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Crews Clearing Glacier Roads After Flooding & Rockslides

Currently 29.0 miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road are open for travel. Visitors can drive 15.5 miles from the West Entrance to Avalanche, and 13.5 miles from the St. Mary Entrance to Jackson Glacier Overlook.
Glacier National Park
Currently 29.0 miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road are open for travel. Visitors can drive 15.5 miles from the West Entrance to Avalanche, and 13.5 miles from the St. Mary Entrance to Jackson Glacier Overlook.

Mother Nature has dogged Glacier National Park road crews this spring, but they’re finally gaining the upper hand. Heavy rain recently blew out a beaver dam which spilled mud and trees on Going-to-the-Sun road. Just as crews cleaned that mess up, wet weather unleashed another 19 rock slides this week.

Park spokesman Tim Rains:

"The west-side road crew has cleared those 19 slides, the rock debris. They were just yesterday at the Visitor Center at Logan Pass and they were clearing all that snow that had come in during that storm."

Hikers and bikers will be able to access Logan Pass this weekend, but it won’t be open for car traffic until at least late June.

"You can still experience it this weekend. You can get all the way up to Logan Pass if you’re going to hike or bike the road. Do take precautions if you’re going to be out there. Take some bear spray. Prepare for winter-like conditions when you do get to the top. The roads can be a little icy. There’s still snow up there and wildlife is out and about."

Crews hope to have the route open to the Big Drift on the Glacier’s east side by this weekend or early next week.

"I woke up this morning and you could hear the hermit thrushes out near the lake. It just is amazing. It feels like summer. It’s going to be a great weekend in the park," Rains said.

Find up-to-date Glacier Park road information here.

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
(406) 243-4065
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