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Trip Report: Glacier National Park - August 2022
Published September 30, 2022
Catching up with an old friend that you haven’t seen in a few years can certainly be a bit nerve racking. Yes, it’s definitely exciting and one can be filled with a healthy dose of enthusiastic anticipation, but there can be a bit of apprehension as well. Have they changed? Have I changed? Have we grown apart? These questions and those butterflies in the stomach are a mix of expectancy and of trepidation.
I was having many of these emotions as I prepared for my BCJ Glacier trip this past month. Living a short 3 hour drive away from Glacier, I was fortunate enough to frequent the park close to a couple of dozen times in the past twenty years. Unfortunately however, because of some unforeseen circumstances, I have not had a visit since 2019. There definitely have been some changes since then. Would Glacier still have that magic allure to her that I so fondly remembered? Did Glacier maintain all her beautiful sides, despite fires, and avalanches, and increased visitor numbers, and a permit system to drive the Going to the Sun Road? I was about to find out with the adventurous and amazing guests that signed up for the photo workshop!
The trip began with us casually gathering in the lobby of our hotel and once the formal introductions were completed and we settled down to our inaugural meal, it was quite apparent that this was going to be a fun group of guests to get reacquainted with Glacier. They were excited, they were eager, and they seemed game to at least try pretty much anything thrown at them. They were warned to pace themselves, as I had planned some busy days, and with sunrises close to 6:00AM and sunsets past 9:00PM, it makes for some extremely long days in the field. They let me know they were up for the challenge!
The next morning, despite a meeting time of 4:20AM, the group seemed in good spirits, and even more enthused once we found some coffee! Once in the park and settled in to our first shooting location of McDonald Lake, we were treated to a stunning sunrise and some classic reflections upon the lake. One of the changes I anticipated within the park from my previous visits to Glacier was the amount of visitors to the park. Over the years, I had noticed a steady increase in the amount of people enjoying this park. My assumption turned out accurate, as we were barely able to find a parking spot at Avalanche Lake/Trail of the Cedars trailhead. In years past, if you arrived at this area by 8-8:30 in the morning, you were pretty much assured to get a parking spot. When we arrived it was only a little after 7:30 and we were lucky to obtain a spot. This is despite the new permit system that the Park Service has implemented in the last 2 years for driving the Going to the Sun Road to limit traffic. It appears more people are getting an earlier start to enter the park when they are not able to enforce this permit system. Once we did get our parking spot, the group certainly seemed to enjoy the hike through the large Cedar trees and photographing the turquoise waters of
I was having many of these emotions as I prepared for my BCJ Glacier trip this past month. Living a short 3 hour drive away from Glacier, I was fortunate enough to frequent the park close to a couple of dozen times in the past twenty years. Unfortunately however, because of some unforeseen circumstances, I have not had a visit since 2019. There definitely have been some changes since then. Would Glacier still have that magic allure to her that I so fondly remembered? Did Glacier maintain all her beautiful sides, despite fires, and avalanches, and increased visitor numbers, and a permit system to drive the Going to the Sun Road? I was about to find out with the adventurous and amazing guests that signed up for the photo workshop!
The trip began with us casually gathering in the lobby of our hotel and once the formal introductions were completed and we settled down to our inaugural meal, it was quite apparent that this was going to be a fun group of guests to get reacquainted with Glacier. They were excited, they were eager, and they seemed game to at least try pretty much anything thrown at them. They were warned to pace themselves, as I had planned some busy days, and with sunrises close to 6:00AM and sunsets past 9:00PM, it makes for some extremely long days in the field. They let me know they were up for the challenge!
The next morning, despite a meeting time of 4:20AM, the group seemed in good spirits, and even more enthused once we found some coffee! Once in the park and settled in to our first shooting location of McDonald Lake, we were treated to a stunning sunrise and some classic reflections upon the lake. One of the changes I anticipated within the park from my previous visits to Glacier was the amount of visitors to the park. Over the years, I had noticed a steady increase in the amount of people enjoying this park. My assumption turned out accurate, as we were barely able to find a parking spot at Avalanche Lake/Trail of the Cedars trailhead. In years past, if you arrived at this area by 8-8:30 in the morning, you were pretty much assured to get a parking spot. When we arrived it was only a little after 7:30 and we were lucky to obtain a spot. This is despite the new permit system that the Park Service has implemented in the last 2 years for driving the Going to the Sun Road to limit traffic. It appears more people are getting an earlier start to enter the park when they are not able to enforce this permit system. Once we did get our parking spot, the group certainly seemed to enjoy the hike through the large Cedar trees and photographing the turquoise waters of
Avalanche Creek as it tumbled and spilled it’s way through the narrow gorge it has carved through the thick forest. After our short hike, we re-grouped and said goodbye to the West side of the Park and headed up the breathtaking Going to the Sun Road and to the East side of the Park, where we spend the vast amount of the remainder of our trip. GTTS road, as it’s commonly called, is an engineering masterpiece. Created and completed during the Depression of the 1930’s, requires massive amounts of maintenance every year. After the harsh Glacier Winters, the road typically does not open to vehicle traffic until the first part of July. This year, because of heavy snowfall and a large storm in June that dumped over 2 feet of snow, the road was not opened until July 13th, one of the latest openings in the history of the road. As we drive the massively twisty road carved into the side of the mountains, guests marvel at the sights that driving this road affords the passengers. We stop at a few turnouts and our taken aback by the views. When not taking in the views conversations became more interesting as the group began to connect with one another.
After lunch we checked into our hotel and settled in to prepare for our evening photography session.
We enjoyed dinner at the always fun, Two Sisters Café, and then headed up the GTTS road to a location called the “Big Bend”. Along the way, we spot wildlife we are able to photograph as well as enjoying the beautiful views this epic road offered. This trip had many beautiful moments, but the sunsets always seemed to deliver, as clouds and moody light invariably appeared for us as the day ended. The first night was no exception, as we witnessed a thunderstorm move across the distant valley and offered up sheets of rain, billowing cumulonimbus clouds, dramatic sunrays, and spectacular lightning strikes. Astonishing sights to witness as it unfolded as well as an exceptional opportunity to document it with photography. The group seemed mesmerized by the show that was unfolding before them. It also was quite apparent that my reuniting with my old friend and that comfortable feeling with her was building, along with accumulating more wonderful memories!
We enjoyed dinner at the always fun, Two Sisters Café, and then headed up the GTTS road to a location called the “Big Bend”. Along the way, we spot wildlife we are able to photograph as well as enjoying the beautiful views this epic road offered. This trip had many beautiful moments, but the sunsets always seemed to deliver, as clouds and moody light invariably appeared for us as the day ended. The first night was no exception, as we witnessed a thunderstorm move across the distant valley and offered up sheets of rain, billowing cumulonimbus clouds, dramatic sunrays, and spectacular lightning strikes. Astonishing sights to witness as it unfolded as well as an exceptional opportunity to document it with photography. The group seemed mesmerized by the show that was unfolding before them. It also was quite apparent that my reuniting with my old friend and that comfortable feeling with her was building, along with accumulating more wonderful memories!
Our good fortune in shooting conditions just seemed to continue each day, as did the camaraderie of the group. Our sunsets continued to give us dramatic lighting, and our sunrise’s cloudless, calm skies that highlighted and laminated the jagged peaks afforded mirror like reflections upon the lakes. As one guest shared with me her enjoyment of the trip, she mentioned how each shooting spot left her with the feeling of THIS was the best spot, until we went to the next location! In addition, the wild flowers were also abundant at a variety of our shooting locations, which is always a plus for landscape photographers! Fields colored with purple Lupine and Aster, red Indian Paint Brush, pink Hollyhock, yellow Glacier Lilies, just to name a few. Wildlife encounters were numerous and extraordinary with the highlights being a young Grizzly Bear digging for grubs, a pair of playful, wrestling fox, a Band of Ram Big Horn Sheep with head butting behavior, and Mountain Goat Dams with their Kids.
It genuinely is these types of moments that create memories and help form relationships for a lifetime. It was quite apparent that my old friend Glacier had not changed much over the few years I had been gone. That old familiarity was back stronger than ever and quite certainly she was showing off a bit to attempt to acquire new friends in our BCJ guests!
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experiences around the world.
Each tour is bundled with lodging, meals, and transportation between workshops included, allowing you to focus on photography instead of the stress of traveling.
experiences around the world.
Each tour is bundled with lodging, meals, and transportation between workshops included, allowing you to focus on photography instead of the stress of traveling.
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"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
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All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLCs - Copyright 2025
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2025
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.