It's A Slow, Slow World – Glacier National Park Edition

It's A Slow, Slow World is a new series by Wanderlust Northwest. Lately, the way I have been looking to capture my surroundings has caused me to slow down and learn the true sense of patience. No more am I hand holding and snapping 10 photos in 1 minute. I have been tripod equipped with some exposures taking multiple minutes to obtain just one photo.It has actually been relieving. I am forced to activate my shutter and just stand there and wait until I hear the closing click. Rather than snapping and running over to my next vantage point, I relax and take in my surroundings while my camera is also taking it all in.

Over Labor Day weekend, Hunter Day (hunterday.photo) and I made our way up to Glacier National Park for the sole reason of capturing moments in an extended timeframe.

In some cases, I can only take in my surroundings to a certain extent with my own eyes– but my camera acts almost like night vision goggles. It's the moments where I find myself sitting in complete darkness, ears open to listen for any wildlife, that I can feel most at peace.Glacier National Park is a haven for people that want to slow down. Whether you are looking to hike to phenomenal mountain tops or just sit quietly next to a lake or waterfall– it accommodates it all. Even just driving the Going To The Sun Road provides an unforgettable experience.Some waterfalls, such as this one, can be walked to in a matter of minutes. This waterfall is just before Two Medicine Lake, which is one of my favorite destinations in all of Glacier National Park.Two Medicine Lake is a beauty in its own right. Maybe its the single pyramid mountain protruding into the lake with a multitude of peaks behind it– but I try not to think about it too much; it just is.When you find yourself in Glacier National Park, you can leave time behind. Bring your eyes, some snacks and maybe a jacket. Places like this can engulf you.I felt very fortunate to find myself up in Glacier National Park in September and be greeted by snow capped peaks already. It had actually snowed so much that Logan Pass was closed on the Going To The Sun Road. That meant that we had to backtrack and drive around the park to reach Two Medicine Lake. With no plans came no worries.We chose to sleep very little between snagging the stars to the time we had to be into position to catch the first morning glow of the sunrise. We headed to St. Mary Lake and were greeted by a vibrant red / pink sunset that was almost unbelievable to the eyes– much less viewing in camera.After the morning glow had dissipated it was time for use to hit the road back to Missoula with memory cards full of photos, somewhat heavy eyes and quite possibly the best trip that I have had to Glacier National Park, yet.Glacier National Park will always remain towards the top of my list of places for people to experience. The utter beauty that is in the park cannot be contained in small photos on your screen. It isn't until you view these peaks and valleys with your own eyes that you will realize how truly small you are.Photos & Words: Ross M PerkinsFind Wanderlust Northwest on Facebook & Instagram!