Glacier National Park Chat

Some updates from the superintendent. Highlights include:

• Continued lodging constraints for support staff

• Hoping for half full shuttles

• Working to understand Federal mask mandate as it pertains to outdoors

• Highway 2 construction a concern

Also Blackfeet have reached out to superintendent, and discussions are ongoing between them and business owners.

Hopefully things pointing in the right direction.

zozeppelin wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 1:36 pm Some updates from the superintendent. Highlights include:

• Continued lodging constraints for support staff

No Comment

• Hoping for half full shuttles

Half full shuttle is better than no shuttle. I do wonder about the behavior of people.
Will there be fights, pushing and shoving, arguments over wearing, or not wearing a mask, etc. etc.

• Working to understand Federal mask mandate as it pertains to outdoors

Wearing a mask out on the trail is just about the dumbest, lamest thing I've heard in all my nearly 73 years.
Second only to so-called "social distancing". Wearing masks and social distancing clearly doesn't work as advertised. Look at California's experience. Infections and deaths up despite the Nazi like "lock down" Californians(with exceptions to the priviledged few) have been subjected to.

• Highway 2 construction a concern

This one could turn out to be a BIG DEAL considering traffic problems in recent years.
If/when US2 is buggered up between Hungry Horse and West Glacier, can you imagine the traffic hassles?
Those who are "in the know" will turn left/north on Nucleus Ave in CFalls thus avoiding US2.
They'll drive up the North fork Road to enter the park via the Camas Road bridge.
I suspect that's why they are plans about to reestablish the "manned gate" just east of the Camas Road bridge.
The park service saw this coming.

Note to those who have not driven the North Fork Road:

During the early part of the season(May and June), the NF road can be a really NASTY drive.

The road can have long stretches that are wash boarded and pot holed.
I'm talking major pot holes--the sort that can break something if you hit one wrong.
The road is wet and muddy frequently in the rainy months of May and June.
Bouncing on the wash boarded sections can result in a loss of traction--all wheel/4x4 drive be damned.
So keep that in mind if you have a nice vehicle or get a rental.


Also Blackfeet have reached out to superintendent, and discussions are ongoing between them and business owners.
No comment. Y'all already know how I feel about this contentious issue.

Hopefully things pointing in the right direction.
We all live in hope!

Depending on what actually happens, I'll probably look for places to go outside of Glacier.
Have fun if you still want to come!

pete

Link to an article with more discussion on opening
https://flatheadbeacon.com/2021/02/01/g ... ng-summer/

Useful info! Good to know what to avoid!

Here are the meeting notes: link

• Campgrounds that 'look good':Fish Creek, Apgar, Two Medicine, Many Glacier (reservation only).
  Less certain: Avalanche, Bowman, Kintla
  'Currently not taking reservations': St. Mary
• Reconsidering ticket entry system
• Created workgroup to improve 'messaging' for 'recreate responsibily' based on what they saw last year
• "The decision to keep the east side entrances closed was made in collaboration with tribal, state, county, and federal governments. The tribe does not have the authority to close Glacier National Park. As good neighbors, we supported the tribes need to protect their population and in the
  interest of public safety."
• "We are coordinating with the tribal council and state, local, and federal health officials as the Tribe moves through their phased reopening. If the reopening of the reservation continues to progress, the park will reopen the east side in subsequent phases"

No word on when the next meeting is, but Mow hopes the workgroup (MT, Glacier Co., NPS, Blackfeet, Indian Health Service) has a draft plan to present in March to the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council: link.

The bureaucratic stonewalling continues. Pathetic.
See my post in political section.
pete

Appreciate the update! We have eastside reservations that we hope we will be able to keep.

More positive comments: link.

“The Tribal Business Council has been in talks with [Glacier National Park Superintendent] Jeff Mow and the National Park Service about the east side and how to reopen safely,” Public Information Officer James McNeely said

“We’re working with health officials and with everybody to get the Reservation open by late spring or early summer,” McNeely said

Thank you! Feeling optimistic while planning my backcountry permit requests.

If only the border with Canada opens, too, I might finally get to check the Carthew-Alderson traverse off my bucket list. Now I'm just getting greedy.

If only the border with Canada opens, too, I might finally get to check the Carthew-Alderson traverse off my bucket list. Now I'm just getting greedy.

I hate to say this, but it’s pretty unlikely the border will open for tourism this summer. Although our vaccinations are starting to ramp up, so hopefully I’m proven wrong and a late summer opening occurs.

Whenever you do make it up here, let me know if you’d like a hiking partner for Carthew Alderson!

teapot57 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 05, 2021 10:12 am

I hate to say this, but it’s pretty unlikely the border will open for tourism this summer. Although our vaccinations are starting to ramp up, so hopefully I’m proven wrong and a late summer opening occurs.

Whenever you do make it up here, let me know if you’d like a hiking partner for Carthew Alderson!

Thanks, what a lovely idea!
My visit will be in September. Hope both sides of the border are safe for travel by then. (I am uncharacteristically optimistic lately.)

Some more updates trickling out:

Link

As such, Mow said he expects that the campgrounds at St. Mary and Rising Sun will not be open, but Many Glacier and Two Medicine will.

The Park will open its free shuttle service this summer, operating at least to start at 50% capacity.

Also some discussion on ticket system for GTTSR.

And second Link.

From the meeting of the minds [Glacier Super, BTBC, IHS]

The Chairman said the plan at this point is to open by May.

“The future is promising,” Davis said [BTBC Chair]. “By June 1 when Going-To-The-Sun Road normally opens, with vaccinations and good numbers, it looks promising.”

zozeppelin wrote:Also some discussion on ticket system for GTTSR.

From Jeff Mow in the Hungry Horse News article:

The system would be in place from June 1 to Labor Day and would impact the busiest parts of the day. People who arrived at Glacier early in the morning before entrance staff started their shift wouldn’t need a reservation and those arriving later in the evening wouldn’t need a reservation, either.

Thank the Lord!
I sure hope that part of the plan holds true if they go the ticket route.
Getting up at 3:00AM and leaving by 4:00AM to arrive at Logan Pass by 5:30AM makes for a long day, but for me it's worth the effort.
Thanks for posting!

pete

Yesterday at Lake McDonald


CAMERA INFO
Camera Sony ILCA-77M2
Lens DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM
Focal Length 30.0 mm (45.0 mm in 35mm)
Aperture f/11
Exposure Time 0.01667s (1/60)
ISO 100
Date Taken 2021-03-09 16:42:38

Gorgeous photo, Pete.