Upper Quartz Lake

Saturday May 30, Patti and Linda and I hiked to Upper Quartz Lake in the NW part of Glacier National Park.  It seemed like I had been to this lake more than four times, but based on my photos this was the fourth time.

The hike was 13 miles round trip. The trail goes over the Cerulean Ridge so our hike gained 1800 ft before descending 1600 ft.  Of course, when we returned to the trail head we had to go back up and down the Cerulean Ridge.

Due to the low amount of snow this past Winter there was no snow on the top of the Cerulean Ridge.  The few streams we crossed were lower this year also.

At the Bowman Lake campground, where the trail started, were these signs.  Apparently a mountain lion recently chased a deer through the campground in broad daylight and caught and killed the deer.  The Park rangers later removed the rest of the deer so the lion wouldn't return again.

Bowman Lake at the start of our hike in the morning.

Bowman Lake at the end of our hike in the afternoon. The Cerulean Ridge is on the right side of the photo.

Hiking up to the Cerulean Ridge.

Indian Paintbrush wild flowers.

Early beargrass

One stream crossing

Coming down the top of the ridge I noticed the trees have really grown since I was last here in June 2011.  There used to be many more views of the Upper and Lower lakes.

Upper Quartz Lake as seen from just below the top of the Cerulean Ridge.

Lower Quartz Lake as seen from just below the top of the Cerulean Ridge.

Quartz Lake with Vulture Peak in the background left of center.

At Quartz Lake a butterfly took a liking to me.   It would sit on my shirt... my arm.. my hand... even my hat.  When we left the lake the butterfly stayed on my hat for at least a half mile or more of hiking from the lake before flying off.

Bowman Lake

Friday, October 12, after we hiked to Logging Lake in Glacier Park, Patti, Patti's co-worker Jerry, Joyce, Bill's niece Cheryl, and I drove over for a quick visit to Bowman Lake as Cheryl had never seen the lake.  Bowman Lake is one of my favorite lakes in the Park.

Rainbow Peak and Square Mountain.  Square Mountain is the smaller pointy mountain in front.

Rainbow Peak

Zooming in to the far end of Bowman Lake.  The "Hole in the Wall" area is just left of center.

Numa lookout with Charlie

Sunday June 17, 2012 I hiked to Numa Lookout in Glacier Park with my Minnesota friend Charlie and his son, Simon. They were visiting me for a few days during their journey to Oregon.   The Going-to-the-Sun road was not cleared of snow and opened yet over Logan Pass so this hike was a good alternative to see a beautiful lake and get some elevation mountain views for someone who had never been to Glacier Park before.

Trail distance: 11.2 roundtrip.

Elevation gain: 2930 ft

Highest Point: 6960 ft

It had rained the night before and the vegetation along the trail was wet.  I led, and even using a stick to brush the water off the vegetation, my lower legs got wet.

The forecast threatened rain in the afternoon and rain was what we got after we were up at the lookout. It was a wet hike back down the mountain to my car.   Surprisingly several couples were hiking up the trail in the rain as we were hiking out.

Bowman Lake before and after our hike

Snow was across a few spots on the trail.

We had started our hike at the far end of the lake.

Rain moved in.

It rained with some sleet during the hike back down the mountain.

Hustling down the trail in the rain

21 second video of rain/sleet on the Numa Lookout hike:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5s4vBk1ByA


I put plastic bread wrappers in my shoes in an attempt to keep my feet dry. Didn't work as well as I had hoped.

Stopping to check out the sap on a tree trunk.

Wet, but back to the car.  Now, why didn't we think to bring extra pairs of dry socks?

After our hike we stooped at the Merc in Polebridge, MT and Charlie bought each of us a homemade baked item to eat.

Between the North Fork Road and the North Fork river.

Flathead County decided this section of the North Fork road was too wide and in the Fall of 2012 carved off each side of the road and narrowed it down quite a bit.

28 second video of this waterfall along the North Fork road: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1egtFUjttI