Road Trip 25 – Day 5c – Glacier NP – Many Glacier Lodge

It was the last of the full day at GNP. We had done the west side, starting at Lake MacDonald. Then we had the fun event at Logan Pass (well I enjoyed it, my wife circled the parking lot for longer than I wanted her to.)

We then explored the eastern part of the park. Hiked a bit. Saw the burned out cabin. Tried to see the shy grizzly. Drove by St Mary Lake and St Mary Village. Lisa didn’t get ice cream here, but she did get huckleberry coffee from the St Mary Village. Then we headed to Many Glacier Lodge. Weirdly, it was about 20 miles circling out of the NP and back into it. And 10 miles of this journey was a gravel road – it made the “out there” feel even more “out there”.

The historic lodge was iconic. It seemed a bit under staffed but we were post season and only a week before they shut it down to get ready for winter. For that reason, it seemed a bit like the Shining – and we have previously stayed at the Stanley which was a bit less scary then this. It was designed after a Swiss Alp lodge, for when they built these lodges in the Glacier NP, they were designed to be American equivalence to Swiss Alp lodges. The dual spiral staircase was a piece of art.

Four Events at the Lodge …

FIRST – We took a walk around the lake – at least we started. The last quarter of the trail was closed. And we had to backtrack to get back to the Lodge. I didn’t mind the extra mile or so, but it was unfortunate they didn’t inform us of this.  We also got up close and personal to a deer that didn’t seem to even notice the amateur photographers.

SECOND – That evening, we got to eat at the Ptarmigan Dining Room. It was beautiful and got extra attention due to low number of guest.  Before it was open, we stopped at the Swiss Lounge. I asked for a ginger ale, but they didn’t have it. I asked for anything non-alcoholic and they offered Ginger Beer. They promised no alcohol. 

Lisa, with her wacky way of enjoying the trip – asked for a huckleberry ginger beer. And they did it. They added the flavor to bring the ginger beer to a more iconic flavor. What can’t they add it to?

THIRD – we enjoyed the Ptarmigan Dining Room. Now, there was steak, chicken and more. But me? Against the norm, I ordered an arugula salad with a grilled salmon to add protein. My wife was shocked, but enjoyed her half chicken with a veggie arrangement (flavored with huckleberry flavor sauce. Really?)

LAST – and in the wee hours of the morning (say1:30ish), I got out of bed and dressed. I went outside to the dark lake side seating area. You see, Many Glacier area is a registered dark area in the United States. I went out to view the skies. 

Last time I was in a dark area (Big Bend NP), the skies were cloudy and it was still to close to dusk that the skies were not as revealing as I wanted to see. Here, the lodge had the only light. The sky was clear. And the stars were aplenty.

I could make out the Milky Way, a myriad of constellations, and the twinkle of hundreds, possibly thousands of stars seen here that aren’t even visible from the relative darker skies of Evergreen, my home area. Having living too often in city/urban life (Dallas, DC, more – the skies were more often drowned out by the lights of technology and civilization.

Too often, way too often, we miss the beauty and grandeur of God’s creation by the busy-ness of modern world.

Back to bed so we can get up and take my wife to the humongous (HAHA) airport in Great Fall MO.

——-

Her trip with me was coming to an end. After I drop her off, I would have 45 more hours of driving. Day six – tomorrow.

NOTE – some of these photos (not all, but some) are from the NP and Many Glacier Lodge websites.