Mosquito Lovers do Glacier, 1: Giant Dogs, Helpful Park Workers, Cake on a Mountain Top, and Wildlife Sightings

Six months ago, we decided to celebrate Kristen's 40th birthday with her and join her and the Olsens on a backpacking trip.  After consulting options, the planned destination was Wind Rivers, WY: convenient location, spectacular scenery, and also appalling numbers of mosquitos.  We went into the trip planning with eyes-wide-open, joking about full body mosquito suits and naming ourselves the Mosquito Lovers on the text string.  As the trip approached, however, Paul recounted first-hand experiences, which led to Brady calling and asking for more opinions, and checking more reviews ("20 bites every time you pee"), and eventually me laying down the ultimatum that I was not going on the trip.   I felt like a pansy but the mosquito forecast was grim with all the rain this past year, and I had vivid memories of outdoor trips ruined by mosquitos.  The rest of the group was nice enough to bail, too, and after some rapid research by Brady, Kristen, and Shireen, we were on a backpacking trip to Glacier National Park.

Brady scored and got us a car big enough for our gigantic bags.  Our backpacks looked like Barbies next to American Girl Dolls when compared with everyone else's.

Our great friends, Chad and Mary, live in Whitefish and offered to let us stay the night even though they were at a reunion.  We got in just after midnight, greeted by their lonely dog, Koa.  In the middle of the night, Koa panted in my face and then jumped on the bed and spooned me, easily taking up 2/3rds of the sleeping area.  It was hilarious and adorable once I got over my irrational panic.

On the way into the park, Brett sees a garage sale and yelled, "I've got room for a tchotchke!"

First stop at the park was the ranger station to get information on backcountry permits.  We did our research and knew places we wanted to see, but since we did not score permits 6 months ago, we had to take whatever was left for a group our size.  Cheryl was the most helpful park employee we've ever met, and took us from discouraged to permits-in-hand within an hour. We had backcountry stays lined up for Gable Campground and Elizabeth Lake Head.  Relieved, we watched our safety video on bears ("If it starts to eat you, fight back!"), bought a few last minute items, and left to find camping on the Going to the Sun Road.

Everyone loved to hate on Brady for his map-reading and driving multi-tasking.  To be fair, he never once swerved.

Brady: "This car runs decently."  Cory: "From the front seat, I bet it does."

Shireen: "Now Kristen can see the park!" after Kristen finally started commenting on the views.

Kristen: "If I'm being a scenery snot, this would be the time I'd sit in the back seat."  Special thanks to everyone who took turns in the backpack-encased dungeon of a back seat.

 Shireen asked, "Is this the Island of the Blue Dolphins?"

After failing to score a camping spot in the park, we finally decided on a group site a few miles out and took off for our day hike--an 11-miler to Grinnell Glacier that we started at 4pm.  Luckily, the late hour cleared out the crowds.

This area reminded us both of Rainier.

Views for days.

This is beargrass and only blooms every seven years.  All the Instagram pictures of Glacier seem to feature it--it is abundant and lovely.

Once we hit the turnoff, I finally relaxed and let myself drink it all in.  I was afraid the late hour would convince us all to turn around, and I wanted to see the glacier badly.  So glad we stuck it out and decided cell phone batteries would work to descend if necessary.

We had the glacier almost all to ourselves.  We soaked our feet in the bitingly cold water and gobbled down our first dehydrated meal of the trip.  

You can take da' boy from Hawaii but not Hawaii from da' boy.

One of my very favorite pictures from the trip.

Brett and Shireen brought bakery cakes for each of us to celebrate Kristen's birthday at the glacier.  It was the sweetest moment to be with her on her big day and the cakes were delicious beyond description after eating Mountain House meals.

On the way down, we saw almost no people, but we did spot a moose right next to the trail, a deer pooping in the lake and wandering by the trail, and a black bear.  Brady even spotted a "bear moose"--or at least his misspeak had us in stitches.  I had to record it since he keeps notes on hand of my botched phrases.

Twilight: best time for sharks and forest creatures.

So glad we squeezed in this day hike.  It was our only visit to a glacier at Glacier National Park.  Brady mentioned that maybe the missing man from a few weeks ago that disappeared in Glacier feel off Grinnell, his body perfectly preserved.  Shireen responded, "They'll find him when global warming takes care of that glacier."  We hope that is not any time soon because there is nothing more charming and chilly than dinner at the top of a glacier.