Shuttles extend Sun Road access
Glacier National Park will be hard-pressed in avoiding a record late opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road over Logan Pass, but the park is gearing up its free shuttle service for expanded service this weekend beyond the vehicle closure gates at Avalanche Campground.
Despite having rotary plows and other heavy-duty snow removal equipment, road crews have found this year’s persistent snowload to be daunting.
Besides a July 15 inaugural opening in 1933, Sun Road’s latest opening over Logan Pass was June 10, 1943, when the park was short-staffed because of World War II.
The park’s west-side crew now is working in the Oberlin Bend area below Logan Pass. The east-side crew was held up when it encountered the Big Drift east of the pass.
Reaching the pass, clearing the visitor center parking lot, then breaching the Big Drift (which can be 80 feet deep) and then preparing the road for vehicle traffic could be a tall order to expect within the next 10 days.
Starting today, the park’s free shuttles will operate between the Apgar Transit Center and Avalanche Creek every hour from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with stops along the route at Apgar, Sprague Creek Campground and Lake McDonald Lodge.
On the east side of the park, shuttles will operate between the St. Mary Visitor Center and Sun Point at 30-minute intervals from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Starting Saturday, shuttles will take park visitors beyond the vehicle closure at Avalanche up to the Loop, the road’s signature hairpin turn toward the pass. Shuttles will depart from Avalanche to the Loop every 10 to 15 minutes, with the last shuttle leaving Avalanche at 4 p.m.
Visitors are urged to park at Apgar and make use of the shuttles because parking at Avalanche is extremely limited.
Hikers and bikers still will have access beyond Avalanche, but construction vehicles and shuttles also will be on that section of road, so caution is advised.
Starting Saturday, the hiker-biker closure will be 11 miles beyond Avalanche Creek near Bird Woman Falls Overlook, although the closure may be moved due to road and weather conditions.
Currently 29 miles of Going-to-the-Sun Road are open for motorists. Visitors can drive 15.5 miles from the West Entrance to Avalanche or 13.5 miles from the St. Mary Entrance to Jackson Glacier Overlook.
Most other roads in Glacier are open, with the exception of the Inside North Fork Road between Logging Creek Ranger Station and Fish Creek.
Links for photos, video clips, road conditions, plowing status and ranger-led activities can be found on the park’s website, www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm.
Visitors may also call park headquarters at 406-888-7800 for current conditions.
Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.