Going To The Sun Road was completed in 1932. Once that road was in place, chalet visits by horse began to wain. During WWII the chalets did not see any visitors because they were temporarily closed due to war. During the closure, many fell into disrepair and were not refurbished. Many were dismantled and no remnant remains. However, Granite Chalet and portions of Sperry Chalet are in tact and continue to provide services.
Sperry Chalet was damaged in the Sprague Fire in the summer of 2017. A great deal of effort was made to protect the buildings on the site. However, the dorm building did take on an ember in the roofing which caused the demise of the building. Once the fire was extinguished, only four walls remained. The Glacier Conservancy has committed to rebuilding that dorm. Work began in July 2018 and is expected to be complete 2020. Read, "It Was a Gut Punch" at www.flatheadbeacon.com for more information. This fire would also be the reason Lake McDonald Lodge was closed nearly one month early in 2017. I am grateful that a ton of effort was made to save the lodge.
The 6.2 mile trail is rocky and steep, especially the last two miles. It is a gain of 3,595 feet and I did not feel capable of hiking it, but certainly wanted to experience the site. What better way than taking a horse trip, just as early travelers had done? I discovered Swan Mountain Outfitters near Lake McDonald Lodge had just put together a day trip and I signed up to take the very first one! I would be joined by a local photographer as well as a father and daughter team.
We began our accent about 9AM with an overcast sky. Only a 20% chance of rain was predicted and we saw none during the day. I had not been on a horse in over 25 years and had my concerns. Those who know me won't be surprised to read that I threw my concerns out the window! I did, however, did some yoga before the ride. I would take my mount on Gunslinger, a good boy that had been and still used as a pack horse. He set a comfortable pace and never gave me concern. To my amazement, I reached the top without experiencing any soreness or unease. I sought out the building labeled, "Kitchen" and took a seat at one of the tables. I was quickly served a nice bowl of vegetable soup and asked which sandwich I would prefer; turkey, ham or roast beef. All would be served on freshly baked whole wheat bread. The sandwich was delicious and presented with sides of pretzels and a sweet pickle. Lunch included a choice of "cookie", meaning cobbler, scone, brownie and 3 other tempting treats! Here are some photos from the site of Sperry Chalet:
Some area is blocked due to rebuilding of the dorm.
Some of the construction crew eating lunch when I arrived.
View of the KITCHEN building from the restroom.
Large tent to accommodate the construction crew.
After about an hour and a half break for lunch and a look about, we began our decent to the Lake McDonald Corral, about 3 hours. This would be a decent I will never forget as the horses would need to find their footing on long, slightly pitched sheets of rock. Oh my, I would just lean back and trust Gunslinger to do his job! Needless to say, the decent did leave me sore after an entire three hours of resistance "training"!
I hope you enjoy this brief recount of something so special in our history. The experience, for me, was reflective and special!
The top of the mountain is a perfect place to quote Helen Keller:
"Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye."
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