Bear Country

On a vibrant July afternoon, my friend Kelly and I set out for a hike in Glacier Park. Kintla Lake shimmered in the heat, ringed by towering mountains. Radiant sunlight and a light breeze made for a nearly perfect hiking day. We followed a scenic trail that hugged the shoreline for half a mile, then we left the trail and headed north over a series of bristly slopes. We were searching for the trail along Starvation Ridge.