This morning I met up with the production company that is creating the park’s centennial film, which will show at the Beaver Meadows Visitors Center next year. They wanted footage of me painting at Bear Lake for possible inclusion in the film. We talked about all kinds of different areas in the park that are good for hikes and photographing, and they gave me more ideas of places I’d like to visit. Too much to squeeze into this short residency. Happily, I’ve already been to many of the locations they recommended. And of course I'll be back another time.
After yesterday’s hike, I found myself feeling the urge to do the peak circuit of Flattop Mountain, Hallet Peak, Otis Peak, and Taylor Peak. It’s a long loop that starts at Bear Lake, up Flattop, and up and over to the other three peaks, then you can retrace your way back out or drop down into Andrew’s Glacier and hike out, which is arguable not the safest endeavor. I don’t have time to fit this in, but while discussing the idea with the photographers today, they said Flattop is great, but getting up to Hallet is really tough and perhaps not worth it. I asked if it was harder than Ida, and both said no way, Ida is miserable. Almost nothing is harder. This made me smile; after managing Ida yesterday I was starting to think it’s probably not that hard after all if I was able to make it.
After we finished filming, I was thinking of hiking Cub Lake, but stopped home for lunch first. There was a shower and some thunder, so I opted to rework my powerpoint for tomorrow night’s program at the visitors center and organize my cabin a little. It’s mid-afternoon as I write this, and I think I’ll go find internet, post to the blog, come back for dinner, then go to the evening program at Glacier Basin campground. The ranger who runs the Artist-in-Residence program gives the talk Tuesdays, and I’d like to hear it. Then it’ll probably be an early-ish night since I’m thinking to hike to Ouzel Falls in Wild Basin tomorrow morning, and need to be home in time for my program.
The view of Hallet and Bear Lake that I painted today.
