Author Topic: Glacier National Park Master Thread  (Read 17425 times)

Offline Achas Veachas

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #20 on: August 08, 2014, 12:33:44 PM »


Chabad Shlichus question:  Is it assumed that any chabad house wants to host frum vacationers?

Yes and no. Like any Frum Jews they enjoy doing favors and helping Jews in need (add to that the isolation of being the only Frum Jews for miles they may enjoy having someone they can talk a Jewish word with). OTOH, like any human beings, they don't like being taken advantage of and being taken for granted. Realize that just because they chose to live in the middle of nowhere doesn't mean it's easy, Kosher food is not necessarily easy (or cheap) to come by, and they do have other things that they do other than provide Shabbos services for tourists.

Offline whYME

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #21 on: August 08, 2014, 04:28:13 PM »
Yes and no. Like any Frum Jews they enjoy doing favors and helping Jews in need (add to that the isolation of being the only Frum Jews for miles they may enjoy having someone they can talk a Jewish word with). OTOH, like any human beings, they don't like being taken advantage of and being taken for granted. Realize that just because they chose to live in the middle of nowhere doesn't mean it's easy, Kosher food is not necessarily easy (or cheap) to come by, and they do have other things that they do other than provide Shabbos services for tourists.
Very well said.

Offline henche

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #22 on: August 08, 2014, 06:36:50 PM »
Yes and no. Like any Frum Jews they enjoy doing favors and helping Jews in need (add to that the isolation of being the only Frum Jews for miles they may enjoy having someone they can talk a Jewish word with). OTOH, like any human beings, they don't like being taken advantage of and being taken for granted. Realize that just because they chose to live in the middle of nowhere doesn't mean it's easy, Kosher food is not necessarily easy (or cheap) to come by, and they do have other things that they do other than provide Shabbos services for tourists.

Quite fair enough.  Still, some places I go have have a website that has a place to RSVP for meals and lists suggested donations (link), in which case I feel a bit different about their expectations than if I was just cold calling the random frum family that happens to live in Victoria, BC, and asking if they "knew where I might find shabbos meals a thousand miles from the nearest mikva."

And I've been to other chabad houses in college campus areas where I would just walk in every friday night and sit down along with 100 other people, and never a word mentioned about donations or RSVP-ing, and have a beautiful shabbos meal.  (I used to occasionally bring my non-frum friends there, too) chabad at harvard  (even though the website does have a place to rsvp). 

And of course that doesn't mean it is appropriate to take them for granted: I am very much makir tov to the Zarchi's at Harvard. 

My question is more of expectations.  I knew the Zarchi's expected me to join for shabbos meals, and so I understood the dynamic.  It was different than if I would eat by another frum family in cambridge--in that I knew the zarchi's wanted and expected company, and I knew I wasn't putting them on the spot by asking.  Compare for example to if I would look up the chaplain on an army base in Arkansas and email asking if he knew where I could go for shabbos on his army base.

Does that make sense?



Offline Achas Veachas

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #23 on: August 08, 2014, 06:58:15 PM »
Makes a lot of sense, each place is different and caters to its specific needs. In a place with lots of tourists the Chabad House might make arrangements for Frum tourists with RSVPs and suggested donations, on campus if you require RSVP you won't have students so there it's usually more of an open house.

In a small town Chabad House (like Missoula MT) my guess would be that they don't have a system in place though I'm sure they would be delighted to see a Frum face and host for shabbos

Offline henche

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #24 on: August 14, 2014, 02:07:31 AM »
Part of the 360 view from Sun Point where we hiked to today. This view and comparable occupies about 270 degrees from the point.



Was standing by a creek with another couple trying to decide whether to walk across the water or go upstream to the bridge.

WWJD?

Offline Devorah

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #25 on: August 14, 2014, 03:22:46 AM »
Quite fair enough.  Still, some places I go have have a website that has a place to RSVP for meals and lists suggested donations (link), in which case I feel a bit different about their expectations than if I was just cold calling the random frum family that happens to live in Victoria, BC, and asking if they "knew where I might find shabbos meals a thousand miles from the nearest mikva."

And I've been to other chabad houses in college campus areas where I would just walk in every friday night and sit down along with 100 other people, and never a word mentioned about donations or RSVP-ing, and have a beautiful shabbos meal.  (I used to occasionally bring my non-frum friends there, too) chabad at harvard  (even though the website does have a place to rsvp). 

And of course that doesn't mean it is appropriate to take them for granted: I am very much makir tov to the Zarchi's at Harvard. 

My question is more of expectations.  I knew the Zarchi's expected me to join for shabbos meals, and so I understood the dynamic.  It was different than if I would eat by another frum family in cambridge--in that I knew the zarchi's wanted and expected company, and I knew I wasn't putting them on the spot by asking.  Compare for example to if I would look up the chaplain on an army base in Arkansas and email asking if he knew where I could go for shabbos on his army base.

Does that make sense?



Although Chabad on college campuses host students every Friday night (mostly) without RSVP, they still need to cover their costs.  So if you are joining a meal and are not a college student, the mentchlich thing would be to leave a donation.  And if you are a student who frequents a Chabad House, if you are able to support them (in whatever way you can) that would be appropriate as well or your parents could send a donation....  That said, once you become an alumni and are making $$$, hakaras hatov.... so that they can continue to provide for future students.

Offline henche

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #26 on: August 17, 2014, 12:12:33 AM »
Update: We ended up spending shabbos at this ranch: http://www.vrbo.com/494959# (Missoula didn't work out for us, but we did have a pleasant chat with them. Really nice people.)

Offline henche

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #27 on: August 20, 2014, 09:50:43 PM »
I'll do some trip reporting at some point.  For now suffice it to say that my wife saw two mountain lions last night.  Off the MT 89 near Babb.  We did not spray them with bear spray.   

Offline henche

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #28 on: August 21, 2014, 02:36:56 PM »
Ok, here is most of what we did. 

Day 1.  5:30AM flight from BOS, connecting in ORD.  Father brings us dunkin donuts during morning layover (wanted early flight so that won't miss once a day connecting flight).  Second flight delayed for 2 hours, then takes off, flies an hour, turns around for medical emergency and flies back, crew times out, new crew comes, bathroom broken, bathroom fixed, flight attendants about to time out, but we get out at like 5:30. Land at 8 in kallispel, rental car place closed, so brother makes new reservation and get RAV4, go to Evergreen motel in Coram near park.  Eat a tradition soup and go to sleep.

Day 2.  Go to Wal-Mart in Kallispel, but ranier cherries on way from a stand, 1.5 pounds for 5 dollars, excellent, go to Wal-mart and buy a bbq and fishing rods and other stuff.  Drive to park, start up going to sun highway stopping at places and little hikes, turn around eventually, stop and make bbq, go back to motel and go to sleep in little motel "cabin".

Day 3.  Drive to East Glacier on route 2. Stop and fish along the way in flathead river middle fork.  Get to Two Medicine entrance. Do hike to Running Eagle falls.  Go to Two Medicine lake and rent rowboat and fish in lake, take scenic boat across lake and back. Make bbq at picnic area, do more fishing in river, drive back to Evergreen motel cabins, see mountain goats on cliff right above road, and go to sleep.

Day 4.  Drive to St. Mary and take scenic boat across that lake.  Fish in that lake and some river, and under a waterfall.  Hike to sun point. Take boat back. Drive back on going to sun road and  to Fortine MT (hour past west glacier) to new place staying:  http://www.vrbo.com/486991. Arrive in dark, get lost, call brother who figures out where to go, wander around in pitch black on gravel mountain road, decide driveway must be place, risk no tresspassing signs to go in, find key where promised, go inside, make dinner on stove (salmon in frying pan and tradition soup), go to sleep.  Is incredible log cabin on horse ranch.

Day 5.  Drive into Eureka and buy fishing licenses and ask where to fish, locals tell us to check out "historic preserved village", laugh because entire town is historic village, go fishing for landlocked salmon in reservoir but catch lake trout instead with salmon lure, go back to our horse ranch, make fire, bbq, etc, go to sleep.

Day 6 (Friday).  Go fishing in creek, catch cutthroat trout, throw back, drive back through kallispel and go to wal mart and buy camping gear and stuff for shabbos, go fishing for pike in Smith Lake, at 4 o'clock start driving to new place and discover it will take us like 4 hours, and that shekia will be at 841 where we will be, drive across mountains on route 2, and then down the montana 89 to our new cattle ranch near Choteau like 2 miles from the Rocky Mountain Front range http://www.vrbo.com/494959, make bbq, forget that we are machmir that shabbos starts when sun goes behind mountains (is that min hadin--I hope not), eat wraps salmon hot dogs corn salad grilled potatoes pickles olives potato chips beer, read louis lamour, go to sleep.

Day 7 (shabbos).  Daven, eat breakfast (cinnamon buns, salmon, beer, potato chips), go for walk on ranch, look at mountains, very high winds, bbq got blown far away, good thing it was out already, eat lunch (smoked steelhead trout, hot dogs, baked beans, potatoes, corn, salad, potato chips, beer), go to sleep, go on another walk, eat more potato chips beer, eat shaleshudes, make havdala, make "pizza" (wraps ketchup cheese spices in frying pan), go to sleep.

Day 8. Drive back to park and drive up northfork dirt road, fish in north fork flathead river, drive back to ranch, fish in little place where the locals fish, make bbq, go to sleep.

Day 9. Wake up early, drive up to Many Glacier, take Many Glacier scenic boat, hike from other end, fish from dock on other end, take boat back, drive to Two Medicine campground, get warning from park ranger for driving 20 MPH in 10MPH zone, more fishing in river and lake, make bbq, campfire, sleep in tent.

Day 10. Make grilled cheese (cheese stick in hot dog bun wrapped in foil and rolled in coals of campfire), drive across canadian border to Waterton, take Waterton scenic boat back into Montana, hike from Goat Haunt ranger station, more fishing in lake, take scenic boat back, drive back on to the sun highway, stay in kalispell at motel.

Fly back in morning.

Generally, we found this park to be much more accessible than other parks I've been to.  The Going to the Sun highway is very unique in that you can see many of the best views in the park from your car--the Highline trail which is one of the best trails follows the road for 11 miles on the cliff maybe 200 feet higher.  Also, the scenic boats will drop you off pretty deep in the backcountry giving you a head start on your hiking. We did a lot of fishing but didn't catch many fish but it was fun. I kind of think I should have rented a motorboat and trailer to drop into the many lakes. We considered floating down the Flathead river, but didn't do it.

Offline Ergel

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #29 on: August 21, 2014, 08:34:15 PM »
Pics? What about the lions?
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Offline henche

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #30 on: August 21, 2014, 08:48:03 PM »
Pics? What about the lions?

Oh yes. My wife saw two mountain lions on the way down from canada on Tuesday evening, near Babb. 

re pics: lol, I'm anti-pic on vacation.  I can always google image if I forget what it looked like. 

We saw a family of tourists.  The father was taking nonstop pictures on the boat with a sophisticated camera.  I don't think he saw anything not through the lens.  Meanwhile, the mother and kids were taking nonstop pictures of the same stuff, with their phones.  So they'd have their own copy, you see.

Offline Ergel

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #31 on: August 21, 2014, 08:49:19 PM »
LOL. I fall somewhere on the middle...
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Offline Joe4007

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Offline myb821

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #33 on: August 22, 2014, 10:18:51 AM »
LOL. I fall somewhere on the middle...
+1

Offline yehuda S

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #34 on: December 24, 2014, 05:02:17 PM »
I'm trying to decide between Glacier Nat;l Park and Yellowston/Tetons for a summer trip. Have never been to either, can someone weigh in?
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Offline lunatic

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #35 on: December 24, 2014, 05:05:55 PM »
Paging henche

Offline Achas Veachas

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #36 on: December 24, 2014, 05:26:23 PM »
I'm trying to decide between Glacier Nat;l Park and Yellowston/Tetons for a summer trip. Have never been to either, can someone weigh in?
I haven't been to both but I would prob say Yellowstone/Tetons.

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #37 on: December 24, 2014, 05:37:17 PM »
I haven't been to both but I would prob say Yellowstone/Tetons.

Ditto. I don't think Glacier offers very much over T/Y. Maybe Going to the Sun road, but not much more.
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Offline Traveler718

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #38 on: December 24, 2014, 09:01:26 PM »
I have been to both (Glacier 2x). It depends on who you're going with and what you like to do. For me the answer is Glacier, but for most people the answer is Yellowstone and Tetons, which offer more variety and more tourist amenities, and are more family friendly. If you're really into hiking and want to get away from the crowds and find unparalleled beauty, Glacier wins hands-down. Wyoming also has a Chabad if you're going to be there for Shabbos. If you have specific questions feel free to ask, and I'll do my best to answer.

Offline yehuda S

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Re: Glacier National Park Master Thread
« Reply #39 on: December 24, 2014, 10:24:15 PM »
Thanks for all the responses. My plan is to go with my daughter, she will be five and I wonder if she can handle long hikes with Grizzlies.

Yellowstone seems more active while glacier seems more epic. Do you think glacier has more to offer us having already been to alaska?
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