Page 20 - Flathead Beacon // 7.2.14

20 | JULY 2, 2014
NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM
Plowing operations at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park.
COURTESY GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
Sun Road Expected to Open by Holiday Weekend
By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
The entire Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park is anticipated to be open to vehicle travel by this week- end, allowing access to Logan Pass, park officials announced Monday.
Most of the snow removal is complet- ed and park crews are clearing debris and installing seasonal guard rails and signage along the iconic road this week while staff are preparing Logan Pass Visitor Center for its summer opening.
The west side of the Sun Road was originally expected to be open around June20thisyear,butawinterstormhit the high country and caused as many as 16 avalanches, including slides up to 200- feet long and 15-feet deep on the road.
“Opening the Going-to-the-Sun Road is a priority, and many employees are helping to make that happen,” Su- perintendent Jeff Mow said.
Trail and campground crews began assisting over the weekend to help re- move snow by hand in the Logan Pass Visitor Center area, according to the park. Water testing is being completed, and facilities such as restrooms and the visitor center are being cleaned.
The park’s free, optional shuttle sys- tem that provides services along the Sun Road will continue limited operations to The Loop on the west side until the en- tire length of the road opens. Beginning July 1, shuttle service will be available at all locations between the Apgar Visitor Center and The Loop. East-side shuttle service will begin when access to Logan Pass is available.
Due to recent weather events, park managers anticipated vehicle access to the pass would be delayed and decided to utilize some cost savings to provide lim- ited shuttle access for the public, accord- ing to spokesperson Denise Germann. The cost savings was from postponed full shuttle operations, and salary sav- ings of various park vacancies.
“We understand the value to the visi- tor, and local economy, of accessing the alpine section of the road and are doing
our best to accommodate,” Mow said. The west side vehicle closure re- mains at Avalanche and the east-side closure remains at Jackson Glacier Overlook. Closures will continue at their respective locations until the en- tire length of the road is open to vehicle
travel.
Hiker-biker access on the west side
of the park is currently available from Avalanche to Bird Woman Overlook. There is no hiker-biker access on the east side of the Sun Road due to road re- habilitation work.
For more information on the shuttle system, visit www.nps.gov/glac/plany- ourvisit/shuttles.htm. For current in- formation on park roads, weather con- ditions, and visitor services visit Glacier National Park’s website at www.nps.gov/ glac/index.htm or call park headquar- ters at 406-888-7800.
PARK ANNOUNCES RANGER-LED ACTIVITIES
The schedule for summer ranger- led activities in Glacier National Park through July 31 has been released. The activities include a variety of hikes, talks, boat tours, demonstrations and evening programs. Hour-long to day- long hikes led by rangers are offered in many areas of the park, including Lake McDonald Valley, Two Medicine, Many Glacier, and St. Mary.
Most programs are free of charge. The schedule of activities is available at http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/ inforequest/inforequest3.cfm or may be obtained when entering the park.
Ranger-led programs cover a wide range of topics. Visitors are encour- aged to learn more about the natural history of the park by joining “Rocky Point Ramble,” an intimate look at the ever-changing trail to the shores of Lake McDonald. This activity begins at the Rocky Point trailhead north of the Fish Creek Campground and is a moderate hike lasting two hours.
View wildlife in the Many Glacier Val- ley from a safe distance during “Scope It
Out,” a watchable wildlife activity. Visi- tors can drop by the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn parking lot between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and use spotting scopes to scan the slopes for wildlife while a park rang- er is available to answer questions about wildlife in the park.
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act on the “Wild About Wilderness Hike” in the St. Mary Valley. This 3-mile, moderate hike explores the Beaver Pond Loop Trail, ideal habitat for a variety of wildflowers and wildlife.
Visitors, especially families, are en- couraged to join ranger-led talks and evening programs such as “Amazing Animals,” a 30-minute dialogue in the Apgar area regarding adaptations of the park’s most interesting wildlife.
Children can explore the fascinating connections between plants, animals, and non-living material on the “Junior Ranger Explorers Walk,” an easy and interactive walk lasting an hour and a half in the Apgar area. On the east side of the park, join a park ranger for “Animal Olympics for Kids,” a fun, interactive program where kids can test their abili- ties against Glacier’s animal athletes. This program is available in St. Mary at the 1913 Ranger Station parking lot.
In addition to ranger-led activi- ties, the “Native America Speaks” in- terpretive program at Glacier National Park began June 25. Members from the Blackfeet and Kootenai tribes will share their knowledge of the history and cul- ture of Native America with park visi- tors throughout the summer. The pro- gram includes free 45-minute presen- tations available in the Apgar, Many Glacier, Rising Sun, and Two Medicine Campgrounds.
A self-guided historic walking tour of the park’s headquarters area in West Glacier is also an option for locals and visitors. The park headquarters historic district is listed in the National Regis- ter of Historic Places. The tour is about a mile long and will take approximately one hour.
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