Day 3 - Monday, June 9

This was our first real hiking day inside Glacier NP.  Our plan was to take the Going to the Sun Road as far inland as we could - 14 miles.  We drove along Lake McDonald, past the Lake McDonald Lodge and arrived at the Avalanche campground parking area.  The Avalanche Lake Trail was rated as a two-mile one-way hike with 500' elevation gain.  An ideal hike for the first time out this season.

Video of trail head area (YouTube):  http://youtu.be/VN0uytWSVGY

The hike started uphill following the Avalanche Creek trail.  We soon came across a fast-moving stream with waterfall.

Video:  Avalanche Trail Creek waterfall (YouTube):  http://youtu.be/cMsQ8uxpGCA

Sign for Avalanche Lake Trailhead

Linda at Avalanche Trail Creek waterfall

We then proceeded up the trail.  We were hiking early enough in the day where there was lower risk of a bear encounter.  In addition, there were lots of people on this trail.  As we proceeded up the trail, its' beauty showed us why it is a popular trail for families and hikers of all ages and skill levels.

The hike moved through a forest of western hemlock, western red cedar, western larch, mountain maple spruce, and black cottonwood.  The open forest floor, and red argillite rock that has been sculpted by the creek, makes up the trailbed.  The forest floor has a heavy matting of verdant mosses  (Source:  Glacier Day Hikes by Alan Leftridge).  At one time, we came across a clearing where two creeks joined and had this view of a nearby mountain peak:

We encountered a couple of deer on the trail:

After about one hour, we came upon Avalanche Lake:

Video - Avalanche Lake Arrival (YouTube):  http://youtu.be/cb_8HH2gFYo
Video - Avalanche Lake Waterfalls (YouTube):  http://youtu.be/PiyiEng1af8

Other hikers had reported seeing some black and grizzly bears, but we didn't see any evidence of any in the area.  We did see one "vicious" animal wanting to eat:

After about a half-hour just enjoying what God created, we headed back downhill to the car.  Our next stop was to see the McDonald Creek waterfalls along the Going to the Sun Road:

Here are videos of the moving water:
Video - McDonald Creek Waterfall:  http://youtu.be/WlIRudTApUo
Video 2 - McDonald Creek Waterfall:  http://youtu.be/yFjMpazQSCU
Video 3 - McDonald Creek Waterfall: http://youtu.be/0SZR7aSOrnM

After leaving McDonald Creek, we headed to a short three-mile loop hike called the Johns Lake Loop.  As it was later in the afternoon, both Linda and I were more nervous than the Avalanche Lake trail because we saw only two other hikers.  In addition, there were several hidden corners, blind corners, hidden rises, and a more crowded forest floor.  We were on heightened awareness for bears!  Fortunately, we didn't see any and finished the hike just seeing a deer on our hiking trail.

Tuesday will bring a drive down to Bigfork to play the Eagle Bend Golf Course recommended by Bruce Erickson.