July 11, 2005
Day 55: Saint Mary to Sunrise
The wind blew all night again. As usual, I got up at sunrise. There were already white caps on St Marys lake at 7:00 in the morning, but I only had to slog 5 miles to Rising Sun.
Had oatmeal at the lodge there and then stored my panniers in the bear bins at the campground. Then I started up Going-to-the-Sun Road - just me and the bike and a fanny pack.
It really made for an easy ride up to Logan Pass - a constant 8% grade which was a cinch without any weight. Logan Pass was mobbed - as always. They even had a caravan of ATVs coming up the west side - the side that is closed to cyclists after 11:00 in the morning. Anything with a motor is welcome in Glacier. Speaking of motors - Harley Davidsons are the worst. You can hear them coming for a mile and afterwards for two. Of course, people in their hermetically-sealed boxes have their stereos on - so they don't mind.
Even though the Highline Trail was busy, it was a great relief to escape Logan Pass. Still cool, still cloudy - but small breaks in the clouds persuaded me that these were leftovers from the past two days, not new ones. It would have been nice to have had sapphire blue skies - but the clouds made for cool hiking and formed misty tendrils around the crest of the Garden Wall.
The Highline is truly one of the most spectacular trails - and deservedly so. Since it starts at the pass - at treeline - you have stunning vistas from the outset. There's a sheer wall in the first half mile and steep slopes covered with beargrass, glacier lilies, and lupine. Everywhere you look, the world drops away precipitously.
Going-to-the-Sun Road headed towards Lake McDonald far below. Snow-capped peaks filled the horizon. I climbed up Haystack Butte for a late lunch. Chilly, damp, but rewarding none the less. On the way back I chatted with a family from Michigan, a couple from Poland, and a family from Wisconsin.
Even though it was past four when I got back to Logan Pass, it was still mobbed - so I just hopped on my bike and started flying downhill. On the way back I found a great spot far from any turnout and hiked out to a rocky outcrop on the edge of St Marys Lake. I ensconced myself on a ledge to admire the wind-driven waves as they arced eastwards, the late sun glowing on Red Eagle Mountain and the wildflowers along the shore. Back at the campground, I sat on the porch of the general store, drank a quart of chocolate milk, and enjoyed the sunset.
Today's ride: 30 miles (48 km)
Total: 2,918 miles (4,696 km)
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