Sun Road snow plowing begins this week

Construction work to continue throughout visitor season

Daily Inter Lake

Glacier National Park officials announced Monday that the annual, months-long effort to clear Going-to-the-Sun Road of snow will begin this week.

Snow removal along the park’s main scenic thoroughfare typically extends into late June or early July and culminates at the aptly named Big Drift east of Logan Pass, where up to 90 feet of snow can pile up over the course of the winter.

Snow removal will start up the west side of the road from Lake McDonald Lodge this week, and plow crews will begin winding up the east side from St. Mary the following week.

SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION projects are also slated to begin this spring. Park officials ask visitors to expect overall delays of up to 30 minutes while traveling on Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Park construction crews will continue working toward completion of the Sun Road’s ongoing rehabilitation, between the entrance at West Glacier and Avalanche.

Beginning Sept. 5, traffic along the road segment between West Glacier and Apgar Loop Road will be detoured through the Apgar Village area. Road work is expected to be completed by May 2018, according to a press release from the park.

Additional work will include replacing removable railing west of Logan Pass, where avalanches destroyed the roadside barriers in 2014.

From Oct. 9 through 21, the intersection at Apgar will be fully closed to vehicles due to a culvert replacement, meaning Oct. 8 will be the last day of the season to access Logan Pass from the west side. Access typically ends the third Sunday in October, weather permitting.

The press release states that the culvert has washed out several times over the last five years, causing temporary road closures. Vehicles will still be able to access the Apgar Visitor Center and Apgar Village from the West Glacier entrance, and Logan Pass will still be accessible from the St. Mary entrance.

On Oct. 21, the road will reopen again as far as Avalanche, as is typical for the fall season.

Until May 26, access to Avalanche Campground Road will be restricted on weekdays while the footbridge across Avalanche Creek is completed. It will again be restricted beginning Sept. 18 at noon while construction crews widen the approach into the campground.

Kiosk work at the St. Mary entrance station will continue into spring, and is expected to be completed in late May to early June. Access beyond Hudson Bay Road, at mile marker 1.5, from the entrance station will be restricted until April 14, after which visitors will be routed through the St. Mary Visitor Center.

For updated road status information, visit bit.ly/1Lhuire.