We took a very quick vacation to Glacier National Park recently. We started with a train ride from Everett to Whitefish, Montana. Instead of the usual coach seats we had reserved a "roomette" that is a small two seat compartment into two bed sleeper at night. The gentle swaying and rocking of the train was oddly conducive to sleeping. Unfortunately every time the train slowed down or stopped it would wake us up so we didn't sleep through the night. Regardless it was a low-stress and enjoyable way to travel.
In Whitefish we picked up our rental car and headed to West Glacier about 30 miles away. Just outside of the park entrance we came across one of the local helicopter tour companies, Glacier Heli-Tours. As we were short on time and the weather was questionable, we made the decision to go immediately for the one hour ride. A bit of a splurge and a somewhat impetuous decision but sometimes you just gotta say WTF.
As soon as we got our first glimpses of the magnificent scenery any doubts were instantly wiped away. To say the views were spectacular is a gross understatement. The ride took us over the entire park and up to the Canadian border. Our pilot provided a running commentary identifying the various peaks and glaciers. In all honesty he could have made it all up and we wouldn't have known the difference.
At times the camera can isolate you from your surroundings. The camera becomes a viewing port and you might as well be looking at photos on a computer screen. With an unobstructed view from the helicopter and scenes that just inundate your senses you can't help but experience the striking beauty around you. The entire time you just struggle to capture these views that you know you can't possibly do justice to the spectacle before you.
I also realize how inadequate I am in attempting to describe the experience. How many ways can I say magnificent, breath-taking, awe-inspiring, overwhelming, and so many other cliche sayings?
There are of course some unique challenges when shooting from a helicopter. First there's the vibration. Making sure to shoot at a higher shutter speed can reduce the effects. There's possible distortion and reflection from the bubble. The only thing I could do was vary taking pictures forward or to the side. The side window presented yet another challenge. It had a very noticeable bluish tint. Using the camera's auto white balance setting helped but more importantly was being able to set the correct color balance in Photoshop Camera Raw during post processing.
Even by shooting from above the clouds and closer to the mountains we still had to deal with a noticeable amount of haze. Again by shooting RAW and with a bit of post-processing, I was able to salvage a number of shots.
Looking back I wish I would have asked the pilot to make some second passes or try different shooting angles. As it was I was just firing away as quickly as I could because practically every angle was a winner.
Wendy had the back seat to herself and I sat in the front left seat. I not only had great forward visibility but could look down and watch as glaciers, outcroppings, and high mountain lakes skim by below us.
At one point, our pilot pointed out a fire outlook off in the distance. Set on the ridge 3 miles from the summit of Heaven's Peak this lookout was built during World War II by members of the Civilian Public Service. Composed of conscientious objectors, they built lookouts, water towers, and other public works in lieu of military service.
The lookout sits on a the ridge with a 1000 foot drop-off to one side. Unfortunately the lookout has fallen into a state of disrepair.
Our hour was over way to quickly. If/when we go back I definitely want to do the tour again.
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