Going to the sun hwy

[cota95]

I am planning to route through there the second week of May-will the road be open? Chance of snow? Or should I run further south on rt12/87 east to get to rt2 in Montana from Walla Walla?

 

[BikerGeek99]

Per Wikipedia: "The road is generally open from early June to mid October."

Sounds like a roll of the dice to me.

If you've never been, I hope it's open for you. At that time of year, plan on it being cold at Logan Pass. It was in the 40's up there when we were there in mid-July.

 

[beemerdons]

https://www.nps.gov/applications/glac/roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm cota95, The Going to the Sun Highway link updates the road status every week, or sooner if the conditions change due to a recent storm.

Don't trust a guy with a yellow dick as his avatar! Get on a computer the night before and check it out!

 

[wheatonFJR]

My guess would be no...but like other said...have a contingency plan just in case it is when you call just before you get to that area.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

...Or should I run further south on rt12/87 east to get to rt2 in Montana from Walla Walla?

Well, there's certainly nothing wrong with US12, along the Lochsa R. from Orofino over Lolo Pass into Missoula -- it's one of America's fine motorcycle rides.

 

[cota95]

Thanks folks, very helpful. After looking at the pictures of the road with Google earth, I sure wouldn't want to ride it when it's slick! I think not trusting a guy with a yellow dick are words to live by.

 

[Willie]

I am planning to route through there the second week of May-will the road be open? Chance of snow? Or should I run further south on rt12/87 east to get to rt2 in Montana from Walla Walla?

We were there is September and they closed the road on us. at www.nps.linky here gov they have the status of the road. my guess this will be available to you as you travel cross country. If it is open it is worthwhile !! We are going back in August this year, hopefully

Willie

 

[DABRIT]

Here's some information on the project going on to renovate the GTTSR

 

Project home page

 

Just a word of warning, it has been an above average snow year in the area, our cabin is that area of NW Montana and we have had a crap load of snow, so with the works going on and the clear up from the heavy snow winter, check a long time before you go and have an alternative route just in case.

 

Hope this helps

DB

 

[HaulinAshe]

My first time on GTTSR was late June and it was 97F at over 9,000' altitude. Record heat wave the entire 17-day trip.

My second time/attempt was early June and it was snowed over and closed. Record cold the entire 19-day trip.

My best advice, have an alternate route planned, check the computer often, and don't travel with me.

 

[bobg3723]

Per Wikipedia: "The road is generally open from early June to mid October."

Sounds like a roll of the dice to me.

If you've never been, I hope it's open for you. At that time of year, plan on it being cold at Logan Pass. It was in the 40's up there when we were there in mid-July.

Good god man, have the doc take a look at your junk you put up for your avatar. It's disgusting!

+1 on the how cold it can get at that altitude during the summer. Planning on taking my 70+ year young Mom up there and tent camp at either St. Mary or Johnson's of St. Mary campgrounds on the easternmost point of the GTTS Hwy off of Hwy 89.

People, get your reservations in NOW!!! :good:

 

[SacramentoMike]

REAL short season in Glacier NP; I'd rate your chances in May as real slim. But that doesn't mean skip it. As your fallback, you can ride around the park to the south from the west side to the east instead of crossing the park by the one and only through-park road (which is the GTTS). It's not much farther and it's faster. The little town on the east side is Saint Mary. From there it's only a few miles north and then you cut back into the park by a separate entrance. Takes you to Many Glacier. That's a real destination right there. I thought it had the most incredible view I saw in the park. Try for a room at the Many Glacier Inn, compares to the Ahwahnee hotel in Yosemite or the Old Faithful Inn, but reasonable.

Lolo pass/Highway 12 (Idaho) is not too bad, for a road with a very well-enforced 55 mph limit. It almost put me to sleep.

 

[juniorfjr]

Per Wikipedia: "The road is generally open from early June to mid October."

Sounds like a roll of the dice to me.

If you've never been, I hope it's open for you. At that time of year, plan on it being cold at Logan Pass. It was in the 40's up there when we were there in mid-July.

Good god man, have the doc take a look at your junk you put up for your avatar. It's disgusting!

+1 on the how cold it can get at that altitude during the summer. Planning on taking my 70+ year young Mom up there and tent camp at either St. Mary or Johnson's of St. Mary campgrounds on the easternmost point of the GTTS Hwy off of Hwy 89.

People, get your reservations in NOW!!! :good:

My first time going over the GTTSR, we spent the night before at a KOA in St Marys, I thought what a beautiful place, then the wind picked up. Not a lick of sleep that nite

 

[bobg3723]

Per Wikipedia: "The road is generally open from early June to mid October."

Sounds like a roll of the dice to me.

If you've never been, I hope it's open for you. At that time of year, plan on it being cold at Logan Pass. It was in the 40's up there when we were there in mid-July.

Good god man, have the doc take a look at your junk you put up for your avatar. It's disgusting!

+1 on the how cold it can get at that altitude during the summer. Planning on taking my 70+ year young Mom up there and tent camp at either St. Mary or Johnson's of St. Mary campgrounds on the easternmost point of the GTTS Hwy off of Hwy 89.

People, get your reservations in NOW!!! :good:

My first time going over the GTTSR, we spent the night before at a KOA in St Marys, I thought what a beautiful place, then the wind picked up. Not a lick of sleep that nite

+1

Good point! I'll be packing spare Hearos for our earholes.

 

[FastSpy]

Glacier is one of the best national parks in the USA.

Many glacier is a short drive and worth the detour off the Going to the sun road.

Also some absoltuley gorgous camping in Two Medicine campground.

On the west side of the park a dirt road (Inside North Fork Road) heads north to some beautiful remote camping spots.

What it looks like off the beaten pavement.. back when I was summiting peaks and fishing streams in the park.

 

[rickcorwn]

I went there on the way to CFR '09 in BC and the GTTS was closed but it was open part way up from both sides. I, coming from the East, went to Many Glacier then in as far as possible from St Marys and back out. Then around the South side on US-2 to the West entrance and in as far as I could go. Later in the summer I got a chance to go back and the GTTS was open but I think I preferred the first trip the construction was going hot and heavy just west of Logan Pass so the top part kinda sucked. I guess I wouldn't totally avoid Glacier even if the GTTS was partly closed. These pics are all from the first trip.

Many Glacier

I was able to get a few miles farther than St. Marys Lake on the East side.

Mtn. Goats at the Salt Lick on US-2

Lake McDonald on the West side.

 

[SacramentoMike]

.

Okay, I didn't hike to get there, but here's my favorite shot I took at Glacier. From a helicopter.

And what Rick said, too. If the pass is closed, you can still approach it from either or both directions and get a large part of the views you'll see riding over. Views going up from the west side are more spectacular, but construction and traffic delays are far worse.

 

[cota95]

WOW, those views are spectacular! I'll use the link to determine if it's open and road conditions. Thanks.

 

[Gerry.GEG]

I am planning to route through there the second week of May-will the road be open? Chance of snow? Or should I run further south on rt12/87 east to get to rt2 in Montana from Walla Walla?

I road through in mid-Sept. and the wind-chill was about 10 degrees. My point? this time of year, sometimes mid-late June is optimistic for this road to be open if they received a lot of snow during the winter. According to my colleagues at the National Weather Service, they showed 140-150 percent of Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) for upper Montana/Glacier NP. Which means; they had a load of snow this year and it's not warming up like Spring should.I have seen them removing snow from Going to the Sun road with Rotary Snow Blowers in June because the snow was still several feet deep.

I personally, would not plan any MC trip to Glacier NP until one contacts National Park Service to find out when they anticipate the road being passable.

Good luck.

 

[Spud]

I'm not sure if they've had as big of a snow year up there as we've had here, but I gauge the snowpack for the Yellowstone/Teton area on the Targhee ski resort site. A good snow year is 400 inches. A great snow year is 500 inches. They shut down last Sunday and had measured 583 inches for the season, with a standing snow depth of 156" at the base! That's 13 feet! And, it's STILL snowing up there. Based on that, I think Beartooth, Going to the Sun, etc. may all be opening later than normal this year. I highly doubt the second week of may is doable...