LOGAN PASS – Although the solstice was at 11:04 p.m. Thursday, summer in the Flathead didn’t truly begin until about 8:30 a.m. on June 21. At that time, Glacier National Park officials swung the gate open at Avalanche Creek, allowing vehicles full access to the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road. All 50 miles between West Glacier and St. Mary are now open for the season.
A mix of rain and fog welcomed visitors to Logan Pass on Friday. Fog obscured the scenery early in the day, according to seasonal ranger Emlon Stanton, but by mid-afternoon 360-degree views were available.
“People love it, even when they can’t see anything,” Stanton said. “They still think it’s the greatest place on earth.”
Emlon said traffic at the summit was steady throughout the day and at one point the parking lot was almost full. Visitors from the Flathead Valley and as far as Europe came to enjoy one of the park’s most famous and popular locations. Pauline Morey and Anne Balfe were on a three-week vacation in the United States from Ireland. They were about to leave for Utah when they heard the road was open and decided to check it out. At the summit, the two women and their friends slid down snowfields near the Visitors Center and Balfe likened the lush green forests to those back home.
Nearby, Jim and Mary Ellen Milichich of Arizona took pictures of each other by one of the legendary Red Buses, which were making their first trips of the season over the road. It was the couple’s first trip to Glacier.
“I’ve been wanting to get here forever,” Jim said. “I’ve wanted to see this my entire life.”
Dropped jaws was a common expression for first time visitors to the pass, according to Red Bus driver Sherri Camperchioli. On Friday afternoon, she was leading an all-day tour of the park that began at the Lake McDonald Lodge and went to Many Glacier, via Logan Pass.
“I’m loving it,” she said. “I’m just so giddy.”
The Logan Pass Visitor Center opened for limited operational hours on June 22. Visitors are reminded that conditions are still winter-like and inclement weather can be expected at anytime.
Rehabilitation efforts on Going-to-the-Sun Road will continue this summer through August, with work on the west side consisting of the portion between Logan Creek and Avalanche Creek. Crews on the east side will work between Rising Sun and Siyeh Bend beginning July 8 with activity occurring 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday morning. Sun Point will be closed to the public beginning June 30 due to construction. Visitors should expect 40-minute maximum construction delays for one-way travel across the entire road. The National Park Service also provides shuttle service over the road from July 1 through Labor Day.
The road will remain open until Sept. 22, when the east side will be closed to accommodate accelerated road work. Oct. 20 will be the last day to drive to Logan Pass.
For more information about the Going-to-the-Sun Road, visit www.nps.gov/glac or call (406) 888-7800.
RAW VIDEO: Opening Day on the Going-to-the-Sun Road