Video
Land of Shining Mountains
Descriptive Transcript
A title card appears: “United States Department of the Interior” with an image of a bison.
The National Park Service Branch of Research and Education logo appears with an image of an eagle.
Title card: Great Northern Railway presents Land of Shining Mountains
Title card appears: “Indians named a region atop the Continental Divide in northwestern Montana ‘The Land of Shining Mountains’ --- today this famed recreational area is Glacier National Park, embracing 1500 square miles and is the only American National Park on the main line of a transcontinental railway.”
A map of Glacier Park appears, with arrows pointing out the Great Northern Railway along the southern border of the park and Glacier Park Station to the east.
Title card: “Blackfeet Indians from the Indian Reservation adjoining Glacier Park are at the station---”
Five men in regalia including feathered headdresses sit outside a train station labeled Glacier Park, waving.
The men walk the platform next to the tracks as tourists mill about.
Title card: “’The Empire Builder’ -- crack train of the Great Northern Railway pulls into Glacier Park Station.”
Ringing its bell, the train pulls into the station next to the platform, as a crowd gathers.
Title card: “A few hundred feet from the station – Glacier Park Hotel.”
A large, rustic lodge with a mountain backdrop and a row of tipis on the lawn.
The lodge’s stately interior has high ceilings and hanging lanterns.
Title card: “We leave for an afternoon at Two Medicine Lake.”
The map reappears, animating the short route from the Glacier Park Hotel at the southeastern tip of the park to the Two Medicine Chalets on Two Medicine Lake.
Convertible buses depart the lodge.
Title card: “Our first view of Rising Wolf Mountain – along the 12 mile auto road to Two Medicine.”
Convertible tour buses travel a winding mountain road.
Title card: “We stop to visit Trick Falls.”
Well-dressed tourists in collared shirts and suits walk down a forest trail.
Two waterfalls – one falling straight down, and another gushing through a hole in rocks right next to the first.
Title card: “A launch ride on beautiful Two Medicine Lake.”
The group of tourists – about 30 – embark a tour boat called Rising Wolf.
The boat speeds through the water.
A closer view of the smiling tourists seated on benches on the boat. Most wear collared overcoats and hats.
The boat heads toward the prominent peak of Rising Wolf Mountain. The lake shimmers.
Title card: “At the head of the lake—a short hike to Twin Falls.”
The boat returns to dock and the guests disembark.
Title card: “Two Medicine Chalets offer many of the comforts enjoyed at the larger hotels of Glacier Park.”
Seen from the water, a large lodge-style building on the lakeshore next to two cabins.
Inside the lodge’s rustic log-cabin style dining room, waitresses dressed in Swiss maid uniforms take patrons’ orders.
Title card: “To Glacier Park Hotel for a restful night.”
The tour buses cross a rock bridge over a creek.
Tourists mingle in the spacious lodge.
Title card: “Next morning the 32 mile ride over the Blackfeet Highway to St. Mary Lake.”
The map animates the route from Two Medicine north to St. Mary Lake, the St. Mary chalets, and the Going to the Sun Chalets.
Porters load the buses and Blackfeet men in regalia wave the tourists off.
Title card: “Through the foothills of the Rockies are many splendid vistas.”
The buses stop at a scenic overlook.
Title card: “Our first view of St. Mary Lake and the majestic peaks surrounding.”
The buses roll across a bridge. Snow-covered mountains fill their view.
Title card: “The launch St. Mary takes us to Going-to-the Sun Chalets for lunch.”
A boat takes off across a windy lake.
Passengers are warmly dressed in sweaters, overcoats, and hats.
Title card: “Going-to-the-Sun Chalets, situated at the base of Goat Mountain, take their name from the peak the Indians called “The mountain with the face of Sour Spirit Going-to-the-Sun.”
Seen from the water are a series of large chalets perched atop rocky bluffs on the lakeshore. Behind the chalets loom craggy mountains.
From the balconies of the chalet, tourists gaze out.
Title card: “These little animals will keep you busy buying peanuts.”
A woman feeds peanuts to a squirrel perched on a fencepost.
Title card: “That afternoon we leave for the trip to Many Glacier.”
The map animates the route further north and then westward into the park to Many Glacier.
A man perched on a rock watches a boat depart.
Title card: End of Part One, a Ray-Bell Films Production.
Title card: “Part Two”
Title card: “Many Glacier Hotel, on Swiftcurrent Lake, surrounded by high mountain peaks on three sides.”
A view from high above Swiftcurrent Lake, looking down on the Many Glacier Hotel.
View of the Many Glacier Hotel, a very large chalet-style lodge on the edge of the lake, from the water. A large mountain peak rises behind the hotel.
Title card: “Glacier Park has 800 miles of excellent saddle trails, the finest riding country in America, and there are plenty of ‘trail-wise’ horses available.”
Cowboys corral a group of horses, kicking up dust. They rope and saddle up the horses and taken them out front of the hotel for tourists to mount.
Title card: “Few visitors here miss the opportunity to explore Grinnell Glacier, a remnant of the great rivers of ice that carved out the cirques and valleys of Glacier Park.”
A cowboy leads a group of tourists on horseback across a stream, with conifer forests behind and snow-capped peaks in the distance.
Title card: “The Grinnell Glacier trip is one of several one-day saddle horse trips from Many Glacier Hotel.”
The group rides up the trail above the lake.
Title card: “An experienced Alpine Guide escorts you over the glacier.”
A group walks slowly up the icy slope of the glacier, next to a crevasse. The person in back slips a bit on the ice.
The group slides down a massive snowfield on their butts, and then traipses across the margin of the snowfield.
Title card: “Hot coffee is served with box lunches at mid-day—and oh how good it tastes!”
In a clearing, the group sits to enjoy lunch, then they continue on their horses.
Title card: “In the Many Glacier Region there is no lake more beautiful than Josephine.”
Title card: “Lake Josephine is one of the many fine trout fishing lakes.”
People wading in the lake and on the shore fly-fish
A man reels in a flopping fish and scoops it with a net.
Title card: “You may go by launch or if you prefer there is a fine foot trail around both Swiftcurrent and Josephine Lakes.”
A park ranger-naturalist leads a group of tourists down a forest trail.
Title card: “Ranger naturalists stationed throughout the Park, reveal interesting facts about flowers, birds, animals and rock formations.”
The ranger points to plants.
A tour boat arrives at a dock.
Title card: “The third day in Glacier Park we return to Glacier Park Hotel and board ‘The Empire Builder’ for Belton, gateway to the Lake McDonald country.”
A map animates the route from Many Glacier south to Glacier Park Hotel and the railway along the southern border of the park, west to Lake McDonald.
Convertible tour buses travel a gravel road.
Crowds mingle outside the train at Glacier Park station.
Blackfeet men in regalia wave the train off.
Title card: “Lake McDonald Hotel, near the head of the lake.”
People walk down the hill from the hotel to the lakeshore and take off outerwear, revealing bathing suits. They splash into the water from the rocky shoreline.
Folks recline in wooden rocking chairs on the porch of the rustic lodge.
Title card: “Brown, black bear and an occasional Grizzly show up at meal time.”
A large black bear ambles through the woods.
Title card: “From Lake McDonald Hotel, we leave for many attractive trail trips and the motor trip to Logan Pass.”
The map animates the route from Lake McDonald Hotel to the center of the park at Logan Pass.
A convertible tour bus heads down a road in a tall, dense conifer forest.
Title card: “Up the valley of McDonald Creek making a gradual ascent of the Garden Wall.”
A closer view of the bus full of passengers in fine hats.
A footbridge across a rushing creek.
The buses travel through a tunnel carved in the mountain rock.
Title card: “Each turn in this spectacular road reveals scenic beauty that is breath taking.”
Tour buses round winding turns in the road carved into the mountain side. Massive snow-splotched peaks loom behind.
Title card: “The gorgeous beauty of the McDonald and St. Mary valleys are revealed from this wonderful highway.”
Spectacular view of forested valley surrounded by glacier-carved peaks.
Title card: “The summit of Logan Pass-a short hike on the top.”
Tourists file down a trail in the alpine meadow.
The buses depart from Logan Pass.
Title card: “We leave for the return to Lake McDonald hotel and our four day trip through America’s most sublime wilderness is nearly over.”
Tour buses driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road with steep snowbanks on one side, and a precipitous drop-off on the other. As they descend in elevation, the terrain becomes more forested.
Title card: “Pointing skyward, Heaven’s Peak dominates.”
As the tour buses round a curve in the road, the massive peak in the distance occupies the view.
The buses pass back through the rock tunnel.
Title card: “A last look—Heaven's Peak—climaxes our four-day vacation.”
Tourists enjoy the view from an overlook.
Description
This black-and-white and silent travelogue was produced by the Great Northern Railway circa 1930, before the Going-to-the-Sun Road was completed in Glacier National Park. Although the film shows early visitors interacting with wildlife, disturbing and feeding wildlife is illegal today.
Duration
21 minutes, 24 seconds
Credit
National Park Service
Copyright and Usage Info