Flying the Edge of America:

Glacier National Park, Montana

Glacier National Park

It was Wednesday, July 9th, and Julia and David had been on the road—or in the air—for ten days. They had battled rough weather up the West Coast, Julia’s fear of flying remained unchanged, and they had navigated customs, flown over towering mountains, survived turbulent air masses, camped in unpredictable conditions, stayed in budget hotels, and faced the challenges of being away from home. Their perseverance felt like an achievement, though they wondered if they had the stamina to keep going for the full three-month journey. They were exhausted, but the excitement of reaching Glacier National Park kept them motivated. Neither had visited before, but they had heard it was spectacular.

Oroville Video

Flying to Glacier National Park

Everything was bathed in sunlight, the vast Montana mountains loomed in the distance, and they had landed safely—it was a moment to appreciate. By this point, Julia had developed strategies to manage her flight anxiety. She reminded herself that most flights lasted less than three hours, typically involving only one takeoff and landing. To keep intrusive thoughts at bay, she immersed herself in audiobooks stored on her phone, listening under the headset in the aircraft. She also took on the role of flight photographer, feeling safer when viewing the landscape through a camera lens rather than absorbing it directly. Her final defense was valium, though she used it sparingly. Having survived the tumultuous Cascade flight, she resolved to rely on her distraction techniques this time—opting not to become a valium-induced zombie.

Avalanche Lake Video

Avalanche Lake

They arrived at their motel near the West Glacier entrance by mid-afternoon, but the pull of the wilderness was irresistible. Grabbing water bottles, they embarked on a six-mile trek to Avalanche Lake. Encircled by jagged peaks, the lake was a mesmerizing sight—waterfalls cascaded down towering cliffs, some so sheer that the water didn’t touch rock until it crashed into the valley floor below. In winter, those same waterfalls transform into roaring avalanches.

Hidden Lake Video

By the time they wrapped up their hike, evening was settling in. On the drive back to the motel, they paused at Lake McDonald, the largest lake in the park at ten miles long, to witness the breathtaking sunset. As the sun slipped behind the tree-lined mountains, painting the sky in hues of gold and amber, they sat quietly on a log by the water, savoring the peacefulness of the moment—and each other’s company.

Many Glaciers Video

Continue the adventure in my next excerpt from Flying the Edge of America.


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