The Going-to-the-Sun Road Corridor Management Plan Environmental Assessment is open for comments till 6 Oct. Also a public meeting will be held in Kalispell on 17 Sept.
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.c ... ntID=98289
Suggestions in the plan include expanding shuttle service along the entire Sun Road; implementing a partial parking permit system at popular locations like Logan Pass, St. Mary and the Virginia Falls Trailhead as well as prohibiting overnight parking (thus preventing people from parking and going for a multiday excursion in the backcountry while taking up valuable parking lot space)
The plan also suggests using a permit system on popular trails like the Highline to help limit the number of people on the trail during busy times of the year.
So much for planning 6 months ahead.Park officials noted that reserved parking and trail permit systems would only be used during the busiest times of year and only when certain visitation thresholds had been exceeded.
What percentage of the spaces at Logan Pass is actually filled by overnight hikers?Mow said one of the big issues he hopes the plan addresses is making sure people who just want to stop at a place like Logan Pass for a few minutes can do so. Currently, hikers who arrive early and leave late take up dozens of spots in the parking lot.
The long term answer in my view is to get rid of privately owned vehicles on the GTTS road.Selkie wrote:The various proposals, if implemented, would affect everyone who posts on the Chat.
This would be an excellent time to make your views known.
All these "permit" plans are problematic. How would they actually be implemented and managed?Suggestions in the plan include expanding shuttle service along the entire Sun Road; implementing a partial parking permit system at popular locations like Logan Pass, St. Mary and the Virginia Falls Trailhead as well as prohibiting overnight parking (thus preventing people from parking and going for a multiday excursion in the backcountry while taking up valuable parking lot space)
Sounds good on paper but a bad idea imo
Same answer as above. HOW would you implement a permit plan?The plan also suggests using a permit system on popular trails like the Highline to help limit the number of people on the trail during busy times of the year.
Same answer, looks good on paper but unworkable in realityPark officials noted that reserved parking and trail permit systems would only be used during the busiest times of year and only when certain visitation thresholds had been exceeded.
So much for planning 6 months ahead.
The priority imo is parking for those who want to stay longer,not for those who want to stay 10 minutes.Mow said one of the big issues he hopes the plan addresses is making sure people who just want to stop at a place like Logan Pass for a few minutes can do so. Currently, hikers who arrive early and leave late take up dozens of spots in the parking lot.
What percentage of the spaces at Logan Pass is actually filled by overnight hikers?
VERY FEW are filled by overnight hikers. I was up at Logan Pass many many early mornings this year and past years.
Yes, there were some cars parked overnight, but not many.
These and other proposals in the Management Plan appear to prioritize one type of visitor (casual) over another type (devotee, more likely to support Glacier NP Conservancy).
Plenty in the Management Plan to get the quills going.