Glacier: Day Two
After a great nights sleep on the air mattress inside our tent, we awoke to blue skies and birds chirping. Aaron made a fire, and he and Nora cooked all of us a hearty breakfast of over easy eggs with bacon, and "camping coffee." We packed lunches and loaded up the trusty Xterra for a day full of exploring Glacier. We began the most gorgeous drive I've ever been on, appropriately named Going to the Sun Road. The road winds up the mountain steeply, and at times it's as if your car is just hugging the edge of the cliffs! What you get in exchange is sweeping views of stunning mountains that have been carved intriquitely by the glaciers that moved through them thousands of years ago. It is about this time when you are left speechless. To be surrounded by these massive mountains in all their splendor is a spiritual experience as it leaves you awestruck and humbled all at once. I've heard many people describe Glacier as a "spiritual" place, and now I understand why. There were tourists climbing those mountains with us, but there seemed to be a mutually understood sense of quiet and respect among everyone who was lucky enough to witness such a majestic place.

We were witnessing nature in the raw, and it makes mankind seem so insignificant, so small. Waterfalls flowed down the cliffs and through the patches of snow that had yet to thaw from the long winter. We got to see a mountain goat scale the rocky cliffs, which made us all smile. Nora had found some great hikes on the map, so we made our way up to the top of one of the mountains and geared up for an awesome trek through the forest that led to spectacular waterfalls that poured into bright turquoise pools. Glacier is known for it's turquoise colored and freezing rivers and lakes; they are quite a treat for the eyes! Ty and I were excited to finally get a chance to do some real hiking, and Noah sat comfortably attached to mama in the Ergo carrier. We couldn't be prouder of our little Noah Bear, he has been the most easygoing and happy little traveler! He loves being outside especially, and barely made a peep as we hiked along because there was so much natural entertainment surrounding him! The Ergo carrier creates the perfect cuddle pocket for him, so he inevitably falls asleep in there. There are so few times when your mind, body, and soul are at peace simultaneously, and this was one of those rare times. I remember telling Ty how happy I was as we gazed at the crystal clear flowing river.

We ate a nice lunch at a nook along Lake Mary, and it always seems that food tastes so much better when you're in the great outdoors. Plus, we worked up quite an appetite after hiking for miles.

We drove back down the mountain to our campsite at dusk and arrived just in time for a quick thunderstorm to make it's way through. Aaron, Nora, and Ty rigged up a tarp just as quickly, and we were thankful to have a dry place as we cooked dinner over the campfire again.

Glacier is full of raw nature, which included Grizzly and Black bears. Camping in Bear Country is no joke, and is taken very seriously out here. We were warned daily from the rangers about bear safety, which included locking up every single item that potentially had the scent of food on it, hiking in groups, and keeping Bear Spray on you at all times. These bears mean business and it's not rare that one may encounter one in this part of the country. Aaron and Nora shared frightening stories of their personal experience with a Grizzly, which prompted Ty to head off and buy his own canister of Bear Spray in case it became necessary to protect his family from these unpredictable animals. Being at Glacier left you with a strong sense of how crucial it is to respect nature in all it's glory.