NWPBanner
Welcome! NWPphotoforum.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
GNP - SUN ROAD Closes sep 15, 2007!!!!! #10095
08/25/07 10:13 AM
08/25/07 10:13 AM
Joined: Feb 2005
Montana
Tony Bynum Offline OP
Pooh-Bah
Tony Bynum  Offline OP
Pooh-Bah

Joined: Feb 2005
Montana




Glacier National Park News Release



August 23, 2007
For Immediate Release
Amy Vanderbilt 406 888-5838
NEWS07-52


Intensive Flood Damage Repairs this Fall on the Going-to-the-Sun Road
Glacier National Park is open year-round; see what’s beyond the Sun Road


WEST GLACIER, MONT. – The 2007 summer season at Glacier National Park has
been highly successful- with an increase in visitation and the launch of a
popular Going-to-the-Sun Road (Sun Road) shuttle system. Now officials are
taking steps to ensure an equally successful 2008 season.


“Our crews and contractors did an amazing job to prepare the road for this
summer’s opening. However, their work did not completely repair the damage
to the Sun Road caused by last November’s storm. The Federal Highway
Administration has just completed the designs for permanently repairing the
damage on the east side of the Sun Road. Their plans dictate that they
remove the temporary bridge and then begin permanent repair work early this
fall,” said Glacier National Park Superintendent Mick Holm.


Holm added, “It is imperative that further stabilization occur before heavy
rain or snow accumulates to prevent more extensive damage to the road. The
contractor, HK Contractors, Inc., is proposing to work 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, and will fill the east side washout at the bridge site
with a mechanically-stabilized earthen wall. They will also continue west
side rehabilitation work. By starting work in the middle of September, we
are better positioning ourselves for next summer’s opening of the road.”


Given this need for unimpeded access to the alpine section of the Sun Road,
Holm announced that the Sun Road will be closed to vehicle traffic from
Avalanche to Siyeh Bend beginning 10 p.m. on Sept. 16. There will therefore
be no access to Logan Pass after this date. The Logan Pass Visitor Center
will close at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 15; a park ranger will be available in the
parking area on Sept. 16. It is also envisioned that the contractor will
use Sun Point for staging; therefore, it may not be available to visitors.


Visitors will be able to drive 15.5 miles on the Sun Road from West Glacier
to Avalanche and 15.5 miles from St. Mary to Siyeh Bend. Hikers and bikers
will be able to travel almost six miles beyond the vehicle closure at
Avalanche to the Packers Roost Road; however, there is no additional
hiker/biker access beyond Siyeh Bend.


The west side closure was previously scheduled and is part of the Sun
Road’s multi-year rehabilitation (Phase VI). The east side closure stems
from the unique circumstances created by last November’s storm. In future
years, park officials note that visitors will be able to access Logan Pass
from one side of the park from mid-September until Nov. 1, weather
permitting.


Officials remind visitors that Glacier National Park is open year-round and
recreational opportunities exist throughout the park beyond Sept. 16. Fall
visitors to Glacier are rewarded with fewer crowds, cooler temperatures,
and changing colors. Visitors can travel from between the east and west
side of Glacier National Park by traveling on U.S. Highways 2 and 89.


“Many visitors equate Glacier National Park with the Going-to-the-Sun Road,
yet there is so much more to see and do in Glacier than travel the road. In
addition to exploring the areas near Lake McDonald and St. Mary, consider
adding a visit to Many Glacier, Two Medicine, the North Fork, or Goat
Haunt. You’ll be rewarded with awe-inspiring views, solitude, and perhaps
some wildlife sightings,” Holm commented.


Many Glacier, north of St. Mary, has massive mountains, active glaciers,
sparkling lakes, hiking trails, and abundant wildlife. A wide variety of
hikes can be found in Many Glacier, including a day hike to Grinnell
Glacier Viewpoint. Two Medicine, tucked in the southeast corner of the
park, offers stunning scenery and impressive hikes. The North Fork, a
rustic location in the northwest corner of the park, features open prairies
and towering mountains. Access to the area is primitive, but visitors will
find tranquil lakes perfect for kayaking and canoeing. Goat Haunt, in the
northern portion of the park across from Waterton, is a tranquil and remote
location. Most visitors access this unique location by historic boat from
Waterton (boat tours which stop at Goat Haunt continue through Sept. 23) or
by backcountry trails. A short hike to Kootenai Lakes may yield moose
sightings.


With over 700 miles of maintained trails, visitors will find numerous
gratifying trails outside the alpine section of the Sun Road. For trail
maps and status, visit the park’s Hiking the Trails Web page at:
http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/hikingthetrails.htm.


Several campgrounds remain open in the fall, though some switch to
primitive (no water) status. Additional information about camping is
available on the park’s Camping Website at:
http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/camping.htm.


Many park concessioners continue to provide service beyond Sept. 16.
Glacier Park, Inc. operates tours aboard the refurbished historic red buses
through Sept. 29. Sun Tours offers interpretive tours featuring a Blackfeet
perspective until Oct.15. Guided day hikes and backpack trips are available
from Glacier Guides, Inc. into October. Glacier Park Boat Company offer
boat tours of Lake McDonald until Sept. 22. Waterton International
Shoreline Cruise Co. boats land at Goat Haunt through Sept. 23, and then
they offer tours of Waterton Lake until Oct. 7. Lodging, food services and
retail stores are available from Glacier Park, Inc. at Lake McDonald Lodge
through Sept. 29 and at the Many Glacier Hotel through
Sept. 23. Privately-owned lodging and other visitor services are available
in the park at Apgar Village and in gateway communities.


For more information about Glacier National Park, visit the park’s Web site
at www.nps.gov/glac or phone 406-888-7800.

Re: GNP - SUN ROAD Closes sep 15, 2007!!!!! [Re: Tony Bynum] #10096
08/27/07 10:32 AM
08/27/07 10:32 AM
Joined: Feb 2005
Montana
Tony Bynum Offline OP
Pooh-Bah
Tony Bynum  Offline OP
Pooh-Bah

Joined: Feb 2005
Montana
weather has been awesome! cool temps for the first time this summer! nice clouds too!

better get going before they shut down the pass for the year!


Who's Online Now
0 registered members (), 335 guests, and 2 spiders.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
CTiefisher, DrSuse BlueDevil, airphotog, dwilson7878, carters paul
3317 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums6
Topics627
Posts989
Members3,317
Most Online629
Dec 4th, 2019

Copyright �2005 - 2020 Nature, Wildlife, and Pet Photography Forum. "NWPPhotoforum" and "nwpphotoforum.com" are the property of Nature, Wildlife, and Pet Photography Forum. All Rights Reserved. Wild Coyote Studio, New York Pet Photographer

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1
(Release build 20190129)
PHP: 5.6.40-1+hw4 Page Time: 0.036s Queries: 14 (0.009s) Memory: 0.8806 MB (Peak: 1.9681 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-29 02:12:01 UTC