PARKS – Crews are making progress plowing the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road, which traverses Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana.

Park officials aren’t speculating when the road might open this year but say only a few more weeks of work remain. Plows got to work on the big job April 1. Last year cyclists were able to ride to Logan Pass, elevation 6,647 feet, by  Memorial Day before the entire route was cleared  enough to be open to motorized vehicles on June 16.

The earliest the mountain highway has opened is May 16 and the latest July 13.

The plowing grew working on the west side of the pass is plowing in the Rimrock area 31 miles from West Glacier.  Much of that route is open to hikers and cyclists who make their way through occasional snow, rockfall and snowmelt streams across the roadway.

The final push involves clearing Logan Pass and the so-called Big Drift, where as much as 80 feet of snow piles up during winter.