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Avalanche Damage Assessed on Glacier’s Sun Road

By Beacon Staff

WEST GLACIER, Mont. (AP) — Glacier National Park officials say a large avalanche that slid 4,000 vertical feet and across the historic Going-to-the-Sun Road in January has caused much less damage than expected.

Park Superintendent Chas Cartwright says he sees no reason why the entire length of the Sun Road won’t be open to vehicle traffic when plowing is completed.

Engineers say the avalanche, which was probably triggered Jan. 8, sheered away portions of stone masonry from the road at Alder Creek. They also say a 95-foot section of newly installed stone masonry wall was lost and about 450 feet of historic stone masonry was taken out by the avalanche. A 200-foot section of the road sustained asphalt damage.