Westward Ho! Glacier's Last Adventures & a Sweet Do-Over! (Days 33-34)
Our final days in Glacier were all about second chances and soaking in every last drop of beauty!
Day 33: We headed to the park's north end, grabbing delicious pastries from the famous Polebridge Mercantile before tackling the "4WD-only" road to Bowman Lake (our van handled it like a champ!). Kayaking on the crystal-clear water was stunning until the wind kicked up, giving us an exciting taste of paddling in waves! Later, a "failed" evening hike to Avalanche Lake turned into a blessing when we discovered the unbelievably turquoise creek on the Trail of the Cedars instead. Lorna was thrilled, "cawing" like a raven at all the deer we saw—her new signature move!
Day 34: Redemption day! We successfully biked to the West Glacier post office to mail a big stack of postcards (a novelty for the kids!). Then, fueled by lunch and sugar, we conquered the full 6-mile hike to Avalanche Lake! Some kids loved it, some thought it was long, but the view of the beautiful lake, fed by waterfalls, was worth every step. The bravest among us even took a dip in the FREEZING water!
After one last swim in Lake McDonald, we decided to pack up and leave a day early to get ahead of a big storm. A perfect, adventure-packed end to our time in this incredible park.
