Journey Day 344 | CDT Day 7

We climbed up for our last views of the majestic park.

6/18/87

We arise early for a run to the post office. The paved campsite is soggy and cold in the early morning. A quick, cold breakfast and we head for our last climb in Glacier National Park.

Up, up, up with our last views of this majestic park. The climb is endless switchbacks and steep ridge climbs to above treeline. Scenic point has no side trail, we settle for views from the trail and push up ridge. A wait for Carl makes us cold, so we hike on, he catches up quickly.

A rugged, rocky drop from the ridge leaves us at a creek, where I cook, others go ahead. Meet Glacier Inn employees going the other way on their day off, get info, then push on down on dwindling energy to East Glacier, where we meet at Brownie's Grocery and I devour a banana split. Then to hospitality room at ranger station, to P.O. for resupply.

Read mail, eat at town diner, then I head back for first glorious hot shower. Organizing mounds of supplies when trail crew returns from work. We talk, watch news, listen to Jerry and Doug play duet on autoharp and guitar. Talk trail, eat, prepare meal after run to store. Most crash, hard core get makeshift pizza, watch bad movie before uneasy sleep. The first stretch is finished fairly easily.