Mosts / Bests

After nearly every big trip, we develop a list of mosts and bests. Here's a first draft of this year's:

Most number of people upset by lack of lavatory service: passengers on the Chicago -> East Glacier Park, MT leg of our Amtrak® journey

Most number of mosquitos and flies: Sperry Campground

Most number of waterfalls to cross: trail from Gunsight Lake to Lake Ellen Wilson

Best waterfall that we had to hike through: On the trail to Lake Ellen Wilson

Best waterfall overall: Pitamakan at Two Medicine

Best swim: Gunsight Lake

Best stoic pose during glacier-fed lake soak: Gunsight Lake

Best wildflowers: Gunsight pass to Sperry

Most anticipated pizza meal: Jammer Joe's at McDonald Lodge

Best view from a privy (inspired by Snow Lake in Mount Rainier National Park): Sperry

Best interpretive program: Fire (at Many Glacier); runners-up Bison (at Waterton Lakes) and Curly Bear (also at Waterton Lakes)

Best front-county campsite: Avalanche (we stayed there twice, once before and once after the Gunsight Trail hike)

Best back-country campsite: Kintla (with a close follow-up by Sperry because of the view)

Best backcountry meal: soup, followed by mashed potatoes with steak nuggets and vegetables

Best lodge: East Glacier Lodge

Best restaurant meal: Bay View Inn (Waterton Townsite)

Best new flavor sensation: Root beer and aged white cheddar cheese

Best berry: Huckleberry (Jeff and Joe), thimbleberry (Lorraine and Em)

Best ice cream: Huckleberry ice cream at Many Glacier

Best one-liner: "Bambi goes prehistoric...." [in reference to the "killer deer" warnings around the Waterton Townsite]

Best sign: Caution! Slow down...people breathing.

Funniest conversation overheard: Joey get your hand out of your underwear and stop scratching your butt!

Best snore: Jeff (at several locations)

Strangest conversation: "Em! Em!", followed by "Joey, you can't get out of the tent! We're camping!"

Best survival food source: pudding from Joe's eyeglasses

Most helpful NPS Ranger: Pete Siudara

Most startling geologic feature: Frank Slide (brings new meaning to the term "geologically active")

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Animals we saw:

Charismatic megafauna

• Bison
• Black bear
• Grizzly bear
• Bighorn Sheep
• Rocky Mountain Goats (goat antelope)
• Mule deer
• White tailed deer
• Cows

Other animals

• Long-tailed weasel (with prey) (at Logan Pass)
• Marmot
• Pika (on the way to Lincoln Pass)
• Ground squirrel
• Chipmunk
• Tree squirrel
• Snake (in the water at Kintla Lake)

Birds

• Ptarmigan
• Jay
• Robins
• Tanager
• Thrush (VIreo and Hermit)
• Bald eagle
• Loon
• White Throated Sparrow
• Gull
• Raven