Page 48 - Flathead Beacon // 3.2.16

OUT OF BOUNDS 49 EXPLORE 50 Outdoors
Park O cials Preparing for Another Bustling Year in Glacier Superintendent: Glacier Park will likely attract record crowds again in 2016
GBY DILLON TABISH OF THE BEACON
LACIER NATIONAL PARK — There was perhaps no better example of national parks’ sky-
rocketing popularity last year than at Arches in Utah.
It was Memorial Day weekend, the uno cial start to the summer tour- ism season, and the line of cars waiting to enter the popular park near Moab stretched over a mile long. The tra c backed up all the way to U.S. Highway 191 as hundreds of cars lined both sides of the road leading to the site’s parking area. The situation became so chaotic and dangerous that the park’s superin- tendent made an unprecedented decision and closed the park for a day.
The ood of visitors was not unique to Arches. National Park Service sites across the U.S., especially so-called des- tination parks like Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Zion, attracted droves of visitors last year, leading to a new over- all attendance record of 305 million.
In Glacier National Park, where crowds arrive like a ash ood once Going-to-the-Sun Road fully opens, heavy tra c was once again a noticeable sight in the main corridor. Some vehicles were even waiting at spots along the Sun Road for hours at a time on many days to gain parking at Logan Pass Visitor Cen- ter, which regularly lls up before noon during summer.
As park o cials are starting to real- ize, this could be the new norm in Amer- ica’s most popular outdoor attractions like Glacier, which set an annual record for the second year in a row in 2015 and ranked 10th in terms of top visitation among all national parks.
Je Mow, superintendent at Glacier Park, is preparing his sta for another potential record-breaking in ux over the next nine months. Mow said it is not hard to imagine the overall attendance jump- ing 20 percent this year, which would be an unprecedented spike.
“If there’s not a lot of re and smoke, we’re going to be prepared for that 20 percent,” Mow said. “We’ve never seen 20 percent in one year. We don’t know what that looks like.”
Attendance across the board is expected to rise this year speci cally because it is the NPS centennial, which is drawing added attention to the nation’s 409 parks. Also, the economic recovery and low gas prices are driving domestic
Lines of cars wait at the West Entrance to Glacier National Park. BEACON FILE PHOTO
travel, while increased marketing e orts appear to be largely succeeding.
This scenario is leading park o - cials to devise clear strategies for large crowds, including how to re-route tra c and maintain resources. Last year’s rag- ing wild res forced temporary closures of sites and the Sun Road, which provided a learning opportunity, Mow said. Amid unseasonably dry, hot conditions that sapped the region’s snowpack earlier and faster than usual, Logan Pass nearly ran out of water, leading park o cials to pre- pare an army of porta-potties as a worst- case response.
“It was really hard on the sta when we had to evacuate St. Mary. It will be easier for folks this year because we’ve been through the drills recently,” he said.
Glacier is receiving $190,000 from the NPS for the expected boost in visitation because of the centennial. Mow said he is devoting those funds to hiring more employees during the peak of summer.
By early summer, park o cials expect to release the recommended alternatives of the Sun Road Corridor Study, a multi- year planning e ort focused on address- ing increased visitation and congestion along the main thoroughfare. The list of options includes expanded parking, a larger eet of free shuttles and con- trolled vehicle entry through a reserva- tion system.
Indeed, Glacier Park is big business for Northwest Montana and the park’s pub- lic persona and status are heavily linked to the local economy.
Marketing e orts have increased in recent years to capitalize on Glacier Park’s status as a global icon. Now Mow said the park is discussing with community lead- ers and marketers ways to expand the reach of tourism in the region.
“I think what’s critical with all of this is thinking about what that visitor experi- ence is like,” he said. “For folks who don’t want delays, they need some alternatives.
We’re really interested in working with the Forest Service and the (chambers of commerce) to let folks know we may see congestion this year. If you want to go to Logan Pass, maybe come back later in the day or in the evening. For some people, there won’t be an option and they don’t mind waiting.”
Tia Troy, communication manager for Glacier Country Tourism, characterized Glacier Park and the Sun Road as quint- essential attractions, while also pointing out that this region does have an abun- dant supply of other unique amenities.
“While there are certain parts in Gla- cier National Park that are nearing capac- ity during our peak visitation times in July and August, there are so many other places to explore both inside and outside of the park,” said Troy. “We’re looking at this as an opportunity to introduce vis- itors to more unexplored and underuti- lized areas throughout the region.”
dtabish@ atheadbeacon.com
48
MARCH 2, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM