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When I planned a late July, early August photographic journey to Glacier National Park in Montana back in February, the possibility of the park being on fire did not cross my mind. But luck would have it that a week before my trip a careless camper set fire to the dry timber. As I followed the news on the fire prior to my departure, the news seemed hopeful – a small part of the Going to the Sun Road, the reason I so wanted to go to the park, had just opened. Surely, by the time I got there (14 hours of air and airport layovers between three segments of flight) things would be under control, and the road that crossed the Continental Divide and transversed east-west across the park, would be open. Alas, it did not happen.

It was time to lower the bar for my expectations and shoot what could be found. Sunset on the west side of the park was clear, with few clouds to create those spectacularly colorful skies – photographer’s woe. Here’s a peek at Lake McDonald shortly before sunset, and then during sunset – note the fabled orange glow of the mountain tops!

The clouds and possibly smoke mixture the next sunrise put on a show I’ve never seen before with a red boundary to the cloud formation, and then “God Rays” where the sun would eventually peek out from behind the mountain:

Glacial snow melt produced colorful photos in Avalanche Gorge:

Rather than the beautiful crossing of the park along the Going to the Sun Road, the road around the park was much longer, much duller, but doable. When I approached the St Mary’s entrance to the park I saw multiple fires burning, some down to the water’s edge, and hope started to dwindle.

The next morning (started at 4:45am) after a few clouds left streaks in the twilight sky, the sky was “severe” clear – no clouds, photographers dismay. The brilliantly lit Many Glacier area was great for panoramas of the lineup of peaks – from left to right – Mt Gould, Garden Wall, Mt Grinnell, and Mt Wilbur.

I was pleased to capture a cowboy leading a string of saddled horses to the riding stable, a daily event not to be missed.

But then things turned worse. The wind stopped blowing, the heat increased, and all the smoke from not only the Reynolds Creek Fire in the park but also fires in Washington State and Canada blanketed the entire corner of the state. From any distance, we could barely see the mountains we came to photograph, and the “big sky” went from blue to a hazy white. Hope was crushed. All I could do was to think of what I was missing!

The smoke did allow for a few “atmospheric” photo opportunities, including this one of the Many Glacier peaks – be sure to compare to the clear photo above!

Fishercap Lake

Only on the 4th day did the wind arrive and skies began to clear, with a morning of heavy fog then clearing skies.

On my sixth day in Glacier National Park I headed back to Kalispell, but not before getting up early enough in the morning to pack up and drive to a different entrance into the park south of Many Glacier and south of the St Mary’s Lake entrance that connected to the closed Going to the Sun Road. I arrived at the Two Medicine Lake entrance before sunrise and just as a light drizzle began. It did, however, allow a quick glimpse of an orange glow on Mt Sinopah in an otherwise monotone view. As the rain quickened a lovely rainbow appeared to mark the end of my photography journey to Glacial National Park, Montana.

Then the final kick – the day of my flight home, another 17 hour travel day starting at 3AM and home at 10PM, the Going to the Sun Road was opened!!