Many Glacier, Chief Mountain roads open

Glacier National Park’s Many Glacier and Chief Mountain roads have opened to vehicle traffic for the season, the park announced Friday.

Many Glacier Road extends eight miles from the park’s eastern boundary to the historic, century-old Many Glacier Hotel.

Cutting through the northeast corner of the park to the Canadian border, Chief Mountain Road offers views of its namesake feature, an iconic, 5,000 foot-high pillar of rock rising from the rolling plains of the Rocky Mountain Front.

Conditions are ripe for avalanches in the park’s higher elevations, putting a temporary halt to plows clearing snow from Going-to-the-Sun Road. The road is still restricted to hikers and bikers from the vehicle closures at Lake McDonald Lodge and Rising Sun.

Because of the avalanche danger, park officials encourage visitors to exercise caution if traveling past the Loop on the park’s west side, or heading to the east-side closure at Jackson Glacier Overlook.

Bears have begun emerging from their dens, so visitors are also asked to carry bear spray.