Helping hiker, seeing grizzlies made Many Glacier memorable

To the editor,

We are a family of eight traveling full-time around the United States in a camper. We stayed in Hungry Horse recently. We had a wonderful time at the Glacier Bible Camp where we did volunteer work for a week. We visited my cousin, Eleanor, who lives in Coram.

Our trip to Glacier was interesting. We had to drive all the way around since the Sun Road was closed. It was a long drive there and back in one day, especially with all the kids. An older man came out of the woods on our way back from Logan's Pass Visitor Center. He looked tired and older. He stuck out his thumb to hitch hike. My husband pulled over, talked with him, and decided to give him a ride. He was just finishing up the Continental Divide Trail, that he had began hiking in April. Since the border was closing he had to get to Canada to the finish line and then turn around and hike the little bit he had to drive. We were heading to Many Glacier but decided to skip it and give this man a ride to Canada instead.

The stories we heard on the way there. He was a very interesting man.

After dropping him off at the border, we made a run for Many Glacier in hopes of seeing a grizzly. We were not disappointed. We saw a huge one walking near the road. We followed him for a ways, in our van of course. He didn't seem too happy about it. Further down the road we saw a black bear eating berries!

We were so thankful to see two bears that evening. I think it is easy to put things and places first over people. As beautiful and amazing as Glacier is, that man is more important. Helping each other and meeting others needs is the priority. We chose to do what is right and help that man, and we still got to see the bears! It is pretty great! Thank you for an amazing adventure. We loved the area and the people were extremely friendly.

For more on our lives or trip our Web site is www.smittysinfo.com and blog at www.smittysinfo.blogspot.com.

Sheri Smith

Galena, Mo.