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A Terrifying Surprise Searching for the Northern Lights

A quick scare followed by a beautiful display in Glacier National Park

By: Joe Pariso + Save to a List

It was a cold October night, me and two of my friends were wandering through West Glacier near Lake Mcdonald. We were walking down the Going-to-the-sun Road, and me being the photographer of the group was trying to find the perfect spot to set up for some astrophotography. As we walked further down the road, we heard ruffling in the woods to our right, jumping out onto the road was a mountain lion. As its eyes pierced my soul and my blood started rushing, we surrounded it and started yelling and making noises until it eventually ran off. Literally 5 minutes after this rare encounter, I looked to the sky and saw a green tint. As we finally located a beach, I set up as quickly as I could and was able to capture a couple images of the beautiful northern lights display. 

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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