Sun Road opens to pass

The wait is finally over. On Wednesday morning, Glacier National Park opened the full 50 miles of Going-to-the-Sun Road to motorists — kicking off the unofficial start to Glacier’s busy season.

Drivers are typically able to access the 21 miles between Avalanche Creek and Jackson Glacier Overlook — including the popular Logan Pass area — for a little over three months, until high-elevation snows return in the fall. The scenic road winds through the heart of Glacier Park from West Glacier to St. Mary, crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass.

In a Wednesday press release, park spokeswoman Lauren Alley said Oct. 8 will be the last day for vehicles to access Logan Pass from the West Glacier entrance. From Oct. 9 through Oct. 21, the road will be closed at the Apgar intersection while construction crews replace a culvert along Lake McDonald.

The Logan Pass Visitor Center is now open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., through Sept. 4. The center offers ranger programs, information about the park and a bookstore managed by the Glacier National Park Conservancy, as well as restroom facilities and potable water.

The June 28 opening is slightly later than the average over the past decade, due in part to the heavy snows that blanketed the region this past winter.

But they didn’t present the same degree of challenges that plowing crews battled following the winter of 2010-11, which kept the high-elevation corridor closed until July 13, 2011 — the Sun Road’s latest-ever seasonal opening since it was first dedicated in 1933. In 1987, the scenic road had its earliest opening date, on May 16.

How long the Sun Road remains open can be dependent on weather, and fall snowstorms sometimes force an earlier-than-planned closure in the fall.

Park officials note that significant snow remains along trails near Logan Pass, so visitors should exercise caution when hiking. Melting snow creates hazardous conditions including snow bridges that can give way beneath hikers, and hikers should use proper equipment when traversing steep, snow-covered slopes.

Drivers should also be careful between Haystack Creek and the Rim Rock, where concrete barriers are temporarily serving as the guard rail. The barriers further tighten an already narrow two-lane roadway. Masonry walls will be replaced in the corridor this summer, with some expected construction delays.

Rocks and other debris continue to fall along the road throughout the summer, especially in the Rim Rock area.

As plowing crews continued their work this spring, the 21 miles of road between the vehicle closures were still open to hikers and bicyclists. With the road now fully open to cars, the park’s hiker-biker shuttle has stopped operating, and uphill cycling is prohibited between Logan Creek and Logan Pass from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bicyclists are also prohibited during those hours between the Apgar and Sprague Creek campgrounds.

The park’s free summer shuttle system will begin operating on July 1, and will run through Labor Day, Sept. 4. The transit system provides two-way service along the Going-to-the-Sun Road between the Apgar and St. Mary visitor centers, including a hiker express shuttle departing from both visitor centers at 7 a.m. The shuttle will run with slightly reduced hours on the shoulder season from Sept. 5 to Sept. 24.

Vehicles and vehicle combinations longer than 21 feet or wider than 9 feet, are prohibited along the Sun Road between Avalanche and Rising Sun. Vehicles over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass due to rock overhangs.

Interpretive bus tours on the Going-to-the-Sun Road and other areas of the park are available through Sun Tours and Glacier National Park Lodges. Visit www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/bus-tours.htm.

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.