Sun Road to be plowed until Dec. 17

The west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park will be plowed and maintained as far as the west-side tunnel until Dec. 17.

The plowing is to accommodate road work by contractor Morgen and Oswood of Great Falls.

The road will remain closed at Avalanche to motorists, although hikers, bikers and skiers can travel beyond the gate at Avalanche.

Plow operators will keep the road clear to the tunnel as long as there are no heavy snows, Glacier Superintendent Mick Holm said in a press release.

"If a snowstorm is forecast or a large volume of snow accumulates prior to Dec. 17, the contractor will be shut down for the winter," Holm said. "Otherwise, given minimal snow accumulation to date, we want to maximize the road rehabilitation at the west tunnel."

Going-to-the-Sun Road is open for public motorized use from West Glacier to Avalanche on the west side and to St. Mary Campground on the east side.

The Inside North Fork Road (from Polebridge north to Big Prairie and south to Logging Creek) also remains open for vehicle use.

All other park roads are currently closed to vehicles.

Park visitors are reminded that when park roads are closed to vehicles and are used as trails, pets are not permitted on the roadways.

Updates on road status are posted on the park's Web site, www.nps.gov/glac/whatsnew/recupd.htm, and also are available by calling park headquarters at 406-888-7800.