Zack Clothier
Member
With a very low chance for auroras, and a high chance for smoke, I drove up to Glacier against my better judgement earlier this week..in hopes of getting lucky.
When I got to the Flathead Valley the smoke was not too bad, relatively speaking, and I could see blue skies peaking through the haze. Just before sunset, however, the wind picked up and brought with it a heavy swath of smoke. I thought about calling it a night, but after it became dark I could see a few stars in the sky. I made the drive out to Lake McDonald, not expecting to see anything other than the 16,000 acre Sprague Fire as it continues its relentless assault on the eastern edge of the lake.
I had the shoreline all to myself on this particular evening, quite unusual but not surprising given the evacuations and closures in place within the park. It was hauntingly quiet and the water was like a sheet of glass, perfectly mirroring the firelit mountains off in the distance.
An hour passed and the fire began to die down a bit, reducing the amount of smoke in the air. That's when I noticed a very faint glow on the hazy horizon. Could it be? Another hour passed and the glow became stronger. It was at this moment when I realized that it was indeed the northern lights shining through! I stayed up that night until the moon rose and washed all the color from the sky.
Our weather pattern here in Montana has taken a significant turn for the better, with cooler temps and much needed rain, and even mountain snow, in the forecast. After a long fire season, we're finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
