Yesterday, July 11th, we drove South back through British Columbia to Waterton Lakes National Park. On the way, we stopped for lunch at Sparwood, BC where we found a curiosity. The world's biggest truck. Wow, was it big! The tires alone were twice as tall as Dad.
When we arrived at Waterton Lake it was late in the afternoon so we just walked along the city pier a little and bought tickets for the 10:00AM boat tour of the lake for tomorrow morning. Waterton is the Canadian part of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Among the first in the world to share a common park between the two countries.
As we were leaving the town Dad said he wanted to see the Prince of Wales Hotel which stood on a promontory above the town. With the backdrop of the Mountains behind it, the structure is very impressive. Six stories tall, with lots of gingerbread around the balconies and gold and silver filigree inside. Someone told us that "High Tea" cost them $60.00. Yikes!
Today, July 12th, we got up early again and drove back to Waterton Lake to board the tour boat. The first mate, Kristina liked me right away and came over to meet me before we even boarded the boat. The tour was great and we saw two Bald Eagles as we traversed the entire length of the lake crossing into the United States at one point. There is actually a line that is kept clear right up over the mountains by the forest service so one can easily determine where the boundary between the two countries lies. Imagine that! This is what it looks like.
After the tour, we headed back to the US by way of the Chief Mountain port of entry, one of the least used border entry and customs stations in our country. On the way up the mountain, we encountered another elusive form of wildlife we have been searching for since we left on our Great Adventure.
That's right! A young Grizzly Bear came bounding out of the forest right in front of our car as we drove up the mountain road, and then stood still and posed for us for about thirty seconds before turning and disappearing into the pine woods on the other side of the road. Dad and Mom both got really excited but managed to snap a few pictures through the open window.
After that, crossing the border from Canada to the US was anti-climatic. But those border officers are no-nonsense no matter where you cross into the United States. We drove on to Glacier National Park again, on the Eastside of the national park this time, since we have already seen the Westside. The eastern side of Glacier NP as far less developed because it is situated in the Blackfoot and Kiowa Indian Reservation and there are very few accommodations for tourists there. Driving time from the western side of the park to the eastern side as over three hours unless you drive through the park on the "Going to the Sun Road".
"Many Glacier" is a section of the park that boasts most of the 25 remaining glaciers that still exist in the park today. The sad part is that these glaciers are receding at such a rapid rate that scientists and naturalists believe that they will all be gone forever in ten years or less.
When Mom and Dad were in Iceland in 2016 they witnessed the same thing happening to the glaciers there as well. When will people learn that they can't keep destroying the earth without consequences?
We had thought we would go on a hike at Many Glacier, but at the ranger station, we found a warning sign which changed our minds.
So, we will try another part of the park tomorrow😒.
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