Every year, the Conservancy welcomes a team of seasonal employees to work in our busy retail stores during the summer season. They travel from all over, and for many, this is their first trip to Montana or Glacier National Park. Their enthusiasm and energy are contagious as they experience many “firsts”. We thought it would be fun to share some of their personal experiences and reflections in a series of blog posts.
Our first in the series is by Mahala from Seattle, Washington
Spending a summer in Glacier National Park has its perks, too.
My third week here, my co-worker Haleigh and I decided to visit Two Medicine. We had been recommending customers drive out there anytime they wanted other options due to the seasonal road closure at Avalanche, but neither of us had even been to the East side of the park yet. The drive itself is beautiful – Highway 2 follows the river between Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, so there is protected land on both sides and stunning views. Midway through, you cross over the continental divide and the landscape totally changes, which is incredible in its own right. The whole drive we would periodically interrupt the conversation to talk about how gorgeous it was, and then we drove into Two Med.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget this moment. Right as we pull drove into the park entrance, the song “Wow” by Beck started playing. The chorus of this song is literally just “Wow” repeated over and over again, and I can’t think of a better song to describe our feelings as we saw Two Medicine for the first time. The entire way in, our mouths were open and we were completely awestruck. Seeing these large beautiful mountains in an open landscape, thick old-growth forest, and then the lake in the center of all of it just takes your breath away. There was still snow on the ground when we visited, and that just added to the beauty and the mystery of the environment. Every time I have visited since I have experienced the same sense of awe, it is just such an incredibly magical place.
Everywhere in the park has its own special energy and everyone who lives and works here has their own favorite place. Working with the Conservancy, you have the opportunity to explore the park as it transitions from Spring to Summer to Fall, which lets you experience the park as it changes. You also get more opportunities to see the park with fewer people around, which lets you connect with it at a deeper level. But the best part is knowing that all your work throughout the season is going back into preserving this incredible place.
