As the snow melts, water runs through the snowpack, creating avalanches and slides. At the higher elevations, temperatures stay freezing for longer. Paul said snow on the road's lower elevations usually melts quickly. "Our biggest hazards out there are avalanches, rockfall and icefall," Paul said.
Two highly skilled crews of nine people each, one coming from East Glacier and one coming from West Glacier, clear snow, remove boulders and repair road damage. Going-to-the-Sun Road Supervisor Brian Paul sends crews to undertake the Herculean task of clearing large snowdrifts from the road’s higher elevations and repairing damage the winter has inflicted, all in preparation to open the road for summer visitors unaware of the work that made their scenic drive possible. The process of awakening the road begins on April 1.
GOING TO THE SUN ROAD OPENING DATE 2019 HOW TO
Though the name implies warmth, starting in late October parts of Going-to-the-Sun Road hibernate under a blanket of snow, closed to car traffic until the spring.īest bike trails in southern Utah: How to see Zion, Snow Canyon on 2 wheels Preparing Going-to-the-Sun Road to open for summer Travelers feel as if they are journeying toward the sun as their cars climb the steady 6% grade to Logan Pass. The experience of driving the road delivers on its name. The authenticity of that legend has been questioned, with the park reporting one account suggesting it was a story made up by a white explorer in the 1880s. It was reportedly plucked from a legend of a deity called Sour Spirit who taught the Blackfeet people how to hunt and "on his way back to the sun, Sour Spirit had his image reproduced on the top of the mountain for inspiration to the Blackfeet." Looking to escape the heat? 5 cool vacation options and how to plan your trip How Going-to-the-Sun Road got its nameĪccording to the park's website, a 1933 press release about the opening of the road said it took the name "Going-to-the-Sun" from a nearby mountain of that name. This year, because of the large number of visitors to the park, you’ll need to make a reservation and have a ticket to drive the road. It's fully open just a few months of the year, typically between late June and October. Tourists have a limited window of opportunity to experience the road, which was an engineering marvel when it opened in 1933 and still is today. Going-to-the-Sun Road snakes 51 miles through the heart of Glacier National Park, passing idyllic views of mountains and streams. Its rock and masonry guardrails and tunnels lend ambiance as waterfalls of melting snow and the occasional wild animal wandering nearby add wonder to the drive. GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, Montana - From almost every other car making the ascent of Going-to-the-Sun Road, an arm dangles out a window, cellphone clutched firmly in hand by someone trying to photograph a view whose majesty will never fully be expressed in an Instagram post.
Tickets for the shuttle are still available and can be reserved on 60-days and 48-hours in advance.View Gallery: Glacier National Park and Going-to-the-Sun Road in photos July 1 marked the first day of operation for the park’s Ticket-to-Ride shuttle service. Visitors can expect long lines and wait times at 5 pm when tickets aren’t required, which can be avoided by arriving closer to or after 6 pm. The park is seeing expected changes in visitation patterns, with traffic more spread out throughout the day. Tickets are not required before 6 am or after 5 pm, and not required for other areas of the park. Tickets for the end of August are also still available for visitors planning trips later in the summer. With the road open, the number of Going-to-the-Sun Road ticketed entry reservations available on 48-hours in advance has increased. Overall, the number of vehicles on Going-to-the-Sun Road during the same period was up 20% from 2019 levels. Data suggests that congestion and gridlock would have required the West Entrance to temporarily close at least 15 times from Memorial Day weekend through the end of June in the absence of the ticketed entry system.
While the system is working well, getting the park close to maximum capacity without reaching the point of severe congestion and gridlock, park officials continue to evaluate and make changes to manage visitation levels.ĭue to the ticketed entry system, park officials have avoided implementing West Entrance closures to relieve severe congestion. The seasonal opening of Going-to-the-Sun Road marked the beginning of a new phase of the ticketed entry system, designed to reduce vehicle congestion on the road. WEST GLACIER, Mont. – Going-to-the-Sun Road successfully opened on June 25 and preliminary data shows a 41% increase in the number of vehicles on Going-to-the-Sun Road over opening day in 2019.
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