2 months out West

[mbliss57]

Love reading about trips around the West. So many bucket list places to visit and admire! Thanks for sharing.

A couple of quick questions: Being a Lewis and Clark buff, I had to wonder if during your drive from Lewiston to Missoula the route takes you anywhere near the Missouri River headwaters at Lolo that the Corps of Discovery found on that memorable day.

Also, while you were in Glacier, what hikes did you take? So sorry that the east side of the park was closed this year due to COVID. You absolutely have to go back there to see the area around Many Glacier and Two Medicine, as well as that part of the Going-To-The-Sun Road that was closed on its eastern side.

The drive from a Lewiston to Lolo/Missoula is still pretty far west of the headwaters. We were actually a lot closer when we were traveling from Glacier NP to Yellowstone. But we still never got to 3 Forks.
In Glacier we hiked the Logan Pass from the visitors Center to Hidden Lake. The rest of the stops were just off the road. It was a shame they closed so much of the park but we wanted to see something rather hope we got back to see it all. We travelled the Going to the Sun Road as far as Rising Sun. That’s almost the entire length. 43 miles each way. It’s just an incredible drive.


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[Erich]

WOW!

What great photos - what fabulous memories! Good for you, and thanks for sharing - that's inspiring!

 

[crazyphil]

We listened to an audio book written in 1910 by William R Lighten called Lewis & Clark. The routes you are describing, by coincidence, were being read about as were were driving up route 28 then 93 past the Lehmi River and Salmon toward Lolo. It was a pretty cool audio guide. The Bitterroot range is just unbelievably rugged. They don’t look as intimidating or spectacular from afar but they are not passable until you get to Lolo. Not in 1805 and not now.


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If you went from Idaho North of Salmon into Montana, you also
went over the Lost Trail Pass. That is some rugged country up
in the Bitterroots.

 

[walkin jack]

Fantastic pics! I felt like I was along on the trip with you. Miss Pam's Aunt and Uncle lived in Olympia Wa. and Mt. Rainier was the view out the kitchen window. Their back yard was right at the edge of Puget Sound. Bald eagles and golden eagles nesting in the trees in their back yard. A spectacular area.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Terrific photos! Thanks so much for sharing them with us.

Thanks also for solving a problem for me...

With a lot of normal vacation destinations closed to the public, I'm considering doing a driving vacation out West next Spring...you've given me some great ideas...thanks!

 

[mbliss57]

Terrific photos! Thanks so much for sharing them with us.

Thanks also for solving a problem for me...

With a lot of normal vacation destinations closed to the public, I'm considering doing a driving vacation out West next Spring...you've given me some great ideas...thanks!

Just a little hint to us Non-mountain folk... The mountains (Rockies and Cascades) for sure don't get enough snow melt until late June early July to have all the passes and roads open. Make sure you check before making a trip that the snow melt is where it needs to be for your type of trip. Spring is great for Class 5 white water and skiing.. Hiking is better in July and best in Aug and Sept. Our SIL parents live in Clarkston, WA overlooking the Snake River into Lewiston Idaho just north of Hells Canyon. They are avid hikers.. as in 5 - 6 days out at a time. We went out in early June and I thought we would do some fly fishing. His father is also an avid fisherman.. he schooled me in the fine art of waiting for the runoff to subside before we went fly fishing.. which we did this trip in late Aug. Anyway just check before you spend time or money.