I just returned from a trip, on the Empire Builder, to Whitefish, Montana. It was my 3rd trip to Whitefish so far.
I took an Alaska Airline flight from Santa Rosa, CA to Portland, OR. Then Empire Builder #27 to Whitefish.
The Metropolitan Lounge at the Portland Amtrak station. You can board your train directly from the lounge.
I like to take a radio along in my sleeper. In the past I could pull in a few stations in Idaho, mainly Boise. However, this time around, the radio didn't work. Even with fresh batteries.
The Amtrak depot in Whitefish. A beautiful depot in a Tudor style. Built in 1928 for the Great Northern Railroad.
The Buffalo Cafe in Whitefish. A popular place for breakfast for EB passengers getting off at Whitefish in the early morning. I would say the food was average to good. For evening meals, I liked the Tupelo Grill and the Latitude 48 restaurants.
One of the main streets in Whitefish looking north.
I stayed at the Grouse Mountain Lodge, about 1-2 miles north of Whitefish. A nice lodge but a little on the expensive side, However, considering it was peak summer I didn't think the rates were too extravagant.
There is a really nice golf course just to the back of the Grouse Mtn. Lodge.
A photo of a "red jammer bus". The red jammers are a lot of fun. I took one on my last trip to Whitefish and West Glacier. You can hop one at the Apgar Visitor Center in West Glacier. It runs along the "Going-to-the-Sun road. You can travel up to Logan Pass, which is the highest point in the Continental Divide. The "red jammer" name derives from the red bus tours in the 1930's. The sound of the bus transmissions, upon changing gears, created a "jamming" noise, hence the name.
My favorite shop in Whitefish, "Sweet Peaks" ice cream parlor.
There is a little museum right next to the Amtrak depot in Whitefish. It is sort of a Whitefish/Great Northern museum and very interesting. Whitefish was originally called "Stumptown" because of the many tree stumps around town at one time.
The train from Whitefish back to Portland was 3.5 hours late. I was told that high temperatures (it was in the mid 90's when I was there) required that the Builder slow down to a crawl through Montana, coming from the east.
Richard
I took an Alaska Airline flight from Santa Rosa, CA to Portland, OR. Then Empire Builder #27 to Whitefish.
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/722/72200c6cee58480fe47894ff96716a60.jpg)
The Metropolitan Lounge at the Portland Amtrak station. You can board your train directly from the lounge.
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/ae8/ae8b2a8c3c41454241a1fcef0668135a.jpg)
I like to take a radio along in my sleeper. In the past I could pull in a few stations in Idaho, mainly Boise. However, this time around, the radio didn't work. Even with fresh batteries.
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/782/78270a0ea2ea97bb12a8ad882276cf68.jpg)
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/559/559d5ecc3e678a0c0c4e2e750177128b.jpg)
The Amtrak depot in Whitefish. A beautiful depot in a Tudor style. Built in 1928 for the Great Northern Railroad.
The Buffalo Cafe in Whitefish. A popular place for breakfast for EB passengers getting off at Whitefish in the early morning. I would say the food was average to good. For evening meals, I liked the Tupelo Grill and the Latitude 48 restaurants.
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/957/95735c21a453e9643dc9d24482b9674d.jpg)
One of the main streets in Whitefish looking north.
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/0cc/0ccc1372534d3cd7b8f924cfef6423e9.jpg)
I stayed at the Grouse Mountain Lodge, about 1-2 miles north of Whitefish. A nice lodge but a little on the expensive side, However, considering it was peak summer I didn't think the rates were too extravagant.
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/5a9/5a9ee5db2ce5e3be6179ec63fc25a57a.jpg)
There is a really nice golf course just to the back of the Grouse Mtn. Lodge.
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/bcf/bcf9fba8d0d833fb46a31fd6daeb5b38.jpg)
A photo of a "red jammer bus". The red jammers are a lot of fun. I took one on my last trip to Whitefish and West Glacier. You can hop one at the Apgar Visitor Center in West Glacier. It runs along the "Going-to-the-Sun road. You can travel up to Logan Pass, which is the highest point in the Continental Divide. The "red jammer" name derives from the red bus tours in the 1930's. The sound of the bus transmissions, upon changing gears, created a "jamming" noise, hence the name.
![](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c65/c658cf285624c6b9afdc7fead0c0a18d.jpg)
My favorite shop in Whitefish, "Sweet Peaks" ice cream parlor.
There is a little museum right next to the Amtrak depot in Whitefish. It is sort of a Whitefish/Great Northern museum and very interesting. Whitefish was originally called "Stumptown" because of the many tree stumps around town at one time.
The train from Whitefish back to Portland was 3.5 hours late. I was told that high temperatures (it was in the mid 90's when I was there) required that the Builder slow down to a crawl through Montana, coming from the east.
Richard
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