Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National ParkGoing to the Sun Highway Glacier National ParkJuly 14, 2007. We are staying North American RV-Park in Coram, Montana a few miles west of the west gate to Glacier National Park: $37 FHU with wifi and UNLEVEL sites. It is one of the best RV-Parks in the area but a cheaper one ($25) is located one block west of the light in Hungry Horse. Hungry Horse is only a few miles west of Coram and the North American RV-Park. Next time we will stay there where there is SHADE and free wifi.
Driving the Going to the Sun Highway from West Glacier to Logan Pass
From North American RV-Park in Coram it is a 7-mile drive to the entrance gate at the West Gate of Glacier National Park. Not long after entering Glacier National Park we are heading east on the Going to the Sun Highway --- heading for Logan Pass and one of the most scenic drives on the North American Continent.
As we began our 33-mile drive to the summit (at Logan Pass) Joyce has our camera ready to capture the scenery. Joyce has a good eye for setting up good pictures. This picture was taken early on in our journey to the summit. A rock chute is visible from the top to almost the bottom.
Road Cut on Going to the Sun Highway
One of the more exciting aspects of this drive is the dramatic road cuts that were required to cut a path over Logan Pass. Large vehicles are not allowed on this road for good reason. As you can see there is NO room to spare on this side and on the downhill side of the road --- well it drops off into oblivion.
Dramatic road cuts on Going to the Sun Highway
Road cuts like this accompany about 10-miles of this awesome drive. For the geologist this road cut is through layers of sedimentary rock.
Glacier carved mountains in Glacier National Park
Across the valley glacier carved mountains stretch for the sky.
Forest fires in the area make everything hazy.
Glacier National Park from Going to the Sun Highway
Going to the Sun Highway is following the left side of this valley. If you look closely you can see the road cut climbing the mountain on the left in the far distance. If you still don't see the road cut locate the V in the mountains then follow the roadcut from the bottom of that V.
Glacier National Park from Going to the Sun Highway
What an awesome sight. The Going to the Sun Highway follows this valley through that dip you see in the mountains to the left of center. I think that dip is Logan Pass. That part of the mountain that looks like it has been scooped out with an ice cream scoop is a cirque.
Snowmelt waterfall on Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park
This waterfall flows under the highway.
Any number of waterfalls cascade down the mountains all along Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park.
Glacial cirque
This is another look at that glacial cirque.
Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park
At least two avalanche chutes are evident from this view.
Waterfall flowing under Going to the Sun Highway
Another waterfall flowing under the Going to the Sun Highway. The water in these falls is coming from glacial melt.
Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park
You can see the roadcut climbing the side of this mountain. Now is is probably time to discuss the geology we are seeing. First all the rock I have seen so far is sedimentary rock that appears to be limestone and shales much like what we saw in Banff National park up in Canada. Also like the main mountains in Canada these sedimentary rock layers are laying flat. Even from here you can see layers of sedimentary rock. From this vantage point you can also see the road cut as the Going to the Sun Highway makes its way to Logan Pass.
Logan Pass is that low spot near the center
We are getting ever closer to Logan Pass. It is much easier to see the roadcut maintaining a 6% grade as it heads for the Logan Pass. Again I remind you that these peaks were once the sea bed of a shallow sea and that a collision of the earths plates has caused this plate to ride up over the plate to the east.
Glacier carved mountains deep in Glacier National Park
The steep sides of these mountains were carved by glaciers.
That vertical scar visible through the trees on that slope is a combination avalanche chute/rock slide area.
Sign out of the parking lot at Logan Pass
When you leave the parking lot at the Visitor Center on Logan Pass you have to decide if you are going east to St. Mary or West to West Glacier. We are going back to the west.
Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park
This sign is a good summary of what we just climbed and what lies ahead as we return.
Mountain Goat on Going to the Sun Highway Glacier National Park
This lone mountain goat was about a mile down from the summit at Logan Pass looking for left over salt along the highway.
Click here for more Montana Travel AdventuresUntil next time remember how good life is.
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Mike & Joyce Hendrix
Mike & Joyce Hendrix who we are We hope you liked this page. If you do you might be interested in some of our other Travel Adventures: Mike & Joyce Hendrix's home page Travel Adventures by Year ** Travel Adventures by State ** Plants ** Marine-Boats ** Geology ** Exciting Drives ** Cute Signs ** RV Subjects ** Miscellaneous Subjects
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