Video: Inside the Decades-Long Partnership Keeping Iconic Glacier National Park Road Safe
As the most popular attraction in Glacier National Park, Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) traverses scenic alpine zones and crosses the Continental Divide. The park closes a section of GTSR each winter due to inclement weather, heavy snowfall, and avalanche hazards. Since 2003, efforts to open the road each spring rely on a USGS-National Park Service partnership based on the expertise of USGS avalanche scientists, who provide on-site avalanche forecasting. The applied research from ongoing USGS avalanche studies supports forecasting efforts that guide the safety of this hazardous road opening operation each year.
Stretching 50 miles across Glacier National Park’s rugged terrain and crossing the Continental Divide, the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) is the most visited feature in the park and the only major route connecting its east and west sides. This feat of engineering offers travelers stunning views of glacial lakes, alpine forests, and sheer cliffs. Each winter, the road is closed due to inclement weather, heavy snowfall, and avalanche hazards. The annual spring opening of GTSR is highly anticipated by visitors, and the region’s economy is closely tied to the road’s accessibility.
Before the road can open, crews must clear snow and avalanche debris. Clearing occurs from April to May or June, a period when the threat of avalanches is high. Since 2003, Glacier National Park has relied on USGS avalanche forecasting to determine when it is safe for road crews to work and for visitors to travel on the road. Scientists with the USGS Ecosystems Land Change Science Program, in partnership with the National Park Service, provide daily avalanche forecasts that are critical for public and worker safety. They also help reduce road clearing costs. Without these forecasts, crews could invest time and resources clearing a road, only to have it buried by avalanche debris.
“They [USGS] surveyed the whole road, identified each avalanche path. They’re kind of our ‘go/no-go’ and they’ll tell us what the forecast is, how long we can work. It’s a huge safety factor for the park and the operators, to protect the road and especially us, the employees. It saves us a lot of time and a lot of money.” – Brian Paul, NPS
The impacts of this science extend far beyond Glacier National Park. USGS scientists have advanced avalanche forecasting, deepened our understanding of wet snow avalanches, and explored the links between climate and avalanches. Their research informs land and transportation management including key railway routes, hazard mitigation, and land-use planning in avalanche terrain, saving lives, avoiding property loss, and minimizing economic impacts from transportation corridor closures. Watch the video to learn more about this research and partnership.
Going-to-the-Sun Road Avalanche Forecasting Program