We were situated underneath a bridge which was frequented by hikers, so throughout the day people would stop and stare, prompting us to greet them and strike a conversation. Everyone we spoke to was super excited to hear about what we were doing and often asked intriguing questions. It was amazing to connect with so many individuals, to the point where knowledge of our work was being spread throughout the Many Glacier area.
I could tell it wasn’t going to be a usual hike. First of all, unlike the trail to Iceberg, the trail was pretty void of people. This made our group feel a real intimacy with the wilderness around us. Second of all, after walking just a little bit on the trail, we came to realize that the trail had turned into one giant incline. Oof.
Glacier is a place that tells a story just from looking at it’s mountains. I recommend just sitting and staring at a mountain for awhile. But honestly, you’ll end up doing it naturally. The mountains of Glacier National Park are amazing. But be forewarned, this sets the standard for any mountain view you’ll ever see…
…It’s those times of exhausted accomplishment that I lived for, PB & Nutella sandwich half melted, dripping from my sunchapped lips. My only thoughts were on the mixed nuts and beef jerky that were scattered in the bottom of my well worn lunch ziploc…
Nicholas Gross Almonte from Carleton College takes notes on the Upper Cretaceous Valdez Group at an outcrop in Valdez Arm, Prince William Sound Alaska.