Pursuit announces Glacier Park lodge openings; seems to suggest Park will be open by June 15

Pursuit has announced it will be gradually reopening its lodges and properties in the Glacier National Park region beginning June 1. A press release issued by the company also seems to indicate that it expects Glacier Park to be open by June 15, which is the date it said it expects to reopen Motel Lake McDonald, which is inside the park boundary.

Glacier Park Superintendent Jeff Mow has indicated in the past that the park would be ready to open by mid-June if the state reached Stage III, which allows for large crowds, though still requires social distancing.

The company temporarily suspended operations this past March and delayed seasonal openings due to the coronavirus outbreak. Glacier Park has been closed since the middle of March.

Each reopening will follow both the state and provincial government’s approach on relaunching and will include rigorous cleaning, physical distancing and training protocols as outlined in the company’s Safety Promise program, it said in the release.

“We have the opportunity to experience Glacier and Waterton Lakes national parks this summer in a more intimate and less crowded way,” Gary Rodgers, Vice-President and General Manager, Glacier Park Collection by Pursuit said. “From reigniting the family road trip and RV experiences, to spending time enjoying Montana and Alberta’s great historic lodges, we are uniquely positioned to provide an opportunity for friends and family to spend quality time to reconnect.”

New operational protocols will include reducing guest capacity across all Pursuit attractions and culinary experiences, adopting stringent cleaning protocols as approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and screening all staff before shifts. Physical distancing initiatives will also include the integration of express check-outs and plexiglass barrier implementation where possible.

“We want to provide guests with an increased level of assurance that when they are ready to visit us, they can do so with confidence knowing that we have their utmost safety in mind,” Rodgers said.

The following is a list of the company’s properties and opening dates:

• West Glacier RV Park – June 1

• Glacier Basecamp Lodge – June 4

• West Glacier Cabin Village – June 5

• Motel Lake McDonald – June 15

• Grouse Mountain Lodge (Whitefish) – June 18

• St Mary Village – June 18

• Apgar Village Lodge & Cabins – June 20

• Glacier Park Lodge (East Glacier) – June 24

• Belton Chalet – June 26

• Prince of Wales Hotel (Waterton) – June 30

• West Glacier Motel – July 1