Montana

Looking toward Glacier NP from the Flathead Valley

I'm sure that no one is surprised that the name Montana comes from Spanish for mountain. What is probably quite surprising is that the mountains in the State of Montana are among the lowest of the Rocky Mountain range. For example, at Glacier National Park there are only six mountain peaks over 10,000 feet. In Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, there are 113 over 10,000 feet and 78 over 12,000 feet. That's rather hard to believe looking at the picture above.

Local men at Polebridge, MT.  Jule 4th. 2014

I've only spent time in western Montana, and even then the bulk of my time was in northwestern Montana around Glacier National Park. Missoula is the big city of the western part of the state and the second largest city in the state. It has a population of 69,000 people. Our nearest town of any size, Kalispell, is the 7th largest city in Montana with a population of 21,000 and is about 45 miles from where we work in the park. About 24 miles from us is Columbia Falls. With a population of 4,800 it is our major area for shopping, vets, medical attention, and supplies. Actually, while Montana is the fourth largest state in the union with 147,000 square miles (630 miles long and 255 miles wide) it only has 1,023,500 people in the entire state. That makes it 44th. in population in the USA. Sixteen of Montana's county seats have fewer than 1,000 people. In short, Montana is an enormous area with very few people. I am sure that's why a lot of people live in Montana.

Pamela and I found the people of Montana very friendly and outgoing. We have also learned that there are a lot of “imports” to Montana; viz. people who came to Montana to visit or go to school and never left. We heard such stories time and again, and having spent time living and working in the mountains of northwestern Montana, we can understand.  

Entry in the Polebridge, MT July 4th. Parade

Perhaps our favorite town in Montana is Polebridge, population 15. That's four people fewer than the 130th. largest town in the state, Ismay. Polebridge is on the northwestern edge of the park and the place where almost every park employee goes when they first arrive. Polebridge Merchantile has a phenomenal bakery. Polebridge has no public electricity, water, or sewage. There is no land-line telephone, and the nearest paved road is 25 miles away. The people get their electricity from diesel generators, wind, water or solar. Solar is becoming popular despite being so far north. Polebridge is the center of the North Slope area - fifteen miles from Canada even though you can't get to Canada directly from Polebridge. The nearest place to cross into Canada is over 100 miles away, unless you want to walk to Canada. The center of Polebridge is the Polebridge Merchantile which was 100 years old in 2014. The log cabin next to it was the home of the family that built the Merchantile. It's 101 years old. The cabin is now the home of the Northern Lights Salon which has 5 tables a stand-up bar and great food.  We had been kayaking in a lake about 6 miles further into the wilderness and decided to treat ourselves to dinner at the Northern Lights. They had two vegetarian offerings on an excellent menu. The Northern Lights Salon was where we were introduced to Moose Drool - a marvelous brown ale.  Polebridge has a 4th. of July parade that draws people from the national park and across the North Slope. In 2014 there were over 2,000 people in attendance. I got to be one of the parade judges.  The judges stand comprised of five folding chairs on a couple of pieces of plywood lifted up on a tractor forklift. 

Northern Lights Saloon, Polebridge, MT

Seven of the ten west side campground hosts. 

There were quite a few entries. Most of them were area folks sharing an idea, making a statement or just celebrating the North Slope. There was one political entry that spoke out against a suggested paved road leading to Polebridge.  The grand prize for the parade was a pizza party at the Northern Lights. We gave everyone who entered some sort of prize - e.g. best entry with children, or best entry with animals.  I have almost a hundred pictures of the parade entries taken from the judges stand but there are only two I really feel compelled to share.  One of them is of the North Slope Drill Team. They really were good.  The other is of our crew of west side campground hosts. Glacier National Park is pretty much divided in two by the Continental Divide. These were our colleagues on the west side of the divide. We had lunch with them at the only restaurant in West Glacier, MT every Sunday morning. 

Columbia Falls, MT

Columbia Falls was where we did most of our shopping. It is about 25 miles from where we live and work in Glacier National Park.  They do have a really good vet who took care of Teddy.  We also discovered the Montana Coffee Company in Columbia Falls.  Again, in a state where you think beef, they had more really good, well prepared and tasty vegetarian offering than most mid-western towns and small cities. They also had good coffee.  This was the Starbucks of northwestern Montana except with a much larger food offering than Starbucks.  Many of the full-time employees at the park live in Columbia Falls.  

West Glacier, MT

There is a very small community called West Glacier just outside the park gate and about 11 miles from where we live. In the 19th. century this is where visitors arrived by train, were transported by wagon to the ferry that would then transport them to McDonald Lodge about 7 miles up Lake McDonald. There is still a train station in West Glacier but nothing there opens until Memorial Day.  This is because today West Glacier is the tourist center for the park. There you will find a grocery store, a restaurant, a gas station, a photo shop, a souvenir store, a white-water rafting company, a Canadian  tourist office and a US Post Office. 

Hungry Horse, MT looking south. 

The nearest community that doesn't totally close during the winter is Hungry Horse. While we would patronize the grocery store in West Glacier and Hungry Horse, we went to Columbia Falls when we needed to do some serious shopping. There were also times when we had to drive to Kalispell.  

Kalispell, MT

If you like mountains and nature, you'll love western Montana.  If you enjoy breathtaking panoramic vistas, you need to see western Montana.  If you like interesting, friendly, independent people, you'll fit into western Montana.  There's a local saying - Montana has two seasons, July and winter.  That pretty well states it. When we arrived in early May last year (2014) the temperatures were 30-45. By June we started having lows in the high 30s and highs in the 50s. In July we actually had a few days in the low 70s with nights in the high 40s. If you find these temperatures comfortable and you dislike the sticky humidity of the mid-west and south, you want to summer in Montana.  We do have to be honest and tell you that northwestern Montana has a great deal of rain in June, but July is marvelous. 

There is good reason that Montana is called Big Sky. The sheer size of everything makes the sky look bigger and more spacious than anywhere else.  I know that it is a long trip if you live east of the Mississippi.  It is 2000 from our homes in southwestern IN/western KY, but it is a trip worth taking. Montana should definitely be on your bucket list.