Sperry Chalet
The Sperry Chalet sits at 6500’ - 6.7 miles west of Lake McDonald Lodge. The trail is considered difficult with an elevation gain of 3200’. It was built in 1913 by James J. Hill and son Louis Hill of the Great Northern Railway, and was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1987. It is built of native rock and had survived the rugged environment for over a century until August, 31 2017 when it was consumed by the Sprague Fire in Glacier National Park. Rebuild of Phase began on July 10, 2018.
I was invited by the Glacier Park Conservancy to chronicle both the building reconstruction as well as the people that have contributed to the legacy of Sperry Chalet.
“It doesn’t matter how many discomforts I have up here. I am here to serve the public and I couldn’t care less because I want our guests to have memories they’ll take home with them that will last a lifetime because that is all you get out of life is memories. You can lose your hearing, lose your sight, sense of taste, lose everything in your life, the use of your body, but if you’ve still got a brain, you can remember what you’ve had. That’s all you get out of it. You can’t take anything with you but your memories.” – Kay Luding”
People near and far love Sperry and it shows. The immense outpouring of support received after being consumed by the Sprauge fire in 2017 is proof. Without the generous donations, from the Sponsors of the Sperry Action Fund, this beloved, building would not have been able to withstand the harsh winter months. It is because of all of the generous contributors, that this restoration is possible.
I am so grateful to have been in this magic place where electricity is scant and cell phones nearly cease to exist. The kinship and connection that has been created for over a century, will live on after its reconstruction, and will soon be bustling with visitors once again.
