Glacier Park's trails, budget holding their own

So far, so good for Glacier National Park’s trails this season. Chief ranger Mark Foust said crews haven’t seen any major damage to trails so far this year, although many high-elevation trails are still under snow.

Trail crews spent about two weeks in safety training this spring and are now hitting the woods. The need for the training sessions resulted from an accident last year where a trail crew member walking on the Highline Trail accidentally slid down a snowfield and landed on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. She was severely injured by the fall.

Foust said the trail budget hasn’t been as impacted from the federal budget sequestration because funds for trail work come from the Federal Lands Enhancement Act, which comes from visitor and entrance fees.

In addition, trail work in the Park will benefit from sizable grants from the Glacier National Park Conservancy, which also created a trail endowment fund to help fund trail work, Foust noted.

He said plans call for crews to work on all Park trails this summer, although less used trails might not see as much work as in past years and might see work later in the season.