Glacier Park High

We joined our Road Scholar group for breakfast, a nature talk, then a chairlift ride up BIG MOUNTAIN (a big ski hill just outside Whitefish) and a nature walk. From the summit we had a panoramic view of Glacier Park and the Kalispell valley.

We are staying in the Hibernation House, a small retreat complex, at the base of the ski mountain near the Big Mountain Lodge, and far from any crowds. It is outside of the park and there is a small development of homes and condos for people who want to ski out their door.

Our group is divided into "hikers" and "walkers." The walker group was led by a gal that had been a ranger in the park for years. I stayed with her to learn more about the flora and fauna - she knew her huckleberries and trees. As I listened, I thought this is what a walk with Karen and Scott would be like. Fun!

The food is real good . . . and the people are ready to endure and experience the outdoors. This is a bigger group, 34 oldsters, from all over the USA. There are more single women than other programs we have attended - in fact, 2 solo rvers who go here there and everywhere on their own - and some single men, too.

I feel for a curious gentleman who carries around a tape recorder to enter commentary on the talks and he has lots of questions. I think, good questions, but some members of the group are not so patient with him - the leaders are very good and answer every question thoroughly. I think we will all learn lots on this trip.

On our short walk we found several huckleberry bushes, knee height, and others that were like ground cover with very tiny red huckleberries - very sweet and very good- it would take days to get a gallon of these tasty bites. I learned that Montana is the foremost huckleberry growing state and huckleberries only grow in the wild. I mentioned to Ellen, our leader, that people in Star Valley covet their huckleberry patches and kept as family secrets - she was astounded - since she is surrounded by huckleberries throughout the summer.