The Great Train Adventure: Day One; Whitefish, MT - Grand Forks, ND

At daybreak, we arrive in WHITEFISH, MT: The Alpine-style station serves as a reminder that nearby is the popular Big Mountain ski resort. Located in the valley of Flathead National Forest, with its great recreational activities, the town is bordered by Whitefish Lakes.

We actually woke before daylight and Brian got off the train in Whitefish while I showered. I then waited for him to shower and sipped on some hot coffee in the observation/lounge car as the sun came up over the Montana mountains.

At about 8:30 we arrived at West Glacier, MT

BELTON -- WEST GLACIER: is the western entrance to Glacier Park. Snowfall here averages 100 - 200 inches per year.

We ate breakfast in the dining car and saw a herd of elk and two deer. It took us about 3 hours to make it through the entire park and I was disappointed that there was only a dusting of snow on the ground. We spent the entire day in the observation/lounge car. I couldn't take my eyes off of the passing of America.
Marias Pass: The train route through Glacier Park follows the "Mystery Pass" through the Rockies sought by Lewis and Clark, and finally established by John Stevens in -40 degree weather. Stevens found the route on a mission for the Great Northern Railway in 1889, and is remembered in a statue on the left. As you cross the Continental Divide here, you are traveling 5,216 feet above sea level, the lowest pass between New Mexico and Canada. On the right at the summit is a monument to President Theodore Roosevelt.

GLACIER PARK STATION: Glacier Park Station, built in 1913, is near 50 "living" glaciers and 9,000 - 10,466 foot mountains. The impressive timbered Glacier Park Lodge on the left, partially constructed from trees estimated to be 600 years old, was built by the Great Northern Railway to promote rail travel and to attract tourists to this beautiful area. We cross the Two Medicine River atop a high trestle.

A few minutes after exiting the park, the landscape of Montana changed quickly. Towns of Cut Bank and Shelby were cold, gray and desolate looking. At Shelby we enjoyed a bloody Mary in the observation car.

CUT BANK, MT: 25 minutes west of Cut Bank, a monument to early explorer Meriwether Lewis memorializes his search for a pass through the Rockies. This area is most often noted for the coldest mid-winter temperatures in the country. Just west of Cut Bank, you'll get your first or last view of the Rockies. Sweetgrass Hills and the Canadian border, 25 miles to the north, can be seen from the train on the left.

HAVRE, MT: An impressive, well-preserved Great Northern S-2 steam locomotive is on display at the station. This was a service stop, so we had time to walk around a bit before lunch. Indians once drove buffalo off the town's steep cliffs. Today, the cliffs provide a peaceful overlook. We follow the Milk River from Havre to Glasgow.

Just after our stop in Havre, we enjoyed a wonderful wine and cheese pairing in the dining car. Brian won a bottle of wine by answering a trivia question.

Bear Paw Mountains: in 1877, after a 1,700 mile retreat, Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce Indians, recognizing the hopelessness of his position, surrendered to the U.S. Army in the Bear Paw Mountains. Said Chief Joseph, "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."
 
GLASGOW, MT: The large "G" on the hillside on the left stands for "Glasgow", the center of an area rich in dinosaur bones. The Ft. Peck Museum displays various fossils found in the region.

I think I enjoyed this stretch the most. We returned to our room and Brian napped while I looked out the window and listened to my MP3 player. As far as the eye could see were amber waves.....the nations heartland.

Culbertson, MT: Five minutes west of Culbertson across Big Muddy Creek, is the eastern border of the Ft. Peck Indian Reservation. Chief Sitting Bull lived here after surrendering.

Ft. Union, MT: The train crosses Montana for 675 miles. There are four times as many cattle here as people and twice as many sheep. Follow the Missouri Breaks along the Missouri River.

Brian's 44th state, North Dakota; As darkness decends, we cross into North Dakota.

Wiliston, ND: At the hub of the Wiliston Oil Basin, Williston, on Lake Sakakawea's west end, is in North Dakota's rich oil country. Oil was discovered in this area in the 1950s, and there are many wells along the Empire Builder's route.

We ate our only dinner in the dining car on Friday evening; although the NY steak dinner was not all that great (Brian's was blood raw in the middle and our baked potatoes were ice cold).

Just outside of Minot, ND....I finally fell asleep (probably from exhaustion as the ride was as rough as a pickup truck on a gravel road).

MINOT, ND: West of Minot, the train crosses the Gassman Coulee on a high-level steel trestle. A servicing stop for the Empire Builder, Minot is still known as "Magic City," because it grew overnight - like magic - the moment the Great Northern announced its route. The rail station was heavily damaged by floods this past winter/spring. They hope to re-open the station before Thanksgiving.

Our first full day on the Empire Builder was wonderful. Tomorrow (Saturday) we began our journey south through Wisconsin and into Illinois. We'll reach Chicago in the afternoon.

Enjoy!
Stacy