Snowpack delays plowing of Glacier’s Sun Road

Fri., June 17, 2011

Members of the West Side Road Crew work to clear snow from the Big Bend section of Going-To-The- Sun Road on Wednesday in Glacier National Park, Mont.. According Public Affairs Officer Ellen Blickhan the park experienced an above average winter and spring in terms of precipitation. Logan Pass is not expected to be open to visitors until late June or early July. (AP Photo/Daily Inter Lake, Brenda Ahearn)

By Rich Landers richl@spokesman.com (509) 459-5508

NATIONAL PARKS — Crews plowing Glacier National Park’s historic Going-to-the-Sun Road say heavy snowpack this winter has put them almost a month behind schedule.

Stan Stahr says he hasn’t seen the snowpack this bad in the 20 years he has worked for the park, and it is making it dangerous for crews that are experiencing avalanches, mud slides and rocks breaking off cliffs.

With another round of cool, wet weather in the forecast, Stahr says park officials can’t say for sure when the road will be completely open over Logan Pass. It generally opens between now and the beginning of July.

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Outdoors Blog." Read all stories from this blog