Glacier Park, Canada, and Charles Russell

Montana, Canada, and Charles Russell

Glacier National Park (and the Canadian side of it named Waterton) and Great Falls have been great experiences. The magnificent landscapes of Montana and Canada are living photographs and our campgrounds have been beautiful and comfortable.

We took a strenuous 10-mile mountain hike up to Iceberg lake led by a park ranger and were so glad we did. Seeing the views, wildflowers, and animals close up is so much more exciting. The 21 remaining glaciers will be gone by 2020 and in the mid-1970s there were 150 of them.

Iceberg Lake was, as expected, full of ice fallen from the walls.  We ate our lunch there before starting back down the mountain.

   The bear below crossed in front of us as we were leaving the lodge after the hike.  In the small village of Waterton, Canada, deer walked casually throughout the streets, houses, and between stores. 

We had lunch on the Canadian side and visited the Prince of Wales lodge below.

After leaving Glacier National Park we spent three days in Great Falls, Montana before going down to Yellowstone National Park on the 25th of August.  Great Falls has the home and studio of the famous American painter, Charles M. Russell who along with Remington are recognized as the most important Western American artists in our history.  We visited the fantastic museum, his house, and of course the studio.  Barbara wanted to stay and live in the studio.  Ever the romantic.  Charles died in 1926 in the home below at the young age of 61 and having painted and sculpted over 4,500 pieces of work.  His art work chronicles the development of the West, the life and submission of the native peoples, and the plight of the buffalo.  He was a real cowboy so his art work has authentic experiences as the base.  He disliked the automobile so much at his funeral he was transported in a horse-drawn hearse. 

His detail and understanding of the human and animal anatomy lend drama to the paintings we saw.

 

We toured the house which is close to the main street of Great Falls where Russell, his wife Nancy (14 when they married, he was 31!), and their adopted son Jack lived.  The house cost $800 to build and received many famous visitors, among them Will Rogers.

The studio had his art set-ups and oil paints just as he left them.  Standing in the personal space of such a creative giant fills the visitor with quiet respect and a lot of humility.

Well, on to Yellowstone for 8 days, one of our favorite places.  We have been there three times before (once over Christmas) and never get enough.