Going to the Sun Highway

[Voni]

Looks like it won't be open till July 1 this year:

April 2, 2007
Spokesman Review
Spokane, WA

Plows to begin clearing Going-to-the-Sun Road

Snowplows are scheduled to start cutting through drifts today, the start of annual work to open Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road for the summer. The 2007 opening may be the most complex on record.

Washouts and accumulations of rocky debris from torrential rain late last year are among the reasons. In 2006 the road opened on June 23. In 2005 the date was May 22. This year's opening is projected for July 1.

Progress in clearing the highway is watched closely by businesses that rely on Glacier's 2 million summer visitors.

There are plans to install a temporary, steel bridge along a 103-foot-long stretch of road wiped out in the November storm. In just one day it dumped 8.5 inches of rain on ground already soft from earlier precipitation. Then the snow came.

Park officials estimate replacing the road and removing flood debris will cost $7 million. Repairing trail damage could cost an additional $1 million.

As survey crews wait to see whether melting snow will take out any more of the road east of the Continental Divide, they have been getting bad news on the west side.

"On Tuesday, we got word that one of the storm-damaged sections along upper McDonald Creek is experiencing further bank erosion," park spokeswoman Amy Vanderbilt said. "Bank stabilization had not been completed there last fall, and the bank is starting to slide further."

There also are new problems around the historic Logan Creek Bridge on the west side. Floodwaters did not go under the bridge but instead took out some of the road just above it. Crews cleared debris from the bridge area, but the creek has flowed over the repaired road, Vanderbilt said.

"The bridge was cleared, but the creek bed was not cleared, so the creek has begun flooding out of its banks again," she said.

The temporary solution for the gaping hole in the road on the east side of the Divide is a two-lane bridge stored in the Rising Sun Campground west of St. Mary. a crew will install the bridge this spring, said John Schnaderbeck of the Federal highway Administration.

Having the bridge in place will allow a contractor to reach a site where the highway administration has determined a retaining wall about 400 ft long is necessary."

Voni
sMiling

 

[sheridesabeemer]

Wow, thanks for the post Voni. My schedule has me at Glacier June 26-28th. I'll have to keep an eye on this situation and possible shift some travel. Never gave it a thought, and it's our primary destination point!

 

[Voni]

That is the latest opening of the road, ever. But don't forget there are great roads that go around the park too, and they are not nearly as crowded.

I'm so excited for you, your daughter, and your next adventure. Thanks for sharing it with us all.

Voni
sMiling

 

[Rinty]

going to the sun

My favourite road anywhere is the Kiowa Cut - off: East Glacier to St. Mary, via Kiowa.

And Marias Pass is a decent ride, especially in July and August when Logan Pass is full of tourist (Voni advises to ride early).

Gail: you can call Glacier Park info for updates on the opening: it was 406 - 888 - 7800, the last time I used it. The situation will probably be fluid.

There've been big snowfalls in the Rockies in the vicinity this year. Global warming, don't 'cha know.


Rinty

 

[montana]

The road is scheduled to open Memorial Weekend (plowing has gone well.) It's always subject to temporary weather closures but officially it will be opened for the season!

http://www.nps.gov/glac/

 

[jammess]

WOW, two million visitors? After riding through the Flathead Valley last week I can't even imagine what the impact of additional conjestion from tourists will cause. Montana and idaho are classic examples of what no land use planning produces. Big sky country indeed.

 

[gregfeeler]

WOW, two million visitors? After riding through the Flathead Valley last week I can't even imagine what the impact of additional conjestion from tourists will cause. Montana and idaho are classic examples of what no land use planning produces. Big sky country indeed.

What exactly do you mean by that?

 

[montana]

Except for certain sections of the Flathead valley, I'm still amazed at how often I find I'm practially the only vehicle on the road for two or three miles at a time. Even on I-90 recently. I love the shoulder seasons.

Two million visitors is nothing, they hardly get off the main road. Most of the park is still empty. Well, except for griz. And moose. And eagles. And...

 

[MCMXCIVRS]

Two million visitors is nothing, they hardly get off the main road.

We stopped at the visitors center at Logan's Pass last year in June. I think most of the two million were there that day Cars were circling the parking lot trying to find open parking, meanwhile, we slipped into the desiganted motrocycle parking area right by the front of the lot with no effort at all I think we finished our two hour hike well before some of the cages managed to get a spot to stop.

 

[ptero]

What a coincidence. There was a show on tv tonight about bridges, tunnels and roads around the US. Among others they talked about the Going to the Sun Highway. In 1939, when it opened, it carried 40,000 vehicles. They said it now averages 500,000.

They also touched on the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Linn Cove Viaduct. Plus the Eisenhower Tunnels and Pikes Peak in Colorado. Pikes Peak is being blacktopped even as we groan. Remember Mt Evans when it was gravel AND free? Progress.

 

[montana]

What I mean is that you often times can't see the sky what with all the polution thrown up by too much humanity in what until recently was a fairly pristine place. The Flathead Valley is a prime example of what no controls on growth will produce. Unless things have recently changed building permits were not a requirement in Flathead County. In just 10 short years there is just one big four lane strip mall between Columbia Falls and Kalispell. Soon US93 will be 4 lane from Whitefish to Kalispell complete with strip mall. Take a look at what no controls have done to Hamilton all the way to Missoula. I could go on but you get the point.

Big sky country indeed

???

Wow, quite the series of conclusive comments based on your perception. Having served on the FV City-County Planning Board over ten years ago, I can state: that valley hasn't been "pristine" for over a hundred years (the sky is subject to dust from agricultural operations); change happens; the "four lane strip mall" is the highway that passes an international airport, it isn't likely to stay rural; US93 is being improved because, at this time, it has a specially-legislated speed limit based on its lack of safety and high death rate; and see previous statement also re Hamilton-to-Missoula, since that is also US93. But, hey, we like riding it!

I never know if we should feel sad for those regions that are losing population due to downturns in their regional economies, or rejoice in the liveliness and success that high-growth areas reflect. Or vice-versa?

Sunday, while helping with traffic safety partol for a bicycle event, one of the BMW riders watched an eagle feeding on a deer carcass and, on the ride back past that spot, watched a grizzly bear dragging the carcass away. Yumm, snack for later!