St Mary campground in east Glacier NP was our home for 3 nights. With a name like Glacier, you expect the weather to be chilly, and it didn’t disappoint. Down to around freezing overnight. I shivered as we walked past a huddled figure sat shivering outside her tent, hunkered down in fleeces and a woolly hat, writing her journal. That could so be me! I officially declare my tent camping days over (at least cold weather tent camping). I wonder if the Basecamp is the single most best thing we’ve ever bought!
Darren braving the elements in a pre-sunrise walk
Nearby St Mary Lake made for a pleasant early morning stroll before we hit the serious hiking. An ideal wildlife spotting location you might think, not another soul around to scare off the animals and we were there at dawn, supposedly the most opportune time. At the very least, a nice morning wake up call, the scenery a prelude of what was still to come.
Nothing doing wildlife-wise but we resolved to go back at the other most opportune time… dusk. Near the lake, we’d spotted a swampy patch of shallow water, lily pads floating idly – totally looked like ideal moose territory. Pretty sure if I was a moose, I’d go there for an evening mooch around.
We were armed with only the most appropriate beer for the mission: Moose Drool, a tasty brown ale, courtesy of Blue Sky brewing. We crept up quietly, sneakily, not wanting to scare the moose away. And we were rewarded with… Ducks. And silence. And no moose. Seems it’s more of a duck hangout than a moose caboose.
Consoling ourselves that it was at least a cool, peaceful spot to enjoy a beer, we heard voices. People. Just a family with a young daughter returning to the car park. And then the kid began to sing. Bob Marley. At the top of her voice and without a care in the world. “Don’t Worry. ‘Bout a Thing. Cos Every Little Thing. Is Gonna Be Alright. (Be Alright).” Moose or no moose, I think she had it right.