back on the shuttle and cruised to the Jackson Glacier Overlook. This pull off gave us the the best easy view of one of the park’s glaciers. Jackson Glacier is around 250 acres and sits beneath Mount Jackson.
Next stop, Many Glacier, for a 5 PM boat tour. This was also the first day the parking lot was restricted to hotel guests and boat tour passengers. Lucky for us, our tickets got us in, and we didn't have to battle for a parking spot. With time to kill, we lounged in the historic Many Glacier Hotel, built in 1915 by the Great Northern Railway. Its Swiss style architecture and enormous picture windows offer one of the best views in the park, overlooking Swiftcurrent Lake and Mount Grinnell.
The boat tour was a two lake adventure, starting on Swiftcurrent Lake where we spotted a moose munching in the shallows. After cruising across, we disembarked for a scenic 15 minute walk to Lake Josephine, where we boarded a second boat and continued our ride deeper into this alpine wonderland. Snow still clung to the mountaintops, the water was glassy, and we soaked it all in on our relaxing boat ride. We had our 2nd glacier sighting for the day, Salamander Glacier. And just to top it off, sitting right behind my parents on the boat was a couple from their church back in Georgetown, SC. Small world, even in big mountains!
After all that, we were tired and hungry and just wanted something quick and easy. So we grabbed pizza. Feeling bold (and a little too trusting), we decided to lean into the local flavor and ordered a Huckleberry Pizza. I figured maybe the tomato sauce had a huckleberry twist or something clever like that. Nope. What arrived was... different. No tomato sauce in sight. Just a glossy layer of purple huckleberry gelatin, topped with chicken, cheese, and bacon. As we lifted the box top, I immediately exclaimed "What have we done!?"
I took a bite. It was at best edible. Only slightly better than it looked, but still a strong contender for the worst pizza I've ever had. Every time we ran into huckleberry anything after that, which is everywhere by the way, we all suffered a minor twinge of PTSD. I feel inclined to relay a special message to our favorite pizza joint back home, Vitos: We miss you, and in times of adversity, our gratitude and appreciation for you only deepens.
Next stop, Many Glacier, for a 5 PM boat tour. This was also the first day the parking lot was restricted to hotel guests and boat tour passengers. Lucky for us, our tickets got us in, and we didn't have to battle for a parking spot. With time to kill, we lounged in the historic Many Glacier Hotel, built in 1915 by the Great Northern Railway. Its Swiss style architecture and enormous picture windows offer one of the best views in the park, overlooking Swiftcurrent Lake and Mount Grinnell.
The boat tour was a two lake adventure, starting on Swiftcurrent Lake where we spotted a moose munching in the shallows. After cruising across, we disembarked for a scenic 15 minute walk to Lake Josephine, where we boarded a second boat and continued our ride deeper into this alpine wonderland. Snow still clung to the mountaintops, the water was glassy, and we soaked it all in on our relaxing boat ride. We had our 2nd glacier sighting for the day, Salamander Glacier. And just to top it off, sitting right behind my parents on the boat was a couple from their church back in Georgetown, SC. Small world, even in big mountains!
After all that, we were tired and hungry and just wanted something quick and easy. So we grabbed pizza. Feeling bold (and a little too trusting), we decided to lean into the local flavor and ordered a Huckleberry Pizza. I figured maybe the tomato sauce had a huckleberry twist or something clever like that. Nope. What arrived was... different. No tomato sauce in sight. Just a glossy layer of purple huckleberry gelatin, topped with chicken, cheese, and bacon. As we lifted the box top, I immediately exclaimed "What have we done!?"
I took a bite. It was at best edible. Only slightly better than it looked, but still a strong contender for the worst pizza I've ever had. Every time we ran into huckleberry anything after that, which is everywhere by the way, we all suffered a minor twinge of PTSD. I feel inclined to relay a special message to our favorite pizza joint back home, Vitos: We miss you, and in times of adversity, our gratitude and appreciation for you only deepens.