Glacier National Park, Many Glacier Opens, and Billy Bowman

Many Glacier Opens
Another stellar day on the Glacier National Park's east side. Saturday the Many Glacier area opened for vehicle travel. I was anxious, as I usually am, to get up there! This year was no different, only I did wonder what to expect with all warm winter and lack of snow we've had. It was mostly as I suspected, very dry and the snow, well it will be gone very soon. . . In places where there should be several feet there is none. I've been up there when snow on either side of the road into the camp ground has 5 feet of snow on it and a narrow trench to drive in and that was in MAY! Not this year, the only place there's still snow is in the trees - about a foot or two, and in the drifts around the Many Glacier Hotel.

               Looking west up the parking lot in front of the boarded up Many Glacier Gift Shop and Cafe. 

The top photo was from yesterday april 18th, the one below it and directly above this text was from last year, notice the ice and snow?  The second image was from May 15th last year, NOT April 18th 2010! If that does not tell a story, noting can.  In fact notice that in the first image there is ice for sure, but it's thin, like less than a foot, the ice in the lower shot is think in fact even in mid May it was still several feet thick, more like bergs than lake ice . . . 

Many Glacier Hotel, Swiftcurrent Lake and Mt Wilber on the left, and the edge of  Henkel with the snow capped peak on the right . . . 

Getting There
Getting there was a breeze; I took the Duck Lake road from Browning, Montana. It's a little longer than going 89 but when it's dark that's the round I take; it's safer and quicker. On my way in from Babb, I saw two moose, each in a different spot. It was too early for any photos, and I seldom "shoot" moose when they're "ratty" and grayed-out. Like most animals spring is the time to shed hair, and moose just look awful this time of year. There's no love loss for the critter, I just seldom shoot them in the spring.

Poor light but Billy Bowman Saves the Day
Overall I had a great time. The light was not stellar but what I lost in light I gained in clouds on my way home, and the fact is, any trip into many is work the price of admission, and I’m always stoked to get into Many Glacier before they close all the trails. While the light was not that great, I'm always looking for new angles and new perspectives, and this year I brought Billy Bowman with me! But before I show you that, I must first finish with "light." There's something about my energy and enthusiasm that changes with good light. Glacier National Park to be shot well needs good light, and fortunately it's available a lot from spring though fall. On this day it was less than average which happens from time to time, so having the ability to adjust and modify your shooting is important. On this day having Billy Bowman with me helped and on my way out the clouds did their trick too to make this one enjoyable weekend (see new image at the top of the blog - Saint Mary's Lake . . . Take care!  Tony

                                Billy Bowman in front of Grinnell Mtn!