Lots of hikes, Glacier overcrowded

Hikers at the top of Bridger Baldy's "false" summit

Cousins Mary and Martin cross a rickety rail trestle at Sluice Boxes State Park

Me with my cousin Mary McCartney at Our Lake in Front 

One of two mountain goats who joined us on the Our Lake hike

The waterfall coming off Our Lake

We watched a lightning storm come in at Granite Park chalet in Glacier

Alpine glow over Heaven's Peak across from Granite Park chalet

Katie captures some of the scarlet Indian Paintbrush that covered the hill from Granite to the Loop

The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of visits and hikes.
My cousin Mary McCartney from Owatonna, MN and her son, Martin Suarez from Minneapolis, have been visiting and we've done the Sluice Boxes State Park, Our Lake, and Granite Park Chalet (for an overnight via the Hi-Line Trail from Logan Pass).
Their visit came a couple days after Katie and I visited Bozeman and while she was attending a meeting I climbed Baldy in the Bridger Mountains above the "M", gaining 4,200 feet and severely dehydrating on a 95 degree day when I ran out of water.
I'm still catching my breath and recuperating 10 days later.
I had warned my cousin that Many Glacier had been "discovered" and she might have trouble finding a camping spot.  She had visited several times before and stayed at the Many Glacier Campground and had never had difficulty getting a spot.
On her first day she arrived at Many Glacier and found a large line of cars at the gate and a full campground at 9:30 a.m.
She stayed at the Blackfeet's refurbished Chewing Blackbones campground instead and found it a good experience.
However, she really wanted Many Glacier and got up the next morning at 4:30 a.m. and found a line of seven cars already at the gate.  Once inside the gate it was a waiting game as people packed up and left the campground.  There was a line formed at the campground  rangers directed campers to specific sites.  She was lucky to get one.
I arrived the next day and found hordes of people at Many's entrance.  Likewise, folks were lined up at the campground, waiting to get in.  Parking at the trailheads was so crowded that people were parking in the grass, risking expensive Park Service fines.
Even Two Medicine, where in the past years you could fine campsites, the campground now fills up by 9 a.m.
I told Katie that in future years I'll treat Glacier as I do Yellowstone, visiting remote parts and staying away from the core until the Fall or go early in the season.
I'll take one more shot at the park next week when my brother Dan from Chicago arrives and we do a four day trip.
Next year will be different.