Hidden Lake Hike at Logan's Pass

Clements Mountain

Another early day getting up before the sunrise to get on Going-to-the-Sun-Road before the crowds. We got underway 15 minutes earlier than Monday. Right away we found ourselves 4 cars behind someone going 15-mph in a 35-mph construction zone. What?! Yeah, it was hard packed dirt with zero potholes so not sure why they felt the need to go so slow. All of the cars in front of us passed the slow poke...surprisingly so did we. We wondered how slow he'd be when he hit the uphill section that's really narrow & twisty.

We hit Logan's Pass parking lot at 6:20 AM... still a fair number of cars were parked & people fixing their breakfast. No other cars entered for more than 20 minutes due to the slow poke holding up the line. As always the lot was full by 7:00 AM. Our plan was to hike up to Hidden Lake Overlook. The hike down to Hidden Lake was closed due to bear activity at the lake. We assumed the trout were in spawning mode.

Hidden Lake from Overlook

During our very first visit the mountain goat nannies with their kids came running up the trail due to be chased by a grizzly. The rangers immediately closed the trail. It was our 1st grizzly sighting...none were seen on this trip.

About halfway up the trail a group of 8 big horn sheep rams were chewing their cuds just off the trail. The sun wasn't in the most ideal spot to get great pictures, but we shot a few and continued on up the trail. 

Mountain goat with kid

On Clements Mountain we noticed a mountain goat with her kid wandering along the cliff face. We had hoped to see a few much closer... did not happen on this trail this year. 

Big horn sheep rams

The Overlook to Hidden Lake was very crowded so I bypassed it to shoot a few thousand photos of the flowers & ground squirrels. Bill chatted up a few people at the Overlook while I was busy taking pictures.

 

Columbia ground squirrel

Once he caught up we started back down the trail and ran into the small herd of big horns just off the trail. Much better light so the photographers were very pleased with the number of great shots that we managed to get of these big guys. Once they moved up the trail we headed back towards the truck. 

Big Horn Sheep poses for his fans

We made the comment that neither of us had seen a marmot...they are always out and about on this trail. While taking some shots of the wildflowers right there in the middle of the flowers was a huge hoary marmot. It was extremely photogenic. 

Hoary Marmot

He headed straight towards us and sat under the boardwalk. Then another one popped up & headed in the same direction. 

Maybe we always need to mention what we haven't seen... say mountain lion! or grizzly bear! Then one appears...it would be awesome!

Elephant's head with honey bee

Exployer's gentian ready to bloom

Mix of Indian Paintbrush, bistort, & lousewort

Scarlet Indian Paintbrush

Snow melt waterfall at Clements Mtn

Bearhat Mountain at Hidden Lake

Least Chipmunk

Haystack Butte from Hidden Lake Trail

*click photographs to enlarge