We’re proud to know you, Glacier lovers. There are so many dire headlines about the awful conditions in Zion, Yosemite, and other national parks that we were worried about Glacier during the government shutdown. Deciding to quash innuendo and rumor, we headed out to Apgar during lunch on Friday, January 4, 2019 to gather first hand information. And what we saw did not surprise us. Glacier lovers are treating their park with respect, whether park rangers are around or not.
To satiate your curiosity or to assist with your weekend planning, here’s our intel:
At the time of the shutdown, Glacier issued a statement that plowing would be limited. As it turns out, we haven’t had much snow, so plowing hasn’t been an issue. The roads are VERY icy, though! Be careful if you go.
The Montana House at Apgar remains open! Go support local artisans and authors.
We saw plenty of people at the Apgar boat docks, taking in the silver, silent beauty of a January afternoon.
The Camas Road is closed, which is not unusual for this time of year. Cross country skiing conditions are not looking too good from the gate, though. Remember, in Glacier during the government shutdown, Glacier NPS is not updating their website or social media, so you’ll need to be prepared — as always — for changing conditions and to apply Leave No Trace principles in a winter environment.
This pit toilet, located in the Lake McDonald picnic area, was open and in good shape.
There was even toilet paper, which surprised us!
Hashtag this: #thingsweneverthoughtwewouldphotographandpostonourwebsite
This Snowman seemed pretty content in Glacier during the government shutdown.
So, there you have it — our Friday afternoon report on the conditions at Apgar, on Lake McDonald. We encourage you to read our previous report on what you can and should do, and not do, in Glacier during the government shutdown. But if you’re curious about conditions, well, we understand that. As we always say: you won’t know if you don’t go!
p.s. we’ll have Granite Park Chalet trip dates next week! Be sure to email us to be on the first-to-know list. info@glacierguides.com