There is a dusting on the mountain tops. It is a nice look. It has just been rain at camp but at 45F that’s not too comfortable. It is keeping us indoors much of the time.

They are forecasting an early snow…an inch or two accumulation. Amazing since the highs have been 80F or 85F the past couple days.

We checked out the huge lakes, St. Mary’s and McDonald Lake that are miles long and up to 475 feet deep. Then a couple small sub-alpine lakes that still have snow drifts on the steep walls around them and meandering creeks and streamlets cascading down from them. Mountain goats, big horn sheep and a bear. Are you sensing a theme here? But today something new, we found part of the park’s elk herd, one bull and about half a dozen cows. Looks like he started collecting his harem a little early.

The wolves have returned to the park and they claim 6 or 8 packs call this corner of Montana home. We are not likely to see them but hearing them would be fantastic. Glacier claims the most intact ecosystem in the lower 48. It has all the original species including the big predators are still here (or back again). We haven’t seen the mountain lions either but I am ok with just knowing those guys are out there somewhere. It is all very cool but, this would be a pretty un-nerving place to tent camp.

That’s what all the models say given the rate of climate change we are seeing. What a bummer. I hate to even image how the place will change without the seemingly infinite number of waterfalls and the bright new growth as plants emerge from under the retreating snow, even in August! I am glad that I got to see it as it is today.