1945 CASTLE FILMS TRAVELOGUE

streams in northwestern montana close by the canadian border lies a land of glaciers perched upon lofty rocky shells here at the eastern entrance of glacier national park the wilderness seems remote but once within its boundaries the supreme beauty of the country unfolds with every view mountain wildflowers add color to samba granite and a species of spanish bayonet called fairgrass abounds in the higher altitudes the driver of a sightseeing bus moves on without comment words can add nothing to what nature has to say here the silences are broken only by tumbling waters escaping from the melting feet of distant glaciers the road still links the wilderness with the comforts of civilization there are vistas of surpassing grandeur even the wildlife of the woods will leave its haunts to see and be seen by the visitors to this national park who have not the time and perhaps the inclination to leave the highways for byways and get closer to nature but there are limitations to any comfortable and easy method of exploration the scenic backdrop of this tremendous stage may be inspiring from a distance but unlike any work of mortal architect or artist this great picture demands close and intimate inspection to see glacier national park it is necessary to leave an upholstered seat in a motor bus for the somewhat harder seat on the back of a western caius from this point on the glacier trail is for western horses indifferent to inexperienced riders and undaunted by lack of any trail at all throughout much of the wilderness ahead we'll come along boys and listen to my tails i'll tell you what my troubles on the old cheese and trails commentary yippie fba if he ain't come a tie i if you pay i started on the trail october 23rd i started off the trail with the z you hurt come atta yeah yep hey the falls of two medicine rivers are close by one of the innumerable trail camps which make it unnecessary to carry elaborate food and camping equipment when journeying into the glacier country every swiftly flowing stream is at trout fisherman's paradise with half a dozen western varieties that will rise to a fly wildlife here has never been frightened by hunters since this became a national park the little whistling marmot is particularly friendly now it is time to ride the trail again if distant scenes are to be reached in daylight and if there is to be opportunity to pause for many things of interest along the way on every hand there's seen mute evidence of gigantic natural forces which lifted these mountains from a prehistoric sea upon these peaks and precipices and into deep gorges the snows and rains of uncounted centuries have fallen to sweep down into the valleys and carve out an area of distinguished beauty which is today glacier national park while still below the timberline deer are frequently seen near the trail with no fear of man the hunter's gun has been forbidden in the park for many years and they seem to know just where the park's borders lie the visitor is reminded in other ways that this is the west not so long ago the favorite hunting ground of the blackfeet indians it is still a profitable hunting ground for them in summer because tourists will buy beadwork and they will invariably pay to see a somewhat modern version of a tribal dance it has been only a matter of about two generations since this was dangerous country for the venturesome prospector or hunter from the outside the grand finale of the trail beckons ahead by the peaks and ice fields of more than 50 glaciers in an area enclosing the continental divide of the rocky mountains from one spot known as the triple divide waters flow into the pacific ocean hudson bay and the gulf of mexico hundreds of streams rushing to the valleys below are fed by the perpetual ice fields which gave this area its name the summer sun has no apparent effect upon them they move by inches in a year as the foot of each glacier melts away it is this movement of millions of tons of ice that has carved a scenic wonderland here among the peaks and crags the most timid and elusive of wild animals are found the rocky mountain sheep and the mountain goat both of these hardy climbers are seen throughout this area but seldom very close at hand where they can be haunted it is a hearty and skilled sportsman who brings down a big horn where he can recover his game it is an interesting fact that glacier's unusually rugged scenery is practically limited to the park's boundaries there are a few glaciers to be found in other parts of the rocky mountains within this park no one can single out one part of the 1500 square miles of wonderland that is more beautiful or more or inspiring than any other is with us to know america the beautiful all americans should know glacier national park