Today was a much more involved day than yesterday. My plan was to check out more of Glacier Park, an area of the Park known as Many Glaciers. Many Glaciers sits in the Park on the northeastern side. Unfortunately, my hotel is on the southwestern corner, which meant in addition to the hikes I wanted to do, I had to get to Many Glaciers, which is about 2 hours away. One of the routes took me on the Going to the Sun Road, and one took me on the outside of the Park around the southern edge then north until reaching the Many Glaciers entrance. I decided I had to drive the Going to the Sun Road, a road whose switchbacks and sharp cliffs make for a potentially scary drive. I had no issues doing the drive getting from the west side of the Park to the east side, a feat I can now boast I did and both myself and the car survived.
After my day in Many Glaciers, I took the outside of the park route home, complete with it's own version of the Going to the Sun Road known as the Looking Glass Hill Road. Quite frankly this was a little more daunting as the road was less well kept and the guardrail was basically non-existent.
I have had an interesting hiking etiquette quandary of late. If I see someone coming the opposite way or I can hear someone approaching from behind, I step to the side of the trail, so they can pass. Many other people do this as well, but I have noticed many people that do not. I'm not sure if they have no awareness of their surroundings or perhaps they do not care to let others pass. Sometimes it is when they are facing me and sometimes it is when I am behind them saying "excuse me". I, for one, feel slightly uncomfortable continuing to walk right into them and trying to mutually pass each other at speed on a pretty narrow path, it is a weird game of chicken. I have noticed this hiking with Alex but I notice it way more when I hike solo. What started as courtesy has begun to make me wonder, will others actually stop? As a single traveler, should I have to stop for everyone because I am always the smaller group?
Additionally, I believe it is a nice gesture to greet the other person/people in some way, especially if you are facing each other. That has not been my experience while hiking solo. Not only have people not said "hi" but there have been some that just have not responded to my "hi". Some don't even thank me for pulling to the side so they can pass with more room. Although so many people attempt to be courteous, conscientious and respectful, there have been a surprising, and quite frankly disappointing, amount of people who seem to act like I'm invisible.
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