Glacier will remain open during shutdown

Here we go again.

The federal government is under a partial shutdown after lawmakers failed to reach a spending deal Friday night. This time the shutdown is a dispute between Democrats and President Trump over a $5 billion request by Trump for more Mexican border security — a wall if you will.

Despite the shutdown, Glacier National Park will remain open, though only essential services emergency will be provided.

For example, pit toilets will remain open, but not cleaned. Roads won’t be plowed except in residential areas. Backcountry permits won’t be issued, according to a Department of Interior guidance document from the last shutdown in January.

Most of the roads in Glacier are closed to winter levels anyway. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed at Lake McDonald Lodge. The Camas Road will stay open until Jan. 1, but could close sooner if a heavy snow falls.

In West Glacier, there is snow on the ground, but the snow is icy and the skiing, as of presstime, was poor, with just a few inches of snow on the ground — barely enough to cover the rocks.

The last government shutdown was in January. That lasted about three days.

This one could drag out longer. During a shutdown in October of 2013, Glacier put up temporary barriers on the roads and posted trails entering the Park as closed, barring public entry.