Crown of the Continent

After our family reunion in Bozeman, Patrick's family joined us for five nights at Many Glacier campground in Glacier National Park. Christian organized two big day hikes up to Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Glacier, listed as #7 of the 20 Best Hikes in the National Parks by National Geographic Magazine. We did one of the hikes on the Fourth of July, a just-about-perfect way to celebrate America. My 10-and12-year-old niece and nephews were troopers on the trails and it was a special way to get time to chat with each of them. On the trails we spotted moose, a black bear, big horn sheep, mountain goats, pileated woodpecker and pikas.

We lounged in adirondacks at the 100-year-old Many Glacier Lodge, the big cousins went kayaking with Paula, Fiona built a dinosaur house on the riverbank with Xavier and we ate huckleberry ice cream. A big thunderstorm rolled in on our final night, just after dinner which made for an exciting sleeping experience. On the last day driving up and over Going-to-the-Sun-Road, we stopped at Logan Pass for Xavier to be sworn in officially as a Junior Ranger - one of the best moments yet of the summer.

Riverside campsite on the Swiftcurrent

One of our best-ever campsites

Patrick swimming in Lake Josephine

Starting our walk around Grinnell Lake

Huckleberry Ice Cream

Georgia likes camping

Uncle Pappy!

Liam and Patrick

Fiona, Paula, Patrick and Liam

The crew

Liam and me with Georgia - Iceberg Lake Trail

Xavier and Christian

Liam: "I'm not even tired yet!"

Christian, Liam and Finn leading the charge

Dropping into Iceberg Lake 

Magical indeed

Cooling off our feet

Looks a lot like Antarctica, if you take away the wildflowers

Snackbreak at the waterfall

Xavier's swearing in by Ranger Eric