Partial Sun Road opening expected

Snow-clearing operations have been hindered by foul weather in the Logan Pass area in recent days, but Going-to-the-Sun Road will open to vehicles up the Big Bend area by this weekend, weather and road conditions permitting, park officials said.

This week alone, the park has received substantial precipitation, including six inches of snow at Logan Pass on Thursday morning.

“Weather and road conditions determine when the entire National Historic Landmark

Going-to-the-Sun Road actually opens across Logan Pass for vehicle use,” Glacier Superintendent Chas Cartwright said.

He noted that the Logan Pass Visitor Center remains inaccessible due to a large snow drift, and the parking lot is surrounded by 10-to 20-foot walls of snow.

Plows crews continue to cut into the 40-to 50-foot “Big Drift” that occurs every year about a quarter mile east of Logan Pass.

“If the weather improves and there are no unanticipated obstacles, we hope to be able to open the entire road in the coming week,” Cartwright said.

A vehicle gate at Avalanche campground will be opened sometime this weekend, allowing for vehicles to travel as far as Big Bend, but a time has not been specified.

More snow and precipitation was forecast overnight and into today. Given weather uncertainties, the earliest the west side Sun Road may open to Big Bend will be mid to late afternoon today or possibly on Saturday, park officials said.

On the east side of Logan Pass, vehicles can travel as far as Jackson Glacier Overlook, and hikers and bikers can travel beyond that point.

Meanwhile, contractors doing Sun Road rehabilitation work report they have finished all planned spring work, including road stabilization between Avalanche campground and the West Tunnel, final work just below the Haystack creek area and an asphalt overlay between Apgar and Avalanche.