Page 17 - Flathead Living Fall 2014

ENjOy ThE SEaSON
fall in glacier
Bidding farewell to summer and emBrac-
ing fall can be a bittersweet experience
in the Flathead Valley, particularly when it means that the stunning, scenic panoramas of Glacier National Park viewed along
the Going-to-the-Sun Road recede in the rearview mirror.
Because of the multi-year Sun Road rehabilitation project, the scenic byway has been closing a month early since 2007, shutting its gates the third week of September and halting vehicle access to Logan Pass on the west side at Avalanche Creek.
This year, however, the sun won’t set on the iconic road so early, figuratively speaking, as park officials have extended operations for another month to allow visitors to enjoy the fall colors and fickle mountain weather until Oct. 19.
As the first American roadway desig- nated both a National Historic Landmark and a National Civil Engineering Landmark, the road construction is viewed as a necessary evil by residents and visitors who recognize the inconvenience as an investment in the future of Glacier Park’s infrastructure.
Following the closure to Logan Pass, 10 miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road (from park headquarters at West Glacier to the Lake McDonald Lodge) will be maintained throughout the winter.
In the spring, plowing park roads and the Going-to-the-Sun Road is a monumental challenge, and unpredictable spring snowstorms or other weather related events tend to slow down plowing progress.
So enjoy the autumn access to Logan Pass while you can.
ThiS YEAr, ThE SUn WOn’T SET On ThE iCOniC rOAD SO EArLY, FiGUrATiVELY SPEAKinG, AS PArK OFFiCiALS hAVE ExTEnDED OPErATiOnS FOr AnOThEr MOnTh TO ALLOW ViSiTOrS TO EnjOY ThE FALL COLOrS AnD FiCKLE MOUnTAin WEAThEr UnTiL OCT. 19.
fall 2014 | flathead living 15