Grief counselor

At the very end of the trail, I found this mountain goat at the edge of the cliff.  Was he surveying nature's bounty or contemplating suicide?

"No, don't jump!!  Don't do it!  You have so much to live for.  Grass to eat.  Sheer rock walls to ascend and descend effortlessly."

I got through to him.  I saved his life.

End of the road

The Hidden Lake Trail leads upwards and culminates, of course, in a hidden lake.  The scenery is dramatic.

Surefooted

At the end of the Hidden Lake Trail, which increases in altitude the whole way, there were mountain goats everywhere.  I took so many photos of them that I eventually just stopped, unless they were striking dramatic poses.

The elusive bighorn sheep

I was lucky to spot these bighorn sheep while hiking in Glacier.  They were far away when I first saw them, but as I watched them they kept getting closer.

A tough hike

After the Hidden Lake Trail, I hiked a trail with very different terrain and foliage.  This waterfall was the big payoff at the end.

Fighting Griz

After Glacier, I drove on, stopping in Missoula, MT (childhood home of avant-garde film director David Lynch).  I walked around the University of Montana campus.  Nice, but smaller than I expected.

Mach 2 across the ND prairie

Then I drove due east across Montana and North Dakota.  It is amazing how fast you can go.  300 miles equals about two hours of driving.  You just set the cruise control and then read a book or watch a DVD.  This photo captures pretty well what that was like.

Cowboys and Indians

The next stop was Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which is just outside of Medora, North Dakota.  It was a nice complement to Glacier because the two parks are so different.  TRNP is only about 10% as large as Glacier.  This is the little town of Medora.

Exploring TRNP

For such an inhospitable place, Theodore Roosevelt National Park has lots of animals, including wild horses, prairie dogs, mule and white-tail deer, rabbits, and bison.  It allegedly has some elk, too, but I didn't see any.

North Dakota badlands

There are some dramatic vistas in the park as well.

Evening falls

I took these from what appeared to be one of the highest points in the park.  It was pretty.  On the downside, the cell phone coverage left much to be desired.  Let's hope they work on that soon.

Loads of bison

I encountered a few solo bison during the first part of my visit to the park (e.g., the first pic below, which is one of my favorites from the whole trip).  Then, as I was leaving, I found The Herd.  You can't tell from the photos, but I counted about 200 of them.  As you can see, they were blocking the road.

Bismarck, ND, where the state legislature meets every other year

When choosing sculptural subjects, North Dakotans know to go with their strengths.

Impressions of Fargo

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, I spent the night in Fargo, ND.  I won't subject you to my entire "Impressions of Fargo" series, which is quite extensive.  Needless to say, Fargo, ND is an elusive photographic subject.  Like Monet with his Rouen Cathedral, I sought to capture (from my hotel room) the dance and play of light across its stately surfaces.

Grand Forks, ND

I decided to check in on the University of North Dakota to see whether the flames of scientific and humanistic inquiry still burn brightly there.  Also bought a t-shirt.

An auspicious sign

The streets around the University of North Dakota are named after universities.  This intersection foretold my destination.

The brutally cold Minnesota summer

I knew Minnesota was cold but I simply was not prepared for this.  The locals seemed to be taking it perfectly in stride.  It was July and the temperature was already approaching absolute zero -- the theoretical state in which matter neither emits nor absorbs energy.  I can hardly imagine what winter is like.