Another gorgeous day in Glacier at Two Medicine.  Hiked to Scenic Point today where you have a 360 degree view of the area.  3.1 miles each way, 2350 elevation gain, 17 switchbacks.  Started at 8 am, first stop waterfall but not able to get to the water.  Climbed up through beautiful shaped dead trees, eery but lovely photos. 

 Winters are harsh here, winds get to over 100 miles per hour.  At the 17^th switchback saw a large animal.  Our first thought was a baby bear, but then we thought about how high we were and decided it might be a marmot on steroids.  Later at the camp Ranger talk we found out a wolverine had been spotted there earlier in the week and there are only 300 in the whole United States, 45 in Glacier.  Awesome sighting.  They are considered the bad ass of all the predators.  They have been known to take down a bear, they also leave their kill and later come back and eat the bones.  A tranquilized wolverine was picked up by a ranger who could feel the bones in the belly.  Have to investigate why they are so low in numbers.  Apparently not on the endangered species list yet.  Maybe that will be my new cause!

Made it to the summit in two hours, spectacular panoramic view of the whole area including all 3 two medicine lakes, all the mountains and the prairies of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.  Hiked through alpine flowers, so beautiful.  We spent an hour at the top, ate our lunch, played on the rocks. 

  Took a dip in the very cold waters of Two Medicine Lake to clean ourselves as well as we can considering the circumstances!  We learned today that our campground is at 5100 feet.  Didn’t realize we were so high! Headed to the camp store and took the south shore trail to try to see the moose at the beaver ponds.  Waited an hour.  Lots of people walked by on the trail who had seen her earlier but no such luck for us today.  I guess we will have to settle on the wolverine.  However, while we waited, we saw a bush rustling, got all excited , and then saw the bush move away heading toward the pond and then in the pond.  Those beavers are hard workers.  Not quite why this bush, (like all the rest) was so special to travel the distance he had to take it.  Went back to campsite and had the everything left in the cooler scramble.  Also had some sundried tomatoes.  It was excellent.  Jack fried us toast on the stove top! 

Went to ranger talk and heard about winter survival of animals and plants.  It was very interesting.  Learned about birds that go into torpor during the night to survive, how some animals sometimes don’t even move during the day as the calories expended hunting for food would be more than those found in the food.  Also learned that the shrubs that get eaten by just about everything have a way to survive by sending out a foul tasting substance into their branches when they are nearly bare which lasts for 10 years so they can grow back to full size and then get eaten again.  Amazing stuff.

Packed up the car as much as we could which was a good thing.  Took down the clothes line with the dry clothes.  Jodi woke up in the middle of the night and saw no stars and thought not a good sign since the rain flap was still not on the tent.  Jack woke up at 4:15 hearing little raindrops.  Since he only gets to go to 2 games,  Jodi was voted to get the rain flap to cover the tent.  Stayed dry and able to dry the tent out in the morning before we left.