Glacier National Park, multiple visits

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Curtis Hart
Posts: 595
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:07 pm
Location: Hillsdale County, Michigan

Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by Curtis Hart »

Glacier National Park

I’ve spent a pretty good amount of time here. My cousin was a LE Ranger based in Saint Mary for a few seasons and I tried to visit every summer. I have seen a ton of wildlife at this park over the years, but when I went through the photos I have, I was pretty surprised to see how few of the mammals I have pictures of. I saw both Grizzly and Black Bears on every trip, but I never took a picture of one. Here are the things I do have pictures of.


Mountain Goats are pretty common and tolerant of people in the park. It’s pretty easy to see them up close an personal in a couple areas.
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A Mt Goat 6 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Mt Goat 7 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Mt Goat 4 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Mt Goat 3 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Mt Goat 2 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Mt Goat by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

Mule Deer are pretty acclimated to people around Logan Pass.
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A Mule Deer by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Mule Deer 2 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

Here's a White-tailed Deer that I saw on the drive up the west side towards Kintla Lake.
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A White-tailed Deer by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

Columbian Ground Squirrels are very common during the summer months.
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A Colombian GS 5 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Colombian GS 2 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Colombian GS by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Colombian GS 3 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Colombian GS 4 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

Hoary Marmots are often present around Logan Pass.
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A Hoary Marmot 2 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Hoary Marmot by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Hoary Marmot 3 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Hoary Marmot 4 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

I've seen Red-tailed Chipmunks a few times.
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A Red-tailed Chipmunk by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

Bighorn Sheep are way too acclimated around Logan Pass. Part of my cousin's job was to chase them out of the parking lot of the Logan Pass Visitors Center in the evening.
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A Bighorn 3 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Bighorn 4 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Bighorn 2 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
One of the drawbacks of visiting in the summer is that many of the larger mammals are pretty scruffy looking.
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A Bighorn by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

The only place I have seen Moose in the park is Kootenai Lake. There were 9 bulls and 2 cows when I was there.
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A Moose by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Moose 2 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
Brian and Laura take pictures of themselves jumping on top of mountains. I really don't like climbing mountains so this was more my pace.
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A Kootenai Lake moose by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

I found this in deep grass on the Canadian side of the park. It was painful to leave it behind.
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A Moose skull by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

I came very close to seeing the Mountain Lion that caused this, but missed it twice.
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A Post decapitated Deer by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

This was taken during a hike that felt like it was a bit beyond my ability.
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A Akemina Ridge by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

My best wildlife experience was on the Logan Pass boardwalk. I was walking with my dad when he noticed a weasel. It turned out to be a den of Long-tailed Weasels. There were at least 11 of them.
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A Long-tailed Weasel by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Long-tailed Weasel 4 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Long-tailed Weasel 5 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Long-tailed Weasel 8 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Long-tailed Weasel 6 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Long-tailed Weasel 7 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr

Finally Mom showed up with dinner.
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A Long-tailed Weasel 2 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr
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A Long-tailed Weasel 3 by curtisfrommichigan, on Flickr



Species List

Moose
Elk
White-tailed Deer
Mule Deer
Bighorn Sheep
Mountain Goat

Red Fox
Coyote
Long-tailed Weasel
Black Bear
Grizzly Bear

Red-tailed Chipmunk
Yellow-pine Chipmunk
Western Jumping Mouse
Columbian Ground Squirrel
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

Snowshoe Hare
American Pika
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justinm
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Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by justinm »

Incredible, I loved some of these weasel shots. You couldn't ask for better opportunities.
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gbin
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Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by gbin »

Fantastic long-tailed weasel photos! (And everything else was great, too!) :thumb:

Gerry
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CCarille
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Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by CCarille »

Great post! I loved Glacier so much on the trip I made there - absolutely breathtaking!

The weasels are so neat!

I'll have to post some of my photos from Glacier - you really brought back some good memories with yours! Thank you!
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Neil M
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Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by Neil M »

Great Weasel photo of the mom with dinner and im sorry about the mountain lion. have you or people you know seen wolverines up there? I hear Glacier is one of the best places to see them. I hope to be going to school in Missoula in a few years so i will probably make it up to Glacier often. it looks incredible
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Curtis Hart
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Location: Hillsdale County, Michigan

Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by Curtis Hart »

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Neil, I have not seen a Wolverine at Glacier or anywhere. Almost everyone I know who works there has. My cousin saw 5 in 4 years. He saw one on the next hike after I left one year. That was crushing. It is a good place to see them, but it is not easy. All of his were seen off trail, usually while climbing various mountains. Early season, while the trails still require snowshoes can be good as well.






Curtis
crwheeler
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Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by crwheeler »

So nice to see pics from my old stomping grounds. I grew up less than forty minutes from the West Glacier entrance to the park. Absolutely beautiful country. I always loved seeing the goats and sheep at Logan Pass and moose on the drive up to Going-To-The-Sun.

The last time I went to the park we went up to Avalanche Lake, a short day hike just inside the west entrance. It's always a zoo there, just because it's close and a very easy hike. Never-the-less, we did end up seeing a black bear with cubs and a wolverine. I grew up in MT and spent a fair amount of time in the mountains and at the park, but that was the first time I'd seen a wolverine. Really neat animals, we got to watch him as he ran just about all the way around the lake and then into the woods.

Makes me just a little bit homesick...
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gordo
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Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by gordo »

You have such a beautiful country. Great pictures!
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Curtis Hart
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Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by Curtis Hart »

crwheeler wrote: The last time I went to the park we went up to Avalanche Lake, a short day hike just inside the west entrance. It's always a zoo there, just because it's close and a very easy hike. Never-the-less, we did end up seeing a black bear with cubs and a wolverine. I grew up in MT and spent a fair amount of time in the mountains and at the park, but that was the first time I'd seen a wolverine. Really neat animals, we got to watch him as he ran just about all the way around the lake and then into the woods.


A wolverine at Avalanche Lake?!?!?!? That is impressive. I'm quite jealous. All I ever saw there were Red-tailed Chipmunks.
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MichaelCravens
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Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by MichaelCravens »

Wow Curtis, this was a great post! Glacier is one of my very favorite places.

Michael
Mark Hows
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Re: Glacier National Park, multiple visits

Post by Mark Hows »

Curtis,

I only visited Glacier briefly but enjoyed it, had some great mountain goats, but very envious of those weasels.

Mark
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