Glacier National Park straddles the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide.

Our journey starts early morning on the western side of the Rockies on Lake McDonald, looking into the heart of the park towards the pass to the eastern United States.

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At its heart are rugged mountains, sculpted by glaciers, flowing water, and time

One of the many, shrinking glaciers within the park: Jackson Glacier

Avalanche Lake, with debris washed down by the heavy snow melt.

Rushing water, down stream from Avalanche Lake, shapes the red rocks

And supports life

and abundant wildflowers in late August

Mountains slowly disolve...

Wildflowers grow everywhere, including along the side of road

two wildflowers; though one has become someone's lunch

The plants, particularly the berries, support many kinds of wildlife...

A doe leads her two fawns across McDonald Creek

A Shoeshoe Hare holds very, very still while thinking "you can't see me"

A young mountain goat practices climbing

while another mountain goat practices his smile

and a third searches for something tasty

Squirrel at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park

Big horn sheep

A Ptarmigan; it will turn white for the winter

Moose

Woodpecker, hard at work

Brown bear, safely far away

Fresh essence of grizzly bear - the closest we came to the real thing

Beaver carving

Mountain lions

And something calmer

Life grows anywhere, not always choosing the firmest foundations as demonstrated by these trees, growing on a film of soil atop rocks

The many forests featured tall, quick growing, but short life span trees

Lightening ignited wildfires have whipped through the park over the millennium

Leaving beautiful, stark remains

Some life in the part is a bit confused

sometimes on a large scale

Glacier National Park is beautiful lakes with incredible vistas,

raging rivers,

soaring peaks with unusual rocks,

quiet mountain lakes,

and ghostly moss.

Turn of the 20th century roads, clinging to the side of tall clifts,

gentle mountain streams,

tranquil ponds,

Sunrise alpine glow at Many Glaciers

Sunset on Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park