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You are here: Home / General Info / Glacier National Park’s Weird But True

Glacier National Park’s Weird But True

You probably realize by now that I like ‘weird’, but only from the sidelines. That’s why when I’m heading out to a new destination I don’t just look at the food reviews and hotel ads. I like to look for the little known facts, the weird but true stories that are bound to be found in areas as old as the ones we are visiting.

These places are not just scenery to me. They are my church, they are my God, they are my choir. If I could spend 24 hours a day in nature I would and sometimes quite frequently I do. It’s where I think, it’s where I find inspiration but more than anything it is spiritual to me. Maybe it’s my Cherokee heritage, but I feel closer to God in nature than I ever have inside of a church.

 

Here’s what I found out about Glacier National Park:

In 2009, a horrified woman ran into the lobby and said that her husband had been showering when he turned around and saw a little girl standing right there in the shower. He and his wife packed up and left, his hair still wet. Since then, more people have come forward and admitted to seeing the little girl in the shower. Published in an article on OnlyInYourState.com

Here’s a great book on Glacier local ghost stories and legends that I found on Amazon. *affiliate link*

Back to the land of the living for a bit. I found this horrifying story on BackPacker.com. On August 25, 2005, Johan Otter and his 18-year-old daughter, Jenna, hiked right into the worst nightmare of any Glacier National Park backpacker: a 300-pound mother grizzly protecting two cubs. Here, in his own words, the 45-year-old physical therapist from Escondido, CA, shares the incredible story of their life-and-death struggle. Read the rest it’s terrifying!

I found The Legend of Joe Cosley I found on the Flathead Beacon. John Cosley was one of the very first Glacier Rangers, but poaching fur was better business apparently and he was fired a year later. Too bad, they forgot to quit paying him!

According to author Jerry DeSanto, in 1913 Cosley spent $1,500 (about $36,000 today) to buy a diamond ring and proposed to a Canadian girl. According to historians, the woman’s family was not impressed with Cosley’s poaching career and the ring was returned. Some say Cosley was so distraught that he buried the ring in a tree and it’s still somewhere in the park today. Others say Cosley dug it out a few years later to buy more gear.

Over at ClimbGlacier.com I found the legend of a Blackfeet Chief and these awesome tips.

Many years ago, when a heavy wind swept across the plains, a chief of the Blackfeet faced the storm and made a vow to find its origin.

He crossed the plains and entered the mountains.  His way led through the dark canyons and dense forests, where the wind rushed and roared.  The terrible wind and the dark and gloomy surroundings filled him with dread, but he pressed forward until, at last, he saw in the distance, close to one of the highest peaks, the shining water of a lake.  During a lull in the storm, he crept close to the shore and watched.  Suddenly from the middle of the lake, arose the huge antlers of an enormous bull elk.  His eyes were red and flames darted from his nostrils.  When he waved his huge ears, a wind arose, so fierce and terrible, that the waters of the lake were whisked up into the air.  When the elk sank again beneath the waves, the wind went down.

The chief hurried back to his tribe to tell them of his wonderful discovery of the home of the Medicine Elk, the Wind Maker.

If you get caught in the wind.

– If you find yourself hiking or climbing and a strong wind begins look for an area that is sheltered and is out of the wind.  Give it a while, maybe be it will stop.

– Turn around and head home if it does not abate in within your time frame.

– If it is blowing hard when you plan to start the day consider driving over Logan Pass or Marias Pass and find something to do on the west side of the park.

– Please do not attempt to summit a mountain in a strong wind.  Glacier has strong winds AND then there are gusts that can knock you off the trail while hiking or even move your entire body while climbing on a route.

– Be safe and live to climb again!

The wind frequently gusts over 60 mph near Marias Pass and Browning, MT.  Hurricane-like gusts have knocked railroad cars off the tracks near East Glacier Park, Montana.  Along the eastern front, the wind has been recorded in excess of 100 miles per hour.  That’s a scary powerful wind.

The Legend of Wild Goose Island as told on AmericanFolklore.net

In the middle of St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park is a small island halfway between two shores.  Many moons ago now, there were two tribes living on either side of the lake.  While there was no direct warfare between them, the two tribes avoided one another and had no dealings one with the other.

All this changed one day when a handsome warrior on the near shore saw a lovely maiden from the other tribe swimming toward the small island in the middle of the lake.  He was instantly smitten by her beauty and leapt into the lake to swim to the island himself.  They met on the shore of the little islet, and the maiden was as taken with the warrior as he was with her.  They talked for hours, and by the end of their conversation, they were betrothed.  After extracting a promise from his beloved that she would faithfully meet him at the island on the morrow, the warrior swam home to his tribe, and she returned to hers.

Oh, what an uproar they met upon their return.  Neither tribe was happy at their meeting, and all were determined to break the betrothal instantly.  What to do?  The man and the maiden had no doubts at all.  In the wee hours of the morning, each swam out to the little island to meet one another — from their to flee to a new land where they might marry.  As soon as they were discovered missing, warriors from both tribes set out in pursuit, to bring the renegades back by whatever means available.

But the Great Spirit was watching, and took pity on the young lovers.  He transformed them into geese, which mate for life, so they could fly away from their pursuers and so that they would always be together.  When the warriors arrived on the island, the found not a man and a woman, but two lovely geese walking among the small trees and bracken.  At the sight of the warriors, the two geese stroked their necks together lovingly and then flew away, never to return.

From that day to this, the little island at the center of St. Mary Lake has been known as Wild Goose Island.

Then there’s the Legend of Blue Mary that I found on HitRecord.org:

In the Fall of 1932, a party of notable businesspeople from the local town of Belton embarked on the inaugural tour of the recently completed ‘Going-to-the-Sun Road’, a scenic route designed to make the park more accessible by car. Among them was Mary Goodrich, the charming young wife of Randolph Goodrich, one of the road’s engineers. Known for her refined tastes and sense of style, Mary wore a stunning silk dress of powder blue – beautiful by all acounts but entirely unsuitable for the excursion. Although it was not yet Winter, at such high altitudes the temperature could quickly plummet, catching unprepared travelers unawares. Mary was to be one of these sorry souls – the victim, some said, of her own vanity.

According to accounts, the party had stopped for lunch at Logan Pass when Mary wandered off in search of wildflowers to adorn her dining table. When it was time for the group to make the journey back to Belton, Mary was nowhere to be seen. As daylight dwindled, so too did hopes of Mary’s safe return. Her body was found the following day, huddled over a pile of twigs that never came alight, a tear frozen to her cheek and a bunch of wildflowers at her feet.

Some weeks later, a group of tourists reported a strange and frightening occurence on a camping trip near Logan Pass, not far from where Mary’s body was found. Each claimed to have heard what they described as ‘the chattering of teeth’ as they sat around the campfire, and to have felt an odd chill at the back of their necks. One young man believed he had seen the source of these eerie phenomena…a woman with a wilted bunch of wildflowers grasped between her shivering hands, her skin the same shade of powder blue as her tattered silk dress.

 

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Rena McDaniel
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Rena McDaniel
Web Designer | Wanderer | Storyteller at Wandering Web Designer | The Blogging 911
I’m Rena and I’m a 50-year-old child in an old woman’s body. I love to take long road trips, building websites & writing stories about my adventures or even the latest trip to the grocery store. I’m a wife of 29 years, a mom and a grandma and I run my own web design/maintain/troubleshooting business called The Blogging 911. When I’m not creating CSS, or poured into the passenger seat of our car, you will find me happily playing with my grandkids, reading a book, or wrapped around a cheeseburger! Are you ready to hit the road?
Rena McDaniel
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About Rena McDaniel

I’m Rena and I’m a 50-year-old child in an old woman’s body. I love to take long road trips, building websites & writing stories about my adventures or even the latest trip to the grocery store. I’m a wife of 29 years, a mom and a grandma and I run my own web design/maintain/troubleshooting business called The Blogging 911. When I’m not creating CSS, or poured into the passenger seat of our car, you will find me happily playing with my grandkids, reading a book, or wrapped around a cheeseburger! Are you ready to hit the road?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amber Myers says

    November 12, 2019 at 11:18 am

    Oh my! I do love a good ghost story, so these are cool. We’ll have to get here for sure.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:39 am

      There’s nothing like a great ghost story to peak people’s interest.

      Reply
  2. Sarah Bailey says

    November 12, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    What an interesting sounding national park and that story is so spooky I do love a good ghost story and the histories that often come with them.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:39 am

      I do too! It makes it even more interesting.

      Reply
  3. Tasheena says

    November 12, 2019 at 2:13 pm

    This is my first time learning about this park. It sounds really interesting. Sounds like a destination my boys would love to check out.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:40 am

      I’m sure they would love it!

      Reply
  4. Marcie Wahrer says

    November 12, 2019 at 3:36 pm

    Urban legends are the best. I would love to visit this beautiful national park and search for Cosley’s diamond ring in the process.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:41 am

      They are! Maybe I’ll find it this summer when I go. I’ll let you know.

      Reply
  5. Shelly Dixon says

    November 12, 2019 at 6:58 pm

    I had no idea about any of these ghost stories! Spooky!

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:42 am

      I’m so happy that you enjoyed it. Thank you for commenting.

      Reply
  6. Paula Schuck says

    November 12, 2019 at 7:06 pm

    Very interesting stories. I am all about the quirky sometimes. Glacier is just stunning, isn’t it? I was in Yellowstone recently and didn’t quite get to Glacier yet. One day soon I hope.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:43 am

      We’re going to Yellowstone as well. I’ve been three times before but I always see something new.

      Reply
  7. Denay DeGuzman says

    November 12, 2019 at 8:55 pm

    Wow! This was such a fascinating read! I love ghost stories, but I’m not sure how I would actually react should I see someone from the other side that I’m not familar with. It would be hard to know their intent. I feel sorry for Blue Mary. Hopefully she’ll find a way to move on and find peace. Thank you for sharing all of these interesting things about Glacier National Parks.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:44 am

      We’re going to Yellowstone as well. I’ve been three times before but I always see something new.

      Reply
  8. Ruth I says

    November 13, 2019 at 7:48 am

    A spooky story from the this park! I do not want to ever experience it. lol! But I still love to know stories like this.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:44 am

      They are interesting. I love learning facts like this.

      Reply
  9. Kathy says

    November 13, 2019 at 9:10 am

    I love hearing of stories like these. I actually wouldn’t mind the experience. I’ve always wanted to go to glacier anyways.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:45 am

      I think it allows you to have a better experience when you know some of the history and urban legends.

      Reply
  10. Kelli A says

    November 13, 2019 at 10:15 am

    This sounds like a fun visit! My husband and son love all things related to ghost and this will now be on their bucket list of places to visit! Crazy lol

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:46 am

      I”m happy you liked it, Kelli! You should take your guys there someday. They will love it.

      Reply
  11. Brandy says

    November 13, 2019 at 12:32 pm

    SO cool to find more about various places, I loved reading your weird but true about Glacier National Parks today.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:47 am

      Thanks for your comments, Brandy! I”m happy you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  12. Lisa Favre says

    November 13, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    Whoa! Such crazy stories! I have a friend who would love to read this – and I’m sure she would love to visit the Glacier National Parks too!

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:48 am

      It’s a beautiful place for sure!

      Reply
  13. Fatima Torres says

    November 13, 2019 at 5:54 pm

    Such interesting facts about Glacier National Parks. Who knew there was much to share about them anyway!

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:48 am

      I’m happy that you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  14. Marysa says

    November 13, 2019 at 9:06 pm

    I went to grad school and majored in Park Management, and I have heard a lot of crazy stories about National Parks! These are pretty wild.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:49 am

      I bet you have some amazing stories!

      Reply
  15. Melanie says

    November 13, 2019 at 11:14 pm

    I love digging into our travel destinations like this! I might skip sharing the ghost stories with the kids until after, but it sure adds a lot of color to the experience!

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:50 am

      It does. I think it enhances your experience.

      Reply
  16. Swathi says

    November 14, 2019 at 12:09 am

    I never know that glacier national parks associated this many stories. Thanks for sharing this. I love to read these stories I will check all the link you mentioned in the post.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      December 5, 2019 at 11:51 am

      Thank you Swathi! I am thrilled that you enjoyed it.

      Reply

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