A Sunday drive and hike in Fall splendor

Lodgepole and larch have returned to the trail in the burn

Mighty Mount Stimson with a fresh coating of snow

Katie at the top of the lookout hill

What a Sunday drive!!

 Our Sunday drive took us to West Glacier and a hike to Apgar Lookout with its views over Lake McDonald in Glacier Park.

The drive was nearly as beautiful as the hike.

The western larch continues to light up the Middle Fork of the Flathead River valley.  The aspen are mostly gone, but there are still some cottonwoods in full color.

New snow across the southern half of Glacier added to the beauty.

Apgar Lookout hike is 7.2 miles with an elevation gain and loss of about 1,950 feet.  It travels up the western face of the mountain through an old burn where lodgepole and some larch has returned.

The valley below this face shows off the east face of the Swan Mountains and the peaks above Hungry Horse Dam like Great Northern are visible as well as the Whitefish Range.

When we crested the top we could see the mountains that ring Lake McDonald like Heaven's Peak, Brown, Edwards, Cannon, and the Garden Wall.  To the east Mount Stimson and the finger-like Mount St. Nicholas dominate.  A carpet of blazing larch lay below them. There was a fresh coating of snow at the tops of all peaks in view.

There was a small, but steady stream of hikers going to the top on this late Fall day, and the trail and top did not seem crowded at all.

We feel so lucky we've been able to enjoy Glacier so much this Fall, and the views have been enhanced now that the skies are clear of wildfire smoke.