Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-12-19
MONTANA GLACIER { A /.
+. ISIA BEAUTY

Switzerland of America" because
OF the Yellowstone National park
with it's fame and the Glacier Ma
tional park just coming into fame
but little is known of the Granite
lake and Blackwell glacier country
situated about sixteen miles south OF
Libby. in the Cabinet mountains,
which, when opened up, will become
one Of Americas grandest scenic at.
fractions. .., *
Granite lake is marvel of beauty,
being an oblong body of water about
one mile In length, surrounded by
towering mountains, some OF them
steep with rocky crags and others
! covered with beautiful evergreen foil
age, while Blackwell glacier has
those features that go to make gla-
| cier interesting, not only to the
sightseer but to the student as we'll.
But Sixteen Miles from Libby.
While Granite lake is but sixteen
miles from Libby and Blackwell gla-
cier about twenty. there are but few
people even in Libby who have ever
seen the lake, and less that have
visited the glacier. 1t is doubtful If
there are over fifty people in the
United States that have ever seen
the glacier, although it is not con-
sidered difficult to reach. On account
of this wonderful section being in the
national forest it is thought by many
that the government may some day
make a national park out of it.
Libby is on the main line of the
Great Northern and Granite lake is
reached from Libby by wagon road
and trail. The wagon road extends
about eleven miles. and from that
place good trail reaches to the
lake. The trail was constructed
three years ago by the forestry serv.
ice. Previous to that time it was
difficult to reach the lake. During
the past summer the forestry service
built a substantial cabin at the lake
at which any one can stay. Getting
to the lake and glacier because Of
the building of the trail has become
so easy that a guide is not neces.
sary.
Trout Fishing Excellent.
One particularly noticeable feature
of Granite lake is its trout fishing
1t is said the waters are alive with
the speckled beauties, and some al
most unbelievable catches have been
made by parties during the past two
summers. The. fish are not large and
will not weigh over half a pound and
1t takes a fisherman but a few mo-
ments to catch all he wants for one
day, The fish seem to bite raven
ously at anything thrown to the SURF
ace Of the water, and nothing is used
to catch them but an artificial fly.
Because the lake is more or less
landlocked, it is thought the fish are
unable to get out.
All along the wagon road from the
Libby to the lake the scenery is mag
nificent. There are mountains, mas
sive trees, streams and waterfalls.
At the top of the mountains to the
east of Granite lake lies Blackwell
glacier. four miles distant from the
lower end Of the lake. The altitude
of the glacier is 1000 feet. ..
Discovered In 1887.
The glacier was discovered in 1887
by George r. BLACKWELL, now aresl.
dent of Libby, Mr.. Blackwell accom-
panied by party of prospectors, in
that year started from Murray, Ida
no, then small camp, for the placer
mines of Libby creek. They followed
trails. where there were any, as in
those days there were no wagon
roads in the country.
While crossing the Cabinet noun
no th@ ep1o
cier, and not being interested in per:
Detual ice at that time did not stop
to study it, but continued on then
way From Granite creek they
crossed over to Flower creek, so
named by Mr.. Blackwell because Of
the finding of flowers in bloom along
the route, although there was snow
on the ground
Glacier Covers 100 Acres.
Blackwell glacier is not very
large body Of ice. It covers about
100 acres, but It has all the features
that 60 to make glacier interesting,
such as crevasses, ice falls, moraines
and other technical characteristics
that associate themselves with
body of ice of this character.
Granite lake is fed from the water
that comes from the melting fields of
ice, as quite a large creek flows out
of the glacier This stream is a sight
alone worth travelling miles to see.
After leaving the glacier 1t finds its
way to the lake through a succession
Of waterfalls. Some of these falls
are hundreds of feet high and would
furnish an immense waterpower.
This stream and the glacier were
photographed for the first time last
summer.
The glacier is the last remnant of
an immense body of ice that once
covered the mountains of that Sec
lions of the country, which is respon-
sible for many OF the lakes and for
the placer deposits at the headwaters
of the Libby creek. A few years ago
the glacier covered much more
ground than it does now, but there
is enough Of it left to give any sight
seer his moneys worth.
Goats Abound Near Glacier.
Many Rocky mountain goats are to
be found upon the creggy mountains
surrounding Granite lake and Black
we'll glacier. this being one Of the
few localities in the world where