DAY 155 glacier Park day 1 It’s a GRIZZ!!

Sept 14

I was awake before six and could see a flurry of activity in the dark as hikers got dressed ready to head to the permit office to wait for it to open. As they were getting scarce. It soon went quite and I dozed but really should be making a move.
Once it was light I let out the air from my mattress and begun to pack up .
Omg I have far too much stuff. can I carry it all?
Somehow I managed to squeeze it was all inside my pack I weighted it out of curiosity 65lb…bloody hell…
Most of the other hikers were going for the breakfast buffet at the lodge. But I thought if I was to do that I would be ill before I had completed a mile.
I grabbed some spare fruit which I woofed and a soda then I was ready. I hoisted my pack and groaned. although it really didn’t feel that bad.
I headed off down the road and rejoined the trail. It was cool but not cold and the smoke appeared to have lifted and so I could see the mountains.
I headed off down the trail music on I’m heading to Canada whoop..
The trail was a little up and down but it always is ha ha. It was 5 miles to Two medicine, after this it was going to be climbing….such fun but with a heavy pack it could be a nightmare.
I pushed on singing away, well if my voice doesn’t scare the bears then nothing will ,oh and I have been reunited with my bear spray so I’m now invincible haha in my dreams.
It wasn’t long until I was approaching Two Medicine, I walked past the rangers hut.(where I had got my permits the day before)
There were about a dozen people mingling around outside, I ignored them and walked down though the park and towards the river. I stopped at a map before the bridge to check my campsite but I couldn’t see it on this map..I was just pondering when a couple came along and commented on my huge pack. Well I was able to make them laugh.
Okay Snail onwards. I crossed over the bridge and began my first climb . It wasn’t long until two medicine was far below.

Being a park the paths are kept fairly neat and tidy and the elevations not too steep Thank god lol.
I was soon at the top and was flanked either side by huge masses of rock. .I pushed on through several meadows and then laughed there was a pretty neat bridge but there was no water…..
I was once again checking my map when a local elderly man came by he pointed me in the right direction and headed off, he was going to do a loop.
I pushed on up the valley and was amazed at the breathtaking Vistas in front of me. Sadly the smoke had returned so you couldn’t see further than the mountains in front of you.
I pushed on down the trail as it meandered in and out of forests. Then I could see a person up ahead,I called out hiker approaching but she still jumped. Sorry I said as I passed her in front was her partner enjoy your hike I said as I past him by.
Several more yards ahead I met the man coming back.
He motioned to me, so I stopped and removed my ear buds
There a rather large grizzly up ahead he said. It’s about a 100 yards when you see a log in the trail.I would take the safety off of your bear spray and approach with caution.

OMG….A GRIZZ.

I removed my earbuds and stowed them . Then began walking forward slowly calling out HI Bear every few yards..
Eventually I came to the log , my senses were now on high alert, bears are normally skittish around humans and so if they hear you coning they are normally off. Grizzly’s are not afraid and generally will ignore you unless they have cubs, a carcass or if you scare or threaten them..
Even so I was nervous well actually scared shitless… I edged on up the trail continuing to call out HI Bear…
There he was, straight in front of me. Bloody huge.
He lumbered up the trail so I hung back still calling Hi Bear so that he knew I was there.
I have to say this Grizz was beautiful, his coat a silvery grey with a white band under his huge head.
I continued walking after him , slowly as this was the way I needed to go.
He didn’t seem bothered by me and kept stopping to gorge on huckleberries.
I was getting a little braver so began to ask the bear if I could pass…and slowly I walked passed him my heart was going like the clappers as I carried on up the trail still talking to the bear..

Phew ! I felt that I was now safe but kept calling HI bear as I continued along the trail.

THEN…..OMG!!

A huge black bear ,the biggest that I had even seen lunged at me then stood up and roared at me .
I guessed that somehow I had startled him. But omg I thought I was going to die..The bear retreated and I waked on rather quickly my heart almost bursting through my chest.
I had been shouting HI bear so maybe he was asleep and I woke him ? BUT! omg he scared the crap out of me.
So for the rest of the afternoon I kept calling Hi bear.
I hiked on and soon exited the forest, wow .. I was amazed at sights in front of me, a huge lake surrounded by huge cliffs. Wow..my camera doesn’t do it justice. But it’s just WOW.
But now I had to climb up and out of the valley and it was steep. I thought I can stop calling Hi Bear now, until I saw several huge mounds of bear scat
Once at the top the views were simply breathtaking most 360 views, such a shame about the smoke as you could normally be able to see for miles.

Looking down there were another section of lakes .I think that’s where I’m.heading I thought.
A few yards on was a signpost confirming my thoughts.
I began to head down, it was steep even with the switchbacks .
Back and fourth getting lower and lower, I eventually emerged by one of the lakes. I decided to take 5 minutes and grab water although there was water at my designated campsite.
I was booked in at Morning star which was about 3 miles away.
I was still heading down , but was nervous about slipping due to the steepness and surface so needed to concentrate.
I’m here great. I can see a sign announcing the campsite and there is a map.

Drop toilet, camping,food prep area and hanging pole.
I find a suitable spot and soon have my tent up. I grab all my food items and then explore.
I find the food prep area and pole. Firstly I throw my rope over ,done. Now I can cook.
I’m just about to eat dinner when it begins to rain.
Bugger I say grabbing my food and putting them in my Ursack.
I hoist them up and tie it off. My tea and dinner I grab and head back to my tent.
I’m usually comfortable eating in my tent, but not today.. so I eat in the vestibule.
The rains now gets much heavier. When it stops I clean my pot and then put it a few yards from my tent with a large rock on top of it… fingers crossed.