Hiking Avalanche Lake - Glacier, MT

West Glacier, MT,
Fish Creek Campground


Today we are off to hike Avalanche Lake on the west side of Glacier National Park.  This is a 4.5 mile round trip trail.  We combined it with the Trail of the Cedars for 5.5 total miles.  Below is our reward at the end.  Huge waterfalls that spill into Avalanche Lake in a large bowl.

Avalanche Lake running into Avalanche Creek

We are hiking with Lee and Trace today.  They have only hiked a couple of times before but were champs to try out this 5+ miles today.  It was a little windy and cool.  Trace has done her homework!  This gal is prepared!  She's got better supplies than I do.

 

Check out that serious knife she's got strapped on!

 

The opaque. turquoise colored water in some of the lakes and streams is caused by very fine glacial silt.  Sometimes it will look milky white.  Since the year round water temperatures are usually colder than 50 degrees, the water remains very clear.

 

With the beautiful red, green and blue rocks in this area, the water just adds to this colorful view.

 

Lee and Steve on the trail.

I'd call it an easy/moderate trail with some moderately steep areas.  But after all, we are climbing up the mountainside.  If it were flat, I wouldn't consider it a hike.  It would be a walk :-)  Lee & Trace did great and the trail meandered through some woods with interesting things to look at along the way.  The trail/lake get it's name from all the trees that go down in the avalanche of heavy snows during some winters.  There were also many interesting moss and ferns growing in the thick undergrowth.

 

We made it.  Here's the mouth of the lake.

 

Some of the peaks way up high.

 

We found a spot to get out of the wind and brought a lunch to eat while we were here.  Even though there are signs reminding you not to feed the wildlife, you can tell these little guys were used to handouts.  They would climb onto your boots and just look at you, patiently waiting.

We wanted to get closer to the waterfalls so we decided to extend our hike a bit.

There was too much growth to get back past the trees and brush very far.  Besides, this is prime bear area.  While I enjoy a bear encounter from a good, safe distance, this was not the area to be in.

 Isn't the water color gorgeous?

 

 

On our way back out we spotted a couple of these colorful looking guys on some leaves.

 

This uprooted tree had a very interesting look from the bottom.  Nature makes the best art!

 

Next up: A second chance!