Logan Pass closes for the season
Gretchen, left, and Pierce Janssen play in the snow at Logan Pass in this file photo.
Glacier National Park announced Wednesday that access to Logan Pass would close for the season due to persistent snow and ice on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
It was lightly snowing in the park again on Wednesday, even at valley floor elevations.
The road closed Sunday, Sept. 10, due to snow at the pass. On the west side it is currently open to Avalanche Creek. Glacier typically keeps the road open to Avalanche until mid-December.
On the east side, it is open to Jackson Glacier Overlook.
The road was scheduled to close at midnight, Sunday, anyway.
Hikers and bikers can still use the road, though there are closures where crews are working. On the west side, they have to take down miles of removable guardrails and store them for the winter.
There is also the danger of falling rock and ice on the road.
Highway 2 construction will continue into November along the southern border of Glacier National Park and visitors can check the Montana Department of Transportation website for updates. Camas Road remains under construction until the beginning of November causing 30-minute delays in both directions during the day.
Most visitor amenities in the park have closed for the season. Two Medicine, Bowman Lake, Kintla Lake, and one section of Apgar (Loop B) campgrounds, are open for primitive camping on a first come, first served basis until October 31, when they will move into winter camping and remain open as winter road conditions permit. St. Mary Campground opens to winter camping on Nov. 1.
The Apgar Wilderness Permit Office and Aquatic Invasive Species Boat Inspection Station close Oct. 31.
No boating in the park is permitted after Oct. 31.
Free winter wilderness camping permits are available Nov. 1 – April 30 and can be reserved three to seven days in advance by at glac_backcountry_permits@nps.gov or phone (406-888-7857).
The Apgar Visitor Center is open on weekends through Oct. 24, weather permitting, but Wi-Fi, restrooms and potable water remain available at this location year-round.