August 11, 2008

Day 4 

A blustery, chilly wind shook our camper all night and into the morning.

We started our long hike to Grinnell Glacier at 9am. The wind roared through the woods. Josephine Lake was aqua blue with whitecaps dotting the surface.

A regular 'hey bear' was yelled to alert any bears.

We met Dawn, a solo hiker, and she joined us. Chatty and interesting, she made for some jovial company as we made our way along the lake through the densely lined trail.

Thick, gray, rainless clouds hovered over the tall peaks ahead of us.

We ascended gradually and eventually got a glimpse of green blue Grinnell Lake far below. Brief and taunting breaks in the clouds created the perfect glacial lake coloring. In a blink it was gone.

Threads of waterfalls plunged from the steep cliffs next to us. One waterfall required us to walk through it. Some opted to go ahead but that was more work.

Bighorn sheep far below us were grazing. Eventually they took a rest from their grazing. I counted seven.

Grinnell Glacier was different than what I expected. To the left the glacier fell into the small lake dotted with pools of meltwater. There was a biting chill in the wind. I was glad to have my parka to keep me warm while we ate lunch at the glacier. 

Just before our steep but short ascent to the glacier viewpoint a bighorn sheep leapt from the hillside behind Jodi. Then two more and two more. The bighorns walked single file along a ridge across from us, a perfect backdrop for some photos and video.

During our return to the trailhead we looked up to see a bighorn sheep looking over the bluff above us, curiously watching us pass below. Another very nice photo opportunity.

Total miles - 11