The Crown of the Continent

After knocking out Yellowstone a few weeks before, we were able to complete Montana's National Park experience this summer by taking the drive north to Glacier National Park for a weekend. Becky and Paul and I went one time when we came back to visit from Florida, but it had definitely been a long time. While Yellowstone is defined by an abundance of unique sites you really can't get anywhere else, Glacier is defined by some of the most dramatic landscapes you'll ever see. Massive jagged cliffs and an endless number of waterfalls all from the comfort and convenience of your car window! If you don't mind fighting to the death for parking spaces. Otherwise you can see it all at 25mph as long as you don't veer off the Going to the Sun Road. We stayed at the Isaak Walton Inn on the south side of Glacier and were able to see most of what the park had to offer in a couple of days, including almost every type of big game animal... moose, big horn sheep, mountain goats, and grizzly bears, oh my! 

The mask requirement on the boat at least helped with the smoke that was hanging over the park.

Paul loves hiking.

Connor Selfie.

Future Park Ranger... only you can prevent forest fires.

All trains lead here... constantly, and all through the night while you're trying to sleep.

Adam ponders the meaning of life...

Oh no, not another one...

For some reason this happened... 

Just what we needed, a new puppy. Adam has been asking for a German Shepherd for a long time, so we finally found one. This is Drax the Destroyer, and let's hope he doesn't live up to that name.

Ok, so he hasn't been so bad so far. He seems like he may actually be a relatively intelligent dog. Let's just hope we can make it out of this puppy stage without to much damage.

Atop the Shining Peak

To the northwest of Missoula on the horizon is a pyramid shaped mountain formerly known as Squaw Peak. It was renamed a few years ago to Cha-Paa-Qn Peak, meaning "shining peak," due to it standing out above the others most of the year with it's snow covered top. It tops out at 7,989 feet above sea level and would have had some pretty amazing views if not for the smoke rolling in from the west coast forest fires. Either way, it was a nice hike on a July morning!

The climb to the top is a little easier when you're 18 compared to 37 or 65...

Had to scrambled over some serious jagged rocks to reach the end...

The view from the top

Fabulous Fourth Fireworks

The Fourth of July holiday in Montana was always the best. From riding bikes to the Golden Dragon fireworks stand to buy Black Cat firecrackers, to watching the big show at the Southgate Mall. What's not to love about a holiday celebrated with eating hot dogs and blowing stuff up? The Unbehend family has always done their own fireworks show in the field behind the house, and this year was another grand time. 

Paul had his own fireworks party a couple of thousand miles away on his short trip back to visit Texas. I guess the beach isn't a bad place to spend summer day!

Biking into July

It's been a summer so far, and it's been a Montana summer at that! We've been making the best of it, with plenty of family get-togethers, hikes, and bikes. We've been trying to gather up new mountain bikes for everyone in the family and have gotten out on the trails a few times now. Adam has taken to it like a fish to water, and Nolan has enjoyed it most of the time (when he's not flipping off the front of his bike and face planting). We've hit up the Kim Williams Trail along the Clark Fork, done the downhill trails up Blue Mountain, ridden the long road to Lolo, and looked for all the little off-road trails in the neighborhood.

Even the Miller kids have gotten in on the action...