Big Drift, Buried Bathrooms, and Rockfall: The Real Story of Plowing Going-to-the-Sun Road in 2026

Plow crews in Glacier National Park reached the Big Drift, the final major snow blockage on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, and are also working to clear the Logan Pass Visitor Center. Crews are converging from both sides of the park to cut through a one-mile stretch of wind-accumulated snow east of Logan Pass, where winter deposits can reach 50 to 80 feet. Park officials reported that rockfall and avalanches remain key obstacles, and winter windstorms brought down many trees along the route. A major avalanche buried the bathroom facility at Big Bend, and structural damage occurred when about 135 feet of rock wall was swept away near the Slopes. Temporary jersey barriers will be installed while permanent repairs are planned later.

"Plow crews have reached the Big Drift, the final stretch of snow blocking Going-to-the-Sun Road, and are simultaneously working to clear the Logan Pass Visitor Center, park officials confirmed this week, marking a critical milestone in the Going-to-the-Sun Road 2026 opening season. John Lucke, the acting chief of facility management for the park, delivered the update during a public outreach meeting Monday night in Kalispell, reports Hungry Horse News. While crews are now tackling the last major obstacle on the 50-mile alpine route, Lucke cautioned that the road will not open to the public for several more weeks."

"The Big Drift is a one-mile stretch of road just east of Logan Pass where wind-driven snow regularly accumulates to depths of 50 to 80 feet each winter. Crews working from the east and west sides of the park converge at the drift each spring, joining forces to cut through the towering snowbank and reconnect the road across the Continental Divide."

"Lucke cited rockfall and avalanches as the primary obstacles this season, challenges that crews face every year. Windstorms over the winter also brought down a significant number of trees along the route. A major avalanche struck Big Bend this year, burying the bathroom facility there. The structure, which is built into the mountainside and engineered to withstand a slide, remains buried. However, one of the barrier poles designed to prevent vehicles from reversing into the building was ripped out and swept down the hillside."

"The road also sustained structural damage. Roughly 135 feet of rock wall was swept away in a section known as the Slopes. Permanent repairs will follow later in the season; the park will install jersey barriers as a temporary fix in the interim."

Read at SnowBrains