Heavy snow hammers Swan Range
People who plan to recreate in Glacier Park this weekend might want to take skis instead of bicycles.
As of midday Thursday, a foot or more of new snow had fallen at upper elevations in Glacier as a heavy spring storm unloaded on Northwest Montana.
The National Weather Service predicts rain and snow throughout the weekend for Glacier.
A winter storm warning in effect until this morning called for a total of 12 to 20 inches of snow in the park’s mountains, with higher amounts possible along Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Locations down to 3,000 feet, including West Glacier, were expected to get 3 to 6 inches of snow.
Heavy snow and high winds up to 50 mph were causing treacherous driving conditions from Marias Pass eastward on Thursday.
Eastside mountain areas were expected to receive from 1 to 3 feet of snow from the slow-moving storm.
On the west side of the Continental Divide, the Swan and Mission mountain ranges received the brunt of snowfall through Thursday — 30 to 40 inches of snow, according to the Weather Service.
The measuring station at Noisy Basin (near the Jewel Basin Hiking Area) had recorded 42 inches of snow by Thursday morning. That snow contained more than 5 inches of precipitation.
IN GLACIER PARK, as of noon Thursday, vehicles could travel 10 miles on the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road to Lake McDonald Lodge. On the east side of Sun Road, vehicle access is allowed for six miles to Rising Sun.
Those road openings could change depending on weather conditions.
The Two Medicine Road was temporarily closed at Running Eagle Falls due to weather. Many Glacier Road also was closed because of snow.
Spring construction on Sun Road was halted because of the weather. There usually are no restrictions for hiking or bicycling over the weekend or after work hours, but that is subject to change given the weather.
Beginning Saturday, the Apgar Visitor Center is open daily weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for information and backcountry permits.
Visitors can also stop at park headquarters in West Glacier for information Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. General park information is also available by phone, 406-888-7800, including the specific location of hiker/bicycle closures.
Glacier visitors are encouraged to get the most current road conditions by calling 511, the Montana Department of Transportation Traveler Information System. If a phone does not support 511, call 1-800-226-7623. Visitors also can call Glacier at (406) 888-7800 and press 2 for current park road conditions.
An interactive map showing current vehicle access points is available online at: www.nps.gov/applications/glac/roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm.