Saint Mary

We stayed at Saint Mary campground on the east side of Glacier National Park. Logan Pass was still closed, so you could not drive through the park to get to the other side. We lucked out because Glacier's east side had many more inspiring views, while the west side was obstructed by thick tree cover.

The cliffs and mountains were much more jagged, and the road was high enough to see the lake and its fantastic color.

We started with a hike to Virginia Falls. We were afraid of breaking Melissa’s ankles or Bruce’s knees, so we avoided the other more strenuous trails in Glacier. All the trails in Glacier go from short and easy to extremely steep and long. There doesn’t seem to be a middle ground.

Many Glacier

On the east side of Glacier, there is another entrance to an area called "Many Glacier." It is a pretty nice, even more secluded area. There was an old hotel from when the Pacific Railway was trying to attract riders. It's a very picturesque building, with large wooden beams and huge windows overlooking a clear blue glacier lake.

The lake and hotel are a perfect spot to get some awesome photos!

Iceberg Lake

We hiked to Iceberg Lake from this area. It was a pretty long hike. Melissa, Justin, and Adrianna made it all the way, though! There were a couple of ice chute crossings which were pretty scary, and it looked like you would slide a few hundred feet down if you slipped! Melissa and Justin used some boot spikes, but if you were careful and slow, you didn't need them.

The lake was mostly frozen over, but you could still see the little bit of Glacier on the far side calving! The water was as cold as expected, given it was mostly floating ice. We stayed long enough for lunch and some pictures. Once the wind started to pick up, it started feeling pretty cold, and we headed out. It looked like it might rain, and we did not feel like crossing the ice chute with rain.

The rain did catch us on the way down, but we got lucky, and it looked worse than it was. It was already over when we got past the tree cover. We didn't even break out the ponchos. We learned later that the rain was terrible on the other side of the mountains where the RVs and Bruce were.

West Glacier

A week was a bit long for Glacier, so one day we decided it would be worth driving the long way around the outside of the park to visit the west entrance. It was an entirely different experience over there. The trees are thicker (because there haven't been as many fires), and there are several large lakes. We drove a long way and never felt like we were climbing up into the mountains.

Once we got to the road closure, the pass still wasn't open. So we parked and hiked the Trail of Cedars. It's a pretty casual hike, which gave our legs a rest. We saw some beautiful giant trees, a few deer, and a lovely waterfall. Overall the hike was very rewarding. Adrianna snuck the little Cheddar onto the trail! He's so tiny his feet didn't even touch the ground, so I don't think it counts.

Riding Bikes to the Top of Logan Pass

One of the last things we did on the east side of Glacier was a bike ride to Logan Pass. The road was not open to cars yet, but they had finished plowing, so you could hike or bike.

We started our bike ride on the west side of Glacier National Park at Jackson Glacier Overlook. Even though the road was closed to vehicles, it was still a popular spot and starting to become crowded. The weather was chilly but not too cold, and a light wind kept the ride pleasant. As we started uphill, the ride was easy and enjoyable, but the road became steeper and more challenging as we went. Unfortunately, Justin didn't have an electric bike like the rest of us, so his legs became exhausted while he pedaled painfully, slowly, for hours and hours to get to the top. We had to take more pit stops to rest as we continued upward.

The view from the road was breathtaking, especially looking back down the valley we had just ridden through. The landscape was painted in shades of green and blue, with light clouds passing over the mountain peaks. However, the most memorable part of the ride was the tunnel, which was short but had a lot of echoes. It still had a strong smell of the animals that had lived there over winter.

Our group consisted of Justin, Melissa, and Justin's parents, Adrianna and Bruce. Melissa traded bikes with my parents to get a break from pedaling sometimes. On the way back down, we could coast at high speed without pedaling, which made for a thrilling ride. We are sure we need to buy another set of brake pads now. The lack of human noise made the experience all the more peaceful and meditative, allowing us to fully appreciate the natural beauty of the valley and the jagged peaks covered in ice and glacial water.

More Repairs

With the rainy weather not getting any better, the same day after our long bike ride to Logan Pass, we departed Glacier. Unfortunately, our departure ended up terrifying as our landing gear finally decided to give up on us.

When the landing gear on our RV started making a strange ticking noise, it sounded like something inside was slipping and catching again. It was unsettling, especially since our RV is a heavy and expensive investment. The ticking noise was just the beginning; it was downright scary when the RV started rocking back and forth. The mechanical component inside the landing gear was not working properly, causing the RV to move in an abnormal and uncomfortable way. To make matters worse, due to COVID-related parts shortages, finding a repair shop with available parts was nearly impossible. We live full-time in our RV, so leaving it at a repair shop for an extended period was not an option. It was frustrating and nerve-wracking.

We still want to make a last-minute stop on the Canadian side of Glacier before continuing towards Calgary and Banff. So finding a solution to the landing gear and restoring our peace of mind will have to wait until we are closer to a city.