I got up at 6 o'clock on Monday, August 8, thanks to a wake-up call from a Prince of Wales Lodge phone computer, and was on the road by 6:45. I made it to Logan's Pass by about 9, having stopped for a great breakfast at Park Cafe in St. Mary's. This was the whole reason for getting up early: I wanted to hike the 3-mile trail to the continental divide (and lookout to the east). By 11 a.m. the parking lot is so congested they officially close it, and then periodically (every half hour) let in a few cars. So frankly, unless you get there early, or you're lucky, you don't get to do this trail. It is the heaviest traveled trail in the park, and apparently by mid-afternoon the stream of people climbing up the boardwalk is like a people-superhighway. This is a bit surprising, as the first half hour (one mile) is steadily uphill - like going up stairs for a half hour. This isn't a lazy walk in the woods. Very much worth it!
The sign reads:
The glaciers that carved this basin stripped the land of vegetation and soil. Pioneer plant species, such as lichens, slowly recolonized the rocky landscape. Over thousands of years, a thin layer of soil developed and now supports a surprising diversity of plants and animal species. Mountain goats are frequently observed browsing on lichens and sedges that have gained a foothold in the glacier's wake.
Mountain goats are able to scramble about the steep terrain. Their hooves have numerous ridges for extra friction and their toes spread to improve grip. (Now that's a trick! -editor.)
Subalpine plants are adapted to the thin soil and brief growing seasion of the high mountain world. Moss campion grows in dense cushions to help deflect wind and retain moisture.
This photograph was taken from near the summit of Reynolds Mountain, the high peak to the left. The view looks southwest to Sperry Glacier and Lake McDonald.
(And now, the items that are pointed out, left to right:)
Sperry Glacier, Lake McDonald, Hidden Lake
I hope that info might explain some of what's in the panoramic photos I took!