West Side Access to Logan Pass Anticipated Tomorrow

Date: June 10, 2015
Contact: Denise Germann, 406 888 5838

Vehicle access to Logan Pass on the Going-to-the-Sun Road from the west side of Glacier National Park is anticipated to be available tomorrow morning, Thursday, June 11. Park road crews have finished snow removal, debris clean-up, guard rail installation, and facility preparation, as well as assessing snow conditions. Vehicle access to Logan Pass from the east side of the park is scheduled to be available June 19 due to road rehabilitation work.

Services at Logan Pass will include restroom facilities and potable water. The Logan Pass Visitor Center will not be open until June 19. At that time it will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., including a bookstore managed by the Glacier National Park Conservancy. 

There are two areas along the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road near Rim Rock, just below Oberlin Bend, that visitors will need to drive with caution. Approximately 200 feet of masonry guard walls were destroyed by avalanches this past winter and temporary barriers have been installed creating a narrow two-lane roadway.

Through June 19, crews will be working near Triple Arches, located approximately two miles below Logan Pass on the west side. One-lane traffic will be implemented during this time. Flaggers will direct traffic during the day and traffic control lights will be used nights and weekends. Crews will be completing some of the detail masonry work on the footing areas.

Visitors will discover a snow-covered landscape at Logan Pass. Cold temperatures and wind, as well as icy conditions, may be encountered. Be aware of snow walls along the Going-to-the-Sun Road and hazardous snow bridges near the Big Drift. Standing or walking on snow along the road is strongly discouraged.

Trails near Logan Pass will be covered in snow and visitors should exercise caution when hiking. Be aware of unseen holes in the snow and snow bridges that exist. Avoid crossing steep, snow-covered slopes where a fall could be disastrous. Visitors should have the appropriate equipment and skills if hiking on snow. The Highline Trail from Logan Pass is closed due to snow conditions. Current status of park trails can be found at https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/trailstatusreports.htm.

There are vehicle size restrictions for the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Vehicles, and vehicle combinations, longer than 21 feet and wider than 8 feet are prohibited between Avalanche Campground and Rising Sun. Vehicles over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass due to rock overhangs.

Interpretive bus tours of the Going-to-the-Sun Road and other areas of the park are available through park concessioners, Glacier National Park Lodges and Sun Tours. For more information and reservations, visit https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/bus-tours.htm.

The park’s shuttle system will begin operations on July 1 and run through Monday, September 7, Labor Day. The transit system provides two-way service along the Going-to-the-Sun Road between the Apgar Visitor Center and St. Mary Visitor Center.

Rehabilitation work on the Going-to-the-Sun Road will continue this year with activity on the east side occurring between Siyeh Bend and the St. Mary Visitor Center. Vehicle access to Logan Pass from the east side of the park is scheduled to be available on June 19. Visitors can expect 30-minute maximum traffic delays on the east side of the park this summer. Sun Point will be closed to all visitor traffic including picnicking, transit, restroom use, and hiking due to road rehabilitation activity.

Bicyclists are reminded that bicycle restrictions on the Going-to-the-Sun-Road will go into effect June 15 through Labor Day, September 7. Bicycles are prohibited between Apgar Campground and Sprague Creek Campground from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition, bicycles are prohibited eastbound (uphill) between Logan Creek and Logan Pass from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information on bicycle restrictions and average bicycle times, check the park newspaper available at park entrance stations or online at https:///www.nps.gov/applications/glac/inforequest/inforequest3.cfm.

For current information on park roads, weather conditions, and visitor services visit Glacier National Park’s website at https://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm or call park headquarters at 406-888-7800.