My Last Day in Glacier- The Time I Helped Save a Life

The Day Begins

So, it was my last day in the beautiful park

I was exhausted from hiking the previous two days and wanted to give my weary body a break, so I settled on Avalanche Lake trail, a 6 mile roundtrip. It was a nice, but a little crowded, although it offered a wonderful prize at the end.

No photo credit in this post. Phone broke on the way back from the trip and I had only backed up a couple photos on Facebook thus far. None of which were involving this day.

The hike was fairly uneventful, except my poop over a log with leaf toilet paper, but I built up an appetite. I had this great idea to revisit where my family had a decade earlier, a large rock outcrop down stream from small waterfalls and rapids. It was just off Going to The Sun Road and a popular spot for people to stop. I also wanted to jump off the small cliff like my dad had done so many years earlier.

I was lucky to find a parking spot, then climbed my way onto the center rock. It was a warm day outside, the sun felt perfect. There were a dozen or so others out and about in the area. Many families with small children. A hearty meal later, and I was eyeing the cliff, it didn't look too high. I stripped down to my swim trucks and headed toward the water edge. There was a swift current, which typical of me, I underestimated. I was pushed downstream of my target and I didn't have the strength to hold on and pull myself up against the current. I floated down to the swimming hole, climbing back onto the rock for round two. This time I swam right to where I wanted, I used all my strength to pull myself up. I gave my muscles a little praise.

rock on the far right was where I jumped

Once I climbed the granite, the nerves started to kick in. It was a farther fall then it looked and I needed to jump a certain distance to clear the rock. (jumping is not my fotre). Of all the traditional "black" traits, jumping and any semblance of rhythm have always eluded me. I peered down into the clear cold water below and I thought it was deep enough. There was a submerged log on the left side, but I was safe otherwise.

I took a moment to rev myself up. Others were watching now. Then I bolted toward the ledge, taking a strong leap and plummeting past the rock outcrop. The cold water hit like a train, and my testicles shriveled up and ascended from wince they came. Adrenaline and air met me when I surfaced. I was chilled, but with the heat, sun, and dry towel, I quickly warmed up after. I snacked on cheese curds, and popped open a beer.

About half an hour later I did it again, just as thrilling.

I decided that was the last, no need to press my luck. I was sitting drying off, when I heard a blood curdling scream coming from atop the mini water fall and rapids. I whipped my head around to see a child's head going over the top rapid, then disappear. I ran across the rock and dove in when he emerged.

He fell in to the right of this picture. I jumped in after the first rapid

Anyone who has had experience with rivers or rapids understands how strong they are and how much power they hold.

I dove in, landing only a few feet away and attempted to swim and reach him. The current kept me from closing, until I was able to catch the branch of a tree that was in the water. I grabbed him and just kept yelling hold on, your fine. We plunged down the rapid again. All the meanwhile I could hear the mother still screaming, yelling out either the name of her husband or child.

We were suddenly slammed against a rock out crop. Luckily, the kid and I were able to hold on for a brief moment as his father had arrived and lifted his son out of the water. I couldn't hold on any longer and was swept back downstream. I was able to navigate safely and flowed into the swimming hole.

When I brought myself out of the water, the dad ran over and with a hug thanked me.
"No problem, your welcome I told him". "Guess he's never going to forget this". I laughed. The next morning I could barley move my arm.

Just another day in Glacier