Day 118 Two Medicine

10.9 miles.

Today was a very cruisy and easy day from East Glacier to Two Medicine with only 10.9 miles.

I turned my alarm off last night to woke when my body felt it was time to rise. I had the whole day ahead to hike a short day. It would feel like a nero day into town.

Up and showered by 7am just in time for the bakery to open I tucked into a hearty breakfast tortilla and coffee. I was in no rush.

I headed back to the hostel, stripped the bed of sheets and gave the cabin a quick sweep out. Water topped up and pack finalised I hit the trail.

It was a cruise. There was one 3 miles climb to complete and half way up I ran into CDT hiker Jan. I’d never met her before but knew of her as she had been hiking with Puff Puff for quite a while who I’ve been in contact with right along the CDT. Jan had previously left the CDT due to too much weight loss but was now back having flipped up north to start hiking south. Although first meeting on trail just now, it felt like running into an old friend. We chatted on trail for a full half hour before continuing in opposite directions. We each only had another 5 miles to complete for the day.

At the top of the climb I did something I never do and that was to take a side trail to the top of a nearby peak which was said to have spectacular views across Two Medicine and namesake Lake. It did not disappoint.

At the top I ran into a German-American kid named Mattias who was well ahead of his parents climbing the peak from the opposite direction I’d come. He was about 12 or 13 years old I’d say and incredibly chatty. He told me all about the park, the views and the animals he had seen over the last 3 weeks. Asking where I’d come from he was enthralled by the tale of my journey. The questions kept coming and I was happy to oblige with answers. Eventually my stomach got the better of me and I was keen to start the descent down to Two Medicine to grab some lunch from the store. Farewelling Matthias I started down, crossing paths with his parents and exchanging pleasantries on the way past.

I was in Two Medicine by 1pm and headed to the store to pick up some sandwiches, dill pickles and a huckleberry soda. Oh my god. Huckleberry soda is to die for. So delicious.

Knowing that the campsite at Two Medicine was hot and exposed I was in no rush to backtrack to it. I’d just be sitting around in the sun on my own. Instead I savoured my time sitting at a table in the shade if the deck in front of the store people watching the hoards of tourists. I sat there for at least an hour and a half, sharing conversations with those coming and going from the table. Eventually Mathias and his parents pulled up a seat and we got talking for a good chunk as well. Mathias was obviously impressed with the CDT and had told his parents all about what I’d been up to. They asked many similar questions and answers I’d given a million times by now. I keep attempting to steer conversation back to find out about other people’s lives but it seems to fail. They’d been in the Glacier NP for 3 weeks and their trip was winding down with a long drive home ahead. Hearing them speak amongst themselves in German, when it was time to go our sepeare ways I said “Auf Wiedersehen” which they were more than impressed with and had a laugh.

Later a ranger came past ‘Bringing the park to the people’ she said, pulling out a display of pelts from the top of the parks food chain – a grizzly, black bear, mountain lion and wolf. We got talking for a bit before I headed back to my camp site 0.6 miles back on trail, toting out a beet for dinner.