This is one of those experimental digital sketches I do once in a while from my original photos. The image is a of snow-melt waterfall high up in Glacier National Park in Montana. I don’t believe it has a name but probably runs pretty much all year long, depending on the amount of snowfall.
I didn’t have to hike to or make any major effort to get the original shot as this waterfall is right by the side of the road. At my age, you gotta love that! My friend Dave and I were driving up the “Going to the Sun” Highway that runs from the west side of the park up to Logan Pass and into the high country when we ran into this waterfall (or cascade, if you will).
The highway is one of the most scenic roads in all of America. The views are absolutely spectacular. It was built 75 years ago during the Great Depression and was one of many government projects designed to get people back to work.
The road officially received its name, "The Going-to-the-Sun Road," during the 1933 dedication at Logan Pass. The road borrowed its name from nearby Going-to-the-Sun Mountain. Local legend, and a 1933 press release issued by the Department of the Interior, told the story of the deity, Sour Spirit, who came down from the sun to teach Blackfeet braves the rudiments of the hunt.
On his way back to the sun, Sour Spirit had his image reproduced on the top of the mountain for inspiration to the Blackfeet. An alternate story suggests a white explorer in the 1880s concocted the name and the legend. No matter which version is accurate, the road named Going-to-the-Sun still inspires all who travel it.
The road is only open about 3 months out of the year because of the high snow fall in this area of Montana. It takes a couple of months of snow-plowing to get the road open each year. So, if you are planning to go, it will have to be in summer.
If you are lucky, you will see mountain goats and big horn sheep along the road, so drive carefully. But do plan to stop along the way to take in the amazing views.
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