Day 2 – June 29: Hitchhikers guide to the park

West Glacier, I poured the cortado milk in my cup

Daily Summary:

• Distance hiked: 10 km
• Starting point: Columbia Falls
• Ending point: Apgar
• Weather conditions: Sunshine

Daily Reflections:

Three hitchhikes today. First, newlyweds took me for a 5-min tour to “downtown” Columbia Falls where I savored a cortado. Next, Mark from Arizona gave me a 20-minute ride to Kalispell, offering his number as a contact in case of distress. A good man indeed. Finally, Travis, a father of two and a ski lift mechanic/rafting guide, gave me a 40-minute ride from Kalispell to West Glacier, along with a beer and a hug. They run a Mexican Spanish taco food truck. I gave him $20 and another hug. Nice ride!

Had another coffee in West Glacier, even poured the milk myself. Walked from West Glacier to Apgar without bear spray, feeling jittery. Lack of sleep is producing signs of fever from exhaustion.

Met my first fellow thru-hiker aiming for the triple crown but was too tired to catch his name. Got my permit for the park. It will be a slow start with five days to hike from Chief Mountain to East Glacier, $45. Watched a safety video and learned there are storms coming.

Got a permit for tonight at Fish Creek Campground, $8. Productive day! Tomorrow, I might head to East Glacier and the Looking Glass Hostel, a gathering place for many hikers—a good spot to learn about the first miles.