Routes / Re: Backside of Glacier??
« on: April 18, 2024, 10:06:28 am »Here are two photos of the west side from 2017:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/105349603@N05/53661334497/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/105349603@N05/53662206136/in/dateposted-public/
You can see a few cars,. There were a lot more. I timed the shots during breaks in the traffic. This was early in the season. Around the 3rd week in June. The road had just opened fully to vehicles the pass fully morning. When I left the park the next day, there was a long line of cars waiting to make the turn from U.S. 2 toward the west entrance to the park.
What I found to be the hairiest was the section where the road finally flattens and straightens out. Most of the incredible views are gone, so people tend to speed. I have always stayed at Sprague Creek. Last time I was there, a guy got pulled over by a ranger. He pulled into the campground. The ranger issued him a warning speeding.
As noted, during much of the summer, you cannot ride west of Sprague Creek Campground between 11 am and 4 pm. So if your plan that day is to go farther west, you should take into account that you might have to hang out at Lake McDonald Lodge or the day use area at Sprague Creek. There are worse places in the world to hang out.