How awesome is this???

Glacier Trip Going to the Sun Road (25 of 32)
Originally uploaded by Olivia Linkel

Today was my favorite day and the best parts came after 4 PM. We were up and on the road by 6:45 so we could drive into Helena for a visit at the capitol building where the kids found yet another set of capitol steps to slide down. It seems to be a tradition now. Then we decided to stop and grab breakfast at Hardee’s, get gas and pick up some fruit and veggies at the grocery store. After that diversion we were finally on our way to Glacier. Most of the way was along a two lane road that took FOREVER!!! We stopped along the roadside and the kids picked wildflowers and then we had lunch. It was a nice stop. It also gave me a chance to rest my voice because I have been reading On the Banks of Plum Creek – another Little House book.
We had a rental car waiting for us in East Glacier. We stopped to pick it up around 1:45 and then drove the final 30 miles in two vehicles to Saint Mary where the campground is. We got the FunV leveled and then the kids went to play on the playground. They were happy to be out and running around. The wind is very heavy here and rocks the camper when the gusts are strong. It also cuts right through you. It was about 60 degrees around 3:30 when we were finally ready to head onto the Going-To –The-Sun road. This road hugs the mountains and no vehicles over 21 feet long are allowed.
We hit the Saint Mary visitor center and then started our drive up the mountain. It was beautiful to see the turquoise lake and snow capped mountains. The road is about 50 miles long and we got a later start than we wanted to so we expected to east dinner on the other side and then come back across. I have read a lot of firsthand accounts on the internet about what to expect in Glacier and what we got was totally not what we expected. Snow!!!! It was quite cloudy at the higher elevations and the wind was so strong on the east side of the mountains. We stopped at a viewpoint and the kids went over and played in a small pile of snow. If we knew what was coming we never would have stopped there. On up the road we went and when we reached the Logan Pass visitor center, we found snow that was still 4 feet high in some places. The visitor center is located at the continental divide and they get so much snow in the winter that the building is covered. I had hoped to hike the trail at Logan Pass because you are likely to see mountain goats and Bighorn sheep but we were not prepared for a snow hike and despite our hats and gloves (thanks for the suggestion Pamme) it was cold. After playing in the snow and Lorelei building a snow man, we decided to keep going.
On down the mountain, past the Weeping Wall which is a wall where endless waterfalls come down and if it were warm, you could stand and take a shower. And continuing down where they have the road to one lane to rebuild it so that two cars can pass around the mountains and on to the Lake McDonald Lodge we went. It was already 6:45 by this time and we were all hungry. After dinner we went to the gift shop in my never ending quest for a t-shirt that I like. Then we knew it was time to start heading back up the pass.
This is the part where it gets really good. As we were going along the parts where it is one lane, I spotted something moving and it was a Bighorn sheep. 3 of them were just on the other side of the construction barricade. Scott stopped since we were the only car on the road and I stuck my body as far out the window as I could get. There they were munching on grass. When they heard me tell the kids to look out the window they turned and looked at us. I got some great shots and then we sat back down and rolled one. Again, we went past the Weeping Wall back towards Logan Pass. And there in front of us on the road was a momma Mountain Goat and her baby just trotting along. We followed behind it and when another car came from the other direction, they went and stood on the side of the road and I can tell you, I am really good at taking pictures from the sun roof of the car. It was so exhilarating to have the cold wind in my face and to see animals I have never seen before. We made it back to Logan Pass and stopped to take pictures at the Continental Divide. It was so cold. We stopped to take pictures at a few more places and then finally made it back to the camper around 9:45. Of course it was still quite bright but we were exhausted and went straight to bed.