Highline Trail, Glacier National Park, MT, 8/26/13

First hike of our 3-day stay at Glacier National Park in Montana. Lonely Planet calls this hike "a vista-laden extravaganza" and it was.  The hike, at Logan Pass,  is 11.6 miles long and starts with exposure (hand rails provided) as it cuts along the side of the mountain and then follows the Garden Wall ridge just below the Continental Divide.  

The Garden Wall is a sharp ridge, carved by an ancient glacier. 

We decided to join a ranger-led hike rather than set out on our own, mainly because we found out at the ranger station that bear activity was noted on the Highline trail the day before.  And sure enough, within the first hour of hour hike, a bear was spotted higher up on the trail.  I did not see it so, sorry, no picture.

Wildlife was in abundance, however.  Above, a marmot checking out our lunch.  Bighorn sheep were spotted by several hikers in our group but, again no picture.

Although 11.6 miles long, the trail has little elevation until the 3.5 mile marker when it climbs ~800 feet to a ridge and then levels out again. At about 6.8 miles the Granite Park Chalet came into view. It is called "Granite" because it is built with local stone that the early settlers mistook for granite.  The Chalet was built in the early 1900's and served as a relay for horseback riders.  Now it is a busy hostel for backpackers.

Ranger delivering one of several lectures along the way.  We learned about the wildflowers and many berries, geology of the area, glacier formation (and how they will all be gone by 2020) and the wildlife. Note the bear spray attached to her belt.   

Happy with our accomplishment for the day!  It had been a long time since we set out for an almost 12-mile hike.