Glacier Road Crews Currently Working on the Big Drift at Logan Pass

Glacier National Park road crews working on plowing snow off the Going-to-the-Sun Road have finally reached Logan Pass earlier this week. They're currently working on the Big Drift, which is located just east of Logan Pass, and is usually more than 30 feet deep.

Again, this year, the park is posting some incredible photos of the road as they dig out of the snow:

In addition to snow plowing, crews are also re-installing more than 400 guard rails that are removed each fall in order to prevent them from being damaged by avalanches and harsh winter elements:

You may want to note that the latest update on park website states there will be no hiker/biker restrictions on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, beginning this weekend, for those visiting from the west side. Here's some additional information:

On Saturday and Sunday, June 8-9, there are no hiker/biker restrictions on the Going to the Sun Road and hikers/bikers can (go) as far as they want. On Saturday, the Logan Pass Parking Lot will be closed due to crews working in the parking lot from 7am-1pm.

For hikers and bikers coming up from the east side, here's the latest from the park website:

Hiker/bikers can travel to Siyeh Bend while the road crew is working, Tuesday through Friday, there will be no hiker/biker restrictions this weekend (6/8 and 6/9). On Monday, June 10, the road crew will be working and hiker/bikers can travel 2 miles beyond the vehicle closure to Siyeh Bend.

Motorists should note that the earliest the entire 50-mile road can be opened to vehicle traffic is June 21st.

You can view many other photos of road crew progress and winter scenery on Glacier's Flickr page.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Logan Pass Expected to Open Next Week

Access to Logan Pass via the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park is anticipated to be available to the public by the middle of next week. A weekend storm dumped another 10 inches of snow prompting additional snow slides on the road.

Since Memorial Day Weekend, a minimum of 35 inches of snow has fallen at the higher elevations of the road. Glacier National Park Deputy Superintendent Kym Hall said, "Our goal has been to open access to Logan Pass by mid-June and we believe we can accomplish that by the middle of next week, weather dependent." Hall said, "The weather has been challenging the past couple of weeks, but the plowing crew has put in extra time and done an exceptional job to provide mid-June access."

Work continues as crews plow the Big Drift, a 25-30 feet drift located about a fourth of a mile east of the Logan Pass Visitor Center. After plowing through the Big Drift, crews anticipate they will encounter approximately 10-12 inches of ice. Crews are also removing snow and debris from recent snow slide activity, clearing snow along the road edges for two-lane travel, and plowing the parking lot at the visitor center. Many areas had to be plowed again after the weekend snowfall. Park trail and campground crews are assisting with the hand shoveling around the visitor center, restroom facility, and walkways at Logan Pass.

Hall said, "In addition to all the snow removal, crews have to install hundreds of guard rails along the road." She said installation of the removable guard rails is time consuming, but necessary. The rails are removed each fall due to avalanche activity that can destroy them during the winter.

Currently, 29 miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road are open to vehicle travel. Visitors can drive 15.5 miles from the West Entrance to Avalanche on the west side, and 13.5 miles from the St. Mary Entrance to Jackson Glacier Overlook on the east side.

It is anticipated that weekend hiker/biker access will be limited to Bird Woman Falls Overlook on the west side and Siyeh Bend on the east side. Hiker/biker access may change day to day dependent on snow removal and road rehabilitation work. Visitors are encouraged to check the park website. Hikers and bikers should always be on alert for construction hazards and avalanche danger.

For photos and plowing status, as well as information on all park road conditions, visit the park's webpage. Information on the webpage is updated as conditions change. Visitors may also visit the park's Facebook page or call park headquarters at 406-888-7800 for current road and weather conditions.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Scenes from Glacier's 2011 historic winter

As the northern hemisphere approaches another winter season, I thought this would be a good time to take a look back at last year's historic winter in Glacier.

The amount of snow that fell in Glacier during the 2010/2011 season was massive. On average, the Going-to-the-Sun Road usually opens by early June. In 2011, however, it didn't open until July 13th, the latest ever. Road crews estimated that the Big Drift area at Logan Pass had roughly 50-60 feet of snow in early July, a depth normally seen on Memorial Day weekend!

Earlier in the year the park reported that USGS snow surveys measured 106 inches of snow on the ground at the 5,900 foot level near Siyeh Bend on the Going-to-the-Sun Road at the end of April. 166 inches were recorded at the 7,000 foot level.

Here are a few photos from the National Park Service to give you an idea of what the conditions were like in early July as the crews worked to clear the Going-to-the-Sun Road:

Here's the Logan Pass Visitor Center:

And the restrooms at Logan Pass:




Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com