Opening of Logan Pass possible for next week

<p>Plows team up at the Big Drift east of Logan Pass.</p><div> </div>

<p>Plows clear remaining snow on Wednesday from the parking lot at Glacier National Park’s Logan Pass. </p><div> </div>

by The Daily Inter Lake
| June 26, 2014 8:00 PM

<p>Plows clear remaining snow on Wednesday from the parking lot at Glacier National Parks Logan Pass. </p><div> </div>

Glacier National Park plow crews on Wednesday made their way back to the Big Drift at Logan Pass to resume work that was underway on Going-to-the-Sun Road before last week’s torrential weather.

The crews were cutting through the drift and clearing the parking lot at Logan Pass, and park employees with hand tools were expected to begin removing snow from the Logan Pass Visitor Center area. A thick layer of ice under the Big Drift may take time to melt out.

Park officials have not projected when Sun Road will open to vehicles over Logan Pass, but those discussions will get underway next week, said Jennifer Lutman, a public affairs specialist for the park.

“It’s currently raining and we expect rain and possible thunderstorms through the weekend,” she said on Thursday. “I think by next week we’ll have a better timeline.”

The park started its free shuttle service on Thursday between Apgar and the Loop. Shuttles were expected to depart every 20 minutes between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. seven days a week. For now, the shuttles are not stopping between Apgar and the Loop.

A vehicle closure remains in place at Avalanche and the shuttles are being allowed to pass that gate. Hikers and bikers can travel as the Bird Woman Falls Overlook when plow crews are working; there are no restrictions when they are not.

East of Logan Pass, hikers and bikers cannot travel past the Jackson Glacier Overlook because of road construction work that is underway.

Apart from Sun Road, all other Glacier Park roads are open except for portions of the Inside North Fork Road.