Plow Crews at Glacier National Park, MT, Struggle to Open Going-To-The-Sun Road Due to Deepest Snowpack in Over a Decade

Despite spring-like conditions in the valley, Logan Pass in Glacier National Park remains buried under one of the deepest snowpacks in over a decade, park officials reported.

Glacier National Park Roads Supervisor Brian Paul described the scene at Logan Pass Visitor Center, where road crews are battling significant snow accumulation on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. “There’s still a lot of work to do up here,” Paul told Daily Inter Lake News, noting that the snow depth at the pass this early in the spring hasn’t been seen since 2011.

Plows on the west side are currently tackling the Big Drift, a section of the road that can accumulate up to 80 feet of snow during winter. The east-side crews are making their way to the east-side tunnel and are expected to join the west side in clearing the Big Drift within the next week.

Zachary Miller, lead forecaster for the U.S. Geological Survey’s avalanche program, reported an average year for avalanche hazards despite varied weather patterns. “We started the season at about 80% of average snowpack,” Miller told Inter Lake, noting a relatively warm April followed by May storms that increased avalanche risks.

Glacier National Park Chief of Facilities Maintenance Jim Foster emphasized the unpredictability of opening dates for the Going-to-the-Sun Road. “We can’t predict the storms,” Foster said.

Last year, the road fully opened on June 13, the earliest since 2005. For updates on plowing operations, visit Glacier National Park’s website.