Picture 1 – Mountains in Glacier Park . Picture 2 – Entrance to Glacier Park. Picture 3 – Upper Libby Dam and Koocanusa Lake. Picture 4 – Libby Dam
Today was a really great day. It started out with a ride up to the Libby Dam on the Kootenai River which creates the 90 mile long Koocanusa Lake. Forty-two of the lake miles are in Canada, the rest are in the USA. Although the dam does generate electricity, its primary purpose is to control flooding in the area by storing up the spring run off and releasing it over the summer and fall. As I rode along the lake I stopped to watch some people that were rock climbing. There were actually several groups of people.
Glacier National Park was simply fantastic. People told me that it was beautiful, but until you actually see it for yourself it is hard to imagine what it looks like. When you first enter there is a large lake on your left which is really beautiful. Then you begin to rise in altitude and the lake changes to a river and the mountain tops start to come into view. As you rise up further the mountains become more visible and more majestic. They are breathtaking. Part way up, I stop by a waterfall in the river to take some pictures. Just above the falls area is a neat canyon where the river forms a deep pool that swimmers were jumping 15 feet off the canyon walls into.
As you ascend further the mountain become even more rugged than before. During the first part of the ascent, I was on the inside lane, but after negotiating a very sharp switchback I was then in the outside lane for the rest of the ride on the Road to the Sun. About 5 or 10 miles before the end of the Sun Road as I approached the town of St. Mary, another lake appeared but this time on my right. When the lake ended the St. Mary River started.
Once I was out of the park I got on MT89 and headed south. This road took me through an area that was recently burned out by a forest fire. In a few more miles the mountains turned into rolling foot hills with horses and cattle roaming on a free range. Some of the horses were even on the roadway. The farther east I rode the flatter the terrain got and the drier it got. Then the wind started to pick up. It must have been gusting up to 50 miles per hour. I was glad when I turned east so that the wind was at my back. I was traveling on US 2 at about 75 MPH but it didn’t seem that fast because I didn’t feel the wind as much.
Today was a really great day. It started out with a ride up to the Libby Dam on the Kootenai River which creates the 90 mile long Koocanusa Lake. Forty-two of the lake miles are in Canada, the rest are in the USA. Although the dam does generate electricity, its primary purpose is to control flooding in the area by storing up the spring run off and releasing it over the summer and fall. As I rode along the lake I stopped to watch some people that were rock climbing. There were actually several groups of people.
Glacier National Park was simply fantastic. People told me that it was beautiful, but until you actually see it for yourself it is hard to imagine what it looks like. When you first enter there is a large lake on your left which is really beautiful. Then you begin to rise in altitude and the lake changes to a river and the mountain tops start to come into view. As you rise up further the mountains become more visible and more majestic. They are breathtaking. Part way up, I stop by a waterfall in the river to take some pictures. Just above the falls area is a neat canyon where the river forms a deep pool that swimmers were jumping 15 feet off the canyon walls into.
As you ascend further the mountain become even more rugged than before. During the first part of the ascent, I was on the inside lane, but after negotiating a very sharp switchback I was then in the outside lane for the rest of the ride on the Road to the Sun. About 5 or 10 miles before the end of the Sun Road as I approached the town of St. Mary, another lake appeared but this time on my right. When the lake ended the St. Mary River started.
Once I was out of the park I got on MT89 and headed south. This road took me through an area that was recently burned out by a forest fire. In a few more miles the mountains turned into rolling foot hills with horses and cattle roaming on a free range. Some of the horses were even on the roadway. The farther east I rode the flatter the terrain got and the drier it got. Then the wind started to pick up. It must have been gusting up to 50 miles per hour. I was glad when I turned east so that the wind was at my back. I was traveling on US 2 at about 75 MPH but it didn’t seem that fast because I didn’t feel the wind as much.
1 comment:
Jerry,
It is great that you have the opportunity to take such an incredible trip. This is something you will remember for the rest of your life. Thank you for sharing it with us.
P.S. We miss you here at work.
Stay Safe!
Linda F.
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